Heat Wave

Thanks to all our customers & visitors who came out to the markets this week in the brutal heat & humidity.

Free Range

We've been letting the chickens out during the day to forage. They love it and gobble
up lots of japanese beetles and other insects and worms.

I'm still a bit perplexed about the genders of the five Blue Laced Red Wyandottes.
Regardless, these birds are just gorgeous and friendly to boot.

All the chickens like to nestle down under the perennials by the wood shop during the heat of the day.

When I described Nathaniel Hawthorn to the young man who sold him to me as a wee chick
he told me that Nathaniel is probably a Buff Orpington and Leghorn cross which explains his
incessant crowing. Still he and Charlotte Dickens (the Buff Orpington pullet) are quite
a cute couple spending all their time following each other around, nestling together, or
generally bossing the Wyandotte crew around.

Thanks!

Thanks to all our customers and visitors this week at the Exeter and Portsmouth Markets!

July Bounty

Noami's Sprouted Acre is lush with herbs and veggies including Basil and Onions.

Husk Cherries (yum!)

Bean plants are blossoming.

Colorful Swiss Chard

Eggplant some with early fruits!

Sugar snap peas!

Potato blossoms

Rows of various potato varieties

Tomatoes will be ready very soon. This is the "Green Zebra" variety. Delicious.

Growing the Farm

Art and Ernie worked the last few days to set up the goat pen and build the goat shed. We used Locust saplings
from the grove across from the house for the major posts and door frame.

This afternoon Art and I went to our neighbors farm to pick up three Nigerian dwarf goats who have not yet been named
but who are nonetheless adorable and quirky and pleased with their new abode. This is our male "wether" goat.
Such handsome markings!

And here are the girls.
Our goal is for these three munchkins to have a long, pleasant life gobbling up the farm's poison ivy!

Bouquets of Gaillardia, Ammi, Mint, Primrose, Silver Tip Grass, and Feverfew.

 We've had another very busy week including a lot of travel to deliver Jack and Naish to their respective summer overnight camps (check out the "Farm and Family" page for photos). We also prepared for the busy holiday markets in Exeter and Portsmouth.

Many new varieties are blooming or ripening on the farm and it's been exciting to harvest all the early spring work. Though I already miss the boys, I'm so grateful to be surrounded by all this wondrous bounty!

Our first Lily Bouquets with Bachelor Buttons, Daisies, Lychnis, blossoming Field Peas, Rudbeckia, and Yarrow.

Happy Independence Day! 

The tiny Snapdragon seeds I started in February have had a happy (miraculous!) journey
and are now starting to bloom in the garden.

Our first sunflowers have arrived. Here is the branching "Peach Passion" variety as well as Mint, Queen Ann's Lace, and Primrose which lasts quite a while in a vase to my surprised delight.

Alliums

I have quite a few varieties of alliums all at different stages of bloom. These little ones will be harvested when they are almost entirely a purple, fuschia color. But I think each stage of bloom is incredible.
Here the flower has just cast off its pale purply-pink husk.

Look at these tiny blue beauties!

I call this the hairy allium.
But really when I check on them periodically during the day
it looks like they are dancing in slow motion the way the tendrils unfurl.

I call these my Queen alliums.
These tiny blossoms will continue to emerge and create a sphere of delicate blossoms.
Isn't mother  nature astounding!