Eighth of an Acre Bounty

Finally! After a cold cold spring complete with snow in April, hailstorms and a false start of a couple 90 degree days it seems that the sun has finally decided to grace us with its presence for more than a day, rather than peeking out then running away laughing. The past several days have been beautiful, kicking us into gear to finish the remaining garden beds for this season and scramble to find a home for all the starts that have been languishing in the cold frame.
We harvested an early bumper crop of mixed radishes a few weeks ago and just the other day I realized the snow peas were ready for picking. The arugula bolted within 3 days and I swear the pole and bush beans grew 3 inches. I planted a row of nasturtiums around the rock wall and they are in full cascade toward the ground, bright flowers peering out from behind the spicy foliage.

And CHICKENS! Yes, they finally arrived. After several years of talking about it we are now in service to three new residents –  Blume, Cleary and Dahl.  The new girls are definitely earning their keep too, managing to beat back the morning glory and other weeds that continuously threaten to overtake the compost bin within two days. The long range plan is to use several portable pens to allow them (managed) free range over chosen segments of the garden at different times of the year.

Huxley has acclimated amazingly well to the new arrivals, especially given his hatred of anything with wings. The first day was filled with anxious barking but after that he calmed down and realized that chickens are better than television. He runs up to the pen as soon as we let him out of the house, lays down and watches. He still doesn’t like them being fed when he isn’t getting any of it, and he has a bit of an attitude toward Blume, the banty. He got a bit nosy and stuck his face right up against the chicken wire the first week and she pecked him, twice. Here they are eying each other…

He got into the pen once in the first week while I was on the phone. I came around the corner fully expecting a massacre once I realized what had happened. Instead, I found Hux and the three girls all within a foot of one another, sniffing and scratching at the ground. It sure was cute and makes a great story, but the goal is to avoid that happening again, I don’t think my heart could take it.

Not much cooking in this post, not that it hasn’t been done but there is so much more to talk about. Besides, what happens in the garden eventually ends up at the table – we just need to be patient.