Chicken Tractor on the Move

I have moved the chicken tractor out from under the Oaks in early spring when we had the gnat invasion/infestation.   I moved it out in the open, which provided some breezes to help with the gnats, but now that the intense sun and heat of summer arriving, it was time to give them some relief from that.  Since the chicken tractor has no wheels yet, it is a drag and sweat operation.   By next spring's gnat season, I have to get busy with the wheels.  And be ready with some organic gnat-i-cide, too. 

Here is my Orpington Hen setting on a combination of 6 Orpington Eggs and 6 Mallard Duck Eggs.  The duck eggs are another future story.

Here is my Orpington Rooster.   My second hen did not feel like posing, haha.

The Dog Yard

Almost forgot to put up a finish shot of the dog yard.  There is a small doggie door behind the Avocado tree in the upper left of the yard.  It is next to the house, directly behind the recovering Silk Floss Tree.  The Silk Floss will be coming out soon.  Other than learning to stretch a chainlink fence, which was not bad after I bought the proper tools to do it, the only other issue was no section was level.  On the sides I went with the incline.  On the long side, I wanted the fence level with the wall, so I have to use some garden edge blocks to hold the built up soil on the inside of the yard.

Well, its technically not quite finished still.  I have to cut off the tops of those t-post I used for the intermediate post.   And I'll spray paint them to match the color of the green fencing of course, but those are minor details and will have to wait until after the height of the spring/early summer gardening season is past.

Note - Also in the picture is my Rio Red Grapefruit, towards the outside of the fence on the left side.  In the center is a clump of Canna native to South Florida along with a Washingtonia filibusta palm.  On the far right inside the fence, not really noticeable is a recovering Variegated Lemon.   Outside the fence on the far right is another Washingtonia filibusta and a Tung Oil tree.  At the outer right edge of the photo is a clump of Bordelon bananas and at their base you can see the small Mamou tree (Erythrina herbacea).

Grapes Grapes Grow Today, We'll Make Wine Another Day

These Champanelle Graps were given to me as cuttings.  They just get better every years as the trunks thicken and the vines get stronger.   Here are some shots of this years crop.

22 Tomatoes in These Photos Alone, and Some Olives, Too.

Well, Tomato production will now outpace our ability to eat them.  The kitchen counter is loaded, and this is just a section of two of the 19 plants.  I think it is safe to call this year's organic minimum till, heavy mulch effort a success.  I have not weeded these tomatoes since the day they were put in, nor do I expect to have to do so.

On the unusual front, it looks like our Arboquina Olive is gonna hold fruit this year, and a good bit of it as well.