Rumour has it that summer is around the South African corner. Considering the record setting freezing temperatures and erratic cycles, I don't know so much. Someone better inform the seasons as well as the weather bureau.
Rumour also has it that @riverflows and @plantstoplanks love selfies. Like @owasco I'm not a fan of selfies but I am big into all things natural. I recently started making a yummy new ice-cream to enjoy at the fireside every evening. To celebrate here's an ice-cream selfie in our blossoming almond tree. Apart from bananas and cacao I used last seasons remaining almonds, dates and frozen mulberries.
We have snow on the mountains and just went through a week of heat after all time low temperatures in living history. It's really bizarre. And alarming. Our fruit and nut trees are totally confused. Everything has burst into flower. Beautiful and a paradise for our bees, but a bit out of season.
The birds obviously didn't get the memo to hibernate. They're already trashing the little bit of fruit we have - which at the moment is guava and clementine trees! The mulberry tree has burst forth a profusion of leaves and the first signs of fruit. I discovered that the birds have already taken up watch for the first blush of the sweet mulberries - can you see him?
The only bird variety we are happy about are our free roaming gardening crew. Our chickens - and their two mascot turkeys - help to clean up the bird damaged fruit. I wish they would be a bit more enthusiastic about weed control. Although stinging nettle is the type of "weed" I love. Once I squeeze in a gap I'll harvest and dry this incredible iron-rich herb.
What we have been busy with is cleaning up the outside living and play area. As well as gathering the seeds that are dried. The one big producer on our homestead is broccoli. We love it. Sprouted mustard and broccoli seed is delicious.
Before summer does arrive though, we're going to have to get into the gardens and clean up a bit. Despite veggies struggling weeds seem to thrive no matter what the weather conditions. It would be interesting to compare #gardenjournal notes in your neck of the woods @craigcryptoking and @crosheille. Dare I mention @edprivat who loves to spam us with photos of his piece of paradise!
One much neglected area that we finally tackled was the overgrown mountainside at the back of our farmhouse. Thorn trees thrive here and we had let the area go. After all how do you keep on top of everything there is constantly demanding attention on a homestead? There is no before photo because I never thought it would look like this. Imagine a jungle of thorn trees...that's the before
While winter is extremely cold in our area we are blessed that we have bounty from the veggie gardens during the cold months. Our lemon tree has hung heavily all winter with huge juicy fruit. We've even made marmalade! Shhhhhh - don't tell anyone I actually bought sugar into my house for the cookup ;) The sweet peas are both beautiful and delicious to snack on. The baby tomatoes and variety of lettuces flourish. My favourite, the herbs, also love the cold weather as opposed to scorching summer.
Whether beginning or ending chilly winter the change of seasons is by far my favourite time of year. Whether the oranges of fall or the pinks of spring the mountainsides are a picture. The peach and apricots are a splash of colour and soon they will be dripping with sweet fruit. But for now we will admire the colours from the snug fireside, while we nibble of chilly cacao and almond ice-cream.
I love this. A focus on the beauty, not the bounty. Lovely.
That bowl of ice cream…wow it looks so good! 😍😋
I have to confess that I’ve grown a little tired this season of picking weeds. My parents and other gardeners come to visit and point out to me all of the weeds. I just nod my head that I know they are weeds and just keep it at that. 😅
Eventually I will get out there in the jungle and do some cleaning up but I’ve been more focused on the last surviving plants which are our tomatoes. Sadly everything else was eaten on so bad that I had to uproot it all. 😫
Continue to enjoy that beautiful homestead of yours ~
I am the same with weed, happy to see I am not alone haha 😄
I wasn't for sure if the "S" was intentionally left off and you were referring to cannabis? Then I read @buckaroobaby’s comment below lol. 😂
I only have unwelcomed and irritating weedS growing over here. 😉
HAhaha got it!
Yes, we were talking about the irritating one, but I do have the fun weed also shhhhhh 😁
Hahaha oh okay cool!
Heee heee! 🤫👀😄
I detect a slight difference in your weed @edprivat and others weeds (that is more than a simple S!) We grow both weed and weeds although mostly they come up volutarily without assistance. And I love their incredible healing properties
This was just a priceless comment, I just realized what I did 😁! OF course, W E E D S... I am leaving it though on my first comment!
SQQQQEEEEEE how cool is Spring! It's kinda crazy though, even though Spring is full blossom time, winter is by far the hardest in terms of cleaning up and organising I think (if you discount the Autumn harvest). No rest for us wicked garden folk, right? I'd still like to see a selfie of you girl - I'm going to have to do one myself, aren't I? Looks like your mild-ish climate is very much like mine - my lemon tree is loaded with fruit as well.
Last time someone asked for a selfie they got something like this ;)
Goats always hog the spotlight on my homestead
Haha, love the ice cream shot! That's my kind of bowl.
The crazy weather is definitely concerning. We've had our share of ups and downs this year, as well, but I consider us pretty lucky overall looking at some of the rest of the world which is either burning or flooding. Just awful.
I hope the newly flowering plants don't get hit too badly with anymore frost! Those mulberries and guava have me drooling at the thought...
By "extremely cold" you mean 10 c degrees? 😁
I will add twice as many pics next time!! Same for us, crazy ups and downs with the weather, hopefully it settles soon, but I have a feeling it won't, let's get ready for whatever!
LOL I thought the same thing! He'll post even more!!
Seems to me gardening for food, which I am new at, is an exercise in getting ready for whatever.
Well you would think so ..... but no. It actually hit minus
Omg, I don't think I've ever seen the minus in SA. My wife did in Lesotho, but I don't believe her 😁
How long did it last for? And most importantly, I think the coldest days are behind you now, right?
We hope they're over! It hit minus 9. And was warmer during the day at least. But we had that cold lasting about two weeks.
I can already say the days getting shorter, so it means our summer is ending, it also means you guys will very soon get warm!
We had weird rainy days, I heard it was the same for you guys. Cold and rainy, that's very rare in SA!
Well you would think so ..... but no. It actually hit minus temperatures this year
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https://hive.blog/hive-120078/@buckaroobaby/ice-cream-and-worms
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Our family loves broccoli. Never tried the seeds, I bet they are good! Beautiful homestead. Thank you for sharing it with us.
The ice-cream sounds delicious. Will you share the recipe? 😍
Coming right up!! I hope you love it as much as we do @shanibeer!
https://hive.blog/hive-120078/@buckaroobaby/ice-cream-and-worms