April Fool's Seeds Garden

 Back in April, well exactly April 1st, I opened an email from Adaptive Seed Company. They were offering a one day only deal. Floor Sweepings Seeds were available for $4.01 and not only would the purchasers get a seed packet of "floor sweeping" one would also receive a coupon for $4.01 off the next purchase. Well...I was all over that. Was it real, was this April Fools Fun, real seeds swept up fro the floor after a busy day packing seeds, or was it truly a joke and one would only get the coupon. I guessed there would be real seeds involved and I was right. I love a good mystery and experimental gardening so I ordered my floor sweepings right away. The seeds, and coupon, soon arrived and there was a wonderful mix of seeds. Some I could easily identify and others not so much, especially all the teeny, tiny seeds!

I planted a large selection of the seeds in seed starting pots and put them under our grow lights where we had already started many seeds such as tomatoes, peppers, flowers, etc.. Soon all Sorts of little seedlings emerged. 

 Mostly the seedlings were kept in the house but on warm enough days I moved them all to the little greenhouse to acclimate to the outdoors.

In late May I planted them all in the ground in specific places so I could monitor the plants and see just what we got from the floor sweepings mix.

In early June we were already eating from the April Fool's seeds, all sots of lettuce, spinach, chard and amaranth greens. By late June we see full grown Marigolds, Sunflowers about to bloom- giant and smaller, zinnias coming along and probably more flowers. As for veggies we have the already mentioned greens plus celery, a tomato plant, peppers, corn, a couple beets, runner beans (one plant!), possible Brussels sprout plant (I think), fennel, onion or bunching onion, a cucumber or squash plant, so many kinds of greens and a few things I still haven't identified. There's a lot of amaranth and I'm using some greens now but will also use the grain seeds when they are ready.

All this and there is still round two to come. I still had LOTS of the assorted, tiny seeds that didn't get started indoors. I started them in a couple more places a week or two ago. I'll separate and transplant as needed as they grow.  

I really hope the seed company offers something like this again next year!

On The Farm

 I've been trying to clear more area with my brush cutter. It's so heavy but gets the job done. I did cut my finger and somewhat dislocate another....putting it away. Haha. I didn't get hurt using the thing but got hurt putting it away. 

Not the greatest of pictures but the baby chicks, 2 months old, are roosting well already. The big babies, rescue bantams,  months old, still don't get it and have to be carried in every night.

 This little girl, rescue bantams R2D2 AKA Pigeon, just does what she wants. She is sweet but also wild and o tiny she can fit places none of the other birds can. She flies very well too up into the trees and on the rood of the coop. 

Lots of good growing in the garden EXCEPT the tomatoes, they do not like this wetter than normal summer. 

On The Farm and Everyday Life Last Few Days

 Busy days just lately with hot, humid weather. thunderstorms, great garden growth, Bobby on vacation so days out including going to see the new Indiana Jones with the boys, fitting in appointments and all the things that make up a life. 

 

So many volunteer Hubbard squash plants. I'll have to plant them here, there and everywhere. Squash don't love being transplanted but maybe some will take.

Many Tomatoes doing great, a few struggling.

i do love strawflowers and this one plant is doing amazigly.

home made vegan donuts.

Willow helps me transplant some struggling chestnut trees. The one in the chicken yard is doing great. These other two are in too shady a spot across the road so I'm potting them up and then will find a new spot.

Willow supervises me digging up the struggling chestnut seedlings.

These chestnut trees are in sad shape, I should have found them a new spot sooner but at least they're still alive.

Hard to see amongst all the reen, this chestnut tree is over 4 feet tall, very leafy and full of branches.

This chestnut is thriving

Below, some of this years' hatched chicks, so cute and growing fast.

Rocky the duck, below, loves the puddles that the wet weather brought to the farmyard.

And Rufus helps me check on the hazelnut bushes.

On The Farm 7/6

 The heat is on and we need to make sure the farm animals don't get overheated. Fresh pools for the ducks, plenty of fresh water for everyone, encouraging the chicks to roost  not pig pile (kinda failed). We added a second, higher powered fan to the coop as well. We have had a loss in the duck flock, I don't know if it was heat related or old age as she was one of the originals. I couldn't find her at first and thought we may have yet another broody hiding but eventually I found her not nesting but passed away in a more secluded part of the farmyard. The baby chicks are now just about 2 months old and fitting in well with the flock. The rescue bantams are now 4 months old and enjoying life.

Little cutie

Frizzy frizzle

The assisted hatch chick at 2 months, absolutely he sweetest little one.

This is the part where I try to make things better for the chicks in the heat but I fail. I noticed that a few of them are roosting but many are pig piling in the brooder cage in the coop at night, even though the cage door is always left open now. To break the habit I took down the brooder cage and put up some temporary, makeshift roosting bars where the cage had been. It must have been too new and scary and the chicks had other ideas. I eventually got them all a little more comfortable and then shut everyone up for the night hoping for the best. They were fine. 

Well this is never going to work!

They had their small window fan and this new floor fan that can direct the air where needed and they did fine, adults, middle sized chicks and little ones.