September, Already?

 

I took a look at the last time I posted to my blog. I am a bit embarrassed that the previous post was last winter! 

It was a funny year, weather-wise. Winter hung on until May and then suddenly it was summer. Here on the farm we have been in a constant rush to get the garden in and keep up with everything. 

Summer came on with a vengeance and everything shot up, flowered, and fruited, including the grass and weeds. 

We have been dealing with cute, fuzzy, wild rabbits cutting their way through the fences to decimate our wheat overnight. The voles have multiplied and cut down the beans at the stem and left them dangling on supports. They have tunneled into the potato beds and wreaked havoc amongst the tubers. 

It has been a constant battle this year. In spite of that, we have managed to harvest a few things. 

We enjoyed eating ripe figs fresh off the trees growing in the hoop house and wild berries have been a welcomed addition to our diets. Volunteer cherry tomatoes and ground cherries have been a constant snack. Kale and mustard greens grow freely on the farm and we eat them until we can’t eat anymore. There were a few potatoes the voles missed and hopefully the protection I put around the beans we are growing to renew the seed stock for the seed bank will hold. 

It is now down to a race of what will ripen before fall truly arrives and shuts down the summer growing season.

Last fall, I planted my first bed of wheat in my herb garden. I grew Maris Widgeon wheat and it did very well as shown in the photo above. I had a good harvest and as soon as I have time to thresh, winnow, and weigh it, I will do a little report on it. Last year I had helped to plant wheat and barley but this was the first bed I grew on my own. 

I continue my studies in growing and using medicinal herbs and the medicinal herb garden has made progress. Today I harvested hops to make into tinctures and teas. My fingers are stained with the yellow pollen and have taken on the distinctive smell of hops.

Finally, as fall has announced that it is on the way, it is time to move the Scarlet Raven to a new spot. I will be doing a complete overhaul to remedy the lack of weather proofing and finally build out the interior properly. 

I will be filming that process and more, to be announced in a near future post. 

I have a lot to share from this incredible learning journey I have been on and I am finally ready start sharing. 

Hang on! It will be a joyful deep dive into growing food, building skills, resilient off-grid living, creativity, and art.

Yours in Truth and Beauty, 

Renee