Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Winter garden tour

We're trying strawberries in hanging bags this year, after not much success with them in the garden thus far.  Just have to remember to keep the water up to them!  They're the Alinta variety from Diggers.
 One of our 2 new hazelnut trees- we have a Cosford, and a Wanliss Pride next to each other, both from Diggers.
 Cherry Stella, a self fertile variety, looks like a stick at the moment.
 One of our 2 Avocado Rincon, that tolerate the cold well, and only grow to 3 metres tall.  So our driveway that used to be full of pittosporums, now has 2 avocado, an almond, 2 hazelnut, a cherry, a cox's orange pippin apple, and an apricot tree.  And there's room for one more up the end, when we get some more tree stumps out.
 Andrew's wheat crop
 Our bumper crop of yummy carrots
 Potatoes coming back after the frost knocked them back.
 Some very healthy broccoli heads- no grubs on them this year.  We had a visit from a blue wren and his little brown mate yesterday, in the broccoli patch.
And our 7 chooks having a feast on some broccoli leaves, thinned to let more light in.  One of our chooks (Louisa the little araucana) died on one of the frosty mornings about 3 weeks ago.  I don't think she was a healthy bird.  On a lighter note, I think today will be a five egg day, with both Plymouth rock's laying an egg (both chooks jammed into one lawn mower catcher!).  If so, it will be the first time we've had five eggs in one day.  Can't wait for the araucanas to start laying again.

2 comments:

rabidlittlehippy said...

I am so inspired that you are growing your own wheat! I would simply adore to do that but this year it will have to wait. Moving, planting out 8-10 veggie beds, an orchard, building a chook pen and settling into life as a homesteader and in a country town (city born and bred here) is enough of a challenge. However, next year I think I will have to plant out some wheat so I will be watching to see how yours goes with interest.
Will you grind it for breadmaking or is it for your gorgeous chookies?

Alicia said...

The wheat is my husband Andrew's crop, and I think he has a few ideas of what to do with it, possibly make some wheat beer, or grind it for bread making. Not sure how much you need, (probably a lot more!) I think it was a green manure crop first and foremost, but this year is Andrew's first year of actually planting his own things (usually my job), so he's trying a few different things. He's also growing some asian greens and daikon radish, as he has frequent trips to Japan or work, and likes the cuisine. You can leave the orchard until next winter, though you can start with planting citrus in spring. Focus on the vegies and chooks for now, you'll love it :)