The 12 beds of Ivarene Farms

Fava Beans

Spring has been an incredible time of death, birth and beauty.  I travelled to both the Anza Borrego desert and Yosemite and was once again struck by the beauty and power of nature.  Two places within the state of California with such opposing habitats.  Anza Borrego has extreme temperatures and the desert supports such diverse ecosystem.  From sheep to scorpions.

Anza Borrego Desert Ocotillo

Yosemite with it's powerful melting ice and weather,and several inches of snow falling forced us out.  We only were able to camp for two of the five nights we planned.  Still I found it a worthwhile retreat.

Yosemite Falls

Yosemite Snow and Weather

6am Snowfall at the Campground

Back home,  it has been several months since my last post.  I have not been idle.  The garden is in a beautiful state of maturity.  I am still picking and giving away loads of beets, carrots, onions and greens several times a week.  New summer plantings include several varieties of beans, strawberries, corn, persian cukes, lemon cukes, seven varieties of tomato, radishes, more lettuces including my favorite butter leaf and arugula.

The 12 Beds

 The sunflowers are laden with seeds turning each day to greet the sun and follow it across the sky.  Some, sadly are so heavy the stalks have bent over and they are suffering on their sides, while miraculously others stalks are several inches around and supporting their 12" heads.

Sunflowers

Onions are flowering, garlic is beginning to lay down but bulbs are not quite ready to be picked, braided and dried for storage.

Nature mimicking Dr. Seuss

fava beans, chamomile, golden beets, onions and some lettuces share the soil in one bed.

endive, carrots, strawberries consume the next bed.

The garden in transition

I finally rid the brussel sprouts of aphids in time to see them overtaken by snails.  I was encouraged while in a mediation class not to kill anything living, so I feel quite at peace with chucking them on to the roof of the nearest house to live.

Please come get some beets if you are close by...