Farm Production July/August

Production Numbers for Month #2

As expected, fruit/vegetable production from July15 - August 14 was dismal!  It's just too hot to grow very much, but I did manage to harvest a total of 14.25 pounds of fruits and vegetables this past month.  Totals by ounce are as follows:

                                          Okra                                                  90

                                          Seminole pumpkins                          64

                                          Figs                                                   30

                                          Mulberries                                         19

                                          Jalapeno Peppers                             17

                                          Oregano                                             5

                                          Tomatoes                                         _3

                                                                                                 228 Ounces or 14.25 pounds

Milk production was still strong with a total of 85 quarts, or 21.25 gallons.  Way to go, Ladies.  This number will decline going forward, as I have cut back to milking once a day AND Little Miss Hope is slowing back on her milk volume.  She's been in milk since January and the last time she kidded, she dried herself off at about 7 months.  It's been a challenge to keep up with utilizing all of this milk, so I am not upset about the milk decline.  Cheese making during the summer has kept me occupied, while I watch it rain most days.

Finally, eggs harvested this month totaled 257.  I lost a couple of hens this month due to a combination of age and heat.  My southernmost chicken yard will need some fresh hens this fall and I will wait until our local feed store gets some in.  Last year, they had a good selection of chicks in September, so I won't have long to wait.

Two months of farm production records total:

                                          Milk                     36.55 gallons

                                          Eggs                       518

                                          Produce                52.25 pounds

I'm ahead on my estimated milk and egg production, but WAY behind on the Produce.  I will begin planting my fall garden in October, and then two months later I should begin to play catch-up on those numbers.  Between now and then, my only other crops are sweet potatoes and more bananas.

My first Barbados Cherry!

Blossoms on the Bush/Tree

One last thing...I found a quaint little nursery in a town north of me and purchased something new for me this morning:  Barbados Cherry Bush.  Vitamin C content in a single ripe cherry far exceeds that of several pieces of citrus fruit.  After a bit of reading, I planted it on the south side of the Tool Shed so it will have a bit of wind protection in the winter, plus sun for 2/3 of the day.  It's a small plant, measuring about 3 feet tall, but it already has several cherries and blooms on it.     

I also brought home a small fig tree that was on sale for $10.  The poor little thing needed to be rescued, so it will join my other fig tree in the garden tomorrow morning.