Category: on-the-farm
PLANTING, GROWING, & HARVESTING BLACKBERRIES
For some of us in the South, picking blackberries brings brings back childhood memories of reaching for those delicious dark purple nuggets among a thicket of thorns. Standing in the warm sun, we ate as many berries as we saved. Our hands turned purple, juice ran down our chins, and we complained out the scratches on […]
COYOTES ARE EATING OUR WATERMELONS!
Crows and raccoons will poke holes in the watermelons or just scoop some of the insides out, but coyotes will eat them right down to the rinds. If they decide not to eat them on the spot, they will travel across an 80 acre pasture with them. They bite into them, pick them up, and […]
Making BLUEBERRY JAM
I love blueberries and I love making jams and jellies so when I get blueberries, some will go into the freezer and some will be canned. I must confess that though I love making jams, I don’t really eat a lot of it for breakfast. I do however, use my jams in recipes like muffins […]
FLOWERS FROM THE YARD
The hydrangeas are beautiful this year. They range from bright pinks to blues to a beautiful variegated variety. I had to grab my camera and get some photos of some of the flowers around the farm. Here is a gorgeous double peach hibiscus. Pink hibiscus Here is one of the many colors of Cannas. And […]
SPRAY DRIFT FROM AERIAL APPLICATION OF PESTICIDES
I’m watching this helicopter make turns over my house while spraying over nearby timberland. If anything actually lives this year (it hasn’t survived in the past) it will no longer be organic and all eggs that my chickens lay today will need to be thrown out. As you can see, the chemicals are sprayed almost […]
Our Newest Chicks
I was excited to come home from vacation and see new baby chicks. Ginger is my mother hen and I usually let her raise all babies. The three chicks with black coloring are Polish babies and the yellow one is a silkie.
HOW TO GROW TOMATOES
Planting If you’re planting seeds (versus purchasing transplants), you’ll want to start your seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the average last spring frost date. Select a site with full sun and well-drained soil. For northern regions, is is VERY important that your site receives at least 6 hours of sun. For southern regions, […]
Vegetable Garden Layouts / Plans
I have been trying to plan my new vegetable garden. I have spent hours on Pinterest searching for the perfect layout. I never thought it would be this hard to decide on a garden plan. I have been planting in my little 4 x 8 square foot garden for years but alas, the boards decided […]
CEDAR HILL FARMHOUSE ~ TEXAS
The owner of this beautiful home says she finds “French country style is very warm and inviting, and it’s the most compelling to me because it’s a combination of beauty and comfort.” She definietly brings her love of French country design into her home. Hope you enjoy the tour. An antique bed covered with mosquito […]
How To Grow Cabbage
Spring is here and everyone is back in garden mode, including me. I’m trying to decide what I want to plant, how much to plant, and where I’m going to put my garden this year. The boards around my square foot garden finally gave out so I’m starting from scratch this year. Expect to […]
TO WASH OR NOT TO WASH FRESH EGGS
I just ran across this article on the egg wash debate. I don’t wash my eggs unless I am ready to give the away or I am ready to eat them. I do place them in the refrigerator, though I don’t believe it’s necessary, since I don’t eat a lot of eggs and I don’t […]
More Pictures of my New Chicks
Here are a few pics of some of my new babies…. Blue Silkie Cream Brabanter or Tolbunt Polish ??? White Frizzle Polish Partridge Cochin Black & White Polish
Is it a Rooster or Hen?
Is it a rooster or a hen? This is a common question you get if you raise chickens. When I hatched chicks, I have used the wing length method. Hens’ wing feathers will be two different lengths and a roosters will all be the same length. This has to been done soon after they hatch. […]
My news chicks….
One of my daughters friends (and one of my “adoptive” girls), came to visit me Sunday. She had asked me if I wanted any more chickens. I told her I would love to have some silkies and if she had any. Well….she brought me 22 silkies…..along with some d’uccles, cochins, seabrights, […]
Garden Tour of Moss Mountain Farm – P Allen Smith
‘m contintuing my tour of Moss Mountain Farms with P Allen Smith here with photos of his gardens. The flower gardens were filled with bright pops of color ; add that to having the Arkansas river as your backdrop and you have a feast for the eyes. Here are some of the photos of his […]
Sunshine on a Cloudy Day
When I pulled into my driveway this afternoon, I could see the sun shining between the dark clouds and loved the way it lit up my blue chair. I ran into the house and grabbed my camera and headed out the back door. It was nice to see the sunshine since I had spent […]
Homesteading On One Acre
I ran across this article on homesteading on one acre in the new Mother Earth News. I sit staring at it trying to decided how much of the plan is actually feasible for me. I love to plant and harvest my fruit and vegetables every year and I love canning, freezing, and drying those fruits and […]
New Baby Chicks
I usually don’t hatch baby chicks in the fall but the coyotes have left me with only 15 chickens and I had a hen that wouldn’t get off her nest so I decided to let her hatch a few eggs. I now have six adorable babies. Related
Saying Goodbye to My Friend
As you can see by the photos, this was my buddy. He met me everyday when I came home from work. I would pull into the driveway and he would be there waiting for me to pick him up. Now when I pull into the driveway, there is no one there to greet me. My […]
Square Foot Garden is a huge success this year !
This is my fourth year to have this little square foot garden. The first year I had cucumbers by the middle of May but the last two years were hot and dry and my little garden did okay but nothing to brag about. This year has been a different story. I decided to add a […]
Spring Flowers are blooming on the farm.
It’s spring on the farm again and that means green grass, baby chicks, newborn calves, and beautiful flowers. Here are some of the pictures I took yesterday. Hope you enjoy them. Related
New Baby Chicks
I can always tell it’s spring on the farm, not by the new leaves on the trees, or the first green grass, and not even by the blooming of the daffodils. No, I can tell by the sound of baby chicks hatching. Here are some pictures of the new baby chicks and I have more […]
Patriotic Picnic
I thought I would post these pictures or our 2012 Memorial Day Picnic. This would also work for the 4th of July if you need inspiration for a quick and easy picnic ideas. We kept it simple with fresh fruit kabobs with dip, cupcakes, and fresh made pimento cheese sandwiches. My sister made these adorable […]
