Singing in the rain

I’m not even sure where to start. It’s been another soggy week in this land of trees and weeds and mud, but we’ve yet to be swept away into the ocean! Despite the rain, I was able to do a little more plastering on the Nid, a little more planting, and my Wednesday baking. Can you believe it’ll be September tomorrow? Craziness. I have lost all track of time and season since being here, for each week there are so many immediate challenges, opportunities, and…well…work to be done…that there’s no sitting around waiting for the seasons to change, it just happens, quietly. Here there is no vast preparation for the end of summer, no trying to fit in that final trip to the beach, no trying to coax the garden along before it is inevitably destroyed by frost…and no preparing for cozy days spent by the fire with a stack of good books and a pot of the tea that you’ve been saving for a cold winter day. It’s just different.

 

 

 

Today we get to welcome our next WWOOF volunteer, Julie, into our humble projects and lives. She comes to us from the Great North, thereby escaping the inevitable drop of morale that sweeps upon her homeland with the disappearance of warmth each year…

With sadness I report the loss of my 2-week-old barred rock chicks. Raising poultry is a sharp learning curve for me, and this was one of it’s teeth…in the form of a mongoose. Mongoose will go on a rampant killing spree if allowed into a coop of chicks, though adult hens are able to defend themselves quite ably. And so, I found out that my outdoor coop was indeed not mongoose proof, and I must gather what I have learned and start anew. An order has been placed for 25 Ameraucana pullets – more than I need, so if anyone on island would care to take on 3-10 chicks, please contact me! If all goes well they will arrive at the post office on Friday.

On the same note, I’m in desperate need of shredded paper!! I use it as bedding for chicks, garden mulch, composting, and much more, so please take this opportunity to recycle! Newspaper is also always of use to us. I will even give you some of our delicious avocados in return!

The next Saturday bake day is not until September 13th (orders accepted until noon the day before), but remember, you can also order every Wednesday through VI Locally Grown, or directly through me for bulk orders.

Meanwhile, I’ll be hard at work on the Nid, Julie will very quickly be learning to mix cement as well as all the farming tasks, and we await Mandy’s return from Haiti next Saturday! If you haven’t been to Cruzan Gardens recently, come by and check out all the exciting plants and say hi to me – Thursdays and Fridays, 9-5 – avocados will be available there at a steal, just $1each.

Do you have plans for Labour Day already? Do you know about the mini Agricultural fair? Including produce, a dog show, and vintage cars – of all things! It should be fun, so go if you can to support the local farming community, and stock up on some local produce and value-added products.