{"id":2248,"date":"2012-12-25T10:58:47","date_gmt":"2012-12-25T10:58:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/troutsfarm.com\/latest\/?p=2248"},"modified":"2012-12-31T17:44:25","modified_gmt":"2012-12-31T17:44:25","slug":"2012-december-farmette","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/troutsfarmtoo.com\/latest\/2012-december-farmette\/","title":{"rendered":"Farmette"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Fun with Flora and Fauna!<\/h4>\n

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GROWING BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\"\"\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

The six chicks are growing much faster than the goats. They get free range in the garden through chicken-sized openings in the gates. The goats are excluded.<\/span><\/p>\n

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AN ONGOING EXPERIMENT<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

Gardening is always an ongoing journey of discovery. We\u00a0continue\u00a0to see which species and which\u00a0varieties\u00a0seem to be the most worthwhile to grow. Since we are gardening without chemical additives, keeping ahead of diseases and pests is a constant\u00a0challenge.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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GREENS – ANNUAL AND PERENNIAL<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

Chickasauraus likes to help by picking insects off of the collards. They are doing reasonably well here, and have provided us with a lot of greens to have with omelets and dinners. On the right are some moringa<\/a> trees that Bob planted from collected seed. They are a tree\u00a0species\u00a0whose incredibly nutritious leaves are great whether cooked like spinach or blended up in a banana pineapple mango smoothie.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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THOSE GOATS<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

They are always hoping for something good to eat. As you can see, Aponkye is much more of a beggar!<\/span><\/p>\n

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RISING UP<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Jeremy has trained Go-At to “pound it!”. This is probably a fine idea if he doesn’t grow to much. So far, he has not butted Camille.<\/span><\/p>\n

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AIN’T HE BAD?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Just when Go-At seems to getting the upper hand, Jeremy spins him around or picks him up by his horns.<\/span><\/p>\n

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STINKY<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Go-At is pretty darned cute, with his little fluffer bangs and all. It’s almost enough to overcome his goat aroma.<\/span><\/p>\n

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GRASSROOTS EFFORTS<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

The chickens re getting the\u00a0benefit\u00a0of a “real” compost pile that Jeremy set up in the goat-free garden zone. The pile attracts bugs and the chickens love them. The goats are getting their grass put in their house as bedding and fodder.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

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CHICKENS ONLY!<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

There are some places that are off limits to the goats, much to their consternation. The garden gates have chicken friendly openings in them, while the chicken house has a goat unfriendly opening. Camille is working on getting the chickens to roost in the chicken house (rather than outside) by putting rice in there each evening.<\/span><\/p>\n

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COCK OF THE WALK<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

One of our neighbors’ roosters has been hanging around lately, taking stock of the young ladies in our flock. Isn’t he a fine specimen?<\/span><\/p>\n

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MOVING DIRT UPSTAIRS<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

Bob took the opportunity of a little free time after Christmas to expand the upstairs container garden.He planted cocoyam (taro) in buckets and made a new container out of a broken tub for more parsley.<\/span><\/p>\n

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TERRACE GARDENING<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Another ongoing experiment. Currently parsley and lemon grass are the major producers. We also have some nice kontomire leaves (taro) that are about ready to provide continual harvest. Bob also uses the upstairs terrace as a plant propagation area. He starts things in pots (okra,\u00a0cucumbers\u00a0 tomatoes, etc.) prior to them being transplanted down to the big garden.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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SPICES ARE NICE<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Lemon grass is doing very well, we need to get it\u00a0integrated\u00a0into our\u00a0kitchen. The flat leaf parsley also does well, but Camille definitely knows what to do with that, so it’s hard to keep enough growing!\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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UP THE LADDER TO THE ROOF<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0 \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Bob has trained a few different plants up this yellow string and these green beans are the first to make it all the way to the roof.<\/span><\/p>\n

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____________________________________________________________<\/strong><\/p>\n

[Latest]<\/a>\u00a0* [Troutsfarm]<\/a>\u00a0* [FS2BD]<\/a> * [Signs]<\/a> * [Elodie]<\/a> * [Evacuation]<\/a> * [Cocoa Village]<\/a> * [Farmette]<\/a> * [Spot 2012]<\/a><\/h4>\n

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\n<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

Fun with Flora and Fauna! <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

GROWING BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS<\/p>\n

\n

The six chicks are growing much faster than the goats. They get free range in the garden through chicken-sized openings in the gates. The goats are excluded.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

AN ONGOING EXPERIMENT<\/p>\n

\n