Harvest Monday 6/25/12

First official week of summer, and the peaches were right on time.  The branch has provided us with 20-25 peaches this year.  I think having the loquat bloom this year helped us survive the squirrels, as they had plenty of fruit to gorge on.  Also the avocados are plentiful, again I think the loquat tree has helped.  Lots of herbs to cut everyother day, the basil is my favorite, cucumbers and tomatoes are loving the heat.  Strawberries are tasty, need to plant more this winter!  Along with the fruits and veggies, we have quite an extensive collection of cactus around the yard, TPW thinks it'a a little to extensive and wants me to down size.  Pictured below is one of the night blooming varieties, you can smell it a mile away. 





 Onions, garlic and a few chillies.


First few ears of corn had emerged from the corn that the littlest farmer started at school.  The sweet one million cherry tomatoes have really kicked it into high gear, the boys have been doing a good job of thinning.  Planted 15 different types of tomatoes this year, all seem to be doing well.


Birds, bees and bugs
The next best thing to having a hive of your own is a neighbor that has one.  Watched him switch out boxes yesterday, it went from a one story to a two stories in record time.


Looks like bird poop don't it?  Actually it's the caterpillar of a Giant Swallowtail Butterfly.  Never seen one aroud here, but I guess they aren't that rare.  Bad news is that they can really devour citrus trees, good news is that this one won't.



Nest of Allens Hummingbird in the Fuerte Avocado tree.  After this picture was taken it took it's first flight.

5 comments:

  1. wow that is a big caterpiller! The little hummer is so cool, I don't think any have ever nest in my yard but they come to the flowers all the time. Corn, peppers, ..... Must be summertime!

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  2. I love the hummingbird nest! How cool.

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  3. It really is summer time! Your yard and garden look great. Enjoy the peaches. We don't have peaches in our area until the end of August so I'm jealous.

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  4. I am always amazed at all your fruit harvests. The caterpillar and hummingbird pics were very cool - thanks for sharing them.

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  5. So neat to what the hummingbirds! We have a few nests in our yard, but we can't quite pin down their exact locations.

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