Talking about farming and weather

 Not necessarily in that order.

It is 11:45 and 93 degrees outside. We are already buttoned up and keeping things cool inside. It's going to peak in about two hours and will hit 95 supposedly. By the weekend it will be down to a manageable low 80's for the following two weeks. ::don't jinx it:: Fall weather may be coming soon, it drops down about twenty degrees at night which means it will be in the 60's when it's in the 80's. Yay!

Last night I was sitting at my desk, watching it get darker, thought 'okay will go out in about five minutes to check on the garden and get my walking done'. Next thing I know it's pitch dark outside. It's getting darker earlier for sure. Went out around 7 the other evening to take care of laundry and the sun was setting already. Calendar and earth says the slow decline of the sun has started. 

This also has been noted in the garden as the south bed is in more shade now. If I could manage to grow something there I would be putting in lettuce and peas for the winter, maybe cilantro and parsley. I just don't trust those damn gophers not getting in there. Whatever got that cucumber hit it from above the soil, chewed the stem off with no sign of a hole. That may well have been a rat or mouse but just not going to chance anything in the ground at this point.

Apparently I haven't been paying attention to the rose when I walk by because this was already done today. I am convinced it is a Tiffany and smelled it again to be sure, can't pass a rose without smelling it. Another sign of fall, fungus. There's more than enough rotting roots under that lawn for the mushrooms to start showing. This is over by the gazebo and the norfolk pine area and I saw others that had either been mowed over or kicked/stepped on. 

Ya know, given enough money I would have a house with a special mushroom growing basement area. Or a place in the woods that was 'seeded' with edible mushrooms to harvest. Having my own growing area would be better and would have them all year round. I actually saw a house for sale in Humboldt County that had a special 'growing room' with beds and everything for that special 'tomato' crop. It was even on it's own well and had solar. Totally off grid but also off the beaten path so other staples would require a long trip to 'town'. Not enough room for growing actual vegetables or have ducks or chickens though.

My friend's small farm (ranch) up in Washington is the real deal and she has all the things for sustaining herself all the animals pay for themselves now. The sheep, llama and alpaca she gets wool off to process herself for using and for selling the yarn if there's enough. She gets 'meatie' chickens two or three times a year and has a plucking machine to do it herself (and showed a picture of one that she charged $32 for all organic free range). If she gets a lot of lambs in a season she will take them to the local farmer to get butchered, she has rabbits for food, pelts and for pets. The goats are for milk and as foragers, chickens and ducks for eggs that she sells and at least once a year she gets in turkey chicks that get processed when they're big enough for the holidays. She has a rottweiler that gets special treats when there is a culling and he also protects the farm from the local coyotes. 

She isn't totally off the grid though, she has a propane tank for cooking and is connected to the island electric grid but has a back up generator because the power goes out a few times during the winter due to wind storms. Her heating though is mostly done with her wood stove called The Little Red Dragon. It has a catalytic flue that puts heat back into the room rather than going out the roof and having experienced it first hand it is incredibly efficient even for a two story home!

She has an incredibly healthy and thriving vegetable and flower garden mostly in raised beds now due to septic tank issue. I told her I wished I had that kind of soil and she said 'it's the magic sheep poo!' It certainly is! Of the foraging animals, I can't remember which but one type only poos in one spot, the others just go anywhere. She has them all fenced off of course but has to have the area shoveled regularly. It all gets put in a compost pile and she uses that along with the rabbit poo and some scraps from the kitchen. Most of the kitchen scraps go right back out to the yard to feed the critters. It's the whole recycling deal. She cans up some of her harvest, makes her own broth and herbal salves as well as other foods. It is what I wanted to do when I got to be an adult. Right down to the two story farm house with a full wrap around porch. I really wanted to move in with her years ago but she wasn't ready, I wasn't ready and now her mom lives with her. It's a lot of work but very satisfying for sure.
 

She still works full time at her self made business, she has to in order to pay the bills. The animals may pay their way but not for all of it. I envy her life and accomplishments but am also proud to have known her for almost twelve years.