It certainly has been an interesting season. We've averaged roughly an inch of rain a week for the last two months! And lots of cloudy days. Two previous mini-heat waves and just today, a third. We have been grateful not to have to water, but it has made high quality ripening difficult. The tomatoes ripened on schedule but the taste and texture are suboptimal. The weeds have been a constant chore and for some reason this has been the longest and most severe Japanese beetle season in the history of The Patch. And of course the grass has yet to go dormant meaning the weekly mowing chore has gone on unabated. But we've had ample chard, beets, squash, cucs and tomatoes to keep us well fed. Soon it will be time to start fall crops; how the time flies by!
One other thing I've tried to keep up with more this season is the herb harvest. Last year's basil has been savored and I'm making sure to have enough dried down to get us through another winter. The chamomile also has been doing well. Not exactly Brother Cadfael's operation but our own little version of it.
CHICKEN UPDATE: The tractor has been hardened up with additional wire so that only a very large and determined predator could now get in there. Except for some paint touch ups it should be ready to go for the the late August pullets. So far we have trapped one possum, one ground hog, and one skunk (don't ask!). The ground hog was purely a precaution for the garden whereas the possum and skunk were small enough to be possible suspects in the hen murder. We will continue trapping to see what we get although I would prefer not to have to handle any more skunks.
