Summer Chores
Here at my farm, it's been hot and humid with temperatures in the high 80s and 90s. Earlier this week, we got a brief respite with slightly cooler weather but unfortunately, no significant rain and the next couple of days are expected to be uncomfortably warm once again.
Supporting a working farm is a huge job. In order for it to thrive, the animals and gardens need constant tender loving care. I keep a running list of all the chores that need to be done at any given time, so it always looks and functions at its best.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
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- It’s important to check the orchard and garden every day to make sure fruits and vegetables are picked as soon as they’re ready. Here is my first big bounty of fresh, organic peaches – so sweet and delicious!
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- Enma picks the ripest peaches she can find. Peaches are ready when they are orange-red in color, when the flesh gives slightly to gentle pressure, and when they smell sweet.
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- This is my outdoor grounds crew resident mower, Adan, on our Kubota SZ22 Stand On Mower. He mows every day during the summer. He is excellent at keeping up with the growth and knows exactly when to mow what area next. Here he is in the orchard, carefully mowing in between the trees…
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- … from one end to the other. This stand on mower can do open areas as well as narrower spaces.
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- We’ve been using STIHL’s backpack blowers for years here at my farm. These blowers are powerful and fuel-efficient. The gasoline-powered engines provide enough rugged power to tackle heavy debris while delivering low emissions. Fernando blows the debris along the garden bed under my allée of lindens.
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- When living with horses, regular grooming is essential to their care and wellness. Grooming not only keeps horses clean, but also stimulates good circulation, encourages healthy bonding with handlers, and allows them to be checked closely for any signs of illness or injury. My stable manager, Helen, grooms the horses every day. Bond doesn’t seem to mind.
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- Another regular stable chore involves keeping the building’s interior clean. Here, Juan wipes down the stable bars and doors.
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- Up in the compost yard, my outdoor grounds crew foreman, Chhiring, continues the tedious job of mulching all the beds around the farm. Thankfully, I am able to make good, nutrient-rich mulch right here. Chhiring is moving a load into the dump truck, so it can be transported to the next area on the list for top dressing – the pinetum.
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- Chhiring is using my Kubota M62 Tractor Loader Backhoe. It has a 63 horsepower engine, a front loader with a lift capacity of 3,960 pounds, and a powerful Kubota backhoe with 169.8 inch digging depth. Chhiring controls everything from the safety of the tractor’s cab. He can turn and sit facing either direction to maneuver the backhoe or the loader.
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- With no rain at all this week, the crew is also busy watering. I use Gilmour garden hoses and sprinklers and I personally show every member how to use them, so they can water properly and efficiently. Fernando positions this sprinkler to water the plantings outside my stable.
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- Ryan takes all the newly picked garlic to one area of my carport where it can cure for several weeks in a cool, shady, and dry location. Curing is a process of letting the garlic dry in preparation for long-term storage.
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- Soon, the garlic will also be cleaned and trimmed. Once the garlic is cured, the most beautiful heads with the biggest cloves will be set aside to use as garlic seeds next season. The rest will be enjoyed by me and my family.
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- Weeds in the garden are inevitable – left alone, so many of them quickly overtake healthy flowers, plants, and vegetables, stealing their sunlight, water, and soil nutrients. Every summer, my gardeners and crew try try hard to keep up with their rapid growth. Here’s Matthew weeding my long pergola before all the bright, beautiful tiger lilies bloom.
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- And, right by his side is my Multi-Purpose Reusable Heavy Duty Tote Bag – it’s so useful for carrying weeds, but also for organizing, and storing so many things indoors and out.
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- In the long Boxwood Allée, Phurba works on pruning and grooming the shrubs. Phurba is my resident boxwood pruning expert and has been with me for many years.
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- I prefer all the boxwood be trimmed by hand. Phurba uses Japanese Okatsune shears. These shears allow him to sculpt and groom as well as prune the foliage. Phurba also uses an orchard ladder that is light enough to carry as he moves from one shrub to the next.
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- For very narrow spaces such as in between the rows of my dwarf apple espalier, Adan uses a STIHL RM 655 VS gas push mower. While I have replaced many grassy areas with mulch to reduce the amount of mowing around my farm, there is still a lot of mowing to do.
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- Later in the day, Helen, power washes the stable floor in preparation for a photo shoot. It’s also important to keep various areas clean and tidy for production use.
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- This week, my outdoor grounds crew is also giving the four miles of carriage road around my farm some attention. The Land Pride PR1690 Power Rake is secured to the back of our tractor in order to rake and grade the carriage roads.
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- When the rake is lowered onto the road surface and tilted to the proper angle, the attachment moves the gravel and road dust to the center, creating a crown. On less used roads, the power rake freshens up the existing gravel as it turns and brings any compacted gravel to the surface. Pete just finished this section of road leading to my pastures.
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- It’s always busy at my farm. My crew works hard to get all the chores checked off the list every day. I hope you’re getting lots of your summer tasks checked off too!
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