Variety has returned to the garden. Whereas a month ago it was lemons, lemons, lemons...we now are harvesting salad greens, beets, cherries, strawberries, raspberries, and kale...and soon we will be tasting our first blueberries of the season...and a big crop that is coming. Yum!!
Been pretty busy over the past few weeks. For one, school has ended so I now have more time for the garden. I will need it because I need to get some of my starts in, albiet late due to the first attempt being mowed down by pesky snails, slugs and I believe earwigs. I will be out defending the next starts I plant!! I do not use any sprays on my plants or fruit trees, but I find that a quick visit to the garden at 10PM before bed to take out the pests works pretty well.
These weeks are usually the time to thin the fruit trees. I did not have to thin the peach or nectarine trees because they got hammered by the March rains. I generally leave 6 inches between fruit on those trees. The apple and pear were spared the rain and have set a heavy crop. Our pear tree seems to thin itself so I do nothing to it. I cannot say the same for the apple tree. I gennerally have to snip all but one fruit in each fruiting bud. Kind of tedious, but it has made for a much better crop in the past, especially taking care of the coddling moth problem.
The bees have been busy. I picked up a swarn a few weeks ago and I have already added an extra super for them. I then noticed that my box that I left out due to lazyness was repopulated. I guess a swarm found me. Convenient!! Last week I picked up another swarm (big!!) and gave it to a friend. I have been doing this with any extra swarms that I run into.
Looks like less than 4 weeks left to make my goal of harvesting every day for a year. I believe I will "hang up" the blog at that time...but not until I do a final tally and blog entry. There are less readers and I m busy with other things. I will still keep going on my own though and my wife says I should get it all on paper just in case the blog disappears into the bog heaven.
A four-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Lemons: 38 ($19.00)
Chard: 2 bunches ($6.00)
Kale: 10.5 bunches ($21.00)
Salad Greens: 14 salads ($7.00)
Cherries: 22 ($1.00)
Raspberries: 1 basket ($2.00)
Beets: 4 beets ($3.00)
Strawberries: 2 baskets ($4.00)
Day 312
1) 3 lemons
2) Salad Greens
Day 313
1) 1 lemon
2) Salad greens
Day 314
1) 2 lemons
2) Salad greens
3) 1 bunch Kale
Day 315
1) 2 lemons
Day 316
1) 2 lemons
Day 317
1) 2 lemons
Day 318
1) 2 lemons
Day 319
1) Salad Greens
Day 320
1) Salad Greens
Day 321
1) 2 bunches chard
Day 322
1) 1 lemon
2) Salad Greens
3) 1/2 bunch kale
Day 323
1) 2 lemons
Day 324
1) 2 lemons
Day 325
1) 3 lemons
2) 2 bunches kale
3) Salad Greens
4) Couple of cherries
Day 326
1) 1 lemon
2) 2 bunches kale
Day 327
1) Salad Greens
Day 328
1) 1 lemon
2) 12 strawberries
3) 1 bunch kale
4) Salad Greens
Day 329
1) 1 lemon
2) Salad Greens
Day 330
1) 2 lemons
2) 4 raspberries
Day 331
1) 1 lemon
2) Salad Greens
3) 4 cherries
Day 332
1) 3 lemons
2) 6 strawberries
Day 333
1) 1 basket strawberries
2) 2 bunches kale
3) 8 cherries
Day 334
1) 2 lemons
Day 335
1) 1 lemon
2) 2 bunches kale
3) 6 raspberries
4) salad greens
Day 336
1) 1 lemon
2) 5 raspberries
3) 8 cherries
4) Salad Greens
5) 4 beets
Day 337
1) 1 lemon
2) 8 raspberries
3) 1 basket strawberries
Day 338
1) salad greens
Day 339
1) 2 lemons
Four-Week harvest: $63.00
Total Produce Harvested (Year-to-Date): $1414.75
Total Honey Harvested (Year-to-Date): $360.00
Expenses (Year-to-Date): $190.00
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Days 284 - 311 Hope we make it!!
More than 300 days have passed and we have harvested every day (that we were home). Reflecting on how amazing our climate and soil is to provide this makes me feel so fortunate to live here. Still about 50 days to go to make my goal and what do we have to look forward to:
- Kale and chard are still going strong
- Salad greens are just starting
- Largest Blueberry crop I have ever seen. The bushes are loaded!!
- Abundant Raspberry blooms and some berries are already forming.
- Cherries are the largest crop we have seen...hope the birds don't find them!
- Garlic will be harvested within the month.
- Still have lemons.
What has changed since last posting:
- Planted 10 tomato starts
- started some cucumber and zuchinni by seed
- planted some snap peas in the ground.
- picked up a swarm of honeybees.
- Perhaps some nectarines before July 1st
- No apricots this year...
What does it look like for after July 1st (have not decided if I will continue this blog)
- Abundant pear crop.
- Just thinned out the apple tree. Boy that was a lot of work. The fruit is abundant!
- A moderate peach harvest. The March rains knocked a lot out.
- The grape harvest is looking good...but rain is forecast in the next week. :(
I do believe we will make it to July 1st...but it may be tight in the middle of June since my late-June fruit is not there this year.
