The growing season becomes even more challenging as we endure yet more rain and even a few frost warnings, in what seems to be turning into the coolest June ever in Nova Scotia! One creature thriving on the cool, wet atmosphere is the biting kind and despite our bug nets the black flies and occasional mossies persist and succeed in decorating us with truly bloody bites. Between us we look like we have had a serious attack of the measles. Feeling unsightly I have been donning a scarf in public.
I've started my escape-the-farmwork-plan and have begun a summer job for a day or so a week at the local pottery. Since butter-fingers managed to break something on my second day, I'm not convinced it's the most suited career move. Part 2 of my escape-the-farm work plan is to help sail a schooner that sits in the local marina, so fingers crossed the wind behaves itself.
Our German Wwoofing volunteer has not only been a great help in the fields keeping pace with Farmer Jamie and playful Eddie but has been a hit with the neighbours who much to her embarrassment (and our delight) presented her with an enormous lobster which we took every delight in devouring.
As a result of one rather rainy afternoon we now have a pile of signs for the field and one for the market stall thanks to a creative Wwoofer and Jamie's wood burning tool. All we need now is for things to grow so we can identify them since Jamie's illegible note taking has left us pretty clueless as to what might be growing in most areas.
Finally this past week we succeeded in transplanting goodness knows how many hundreds of flowers, squash, pumpkin, cucumber, peppers and tomatoes. So when the sun decides to shine for longer than a day at a time, things can really kick off. Many of our fruit trees and perennials are doing well especially all the herbs. I have now taken my food safety course so will be concocting various relishes, jellies, syrups, breads and teas to sell. Wild roses are in full bloom and their scent is so delightful that overcome with excitement I made some Rose Petal Jam. The colour is incredible but the taste is like a mouthful of perfume so I haven't noticed everyone rushing to eat it! It's an acquired taste I believe. We're coming up to Canada Day and the last week of lobster season so no doubt we'll make the most of that, plus Jamie is visiting some puppies tomorrow so there could be a new addition to the farm very soon.
