Wow, I can’t believe it’s been a month since I’ve taken the time to download pictures and write about what’s happening here on the farm, but, well, it has…… This time of year is just plain scary! Getting everything in the ground, harvesting for the CSA and Farmer’s Market, weeding, critter patrol, tying and staking tomatoes and beans…. it’s more than a full time job. I was working in the front garden, the one I call the “Blackberry Garden”–because the blackberries are planted over there–and I found a few leftover potato plants from last year that were just in the way of this year’s planting, so I had a pocket full of small potatoes that I incorporated into last evening’s meal. After last year’s complete demolition of the sweet potato crop by DEER, I decided to fence in the garden where I’m growing sweet potatoes this year. It’s been quite an adventure. Last winter a friend had 92 pressure treated landscape timbers for $1.50 each so I took them all, anticipating the fence-building project.
After researching woven wire fence I found a high tensile 4′ fence from Tractor Supply that fit my situation the best. I put the landscape timbers on the corners, where I want 3 gates, and midway along the sides, then 5′ t-posts in between the wooden posts. 3 strands of wire are spaced above the 4′ woven fence for a total of 7′. I hope it works. I didn’t run into many rocks while punching the holes in the ground but it was a wonderful shoulder workout (ha)! I plan on creating very cool gates from branches at some point in time, but for now, a swinging piece of fence hooked at the sides will have to do 🙂 Meanwhile in the greenhouse…. 
The president of our local beekeepers gave me an envelope with Vitex seeds in it. Vitex is a good bee shrub with a growth habit somewhat similar to a Butterfly Bush. I planted ALL the seeds….and about 75% of them germinated. ALL the seeds would be 500 of them so I’ve got lots of vitex growing here on the farm. Part of them have been potted up to larger pots, but most of them are still enjoying the moist humidity of the greenhouse at this point. 
The wisteria on the front porch bloomed very well this year. I found a tripod at the Habitat Store for $3.00 so I can hook my camera to it and do “selfies” now! 
There are several bluebird houses on the property, but this is one of the most popular, which is along the driveway. I was mowing the other day on my tractor, which is about the size of a land yacht with the front loader and mower behind. The bucket was up out of the way (I thought) and all of a sudden I realized that this birdhouse was on the ground. Oh my, I was upset! I just knew I had wiped out a generation of baby bluebirds—BUT when I opened it, there was nothing in it–THANK YOU!! I rehung the house and as I’m writing this post there is another generation of beautiful blue bug-eating birds in the process of becoming part of the menagerie here on the farm. 
A couple of months ago I was prowling around the antique shops in Rockwood, TN and ran across this cultivator. I’ve used it a little, but the handles are a little short and my feet hit the back of it while I’m pushing, so I need to add “longer handles” to my list of stuff to look for at the local flea market. 
The flower bed in front of the house has been my experiment with a “cottage” garden. The old saying with perennials is that the first year it sleeps, the second year it creeps, and the third year it leaps. What the saying doesn’t say is that the fourth year it all goes to he….., well, you know what I mean 🙂 These redbuds and a hophornbeam volunteered along the edge of the bed and I’m glad. They will work out just great in the spot they’ve chosen. Meanwhile, the rest of the bed……arggggghhhhh! So, it’s time to head to the Farmer’s Market and also deliver the Wednesday CSA boxes…..the skies are threatening and the wind is blowing…….till next time– Happy Hoer, over and out 🙂
Wild Things Farm 