Haying, etc.
Jul. 2nd, 2008 04:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
helwenThe guys managed to get in some more hay yesterday and today. The weather has made it nearly impossible, and in fact the second load of hay is sitting on the hay rick out in the field, drying out some more -- this a good thing to do in open air, to avoid fire from combustion of still slightly green grass. Mind, because the hay's been sitting growing in the field for longer than usual, it's also drier than usual -- hence the ability to mow two pieces of the field day before yesterday, then tedder and rake it yesterday early in the day, and bale one of the two pieces in the afternoon (just a wee tad faster than usual!). I helped a bit yesterday as there were a few hiccups in how the baling was going, and Stuart also helped -- he's a friend of the family and business partner to L's brother Raymond.
Still more field to go, but the weather is not going to let it happen tomorrow...
***
Mulched more plants yesterday and today. Harvested lavendar and a bit of feverfew yesterday as well. I took more off the lavendar than I usually do, but the survivors had all done this interesting thing this year of starting up a bunch of new growth in the center of the plants, so I wanted to remove all the leggy branches and give the new stuff room to grow. They're looking rather cute and petite now...
The leggy stuff doesn't look terrific, but they'll still do the job. Lavendar's good at keeping moths away, both the flowers and the leaves. So I've hung up mucking huge clumps of them in the back attic, the 2nd floor SCAdian clothing closet, and up in the main attic, where we have the bulk of our textiles/clothing. I might break one of the clumps up at some point in the future and make a nicer one for the little apartment fiber arts room...
I'll likely harvest some more of the feverfew this week, as it's doing a good job of falling on top of other plants, trying to take over. Honeybees don't care for feverfew, but sweat bees think it's just fine.
The echinacea are starting to bloom, yay!
On the hops, one of the four rhizomes decided to grow and I need to give it a pole to climb. It won't get very tall this year, but next year I'll need a serious pole/line arrangement. On the hops from seeds, 13 have germinated and are slowly making their presence known. Much to young to know their gender yet, of course.
And some other stuff has come up, that might be borage.... I kind of forgot to label a few things towards the end of spring/summer planting...
The corn is doing well, especially now that we're getting at least half days of sunshine.
I moved most of the ginger to the sun/shade garden, as I'd put them in the wrong place (full sun, and the neighboring plants weren't quite tall enough to shade them). In spite of being in the wrong place they've been growing though, so I'm hopeful.
***
Work is proceeding on the west side of the barn. Cleaning and paint removal's happened, (William, Raymond, and neighbor Mary who sugared with us this year mostly. L's helped out a little). Now the nails are being spackled over. BIL Carl is here visiting and is working away on the wall now.
Still more field to go, but the weather is not going to let it happen tomorrow...
***
Mulched more plants yesterday and today. Harvested lavendar and a bit of feverfew yesterday as well. I took more off the lavendar than I usually do, but the survivors had all done this interesting thing this year of starting up a bunch of new growth in the center of the plants, so I wanted to remove all the leggy branches and give the new stuff room to grow. They're looking rather cute and petite now...
The leggy stuff doesn't look terrific, but they'll still do the job. Lavendar's good at keeping moths away, both the flowers and the leaves. So I've hung up mucking huge clumps of them in the back attic, the 2nd floor SCAdian clothing closet, and up in the main attic, where we have the bulk of our textiles/clothing. I might break one of the clumps up at some point in the future and make a nicer one for the little apartment fiber arts room...
I'll likely harvest some more of the feverfew this week, as it's doing a good job of falling on top of other plants, trying to take over. Honeybees don't care for feverfew, but sweat bees think it's just fine.
The echinacea are starting to bloom, yay!
On the hops, one of the four rhizomes decided to grow and I need to give it a pole to climb. It won't get very tall this year, but next year I'll need a serious pole/line arrangement. On the hops from seeds, 13 have germinated and are slowly making their presence known. Much to young to know their gender yet, of course.
And some other stuff has come up, that might be borage.... I kind of forgot to label a few things towards the end of spring/summer planting...
The corn is doing well, especially now that we're getting at least half days of sunshine.
I moved most of the ginger to the sun/shade garden, as I'd put them in the wrong place (full sun, and the neighboring plants weren't quite tall enough to shade them). In spite of being in the wrong place they've been growing though, so I'm hopeful.
***
Work is proceeding on the west side of the barn. Cleaning and paint removal's happened, (William, Raymond, and neighbor Mary who sugared with us this year mostly. L's helped out a little). Now the nails are being spackled over. BIL Carl is here visiting and is working away on the wall now.
