A double rainbow from yesterday. I think that’s a sign of a plentiful garden this year. Sounds good right?
We have been planting. Thanks to my brother Dave who enjoys waking me up before sunrise to get some seeds in before work. We’ve got corn, peas, bush beans, beets, radishes, carrots, pumpkins, cucumbers, watermelons, basil, dill, parsley, and lots of flowers to attract pollinators.
Zucchini is blowing up and my tomatoes are already flowering. Shouldn’t be long now.
Peas popping up and the peppers are doing great. They are already flowering! The rabbits are eating my beans so I have to take steps to deter them today. Maybe some Cayenne pepper.
I planted the pumpkins a bit differently than last year. With the tractor, I made a long mound instead of individual mounds. Here’s how to Plant pumpkins in small mounds: https://soulsbyfarm.wordpress.com/2011/06/16/how-to-plant-pumpkins/
Chives are flowering. I just found a great recipe on Barrows Farm blog: cut off the tops, fill a mason jar 2/3 full with the blossoms and cover in white vinegar. Place the jar on your porch or window sill as if you were making sun tea and you’ll have a fabulous dressing.
Thanks to Dave (again) he put in the Soulsby Vineyard this past week. Zoey helped manage and Jeff is installing the trellis. I’m still not 100% sure about the spacing. I’ve read everything from 4′ to 8′ up to 20′ between the vines. What do you do for concord grapes? Any tips?
Have a great Sunday everyone! Happy planting!
Everything looks wonderful! My zucchini is not nearly as large as yours. I should have started it indoors this year :).
So very exciting to see things growing isn’t it? And I definitely think the double rainbow is a sign of good things to come. Let me know how the chive dressing turns out – my daughter and I love chives.
-Michelle
Garden looks great! As for grapes, we have several vines. We put three on each end of an arbor that is only about 4 or 5 feet wide at the ends and about 8 feet long. They grow like crazy! We chose the taller arbor because we have so many deer and raccoon here. Due to time constraints, we pretty much just let them go. I have more grapes this year than I’ve had, so we’ll see. We grow scuppernongs the same way. When we retire and have more time, we will try to do the pruning, etc., and make some jelly. For now, the birds enjoy them more than we do.
Happy Sunday. I am experimenting with my concord grape. Wish I had planted the seedless variety, yet this one produced its first year. Many clusters did not ripen uniformly, so I asked our local “wine god”, and he said I let the two main stems grow too long. So this winter I cut back the two main stems to 15′ each and will see if I get desired result. So far the plant looks healthy, and I will only spray with Serenade if necessary. Good luck.
None of my basil germinated this year! I plant seed in the ground and always had great success. My pesto clients are going away empty-handed! ;-(
Do you have any extra reliable Genovese basil seed?
Oh I suggest marinating your chive flowers in a champagne or wine vinegar. White vinegar too harsh! ;-)
That’s an excellent suggestion! When I read the white wine vinegar suggestion, I thought it might be a bit too much bite too :)
From someone who was raised on a farm but now lives in a condo…..I love your plantings!
At the winery our grape plants are roughly 6 feet apart from the base of the plant to the next base of the plant. I am growing seedless here at home, and they are planted about the same distance apart. A couple of the guys from the winery came over to help me with my fruit orchard, and planted my bare roots for me.
Assuming grapes are all the same, it takes 4-5 years before you will have fruit production. When fruit does develop, you will need to prune off the small clusters so that the energy will go to the bigger clusters. Prune them so that the clusters are as far apart as the tip of your pinky finger to the tip of your thumb.
Be sure to train the vine up a post and remove any growth at the base so that the energy goes into the vine, I keep learning something new about them every year….hope this helps!
Nice post btw!
Our concord grapes are only about 5′ apart, mostly due to space constraints, but they flourish every year! I make homemade jam out of them – more tedious, I find, then other canning projects – but delicious.
It seems to be a year for double rainbows! A friend of mine has taken numerous pictures of some on his journey across Canada this spring…definitely a good sign :)
As a fellow grower, I applaud you on all your efforts. Not only is your family (and probably some close friends) going to benefit from all the wonderful food you are growing, by sharing your experiences, you are encouraging and educating others.
Good job, guys!
From southern Ontario,
Julie
Good luck for a fabulous planting and growing season and a great harvest.
Juno
Fantastic picture of that rainbow! I like it a lot.
I’m an inner city dweller, but love hearing about your farm. Do you follow companion planting rules to keep the bugs at bay?
Now, that’s a garden! Enjoyed your images.
Great blog. Love all the pictures. Good job.
Nice! And gotta love the double rainbow. Happy Sunday in the garden from Illinois :-)
Looks like your gardens are off to a good start!
I spaced my grapes at 6′ apart…good luck with yours.
J
Love that red barn and all the green growing things!
What do you do for Concord grapes? If you dig them out quick, they won’t waste your time or damage your soil. Of course, I’m a spoiled Californian, with wicked ideas about grapes. I know that back home in Michigan a former State Agriculture employee (with a love affair for Concord grapes) single-handedly set Michigan’s wine industry back a half century.
