Too early for tomatoes??

The last few times I have visited the plant shop they have had tomato seedlings galore (and they are very tempting). Now just last week we had our coldest night time temperatures of the year with severe frosts so  when I see people loading their trolleys and baskets with tiny little tomato plants I want to shout don't do it. Wait. Of course I don't, it's none of my business and in fact most likely the gamble will pay dividends. Today when I bought my own little punnet of tomatoes I felt like I should be looking over my shoulder just in case there was some crazy lady about to tell me not to do it and wait until it was safe. Alas, she was holding the basket and in my defence, my seedlings are going to be potted on and hang out in the greenhouse for a little while.

 

Tiny Tim tomatoes unfortunately photobombed by a dog's bottom

 "Tiny Tim" is a variety I haven't grown for a while. The last few years I've stuck with grape type small tomatoes and  black cherry tomatoes which have been prolific.

 The little greenhouse where my seeds start out is getting a bit too warm so I think I might move it just a fraction to cool it down a touch. I don't want the seeds to cook, just germinate. The okra were the first seeds to pop up and so far I have ten or so varieties of tomatoes in there plodding along.

 It might be too early for tomatoes to be in the ground here but apparently not too early for the almond to be in bloom.

Monarch on the plum

And not too early for the plum trees either. The apricot is going to be next to burst into flower. Any day now. It's good the flowering is staggered a bit, it gives the bees a longer time period to access the orchard flowers and it also means the bees can concentrate their efforts on pollinating only a few trees at a time. Win-win.

 

The turkeys have taken up nesting rights in amongst some lavender bushes. I'm not sure if I will leave them there and work out some sort of way to secure the mother bird from predators or if I will help her choose a more appropriate nest. My birds are fairly compliant until they start incubating the eggs that is.  It does sound rather dreamy though, a nest in the lavender.

 

Have you started planting any spring/ summer things yet?? Or are you settling down for the cooler seasons in the north?

 

Tracy

Cheating just a bit

 I really want tomatoes a.s.a.p. so I am hoping that cheating a little by growing an advanced seedling on the verandah will have us in tomotoes sooner rather than later. The spot is pretty much perfect, sheltered, sunny and right near my bedroom.

 Things are looking promising, there are tiny flower buds forming already so hopefully some lovely, ripe and tasty Wapsipinicon Peach tomatoes will be on the kitchen bench soon. I grew this variety last year and it was great. Very sweet and soft even if a little fuzzy on the skin. It adds to its charm.

One place you can't trick, cajole or rush nature is in the hatching stakes. I noticed some peeping this morning and a little patience on my part rewarded me with the first glimpse of the newest residents on the farm. Baby turkeys. Cute for now but not for long. Mother turkey is still sitting on the eggs so hopefully there will be some more chicks tomorrow.

Spring is wonderful.
tracy

Turkey Dad

I haven't updated the progress of our turkey dad who was incubating eggs only to say that they had indeed hatched. He hatched them out on Christmas eve and into Christmas day. Out of the nine eggs, he hatched eight and of those eight, six have survived. He is an excellent 'mother' albeit a little too over protective. In further crazy turkey developments here on the farm, the turkey hen is now sitting happily on a clutch of duck eggs. These should be ready to hatch in about two weeks.

Tomorrow I am making a poultry drop in town. I have three Indian Runner drakes and some sebright bantams that I am exchanging. They are penned up and ready to go. Believe me, there is no glamour in poultry wrangling but I will spare you the details.
Tracy

Chookyblue's SSCS

I really did resist the temptation to open my parcel from Rose Marie which I'm still surprised at. It probably helped that none of our presents were under the tree before Christmas due to Puss doing some damage in Christmases past. Chookyblue's idea of having the ornament to open earlier is a help too.

The gift I received is simply lovely. Rose Marie said she could tell from my blog that I loved flowers and she did a wonderful job capturing a sweet bouquet in her stitchery. I now have the tough decision of where to hang the wallhanging. At the moment I am favouring the lounge room because it will be most visible there.



My partner was Trash. I made a table runner with a Christmas theme. This was such a great swap to be a part of and Chookyblue has links and pictures galore on her blog to all of the swappers with plenty of inspiration and ideas for next Christmas. Thanks Chooky.

On the farm we had a new lamb born at 4am Christmas morning and it was Christmas day that the male turkey decided to hop off his eggs and bring out the five chicks he has hatched. I am really impressed with him having the patience to sit for the month when it isn't really his job. So far we haven't ventured too close to them because male turkeys are truly not the most friendly of characters especially when they are playing mum.

Watching and waiting

Right now we are playing a game of patience. Watching and waiting for the ewes to start lambing. Our usual lambing time is in the spring but it was necessary this year to delay joining. Some people say that this can cause a problem with fertility and lambing rates but all the ewes appear to be almost ready to give birth. The lambing rates remain to be seen though but I am hopeful for at least a few multiple births.
If heavily pregnant waddling is anything to go by, the ewes are more eager than us to have these lambs on the ground.

Here is father turkey. Not visible are the nine eggs he is incubating.

I think his broodiness has something to do with the fact that the last lot of turkey babies are only a couple of months old and mother is still busy mothering them and not ready or available to sit again. It shouldn't be too long for this next batch of eggs to hatch and so far I can say that our father turkey has made a fantastic incubator but I'm not sure how he will go when the hatching starts.

Tracy

Turkeys today

Vickie the mother turkey is the most patient and dedicated broody, she can rival any bantam. Last year she hatched out two clutches of eggs in the season and as it is so early in the season, I think she will this year too. So far we have six baby turkeys which she introduced to the outside world today. They only stay cute for a few weeks and I am guessing that they will be a hit with the girls at Grace's birthday party.

Tracy

New chicks

We have had baby turkeys before and this batch hatched over the weekend. Mother turkey whose name is Vickie, hatched out nine eggs. She started laying this year on September 1, the first day of spring and like clockwork, after a month of laying decided that it was time to go broody. I slipped a couple of duck eggs under her as both duck and turkey eggs have the same incubation of 27 days and we now have a duckling which thinks it is a turkey chick.

It beats the turkey chicks in the cuteness stakes and hopefully it will have some baby ducks to play with soon as mother duck, Camilla is sitting on a clutch of eggs now too.

Tracy