September Life and Garden Update

Once again I am way over due on a post in general but also on life an the farm. Life has been speeding ways and time is flying. Of course as everyone in the rate race it feels like I have not got enough done on my projects, work and other things.

Wifey as of today is about 33-34 weeks pregnant and due in the beginning of November so we have been doing our antenatal visits and making sure we have everything ready for her birth and when our little boy comes. This involves a list from the hospital of what she needs for the d day and also those things we think we will need for him. We are not the type that want to over buy even if we could we want to keep things simple. In Africa most women back their babies, and where we live is not stroller conducive so we are not worried about that. We have a crib and the basics, we have a car seat that my business partner bought in the UK we will have to figure out something if it does not come down in time. My mother is coming in November and she will bring some supplies for us to use cotton diapers, and some hand me downs from my sisters baby.

Moving onto the farm I got a great close up of this toad in the farm. At the beginning of the month we got some good rain that continued through the first week of September that really helped to bring things alive again.

I planted a whole section of the farm with new tomato seedlings as the rain started. I had some fail and more frustrating some of the dogs in the area started digging giant holes where I planted. I don't know if it is critters they are after like the toad above or if my compost was interesting to smell still. I had to replant a few times and reshape my rows after the dog holes.

I did some weeding and some clearing and then planted fresh okra seeds that we left to dry from last season. They are taking off nicely and I need to thin some out because they are coming in clumps where we put seeds in the holes. I hope to transplant those in another section of the farm.

A view up through the farm I have done a lot of clearing and looking forward to having some seedlings ready to plant in all the areas with nothing planted. This is from the lowest part of the farm that I have really shaped right below the 3rd swale.

This is the area that I transplanted more tomatoes, there are already some tomatoes and peppers here. I hope to get some Marigold and Borage seedlings soon to do some companion planting.

I really cut back the basil recently and this is where some peppers from last season and tomatoes are planted. With the new rain the tomatoes are coming back for another round.

My plantains have stabilized after transplanting and some good rain now. I am really hoping to have more medium sized trees and shrubs along the 3 swales to create more shad for the area to help through the dry times and also create more of wind break.

All my big head sunflowers have already drooped over and began drying. These local varieties keep producing new heads and keep going.

I transplanted this area with tomatoes also. There is some basil from last season and a few small eggplants here too.

One of 3 heavy paw paw trees at sunset. I have started harvesting some and they are ripening on the counter top.

Collecting okra seeds for planting.

Sunset behind the millet and sorgum

My friend and fellow permaculturist came out last week as we are preparing to do a bamboo building workshop this coming week.

Here is a poster for the workshop I will leave tomorrow to get there have a day beforehand and then one day for the workshop and then one day to get back. It is between 4 and 5 hours from where I live. I will surely update with a post.

Last weekend featured a full moon and the sunset Saturday night was very nice while sitting at the beach front.

Under the full moon we had some guests enjoy a bonfire and a birthday dinner. The views were spactacular.

I am still getting a few tomatoes each day from the garden and some corn now. You can also see the pawpaw that I have started harvesting. I eat one small one yesterday and I must say I usually don't like pawpaw that much but this was nice not overly sweet, none of the pawpaw funk and just soft and nice.