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Blueberry Hill Farm

Alpacas, blueberries in season, farm fresh free-range eggs and "chemical-free" vegetables.
(Grover, North Carolina)

Spring on the Farm

There is no time on the farm as busy as the month of May, ESPECIALLY a May as wet as the one just passed.  Everything needs to be done NOW and there's never enough hours in the day or week to begin getting the many needed chores accomplished.

 This May was especially frustrating to me, because all the hundreds of plants started in March and April needed to go out into the ground.  Unfortunately, because of all the rain, many transplants, which were out "hardening off", drown.  Even some of the summer squash "babies" have rotted on the ends, indicating that the "mother plant" had way too much moisture to deal with.

 The weeds have gotten out of hand and there's constant mowing that need to be done!! Add to that the bi-yearly chore of completely cleaning out chicken coops and you've got a few chores too many!! WHAT'S A FARMER TO DO!!!!

Well, the only thing to do, is to express gratitude to God for the replenishing of the state's water table, which, in the scope of things, is far more important than whether we keep the place mowed.  Wasn't it just last spring that I was whining and complaining about the LACK of water.  While that certainly isn't the case this spring, rather than grumbling about all the spring chores that haven't even been started, I need to remember that there is a greater picture and a greater purpose.

 The GOOD NEWS is that the hens are laying like crazy and the blueberry bushes are loaded.  I'm beginning to focus my attention to blueberry season that will be upon me in just a matter of a few weeks.  For about two months I will be in the bushes, smelling the wonderful aroma of ripening blueberries.  I confess I'll be popping more than my fair share into my mouth as I pick, because nothing is better on a hot July day than the taste of a fresh blueberry, still warm from the sun.  Unless, of course, it's a fresh baked Blueberry Sonker, still warm from the oven with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.  That is too yum for words!  As the time approaches, I'll be sure to pass along my recipe for Blueberry Sonker so that you can bake some for yourself!

 And, what didn't get done this May during the busiest month of the year, may or may not get done in June.  Thankfully, grass always dies back in the winter for a fresh start next spring!


Carmen_1
12:38 PM EDT
 

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