It's not spring yet, but man it sure feels like it some days. The weather has been surprisingly warm (like in the 70's!). The peach and cherry trees have started blossoming. The grass is growing greener each day. Our little seedlings are getting stronger. My health is improving and I am SO grateful to be slowly building more strength. Spring is bringing us so much hope. Here's what we're chatting about today: Garden Preparations: companion planting, tree pruning, and more Favorite Memories & Happenings in February What I've been making in the kitchen & In the Home: Our new friend Animal Updates
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One of the main activities I (Olympia) have been working on this month is planning out the garden. I'll show the full garden layout at a future time, but I did want to share some of my research. One of the main principles I've been basing my garden layout on is companion planting, a concept where you pair certain vegetables/herbs/flowers for various reasons such as enhanced growth or increasing pollinators, etc. If you want to read more about it or want to try out companion planting in your garden, check out my Complete Companion Plants Guide. While I've been prepping the logistics for which varieties of crops we will be planting and exactly where they will be going, Ephraim finished pruning ALL the peach and apple trees (over 40 trees) and has been working hard in the garden. He has been diligent to aerate the soil and mulch it for the winter, and just recently has uncovered it, tilled the soil, and is now working on putting in fencing and trellises, etc. More to come. |
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Favorite Memories & Happenings in February |
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Our seedlings are growing! We've started four varieties of tomatoes, rosemary, lavender, jalapeños, sunflowers, nasturtiums, zinnias, oregano, thyme, sage, and marigolds. We will transplant them into the garden mid-April along with direct sowing our other vegetables. |
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| | We've had multiple farm days where a few of our friends have graciously come to help us prune our apple and peach trees and collect branch piles. They keep coming back so I guess it's not all that bad, especially with the promise of a good meal after a hard day's work. |
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| | We did our first organic hydrogen peroxide spray on our peach trees to help fight against brown rot and some of the other diseases they encountered last harvest. I didn't have a neck gaiter like Ephraim, so I donned a new look of double t-shirts to avoid getting accidentally sprayed. |
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| | We had a rainstorm so bad that our pond flooded onto the surrounding land. A few hours went by and I saw my husband standing at the door caked in mud with a big smile on his face. He dug a massive trench from our pond to the nearby stream to let some of the water drain out. |
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This month, I've made: long-fermented sourdough bagels sourdough bread chocolate chip sourdough pancakes sourdough english muffins sourdough garlic focaccia bread einkorn sourdough bread gluten-free chocolate cake with coconut whipped cream (flour mixes from my friend Anna's bakery) creamy tomato orzo soup apple lemon kombucha from our homemade preserved apples baked sweet potatoes with vegan tzatziki and pear chutney
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This is our new (to us) piano! She sometimes likes to carry her own tune, but Ephraim and I have enjoyed multiple mornings of singing and playing together. |
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All three cats love cuddling, of course all at once on the same lap. They've also caught some mice lately as well out in the field, so they're earning their keep. |
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Desperation sets in! Willow LOVES being with humans, so when she gets left out on the porch, she makes sure to let us know. |
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This is our future chicken coop. We hope to get chickens shortly after we arrange a few things like nesting boxes, electric fencing to keep predators away, building a chicken door and ladder, etc. As we are learning, every "one" project has fifteen mini projects within it. |
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Thank you for your interest in our farm! We are excited to continue to grow and learn and we couldn't do it without your love and support. With love from The Rusu's at Saint Basil Farm |
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Holistic Nutrition Counseling |
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Do you have health goals you want to reach this year? I'd love to help you reach those with one-on-one consultations or health coaching. Please don't hesitate to call or text me at 925.315.7032. It is a privilege to support you in your health concerns. |
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