As to those Concords, I assume you’re making jelly…..
You have a good Sunday too. I always enjoy reading your posts. Good luck this season.
A double rainbow AND a thriving garden – you’re living right. We have some Concord grapes on an arbor and get enough to enjoy each summer. Delicious taste.
Lots of nice things growing around your place. There will be some good eating there soon. Great shot of the double rainbow.
Lovely photo of the rainbow!
You have such a beautiful farm! I am always inspired!
Wonderful pictures – and great ideas. I’ll have to think about the chive dressing idea next year – I did a chive transplant mid-season and upset the natural order of things…
It looks great that it all grows already so fast! I am especially intrigued with the rabbits and the cayenne-pepper…does it work?
Great pictures! Love the rainbow over the barn- beautiful!
Love your blog posts! We share so much in common; nutrition inside and out. Our Previse Skincare readers enjoy all things fresh from the farm.
I worked 5 years at Welch’s. Yes, the Welch’s. I suspect I can put you in contact with one of the co-op growers re: Concord Grapes.
Feel free to contact me seanpatrick@previsecare.com.
Love the rainbow. And always enjoy seeing the chickens.
Agreed, Once I saw the picture with the rainbow I just had to make it my desktop wallpaper. Its my hope one day to get a small farm type home one day.
That you get up and plant seend *before* going to your day job is most impressive :)
Love the pictures and the rainbow! It was certainly a good day to be in the garden! We are now using fox urine to dissuade the bunnies – although they are focused on the flowers right now..
Thank you for visiting my blog. What a joy to visit yours today and see that gorgeous double rainbow. You, too, live in a beautiful part of the world. The size of your garden is enviable. Iggy and I have only four small raised beds (made with railway sleepers that were left on the property when the previous owner moved out) and we have to work out carefully what produce is going to give us the best value. Our small fruit trees – figs, feijoas and persimmons – which have kindly sorted themselves out to produce fruit in succession, as well as a wonderful lemon that seems to provide a continual supply of wonderful juicy fruit, are one of life’s great rewards.
Beautiful! I envy you so – being able to grow all those wonderful veggies! After two dismal gardening seasons I decided not to plant through this summer – not to bad today, 106, but two days ago it was 115 – and even though my canteloupes grew like crazy and a few other veggies, all in all I lost steam and enthusiasm. BUT, hopefully, this fall I’ll be energized (especially after reading some wonderful fellow gardener blogs!) and get to work again on my SFGs. I miss the veggies!
Beautiful rainbow photo. I love all of the shots of around your farm…makes me feel like I’m there!
Beautiful rainbow pictures!
My husband is a winemaker and manages the vineyard here – it is a commercial vineyard (remembering that this means they design things for commercial harvest) but they apply some basic principles that might be helpful to you. Vines should be spaced depending on where the sun moves, the slope they are on etc….bascially you have to face them in the right direction to find the good balance of sun, wind, water. They hate wet feet, get wind and sun burned easily and are very temperature sensitive. We have parts of the vineyard that get foliage and buds almost a month earlier than the next block over, just based on their position. A book like ‘From Vines to Wines – The Complete Guide to Growing Grapes and Making Your Own Wine’ by Jeff Cox is a great reference source. Although he talks about chemicals and it is about wine grapes, if you are organic or growing table grapes the basic principles are still spelled out in there nicely. Also remember vines take a couple of years to fruit so don’t panic if they refuse to for a while…that is the most common question asked of my husband – young vines that haven’t fruited yet. Love your farm – how nice to have all that food on the way :)
Had one of those rainbows here tonight right over my vineyard :).
Wow, you must be very proud. What a beautiful space you have. Keep up the great work.
What is sun tea, please?
Hi Pseu, Sun tea is when you get 6 tea bags, place them in a 2 qt glass jar filled with water and put the jar in direct sunlight for 6 hours. The sun steeps the tea.
I love reading these blogs on farming. It must be wonderful to be so down to earth.:-)
The double rainbow is a real treat!
I enjoy seeing everyones different seasons, and where they are ahead or behind, it gives me a real picture of life around the world – my peas have just started to flower, there are a few tomato and pepper flowers emerging and the beans are all being planted this week – it’s busy round here!
And now I’m off to check the pumpkin planting post :)
I’m in Michigan and have my concord grape vines on a 24′ pergola in partial shade, 8′ apart. The grapes drop down above your head so they are easy to pick and I don’t have many birds bothering them. I think because it is like a tunnel by harvest time. Eight plants gives you enough jelly for the whole neighborhood. Good luck!
I need Dave to install some things here, and his supervisor if you can spare her. ;)
It makes the rain somewhat bearable when you get those wonderful rainbows. Looks like y’all are really in the swing of summer.
*anna
Great Post! We are new to gardening this year (our first time ever) and we love gardening blogs like yours as we want to absorb as much good information we can to help our garden blossom into some great yields this year! Good luck with yours, it looks awesome!
Very wonderful!
Busy times!
