Late winter 2017

Hello everyone!  I hope you are enjoying the weather. If you don't like today's weather, don't worry because it will be changing very soon.  That is just the way it is in the Midwest. We have been potting up strawberry plants and selling them; hatching baby chicks some of which will stay on the farm and become part of our family and others will be sold.  I love the different colors of chicks, so as you can tell I have a flock of adult chickens with varied colors.  It makes me happy!

The seeds are ordered and most have arrived.  Planning for the 2017 garden has been in full-swing for a few months now.  We are going to apply compost this week, then begin planting potatoes, onions, lettuces, radishes and beets. It won't be long before it will be time to plant other wonderful fruits and vegetables.

In my spare time this winter I have been quilting and crocheting.  My spouse says I have hobbies for every season so I never get tired of whatever is going on at the time. The truth is I learned to quilt from my grandmothers and mother, all of them fabulous quilters, and I am forever grateful for their time and patience in teaching me these things.  This project is called a "sampler quilt." It is not quite
finished yet but it is close.

My mom would have loved this quilt, but since she has passed, I am hoping my own child will enjoy it someday.  Another of my favorite things is to crochet booties, which I have done for many years for family and friends.

After the rain a few days ago, the grass has started turning green and the trees are budding out.  Of course many of us are battling sinus issues due to all of the budding and pollinating around us.  We transplanted a young tree about a month ago and it is budding out beautifully.  The sunny days have made the chickens happy and their egg production has picked up a bit.  We have a weather forecast for the next few days for rain, snow and sleet.  Old man winter is reminding us it isn't over yet.  That sounds like a good time for soup and chili.

Best of luck to all of you who are beginning a garden soon, hope to hear from you.

January 16, 2017

After my last post during the fall, we acquired an updated version of Windows (10) and have had
so many problems that we went to a computer technician for help.  He basically said that no one is finding windows 10 user friendly and all of the techs he knows are having trouble also.  I apologize
for not blogging sooner, I do hope you will understand.

We narrowly missed an ice storm that moved far enough north that it missed us for the most part.  But there for a while I sure thought we would be iced in for the weekend.

The garden is in sleeping, dormant mode at present. While I am planning for the next season and using all of those wonderful fruits and veggies that I preserved last summer and fall.  It is so exciting to plan a new garden and try new varieties.

Not only am I planning the different varieties that it would be nice to try, but there is also the planning of soil amendments to help those fruits and veggies grow!  There is also the planning of when to plant and when those plants should produce a harvest, and reading over my notes that are kept on a calendar so my feeble mind can remember events that occurred in the garden last summer.

Now is the time to order seeds, plan placement in the garden and the appropriate date to plant seeds either indoors or directly in the garden.  Last fall I brought pots of curly and flat leaf parsley indoors when the weather became too cold and have enjoyed them all this time.  Last week I cut most of it and dried it in the dehydrator while still having plenty to use fresh. Cutting also encourages growth

of new shoots. Since they are producing plants they do need some fertilizer every 2 to 3 weeks during the winter. 

Today we have some sunshine and the water is sinking into the soil from all the rain we had especially through the night last night and the night before. With the sunshine brings eagerness and joy to begin a new growing season!  I am already making lists of things that might be done the next few days as the temps stay in the 50's and low 60's.  If nothing else, get online and find seed companies where you can shop online, or let your local garden enthusiasts know what you would be willing to buy, barter, or trade next summer when the crops come in full and beautiful!  Enjoy every moment of every day.  Talk to you soon. 

October 18, 2016I

The garden is almost finished for the year.  We have peppers and carrots still growing and we're planning to plant some fall lettuce today before the forecast rain.  The chickens are enjoying roaming the area with all the bugs and worms available.  Soon their choices will be very limited. I  added another layer of straw to the litter on the floor since the weather is supposed to be cooling off again.

We had the best harvest of pumpkins that we have ever had this year!!!  It was amazing for us.  It must also be amazing for the bugs that like to eat on the pumpkins because the pumpkins that have been attacked already are being canned.  We love pumpkin bread and pumpkin pie.

There are still plenty of strawberry plants available if you are interested in planting some this fall so they can root well before the weather turns cold.  Just email us and we will work out the rest.

The apple crop was also good this year and we have been busy making apple butter and applesauce...delicious!

The weather has been warm some days and cool others so the chickens can't make up their minds how or when they are going to lay, but at least the eggs are still coming just slower.  We here at Oak Valley Farm wish all of you a wonderful fall season and hope to see you again soon.

Monday, August 15, 2016

GOOD MORNING FROM OAK VALLEY FARM!

The garden is producing like crazy!  We have been so busy canning, freezing, and drying that we haven't had time for much else.  The watermelon and cantaloupe have been so good.  This hot weather makes me crave cold melon.  The peppers have been producing abundantly.  It is time to make salsa, roasted peppers and I have been drying certain kinds to use in cooking this winter.

The "girls" have been producing an abundance of eggs so we have had lots to eat and sell.  My family has been enjoying the eating, especially when I made a lemon meringue pie.

The flowers are a source of pleasure and create peace when I have a minute to sit down and just look at them and the butterflies and hummingbirds that are getting nutrients from them.  There are certain kinds of flowers that I get so much enjoyment from growing year after year.

The corn has produced so much we have filled the freezer and sold a lot this summer.  We planted 3 different plantings this spring and have never had all 3 plantings do so well.  Usually, worms start
during the second planting and by the 3rd planting we have to fight the worms to even get some corn.  This year, the worms didn't even get started good until toward the end of the 3rd planting, so we had beautiful ears of corn.

Our buddy, "Danni," has thoroughly adapted to life here at Oak Valley Farm and appears to plan
to stay.  She has made friends with the other cats and the dogs, so she has others to play with.  Our family has so enjoyed having a kitten around again that I don't know what we would do without her.

The pantry is full and awaiting winter to arrive when we are cooking lots of soups, stews, and hot foods....comfort foods.  The beauty of looking at all the shelves of canned food is a pleasure and a comfort in itself.

Thank you for following our blog. Our family hopes you have enjoyed it!

Monday, July 25, 2016
Oak Valley Farm 2016.blogspot.com

I am farmer Debbie and I grew up on Oak Valley Farm in the southwest corner of Missouri.  My parents purchased the farm about 70 years ago and farmed their entire married lives. Now my family is trying to build the farm back up to the way it was when my parents were alive and caring for the land.  You will meet the other farmers later on.  We are raising produce and some farm animals which we sell to provide the income to continue our quest.  We want to keep everything entirely organic and natural.

These pictures are of the garden at the end of June, now we have harvested the potatoes, onions, our second planting of corn, and many cucumbers.  Tomatoes and peppers are also in full swing.

The newest member of our "family" arrived suddenly at the end of June under the apple tree next to our driveway.  Her name is Danni and I am guessing she is about 2 1/2 months old.

Thank you for following our blog.  We will soon have an order form of available vegetables and fruits, as well as, eggs linked to our blog.  Please be patient as we are slowly becoming more comfortable with technology!