Sunday, August 23

before it is gone

Before the summer is gone I better show you'all what I've been up to. July kind of whooshed by me in a warm summer breeze. I don't even know what went on that month. But starting in August I have a better grasp as to what has been happening.

The summer vegetables have been coming on full force. We spend 8 or 9 hours each work day harvesting, washing and counting the produce for distribution to Muncie, Fishers, Indy and Upland/Marion. The picture above is Geoff and Frank digging potatoes with an old potato digger chained behind the ATV. So glad for that digger. Would have been using garden forks and pitchforks, otherwise.

An amazing discovery the other day in the tomato rows - a tomato horn worm (nemesis of the tomato plant) covered in parasitic wasp eggs. Since we don't use any spray on the farm, this evidence of natural pest control is an exciting thing to witness. The wasp larvae will hatch from their eggs and devour the horn worm. How cool is that? Organic farmers actually purchase parasitic wasps to release on their farms if the horn worm is a big problem.

Our fall broccoli, and red and green cabbage are looking great. A few more weeks and these babies will be cut, washed, and distributed.

Lana, Kyle and I spent our vacation week with the Edwards family in South Carolina and North Carolina. Great weather, good eats, and lots of laughing. I caught up with teacher friends, Concord buddies, and happened on to some of my old students as well. My best visit since leaving for the Appalachian Trail.

And I don't want to forget the newest additions to Victory Acres Farm. The day I left for vacation, Terry picked up and delivered two calves to the farm. One is a Brown Swiss/Jersey mix, the other is a Jersey/Holstein mix. Both are males, so we aren't going to get any milk from them, and I'm not entirely sure of the overall vision of getting two male milk cows. The calf pictured above is the Swiss/Jersey mix. He is about 4 months. This one doesn't have a name yet, so if you want to weigh in, we are looking for a good one.

1 comment:

Melissa/Mel said...

parasitic wasps = incredibly cool
your love of pumpkins stuff in the fall...i totally agree!