Backyard Farming

Gillen and Jesse's backyard farm is doing well. The only thing that may not make it is the popcorn, but we're still hoping it is supposed to be short. The watermelons are looking promising. I'm loving that anything they grow here comes right in to our kitchen. The first run farm vegetables usually go to market, to stores or to restaurants. Of course we get plenty. But there are times when we go a whole season without tasting something that we grew because it was all sold or we just didn't think to bring it home. It is true abundance to have it right in the backyard, and grown by the boys.

Gillen's bird garden has exploded this year. It is full and wild, and attracting bees, hummingbirds (even without the hummingbird feeders), butterflies and lots of different dragonflies.

This is a picture from last week. Once a day, Gillen releases his poult from the cage, where it is living on our side porch. When it's big enough, it will move to the farm. A week ago, we thought "Invincible" was small. That was before he became the surrogate parent to three brand new tiny poults who are now sharing his space. We thought he might terrorize them but he is looking after them - cuddling up with them at night and pushing them to eat and drink. It's too bad the turkey parents wouldn't do this - at least not consistently.