OMG.... It's been 5 days without a post!

All I can say HELLLLO EVERYONE! I really haven't been MIA.... like some people.... anyone know what happend to Lacy..... She put up her new blog.... noone has seen her since. Then Rhonda Jean is gonna try to publish her Blog! Down to Earth You gotta check it out! My friend JUNEMOON... she has made some fantastic accomplishments this year and has gone off to the North Land for a bit of relaxation. Danni and her Donkeys..... if you don't follow this one, you should start! Robbyn has been a busy girl... got a new job, and a new blog Talkin the Walk, go see her if you need some encouragement! Holly, I have been visiting your girls on a daily basis! I hope it helps for them to hear some positive comments! And many of you other blog friends, I visit often! Thanks for being there!

On the homestead here.... the chicks get bigger every day.... the garden is growing.... strawberries are almost finished... garlic is about ready for harvest! The aquaponic basil is from another world.... I can't believe it... it is huge! Sugar is ready for summer to be over. This heat wave is getting to her.

I got my add url up and running on my site. If you want to trade links just go here!

Trying to start a forum.... just don't know how or if I really want to.. www.coffee.forumcircle.com

New job going great..... anyone using verizon or wanting to use verizon ( the largest Network in the nation )..... I can be your personal cell phone agent!!!! wooo hoo.... really check it out if you need a cell phone, or to update , or to change service! my email theoriginalcoffeecompany@yahoo.com

Summer is finally here!

Hello my friends!

Life can be very hectic at times.

The new job is going to work out well.

Tonight, I took a few minutes to check out things around the homestead.

Above is the first sunflower of the season.

It is a lemon queen. I love my sunflowers!

These are my cabernet grapes. This is their 3rd year.

The grapes are much bigger this year.

The garlic is beginning to turn. It will be harvest time soon!

The basil and the cherry tomato in the aquaponics are huge!

I can't believe how well they are doing! This is a mixed lettuce bed.

Started from seed about 3 weeks ago.

The corn is growing nicely. My favorite summer hot veggie.

The tomatoes and gourds are doing great.

The leaves on the gourds are huge.

The chicks keep growing. They went through 50 lbs of chick feed in less than 2 months.
It is usually hot here in NC.

These are my panting chicks!

Best wishes to all! I hope your summer is going well!

Christina

Stop on by.... the Hummer Diner!

Wow! What a weekend! We had a huge sale at work and I pulled a 13 hour day yesterday! My poor feet are killing me! (I am commissioned sales person, selling furniture on a 10,000 square foot sales floor, yes, 10,000!) I do alot of walking everyday, but alot more yesterday! I missed my chicks. My strawberries are turning to mush. And Sugar thinks I am a stranger! But all that aside..... The chicks still love me! I would like you to meet Hilda (back center) and Stew (forward). They are 2 of my NH reds. Stew (short for chicken stew) is our only rooster of our 9 chicks--he hasn't figured out if living with 8 hens is good or bad. Hilda is my DIVA! She is soooo funny. When I go out to see them, Hilda will run up the ramp and down the perch and fly off the end. Of course, she is rewarded with much laughter and clapping, so she does it again. I really do enjoy the chickens. I can't believe they are only 2 months old!

The whole gang! The other NH red is Myrtle. We have a buff orpington named Curious George, she loves to freeze and stare at you, like she is trying to figure you out. The other 5 don't have names yet. The barred rocks are hard to tell apart. I haven't identified and distinct personality traits yet. But I am sure, before the summer is out they will all have names!
The Sunflowers
Corn, bush beans, tomatoes, gourds, spinach, broccoli, basil, asparagus all growing great! Aquaponics.... the basil is going gangbusters in this environment!
Strawberries coming on strong still! More jam on the way!

I hope everyone is doing well!

Blessings to all!

Sunday Morning in Four Oaks

Today was a day for mowing the law.

My poor sweetie.... he would really love a riding mower!

A straight on view of the garden.

The garlic is really looking fantastic this year.

Back half of the garden.

The yuckra did not germinate. (maybe I cursed it)

But the sweetie is gonna try again.

My faery forest!

It greats vistors when the come in the drive.

I think the dusty millers have turned into trees!

The basil in the aquaponics is doing well.

There is also a couple of brocoli and some spinich.

The tomato is kinda iffy.

The ferns are doing great. The weather has been perfect for them.

We have netted chains, ladies, cinnamons, christmas, red stem, and a few more.

They make a great shade ground cover!

If you are interested, we sell on ebay. homestead*creations.

The sunflowers are really growing.

I can't wait for the flowers to bloom!

The birds will love them too!

The chickens still fasinate me! They are so hillarious. It is better than tv! The 3 NH reds have names. The rooster is "Stew"! The darker hen is "Hilda". She is the show off and star of the coop. When she sees us coming, she runs up the steps, down the perch and flies off the end. The lighter red is so prim and proper, I named her "Myrtle" after my grandmother. The others will probably be named as their personalities show. But I do love my chicks!
And no post would be complete without mention of my constant companion, protector of chickens, Sugar. She is, as I post, laying on her favorite green cushion next to me!

To all my blog friends, I hope you had a fulfilling and restful weekend! Mine starts tomorrow!

Take care! Happy blogging! Reuse, Reduce, Recycle!

Garden Update Four Oaks, North Carolina

Spring is truely here!

The plants are growing like weeds!

Basil in the aquaponics beds.

Garlic and collards
Cabernet grapes

(we lost one this winter)

Sunflowers in front of the porch
Bush beans

The first planting of corn is showing. The gourds are looking fantastic. We have sooooo many strawberries that it is difficult to try to eat them all! (Sooo many burdens--I don't know how I do it!) The tomatoes are looking great. I got an egg plant this year! Yeah! I hope all you gardeners out there are planting away! (We use a no till system. We grow cover crops in the winter (rye) and only make rows. We also mulch with leaves and hay. We try to disturb the ground as little as possible.)

Days "Off"

Monday and Tuesday are my days off from my mundane job. So we do alot of living on those 2 days....

Aquaponic update

Tilapia are hard to come by. So we got goldfish instead. Aclimated them to the barrel and they have a new home. We have 1 little tomato plant in the grow bed. Now we can plant the rest.

Chick update

They are growing sooooo fast. They took to their new home very quickly. We have the heat lamp fixed up out there and they cuddle up at night. They use the ramp and love their perch.

Kyle update

My youngest son took a trip to Florida to see his brother and sister. We picked him up at the airport today. He will spend a couple of days with us.

Around the yard update

Dragonflies and butterflies are out. Mourning doves visit regularly. All the birds will be glad when the sunflowers bloom.

Sugar update

She is still cute and adorable. If I have my camera in hand, there are always new pictures snapped!

Have a great day! Your Friend -- Christina

Gardening on the Homestead... Spring

Winter is finally heading north.... still some cold nights, but, as always, we are anxious to get the spring planting underway.Spring seed starts.

Marigolds are peeking out.

Garlic, planted in November, looking beautiful!

Onions, seed planted in January, finally looking like onions.

Grapes showing the first leaves.

Strawberries!!! yeah!!!

Even turning red and juicy!

I can't wait.

Here, at the good ole homestead, we plant organically and use a no till method of gardening. We also raise worms and use the worm compost in gardening. This year we have also started an aquaponic venture. (or adventure) I think the kinks are almost worked out of the auto syphon. The water is cycling great. The fish are healthy. The water is getting close for planting! Stay tuned. I will keep you up to date with all going on at the homestead!