Homesteading on a Blackberry Hilltop
July 12, 2026 On July 3, I took some pictures of the incredible sorry state of my front flower garden. The weeds have found the perfect place to grow! My vegetable garden was my focus while I was recovering from gallbladder surgery. I really couldn’t do much, and even then, I overdid it a few […]
Read More And…Here’s the Front GardenJuly 11, 2026 On July 2, I did my normal routine in the garden. Afterwards, I harvested several vegetables from the garden. Bruce noticed the Japanese eggplant was ready, and he cut the stem and placed it in the basket. He asked what I was going to do with the eggplant. I mentioned a stir […]
Read More The Harvest Basket with Vegetables from the GardenJuly 9, 2026 On July 1, I did my normal garden rounds, and noticed the soybeans were ready for harvest. I harvested one side of the garden bed. The soybeans are planted on the long edges of one the raised beds while the caged tomatoes are in the middle of the bed. This worked great […]
Read More Harvesting Soybeans for Edamame and More OrganizationJuly 9, 2026 On June 30, I proceeded with the morning tasks. The sweet potatoes have started blooming. I cannot get the tomato cage upright. To get to the tomatoes underneath, I pull the cage upright and pick tomatoes as fast as I can. The trellis in the middle of the beds works great. I […]
Read More Sweet Potato Blooms and Fallen Tomato CageJuly 9, 2026 On June 27, I did my normal morning task. “the new normal. Walking around the garden, collecting Japanese beetles, eating strawberries, picking tomatoes, looking for hornworm damage, looking for hornworms, picking beans, and squash. Bruce and I also go look at the orchard and pick blueberries.” Then, I went inside and read […]
Read More A Restful DayJuly 8, 2026 On June 26, I took a lot of pictures of the vegetable garden as looked it over. The bee bums’ pictures are back! Tomatoes look great. I love the squash blossoms. The watermelon is getting bigger. The okra flowers are beautiful. Maybe next year, I’ll plant some in front. The asparagus is […]
Read More Pictures Around Blackberry HomesteadJuly 7, 2026 On June 25, the ordered tomato hornworm hunting equipment arrived. On and off, we’ve had many hungry, hungry caterpillars munching away on the tomato leaves and green fruit. Those of you who have experienced the joys of trying to find the hidden tomato hornworms want a better way to find them. Bruce […]
Read More Tomato Hornworm Hunting Equipment ArrivesJuly 7, 2026 On June 21, I did the new normal. Walking around the garden, collecting Japanese beetles, eating strawberries, picking tomatoes, looking for hornworm damage, looking for hornworms, picking beans, and squash. Bruce and I also go look at the orchard and pick blueberries. In walking in the orchard area, I noticed this dragonfly. […]
Read More Digging Up More PotatoesJuly 6, 2026 On June 20, we picked blueberries. I am so glad we selected early, mid, and late-season berries. This has given us a steady crop of blueberries. The mid-season has produced the most berries. I picked some ripe tomatoes. The Clint Eastwood Rowdy Red is a delicious variety. The cherry tomatoes are very […]
Read More Japanese Beetles Doing Japanese Beetle ThingsJuly 2, 2026 On June 19, I harvested more tomatoes. I found two of the San Marzano tomatoes ready to be harvested, along with more cherry tomatoes. One of the San Marzano tomatoes was attacked by fruit borers or some other type of pest. The yellow patty pan squashes are prolific. Walking around in the […]
Read More More Tomatoes Ready for Harvesting
