Around the farm Tuesday...

My bee hives are doing great! I am so happy that I have 3 hives here. Soon will have a 4th.

This is the flower garden I planted for the bees. I don't know how much they'll actually use it, being so close to the hives. But there will be some bee activity here. I will also have cut flowers for markets and I hope to sell to florists.

I planted 47 Cherokee Purple and Orange Valencia tomatoes yesterday. Got them all mulched good and watered. I planted some marigold seeds next to them. I'll probably get more seeds and more tomato plants soon.

The apples are growing! I have 6 young trees below the garden.

And the 3 pear trees are loaded with little baby pears! I love pears.

                                                          These are the 6 younger apple trees.

This is a patch of thistle I am going to let grow. For the bees. Also to make cheese with. I'll harvest some flowers to dry, then make a powder that is rennet. I am excited to try this now.

I let several places go wild in my garden. This is where all my daisies grow free. I love them!

Some more garden beds. I planted more squash and zucchini this morning where the dirt is darker. I'll wait til it rains and makes the ground a bit softer to til, then I'll plant beans and okra. Might find a few rows for some corn too.

This is the dandelion row. I actually bought seeds to plant. They all came up too.

The 3 old apple trees in the yard. They all have apples on them, despite the sheep gnawing on the bark. They are tough old trees.

This wisteria is growing like crazy this year. I'll have plenty of vines to make baskets with this winter!

I've been making a lot of pottery here on this wheel. I took 32 pieces to get fired last Saturday. I'll go this Saturday to glaze them all.

Looks like rain today and the next few days. We actually are 3.5" below normal right now. We need rain. But please not on Monday and Friday afternoons!

Going wild!

This morning I'm getting ready for St. Elmo farmers market. I picked poke and henbit and lamb's quarters and mint. All wild edibles! And some kale too. Also picked a bunch of daisies for my table. I love daisies! My 2nd favorite flower. Zinnias are the 1st favorite.

Looks like it's going to be a beautiful day for a market! It's been freezing the past few days, but hopefully will be in the 70's today. Or by this afternoon. The wind is cold though.

Y'all go out and support your local hard working farmers ok!

Farm fabric

 Yesterday, I had lunch with my mom and brother. While we were out, we went to Joann's to look for material for the apron we'll be making in sewing class. I couldn't go Tuesday because of the swarm. (I found out at the store that only 1 person showed up so they didn't do anything.)

So the sewing instructor works at Joann's and she was there to help me. We found the pattern, then we all started looking for some farmish type fabric. It's a full apron, so I thought I could wear it at markets.

So we found these! I love them. The 1st one will be the full apron that I'll make in class. I got red binding (?) to go around it.

There is also a pattern for a half apron, so I'll use this sheep fabric my mom found. There wasn't much left on the roll, so I got it all. It's enough to make it though. I just love this sheep pattern. I got green to trim this with and a pretty tan colored thread.

So these 2 fabrics, thread, binding, and the pattern would have been about $75. But my brother pulled up a 40% off coupon and I got to use my mom for her senior discount! So I saved $27! It was $46. Geeze, really? For 2 aprons?

It is SO cold here today. I started out on the porch making  mugs and bowls. Then I just got so cold, I had to go in and put on  long pants and a sweater. Now I cannot get warm. I want to just go to bed now. It's blackberry winter. I hate blackberries, so not happy about this at all. Stupid blackberries!