The world is turning:
My sweet corn is picked, at least three weeks ahead of last summer’s crop after an unusually cool summer. Not so this hot summer.
It was a pretty good crop, despite the prolonged drought conditions thanks to many buckets of water carried by hand from a dug well near the “hot garden” in the field near the house. The rainy season arrived, but too late to have much of an impact on the corn, except to make the picking of it more urgent.
My new Buddy here at Cathedral Drive Farm has taken to digging potatoes like he was born for the job. But being a German Shepherd I suppose there’s any number of things he might be able to turn his hands to, or rather, his paws. Continue reading
If I’m looking a tad smug and self-satisfied in that photo it’s because today was the day I started picking my sweet corn crop – and a good one it is too, if I dare say so myself.
All those pails of water lifted from the old dug well by hand and carried over to the corn during the drought appear to have worked; and not a sign of unwelcome visitors in those well-filled cobs of “peaches and cream.” There’s not much more a sweet corn-obsessed grower could want, except buyers of course.
It’s not like I’m on a main thoroughfare here at the end of Cathedral Drive in the most secluded little corner of Hope Ness on the Bruce Peninsula, Ontario, Canada.
So, if you happen to be that reader of my blog in Australia, and think you might just take a notion to jump on a plane and fly here for a feed of fresh-picked, corn-on-the-cob, be my guest. Likewise, you other folks wherever you are, near or far.
Spread the word: Phil’s got corn.
Corn, beans, some pumpkin “volunteers” and kale. Let it rain
I’m going to make a concerted effort to look on the bright side.
Okay, so Hope Ness, like the rest of southern Ontario, is in the midst of a prolonged drought. There has been some timely rainfall, but not enough to give the ground a real, good soaking. I’ve been growing and digging potatoes for a lot of years, and I’ve never seen this clay loam soil so hard and dry.
On the other hand, I have corn that seems to be coping okay, and already well over my head in height as we head into August. The “silk” is showing nicely and the cobs are starting to form. Corn is a tough crop. The roots must be going pretty deep to find enough moisture. With any luck and maybe another timely rain I’ll have peaches and cream corn to pick my in two or three weeks. That’s not bad for just south of the 45th Parallel.
white-tailed deer have been feasting on my sweet peas
I noted with more than passing interest the news that black bear have been making appearances and causing problems in the Shallow Lake area, brazenly killing and eating chickens close to homes, and breaking into wooden garbage containers at Sauble Beach.
There certainly are black bear up here in heavily-wooded Hope Ness, on the Georgian Bay side of the Bruce Peninsula, where I live. I saw a big one from a safe distance crossing the Hope Ness Road out by Bruce County Road 9 a week or two ago just after setting out for a trip to Owen Sound. Most of my neighbours live out there, compared to where I am at the end of Cathedral Drive. That’s a “No Exit” road that leads to the Hope Bay Forest and a fairly popular section of The Bruce Trail through the mature hardwoods to a wonderful lookout from the Niagara Escarpment cliffs above Hope Bay. Continue reading
Granddaughter Mirabella in the Yukon Gold
I don’t like using the expression, but I guess I have to admit to “growing old.” I still feel perky enough after I get up with the sunrise, just before 6 a.m. here in Hope Ness, have my morning coffee or two, or three, and some toast or a bowl of cereal.
My daily “to do” list is longer than ever, so much so that there hasn’t been enough time and energy to do a daily post. I’m always anxious to get an early-morning start with the outside work. I know by mid-afternoon most of that once-boundless energy will be pretty well done for the day. Continue reading
Let’s go for a little morning walk in the garden. The sun’s out, but clouds are forming, with the prospect of some timely rain. It’s been about a week or so without – nothing too urgent just yet, a few things are in need of watering without rain today. But all in all, if I do say so myself, the garden is looking pretty good.
The cool garden is looking good
Irish Cobbler potato plants looking good, June 7
Let’s look on the bright side again.
Let’s plant some seeds of hope.
Let’s do what we can, where we can, while we can.
Here at Cathedral Drive Farm, surrounded by Hope in reality and spirit, the garden is starting to look good. I can look out my second-floor office window and see multiple rows of sweet corn that a week ago emerged, including quite a bit of seed left over from last season. Continue reading
Clouds of Forget-Me-Nots in the Wild Apple Farm woods Photos by Linda
I don’t recall ever seeing so many of those pretty little flowers known as Forget-Me-Nots, especially in the woods here in Hope Ness. But the “wow” factor was particularly intense at nearby Wild Apple Farm where my friend Linda paused to prepare me for the sight as we were about to enter the virtual wonderland of her trail through the wild-apple woods. Continue reading
There’s nothing like a well-timed, warm, spring rain to get a day of gardening off to a good start. After almost as week of mostly sunny weather, and judging the soil to be warm enough, I rolled the dice and got most of two varieties of sweet corn planted a couple of days ago, and then a few, tentative rows of bush beans that also need warmed soil to germinate. It’s especially important when you use seed untreated with fungicide as I do.
Rows of Irish Cobbler potato plants have emerged
Finding Hope Ness 