Picking tomorrow etc.

Hi Everyone,

We're going to wait until next week to open the blueberry field to picking. There's still more on the early bushes that you have been picking, but not enough at the moment to warrant a lot of pickers. There won't be a lot of the mid season variety this year, as many were replaced last year and are still small. The later season bushes are loaded and are beginning to ripen, but still mostly green.

There will be no produce available this weekend, but we believe the summer squashes and cucumbers may be ready by next weekend. We got excited yesterday as we spotted a red tomato in the tomato field. It shouldn't be to long before those delicious fruits are ready to go. Some of the first planted potatoes are beginning to die back, so that means the digging of the first spuds isn't far off. We will dig the garlic this coming week and hang it in the barn to dry for a couple of weeks. The garlic is really large in size this year.

 Speaking of large, we had a school group from the Montessori school in Jacksonville for a field trip this afternoon. We walked past the onion bed and I said, "Let's see what the onions look like!" I pulled one up and it was like a softball! Some of those will be available in the next couple of weeks. The kids weren't that interested, they wanted to go back to the blueberry patch....I wonder why.

Have a nice weekend.

Vicky and Steve

Berry picking

Sorry, but we are picked out for today.  Check back here Friday to see if the bushes are ready for picking on Saturday.

Vicky and Steve

First Day of Picking

Some happy pickers from Saturday's opening day!

The bushes should be good for Wednesday's picking.  Open 9-5

Vicky and Steve

Rocky 1

Hi All,

Well, well well, well. Look what we found this morning. Released this afternoon in northern Harford county. Far far away from Rousedale Farm. Trap is reset trying for Rocky 2.

Vicky and Steve

Blueberries

Dear Blueberry Fans,

We were up in the earliest of blueberry rows this morning testing out the berries. OMG, the berries are large and extremely tasty. As a matter of fact the taste testing got a bit out of control. Let's just say I have enough antioxidants to last the week! We will open for picking this Saturday 6/22 from 9-5. The plan is to be open for picking Saturdays and Wednesdays. This will give the plants time to recoup between picking days. Our price this season will be $3.25 per pound. You can bring your own containers if you like. Come early. Depending on how many folks stop by, the currently ripe crop could be quickly picked out. Please pick all the ripe berries you can find on one bush before moving on to another. This is important for the plants' health and continued productivity. Pick only the darkest berries that give to the touch. Blueberries will not continue to ripen once they're picked.

The raccoon battle continues. The coyote urine has seemingly had little affect yet. The have-a heart trap we've purchased has, so far, been used for the raccoons amusement. It looks like they play the game of "Let's figure out how to get the bait without getting caught"! They are three for three. Early this morning at 12:30am we heard screaming coming from the chicken area. I staggered out to find Big Red the rooster literally tangled up in the electric fence getting a shock pulsing about every 2 seconds. He had obviously been running for his life. I had to cut the fence to free him. He seems fine today. I thought all the chickens were inside under lock and key, but I missed him some how. My Dad's wife Joyce said, "no offense, but it sounds like we could have a new reality show called, "Are You Smarter Than a Raccoon". Could be perfect for Jeff Foxworthy's newest hosting job.

The saga continues.

Vicky and Steve

Farm Update

Hi Everyone,

Things have been pretty busy on the farm. Much of the time battling these *%^#!! raccoons. I went up to the chicken barn two evenings ago to close things up for the night and surprised a raccoon eating out of one of the feed bags, In BROAD DAYLIGHT! We have found a product that is guaranteed to rid ourselves of the varmints. It's totally organic and will not harm them in any way. It's coyote urine in pellet form. We should have it today or tomorrow. I can't wait to get it down and see what happens. Once the raccoons realize that this is coyote territory they will move to a different area. We unhooked the electric from the fence I moved to the strawberries and hooked it back on the chicken fence after I saw a raccoon one night in the chicken yard. So that night the chickens were fine, but the ripe strawberries were eaten again. It's unbelievable! I hope the coyote pee works. Human pee didn't.....that's all I'm saying.

Asparagus is still coming, although slowing down a bit, along with the salad greens and we still have some garlic scapes to cut before we pull the garlic. We have pulled a couple of garlic plants up and the garlic bulbs look really good. Vicky is actually making sauce as I write this using some of the "Music" garlic. We will start pulling some the end of the week and hang it in the barn to dry a bit before we sell it. We should be good to go with it by the end of the month. The early blueberries are beginning to get that blue hue to them. We're hoping they will be ready for picking in another two weeks. We'll keep you posted.

We have decided to raise some broilers (chickens for meat) again this year. The first batch will be ready mid-July. Then we will have some every three or four weeks through the fall.

The 50 new 18 week old egg layers that we just purchased from Cedar Day Springs Farm in Bel Air are slowly settling in. The older residents in the coops don't take kindly to the new young ladies moving in on their territory. However our rooster "Big Red" loves it!

Vicky and Steve