1. GREEN RIVER WATERMELON and fresh sliced PEACHES from the orchard
3. TEA POTS and TEA CUPS ... Mother's Day Tea
and
4. PRETTY DISHES... mother's, grandmothers, great-grandmothers, and vintage finds
5. BRIGHT COLORS
6. NATURE
7. PAINTED FURNITURE... my latest project
SEASONS
8. SPRING... apricot blossoms in the orchard
9. AUTUMN... looking over the grape vines and barn; Willard Bay in the background
10. BLUE... it's my favorite color.
And there is another reason to smile besides loving the color BLUE, as in the sky above... the beautiful LDS Brigham City Temple is a wonderful addition to our community and is so beautiful, both on the inside as well as the outside. I can't help but smile all over!
Link up HERE to see more of the new B.C. Temple. When you get to the main page, after reading the information there, click on the site tool bar that says Construction Status .Then click on Brigham City Temple. Finally, click on latest photos submitted. You will be able to see over a hundred spectacular construction pictures of the temple. I hope it will make you smile, too!
There are so many things to smile about; the things listed above are just a few of the things that bring me joy and a smile to my face. Life is good!
What makes you smile?
Prompt # 2: Share the Fruits of your Labor
Farmer d and I are fruit farmers. It's not a big farm, but it's a lot for us. Growing fruit trees is a little different than growing a garden. Our main crop is peaches. We planted semi-dwarfs; just right for picking. No ladders needed in our orchard! We planted about 20 varieties so we could have peaches for 2 months or so. Our farming season starts in February, when the snow is still on the ground. We have about 800 fruit trees to fertilize. We have a special mix made up from the local Co-op. Fertilizing takes most of a day because we do it by hand. In March, we prune the branches. We hire it out because it is such a big job. It can take up to a month or so to do. In May, we see the beautiful pink peach blossoms appear. The bees are out in abundance carrying the pollen from one blossom to another. It is one of my favorite times to be out in the orchard. After the fruit is on and is still quite small, usually the 1st part of June, we thin the peaches about 10 inches apart. We hire that out, as well. Although farmer d will go back through the orchard and thin out more. Thinning is needed so the the energy will go to a few fruit, rather than a lot of them. The peaches will be large and healthier. Thinning also prevents the branches from breaking from the weight. In June, we spray the trunks for peach bore and then we spray a couple more times in the summer for pest control. We have a holding pond and fill it with canal water every week for irrigation. After the pond is filled, we flip a switch and the drip irrigation begins and will go for a few days. About the 1st of August, our early varieties of peaches mature. They are cling stone and last about a month. Then, usually toward the end of August, our later varieties come on. They are free stone and are very popular. A traditional peach, Early Elberta, is a popular peach for canning. On average, the peaches will produce until the end of September. The nights are too cold after that to allow for any ripening. We sell most of our peaches to a local Food Market. On Saturday's, we sell both fruit and produce at a Farmers Market in SLC. The farm is cleaned up and put to rest by the end of October or first of November. Three months rest, and it starts all over again!
Fruit farming is a lot of hard work and takes a lot of time. The summer months are dedicated to picking, marketing, and selling fruit. But... I love the smell, sights, and sounds in the orchard. It is beautiful, peaceful, and welcoming any time of the day or season. The orchard, as much work as it is makes it worth it when the daughters and I get together and bottle fresh peaches. It's nice to pull a bottle off the pantry shelf in the middle of winter and enjoy the fruits of my labor!
I love fresh peaches on french toast for breakfast (absolute favorite!), peach cobbler for dessert, peach shakes in the afternoon, and a bowl of fresh sliced peaches any time of the day.
FRUIT ORCHARD
peach blossoms
rows of peach trees
picking peaches
a full basket... picked in less than 10 minutes!
I can drive the tractor, too!
baskets of peaches... ready for Market
fruits of my labor
That post put a smile on my face! I had to skip this week. Too busy.
ReplyDeleteYour peaches are BEAUTIFUL. They would put a smile on anyone's face. That picture of the blossoms took my breath away. Later in life, I've thought I had the heart of a farmer. Lucky for you.
ReplyDelete