Season journal: flowers, gardens and greens

Our babies are blooming!

Our babies are blooming!

So much happens so quickly in springtime. The broilers, after only 5 weeks, are ready for harvest. We just finished hatching out the ducklings and have 34 happy little creatures. They will soon graduate to outdoor foraging.

Stinging nettle is up and flourishing.

Stinging nettle is up and flourishing.

Delicious, if also dangerous. It earns its “stinging” name!

Delicious, if also dangerous. It earns its “stinging” name!

Cooking destroys the sting. And yes, we still eat home grown onions with nearly every meal. Here they are paired with venison liver. Some day we may make our own cottage cheese…but not this day.

Cooking destroys the sting. And yes, we still eat home grown onions with nearly every meal. Here they are paired with venison liver. Some day we may make our own cottage cheese…but not this day.

Speaking of onions, they have grown tall enough for me to mulch them with composted straw. Those are the garlic looking exuberant there in the upper right hand corner.

Speaking of onions, they have grown tall enough for me to mulch them with composted straw. Those are the garlic looking exuberant there in the upper right hand corner.

The remains of a fish. We bury dead things in the used straw piles. The chicken and duck manure helps compost the straw. More concentrated forms of nitrogen make it break down even faster. Any remaining bones add calcium, slowly.

The remains of a fish. We bury dead things in the used straw piles. The chicken and duck manure helps compost the straw. More concentrated forms of nitrogen make it break down even faster. Any remaining bones add calcium, slowly.

Weeding is more pleasant with company. This is where we had our first used straw pile. Last year we grew squash here. This year may see tomatoes on this spot. It went from hard clay to lovely garden soil. Who knew raising birds would be so good for …

Weeding is more pleasant with company. This is where we had our first used straw pile. Last year we grew squash here. This year may see tomatoes on this spot. It went from hard clay to lovely garden soil. Who knew raising birds would be so good for the gardens?

The asparagus appreciate the nutrients and protection from quack grass the straw mulch provides.

The asparagus appreciate the nutrients and protection from quack grass the straw mulch provides.

Quack grass roots create a dense mat and can burrow down 8”. I use a mattock, as these roots laugh at my attempts with a shovel.

Quack grass roots create a dense mat and can burrow down 8”. I use a mattock, as these roots laugh at my attempts with a shovel.

Michael and I took a break from gardening to walk the woods. It’s my first time to spot Dutchman’s Breeches. So many wildflowers bloom after frost but before the trees leaf out. You have to time it right to see them.

Michael and I took a break from gardening to walk the woods. It’s my first time to spot Dutchman’s Breeches. So many wildflowers bloom after frost but before the trees leaf out. You have to time it right to see them.

Marsh Marigolds line low lying areas and lend brightness to dark hollows.

Marsh Marigolds line low lying areas and lend brightness to dark hollows.

The trillium. Oh, the trillium!

The trillium. Oh, the trillium!

Trout lilies carpet entire hillsides.

Trout lilies carpet entire hillsides.

Violets were Baba’s favorite.

Violets were Baba’s favorite.

But she would have loved her great-great-grand girl more.

But she would have loved her great-great-grand girl more.