Planting Done!

Finally finished the planting for this early season. Can't wait until it all gets growing. In the background the hogs are grazing in their paddock.

Our wild rose hedge is now in blossom. We planted this two years ago from small sprouted plants we found along the Camp Acres Road. Now it is one of the corners of our "wild arkansas meadow"

We are letting our "front yard" return to "wild arkansas meadow" much to the chagrin of our neighbors and the Hwy 216 Mowing Man who insists on cutting down the wild flowers that spread to the side of the highway. There are still some "man planted" things growing in our meadow that will get moved to our formal flower garden this fall. I think our meadow is responsible for at least 15 different species of birds that frequent our farm including the elusive Pileated Woodpecker.

We took part of our eventual orchard this year, fenced it off, and planted tomatoes around the border on 3 sides and melons that will eventually fill in the middle. By July we should have 4 different types of melons to harvest, and then we will plant our pumpkins for a fall harvest. This lot is out front of our chicken coop and has been the location of a cattle stall, hay ring, goat pen, and goose yard. The soil is very rich and should feed whatever we plant there all year.

The flower and herb garden, "Le Petit Jardin" or kitchen garden contains lettuce, sage, rosemary, oregano, leeks, radishes, parsely, beets, tomatoes, and jerusalem artichokes. The weeds that can grow knee high by mid summer are mowed with a hand scythe. This produces large stalks and leaves that we can lay out into the pathways to help control the crabgrass. This method of weeding, as opposed to the weedeater, uses no fossil fuels.