Wednesday, February 24, 2016

late february in arizona

busy busy busy.  working on spring starts for the garden and aquaponics and this year expanded to a small hoop house for extra seed room.  most of the seeds are heirlooms that we generated last fall and so far so good.  with the tractor acquired we have spend a lot of time prepping ground this fall and winter.  many of the tree starts we have been growing from infancy are now able to be planted, this is next weeks project.  the fertilizers are on the gardens prepping the soils,  nature handled this one in the form of horse manure. some leveling needs done in the fields then we wait for mother nature to plant.  by giving the plants some early grow time we will advance the grow season.  this works very well for this area.  the massive temperature changes that can jump into the 100 degree mark will begin thru June,  most of the plants cant take this heat so the reasoning is early in and early out helps erases that problem for us.  summer garden will be prepping in the greenhouses during this time waiting for the heat to build for monsoon, then the summer long term crops will be planted with the help of the rain to keep them cooled and watered to maturity.

walked the orchard we planted last year and the fruit trees are showing buds and some leafing.  we water all the plants thru the winter months as well.  this helps grow the roots.  makes a healthier tree and more productive.  barring disasters we should see some fruits this year.  the peach trees are a year or two older and they  produced some fruit last year, hoping for bigger yield this year.

the pasture next to the sheep pen has been prepped for alfalfa.  we will have to wait to plant until last chance of frost is over.  but the sheep have plenty of grasses to eat till then.  hoping for babies from them soon.

it is spring time at the farm.  two sets of baby bunnies are growing fast and rowdy.  one breed  is a mini rabbit.  these are so cute and round and fuzzy.  they will be great bunnies for local kids 4-h projects or just for fun.  we have five of these.  most are a black and white mix or brown and white,  but one is solid brown just like mama.  the new bunnies just arrived two days ago.  they are well covered in wood chips and lots of hair mama pulled from her fur.  the wiggles looked to be a count of seven or eight.  these are meat rabbits.  they will stay with mama till they finish nursing.  having never been around rabbits i will say they grow so very fast.

we are in spring wind season right now and it has been fast and furious this week  if its not anchored its in the fence row.  guess that will be next weeks project.  we have started seeing some temperatures in the eighties so i don't expect  a long wait for spring.  

the new chickens are advancing their production again.  and several pullets are laying tiny little round eggs.  practicing for their summer job.  now if i could just keep the crazy Guinea out of the pen the roosters would settle and stop spending their day chasing that crazy bird.

hope everyone has a great week.  talk soon, deb