Spring Is In Full Swing

Our Chocolate Peppermint Patch

It's Springtime, and all of the springtime activities are in full swing here on the mini-farm.

The first kids of the year have arrived; Inga, one of our milk goats, surprised us yesterday morning with a buckling and a doeling. All three are doing just fine. Ilsa, Heidi, and Gretchen are expected to kid within the next two weeks or so.

Egg production is in full swing.

Our goose, Buttercup, is firmly settled onto her clutch of eggs--about fifteen of them. She is about two weeks into her 35-day task. She was off the nest today for a few minutes but returned to duty after a bite to eat and a splash in the water barrel. Wesley, our gander is a watchful, careful, sentry.

Early crops are ready to harvest: beets, turnips, rutabagas, chard, spinach, carrots, collards. A full crock of cabbage-soon-to-be-sauerkraut sits on the counter in the kitchen.

Fruit: Apples, Peaches, Citrus, and Almonds have set. Olive tree is in bloom (this year, we're expecting our first crop). Goji is also in bloom. Pecan is about to bloom.

Mints: Peppermint, Spearmint, Chocolate Peppermint, and Apple mint have are giving abundant harvests.

A month ago or so, we began starting our intended crops from seed in flats and pots in the nursery area. We are using one of our aquaponic growing beds to keep the seedlings well-watered and fertilized. We've been planting out our peppers (Bell, Pepperoncini, Padron), tomatoes (Early Girl), eggplant (Black Beauty), cucumbers (pickling and slicing), squash (zucchini), and herbs.

We still have quite a few things to plant out:

50 San Marzano tomato plants--an Italian heirloom sauce tomato. We intend to grow enough to can 75 quarts of tomato sauce this summer, which will beat the record of 50-plus quarts a couple of years ago.

Russian Black Cherry Tomatoes, Tomatillos.

Herbs: marjoram, sage, summer savory, rosemary, chives, and basil.

Dozens of pepper plants--Pepperoncini (both Greek and Italian styles), Anaheim, Poblano (Ancho), Habanero, Cayenne, Padron, and of course, Bell.

Sour Gherkins, Tigger Melons, Watermelon, Honeydew, Cantaloupe.

Squash: Spaghetti, Delicata, Acorn, Pennsylvania Dutch. We'll be using a "three sisters" approach to grow these squashes along with popcorn, and pole beans. Oh, and pumpkin.

Grapes: Red Flame (from cuttings), and Black Monukka.

If we can do this on our small lot, you can too! Start small. Grow at least one thing you like to eat. Get started.