Big days on the wee homestead! The cucumbers are coming in by the bushel full, the lambs are dropping like rabbits, the mushrooms are growing like mad and the bees sound exceptionally pleased. I can’t keep up!
Luckily, Handy Hubby is here now every day, thanks to his ‘early retirement’ (that is his layoff six months ago) thanks to The Great Scamdemic. With his steady efforts and attention our place is shaping up beautifully and my stress levels have been reduced by half, even as chaos still reigns. For these are not the only new milking mamas, I’m now officially a milkmaid in training myself!
Learning to milk in humid and buggy 95 degrees F is every bit as pleasant as it sounds. 😏
Handy Hubby crafted me a nice milk stand from plans posted by Fias Co Farms, a very good resource for goat newbies.
The chanterelles will surely give up very soon in this heat, so I forced myself to brave the mosquitoes and ticks once more to gather one last big basket full. I came across a new variety while hunting that’s not in any of my books, so I contacted Texas Foraging expert Mark ‘Merriwether’ Vorderbruggen, who identified it and directed me to this excellent site:
https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/hexagonal-pored-polypore
Since our temps went from April-like to August-like overnight, I got stuck in a bit of a bind with the bees. Because I’m trying to work between 3 different hive types (very stupid, do not entertain this folly I would advise) I’m trying to get them to move of their own accord. It is working, but it is quite a slow process. I will eventually have 3 colonies from this one very full nuc without too much destruction or fuss, or at least that’s my plan.
To end I offer a true garden success. I’ve been experimenting a lot with companion planting, sometimes with advice from permaculture books, but sometimes just by my own observations. This year I planted sunflowers very early, before it was warm enough for the cucumbers and melons. My thought was to attract the bees to the garden like a lure down to the still small cucumbers. It’s worked like a charm and the trellises are bursting with activity.
I’m also trying some new tricks with the tomatoes, letting the cherry types go wild, but highly managing the large varieties and interspersing them with various herbs, lots of comfrey, turmeric and ginger. The results are not yet in on those efforts, but I’ll keep y’all posted.
Kensho Homestead 
HA!! I wonder what the translation is for politicians? And, lawyers. I know there’s good ones out there of all of these professions, but I just don’t know how you could ever stay good while in a den of criminals.
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Journalism is just an old blend of Greek and Latin. It translates as “Lying sack of shit, unable to tell the truth”.
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Thanks! Me too. I’m tempted to take photos of them every day, so cheerful!
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I love the sunflowers. Gorgeous.
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Ha, yes, was just listening to Richie Allen say the same. But, I don’t think journalism has ever been on the level, whereas the Masons made deception into High Art. 😉
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You misspelled “M-a-s-o-n-i-c”. It is spelled “J-o-u-r-n-a-l-i-s-t-i-c”
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Ah. Is that another of those Masonic deceptions?
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They want you to think that, but most of the country still stocks/teaches him.
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HA! It’s a mixed blessing. Aren’t they all?! 🙂
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Planting… For winter??
Man, I need a southern climate. Lol
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Mmmm, I’ll meditate on that today while I’m spraying milk all over my pants. 🙂 🙂
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Not surprising, I was a big Dr. Seuss fan. I hear he’s no longer in favor these days—part of the ‘cancel culture’. Pity.
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By the time yours is peaking ours will be a sad, withered mess! And I’ll be planting for winter. 🙂
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Wow! You’re garden is amazing! And about 2 months ahead of ours. LOL
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The beginning sounds like a Dr. Seuss book.
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Now all you need to do is find a good goats’ milk ice cream recipe, and you’ll be set. 95 degrees, humid, and buggy doesn’t sound quite as bad if homemade ice cream is involved.
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