GARDEN 2016 - UPDATE 3

SUN AND WATER

Garden committee experts are happily surprised every single year as the raspberries start to ripen. Other than the annual cutting in the fall very little is done for the raspberry bushes. There are no fertilizers added, no fancy soil aerating machines used, even regular watering is not done. It seems the more neglected the plants are, the more they thrive. This is a plant everyone needs to have in their garden. It takes very little yet gives so much. 
Every morning Lolli pops out to the garden to pick some raspberries to put atop of her yogurt.

The heat wave, combined with some added watering, has done wonders to the peas. They have become so big they are falling over and intertwining into neighbouring plants. 

Plump peas

The parsnips had a slow start, but, as of late have flourished. The garden committee is excited to see what is happening below the surface.

Pretty Parsnip

And, some late planting (beans found in the bottom of a junk drawer) of beans are starting to flower.

Blossoming beans

Fine times in the garden this week.

DIAMOND MINING

DIAMOND MINING

Ready to rock

The earth is such an amazing place. The variety of rocks, plants, and animals to study and learn about is endless. The citizens of the PUTP love to learn about the earth by getting out into nature - seeing, touching, and getting dirty  - and even better if it involves sledgehammers! It is one thing to read about how the right conditions of a water molecule under tons of pressure at extremely high heat can make a diamond - and, it is another thing to smash a rock, see the sparkle, and pick out a shining gem. 

You may recall last year our family rockhounds, Uncle Al and Auntie Amber, brought some boulders to the Place Under The Pine and let the younger citizens smash them to bits in search of gems - click here. Well, recently the entire population of the PUTP took this geology lesson one step further and took a trip down to the rocky lands of northern New York, to the land of the Herkimer Diamond. They visited a site (just north of Herkimer, NY) rich in herkimer diamond deposits, a rustic site full of potentially diamond filled rocks - where one has to smash their way to treasures.

Our guides brought their special tools, safety equipment, and geological knowledge (look for the rocks with black holes in them) and we got started. It did not take long for us to find the gems we were looking for. 

Through the scorching heat, a mid afternoon thunderstorm, and the sore muscles that come with carrying heavy rocks and tools for hours on end, the citizens ended the day with smiles on their faces, great memories, and some unique rock knowledge. The day was so enjoyable that there is already a plan in place to visit the mine next year. 

You can watch the citizens in action in this video.

GARDEN 2016 - UPDATE 2

THE GARDEN IS MAKING NOISE

The bees are buzzing around the garden. It is a sight, and a sound, that brings a smile to the faces of most of the citizens of the PUTP. It means raspberries are only a week or two away. The bushes this year are overflowing with blossoms. Perhaps a combination of drastic cutting in the fall of older canes and extra rope supporting the canes this year has opened up the plant to allow more sunlight (and bees) to get in. The garden specialists will find out in a few weeks.

Baby raspberries are growing fast.

Below the bushes the kale is making great progress, it is a wonderful green and tall, and has already been mixed into a few salads.

Peas are a plant that has never been cultivated in the PUTP, but, even with the lack of experience with this plant the peas are stretching their tiny tendrils and quickly making their way up the jute and stick supports.

Another new addition to the garden is parsnips. There was some worry as parsnip seed germination takes up to three weeks. Germination this long is rare around these parts. It was thought that this crop failed to take root, until late last week when a few minuscule leaves broke the surface.

The East Garden is working out great. There have been no holes in the lawn or the vegetable garden since this rustic sandbox was put into use. 

FISHING ON FATHER'S DAY

A FABULOUS FATHER'S DAY

Father, Father, kids and kids

Father's Day was full of activity. The citizens of the PUTP packed up their fishing equipment and headed out to their secret fishing spot. They met Grampa out there, whom the children would describe as an 'expert angler' or more likely 'a man obsessed with all things fishing', and they set their hooks.

After an hour, and many fish caught, the activities changed from fishing to just playing in the water.

 

"It was nice to go fishing with the kids," said PUTP Father Matt, "it reminds me of when I was young and would go fishing with my Father." A tradition passed down through the generations continues in the PUTP.

