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In The Garden | May 2015

May is always the very end of our summer harvest. Once we get a big frost, any summer plants that are left in the garden die. The work of the garden drops back, and we get some of the other jobs around the farm completed.

Harvesting
Before the frost came, we did get a few last tomatoes, along with capsicums, and chillies. I strung the chillies on some fishing line, and hung them up to dry for a few weeks. Once they are dry, I will make our own chilli flakes with them.

 

We brought in all the pumpkins that had been growing next to the pig pen, and although we didn’t get as many as last year, have plenty to keep us going on with. Country Boy has grown a few new varieties for us to try, and pumpkin is a regular on the menu now. If only CB actually liked it!
The last of the dried borlotti beans are still hanging on the fence, waiting to be brought in. Baked beans for dinner this winter!

We have started harvesting the sprouting broccoli (delicious) and kale (also yummy), and there are plenty of carrots in the ground which we go out and pick as we need them. The cabbages, and cauliflowers are coming along well, and it won’t be long till we start harvesting them too!

The rhubarb is over grown, and I have been meaning to go out and pick a big lot of it to make jam with. Time permitting! There is also plenty of silver beet, chives, and parsley, and I often take a bunch to work to use with my students. The parsley took a good beating several times when the chickens got in the yard (some child forgot to close the gate…), but it seems to have rallied now!

Planting
Much of the planting has already happened before the soil gets too cold, however, Country Boy still has to put in a few more rows of onions in the next few weeks.

CB has also planted out several rows of broad beans. We are already looking forward to broad beans on toast next spring. They need to get a little bigger first though…

The long vegetable bed on the western side has mostly been cleaned out now, though there are the brassicas down one end. Country Boy has planted a green manure crop when the corn was over the summer to renew the soil, and has mulched much of the other areas to give the soil a rest for a little while.

Things to do in June.
As I said before, it really is the quietest time of year in the garden. There is a little more clearing of the beds to do, as well some mulching, and some more onions to plant. No doubt then, it will soon be time to start planning the spring garden. These things come around so fast.

I’m joining the Garden Share Collective with a round up of what’s happening in my garden.

Let everyone know:

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Previous Post: « Taking Stock | May 2015
Next Post: How To Store Lego Instruction Booklets »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rosehips and Rhubarb says

    June 5, 2015 at 11:15 pm

    Your garden is amazing, and your photos are gorgeous as ever. My veggie patch is a postage stamp compared to yours. How do you get your rhubarb to grow so well? Has it been in the ground a long time?

    Reply
  2. Africanaussie says

    June 2, 2015 at 3:40 am

    Oh you have a huge garden, lovely that you can plant green manure crops and rest some of them in between. Ditto your huge carrot, that soil must be lovely and friable. Mmm I envy your brassicas – too hot to grow them here in the tropics.

    Reply
  3. Jo@Countrylifeexperiment says

    June 1, 2015 at 10:43 am

    Thanks – I'm on to it!

    Reply
  4. Kyrstie Barcak says

    June 1, 2015 at 10:41 am

    Yes I just bake pieces and mash them with a fork, about 3/4 a cup. To make them even more heavenly use coconut milk and cook with coconut oil. Pour them a small size and not too thick or they take too long to cook. Enjoy

    Reply
  5. Jo@Countrylifeexperiment says

    June 1, 2015 at 10:37 am

    I've found that our carrots have got straighter as the beds have been used a few times. Possibly the dirt becomes softer so they don't twist (just a guess). We do get a few odd shaped ones from time to time. CB does like pumpkin soup, and pumpkin cake, but I will definitely try some pumpkin pancakes – is it just pureed pumpkin in a pancake mix??

    Reply
  6. Jo@Countrylifeexperiment says

    June 1, 2015 at 10:35 am

    The pumpkins are ironbark, musque de provence, acorn squash, and the usual butternuts.

    Reply
  7. Jo@Countrylifeexperiment says

    June 1, 2015 at 10:34 am

    Will definitely look up that rhubarb recipe – thanks!

    Reply
  8. Kyrstie Barcak says

    June 1, 2015 at 10:18 am

    Stunning pics Jo. Your husbands dislike of pumpkins made me giggle as you have such a gorgeous collection there. Have you tried pumpkin pancakes with maple syrup and bacon – that may change his mind. Beautiful carrots, I am always very excited when I get a straight one as they are mostly pretty bent up (and hard to peel) Luckily no one seems to mind as they tastes so good! Have a wonderful month.

