The Robber and The Giant Peach

I was robbed at some point during the morning from my front yard. Someone had the audacity to pluck from my little peach tree, the biggest peach growing. They weren't even ripe yet. This is trivial, I realize that, and someone needed this peach more than I, however there is a feeling of violation and injustice. As it was, the evening winds this year have been brutal on my fruit trees. Blossoms and young setting fruit were whipped off and discarded on my yard, unable to fulfill their fruit destinies. So, when there are a few remaining fruit on my little fruit trees, it is upsetting to see one go. I watch them grow everyday from my window. I check on them and hope for a quick ripeness. And yet, the big one is gone. I searched the street for it's remains, thinking someone bit into it and then realized it was unripe and cast it into the gutter. Then, I can have closure and take it as an offering to the chickens. Or better yet, I would've wanted the numerous birds to get it as their survival is harder than some passerby thinking anything is free for the taking. This is one challenge of having edibles in your front yard. This won't deter me for future garden planning. I will just be smarter in the locations. I will also outfit my irrigation with motion detected, high powered, sprinklers or outfit our cat, Java, with blow darts laced with bee venom, easily harvested from our bees.

Homebrew

MMMMMMM....Beer. I must admit I am not a big beer drinker, but there is nothing as fresh as something you made, grew, or in the case of beer, fermented. We have made four different batches - American Pale Ale, India Pale Ales, Belgian Table Beer, plus an extra IPA. All of this homebrewing has been fun in being able to work alongside Rick and even the boys. Homebrewing, homesteading, and planning the seasonal harvest is addicting - as we are always planning on new ways to maximize what we have, what we are possible in making, and what we are capable of growing. Cheers!

   

Bees Are Buzzing

During the last hive inspection, the bees are doing well, busy making honeycomb and new bees.

I added a new brood box so there is more room to grow. Soon there will be new boxes added for the honey storage.

The 4 D's of Pruning

I was strolling through a local nursery and there was a notice on knowing the 4 D's of pruning: Disease, Damage, Dormant, and Diagonal. It made me think of the movie, "Dodgeball," with the 5 D's: Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive, and Dodge. Awesome!