A Pressing Project

Actually, we won't be able to use this for a while.  But when our five native apple trees bear fruit, we want to be able to make fresh (and hard) cider.  So, when we happened on an antique apple press at an estate sale, we jumped on it.  It was manufactured by the Superior Drill Company in Springfield Ohio sometime in the second half of the 19th century.  Cast iron, it weighs a ton (almost).  Still in working order, the last owner, a handyman, welded a new platform and modified it for an electric motor.  The apples are ground from the top bin, then the slatted buckets are placed under the screw press that squeezes out the juice.  A pail catches the cider draining from the trough. We have a bit of cleaning and restoring to do; a winter project.

'Shroom to Grow

Mark's exciting moment came recently when we finally got a flush of oyster mushrooms.  (Still waiting for the shiitake.)  A simple saute in fresh butter is all they need.  Wow.

Maryann & Ginger

One of the most exciting crops for Leslie was her first crop of Ruhi Ginger Root.  What a spectacular plant. Really delicious.  We have spicy hot candied ginger, ginger syrup, pickled ginger and frozen extra for later.  Check this out:

What's Been Growing?

Most of the fruit trees will take a few years (some longer) to bear a crop.  But we got some teases.  A handful of blueberries, some figs. We also were able to get great yields from the vegetable beds.  Peppers, hot and sweet, Italian Long Neck Squash, Heirloom Tomatoes, Dragon Tongue Beans, Yellow Heirloom Carrots, White Radishes, a variety of Gourds and Melons. The gourds grew up the fence and got fried on the electric wire.  It will certainly be easier once we make the move to the lake.  Here are some pics.

Orchard Update

The summer and fall have been steadily productive.  Less than a year ago this land was a second growth pine forest on an abandoned tobacco farm.  Here is an aerial of our clearing, the beds for the  vegetables and around the trees.  Since Google snapped this shot we've added another pecan, two more pawpaws, an Ume apricot, some perennial Yellow Alpine strawberries, a Che, Goumi, Jujube and Medlar.  

The Eagle Has Landed

Our nesting pair of eagles may have found a home just behind our point.  

Here's papa heading home. 

Honeysuckle Froze

'Tis the season!  Honeysuckle is blooming and we spent a couple hours harvesting blooms.  What a great fragrance.  Then we made an incredible Honeysuckle Sorbet, recipe from Bill Smith, chef at the famous Crook's Corner in Chapel Hill.  Here's the recipe. If you have honeysuckle nearby, it's well worthwhile.

Mobile Home

Last year I built a Wood Duck Box and put it on a tree next to our cove.  It didn't take long for a family of squirrel squatters to occupy it.

So, this year I've moved it out in the bay.  Didn't know how to sink the pole underwater, so I attached some pressure treated lumber legs for stability.  Unfortunately, all that meant was the whole contraption floated away.  Dropping some bags of concrete on the legs sunk it in place.

It will take a flying squirrel to set up home in there this year.

Fruits of the Labors

First Asparagus

All we expected first spring from the perennial vegetables were green leaves, and those we have.  So what a surprise last weekend to find blueberries, blackberries, asparagus, rhubarb and even some peaches. We're supposed to leave the asparagus for a year or two.  Not sure what will happen with the peaches.  But we can't wait until the berries come in.

As for annuals, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes are looking good so far.

Peachy Keen

A Spring Favorite

First 10 asparagus crowns arrived and are in the ground. Here they are before being covered, roots spread over little mounds. Another 25 should come this week, some different varieties.

It takes a few years before they put up shoots, and one is advised not to pick any that grow after the first year.

That will be hard advice to follow.

After maturing, they will produce for up to fifteen years. Nothing better than fresh cut asparagus!

Bee Busy

It's been about two weeks since we put up the Orchard Mason Bee house and bee cocoons. First trip back today and the bees are out working.

In fact, seven of the bee tubes are filled already.

Here's what's going on. A female collects pollen from about 75 nearby flowers. She deposits the pollen as a food supply in the back of one of the tubes. An egg is then laid on top of the pollen and she seals it off with a mud wall. Later, the eggs hatch, the larva eats the pollen and then makes a cocoon.

By early summer the egg laying is over and the spring bees die. Each female will lay about 50 eggs but will have made over 60,000 visits to flowers. We will remove the tubes and keep them cool through the winter while the larva changes into a bee, then put them out next spring to start the process all over again.

No honey from Orchard Mason Bees, but they work a lot harder than honey bees in the orchard.

'Shroom to Grow

Next task: Growing mushrooms. 1. Cut down small hardwood (we chose the hated sweetgum.) 2. Drill series of holes. 3. Plug them with shiitake and oyster mushroom spawn. 4. Cover with melted wax. 5. Stack in forest next to orchard. 6. Wait

Hopefully next fall we'll have abundant flushes of fresh mushrooms. Yum!

Holy Insecticide, Batman!

While we haven't had an issue so far with mosquitoes, we're taking no chances. We also want insect control in the garden without having to resort to spraying. So Mark built two bat houses, each with five chambers that can hold scores of bats that will clear the air of all the things that bug us.

Hung one near the lake lot and one overlooking the orchard and garden. Used the deer climber tree stand to put them well out up of the way.

Bee Friendly

With so many fruit trees, we wanted to make sure we started supporting pollination. We have several pollinator gardens, with perennials such comfrey, baptista, yarrow, St. John, asters, etc. We also wanted to keep bees nearby. After a lot of research, we decided to wait before tackling honey bees. However, Orchard Mason Bees are another thing. These tiny bees work much harder than honey bees, are quite docile, and lay their eggs in tubes that they seal with mud. All we have to do is give them a convenient home and find a place for them to hibernate over the winter.

So, we ordered 20 bee cocoons, kept them in the fridge until it warmed up this weekend, then placed them in a bee house Mark built. Looking forward to raising a large population over the next few years.

Rest After a Productive Day

Met the Bountiful Backyards folks to finish some planting. Added an Indian Blood Peach, Green Gage Plum and two JuJuBe's. Sprayed all the plants with some Worm Compost Tea. Turned the compost pile, painted the orchard gate.

Then relaxed. Too early for anything to be blooming except this beautiful perennial.

Thirst Things First

Critical equipment installed. Two bottle openers. One by the dock at the lake. Another across the way in the orchard.

Growing Food for the Food We're Growing

Time to start making our own compost. Built bins to try several methods. One a traditional pile compost out at the orchard. Simple moveable design. Will be adding another unit like this to age a neighbor's horse manure. The other is a worm bin for kitchen scraps at home. Fattening some red wigglers we can use for fishing later on.

Rainy Season

Simple weather station installed. Mainly for watering management.

Winter's Back

What's in fashion in Orchardwear this season.

Polar Bear Sighting

After an Indian Summer fall that's continued into winter, we thought we'd inaugurate a January Polar Bear Club. So far Mark's the only member. (Even Jessie thinks this is a bit crazy.) Water temp was about 48°, certainly not as bad as it could be, but Mark didn't stay in long. Air temp was a balmy 70°, so it was nice to get out, and find a towel. If we have a normal January next year, this might be a very short lived tradition!

Accessorizing the Forest

The last two weeks have been unseasonably mild, which allowed us to get bulbs and trees in the ground.

500 more daffodils (joining last year's 500) through the forest, interspersed among 100 dogwoods. Plus, 100 river birches lining the road and driveway. In a few years, our entrance should look something like these.

The bulbs were purchased commercially, but the trees came from the North Carolina Forestry Service, a real bargain.

Winter's Here

But that isn't keeping Leslie from enjoying the lake.