GARDEN 2016 - UPDATE 1

Garden area increased

Kale is sprouting fast

Earlier this season the garden committee approved a project (the East Garden) to increase garden space by an additional 20 square feet (approx). This represents an additional 30% increase in overall gardening space. This big project took place over the long weekend. However, a long weekend was not required as the construction of the box took approx fifteen minutes and the supplies used were salvaged pieces of wood, from various other projects, that were headed for the landfill. It may not be the prettiest garden, but, it is expected to be productive...and it was free!

The East Garden - currently houses one dwarf cherry tree

This new garden, The East Garden, is to be a hybrid type of garden. One that serves two purposes. The second purpose is to grow additional vegetables and berries. The primary purpose is to prevent lawn destruction. Over the past several years the back lawn of the PUTP has been dug up many times. There are random divits and larger potholes scattered across the entire area. The hope is that those citizens of the PUTP that have a need to dig will do so in the new garden, thereby centralizing 'destruction' to this one area. This may be referred to as the 'rustic sandbox' in the future.

Toys to some, tools of destruction to others

Some of our young gardeners are spending time learning the ways of the plants. They are planting, watering, weeding and getting their hands dirty. One enthusiastic young garden pupil is constantly testing many of the age old gardening 'rules'. We often take some of these 'rules' as law and never think about questioning them. Which is why it is so refreshing to have young minds helping out in the garden. I can tell you that the age old rule that plants need leaves to live ... is true. The bean plants that recently sprouted appeared to be too leafy. Oskie removed the leaves to help out and ended up confirming the belief that leaves are an essential part of the plant. Hopefully, this lesson applies to all other plants and Oskie does not need to repeat the experiment to be satisfied with his initial results.

Bean plant without leaves

In the process of learning...and de-leafing bean seedlings.

2016 FAIRY HOUSE - "FLOWERPOT-ON-THE-STEP"

The citizens of the PUTP are back at fairy house building. You may recall the past couple of years, 2014 & 2015, there was a dire lack of fairy housing and chronic homelessness amongst the fairy folk. However, lately many humans have been helping out by building fairy houses in gardens across the country. So, the fairy housing crisis has been lessened, however, there are still pockets of fairies that are without homes. The problem is that fairies are very particular about their homes. It is known that a majority of fairies require homes with water, a pebble path, and a door into a tree. Most fairies like a home nestled in the middle of garden or in the shade of big old tree. However, there is a small pocket of fairies that like the opposite. They like a secluded house, in the sun, without a pond/pool...almost isolated from the rest of the fairy community. Fairy homes are typically not build for these fairy mavericks, they are build to accommodate the majority of faires. Which is why, this year our resident fairy house designer, Lolli, built an atypical fairy house named "Flowerpot-On-The-Step".

This house is located on its own, alone in a flower pot, with a wonderful view of the front garden and the historic front yard pine tree. This home is quaint and sunny - an ideal place for that fairy who wants to get away from the hustle and bustle. The small table allows for entertaining when needed, while the rock door hidden between the flowers gives that feeling one can slip away and remain unseen. This unique design is well suited for the anti social fairy who enjoys spending most of their time alone.

Simple and contained

A nice wiew of the surrounding garden

GARDEN 2016 - FIRST UPDATE OF THE SEASON

GARDEN 2016 HAS STARTED

The garden committee of the Place Under The Pine has started this year's garden - originally named "Garden 2016".

A young contractor has been hired to till the soil and has been hard at work already!

The yellow pear tomato seeds that were saved from last year have been planted in an egg container, and to the Garden Committee's delight have started to grow - there are seedling galore!

The prized raspberry bushes are coming alive. The canes that started last year weathered well over the winter and are covered in budding green leaves. It looks like the start of another berry good year.

The seasonal, yet unseasonal (more frustrating that unseasonal), frigid weather has not allowed for the planting of any other plants. However, the forecast for the upcoming weeks looks warm and sunny. Hardy plants like kale and lettuce will most likely be started.