Back To My "Roots"

Oh so very punny once you look at the pics! So this is what I found growing in my "garden" today... I have known for some time the potatoes were growing in my manure pile, but today I decided to actually check and see if there was anything under the soil/manure.

I found about 20 potatoes... only about 10 were worth keeping, the other half grew too close to the surface and were green, so I tossed them back in the pile for next year's crop.

I also found a gorgeous tomato plant growing there, with blossoms on it... of course, there won't be any tomatoes now, unless winter comes late and fall is more like the summer we didn't have... which while I can DREAM, I really do know better.

There were two pumpkin plants growing as well, one with flowers on it... but again, nothing will come of it at this late date.

At least now I'm sure my manure pile is ready to be used and is not too hot :) I think all the rain we had this summer really brought it along.

Anyhow, we're going to have freshly dug potatoes for dinner tonight... yes, I'll scrub them well!! This is how gardening should be ;)

So considering we didn't plant or tend anything this year our property provided us with quite a few black raspberries (I'm guessing around 4 quarts and we didn't even pick all of them) and some potatoes. The goats also get credit for the potatoes... who says they don't earn their keep? :) haha

The grass growth is finally slowing down here, I did have to cut it today, but it wasn't near as bad as sometimes this summer and I don't think I cut it last week... at least not that I remember.

This also means less eating for the goats, but we have quite a bit still available for them, some of it just isn't quite as nice as it was mid summer. I have one whole area at the front of the property near the new goat shed that they ate off early in the season and then I cut it back to discourage the stuff they don't like from coming back that is nice, lush and tender and probably about 18 inches tall. I'm saving that area for when there's nothing else, but hopefully get them on it before it dies back... tricky business trying to have GOOD grass for as long as possible. :)

Goats (or at least MINE, since there seems to be a huge difference between what my goats think is awesome and what my sister's goats love! :) ) seem to be fussier than other plant eaters I've known, they like the grass and plants when its tall, weedy and if there's small trees and bushes in it, so much the better... the really rough "pasture". Of course, mine wouldn't turn down alfalfa either, but we don't have any and really that's awful rich for 2 little wethers.

As always, there are a few more dog pics in the album... some of them playing AGAIN.

That's it for now... time to go scrub spuds!
-- L