A four-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Lemons: 51 ($25.50)
Chard: 8.5 bunches ($25.50)
Kale: 5.5 bunches ($11.00)
Garlic: 7 greens ($2.00)
Salad Greens: First Harvest
Mint (for tabouli)
Day 284
1) 1 lemon
Day 285
1) 1 bunch chard
Day 286
1) 2 lemons
2) 2 bunches chard
Day 287
1) 1 lemon
2) 2 bunches kale
Day 288
1) 2 lemons
Day 289
1) 2 lemons
Day 290
1) Garlic greens
2) 1 bunch chard
Day 291
1) 2 lemons
Day 292
1) 2 lemons
Day 293
1) 2 lemons
Day 294
1) 2 bunches chard
Day 295
1) 2 lemons
Day 296
1) 1/2 bunch chard
2) 1/2 bunch kale
Day 297
1) 2 lemons
Day 298
1) 2 lemons
Day 299
1) 2 lemons
2) 3 garlic greens
Day 300
1) 2 lemons
Day 301
1) 1 lemon
Day 302
1) 2 lemons
2) 2 bunches kale
Day 303
1) 2 lemons
Day 304
1) 2 bunches chard
Day 305
1) 8 lemons
Day 306
1) 3 lemons
Day 307
1) 3 lemons
2) 1 bunch kale
Day 308
1) 2 lemons
Day 309
1) 2 garlic greens
Day 310
1) 4 lemons
2) mint
Day 311
1) 2 lemons
2) Bunch salad greens
Four-Week harvest: $64.00
Total Produce Harvested (Year-to-Date): $1351.75
Total Honey Harvested (Year-to-Date): $360.00
Expenses (Year-to-Date): $170.00
- Kale and chard are still going strong
- Salad greens are just starting
- Largest Blueberry crop I have ever seen. The bushes are loaded!!
- Abundant Raspberry blooms and some berries are already forming.
- Cherries are the largest crop we have seen...hope the birds don't find them!
- Garlic will be harvested within the month.
- Still have lemons.
What has changed since last posting:
- Planted 10 tomato starts
- started some cucumber and zuchinni by seed
- planted some snap peas in the ground.
- picked up a swarm of honeybees.
- Perhaps some nectarines before July 1st
- No apricots this year...
What does it look like for after July 1st (have not decided if I will continue this blog)
- Abundant pear crop.
- Just thinned out the apple tree. Boy that was a lot of work. The fruit is abundant!
- A moderate peach harvest. The March rains knocked a lot out.
- The grape harvest is looking good...but rain is forecast in the next week. :(
I do believe we will make it to July 1st...but it may be tight in the middle of June since my late-June fruit is not there this year.
A four-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Lemons: 51 ($25.50)
Chard: 8.5 bunches ($25.50)
Kale: 5.5 bunches ($11.00)
Garlic: 7 greens ($2.00)
Salad Greens: First Harvest
Mint (for tabouli)
Day 284
1) 1 lemon
Day 285
1) 1 bunch chard
Day 286
1) 2 lemons
2) 2 bunches chard
Day 287
1) 1 lemon
2) 2 bunches kale
Day 288
1) 2 lemons
Day 289
1) 2 lemons
Day 290
1) Garlic greens
2) 1 bunch chard
Day 291
1) 2 lemons
Day 292
1) 2 lemons
Day 293
1) 2 lemons
Day 294
1) 2 bunches chard
Day 295
1) 2 lemons
Day 296
1) 1/2 bunch chard
2) 1/2 bunch kale
Day 297
1) 2 lemons
Day 298
1) 2 lemons
Day 299
1) 2 lemons
2) 3 garlic greens
Day 300
1) 2 lemons
Day 301
1) 1 lemon
Day 302
1) 2 lemons
2) 2 bunches kale
Day 303
1) 2 lemons
Day 304
1) 2 bunches chard
Day 305
1) 8 lemons
Day 306
1) 3 lemons
Day 307
1) 3 lemons
2) 1 bunch kale
Day 308
1) 2 lemons
Day 309
1) 2 garlic greens
Day 310
1) 4 lemons
2) mint
Day 311
1) 2 lemons
2) Bunch salad greens
Four-Week harvest: $64.00
Total Produce Harvested (Year-to-Date): $1351.75
Total Honey Harvested (Year-to-Date): $360.00
Expenses (Year-to-Date): $170.00
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Days 242 - 283 Garden Rebirth
Phew, six weeks is a long time between postings. Each week I had great intentions of writing the next post, only to have something come up that was just a bit more pressing...like my job, my family, or my class that I am taking!! We have now harvested 283 days in a row and on my way to make then entire year. I am amazed that we have made it this far...that is a long time!! I hope we can make it all year. We have lemons and are just starting to get veggies from the garden plots. All other fruit is gone. This is a difficult time for fruit and we will not get anything until late-May (Cherries) or early June (berries).
Anyhow, we had a great deal of rain in since last time. The beets that I planted hardly moved at all and are just starting to show some growth now that the sun is coming out in earnest. This may be one of those change of seasons that occur in a day...winter one day, summer the next. Not so great for the spring veggies, but I have planted some and we are reaping the rewards of last year's chard as well as this year's kale. Before I know it I should start thinking about tomato starts and one of my favorites, cucumbers.
On the fruit side, we have finally harvested all of our oranges. We made it through the end of March this year and I believe that we should be able to make it an extra month if we have a larger crop next year. Last year we had rain during the bloom and we had a small crop. The citrus bloom is still yet to get underway. There are a few orange blossoms, but that rain really slowed things down on the citrus trees. The peaches, nectarines, apricots, and apriums got hit by the rain. We will still have a decent peach and nectarine crop. The pear, apple, and cherry trees are looking like they got snowed on...they have so many blossoms. Looks like my work will be cut out for me when it comes to thinning this year!! The avocado is about to flower after getting many of its buds frozen off in late February. It is my experiment tree.
