Wrapping up July in the Garden.
It feels like I'm getting very little done in the garden, so I've been taking the approach of ‘a little bit each day.’ Mostly its been pulling up a few weeds and feeding them to the chickens. I’ve gotten the last of the pea seeds planted in the second run, so I have plants at four different stages now. I'm looking forward to the pea pods forming.
Some of my garlic had started sprouting, so I've put them in the ground and I've managed to transplant some more onion seedlings, but there are still lots left to do.
Gradually thinning those onion seedlings out.
The first run I planted is growing like crazy and looking lush and green. The potatoes, peas, lettuce and coriander are purposeful plantings, and the rest are volunteers. Apart from the odd cape weed, it's all edible for something on the homestead, including the nettles, which we also eat.
Queen Ginger surveys her kingdom. They'll be looking forward to the day they get let loose into the green side again.
It's mid-winter and everything is so green, with all the rains we've had, except for the quail run where we have more deciduous trees.
I've never had a mulberry before and it looks like its putting some fruit out for the first time. I don't know of that's normal for this time of year, so I'll have to see what happens.
Can you spot the little green mulbury?
I think the quails could sense bad weather coming in, because they were all huddling under the pepino plants.
Some sad news on the animal front; my little bantam Minnie passed away suddenly last night. She was still warm when I went up to check on them, lying under the roost that she must have just dropped from. It must have been quick and she looked peaceful.
Her sisters were looking a bit subdued today. I think they miss her.
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I wish my stuff looked that green when winter rolls around.
Those chickens do look like they are planning something. Thankfully I only have worry about a tomato plant that’s plotting to take over.
In the run they're eyeing up, I've had some volunteer tomato seedlings coming up. I don't know if they'll hold their own until summer, however, as its not really good timing. It's been such a mild winter, they must be confused.
You must have some wonderful soil for your tomato, if its that exuberant!
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hehehe... I loved your distinction between 'purposeful plantings' and 'volunteers'. Made me smile. I do miss proper peas - we have snow peas here in great abundance but they grow too fast and the formed regular western peas are as tough as an old boot. And so we eat the snowpeas and reminisce. Nice to share your progress.
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I think these are mostly sugar snap peas as standard peas aren't very productive here.
I've learnt to appreciate my volunteers, because I often don't have much time to get purposeful plantings in at the right time. Mother nature is my hero!
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You have a beautiful garden.
The animals certainly feel comfortable in the garden.
It is an ideal habitat for the chickens.
Thank you for your beautiful article.
Sorry to hear about Minnie... :0(
I can hardly believe it's mid-winter over there... everything looks so green indeed.
Thanks for joining the SteemIt Community Garden Journal Challenge - July
It's kind of topsy turvy here, so while it's winter, it's also an easier time for many things to grow, so we're green like the North.
I'm likely going to be seeing more chicken deaths in the coming years as they are getting older.
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I've been trying hard not to get emotionally attached to our three chickens - I have a hard enough time with the cats already. But I failed miserably. I didn't even give them a name, but during this last year, 'the black', 'the white' and 'the ginger' have become their names, 😂
I think I made the first mistake by making it a condition that my gf could only get us some chicken if she promised we wouldn't eat them when they would die, but that we would bury them.
I'm such a sucker when it comes to animals 😉
It's probably not best practice to eat chickens which die naturally anyway. I'd they were sick, they wouldn't be safe to eat and three older they get the tougher the meat becomes, so those who might cull older hens only use them for stock. I prefer not to cull hens at any point.
In my opinion, not naming them doesn't work unless they all look the same! They would have become Black, White and Ginger here. Lol! I even have a Ginger, who is the flock queen. I try not to name baby bunnies as I know they will go to new homes, but sometimes you need to distinguish, so they end up being colours too. We currently have Brown, Grey and Chocolate.
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yes I saw this mulbury, a small green. I thought it's dead already because it's hard for me to find the leaf. lol
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Haha! Not dead, it's just winter here, so no leaves until spring now.
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I have no idea about season because in my country only two, rainy season and hot season or we just called it weather
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Sorry about Minnie.
She was a sweet little thing. I probably need to prepare myself for more losses as the chickens get older. Minnie was only 3, so it was a bit soon for her, but you can never tell with chickens. Some of them are in their 5th year now, including my big boy.
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We've only lost the one, but then they're not really pets, and we didn't have long to get attached to her.
Had some escapees yesterday. Seems Jasper likes to try and force his way under the fence when he sees me throw leftover meat to the chickens. Made a gap and they took advantage. Dirtbags all of them :)
Haha! They're not ones to waste opportunities! I have a couple who like to sneak out when I go through the gate. They're so quick, some days, that they're out when I think I've distracted them. One's quite a master ninja.
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