The Farm is Growing!

Well Shmarmers, we have been busy and wet!  Rain, rain, rain, equals a WHOLE lot of mud!  But the garden seems to enjoy it, so I'll quit complaining and let my garden grow.  Since we had a little break between thunderstorms today I went out, did a little work in the garden and took some pictures.

 Here are the beans, arching out of the ground.

 Growing a little bigger...

And now enjoying their nice, mulched beds.

We are also growing some...

 Tomatoes

 Peppers

 Beets

 Lettuce

 Swiss Chard

 Radishes

 Zucchinis

 Watermelons

 Cucumbers

Garlic and Onions

And here are the bagged potatoes

They seem quite happy in their new home!

Over the rest of the garden we planted a cover crop of buckwheat.  It started out like this:

And now looks like this:

The chickens seem to enjoy it!

The other project we've been working on is our brooder.  When you raise baby chicks they need to be protected from predators and they also need to be warm and protected from the elements.  So they are raised in a brooder.  Hoping to soon start a large laying flock, Micah built this:

The four walled base is an upcycled garage door.  The wood is just 2x4s.  To finish it off Micah ordered metal roofing and for ventilation he filled the sides with chicken wire.  Here's what it looks like now:

(Wouldn't mind putting some of our own kids in there.)

Around the base is chicken wire so that animals don't try to dig their way in and grab our babies.

The hens will be in here for about 3 weeks and then out to pasture.  Sure is easier than raising your kids for 18 years and sending them to college, huh?

We've had some nice visitors...

And they add a nice soundtrack too!

We've even been able to enjoy some of what's growing!

That's purslane.  It's a succulent weed (I found this batch in my garlic) that spreads like crazy.  But if you harvest it, it is DELICIOUS!  Wonderful in salads and stir-frys.  Here's what the internet has to say about it:

• This wonderful green leafy vegetable is very low in calories (just 16 kcal/100g) and fats; nonetheless, it is rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
• Fresh leaves contain surprisingly more omega-3 fatty acids (α-linolenic acid) than any other leafy vegetable plant. 100 grams of fresh purslane leaves provide about 350 mg of α-linolenic acid. Research studies show that consumption of foods rich in ω-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and help prevent the development of ADHD, autism, and other developmental differences in children.
• It is an excellent source of Vitamin A, (1320 IU/100 g, provides 44% of RDA) one of the highest among green leafy vegetables. Vitamin A is a known powerful natural antioxidant and is essential for vision. This vitamin is also required to maintain healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin A is known to help to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
• Purslane is also a rich source of vitamin C, and some B-complex vitamins like riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine and carotenoids, as well as dietary minerals, such as iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and manganese.
• Furthermore, present in purslane are two types of betalain alkaloid pigments, the reddish beta-cyanins and the yellow beta-xanthins. Both pigment types are potent anti-oxidants and have been found to have anti-mutagenic properties in laboratory studies. [Proc. West. Pharmacol. Soc. 45: 101-103 (2002)].
  
  
  I copied all that from http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/purslane.html
  
  
  It was too much to type after thinning and weeding all day.  My fingers are sore.  
  
  
  And when it's all done, we get to sit back and enjoy the view! 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Hope you're all out there enjoying your summers!
  
  P.S. I put a little video of the cows mooing. Could y'all watch it, or did it not load?