The title really sums it up, we're bone tired and ready for the rest that tomorrow brings! The 26th and 27th were the last days this month for planting crops that bear above ground so we p-u-s-h-e-d to get everything in the ground. All together the gardens are about an acre to an acre and a half. We planted these bean varieties (all heirloom, open pollinated): Soldier, Mayflower, Jacob's Cattle, Appaloosa, Papa DeRolla, Christmas Pole Lima, Painted Pony, Snowcap, Jackson's Wonder, Marrow, Cranberry, Butterscotch, Dapple Gray, Rattlesnake Pole, Turkey Craw, and Bible Ruth. We also put in a great quantity of corn, Delicata squash, Connecticut Field Pumpkins, Sweet Meat Squash, Boston Marrow Squash, Moon and Stars Watermelon, Giant Fodder Beets and Sunflowers. Whew! I know that I missed some things but you get the idea anyway. :-)
And then began hay cutting. We have several scythes and cut the hay in short order with them, once you get a rhythm going it goes pretty well. The snick, snick of the blade as it cuts the grass down is a relaxing experience. The whole art of scything is dying, maybe it's already dead, I don't know, but it is a skill worth cultivating I believe. There are American snaths and European snaths and both are different (the snath is the wooden handle). The scythe is the blade and there are different blades for each style of snath and for differing jobs, whether you're cutting hay or trimming brush from fencerows. Your snath must be fitted to you so that you can expend the minimum amount of effort to move your blade across.
We also canned more rhubarb today and will begin on strawberries later this week.
And then began hay cutting. We have several scythes and cut the hay in short order with them, once you get a rhythm going it goes pretty well. The snick, snick of the blade as it cuts the grass down is a relaxing experience. The whole art of scything is dying, maybe it's already dead, I don't know, but it is a skill worth cultivating I believe. There are American snaths and European snaths and both are different (the snath is the wooden handle). The scythe is the blade and there are different blades for each style of snath and for differing jobs, whether you're cutting hay or trimming brush from fencerows. Your snath must be fitted to you so that you can expend the minimum amount of effort to move your blade across.We also canned more rhubarb today and will begin on strawberries later this week.
For a bountiful harvest we should give nought but thanks!
Wow, that's inspiring. We're just getting to our planting now. Everything got thrown off schedule when we ended up with an unplanned C-section in March!
ReplyDeleteWhere do you find a scythe?
Do you find it hard to do huge gardens when you have a little baby? I do. I'd so much rather sit and rock my sweet baby...
Still, I enjoyed weeding with my girls the other night :)
God Bless you and your family!
I like to hear you are doing hay the old way. I am planing on do all our hay this way but since I am new to the world of scythes I plan to still buy some of our hay this year and also make some by hand. If you go on my blog you can see our fist attempt to make hay.
ReplyDeleteAlso I was wondering if you would call yourself a Quaker since you call sunday "first day" as the Quakers do? I do not see any thing wrong with calling it the first day as it is. I know that some do not like to call it sunday as it is referring to the pagan sun god.
~David
Wonderful to hear! I was wondering that it had been a little quiet over on your blog. I figured you were probably getting in the crops -- it's that time of year. I'm just amazed that you put in an acre or acre 1/2. Wow! But then you have a big family. I know it had to have been just awful hard work, but I imagine extremely rewarding, too.
ReplyDeleteMy dad's mom used a scythe on our family's old property. He remembers it very well, especially since he accidentally caught the point of the blade between his eyes once upon a time -- it just nicked him, though, thank goodness, or I probably wouldn't exist right now! He just bought a mower for the property, but as you mentioned the scythe, I wonder if it wouldn't be humorous to buy him one....you know, in case gasoline is hard to come by. ;)
Good to hear from you. Many blessings to you and your family this Sabbath (I take Sabbath rest on Saturday) and enjoy your time off tomorrow!
- Amy
Ma, our European scythe is an Marugg made in Austria and our American scythes were found at local auctions. I do find it tough with a baby but there are many of us to take turns with him and besides, the older children put in *way* more seeds than I did. It's nice to have teenagers! :-)
ReplyDeleteDavid, we will buy a lot of hay as well, we don't have anywhere near as much land as we'd need to do it all ourselves. Yes, we would consider ourselves "Friends", we find a real unity with them when we worship there. We would be "convinced Friends" as opposed to "birthright Friends" as we were not born into that faith.
Amy, indeed! It has been hot, sweaty and busy here. :-) I do believe that gas will be quite hard to come by (at least at a price that you're willing to pay) in the near future. I think I'm headed to bed early, in the shower I got the notion that the tub needed to be scrubbed NOW so after that, well, I'm done for.
Oh my, Mrs. G! That does sound like a LOT of work? How wonderful that you got it all done.
ReplyDeleteI planted some bee balm today. I remember you mentioning it once, and I have heard of it elsewhere. I don't recall just what all it can be used for but am anxious to see.
Have a blessed Sabbath (I prefer to call it that rather than Sunday, as it is the Lord's day). Indeed, I have never heard it call First Day. :)
Hello Mrs. G!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for following my blog.
I think you saw on my brother David's blog that he is learning how to use a scythe for haymaking. I think it is so nice that you use one too.
I hope to get one of my own sometime as I do not have one yet.
God bless you!
~Hannah~
In response to your comment
ReplyDeleteYes this is the sad state of our country the old ways and tools are collecting dust. This should not be. We have a small pioneer museum here at the town hall and we sometimes laugh because we make or buy tools like they have on display there. Yes I would like to try planting beans in the corn I have not been able to locate the beans that the native indians planted in their corn. I am going to try Kentucky Wonder pole beans I hope they do better this year then last as it was cold and they never set a lot of pods before the frost. What type of bean do you plant in your corn and what type or types of corn do you grow? I grow two types Wapsie Valley, and Painted Mountain and this year I am trailing three more to see if they do good. You can answer on my blog as I will be more likely to see it there.
~David