By Andrew Haupt
We’ve officially transitioned the garden to fall, pulling out the remaining corn stalks and squash and beans. The tomatoes are finally producing a bunch, and the peppers keep going as well. Planning to do a garden recap in the next couple days. I’m struggling to keep up with the planning and planting, so trying to plant fall/winter crops that will be somewhat self sufficient, like Red Russian kale, snap peas, and fava beans. Stumbled upon a big daddy rattlesnake that got stuck and died in the garden fence, which scared the hell out of me.
I’ve been digging a series of swales in the dry sandy area outside the orchard. This was blanketed with snowberries when we moved in, and now its riddled with squirrel holes. Once complete, there will be four swales here, two feet wide and two feet deep, with rotting wood from clearing buried in the ditch, covered with mulch and planted up with drought tolerant shrubs and trees to hold the soil. We kicked it off by planting a handful of natives from Tree of Life nursery, including a few species of native mints (mondardellas), Bee’s Bliss sage, desert grape, Oregon grape, San Miguel Savory, Wooly Blue Curls, and gooseberry.
Finally finished getting the bathroom ready for plaster, which was not fun but glad the hard part is over.
I’ve been making wine like a fanatic the last couple weeks. Picked up 130 pounds of Syrah grapes from Triple B Ranches in Valley Center, which should make around 7.5 gallons, along with 5 gallon batches of blackberry wine and prickly pear wine from fruit I’ve foraged this summer.