I nominated you for the Sunshine Blog Award. Click on this link to see my article and what you need to do…
http://salmonfishingqueen.wordpress.com/2012/06/04/another-award-for-life-in-the-foothills/
Congratulations on your nomination! I can’t think of any other blog that does more to educate and bring folks into the gardening fold!
I love the fact that you’re showing compassion to creatures – eating meat/dairy/eggs does not have to/should not equate to cruelty. I don’t eat any of that myself but support Compassion in World Farming and your small farm seems to set a great example…… Love the info on worms and on rain gardens – fantastic.
holy smokes – everything looks beautiful! We had a double rainbow too – now if only my plants looked as good as yours!
Love the chive flower dressing idea. Bummer I didn’t read this sooner as mine are all wilted and look awful.
My sister did her grapes several years ago – they look about 6 feet apart.
Great blog! Many blessings – the rainbow is definitely a good sign.
Your garden looks plentiful! And the double rainbow is pretty.
Loving your pictures, double rainbow! amazing
Beautiful rainbow picture. I so love visiting your blog that I have nominated you for the Liebster Blog award. Please visit my SImply Elfje blog (http://simplyelfje.wordpress.com) for full details.
Great post!
Eric’s sister grows seedless grapes. I only know that she has the vine growing on her fence. Farm’s looking GREAT! I can’t wait for my stuff to flower…if only the weather would start to get nicer here.
I just love your blog! I’m so glad you stopped by my site today. I’ll definitely be back visiting soon!
I’ve always been partial to chive blossoms. They remind me of the simple beauty of dandelions. In my newly renovated country kitchen, I was careful to have a sizable windowsill built above the sink. Your tip about placing the blossoms in white vinegar and setting them in the sun is inspired and I will try it this weekend at Smallpeace.
What a beautiful rainbow! and what a great farm! Lovely to see everything coming up. :-)
what a gorgeous site! found it through simply elfje where Libby had nominated you for a Liebster Award! I’m following you by email as purehaiku…
Wow. Your garden looks great! My 5yr old wants to grow pumpkins, but I don’t think we have the space. Love your blog. Thanks for coming by the other day.
I’m looking forward to trying your sun chive dressing recipe! Thanks!
Gee, your garden is so much better than mine. ;) Thanks for looking at my blog btw.
I really admire those who can manage a garden that big! Kudo’s!! How do you water your garden? Your chickens made me smile, I like that they are just kicking about the yard.
Love your blog. Especially love Project Garden Share – what a great idea, and what a community builder. You farmers “way” down there are quite a bit ahead of us northerners, where tomatoes just went into the ground outside recently, though greenhouse tomatoes are starting to hit the market stalls. Thanks for visiting my blog – I might never have found you on my own.
Love the rainbow! It can only mean good things. Great garden – wish we had it ;-). Ours will be much smaller. Still always good to have untampered produce. Best wishes with your crops..
Did you find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? I guess two pots of gold! HAaaaaaaaa! Can’t wait to try that chive dressing!!!! Thank you!
Looks like you have it all together Mr Soulsby Farm and its looking quite shmick if you ask me…well done on being ahead of your game. Watch out for the leprachauns with that double rainbow…double the leprachauns equals double the trouble!
Your garden looks wonderful. A rainbow has to be a good omen.
looking good ! You are an inspiration to me
Beautiful rainbow! And I am jealous of your weedless garden!
I love your blog. You are an inspiration to me. I only have barely 1/4 acre but am trying to grow as best I can !! And I love rainbows too. Love your pictures
I am nominating you as one of my seven for the Kreativ Blogger award. Check it our back on my page for more information. The post is not done yet, but will be in the next day or two.
Keep the updates coming!
DrJeff7
http://www.heritagebreedfarms.wordpress.com
This is to Lesley on Concord grapes. I have a steam juicer, it sucks the juice out of the fruit, leaves the skins and seeds for the chickens or compost. You end up with wonderful pure juice, but only makes jelly.
your blog is helping me build my garden! which is why i included you in my nomination for the reader appreciation award passed on to me at this short-llnk, http://wp.me/p1Tl9F-c9… please join…
Oh my! Look at all those chive flowers! You should make chive-flower vinegar. It’s really simple and is great for making your own salad dressing. Just fill up a mason jar with some plain white vinegar and pop in a handful of flowers. Put it in the fridge and leave it alone for 2 months. It’ll turn this beautiful pink color and will taste lightly of onion. Try it out!
your place is so beautiful! my backyard mini-farm (more aptly called ‘a garden’) is nothing compared to this! but i guess it’s the joy/the wholeness that these things bring us that matters most.
Reblogged this on My Life is really in the Garden and commented:
A beautiful rainbow! Lots o healthy veggies . .What a lovely farm this is! and a vineyard, sigh.
Great blog, thanks for reading mine. Wish I lived on a farm like yours.
I’ve decided that one day I want to live and work on a farm like my father, who passed away when I was 16. I never thought I’d follow in his footsteps but its looking like I’m headed there. Thanks for the pics. I wonder if cayenne pepper would deter bugs from eating my kale plant.