    Reply
  9. liz @ Strayed Table says

    June 1, 2015 at 8:56 am

    Wow look at your carrot – so much bigger than mine. I am just so happy I have finally grown some that have worked. So the frosts have started, I love those mornings when you walk out on the grass and it is crunchy underfoot and your footprints are all that are left when you walk out upon it. Do you know what variety of pumpkins they are.

    Reply
  10. Beverley O'Brien says

    June 1, 2015 at 2:38 am

    Hi there ~ love to read about your garden. Even though we live in Tasmania we are at about the same stage ~ your garden is a bit ahead of us. Just looking at your rhubarb ~ have you tried Sparkling Rhubarb? I made a batch and it is lovely. Sally Wise who has written some excellent cookbooks, who lives in Tassie, has a recipe for it on her blog. Google it. So worth it. I have the same prob ~ MOTH (Man of the House) isn't a fan of pumpkin either so always trying ways to disguise it! Have a wonderful Winter – keep warm.

    Reply

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Hi, I’m Jo

I'm a city girl turned farmer's wife, school teacher, ideas woman, and mum to three country kids. Country Life Experiment is all about simple country living, growing and making our own food, and life on our family farm in rural Australia. Join me as I give country living a try. Read more...
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A lovely, easy Christmas with family, good food, a A lovely, easy Christmas with family, good food, a few presents, an afternoon swim and dinner on the veranda as the sun set. Time to stop and be thankful for the many blessings of the year. I hope you had a lovely Christmas too!
We have been mulling over how to fix up the drivew We have been mulling over how to fix up the driveway and lead up to our house for a while. Currently it’s just a dumping ground for old bits of metal and a big pile of mulch, but C would like to create a turning area and put in a garden. First up though, there’s a huge old stump that needs to go. What better excuse is there to have a fire on Sunday afternoon? C and the kids jumped on the quad bike and trailer, and hauled back a big pile of sticks and logs to help the stump burn. Once the fire was going, marshmallows were found and roasted. No better way to spend time together.
Team work makes the dream work. We were asked rec Team work makes the dream work. 
We were asked recently whether we “make” our kids work on the farm. The answer is of course not. Having said that, all three love to help out whenever they can. They all work hard because they want to; because they take pride in working hard and contributing in a meaningful way to our family life; because they love living on our farm and don’t remember life before we moved here. Whether it be planting trees or doing sheep work or feeding animals, they all want to be involved. As a parent, nothing is better than watching them grow in skill and confidence as they work along side you. We’re so glad that we get to spend time with our three, working together.
We’ve had an unexpected addition to the family ☘️🐑. She is a lot easier to look after than the other family members but she does try to escape her yard and head butt people. Poddy lambs are super cute but they tend to think they are a human. Clover the lamb is sure that Meg is her mum. Can’t think why… 🤔🤣
The perfect way to end a long winter weekend: toge The perfect way to end a long winter weekend: together, cooking damper around the remains of the bonfire.
It’s been a tough few weeks on the farm. We got It’s been a tough few weeks on the farm. We got through shearing without a hitch (thankfully 🙏) but we’ve had a run of the flu followed by Covid run through the family since then. The kids and I have tested positive (this is my second time getting it 🦠) though so far C has managed to avoid it. There has been a lot of lying on the couch feeling pretty ordinary. Han had to reschedule her driving test for a 4th time due to Covid, which is disappointing for her because she wants her freedom and for us because it would be so much more convenient if she could drive herself places. Just to add in to the mix, our hot water system has chosen now as a good time to die so we’re on cold showers until we’re all out of iso. This is not meant to be a whinging post but sometimes life just sucks a bit and it’s good to be real. Fortunately, the sight of the fire going with a stack of wood next to it cheers us up. Things will improve soon. Onwards we go…

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Hi, I’m Jo

City girl turned farmer's wife, school teacher, ideas woman, and mum to three country kids. Country Life Experiment is all about simple country living, growing and making our own food, and life on our family farm in rural Australia. Join me as I give country living a try. Read more...
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