2008
*Set out asparagus plants (roots) from Brother's homeplace in Texas. Set in southeast-most bed of kitchen garden. Since soil was already amended with compost from Love's work this fall, did not add compost. Dug 12"-wide trench 15" deep, then backfilled to 7". Made 2" mounds 18" apart and set one asparagus plant on each one - six plants in all. Covered each plant with 2" soil, packed lightly by hand. Filled trench with soil. Reserved extra soil to add as trench settles. Watered. Had four plants left over -- toed them into east side of loose compost pile.

2008
*picked up 14 pounds pecans (236 pounds total)
*still have leaf lettuce in cold frame

2008
*picked up 15 pounds of pecans (222 total); tree 2nd from end in mowed area on front row seems to have released its nuts

2008
*rain: 1 2/10"

2008
*picked up 11 pounds of pecans (cumulative total: 207 pounds!); most prolific tree seems to be 2nd from north end on front row (tree with rope swing); southmost tree in mowed area (3rd from end) on front row has largest nuts

2008
*rain: 3/10"

2008
*picked up 11 pounds pecans

2008
*1st 2008-2009 School Snow Day (icy roads & ice pellets on exposed surfaces); 18F

2008
*harvested 34 pounds pecans

2008
*harvested 15 pounds pecans

2008
*7/10" rain

2008
*harvested 17 pounds pecans

2005
*school "snow day"

2008
harvested 5 lbs pecans

2006
*school "snow day"

2008
*spitting snow - slight accumulation of leaves and tree branches

2008
*harvested 8 pounds pecans

2008
* harvested 24 pounds pecans

2008
*harvested 3 pounds of pecans

2008
*harvested 11 pounds of pecans (in shell)

2008
*harvested 3 pounds of pecans, in shell
*planted persimmon seeds in pot. Seeds were gathered from field on the southwest corner of Weir & Salem, and had been through the digestive tract of an animal.
*froze 1 mess of mustard

2008
*finished off "cold frame" with 4 more bales of straw ($5/bale!)

2008
*harvested 11 pounds of pecans (in shell)

2008
*froze 2 batches mustard, per Mother's instructions

2008
*rain: 8/10"

2008
*harvested 17 pounds unshelled pecans

2008
*set out semi-dwarf apple trees: William's Pride, Mollies Delight, Stayman Winesap, & Arkansas Black
*cut back raspberries bushes
*harvested 14 pounds unshelled pecans
*harvested mustard for supper & to freeze
*planted 5 hickory nuts in a pot after soaking 5 days; planted only those that sank; discarded those that floated

2008
*set out semi-dwarf Liberty apple tree; first in west to east line on north side of woodlot

2008
*rain: 7/10"

temperatures: high 76, low 47

2008
*first solid frost; 31.2F at 7:20 am - dropped from 32F at 6am - low for the night

2008
*forecast calls for freezing temperatures tonight; spent the day after church getting ready for freeze
*harvested remaining tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, raspberries
*built cold frame from hay bales, fence posts, and 4-mil plastic sheeting in Keeping Garden around mustard & lettuce; built small square clotch from pvc pipe & 4-mil plastic - placed over spinach
*harvested remaining Fuji apples: stored 65 in flats in spare bedroom - heat shut off to room; stored 23 in plastic bags in fruit crisper in frig; holding 3/4 of 5-gallon bucket in spare bedroom until I can process them, probably as applesauce
*gathered zinnia seed & globe amaranth seed
*Love cleaned chimney
***weather update: home thermometer shows overnight low of 35.4F; noted spotty frost on lawn & some exposed plants

2008
*harvested trailerload of pine straw from nearby roadside; spread on paths in Kitchen Garden; will spread remaining straw on blueberry patch
*harvested 9 1/2 pounds pecans, unshelled -- more on ground
*continuing raspberry harvest (waning)
*harvested 3 pounds apples for caramel apple jam

2008
*rain: 8/10"

2008
*set out semi-dwarf Red Haven peach tree (just south of Brown Turkey fig) & semi-dwarf Keiffer pear tree (just south of peach) from Lowe's. Both varieties are recommended for Arkansas by UA, but I am concerned about the quality of bargain trees. So, this is an experiment.
*first pecan harvest of the season (2 1/2 lbs, unshelled)
*harvested 3 cucumbers - last of the season?
*harvested 5 lbs jalepeno peppers
*harvested 2 1/2 lbs bell peppers
*moved remainer of irises from Keeping Garden to Kitchen Garden

2008
*rain: 1/10"
*raspberry harvest: 1 cup, mostly Heritage

2008
*rain: 1/10"

2008
*moved Joseph's Coat and Golden Showers roses from temporary Keeping Garden to north end of Kitchen Garden, positioned to climb the fence on the south side
*moved irised from Keeping Garden to Kitchen garden (temporary location until they can be positioned in the Cottage Garden in the spring
*ordered apple trees from Johnson Nursery in Ellijay, Georgia: Stayman Winesap, Liberty, Arkansas Black, William's Pride, & Mollie's Delicious. Should ship in or after December.

