We grow as much as we can on our 5 acres of ancient pines and scattered hard wood. The herbs are plentiful , what we don't plant seems to just appear. Things like Golden Rod one year St. Johns Wort another. We wonder why the burdock plant eludes us, but the Stinging Nettle is plentiful so our complaints are minimal. Fruit is a little more challenging here, the Raspberries and Blackberries seem to
take turns. They remind me of siblings one trying to out do the other on the acting stage. We have a couple of apple trees, strawberries and blueberries. The Grandchildren all love to wonder through, taste testing as they go. We plan to use the love of wandering and testing as a trade for picking the Hornworms , that could be right around the corner. Our vegetable gardens keep our complete attention through the growing season. We are sun challenged so we have to be strategic in planting and follow some kind of rotating schedule to keep the soil at its best. We use no chemicals or pesticides of any kind, other than an occasional spaying of peppermint water we chase the unwanted insects away and plant flowers to call the beneficial ones in. We then hope that our Tomato plants sing loud enough to call in the Braconid Wasps to help rid us of any visiting tomato horn worms and the other beneficial insects decide to call Carob's Farm home. Photos and links to the pest and its pest are here. Photos and informational links. When we figure out how to stop the neighbors from hanging Japanese beetle bags. "Life is good" !! We can sip a glass of Iced Chaga, Nettle and Lemon Balm and listen to the birds sing.
