Blackberry Winter

It always happens. Always.
We have nice spring weather and then the dogwoods bloom. Then it gets cold for a couple of days. Dogwood winter.
Then it warms up again. Folks start putting gardens out and guess what happens?

The blackberries bloom and it gets cold again for a couple of days.
Blackberry winter. It might frost tonight.
Yes, I put my hardened off seedlings out Monday because you should never put them out before Good Friday and plus we are past our last frost date.
Blackberry winter can sneak up on you.

This is why I have been saving the 2 L containers from all the soda based punches we make through the holidays. I cut the tops off and ta-da! I have a nice protective cover for the night.

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Two fun things are happening this weekend.

1. My Basic Bee Keeping Class is Saturday! My outline is finished and books are here waiting. All I have to do is get my observation hive loaded up on Friday afternoon.
Speaking of hives, the Tulip Poplars are in full bloom! This is about one month sooner than usual so I think I need to check out my hives and see how full the honey boxes are right now. It's been a crazy early spring.

2. Sunday we will pick up our cow. :-) You can be sure that I will post a picture through instagram when I have my hands on her and Monday will be all about her in my post!

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Because we are an adventurous group here, we are also going to take on a new project.
We are ordering some chicks to raise for meat. We will raise them on pasture, naturally and process them. Thankfully we have a local farmer who is letting us help with his farm processing in may so we can see how it's done.
I honestly never thought I would ever raise my own poultry for eating but the factory raised birds are treated terrible and are quite ill.
We plan to have enough for our freezer and some to give away to friends and family. Next year, assuming it all runs fairly well, we will be selling them directly off the farm.
How's that for amazing? Thanks to Joel Salatin and all of his fine books on raising poultry on pasture for the inspiration! We will follow his same model to raise our birds.
It will be an adventurous summer around here!

Also, in case you missed it....

It's Blackberry Winter, Ya'll!


Stay warm!