blooms and growing things!

I finally got a window of opportunity to take some pictures around the farm. We have not had rain for almost 24 hours now, and it had been a nice change! The first picture is of our little quince trees. We have a lot of Russian customers, and they love quince. Quince have an unusual flavor, and make good jam. Next up is an apple tree, and as I was taking pictures, I saw bees flying around doing their job of pollinating-good bees! The next picture is of a raspberry vine, just beginning to grow nice green leaves. By the time they are ready to pick, the bushes will be taller than I am (5'10") and loaded with little ruby jewels. The tulips in my front garden are shown next, and I am so happy that they will bloom soon! Love tulips. The next picture shows what the farmer has been working on lately, which is dividing bulbs and perennials to pot up and sell. In this picture you see mostly day lilies. We move on to the plum tree row. Last year we had hardly any plums, and I am really hoping for a bumper crop this year. We all love plums. The next picture is of a blossom on a blueberry bush. I am just seeing a handful of open blossoms now, but in just a week or two the field will be a sea of creamy pinkish blossoms. Blueberry bushes are lovely all year round, from the pretty blossoms to the green leaves and purplish fruit, through fall when the leaves and branches turn shades of crimson and gold. The last picture is another plum tree, with the silo in the background. I hope you have enjoyed the tour of blooming things on our farm!

spring flowers

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Trilliums have begun to bloom in the woods. This is a sure sign of spring. Although the farmer has told the children to not pick woodland flowers (they do not last long inside, and we love to see them on our walks) my 10 year old, Evangeline, picked me a bouquet. I think she is as excited for warm weather and blooming flowers as I am. She picked them on Monday  and they are already wilting.We are still experiencing heavy rains, and the ground is saturated with water. Muddy and squelchy!

looking forward

I know we are told to live in the moment, to not look forward, nor backwards. However, I think it is helpful to be able to look forward-this is called hope, and it is what keeps me afloat during our long, gray, rainy winters. And, yes, tonight I am looking forward. I am looking forward to long warm summer nights in the garden. Hummingbirds dart and dive with a buzzing noise, and I am endlessly fascinated by them. They seem to come out in force at dusk, and we never tire of watching their antics. I look forward to cut flowers in the house again-big vases of creamy, sweet scented roses, which make my house look more beautiful even if it is in sore need of a good cleaning. I look forward to afternoon coffee in the garden with the farmer, talking over the day and the rest of the days work. For now, I huddle close to the wood stove, listening to rain lash at the windows, clutching to the hope that warmth and flowers and singing birds will be here soon!

spring is coming!

As I walk around the farm, it is obvious that spring is coming. Even thought he weather belies the fact, the few blooms and green leaves unfurling bear testament to the fact that spring is coming. According to the calendar, spring began almost a week ago, and so I suppose I should say spring is here. However, it is still cold, and we still have a fire in the wood stove, I am still wearing thick, soft sweaters and walking around the house clutching a warm cup of coffee for warmth. The calendar says spring, my surroundings still scream "WINTER!" I had wanted to post some pictures of our quince trees beginning to bloom. They are such pretty little trees, with creamy white blossoms. However, we have had rain all week, and I am not sure how waterproof my camera is. As soon as we have a sunny day, I will put Stuart in the wagon, pack a lunch, have the girls put on their wellies, and take a nice long walk around the farm. So! Stay tuned for pictures of spring (and some pretty cute kids) on Fordyce farm!

first post!

So! I already have a personal blog, chronicling my life in general; children, cooking, homeschooling, and so on. This second blog will be my farm blog. I want a record of what we grow, how the business is going, what works and does not. I am blessed to live in one of the most beautiful places on earth, Oregon's Willamette Valley. This blog will also be full of pictures of our lovely farm, and what we are working on at the time. Sometimes, this life is hard. We become mired down in stress, exhaustion, and challenging circumstances. It is so easy for me to lose my perspective, to forget the blessings and see only the troubling. Maybe this little blog will help me, in those dark times, to look back and see what is true and good.