Goats, Veggies, and Summer Fun!

I am loving the fact that I'm off for the summer!! It gives me time to do things like can and make pesto!  If only I could win the lottery and be a "Stay at Home Susie Homemaker"!  I've posted a few pictures that many of you have already seen on my facebook page.  I apologize for the repeats but my mom did such an amazing job with the pics that I had to share again!  She's one talented and amazing woman! 

Butterbean and Charlie are my dwarf Nubian goats.  Charlie is now a "wether" which means he's neutered.  I banded him about two days after getting him.  As I'm just starting out, I didn't want to deal with everything that goes along with having a male goat (they pee on their beards!!!) so he and Butterbean are living a very stress free life on the "back 9".  I installed an electic polynet fence and am moving it around as they clear an area.  I can't believe how much they eat in a week!!  Jordan and I have been busy building their house and moving the fencing around but eventually they'll help us clear an area for grapevines and another garden.  Charlie is very friendly and loves to be held.  He comes right up to me and I hear his cute little cries every time I open the back door.  Butterbean is a little skiddish and I'm working with her every day.  I hope that she'll begin to warm to me.  Dwarf Nubians are referred to as "scrub goats" because they eat just about anything.  They are one of the easiest breeds of goats to care for and maintain.  Eventually, I plan to start milking and dwarf nubians are also known for being good milkers despite their small size.  Can you say goat cheese!!!! 

The garden is doing well despite a few setbacks.  Organic gardening can be a challenge.  It's hard when you see plants being taken over by bugs but multiple visits to the garden each day help to keep them in check.  I think I should market a stink bug perfume.. Probably not a best seller, but I've been sportin it for a while now!  Today I am delivering veggie baskets to six folks.  They will receive a mixture of the following (although not enough for everyone to have everything):  Chard, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, beans, peppers, herbs, brussel sprouts, eggplant, pesto, pickles, and jalapeno jelly. 

The bees are being very difficult this year!  After already losing one swarm, I'm down to three hives.  I had to order a new queen this week, and at $60 a pop, I sure hope she does her job!!  I should be able to harvest honey from Hazel's hive by mid July if all goes well.  I'm really looking forward to the honey harvest as it's such an exciting time. 

There's never a dull moment around Two Bees Farm!  Anyone that's up for a visit, just let me know.  I'm "off" for summer break and around most days!

It seems the green in my "green thumb" is not feeling so bright these days. I've added compost, turned the soil, and kept things as bug free as humanly possible but things just aren't taking off.  My poor little watermelon and cantaloupe plants are just that.. little.  They are stunted and don't want to go anywhere.  So, I am buying plants from a local garden center and will see if a second planting  does the trick.  I've had trouble with mexican bean beetles since my bean plants came up and it seems they are stunting the growth of the plants.  Today I'm going home to replant those as well.  It's hard not to get frustrated, especially when I see so many lush and green plants in other gardens.. What's that called, "green with envy"?  I have harvested quite a few cucumbers and will be making dill pickles this week.  A nice addition will be the dried dill seeds that I harvested last week.  I was also able to gather quite a few corriander seeds (picture below).  I'll be busy canning this week and will add pictures of this venture soon!  Also, pictures and information on the two cutest additions to Two Bees Farm:  Butterbean and Charlie are coming soon! 

And I have to show off my new toy.. Thanks Gaskill's Hardware!!



Each year, I am amazed at the changes going on around me.  The transition from one season to another is  bittersweet it seems.  I am always overjoyed at the arrival of Spring.  New blooms, a bit of green (finally), and lots of wonderful food from the garden keep me smiling for months.  This time of year is no different.  Summer will be here soon.  The fact that I only have 11 days of school left makes me want to scream and shout with joy, but I also think about the fact that Spring is on it's way out.  I was again reminded of this fact this week with the last of the spring veggie boxes going out.  I said goodbye to the spring side of the garden.  It will be tilled under this weekend and vetch will be planted as a summer groundcover.  Now I'm keeping an eye on the new arrivals and am pulling out the old canning recipes.  I have tomatoes, squash, beans, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, and herbs well established and looking healthy.  I may even be able to pick a squash or two this week!  I sent out an email to those folks who receive veggie boxes asking for input and feedback.  I'm thinking I'll try something new for their summer boxes and offer some canned goods, infused oils, and cheese in addition to the standard tomatoes and peppers.  Another great thing about having a summer break is that I will actually have time to spend in the kitchen during the heat of the day.  I'm looking forward to creating some tasty treats! 