Looks like we will have a decent blueberry crop and I will have raspberries in June this year because I pruned them for two crops. Grapes are budding out and I already see little clusters forming on the Interlaken vine.
Right now we are getting lemons. Almost 100 in the past six weeks!! Nice to have them around.
A six-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Oranges: 54 ($27.00)
Lemons: 99 ($24.75)
Grapefruit: 11 ($11.00)
Chard: 10 bunches ($30.00)
Kale: 5 bunches ($10.00)
Day 242
1) 2 lemons
Day 243
1) 2 lemons
2) 1 orange
3) 1 grapefruit
Day 244
1) 1 lemon
2) 5 orange
3) 1 grapefruit
Day 245
1) 1 orange
2) 2 lemons
Day 246
1) 3 oranges
2) 3 lemons
3) 2 grapefruit
Day 247
1) 3 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit
Day 248
1) 1 orange
2) 5 lemons
Day 249
1) 1 orange
2) 2 grapefruit
3) 2 lemons
Day 250
1) 2 oranges
2) 6 lemons
3) 1 bunch kale
Day 251
1) 3 oranges
2) 4 lemons
3) 1 bunch kale
Day 252
1) 3 oranges
2) 2 lemons
3) 1 bunch chard
Day 253
1) 3 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit
3) 4 lemons
4) 1 bunch chard
Day 254
1) 3 oranges
2) 3 lemons
3) 1 bunch chard
Day 255
1) 1 orange
2) 2 lemons
Day 256
1) 6 lemons
2) 2 oranges
Day 257
1) 2 oranges
2) 2 grapefruit
Day 258
1) 2 oranges
2) 4 lemons
Day 259
1) 3 oranges
Day 260
1) 2 oranges
2) 10 lemons
Day 261
Gone
Day 262
Gone
Day 263
1) 2 lemons
Day 264
1) 2 oranges
2) 1 lemon
Day 265
1) 3 oranges
Day 266
1) 3 oranges
2) 2 lemons
Day 267
1) 3 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit
Day 268
1) 2 oranges
Day 269
1) 3 lemons
Day 270
1) 2 lemons
Day 271
1) 2 lemons
Day 272
1) 2 lemons
Day 273
1) 2 lemons
2) 2 bunches chard
3) 1 bunch kale
Day 274
1) 2 lemons
Day 275
1) 3 lemons
2) 1 bunch chard
3) 1 bunch kale
Day 276
1) 6 lemons
2) 1 garlic green
Day 277
1) 2 lemons
Day 278
1) 2 lemons
Day 279
1) 2 lemons
Day 280
1) 3 lemons
2) 1 bunch kale
Day 281
1) 2 bunches chard
Day 282
1) 2 lemons
Day 283
1) 3 lemons
2) 2 bunches chard
Six-Week harvest: $102.75
Total Produce Harvested (Year-to-Date): $1287.75
Total Honey Harvested (Year-to-Date): $360.00
Expenses (Year-to-Date): $150.00
Anyhow, we had a great deal of rain in since last time. The beets that I planted hardly moved at all and are just starting to show some growth now that the sun is coming out in earnest. This may be one of those change of seasons that occur in a day...winter one day, summer the next. Not so great for the spring veggies, but I have planted some and we are reaping the rewards of last year's chard as well as this year's kale. Before I know it I should start thinking about tomato starts and one of my favorites, cucumbers.
On the fruit side, we have finally harvested all of our oranges. We made it through the end of March this year and I believe that we should be able to make it an extra month if we have a larger crop next year. Last year we had rain during the bloom and we had a small crop. The citrus bloom is still yet to get underway. There are a few orange blossoms, but that rain really slowed things down on the citrus trees. The peaches, nectarines, apricots, and apriums got hit by the rain. We will still have a decent peach and nectarine crop. The pear, apple, and cherry trees are looking like they got snowed on...they have so many blossoms. Looks like my work will be cut out for me when it comes to thinning this year!! The avocado is about to flower after getting many of its buds frozen off in late February. It is my experiment tree.
Looks like we will have a decent blueberry crop and I will have raspberries in June this year because I pruned them for two crops. Grapes are budding out and I already see little clusters forming on the Interlaken vine.
Right now we are getting lemons. Almost 100 in the past six weeks!! Nice to have them around.
