BACKYARD FARMING
PLANTING THE FOREST GARDEN 2026
Yesterday was any day off which means it was my gardening day. I am finding I need at least one whole day a week to be in the garden and then several parts of several other days to keep it going and that is outside of the daily chores of animal care and cleaning.
Yesterday I gave a lesson to my granddaughters on planting tomatoes and peppers. I think we are finally clear of the frost so it’s time to get the rest of the vegetable garden in!
I started with a morning walk around the garden, while my son-in-law tried to break up some really big rocks that critters have made their home underneath. We began planting. Here are some things blooming right now even as we get the seeds and seedlings planted.
The Siberian iris are lovely this year.
The Korean lilac is soooo fragrant.
Paintbrush in the lawn.
Greater calendine growing by the rock wall.
Here are some annuals I picked up. They will go into our newest garden bed along with some hardy lavenders and some coleus.
By the end of the day the girls and I had put in several tomatoes, some pumpkins and a winter squash. We noted the summer squash had sprouted. I finished out the afternoon with some mowing and some work on the newest chicken coop.
MEMORIAL DAY WORK WEEK
It was a busy Memorial Day weekend.
Today (May 29th), being Ascension Day, our church is beginning a season of concentrated prayer which will go on until Pentecost Sunday.
That means getting the projects done at the Vicarage took front burner status as we approached the holy days. I wanted to get the gardens at least partially planted. I wanted to get the chicken coops finished. We are pretty close with the coops.
Sunday, Monday,Tuesday and Wednesday the fam worked hard.
The tomato trellis is now set up.
Once all the vegetables and herbs are in I will start building the stone walls around the box gardens.
It was a very productive weekend. Now on to prayer!
The Vicarage Forest Garden 5-22-25
We are having a wee Nor’Easter today. In spite of it the garden is blooming beautifully.
The Korean lilac is just beginning to release its fragrance, but the main fragrance of the garden is still the lily of the valley.
Each part of the season is connected to its own fragrance. First is the apple blossom and then the lily of the valley, then the lilac, the black locust, and then the rose.
The blueberries and the strawberries are fully flowered
And everything is so green!
WE JUST KEEP WORKIN HERE
THE SPRING FOREST GARDEN MAY 7,2025
Spring has sprung a little early here at the Vicarage. It feels like we are about a week ahead.
Melanie and her girls came over to help us in the garden today.
Brenda and I made some more progress on the chicken coop.
WHAT WE GOT DONE
WORKING WITH THE WRONG DIRECTIONS
THE FOREST GARDEN IN FREE FALL
We are falling quickly into autumn here in northern Massachusetts. The evenings get down into the 40s, but the days are still in the 70s. It’s that time of year when I fight with myself about whether or not to put on the heat at night. So far my frugal self is winning.
This morning I admit, I turned on one of the mobile heaters in the living room just until I didn’t need to wear a blanket in the house.
Today is my Sabbath so I have been trying to be mindful all day about my prayer time and about taking in the beauty of my surroundings.
The gardens are still full of beautiful fall flowers, like this stand of Maximillian sunflowers.
The nasturtiums are in flower. I have been adding the leaves and flowers to our salads these last few weeks.
The Japanese knotweed is absolutely beautiful right now too.
This St. John’s Wort is letting us know he is ready for what is to come.
The white and purple asters have been remarkable this year.
These tiny rose hips are already attracting the wild birds around the area. We are sure to be loaded with cardinals and bluejays this year through the winter. I hope we can get some good footage from Kristine’s camera.
While my daughter is not a fan of the goldenrod I love the brightness it brings to the season.
Today was not a big work in the yard day. I have been sitting out for my prayer sessions, but most of the day I have been in doing paperwork. Last week was yard work week. I got a lot of mint harvested and hung to dry.
I also mowed the whole yard…except the forest path. That I am afraid is looking pretty unkempt just now.
But Kristine got the chicken paddock moved. The chickens love it!
Well, all except for Partly Sunny. She escaped this morning through a hole in the fencing. We found her hiding in the bushes just behind the paddock. She complained when we put her back in the chicken yard, but I just checked on her and she seems resigned to her fate…at least for now. Kristine moved some of the fencing to deal with the hole and I am going layer some field stone around the bottom edges of the paddock to shore it up. All in all we are doing pretty well getting ready for winter.
WHAT DOES YOUR WORLD LOOK LIKE THIS FALL? OR IF YOU ARE IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE WHAT DOES YOUR SPRING LOOK LIKE?
Notes From the Vicarage 