Chaos Friday Again - May 26, 2023 @goldenoakfarm

On Friday morning when I was pulling up shades, I realized I’d never checked on the seedlings I’d started last Saturday. Nearly all were up and some pressing against the domes. I got them thinned out and the domes off and the heat mats off.

These are all the pumpkins, squashes, and cukes.

The collards are up, one of the trays has some pepper seedlings.

The dining room window is down to 1 shelf now.

Both helpers were here at 8AM. I set my helper friend to feeding seedlings and my general helper and I went out and got all the equipment out again. We planted the 2nd row of sugar pod peas and mulched behind it.

When my helper friend had gotten the parsley out of the cold frame on Thursday, there were a lot of dead leaves. But it had come back well. I took off all the dead leaves.

Next we got the parsley planted and mulched.

Then we went to lay out fences to see if we could find or make some close to the right size. We found taller fencing in the barn (it so amazing to go into an area in the barn and be able to find just what you need where it belongs) and brought that up. One of the rolls worked for making the 21’ fence we needed. Unweaving another fence that had sections gave us the last one.

In order to put the last fence up we had to move a lot of mulch rakings into the squash area. We laid it out before starting.

When my helper friend finished the feeding, he started weeding this area, except the garlic.

This was all that was left by the time he had to go.

My general helper and I were both very hot and tired but we got this last pea fence up. Then we rolled up the unused fencing and labeled it as to size. We cleaned up and I got in the shower as the chimney sweep was due at 1PM. My general helper lay on the cold masonry heater hearth to cool off until she could get a shower too.

I will not have her as regularly anymore as she is moving way out into the Berkshires in June. But another helper for a friend of mine was here picking up plants this morning and she is interested in filling in as needed. So that’s cool.

The sweep was half an hour early and started with the wood stove. He said it was in far better condition this year. I said, well I didn’t have to burn wet wood this year.

Then he moved onto the masonry heater and said it was in good shape too. He left about 2:45 and I finally got to lay down on the couch. My brother came home as he had a wake to attend and wanted me to do some trim work on his hair. When he saw what kind of shape I was in he changed his mind. Good call!

The contractor arrived and he worked on getting the metal roofing out of the barn and up to the shed. Then he got all the wood backer boards up on the front of the shed so he can side it.

I’d hoped to go tag saling on Saturday but my general helper couldn’t go and I was too tired to work up a route. My friend didn’t answer the phone, so I guess I could:

1. Move more wood chips
2. Finish the weeding in the Big garden
3. Move mulch in the Big garden
4. Plant carrots in the Big garden
5. Sleep all day…

Hmmm….. The heat wave starts tomorrow as temps climb into the low 80’s. They’ve been upper 60’s - low 70’s all week. Whatever I do, I’d best do it in the early morning.