2008
*Set out Felix Crousse peony & Festiva Maxima peony in the Cottage Garden. These were purchased for $1.50 each off sale table at Harps' this summer & kept in pots under the blueberry bushes. Also Monsieur Jules Elie & Sarah Bernhardt, which I set out in the Cottage Garden earlier.

2008
*set out White Cap peony in Cottage Garden (from Chotkowski's)
*set out Red Delicious Semi-Dwarf apple from Lowe's in line north of Fuji apple
*1st harvest of buttercrunch lettuce
* raspberry harvest dwindling, but beautiful berries

2008:
*rain: 2 2/10"

2008
*1st mustard harvest
*probable last cucumber harvest - 2 cucumbers - only very tiny ones remaining on vine
*dwindling raspberry harvest

2008
*rain showers -- no measurable amount
*transplanted garlic into new kitchen garden beds
*planted Buttercrunch lettuce in new kitchen garden beds
*dwindling raspberry harvest
*harvested 10 pounds of Fuji apples for applesauce

2008
*rain: 2 3/4" - remnants of Hurrican Ike
*gathered 10 pounds of windfall Fuji apples for applesauce

2008
*weeded & hoed part of overgrown section of temporary vegetable garden
*planted small section of Bloomsdale spinach, Buttercrunch lettuce, Imperator carrots & Tendergreen mustard
*mustard planted Sept 6 is up
*harvested cherry tomatoes & chocolate bell peppers
*continuing raspberry harvest: picked 1/2 cup from Heritage red bushes
*picked off 4 hornworms from tomatoes & peppers

2008
*continuing raspberry harvest: picked 2 cups from red Heritage & golden Anne bushes

2008
*continuing raspberry harvest: picked 2 cups from red Heritage & golden Anne

2008
*continuing raspberry harvest: 1 cup of Heritage berries

2008
*pulled up and discarded strawberry plants between raspberries & blueberries. Plan to start over next year in the Kitchen Garden with new plants.
*weeded the Berry Patch. Mulching made this quick work.
*installed 3rd post for blackberries and strung 2 wires between 2nd & 3rd posts. Tied plants to wire.
*weeded vegetable garden.
*planted Tendergreen mustard in gap left by discarded Sweet Millions tomato.

2008
*continuing raspberry harvest - picked 1 cup from Heritage bushes

2008
*rain: 3-day total of 4 & 7/10" - remnants of Hurricane Gustav
*continuing raspberry harvest - picked 2 cups today from Heritage bushes
*began selective harvest of Fuji apples as dessert apples -- slightly green taste, but good -- plan to continue slow harvest to reduce stress on heavily laden branches

2008
*picked first berry from golden raspberry 'Anne' bushes

2008
*rain: 1"

2008
*rain: 2"

2008
*Replanted cucumbers in Keeping Garden.

2008
*fertilized cherry tree on advice of fellow from organic gardening store in Johnson. He assures me that the tree will make cherries next year, even if it never has.

2000
*2nd apple tree brown [died]
*pears gone - harvested one
*froze 9 pts peaches from #2 tree
*canned 1 pt of pickled jalapenoes

1999
*Enterprise apple tree brown [died]
*birds eating pears (covered with netting 8/2)

1994
*canned 5 pts picante ketchup

2002
*picked first okra

1997
*in bloom: New England aster

2002
*planted green beans for fall crop

1999
*canned 6 1/2 pts pepper jelly

1994
*canned 4 pts green beans
*canned 7 pts tomato juice

2008
*rain: 3/4"

2002
*rain: 1/4"

2008
*final blueberry harvest

2001
*canned 12 pts salsa

1999
*harvesting raspberries (for table)

1998
*peaches ripe on tree #2

1998
*first okra ready

1994
*canned 8 pts green beans
*froze 1 1/2 pts corn

1999
*harvested 3 pts of butterbeans (froze 2)

1994
*canned 6 pts green beans
*froze 3 pts corn

2001
*froze 15 pts apples

1994
*canned 5 1/2 pts wild cherry jelly - bitter!

1999
*bought upright freezer

1997
*transplanted 2 daylilies from Mother's

1994
*canned 5 pts green beans

1999
*in bloom: hibiscus

1999
*pool: crickets

1994
*canned 4 pts green beans

1999
*contractor finished work on workshop
*in bloom: Brociaea

2002
*canned green pepper jelly: 5 pts & 4 half-pints

2000
*first hibiscus blooms

1999
*harvested first mess of okra

1994
*canned 1 pt pickled okra
*canned 2 qts dill pickles (Aunt Faye's recipe)

2002
*final blueberry harvest

1998
*canned 4 pts green beans

1994
*canned 6 pts green beans

2003
*golf-ball sized hail

2002
*canned 8 pts green beans

2000
*canned 5 pts green beans
*harvested first standard tomatoes (Bradleys & Travelers)
*picked first mess of purple hull peas

2008
*rain: 2 inches

2003
*harvested 3 pts blueberries

2001
*planted 3 1/2 rows purple hull peas
*finished harvesting potatoes - aprx. 13 gallons

2008
*rain: 1/2 inch

1998
*canned 5 pts green beans
*in bloom: Golden Glow

2008
*rain: 2 & 2/10 inches