Berry season!

This summer is going by so fast! I can't believe it's mid-July already!!

Berry season is in full swing. These are blackberries. We're picking a gallon every other day. It's a full-on battle with the mosquitoes on most days, and I lose a pint of blood per gallon picked, but it's worth it. There'll be homemade jam this fall, and we're already rolling in cobbler and pie.

Our motto is Food First. There are tons of things that need to be done here on the homestead, but the food doesn't wait. When produce is ready, it's go time. You can't hit pause or push the hold button, ya know? So my days are spent picking berries, green beans, zucchini, etc. I'm hoping to start digging potatoes this week, and replacing them with eensy weensy rutabaga seeds. Not that the rutabagas will be small, just the seeds.

I do need to post some garden pics, but I suppose it would be most helpful if I actually took a few first. *rolls eyes* This is my biggest and best garden yet, and I don't even have pics! Sheesh! Every time I think of it, the camera batteries are in need of charging. Sigh. I am putting them on the charger at this very moment, and hopefully will have pics tomorrow.

We had a garden inspection for Farmer's Market earlier this week. The idea is to phase out those people that buy their produce at auction to sell it as their own at market. This means a visit to each vendor's garden to verify that they grow what they sell. I'm fully supporting this initiative. Besides, I got to show off my garden. *big smile*

Market, by the way, is going well. I have a few more plants that I'll sell as patio gardens, etc, in big pots. I hope to have produce this weekend. This will be my first day selling actual produce, but I'm excited. I really am enjoying the market, meeting new people, and even learning a few things. My favorite is when another garden fanatic stops by my table, and we jabber on and on about gardening methods, favorite plant varieties, etc, usually while a non-gardening spouse visits the baked goods vendor or hovers nearby, looking lost.

So...that's it for now. I hope to post a tad more. I know I said that last time. lol But those of you that homestead/garden will understand, as you probably don't even have time to read this. And those of you that stop by for the cute animal pics, weird stories, and the general "oh my goodness my life is so normal compared to that Country Wife woman" ...well, you'll just have to understand that I'd rather be outside than sitting here in front of this unblinking icon. Gotta enjoy summer while it's here, ya know.