Artichoke

What happens to artichokes if you don't pick them? They flower like big thistles, as this bumblebee was happy to find out.

Spot, Gretel, and Amy: 3 girls on patrol through the apple groves in Hood River, OR.

Beans

This picture is actually from a week or two ago, so the beans are growing a bit more, and some of the flowers have been replaced by little mini-beans at this point. We're finally starting to see some progress in the garden and perhaps, fingers crossed here, beans are something that the slugs/rabbits/gophers/birds don't like?

East Coast Veges

Kim, one of our east coast vegetable gardening compatriots, sent us this picture of her happy pepper plant. Sounds like its been a warm and rainy year in the Northeast, and her garden seems to be getting ahead of ours. Good work Kim, as this is her first year gardening in her new backyard!

fresh fish!

The blog has been a bit quiet lately because we've been back in NY this week. So instead of living off the farm, we're living off the lake.... I learned to use a throw net, and look at the HUGE fish I caught!

Mmmmm....

Mmm.... Fresh salad for dinner? Finally something that I can harvest before the rabbits get to it!

Happy 4 week HatchDay Ladies!

Last week was the 4 week Birthday, rather Hatchday, for the chickens! The biggest ones have been separated out to be the meat birds, and now into their teenage years, they're eating high protein food for weight gain and snacking on corn for an extra yummy flavor. Unlike most teenagers, they're well behaved and seem to be in touch with their own mortality. I had a good talk with them about enjoying the summer weather and making the most of every day because, well, unfortunately for them they've only got 11 or so weeks left.

Tillamook Dairy Parade

Friends and family of the lowly Cow celebrate, for this year's Tillamook Dairy Parade was a success!! Tillamookian's favorite dairy event, which is Oregon's 2nd biggest parade (1st biggest non-televised!), marched under blue skies with more than 150 floats. If you weren't there, you were probably home alone, because even Smokey The Bear showed up. Check out the pix @: 08 Dairy Parade