Sunshine, blossoms and bees Oh My!

Checking out what's in the cold frames and snacking on asparagus fresh from the bed.

Cauliflower, lettuce and peas ready to move from the cold frames to be planted in the ground.

Asparagus. Yum!

Leeks grown from seed started last year. They over winter and grown on. Ready for harvest, soon.

Florencio built up this raised bed to add the growth of the strawberries. They don't like to have "wet feet" because they will rot and die. These should flourish.

Emma and Ethan were so warm they found shade and were eating their fresh asparagus lying down.

These will turn into beautiful red cabbage.

Sylvanberries just starting to flower. Each flower has the potential to become a berry.

Drip irrigation is laid out on the first few rows of cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage.

The greenhouse tomatoes are really climbing their strings and poles. 

Staking the greenhouse cucumbers helps them grow straight fruit.

This type of cauliflower will produce green, spire-like cauliflower heads, not white, smooth heads.

Thai Red Roselle is a hibiscus we grew from seed. We are excited for the colorfulness of this plant. The calyx is used for teas.

Cilantro.

The benches in the greenhouse are filling up. The tall plants on the left are the greenhouse cucumbers.

We "succession plant" many things for our harvest boxes. Here is our third planting of broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbages. By spacing out their start times, we can extend the harvest.

Benches full of tomatoes.

Tomatoes may have one of two types of leaves. These are "tomato leaved" tomato plants.

These are "potato leaved" tomato plants.

Can you see the difference?
Left is a variety with tomato leaves, right has potato leaves. Both are tomatoes.

More tomatoes are flowering in the greenhouse.

Last week there was one flower on the dianthus. This week, many more fragrant blossoms.

Florencio is careful when he ties the stems of the tomatoes on to the bamboo stakes. Not too tight or they could get strangled.

A very pretty bloom on a cactus in the greenhouse.

This spinach was chosen due to its name, Anna. She lives here at the farm! 

A honeybee working the blossoms on the blueberries.

Another close up of the bee hanging on.

The more times bees visit a flower the better chance of complete pollination.

The white bell shaped blossom has come off some of these blueberries showing the small green beginning of a blueberry.

An immature grape cluster gets its start.

One variety of blackberry has formed buds but has not opened into blossoms.

Dad loved figs. Fig trees tend to have grayish bark.

Baby figs that won't ripen until late summer.

An Asian pear cluster.

Apple blossoms. Do you spot the green cucumber beetle? We fight with them eating our produce, leaves, flowers all the time.

Another honey bee, this time on an apple blossom.

Coming in for a landing.

Not all apples flower at the same time.

The first flower has opened in this cluster, the rest will follow shortly.

Bosc pear flowers have lost most of their flower petals.

Looking north through the orchard.

Grapes on the left, Marionberries on the right. These rows are about 300 feet long.

Old grape vines. Notice their "trunks".

These bee is crawling inside for more pollen.

Colorful new leaves on the grapes.

The field to the north of our gardens is planted with peppermint this year. 

Apple blossoms in the shadows.

Pears that have lost their flower petals. Their sepals are still attached.

This apple tree has a cluster of flowers growing off a large branch.

A white flower cluster in the orchard.

Mom and Dad's dogwoods in their glory.


I hope you have enjoyed. See you next time.

Lorrie