June 4, 2018
gem
nature, photography, river
cars, environment, flood, garden, kayak, nature, photography, river, shenandoah, shenandoah river, video
Puck senses danger. Tail up!
We started flood preparation in earnest the day before the flood crested (assuming that it crests today, that is). Fortunately, the great people at NOAA have a hydrograph that is extremely helpful for flood preparation. Here is the sensor nearest us at Millville.
The Millville hydrograph was wrong this time
Predictions said that the river would crest at 7am on June 4th at 15.6 feet. The prediction was off by 2 feet so far, but as far as we can tell from observation, the crest will happen soon.
We moved the boats up and rescued the submerged tables.
prep time minor flooding
the garden still above water
river peninsula already under water
truck full of table
Amy took out her kayak. The dogs followed.
Then it was time for a cocktail. The Last Word…hmm.
Last Word, hopefully not appropriately named
mogli got a workout in the flood
The flood in earnest started overnight. First major indication of prediction error was that the car bridge submerged around 10pm. Jack and Eli arrived from DC (Jack came down from NY) around 11. We ignored the road closed signs, drove in the back way to our car bridge and forded the now lake-like creek in the dark.
In the morning, we woke up to discover that the crest had not yet happened. Time to move the cars!
getting close to the cars
The river is getting very close to the house now. About 2-3 feet of vertical elevation left before the basement floods. This calls for some kayaking.
the new lake house
garden down
solstice fire spared
driveway or boat ramp?
road sign
visiting the neighbors by kayak
solstice fire, from the new lake
checking the fence line
garden swampland
the house
the new driveway
October 1, 2017
gem
animals, farm, flowers, horse
beets, carrots, cayene, garden, gleaning, habañero, jalapeño, Norway, pumpkins, sweet peppers, Virginia, watermelon, wood
The best way to garden in the Fall is apparently to go to Norway. Then when you come back, it is actually Fall and time to move wood and gather in the last of the garden.
Farm Truck
First Load of Wood
The garden is quite the disaster.
But hiding behind all of those brown corn and sunflower stalks is a bunch of good stuff: pumpkins, sweet peppers, cayene, jalapeño, habañero, carrots, beets, and watermelon. More to come too!
Mini pumpkins hide under the grass and weeds.
An entire basket of peppers with more to come.
Hotey admires the flowers while eating corn.
Fin.
Fall bounty.
June 9, 2017
gem
farm
corn, garden, gem, vegetables
It all started with the third and final corn plantation.
The garden, now features a Sycamore annex
5 hours of gardening today, making up for lost time
corn
Hot pepper looking weak so far
Husk melon
Husk melon
Russian sunflowers (for putin)
Summer squash
gourds and flowers
Tiny watermellon (one day this will be a 20 foot in diameter plant)
Giant pumpkin (smallest plant in the garden)
mini-pumpkins
tomato land
zuchini
tomatillo (first time for me in 30 years)
Sweet peppers (also looking rather skinny)
beans
two varieties of sunflowers
cucumber. lost three plants so far, this is the only survivor
onion and shallot land
corn from the back
brocolli
beets and radishes
brussel sprouts by the strawberry patch
There’s more, but that’s where we stand on June 9th. Two weeks and the beach will render this garden completely different!
September 5, 2016
gem
cute, farm, flowers, humor, photography, river, who knows
flower, garden, nature, photography, river, shenandoah river
July 10, 2016
gem
animals, farm, horse, nature, photography
broccoli, garden, green pepper, horses, photography, weeding, weeds
When you ignore the garden for a week just to light a big giant bonfire there may be hell to pay.
BEFORE
So many weeds. So much grass. So few vegetables.
AFTER
Well, this is the horses actually
About 6 hours of weeding later, the garden looks better
And what do we get for our efforts so far? One tomato (delicious), two zucchini, one summer squash, and two jalapeño peppers. Lots more to come.
Being outside in the summer sun is an excellent break from poking plastic keys.
November 19, 2015
gem
farm, nature, photography, who knows
craig totten, emily totten, food, garden, greenview farm, nature, organic farming, photography, rhode island, vegetable farm
One of these things is not like the other
I drove my awful Chevy Cruze rental car (who makes these things?!) down to visit farmer Craig’s organic vegetable farm operation in Rhode Island. The place is called Greenview Farm. Craig is a dear old college friend who started farming full time 20 years ago and never looked back. He has about 20 acres in cultivation now, rotating crops, building up the soil, and generally leaving the land in way better shape than it started in. His produce has a reputation for excellence and his business is thriving.
Impressive. Craig and Emily are utterly dedicated to what they’re doing. The addition of three monkeys to the equation is leading to the usual loving chaos.
Farmer Craig, aka Mr Okra aka Dr Feelgood
The first greenhouse is about to get a new floor
Amazing to see this on November 18!
Hearty broccoli. Mine never looks this good.
Yeah, I know, Kale.
Gorgeous rich topsoil
Cover crop of oats and peas will be plowed under in the Spring
Winter crops still going
Keep em covered
Seats two hippies
September 10, 2015
gem
farm, nature
corn, dry august, garden, hot peppers, rain, tomoato
August was very dry in Virginia. The garden, which was as prolific as ever through July, pretty much stopped in its tracks. Corn stopped plumping up. Tomato plants withered in the 90 degree heat. Only the hot peppers thrived.
Finally a soaking rain today.
June 7, 2015
gem
animals, farm, horse, nature
garden, horses, paloma, riding, shenandoah valley, willie
It’s not all just art and music around here. In fact, there were more horses this weekend than anything else.
Willie cam
Riding around the garden, again?!
Willie cam. Paloma, Puck, and Amy.
Who’s that?
Paloma and Amy
Shenandoah Valley
May 9, 2015
gem
farm
garden, plan, The best laid plans, vegetables
The best laid plans.
Implemented (now with more vegetables and minor improvements!)
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