It’s been a while since I last wrote here and many of the thing’s I talked about in the past few posts have come into being and I truly hope that if you could that you spent some time getting prepared and ready for the coming winter.
While it has certainly not been without bumps in the road and surely more to come, we have been able to see what is coming. So like this big old Turkey Vulture, I hope you have a good view of what is happening in your neck of the woods. Work the small things but watch the bigger picture.
October has arrived, with it cool nights, crisp mornings, light frosts, harvest season in full swing, the trees are turning color and o the sunrises and the sunsets. We had one of our worst garden years here on the farm ever. The spring was cold and wet, so much rain, it washed out the pollen on the trees, it washed out the seeds in the garden, it rotted the seeds in the gardens. In some area’s we replanted three or four times over a six week time frame. I have never been so glad that I buy and store large seed amounts but I used at least two year’s worth of seeds this year at a min. Then came the heat, it was brutal, and those smaller plants, some took off, others withered and died.
In the end it didn’t matter for us, between what I have put up and that fact that I insanely overplant for over production on a normal year in terms of fodder as well.. the harvests came in. Some apple trees did not have a single apple they were the early bloomers, but the late bloomers produced. It was the same all over the food forests, what was lacking in one area, other’s put out large harvests. We are not lacking..
I have been enjoying working with my camera and continue to grow in this area, I have put last years birthday present of a full studio set up to good use and have expanded the backdrop selection.
Having said that I still love taking outdoor in the moment photography
Starting in Oct, DH will have a new work plan, one day a week at the work office and 4 days a week at the home office. No public transport is being planned for this (normally he would use the bus or bus/train combo) but he will do a straight commute in and out. I have gotten used to him being home, so it will be different having him gone for the day again.
Hope you are all doing as well as can be!
Just another Day on the Farm 
So good to hear from your neck of the woods. It is noteworthy that I hear from Canada, to Colorado, and down to Georgia the same thing about this being the worst garden year – and it is in gardens that have been around for a long time in their locations and are being tended by experienced gardeners.
I am glad that you are still doing well, despite it all.
I have heard the same thing from so many places as well.. its was a very hard and rough garden year on all levels.. and it will have ripple effects over the coming year. I am glad you gave me a nudge! thank you !
Poor garden year here too, though no frost yet and still summer-like temps for at least a week more. Stage 4 drought to go with that though! The massive rain water collection is really paying dividends. The cold spring was such a big deal. No apples at all and really poor raspberries and strawbs, squash not taking, even when hand pollinated. Best year ever for peppers, thanks so much for the King of the North recommendation! Learning more lessons in adding layers and varieties of things and the need to improve soil more.
Very lucky to not be suffering, just tightening things up some more. I’ve seen an improvement in my health, after a long time of being ‘not right’, it’s enabling me to get more done, which will really help. I sincerely hope it continues!
i hope so to on the health front and yes king of the north is amazing, glad it grew and produced well for you.. its been a hard garden season for so many