It has been a while since I’ve done an update of any kind, so why not today?
As the days become longer, hotter, and more humid, we have babies bouncing, seedlings sprawling, and buildings growing.
May is a beautiful month, as it’s when our garden begins to truly explode with life of all kinds!
So, let’s dive in and see what’s happening!
April Showers Bring May… Kittens???
One of the most exciting things to happen this spring has been the arrival of three precious kittens! One of our barn cats has three beautiful babies- all of which will call this homestead home. I’ve wanted to get a few more kittens, and she took care of the search for me. Once the kittens are weaned, it’s off to the vet for some spaying/neutering for the whole family. I’ve missed the joys of raising kittens, and I will thoroughly cherish this opportunity.
Our eldest barn cat will enjoy it, too; he loves meeting new animals on the homestead, and truly loves kittens (once he’s used to them, as he proved with the addition of the last two barn cats). Since mother and her bundles are indoors with us to keep them safe, it will be a while before he’ll have the chance to meet them. We need a small cat army here if we ever intend on winning the war against voles in our garden; nothing is as effective as our purring, fluffy, four-legged exterminators.
One cat couldn’t manage.
Three cats are trying as hard as they can (well, two for now).
I will truly worry if 5 cats cannot handle the vole load; I know that they’re bad here, but I hope our kitties can bring the population under control.
The Great Squash Vine Borer Control Experiment of 2019
We’re not only at war with voles; we’ve suffered at the hands of the squash vine borer, too. This year, we’re launching an all-out attack, implementing all kinds of natural, safe methods of squash vine borer control.
Some methods may work, some may not.
Our job this year is to figure out what actually works to get rid of squash vine borers and keep our plants alive.
We’ll be using:
- Physical barriers
- Traps and lures
- Companion planting
- BT (organic pesticide)
- Diatomaceous Earth (in limited amounts)
Of course, you can follow us via email subscription to keep up with what’s working, and what’s not!
Homemade Deodorant: Kicking Store-Bought to the Curb
`With the high price of decent, non-toxic deodorant, it was time to find a cheaper alternative that WORKS. I made the switch from antiperspirant to deodorant successfully, and it was one of the best things I’ve done this year.
I found a recipe that works, and doctored it to my liking. I was using Schmidt’s Unscented Deodorant, which I truly loved. I just didn’t want to pay that price anymore.
For me, antiperspirant was causing more and more problems; many people think they need antiperspirant due to odor, but the issue with antiperspirant is it makes you stink even more! Once your body goes back to “normal” after dropping deodorant, you’ll notice that you actually stink less. This process takes 3 or 4 weeks, so that can be a bit of a headache.
If you’re reacting to antiperspirant though, this short period will be more than worth it. With all of the concerns over aluminum in antiperspirants, this is a win-win situation for us. My homemade deodorant costs far less than the leading name brand deodorants and antiperspirants, which is a major benefit.
So far, it’s:
- Reliable and beats odors, even when gardening
- Cheaper than deodorant or antiperspirant in stores
- Made with non-toxic food ingredients (aside from the essential oils)
- Incredibly fast and easy to make
- Another stepping stone to self sufficiency and independence
Growing Yellow Wonder Strawberries!
I’ve been so excited for these berries. When the harvest arrives, I’ll be presenting a detailed post over these unique little plants, including their yields, time to harvest, and any issues we come across.
Most of the content that you find online regarding yellow wonder alpine strawberries is very limited. I want to present all of my readers with our experience, so that they know what to expect with this novel plant.
I am actually growing it along with my Sakata’s Melon (we LOVE this unique, softball sized personal melon- you must give it a go, read about our experience here!). The melons will trellis upwards, while the yellow wonder alpine strawberries grow in their shade, likely sending runners out every creating a strawberry mulched melon bed. If this system works, it will become an annual tradition in our garden.
The New Coop Is Being Built!
We are expanding our ladies’ territory, and are building an entirely new coop. This coop will be a 6x6x6 building, but it’ll be fairly unique from others’ coops.
This coop will be built out of fence posts and dog ears; a unique solution that is perfect for anyone who does not have a pickup truck or trailer.
It’s a project that we work on a little bit at a time, in between work and gardening. So far, it has been an easy build. I’m excited to share our progress as it nears completion.
Nanking Cherries: How Will They Perform?
This is a plant I’ve been trying to get my hands on for two years now; I finally did! Nanking cherries are actually not cherries, but are very close in flavor from my understanding. Not only do they produce fruit, they make beautiful landscaping bushes during spring, and they’re good for a privacy screen. They will also grow to a manageable size, as a very large bush, unlike most cherry trees.
Currently, they are only 10″ to 12″ tall, but are already very bushy, vigorous plants. I expect them to put a lot of growth on this year, with hopes of fruit in 2021. You never know, though; they could fruit next year if we’re very lucky.
These cherries will be put to the test when we finally have them to harvest; largely in jams, pies, and cobblers. They are far cheaper than a cherry tree too, so it’s a great addition to a frugal homestead.