A six-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Oranges: 54 ($27.00)
Lemons: 99 ($24.75)
Grapefruit: 11 ($11.00)
Chard: 10 bunches ($30.00)
Kale: 5 bunches ($10.00)
Day 242
1) 2 lemons
Day 243
1) 2 lemons
2) 1 orange
3) 1 grapefruit
Day 244
1) 1 lemon
2) 5 orange
3) 1 grapefruit
Day 245
1) 1 orange
2) 2 lemons
Day 246
1) 3 oranges
2) 3 lemons
3) 2 grapefruit
Day 247
1) 3 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit
Day 248
1) 1 orange
2) 5 lemons
Day 249
1) 1 orange
2) 2 grapefruit
3) 2 lemons
Day 250
1) 2 oranges
2) 6 lemons
3) 1 bunch kale
Day 251
1) 3 oranges
2) 4 lemons
3) 1 bunch kale
Day 252
1) 3 oranges
2) 2 lemons
3) 1 bunch chard
Day 253
1) 3 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit
3) 4 lemons
4) 1 bunch chard
Day 254
1) 3 oranges
2) 3 lemons
3) 1 bunch chard
Day 255
1) 1 orange
2) 2 lemons
Day 256
1) 6 lemons
2) 2 oranges
Day 257
1) 2 oranges
2) 2 grapefruit
Day 258
1) 2 oranges
2) 4 lemons
Day 259
1) 3 oranges
Day 260
1) 2 oranges
2) 10 lemons
Day 261
Gone
Day 262
Gone
Day 263
1) 2 lemons
Day 264
1) 2 oranges
2) 1 lemon
Day 265
1) 3 oranges
Day 266
1) 3 oranges
2) 2 lemons
Day 267
1) 3 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit
Day 268
1) 2 oranges
Day 269
1) 3 lemons
Day 270
1) 2 lemons
Day 271
1) 2 lemons
Day 272
1) 2 lemons
Day 273
1) 2 lemons
2) 2 bunches chard
3) 1 bunch kale
Day 274
1) 2 lemons
Day 275
1) 3 lemons
2) 1 bunch chard
3) 1 bunch kale
Day 276
1) 6 lemons
2) 1 garlic green
Day 277
1) 2 lemons
Day 278
1) 2 lemons
Day 279
1) 2 lemons
Day 280
1) 3 lemons
2) 1 bunch kale
Day 281
1) 2 bunches chard
Day 282
1) 2 lemons
Day 283
1) 3 lemons
2) 2 bunches chard
Six-Week harvest: $102.75
Total Produce Harvested (Year-to-Date): $1287.75
Total Honey Harvested (Year-to-Date): $360.00
Expenses (Year-to-Date): $150.00
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Days 214 - 241 Upside Down Winter
Wow! It has been four weeks since my last post. Time flies!! This post gets us through 2/3 of the year. Hoping that I can make it the whole year!!
Our winter is upside down. My last post was about how spring felt like it was upon us...and just after I said it, winter set in again. We have had rain, snow flurries, and below freezing weather. My Aprium, Peach, and Nectarine trees started their bloom and some of the citrus started to shoot out new growth. The past two nights have been in the mid-20 degree temperatures. Not too hard on established trees, but the new growth is showing some damage. Cross our fingers for the trees and nature to recover for the next fruiting season.
What has happened in the garden over the past four weeks. Well, the mandarin harvest has come to an end. The largest crop that we have ever experienced with our two trees producing 1080 mandarins over the 3 months that we were harvesting. We have already harvested over 100 oranges (light crop this year) and over 25 grapefruit. Lemons will go on for a long time. Limes are done with about 30 (small tree).
I started some veggies in start pots. I planted 100 beet starts. Beets are amazing from the garden and our kids love them. The chard continues and we should have some Kale soon. The garlic is growing fine but the bulb on the garlic really does not develop until its last month and it takes about 6 months from planting to harvest. After I plant the beet starts I plan on starting some more chard for this year as well as experimenting with carrots directly in the ground. I also am planning on putting in some lettuce greens at the same time...but I need the weather to warm up a little. Forecast is for rainy weather 8 of the next nine days.
A four-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Mandarins: 51 ($12.75)
Oranges: 65 ($32.50)
Lemons: 31 ($15.50)
Limes: 6 ($1.50)
Grapefruit: 10 ($7.50)
Chard: 3 bunches ($9.00)
Day 214
1) 1 mandarin
2) 1 lemon
3) 1 lime
4) 1 grapefruit
5) 2 oranges
Day 215
1) 2 oranges
2) 10 mandarins
3) 2 lemons
Day 216
1) 4 oranges
2) 2 lemons
3) 1 bunch chard
Day 217
1) 5 mandarins
2) 3 oranges
Day 218
1) 10 mandarins
2) 3 oranges
3) 1 lemon
4) 1 lime
Day 219
1) 10 mandarins
2) 2 oranges
3) 4 lemons
Day 220
1) 1 orange
2) 2 lemons
3) 1 lime
4) 1 grapefruit
Day 221
1) 1 grapefruit
Day 222
1) 1 orange
2) 1 grapefruit
Day 223
1) 3 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit
3) 2 lemons
Day 224
1) 1 orange
2) 1 grapefruit
3) 1 lemon
Day 225
1) 1 orange
Day 226
1) 2 lemons
2) 6 mandarins
3) 3 oranges
Day 227
1) 2 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit
Day 228
1) 2 oranges
2) 1 lemon
3) 2 limes
Day 229
1) 3 oranges
2) 4 mandarins
3) 1 grapefruit
Day 230
1) 3 oranges
2) 5 mandarins
Day 231
1) 5 oranges
Day 232
1) 2 oranges
2) 3 lemons
Day 233
1) 2 lemons
2) 1 lime
Day 234
1) 3 oranges
Day 235
1) 2 lemons
2) 1 orange
3) 2 bunches chard
Day 236
1) 1 orange
2) 2 lemons
Day 237
1) 3 oranges
2) 2 grapefruit
3) 1 lemon
Day 238
1) 3 oranges
2) 2 lemons
Day 239
1) 3 oranges
2) 1 lemon
Day 240
1) 6 oranges
Day 241
1) 2 oranges
Four-Week harvest: $78.75
Total Produce Harvested (Year-to-Date): $1185.00
Total Honey Harvested (Year-to-Date): $360.00
Expenses (Year-to-Date): $125.00
Our winter is upside down. My last post was about how spring felt like it was upon us...and just after I said it, winter set in again. We have had rain, snow flurries, and below freezing weather. My Aprium, Peach, and Nectarine trees started their bloom and some of the citrus started to shoot out new growth. The past two nights have been in the mid-20 degree temperatures. Not too hard on established trees, but the new growth is showing some damage. Cross our fingers for the trees and nature to recover for the next fruiting season.
