The old homestead has been doing well so far this year. I managed to finish cutting all the trees from the area that will eventually be the pear orchard. Right after I pull all the stumps. On a related note, if you’re in the market for some seasoned pine firewood, make an offer – I have a LOT. Like, seriously, a lot. I’ll deliver if you’re near me. Not even joking.
How many ciders and gluten free beers does it take to burn a brush pile?
Here we see Mr. Snake. I don’t bother him in exchange for him being allowed to eat his weight in varmints every day.
He sat still for 5 minutes because he thought I didn’t see him. Snakes are, apparently, not that clever. They don’t need clever – they rely on creepy to keep other creatures away.
The fruit trees are coming along well- the new trees really took off and the existing trees are producing a great crop for the fall. Here’s a picture of Lucy holding every piece of fruit we picked on the property last year.
Honestly, not all of that was even edible.
And here’s a sample of what this year’s trees are doing. Turns out you have to care for your trees, not just ignore them and hope things turn out OK. It’s like raising kids, except sometimes bugs and fungi cause problems. Actually, it’s more like raising kids than I thought.
Just a few branches from one of the pear trees. Pear cider is happening this fall, I can tell you.
I’ll give you my method on burning a pile of green brush without using gasoline. I just bring an armload of dry firewood down down from the woodpile, build two small fires in both edges of the brush pile and feed it like you would a regular campfire and it will take off. These pictures are about 15 minutes from start to fully involved and the entire pile burned in about an hour and a half.
No waiting for it to dry – that was brush from one tree that was still standing earlier in the day.
Goats doing go things.
Goat things, in case you are wondering, are not a lot of things.
Stacy tending to the raspberries. She did a great job and we had a bumper crop of them this year.
Honestly, I don’t know what “tending” the raspberries entails. Could be witchcraft for all I know.
Meanwhile, Layla just likes to watch the farming going on.
Next year she can actually help. Time to start earning a living.
We’re prepping the soil for the vineyard by tilling it and adding lime to raise the pH so we can plant grape vines next spring. But, tilling means you have to pick rocks. Lots and lots of rocks.
This is how it starts.
Then you just keep going until you have about six buckets full of rocks. Then keep going.
I’ve had to spend more time away from the farm than I really want to this summer and we have a toddler to look after, but I think I’m still getting it done. My boots are starting to look like real boots should, and that gives me more satisfaction than you can imagine.
The Foolhardy Farmer 