Carnage

My garden lays in ruins. Between the oven-roasting heat and the sneaky chickens and the curious bunnies all that remains is:

2 pumpkin vines, struggling and about half shriveled,

3 yellow/brown tomato plants with 9 wrinkley yellow-orange tomatoes,

1 zombie squash plant, with a lone 1 1/2" squash, about to give up,

and about a baker's dozen 6" tall sunflowers, which were packaged and sold under the impression that they were 'enormous' with 'edible seeds'.

I had about 8 cucumbers that were looking quite promising 1 week ago, but alas....the cottontails found them before I could pick them. Of course, they didn't finish them off. Oh, no, they had to only munch through the center-- the most tender moist part and leave the rest. Pancake enjoyed a mid-day snack of the remains.

Next year, I will be asking our neighbor what seeds he plants that gives such gorgeous sunflowers. His are at least 8 feet tall, with 12" heads. Did I mention mine are 6"? Yes, I did....

Heat

Once again, for a couple months of the year I wonder why it is we live where we do? It's SO hot. Stepping outside after about 9AM is just unpleasant. At least it only lasts a few months, and while it's so hot, there are fewer flies.

I will need to start looking around for a buck to borrow. Sometimes there's a waiting list, and I want to be sure to be on it. ;) Can't be without milk!

Once a day

Because I have been so busy lately, and the goats have been giving much less milk at a time, I am only milking in the morning. Still about a gallon from both...

Heat again.

Cucumbers are taking off, with little baby ones here and there. Lots of blossoms.

Pumpkins blossomed.

The Faith Squash produced a fairly large squash. Dinner tonight! I might try Ratatouille, and we'll watch the movie. ;) That is, if I'm feeling like cooking (which I haven't been).

Production Drop

Not sure why....but the last two days I have gotten about a gallon/ day from the Girls, vs. the almost 2 gallons/ day of previous weeks. The feed has changed slightly, but I can't believe it would make such a drastic difference. Mostly, it's Belle who's dropped and she was my Gallon Girl. Now, she's at about a quart! Hmmm.....the heat? The slight feed change? Maybe they just know their babies are gone and they are protesting. ;)

More chicks

The Jersey hatched 3 more eggs yesterday. Brings our total to at least 13 for sure. Maybe more? Silly we paid for that many at the feed store this year!

Hidden Nest

As I was milking yesterday evening, I was very surprised to look up and see one of the GSL hens making her way across the yard with 7 chicks! She had a hidden nest somewhere, and hatched a clutch of eggs. Made me wonder how many eggs we were missing/ day and where the others were laying! Cute chicks, though.

Garden, update

Cucumbers have blossomed

Beans have blossomed

Tomatoes have really taken off, and there are lots of blossoms and several tomatoes in various stages of ripeness

The pumpkins are thriving in the area between the grapes

The lemongrass is (for now) planted in a pot next to the rosemary bush

Unrelated, the does are in heat. I wonder about breeding Reese next month so that our milk is staggered better?