What has happened in the garden over the past four weeks. Well, the mandarin harvest has come to an end. The largest crop that we have ever experienced with our two trees producing 1080 mandarins over the 3 months that we were harvesting. We have already harvested over 100 oranges (light crop this year) and over 25 grapefruit. Lemons will go on for a long time. Limes are done with about 30 (small tree).
I started some veggies in start pots. I planted 100 beet starts. Beets are amazing from the garden and our kids love them. The chard continues and we should have some Kale soon. The garlic is growing fine but the bulb on the garlic really does not develop until its last month and it takes about 6 months from planting to harvest. After I plant the beet starts I plan on starting some more chard for this year as well as experimenting with carrots directly in the ground. I also am planning on putting in some lettuce greens at the same time...but I need the weather to warm up a little. Forecast is for rainy weather 8 of the next nine days.
A four-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Mandarins: 51 ($12.75)
Oranges: 65 ($32.50)
Lemons: 31 ($15.50)
Limes: 6 ($1.50)
Grapefruit: 10 ($7.50)
Chard: 3 bunches ($9.00)
Day 214
1) 1 mandarin
2) 1 lemon
3) 1 lime
4) 1 grapefruit
5) 2 oranges
Day 215
1) 2 oranges
2) 10 mandarins
3) 2 lemons
Day 216
1) 4 oranges
2) 2 lemons
3) 1 bunch chard
Day 217
1) 5 mandarins
2) 3 oranges
Day 218
1) 10 mandarins
2) 3 oranges
3) 1 lemon
4) 1 lime
Day 219
1) 10 mandarins
2) 2 oranges
3) 4 lemons
Day 220
1) 1 orange
2) 2 lemons
3) 1 lime
4) 1 grapefruit
Day 221
1) 1 grapefruit
Day 222
1) 1 orange
2) 1 grapefruit
Day 223
1) 3 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit
3) 2 lemons
Day 224
1) 1 orange
2) 1 grapefruit
3) 1 lemon
Day 225
1) 1 orange
Day 226
1) 2 lemons
2) 6 mandarins
3) 3 oranges
Day 227
1) 2 oranges
2) 1 grapefruit
Day 228
1) 2 oranges
2) 1 lemon
3) 2 limes
Day 229
1) 3 oranges
2) 4 mandarins
3) 1 grapefruit
Day 230
1) 3 oranges
2) 5 mandarins
Day 231
1) 5 oranges
Day 232
1) 2 oranges
2) 3 lemons
Day 233
1) 2 lemons
2) 1 lime
Day 234
1) 3 oranges
Day 235
1) 2 lemons
2) 1 orange
3) 2 bunches chard
Day 236
1) 1 orange
2) 2 lemons
Day 237
1) 3 oranges
2) 2 grapefruit
3) 1 lemon
Day 238
1) 3 oranges
2) 2 lemons
Day 239
1) 3 oranges
2) 1 lemon
Day 240
1) 6 oranges
Day 241
1) 2 oranges
Four-Week harvest: $78.75
Total Produce Harvested (Year-to-Date): $1185.00
Total Honey Harvested (Year-to-Date): $360.00
Expenses (Year-to-Date): $125.00
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Days 200 - 213 It Feels Like Spring is Just Around the Corner
The past two weeks have been sunny without a single day of rain (it did rain last night though). One would think that spring is here and it does feel like it in many ways. We have flowers blooming and the rose bushes are pushing out their first buds. The fruit trees have yet to have any bud break...but according to my records, the first trees in our yard that bud out are still about 3 weeks away (Peaches).
Hopefully if you are reading this regularly and applying some ideas you will have all of your trees pruned by this time (in Northern California). I also took advantage of the rain last night and applied my first fertilizer for the year. I try to feed my trees every couple of months in the spring with
EB Stone Citrus and Fruit Tree Food. So far it has not let me down and my trees seem pretty healthy. Feeding and watering (in the summer) are what is needed to have a long-lasting tree and yearly harvest.
Also, if you are reading this and planning on doing some planting of bare-root trees, now is the time. We replaced a Red Delicious apple with a Pink Lady because we really did not like Red Delicious (was here when we moved here) and Pink Lady should give us fruit well into the Fall. We also replaced the Venus grapevine with a Thompson seedless. Our kids like the green grapes better and they are sure good when frozen, a great summer treat.
The past couple of weeks continued to bring us mandarins daily. They are on the end of their season... What we did twice in the past two weeks though was to harvest something from each of our five citrus trees. We generally do not have mandarins when the grapefruit are ready, but with the bumper crop this year we could do it. Our son is a grapefruit fanatic and wants one each night before bed as his fruit snack. The ability to walk out to the backyard and harvest fresh fruit this time of the year cannot be beat!!
As my goal is to harvest each and every day, we have made it past the 200th day!! Pretty cool to have harvested something from the yard for more than 200 days straight. Hope to make it through the 366th day (July 1st) but the difficult times are coming...March and April.
