Updates for 6/28/23

 Pond is completely full and overflowing a tiny bit. The frogs are happy and LOUD.

Snapping turtle nest appears undisturbed.

Bee report (from the outside) - very active in orange hive, even bearding a bit although it is only 70 degrees.  Blue hive less active but not bad.  Russians not as busy.  Need to check for water seeping in there.

Strawberries ready to harvest. Got 2.5 lbs 4 days ago.

Cider orchard totally overrun by yellow nutsedge. Need to cut that out ASAP.

Orchard looking great except no fruit set this year. Found a nest in a peach tree, low but protected by a fence.  I startled the mama off. I think it is a female indigo bunting, judging from Merlin's sound ID.

Small blueberry bushes going red are worse today.  Got coffee grounds last week.  Will try composted chicken manure. The big bushes are looking good.  Will need to net them soon.

The potatoes look great after Andy mounded them a few days ago.  The sweet potatoes are overrun by lambs quarters though.

Can see one good row of cowpeas but we don't remember which type.

Most of garden appears frozen in time.  Except the summer squash, of course.

No more broody mama hen.  Got 8 eggs.  The young hens are getting closer and closer to the old flock, both out and about and in the rafters of the carport.  It really stinks in there now.  Need to finish cleaning the coop and maybe the younguns will lay (and roost) in there?  I was walking eating a graham cracker and shared some with the big chickens - they followed me far today! 

Walked the vineyard with the hens but fortunately no Japanese beetles to feed them. I can see lots of little grape flowers! I think the hot spell we had at the time the orchard should have been flowering messed fruit set.  We didn't even get forsythia this year.  Raspberries in Arlington are doing great.  Not so in Becket - tiny plants by the Russians haven't changed much.

First flowers on the elderberries!  Must weed that patch.

Saw a big brown rabbit hopping away from the garlic. New protein source?

There is one lone hop plant climbing up a stalk.  It won't climb the tree next to it - too fat of a tree?