Heavens Door Acres

Wow, June already. Can you believe it? Summer is in full swing. By now everyone should be almost finished planting the gardens...are you? I have one small area left...and I mean very small. I am going to throw some carrots in there. Sunday we finally planted the beets. I wasn't sure I was going to find the time to get them in...but they are done. YAY for beets! The strawberry patch is just about finished producing. I was really surprised how many we picked from the big patch, considering we only planted them last fall. Next year should be a lot better tho....maybe enough to sell some at the farmers market. That is my goal.

We moved a few of the blackberry plants this year...trying to get a new area going for them as well. Hoping that in a few years we will be able to sell a few of those as well. I had some time to sit back, and just reflect on our little homestead....We bought this place 10 years ago. The previous owners had no interest in making this place a homestead, it was a home...with property. There were Elderberries growing wild in a few places, and a few Mulberry trees. That was it for any type of food growing here. Over the last 10 years, we have added several plants and trees...rounding it out pretty well. We have Concord grapes.

They are about 5 years old now I believe. I usually pick about 10 gallons from them.

We have 2 apple trees now. This year our oldest tree is really putting on the apples. I am so excited!

Of course the strawberry patch...and Thorn-less Blackberries. We are still working on getting them settled in and growing. This year I also planted 2 peach trees. I really don't expect to get fruit from them any time soon, however one of the trees I planted does have 3 little peaches on it. Then there are the 2 gardens...that lets me plant what we eat/need to feed us all year long. We have the chickens, of course, and have experimented with several breeds of poultry. Ducks, Turkeys...We tried them for a few years. I just couldn't bring myself to cull them, and feeding them as " farm pets" was not productive. We have geese now and even if we never eat them, they are good to have around as pest control and alarms. They let me know when anything is a bit different out there. We also have the pigs. They are mild tempered, easy keepers, and great for the freezer and to sell a few to help pay for their feed.

We have the sheep for grass control and for wool...

And the goats for milk....

I am very thankful for all we have...and all we are able to do still. Sometimes....it is a good thing...to sit back and just reflect on how we have been blessed...but only for a few minutes, because there is always something that needs to be done.