A two-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Mandarins: 148 ($37.00)
Oranges: 25 ($12.50)
Lemons: 15 ($7.50)
Limes: 8 ($2.00)
Grapefruit: 8 ($6.00)
Day 200
1) 12 mandarins
2) 6 oranges
Day 201
1) 10 mandarins
2) 2 oranges
3) 5 lemons
4) 2 limes
Day 202
1) 10 mandarins
2) 1 lemon
3) 1 lime
Day 203
1) 22 mandarins
2) 2 oranges
Day 204
1) 15 mandarins
2) 1 orange
3) 1 lemon
4) 1 lime
5) 1 grapefruit
Day 205
1) 15 mandarins
2) 1 orange
Day 206
1) 1 mandarin
2) 4 oranges
3) 2 lemons
4) 4 limes
5) 1 grapefruit
Day 207
1) 15 mandarins
2) 1 orange
3) 1 grapefruit
Day 208
1) 4 mandarins
2) 2 oranges
3) 1 grapefruit
Day 209
1) 10 mandarins
2) 4 lemons
3) 1 grapefruit
Day 210
1) 12 mandarins
2) 2 oranges
3) 1 grapefruit
Day 211
1) 12 mandarins
2) 2 oranges
3) 1 grapefruit
Day 212
1) 10 mandarins
2) 1 orange
Day 213
1) 2 oranges
2) 2 lemons
3) 1 grapefruit
Two-Week harvest: $65.00
Total Produce Harvested (Year-to-Date): $1106.25
Total Honey Harvested (Year-to-Date): $360.00
Expenses (Year-to-Date): $105.00
Hopefully if you are reading this regularly and applying some ideas you will have all of your trees pruned by this time (in Northern California). I also took advantage of the rain last night and applied my first fertilizer for the year. I try to feed my trees every couple of months in the spring with
EB Stone Citrus and Fruit Tree Food. So far it has not let me down and my trees seem pretty healthy. Feeding and watering (in the summer) are what is needed to have a long-lasting tree and yearly harvest.
Also, if you are reading this and planning on doing some planting of bare-root trees, now is the time. We replaced a Red Delicious apple with a Pink Lady because we really did not like Red Delicious (was here when we moved here) and Pink Lady should give us fruit well into the Fall. We also replaced the Venus grapevine with a Thompson seedless. Our kids like the green grapes better and they are sure good when frozen, a great summer treat.
The past couple of weeks continued to bring us mandarins daily. They are on the end of their season... What we did twice in the past two weeks though was to harvest something from each of our five citrus trees. We generally do not have mandarins when the grapefruit are ready, but with the bumper crop this year we could do it. Our son is a grapefruit fanatic and wants one each night before bed as his fruit snack. The ability to walk out to the backyard and harvest fresh fruit this time of the year cannot be beat!!
As my goal is to harvest each and every day, we have made it past the 200th day!! Pretty cool to have harvested something from the yard for more than 200 days straight. Hope to make it through the 366th day (July 1st) but the difficult times are coming...March and April.
A two-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Mandarins: 148 ($37.00)
Oranges: 25 ($12.50)
Lemons: 15 ($7.50)
Limes: 8 ($2.00)
Grapefruit: 8 ($6.00)
Day 200
1) 12 mandarins
2) 6 oranges
Day 201
1) 10 mandarins
2) 2 oranges
3) 5 lemons
4) 2 limes
Day 202
1) 10 mandarins
2) 1 lemon
3) 1 lime
Day 203
1) 22 mandarins
2) 2 oranges
Day 204
1) 15 mandarins
2) 1 orange
3) 1 lemon
4) 1 lime
5) 1 grapefruit
Day 205
1) 15 mandarins
2) 1 orange
Day 206
1) 1 mandarin
2) 4 oranges
3) 2 lemons
4) 4 limes
5) 1 grapefruit
Day 207
1) 15 mandarins
2) 1 orange
3) 1 grapefruit
Day 208
1) 4 mandarins
2) 2 oranges
3) 1 grapefruit
Day 209
1) 10 mandarins
2) 4 lemons
3) 1 grapefruit
Day 210
1) 12 mandarins
2) 2 oranges
3) 1 grapefruit
Day 211
1) 12 mandarins
2) 2 oranges
3) 1 grapefruit
Day 212
1) 10 mandarins
2) 1 orange
Day 213
1) 2 oranges
2) 2 lemons
3) 1 grapefruit
Two-Week harvest: $65.00
Total Produce Harvested (Year-to-Date): $1106.25
Total Honey Harvested (Year-to-Date): $360.00
Expenses (Year-to-Date): $105.00
Monday, January 17, 2011
Days 172 - 199 Six Months... A Look Back and a Look Forward
It has been a long time since the last post. Still have continued harvesting daily, mostly citrus at this time, including 479 mandarins!!
We have had a couple milestones. Six months have passed and we have harvested daily since July 1st. Even if I do not succeed for the 1-year target, I have been quite pleased with the accomplishment of more than 6 months. Another milestone is that we have passed the $1000 mark for the value of produce. Our family has benefited, as well as friends who come by and grab a bag of mandarins every once and awhile.
Looking back, we have not only harvested, but I have written about topics including irrigation, planing timing, excess crops, pruning, and even a very inspiring NPR story. Look through the blog now that 6 months have passed.
Looking forward, I need to plant so that I can possibly make it to July 1st, 2011. I can forsee citrus for the next two months (oranges just starting, grapefruits still coming) but the months of April and May will be difficult. I will start my veggies in about a month and hopefully be harvesting by March.
