Columbine, Stonecrop and Bishop's Cap

 

Wildflower Update: Last week, flowers on the limestone outcroppings were blooming.  Above our milkweed patches are now several inches tall, just in time for Monarchs to arrive.  The Mayapple blooms are winding down.  Jack-in-the-Pulpits and Bishop's cap are in bloom.

Lots of columbine last week.

 

 



Also, Stonecrop below ...

Pollinators and Wildlife:  We have seen several swallowtails nectaring.  However, I helped take a student group to the Keys during Spring Break and last week met our children in Champaign, IL to run in the half-marathon.  It has rained nearly every day in April and we are reviewing after school for the AP Biology exam.  My outside time has been cut back!

Work on the Farm: I have put on some supers but have been busy at school so this coming week will be time to catch up on work.

We support:
Round House, Jeans and Workware, Made in the USA for 112 years.
http://www.round-house.com/
Red Pig Tools, Garden tools, Made in the USA.
http://www.redpigtools.com/servlet/StoreFront
FEDCO, Co-op Garden Supplies, Seeds, Trees and Bulbs
http://www.fedcoseeds.com/
Johnny's Selected Seeds and Garden Tools
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/
Roundstone Native Seed ... A Kentucky Company!
https://www.roundstoneseed.com/
Prairie Nursery, Native Seeds and Plants
http://www.prairienursery.com/
Kelley's Beeskeeping ... A Kentucky Company! ... at least for now.
http://www.kelleybees.com/
and these organizations ...
Xerces Society
Journey North
Monarch Watch
Sierra Club

Large White Trillium ...

Wildflower Update: Below is Upland Cress from our greens patch.  Beloved in the south and known as Creasy.  I plant a patch each year next to our Turnip/Mustard Greens which is open to the community and usually draws over 50 pickers a year.

Large White Trillium is just starting to bloom ... lots of small woodland flowers ... Rue Anemone and Bishops Cap.  These were all taken with my phone ... camera USB port broken where I have most of my pictures.

Pollinators and Wildlife: This weekend I saw a few swallowtails in a hurry to nectar and several bumblebee queens nectaring.  It is turkey season here and the courting sounds start at day break and continue all day.  Lots of bees of all sorts on the turnip/mustard blooms.

Work on the Farm:  Our high school took its 8th trip to MarineLab in Key Largo last week during Spring break.  I was able to check our hives on Saturday ... all is well with good numbers and lots of bees bringing in pollen.  The tulip poplar bloom (our honey maker) should begin in a week ... hopefully it will quit raining so our honeybees can get to work.


We support:
Round House, Jeans and Workware, Made in the USA for 112 years.
http://www.round-house.com/
Red Pig Tools, Garden tools, Made in the USA.
http://www.redpigtools.com/servlet/StoreFront
FEDCO, Co-op Garden Supplies, Seeds, Trees and Bulbs
http://www.fedcoseeds.com/
Johnny's Selected Seeds and Garden Tools
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/
Roundstone Native Seed ... A Kentucky Company!
https://www.roundstoneseed.com/
Prairie Nursery, Native Seeds and Plants
http://www.prairienursery.com/
Kelley's Beeskeeping ... A Kentucky Company! ... at least for now.
http://www.kelleybees.com/
and these organizations ...
Xerces Society
Journey North
Monarch Watch
Sierra Club


Firefly Watch / AMNH
Bumblebee Watch / Xerces

Wildflower season starts!

Wildflower Update:  This week was a big week for our twinleaf patches (picts above).  For years while coaching in the Spring, I have missed this early bloom ... but this year was wonderful ... hundreds of blooms.  Also, our limestone outcroppings have started to green up with a few blooms.

 

Polinators and Wildlife:  I have seen a few butterflies ... several blue azures.  Lots of small bees along with our honeybees but, no bumblebees to date.  Turkey calling every morning a daybreak.  Lots of rabbits on the move when I am bushhogging!

Work on the Farm:  I have started selectively bush-hogging.  I bushhogged all our milkweed colonies (over thirty large colonies, some are over 100 feet long).  Milkweed should be coming up next week.  Since then, I have bushhogged section of each field to keep the blackberries and sumac controlled, leaving large sections for wildlife which I will bushhog later in the early summer.  

    We have several flats of wildflowers to transplant later in April.  Lots of several species of milkweeds ... thanks Prairie Moon Nursery!

We support:

Round House, Jeans and Workware, Made in the USA for 112 years.http://www.round-house.com/Red Pig Tools, Garden tools, Made in the USA.http://www.redpigtools.com/servlet/StoreFrontFEDCO, Co-op Garden Supplies, Seeds, Trees and Bulbshttp://www.fedcoseeds.com/Johnny's Selected Seeds and Garden Toolshttp://www.johnnyseeds.com/Roundstone Native Seed ... A Kentucky Company!https://www.roundstoneseed.com/Prairie Nursery, Native Seeds and Plantshttp://www.prairienursery.com/Kelley's Beeskeeping ... A Kentucky Company! ... at least for now.http://www.kelleybees.com/and these organizations ...Xerces SocietyJourney NorthMonarch WatchSierra Club

Firefly Watch / AMNH
Bumblebee Watch / Xerces
Monarch Watch