Heading into Summer

I'll have to admit, things have been a bit crazy these last few weeks.  It's been hard to keep up with everything that goes on this time of year!  I'm still harvesting so many wonderful veggies from the spring crops.  I just put out the latest round of baskets.  They included:  lettuce, arugula, chard, radish, beets, potatoes, onions, and sugar snap peas.  The summer garden is up and running but I'm trying to stay ahead of the bugs!  My bean plants are already suffering and I'm hoping that my late evening picking efforts will keep them at bay?  We'll see!  When the bugs get to be too much I do use a few methods for combating them.  First, I try to hand pick as many as humanly possible.  If there are just too many I will use Neem Oil or a mixture of Bronner's soap and water.  This usually does the trick.

The bees seem happy these days.  I've had to add new boxes each week and the ladies seem thrilled to have so much in bloom.  They are a non-stop train of pollen and it's so fun to watch!  I'm still hoping for a mid to late June honey harvest.  I have seen a few wax moths but the ladies are going strong and should be able to defend themselves against the pesky (and messy) intruders.  Fingers crossed...

I'm counting down the days to summer (only 18 more days of school left!!).  I've set a goal for myself.  By the end of the summer I will have a full business plan written and be ready to lauch a kickstarter.com fundraising campaign.  I just have to practice a little self-discipline.  Don't be tempted to sleep in, don't spend too much time out on the boat, and focus!!

Wow!! It's been really busy around Two Bees Farm.  This past weekend folks enjoyed their second vegetable boxes.  I was able to fill them with lettuce, chard, carrots, radishes, beets, arugula, spinach, bok choy, herbs, and eggs.  The last of the spinach, radishes, and carrots were picked to make room for summer seedlings.  As much as I love summer I'll have to admit that I'm sad to see all the beautiful leafy greens go.  There's nothing like fresh, crisp lettuce straight from the garden.  Warmer weather brings tomatoes, beans, and squash.  I'm a little behind on planting this time and will be busy this week working to get everything in the ground.  Weeding is starting to become a chore, and one that I will have to force myself to do daily! 

The bees all seem to be happy!  I was excited to add boxes to the two older hives and should be able to harvest honey by late June!  The new hive, which has seen it's share of troubles, and was combined with another new hive apparently poisoned by fermented sugar water, seems to be doing well.   I'm keeping a close eye on them and sure hope they stay happy! 

If you're looking for a different way to spend an hour or so, come on out and help in the gardens!  There's plenty of weeding and planting to be done.  I also have seedlings for sale in the greenhouse.  Come check it out! 

happy planting
t

Successful First Delivery!!!

This past Satuday was a big day at Two Bees Farm! My first 5 veggie boxes went out and I'm so happy to report that everyone seemed pleased.  I was able to provide radishes, carrots, chard, lettuce, dill, cilantro, and rosemary this time.  I have hopes of the next boxes going out in two weeks. 

I was thrilled when I went into the new hives on Saturday.  The new queens are alive and well!  There are tiny little eggs in the cells and the workers are busy gathering the spring goodies!  I'm still worried about one of my older hives and will check it in a few days to see if there is new larvae.  When I checked on Saturday, there was uncapped larvae but I still didn't see eggs or the queen.  I'm really hoping she's just hiding! 

Spring Break is coming up (thank goodness) and I am looking forward to a week off!  I'm forcing myself to relax a bit and look forward to some down time spent with old friends on the beach.  The plants can do without me for a few days, right??

Here's a picture of the weekend harvest...