Farm Blog Fall 2012
September 21 - December 31
November 5 - December 31
Vegetables - It is amazing that the veggies growing in the hoop house are still ok. They don't seem to be growing, but the temperature has gotten to 24 degrees without any ill effects.
Bees - The bees from all three hives came out on sunny days that were 50 degrees are higher. After the weather got too cold they stayed in and will not be out again until the weather warms up.
October 28 - November 4
Bees- The bees have been successfully "put to sleep" for the winter. Their covers have all been placed on the hives and they only come out on sunny days when the daytime temperatures are above 50 degrees. Then only for water, since there are no flowering plants available.
Vegetables- The only veggies are the ones growing in the hoop house. They are doing well and providing lots of lettuce and greens. Two kinds of garlic were also planted in part of the garden. It will winter over and the bulbs will be available to pull next summer.
Fruit trees- All of the fruit trees are almost bare of leaves now and will be dormant until next spring.
October 10 - October 27
Bees - I went into all three hives for the last time for the year on October 22. Hive #2 had 15 bars with brood and honey. I took one of the honey bars and moved it to the front of hive #5 and I harvested another for my own use leaving them with 13 full bars. I added a pint of crystalized honey to hive #5 to add to the one that I added previously. Hive #4 had 7 bars of brood and honey. I added two pints of crystalized honey to it for the winter. I closed up all three active hives and put on their styrofoam covers for wind and cold protection during the winter. Hopefully all three will make it until spring!
Vetetables - I picked any peppers and tomatoes that were present on those plants and pulled them up with the zuzhinni squash. The "babies" in the hoop house are doing well even after the first 3 nights of frost. All of the kale and collards are doing ok with the brocolli making nice heads for eating. Lots of aphids in the greens though.
Fruit trees - All of the fruit trees have been picked with Fuji and Braeburn apples being the last. I watered them all well and now that most do not have either leaves or fruit, they will not need as much water next month to keep the roots alive and well.
October 1 - October 9
Bees - The bees in all three hives are doing well. They are all making brood and putting up capped honey and pollen. The bees in hive #2 have 17 top bars with capped honey and brood. The other two have 5 - 6 bars. I will let them continue to build up their stock until October 22 when I will take all but 14 bars from hive #2 and redistribute the honey into the other two hives for the winter (maybe keeping one for myself). I am also planning to put the styrofoam covers on all the hives at that time for the winter.
Vegetables - The kale, brocolli and collards are doing well. The peppers and tomatoes are not producing any more flowers and once all of them are picked I will pull out the plants and turn over the soil with composted horse manure. The "babies" in the hoop bed are doing well and some can be eaten and some thinned.
Fruit trees - The Gala and Braeburn apples are still not quite ready to pick. Perhaps by next week they will no longer be green. I plan to dry all of them once they are ready to pick. All of the Asian pears have been picked and preserved or were eaten fresh off the tree. Most of the trees in the orchard are loosing their leaves and will probably be bare by the end of the month.
September 21 - September 30
Bees - The bees in hives #2 & #4 are still doing well. The bees in #5 seem to be doing better. I went into all the hives this week and decided to move a bar of brood w/honey from #2 to #5. They are bringing in lots of chamisa pollen and nectar from other sources.
Vegetables - All of the veggies that are left are still doing well (peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, and all the kale). Eggplants are not producing as much now and I will dig them out. More of the seeds in the covered beds are beginning to sprout.
Fruit trees - I picked all of the Gala and Granny Smith apples. I am drying the Gala in the dehydrator (some with cinnamon) and using some fresh in pies and crumbles. I will freeze all of the Granny Smith's to be used later on in the year. The asian pears are also beginning to ripen and fall off the tree. I will cut them up and can them for later use.