If you are thinking about planting a fruit tree, now is the time to do the bare-root trees. Not very expensive ($20-25) and will provide years of fruit.
A four-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Mandarins: 479
Oranges: 9
Lemons: 20
Limes: 10
Chard: 2 bunches
Day 172
1) 11 mandarins ($2.75)
2) Two bunches Chard ($6.00)
Day 173
1) 133 mandarins ($33.25)
Day 174
1) 7 mandarins ($1.75)
Day 175
1) 20 mandarins ($5.00)
Day 176 - 179 Gone for Holidays
Day 180
1) 23 mandarins ($5.75)
2) 1 lemon ($0.50)
Day 181
1) 6 mandarins ($1.50)
2) 3 lemons ($1.50)
Day 182
1) 14 mandarins ($3.50)
Day 183
1) 20 mandarins ($5.00)
2) 1 lemon ($0.50)
Day 184
1) 35 mandarins ($8.75)
2) 1 lime ($0.25)
3) 2 lemons ($1.00)
Day 185
1) 5 mandarins ($1.25)
2) 4 lemons ($2.00)
3) 1 lime ($0.25)
Day 186
1) 14 mandarins ($3.50)
2) 3 lemons ($1.50)
3) 1 lime ($0.25)
Day 187
1) 10 mandarins ($2.50)
Day 188
1) 10 mandarins ($2.50)
Day 189
1) 19 mandarins ($4.75)
2) 2 limes ($0.50)
3) 2 lemons ($1.00)
Day 190
1) 10 mandarins ($2.50)
Day 191
1) 14 mandarins ($3.50)
Day 192
1) 5 mandarins ($1.25)
2) 1 orange ($0.50)
3) 1 lemon ($0.50)
4) 1 lime ($0.25)
Day 193
1) 1 orange ($0.50)
Day 194
1) 40 mandarins ($10.00)
2) 2 oranges ($1.00)
Day 195
1) 10 mandarins ($2.50)
2) 2 oranges ($1.00)
Day 196
1) 12 mandarins ($3.00)
Day 197
1) 15 mandarins ($3.75)
2) 3 oranges ($1.50)
3) 3 lemons ($1.50)
Day 198
1) 20 mandarins ($5.00)
Day 199
1) 26 mandarins ($6.50)
2) 4 limes ($1.00)
Four-Week harvest: $138.25
Total Produce Harvested (Year-to-Date): $1042.25
Total Honey Harvested (Year-to-Date): $360.00
Expenses (Year-to-Date): $105.00
We have had a couple milestones. Six months have passed and we have harvested daily since July 1st. Even if I do not succeed for the 1-year target, I have been quite pleased with the accomplishment of more than 6 months. Another milestone is that we have passed the $1000 mark for the value of produce. Our family has benefited, as well as friends who come by and grab a bag of mandarins every once and awhile.
Looking back, we have not only harvested, but I have written about topics including irrigation, planing timing, excess crops, pruning, and even a very inspiring NPR story. Look through the blog now that 6 months have passed.
Looking forward, I need to plant so that I can possibly make it to July 1st, 2011. I can forsee citrus for the next two months (oranges just starting, grapefruits still coming) but the months of April and May will be difficult. I will start my veggies in about a month and hopefully be harvesting by March.
If you are thinking about planting a fruit tree, now is the time to do the bare-root trees. Not very expensive ($20-25) and will provide years of fruit.
A four-week summary if you do not want to read the details:
Mandarins: 479
Oranges: 9
Lemons: 20
Limes: 10
Chard: 2 bunches
Day 172
1) 11 mandarins ($2.75)
2) Two bunches Chard ($6.00)
Day 173
1) 133 mandarins ($33.25)
Day 174
1) 7 mandarins ($1.75)
Day 175
1) 20 mandarins ($5.00)
Day 176 - 179 Gone for Holidays
Day 180
1) 23 mandarins ($5.75)
2) 1 lemon ($0.50)
Day 181
1) 6 mandarins ($1.50)
2) 3 lemons ($1.50)
Day 182
1) 14 mandarins ($3.50)
Day 183
1) 20 mandarins ($5.00)
2) 1 lemon ($0.50)
Day 184
1) 35 mandarins ($8.75)
2) 1 lime ($0.25)
3) 2 lemons ($1.00)
Day 185
1) 5 mandarins ($1.25)
2) 4 lemons ($2.00)
3) 1 lime ($0.25)
Day 186
1) 14 mandarins ($3.50)
2) 3 lemons ($1.50)
3) 1 lime ($0.25)
Day 187
1) 10 mandarins ($2.50)
Day 188
1) 10 mandarins ($2.50)
Day 189
1) 19 mandarins ($4.75)
2) 2 limes ($0.50)
3) 2 lemons ($1.00)
Day 190
1) 10 mandarins ($2.50)
Day 191
1) 14 mandarins ($3.50)
Day 192
1) 5 mandarins ($1.25)
2) 1 orange ($0.50)
3) 1 lemon ($0.50)
4) 1 lime ($0.25)
Day 193
1) 1 orange ($0.50)
Day 194
1) 40 mandarins ($10.00)
2) 2 oranges ($1.00)
Day 195
1) 10 mandarins ($2.50)
2) 2 oranges ($1.00)
Day 196
1) 12 mandarins ($3.00)
Day 197
1) 15 mandarins ($3.75)
2) 3 oranges ($1.50)
3) 3 lemons ($1.50)
Day 198
1) 20 mandarins ($5.00)
Day 199
1) 26 mandarins ($6.50)
2) 4 limes ($1.00)
Four-Week harvest: $138.25
Total Produce Harvested (Year-to-Date): $1042.25
Total Honey Harvested (Year-to-Date): $360.00
Expenses (Year-to-Date): $105.00
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Days 151 - 171 Dead of Winter...what to do?
