Farm Chores Worth Noting

A few days ago, we moved our chickens from one part of our fruit trees to another. We are using them to eat grubs and fertilize the area around the trees. We have to watch them closely because as the scratch for grubs in the mulch under the trees they sometimes scratch too much. They did this to one of our trees resulting in too much of the tree trunk being exposed. While we were moving them, I noticed these 3 cherries on our cherry tree. They were beautiful. Our trees are only 3 years old and they are still quite small. I quickly pulled the cherries off and popped them in my mouth. They were wonderful and I am looking forward to the time when the trees produce enough to fill our family's needs.

Just the other afternoon my kids were outside playing in the water hose sliding down the hill on a piece of plastic. One of my wet children ran into the house to tell me that somebody was sitting in the front yard waiting to talk to me. This seems to be a habit in our neck of the woods. In Kentucky when I was growing up, if I wanted to talk to a neighbor I would go to the front door and knock. I know this is a novel idea and a lot to expect from folks. Here the neighbors sit in your front yard in their car or on their 4 wheeler waiting for you to come out. My house tends to be loud and I often times don't even look out in the front yard unless my children are playing out there. Our English Mastiff doesn't even know that people are waiting probably because she is piled up in our bed asleep! I went outside wondering how long these neighbors had been sitting in my front yard in their truck. The man just wanted to let me know that our bees had swarmed and I should go do something about it. I told him I would promptly call my husband home from work because I didn't do bees!! Apparently one of our older hives hatched out an extra queen and everybody knows you can't have 2 queens together so one was booted out of the hive with her cronies. By the time Michael got home to deal with HIS bee issue, the swarm had left. Michael had the boys get the supers ready to go on the hives today. They don't do bees either so they were less than willing to don a bee suit and go put the supers on for him. With a grin, he suggested I do it. I reminded him that I helped move the bees once and that was the only time I ever intended to do ANYTHING with them. Some time today as long as the weather cooperates, he will get in the hives take a look around and add the supers for the bees to make honey.
I have been busy planting in our garden area. That is a chore I am more than willing to do! Here is one of two tables of plants that I have left to plant. I am down to needing a bed for my Rutgers Tomatoes and a bed for watermelon and cantaloupe. My cabbage and broccoli are still producing so I can't use those beds just yet. I will be forced to plant my last remaining items in our row garden if we don't get a few more beds soon. I did pick peas and till the plants under this week. I used that bed for our pepper plants so at least I got the peppers in the ground.
It is finally warming up here. We have had an unusually cool spring. I woke up to the sweetest sound last night. I heard the sound of water droplets plunking on the roof. It rained for awhile and I went to sleep thanking the Lord for sending His provision.

grace and peace,
julie