On Sunday morning I was up at 5:45AM and I got the sprinkler going then got my post up. Then I unloaded the dehydrator. I got a pint of basil to make a small amount of basil salt with.
The kefir grains had turned the milk to curds much faster this time but I hadn’t gotten my new milk from Tom yet so I couldn’t set the next batch going.
I got ready and finally got out to the garden around 8AM. I’d be cleaning out the second section in the Big garden.
Tom arrived when I was still cleaning out apple tree leaves. Then he got a phone call, a problem he helped settle. Then he got another one. My #1 intern was bringing my truck back and had run out of gas 1½ miles from the farm.
At the same time my #2 intern had arrived after finishing her shift at the horse farm next door. She was going to take one of my gas cans to her sister, but then Tom decided he should go because the old truck might not start after running out of gas.
So my #2 intern kept me company while I went back to picking up leaves and moved onto cleaning out the 1st mesclun bed. Eventually Tom returned driving my truck, now full of gas, as was the gas can ($88 worth, hard to believe!) followed by my #1 intern in Tom’s truck.
Tom’s family loves collards, so he planned to take these home.
Tom and I finally finished the walk around and he showed me where the poison ivy was under the Little Trees peach tree. We pulled some grape vines out the trees there.
About that time my son’s friend arrived because my son had left his ear buds in the friend’s car and he wanted them for when he was weedwacking.
I had been talking to Tom about planning to have a cider pressing on September 20th when the chaos erupted. So I told everyone to put it on their calendars.
I had collected vegetables as we walked around. I’d also picked up more apple drops.
I went back to working my way down the mesclun bed and found one side of the poor celery row. It had been overrun by the mesclun on the south side and the lima beans on the north side. I can’t do much about the lima beans.
As we were doing the walk around I went to show Tom the sugar pod peas and realized I was showing him green pea pods! I might get some yet …
My #2 intern left and my #1 intern headed to the cellar workshop to start building the measuring frame we would use to make sure we could move freezers.
She said she nearly had it done but had to go do chickens she was watching and walk a dog.
I finished the section, got my notes and photos, and cleaned up. My son’s friend left, my son was supposed to start weedwacking (and never did), and Tom set about getting the foliar spraying done. I finished about 11:30AM and got a shower. Tom finished about 12:30PM and had some lunch with me.
I got the broccoli soaking when I’d come in the house, and after lunch I got it cleaned up and ready to blanch while I waited for the pot to boil. Once the broccoli was done, I set the 3 smaller beets I found to cook. It took about 1½ hours until they were done, so I sat and rested.
I just got a couple more meals of each. Once I’d cleaned up the beet mess, I went in and watched a couple movies until supper and bed time. I headed to be about 7:45PM as I was tired. I’d had to close the house up as it was getting cold.
On Monday I plan to be out in the garden again. I probably can’t do the 3rd section as it’s a wild tangle of lima beans, nasturtiums, and squash. So I’ll start on the 4th section.
My general helper is out from Boston and she wants to do a photo shoot of me working in the gardens and around the farm. So that’s what’s planned.
I also have to make cheese if the cream has risen to the top of the milk, and then clean up the disaster of a kitchen. I should start some laundry too. We’ll see…
