Out Back

The garden started like this in April. 

My gnome was keeping watch over the new squash plants.

In May the ladybugs showed up.

Things really started growing.

We moved the 7 week old chicks out into their new fancy coop.

By the time June came, we were in business.

 He was doing his job well.

 Chicks were growing.

Started getting a harvest.  I loved loved loved the spinach.  It will now be a constant in my garden.  For the first time I have been successful with eggplant.

 Too much dirt.  It was really windy this year.  And all this dirt was everywhere - in my face, the house, the car.  It was no bueno.

 Ron spread manure and planted grass seed.  Added a few shade and fruit trees. Rearranged trailers.

August.  The garden is now an overgrown jungle!  But it's still producing just fine.  The corn did amazingly well this year.  I've canned whole tomatoes and salsa.  I've blanched and frozen summer squash.

Last night's pickins. 

The grass has been fabulous!  The little toddler grandsons can play on it, the older ones run around.  It's cooler.  Kruger likes laying on grass instead of dirt, and it keeps him cleaner.  I love grass in the back.

Where all the cool chicks hang out.

The girls are getting big.  They're 5 1/2 months old now.

This is the inside part of the coop.  They spend their morning hours in here away from sun.

Half of them sleep on this top roost at night, the other half are on one on the outside.  A couple still like to sleep on the ground.

This week I've received my first two eggs!!!  These smaller half-sized eggs are called pullet eggs. (a pullet is a chick under 1 years old, after 1 year they're called hens.)  One was green with brown speckels the other was a perfect shade of tiffany blue.  I was really surprised that the Americanas started laying first, I was expecting one of the other two breeds I have to be first with their brown eggs.  I expect in the next few weeks they'll all be laying consistantly.

That's the update.  The grass backyard has been wonderful.  I still have my same to-do list I had in March - painting the back brick wall, painting the garden fencing.  Now I'm going to add some terraced rock levels in the back of the garden too.  When it cools off it'll get done.