A Fine June Day in The Patch

It was one of those summer days when if for no other reason you just have to break out the camera and take some shots. We don't get many days like this where the temperature, humidity, breeze and air quality provide a near perfect day.

 The Food Patch looking northwest under the morning sun.

 The herb and butterfly bush bed.

Southeast view of The Food Patch with the heirloom lima beans from Emily. They just got a much needed support installed today and every one of them came up!

 Another view of the herb bed.

The raspberry bed. Yields were down this year mainly because I failed to take good care of them last year. Berries form on second year wood meaning how well you foster good wood development affects next year's crop. I made sure the soaker hose went in this season and they got all of the chicken tractor bedding collected over the winter as an early spring mulch. The tall vines here are new wood so I'm hoping that things will get back to normal next year.

The grape tomatoes caged up and waiting for that first ripe orb. I don't think I'm going to make my grandfather's July 4th deadline this year due to the long, cold and wet spring. But we do have a lot of green ones just waiting to ripen.

And the second planting of lettuce under 50% shade cloth. I've found that once we pass Memorial Day its best to go ahead and keep the majority of the lettuce under shade cloth. The other option is to plant in the shadow of taller crops like the tomatoes or the bean and cucumber walls once they form up. Using this approach I've been able to keep leaf lettuce all summer long with no bitterness. The tough part is remembering to start new seeds every other week. Its been hard this season due to the weird weather and being especially busy training and getting ready for the Blue Ridge Ramble.