The weather has turned grey, rainy and you do not feel like being outside. Our forecast is now calling for 10 days of rain without a sunny day. Surprisingly the mandarins are just getting better and better as they ripen to perfection. Over the past three weeks we harvested over 200 mandarins!! I did miss a post last weekend...kind of a time crunch with giving final exams last week.
Well, what feels like the dead of winter does not last very long around here. The Daffodils are already popping their heads up and will be in bloom within a couple of weeks. January often has a warm spell and the bees will be out in force on sunny days. I have been keeping a record of the blooming of my fruit trees over the years and it is a pretty regular occurance for the first peach blossoms to be out on February 20th. Will it be summertime...no way. But there are things to do in the garden for sure!!
I take the opportunity to do a little pruning around Christmas if there is a dry spell and try to get all of my pruning done by the middle of January. I have quite a few trees to prune. You can look back at my second post to see the job that I have ahead of me. I do have a good time with it though and it makes for a sense of renewal...cleaning out the old and preparing for the re-birth of spring. You say, "how do you prune?" I have a wonderful book that I found from The American Horticultural Society called quite simply "Pruning and Training". Here is a link on Amazon but you can probably find it at your local bookstore (I did). Take the time to read about your trees, fruiting or non-fruiting, and you will learn a bunch!!
Harvested over the past 3 weeks:
Day 151
1) 9 mandarins ($2.25)
Day 152
1) 7 mandarins ($1.75)
Day 153
1) 8 mandarins ($2.00)
Day 154
1) 5 mandarins ($1.25)
Day 155
1) 5 mandarins ($1.25)
Day 156
1) 4 mandarins ($1.00)
Day 157
1) 13 mandarins ($3.25)
Day 158
1) 9 mandarins ($2.25)
Day 159
1) 7 mandarins ($1.75)
Day 160
1) 8 mandarins ($2.00)
Day 161
1) 6 mandarins ($1.50)
2) 4 lemons ($2.00)
Day 162
1) 8 mandarins ($2.00)
Day 163
1) 8 mandarins ($2.00)
Day 164
1) 19 mandarins ($4.75)
Day 165
1) 15 mandarins ($3.75)
Day 166
1) 12 mandarins ($3.00)
2) 2 lemons ($1.00)
Day 167
1) 7 mandarins ($1.75)
Day 168
1) 9 mandarins ($2.25)
Day 169
1) 9 mandarins ($2.25)
Day 170
1) 12 mandarins ($3.00)
Day 171
1) 25 mandarins ($1.25)
Two-Week harvest: $44.00
Total Produce Harvested (Year-to-Date): $904.00
Total Honey Harvested (Year-to-Date): $360.00
Expenses (Year-to-Date): $105.00
Well, what feels like the dead of winter does not last very long around here. The Daffodils are already popping their heads up and will be in bloom within a couple of weeks. January often has a warm spell and the bees will be out in force on sunny days. I have been keeping a record of the blooming of my fruit trees over the years and it is a pretty regular occurance for the first peach blossoms to be out on February 20th. Will it be summertime...no way. But there are things to do in the garden for sure!!
I take the opportunity to do a little pruning around Christmas if there is a dry spell and try to get all of my pruning done by the middle of January. I have quite a few trees to prune. You can look back at my second post to see the job that I have ahead of me. I do have a good time with it though and it makes for a sense of renewal...cleaning out the old and preparing for the re-birth of spring. You say, "how do you prune?" I have a wonderful book that I found from The American Horticultural Society called quite simply "Pruning and Training". Here is a link on Amazon but you can probably find it at your local bookstore (I did). Take the time to read about your trees, fruiting or non-fruiting, and you will learn a bunch!!
Harvested over the past 3 weeks:
Day 151
1) 9 mandarins ($2.25)
Day 152
1) 7 mandarins ($1.75)
Day 153
1) 8 mandarins ($2.00)
Day 154
1) 5 mandarins ($1.25)
Day 155
1) 5 mandarins ($1.25)
Day 156
1) 4 mandarins ($1.00)
Day 157
1) 13 mandarins ($3.25)
Day 158
1) 9 mandarins ($2.25)
Day 159
1) 7 mandarins ($1.75)
Day 160
1) 8 mandarins ($2.00)
Day 161
1) 6 mandarins ($1.50)
2) 4 lemons ($2.00)
Day 162
1) 8 mandarins ($2.00)
Day 163
1) 8 mandarins ($2.00)
Day 164
1) 19 mandarins ($4.75)
Day 165
1) 15 mandarins ($3.75)
Day 166
1) 12 mandarins ($3.00)
2) 2 lemons ($1.00)
Day 167
1) 7 mandarins ($1.75)
Day 168
1) 9 mandarins ($2.25)
Day 169
1) 9 mandarins ($2.25)
Day 170
1) 12 mandarins ($3.00)
Day 171
1) 25 mandarins ($1.25)
Two-Week harvest: $44.00
Total Produce Harvested (Year-to-Date): $904.00
Total Honey Harvested (Year-to-Date): $360.00
Expenses (Year-to-Date): $105.00
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