New Greenhouse Manager

I welcomed this little guy to the greenhouse last fall, but haven’t seen him all winter. I’ve been worried about PC2 (Prince Charming II) and then, while moving fig trees around, there he is! I think he’s a Cope’s Gray Treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis). The original Prince Charming enjoyed the greenhouse accommodations for 6 years! Welcome to Walnut Hill Farm!

Nothing goes to waste!

We are busy cleaning out the beds in preparation for the planting of garlic and shallots at the end of this month. I have been finding all sorts of things…carrots that weren’t pulled, onions left behind, and way too much parsley (what was I thinking). Instead of carrying them off to the dump, we’ve been making vats of vegetable stock, and it’s been flying out the door as family and friends take some home for their freezers.

Black Gold!

Now is the time I appreciate all the compost that’s been “cooking” all year. It”s so rich in organic matter, you can see a marigold growing on the side of the bin. As we ready each of the beds for winter, we apply a generous amount of this “black gold,” then top with a layer of straw.

Can you guess what this is?

Kayaking, 7 new chicks, and beekeeping classes have kept me busy this summer. I hope I’m not neglecting the “farm!” But I have stumbled on to the most incredible invention and am exploring it for use in elementary schools. It’s called a Foldscope, a cardboard, folded origami-type microscope with 140x magnification, that fits in your pocket and costs a fraction of a science textbook. (Yes, I know…I have an origami kayak, too!) Every 5th grader should have one and I’d like to develop the science curriculum for the year that would center around it. Developed by a Standford professor to put in the hands of health care providers in third world villages….and so many other uses. So I have been having fun exploring the anatomy of a honeybee. This is a photo of the bee’s hindwing. You can clearly see the hamuli, or hook-shaped projections, that connect to the forewing while the bee is in flight. AMAZING! (A foldscope with accessories and training, costs $19.95)

Plentiful peas!

The peas have been beautiful this year…and the deer think so, too. Fortunately, we planted enough for everyone! These are Avalanche Snow Peas from High Mowing Seeds. @CalihanCooks is planning on using them tonight in Joshua McFadden’s Pasta alla Gricia with Slivered Snap Peas.

Not on my squash!

Caught in the act. Here, you see a squash bug laying her eggs on the underside of a squash leaf. Beautiful little copper colored things...but when they hatch, they can be so destructive. Overnight, they can decimate an entire bed of squash.

Happy St. Paddy's!

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all! It's looking very green in our grow room even though a fall from a ladder has sidelined me from this year's growing season. But family and friends are determined my raised beds will be filled with all kinds of wonderful veggies! Hoping to have tomatoes and peppers, too, for Jason's Garden, our annual plant give-away.

Overachiever?

It doesn’t even fit in the carton! To be considered “jumbo” an egg must weigh at least 70 grams. Lady’s extraordinary effort tipped the scale at 100! Like everything else here at Walnut Hill Farm, we have more questions than answers!

The last CSA box is packed and ready for delivery....

and it’s somewhat bittersweet. I have so enjoyed this project all summer and I am sorry to see it end! It’s made me a better grower and has really given me a sense of how productive my 20 beds can be. I have provided a box of produce for 7 famili…

and it’s somewhat bittersweet. I have so enjoyed this project all summer and I am sorry to see it end! It’s made me a better grower and has really given me a sense of how productive my 20 beds can be. I have provided a box of produce for 7 families for the last 14 weeks…and now I am wondering if I could up it to 10! I have learned so much…and have so many questions and ideas to explore this winter. Looking forward to cleaning up the greenhouse before my pots of tender perennials come inside. I am going to focus on my microgreens and propagating new house plants for Jason’s Garden.

I used to get hysterical....

…but I’m getting better. I found another friend in the house, but remained calm, swept it up into a bucket and released it into the woods. I think it’s a milk snake, harmless to humans but a terror to rodents! It was named by early settlers who ha…

…but I’m getting better. I found another friend in the house, but remained calm, swept it up into a bucket and released it into the woods. I think it’s a milk snake, harmless to humans but a terror to rodents! It was named by early settlers who had the mistaken idea that they sucked milk from a cow’s udders.