Winter around the corner

With winter strong winds came some damages. These are the memories f my nice hawthorn tree that was busted in half by the wind

this one is all gone, good I did not cu the growth around the trunk...

that tiny little twig on the bottom of this tree is all that's left ofit, hopefully will grow back... and the harvest

Winter means lots of dead bugs and birds going for extra protein, nope chickens are not vegetarian eaters by any means... they hunt and mean business, this one is older hen, molting bad

 They finally found this bed nd did some digging

And this one, but not as interested... it has only 1 tree and that's it for now.

Sun room is set up with the self watering tubs experiment and the greens for the winter are seeded.

 caged this time, because last time one particular critter thought the soft dirt is just it to go dig the heart away...hopefully they will have enough sun. Here it is, the winter garden experiment.

Fog fog fog

Fog again. It's second time this year, and in autumn...

I kind of came to like fog... maybe because it's so rare in the desert here. It does happen
And when it does everything enjoys it. Maybe except of the travelers...

Last layer of wood chips was put on the farm road at the back, sunchokes love all the rain water and snow melt we had however much that was (an inch and a half is a big deal here)

Evening the road an unexpected thing was discovered... the stuff is composting and there are earthworms living in that wood chips road cover... mind you there are very large wood chip trucks going over it... ones tree services use, they are 5 tons at least...

 worms living in the road... that's new.


Hm... that's kind of... I do not know... farm fork... rest... pause... quiet...

So, the new 2017 garden beds update.

 All is coming to the close of the season.
Now this one is called the circle of life garden. Because of sunchokes. They do make a circle.
It's not bad for BTE over the concrete at all. These things are 6-8+feet... for some of them when they were not all under the snow

 to the point.. I want them to make a half-circle next year , they did very very well

Borrage is all done, only late season wild flowers are there

 yarrow

cone flower and some mint

 Will see the yellow from rudebeckia and white from yarrow and mint and pinks/lavender/blues from salvia and cone flowers... should be pretty with pale blues of borrage

Keyhole garden is all cleaned up, winterized just not planted with garlic yet

only white cone flower is there

 and... holyhock, just one... but I've got seeds...

Spiral garden all cleaned up and winterized. I'm leaving wild flowers and late autumn blooming flowers for bees  not trimmed

And perspective of all garden clusters with my new under construction permaculture cluster bed

there is someone in the fog... 

is there... 

 maybe over there

 or there... did hear someone

there?

maybe...

There is

it all gets lost in the fog. And no I did not mean those are mine... :), they are in the fog... come, look and go.

Fog in orchard perspective

one way

and the opposite way

close ups... oh that cheat grass germinating... soon the winter ground covers and wild flowers will go. but maybe I'll just throw wood chips there again

Someone's home in there... hopefully bull snake and not voles or some other rodent

And the ugly tumbleweed... gotta pick that up...

My C-shaped mounds have cover of wood chips and also generous helping of borage plants. these will sprout in spring and will be nice for the bees.

 

 and orchard blooms. Clearly need a hair cut before February :).

Wind block and grass

 

 some failures and successes. Caragana with no irrigation is good, seaberry failed. Have a backup so

 Some trees are turning colors.

New aronia close up, will be a pretty tree.

 Aspens are turning yellow a bit. Chickens are cleaning whatever they found there...

 Front beds turned autumn color

 roses said goodbyes for the season, and grapes

  

 Foggy garden falling asleep, at least some of it, morning snoozing...

but he's (Alpha) wide away and on the guard duty on the front of the kitchen garden (he sure wants in... the WORMS... yeah, right dude, that's a negative in form of 6 feet fence )... and some others are digging behind the garden tearing up my bindweed (under the supervision of the Alpha's very own son). Better that than my new flower bed :)

 

 at least sometimes :) Alpha is on the duty..sort off

 That's his son... what should we call him... Beta... no that's a fish that does not roll with chicken

 he's watching over his own pack of new pullets and he knows they are ready to lay.. can not wait for more eggs because older hens are all molting and slacking

busy :)

that's my next project for the autumn, to get it all fixed and covered. These maples are on theor last leg and their replacement Russian hawthorns will be plated as soon as out 70+mph winds subside... it's pretty crazy afternoon...

Ponderosa is not doing badly, but I know that red ring blight is there, the trees is fighting it, I did see the sap at new needles where the blight fungus is trying to set. Locust trees need a good trim and snow and wind damage clean up.

 

Meanwhile inside stevia in teh kitchen is off the covers. 

 

Otside my last (or mostly last for the season things are planted) . My presents are in. Black aronias, they will be pretty and highly useful (basically that's acai of the north). That bucket over there is not neglected, it's the moisture source next to my new blueberry experiment

And single blueberry experiment (moved the bucket :) )

 

 that's it

 It loves the fog

 That and wild lingonberry are 2 acidic loving soils experiments... they will need to be shaded until the larger trees and bushes will be bigger.

 

 I'll make then little hoop houses if it comes to it. Alas I dared to stick blueberry in BTE terrace.