Working around the heat is a task that many homesteaders face, especially during the summer months. In this upcoming homestead vlog, you’ll join the creators of The Acadian Garden & Apothecary as they tackle their daily chores despite the sweltering temperatures. From tending to their expansive garden to making special breakfasts, this video captures the essence of managing a thriving homestead in challenging conditions.
You’ll watch Christopher and his partner navigate through a variety of tasks, like moving soil for new paths, battling garden pests, and harvesting their produce. The vlog also includes a few personal touches, like making delicious waffles with homemade maple syrup and enjoying the stunning beauty of their blooming garden. It’s a heartwarming glimpse into their daily lives, showcasing the dedication and hard work needed to keep their homestead flourishing.
Morning Routine
Checking on Chucky
When you start your day at 7 a.m., one of the first checks on your list is to see how Chucky the mouse is doing in the compost pile. It’s always a bit of a relief to see him scampering about, ensuring he hasn’t become nature’s latest casualty. It’s like a little morning greeting from the compost pile, setting a friendly tone for the day ahead.
Making Special Waffles
Today’s breakfast plan involves a bit of culinary creativity with some special waffles. Using your cast iron griddle, which can be quite a workout due to its weight, you whip up a batch you’re especially proud of. These aren’t just any waffles; they’re the chosen ones to bear the sweet, precious maple syrup you tapped from your red maple trees. Given the limited yield from this year’s unpredictable weather, each drop of syrup is valuable and savored.
Using Tapped Maple Syrup
As the waffles sizzle and brown to perfection, you grab the prized bottle of maple syrup. This syrup, collected through your hard work in fluctuating late winter and early spring conditions, brings a unique touch to your breakfast. The limited supply makes it even more special, turning an ordinary Friday morning into an exceptional treat.
Early Morning Chores
Christopher’s Yard Work
By the time you’ve finished breakfast, Christopher has already been out, making headway on yard work. Today’s focus is on spreading the LOM (a special type of soil) you ordered. This will help fill in holes and create smoother paths in the yard. With the lawn under the sumac trees now back in rotation, there’s a new wheelbarrow path to build on the opposite side of the garden. The buzz of activity and the scent of fresh earth ensure a productive start to the day.
Building New Paths
The idea of a new pathway is exciting. It offers a simpler way to navigate the garden, making the daily watering and weeding easier. You and Christopher discuss the layout, combining his hard labor with your vision to create a more accessible and prettier garden space. Each shovel of LOM adds to the anticipation of a more structured and beautiful garden.
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Managing the Heat
Impact of Humidity
As the clock ticks closer to midday, the heat and humidity become almost unbearable. In Maine, the air feels thick, like you’re moving through warm bathwater. It saps your energy quickly, making it a real challenge to stay motivated and productive.
Adapting to Climate Conditions
Adapting to these sweltering conditions takes practice and patience. You find short breaks in the shade or hydrate frequently to maintain your pace. Modifying your schedule to work during the cooler parts of the day also becomes essential, ensuring you avoid the peak heat stress.
Garden Tasks
Pulling Out Potatoes
There’s a patch of potatoes that has been on your mind; they never seemed to thrive as well as the others. So, you decide to pull them up and see what’s going on beneath the soil. These were your experimental purple potatoes, coming from last year’s less-than-stellar crop.
Examining Potato Health
As you dig up the potatoes, you assess their health and yield. Unfortunately, these spuds have not performed any better than their predecessors. Nevertheless, you learn from each season and each crop, making notes of any patterns or issues that could help in future planting.
Fighting Garden Pests
The hot and humid weather has brought a slew of garden pests. From cucumber beetles to squash bugs, it feels like a battle ground out there. You remain vigilant, regularly checking and treating your plants to minimize damage. This constant pest management is vital to ensuring your crops can thrive.
Pumpkin Care
Trellising Pumpkins
Today’s focus shifts to trellising pumpkins. Their growth has taken off, and proper support is crucial. Using garden twine and a handy hand scythe, you meticulously cut the twine and secure the pumpkins. The hand scythe, a much more comfortable tool compared to clunky utility scissors, becomes your new best friend in the garden.
Dealing with Pests
This year has been particularly challenging with squash bugs and cucumber beetles. Some mild winters in Maine have caused a surge in pest populations, and your pumpkins need extra care. You baby these plants, knowing they are the only gourds doing well in your garden this season. Every effort is made to protect and nurture them to fruition.
Flower Harvesting
Picking Wild Rose Flowers
The wild rose bush has flourished and is producing abundantly. The sweet, alluring fragrance of rose flowers fills the air, inviting you to pick them daily. These aromatic flowers not only lift your spirits but also attract vital pollinators like bumblebees and honeybees.
Benefits of Wild Roses
Wild roses are more than just beautiful; their medicinal properties are remarkable. Their fragrance, which many cultivated roses lack, brings natural aromatherapy benefits. They’re also packed with beneficial compounds, making them perfect for tinctures and herbal remedies.
Deadheading for Continuous Bloom
To ensure the wild rose bush continues to bloom throughout the summer, you must regularly deadhead. By removing the spent blooms, you encourage new growth and more flowers. This practice keeps your rose bush vibrant and productive, adding continuous bursts of color to your garden.
Battling Garden Beetles
Japanese Beetle Hunting
Among the garden pests, Japanese beetles are some of the most notorious flower-munchers. Daily hunts for these beetles become a routine, ensuring they don’t decimate your precious rose petals. Each capture protects the health and beauty of your flowers.
Protecting Flower Health
The ongoing battle against beetles and other pests is crucial for maintaining the health of your flowers. Regularly checking each plant and taking immediate action helps safeguard your garden. This vigilance pays off in the form of lush, healthy blooms.
Onion and Garlic Harvest
Dealing with Onion White Rot
Onion white rot is an unwelcome visitor this season. This fungal disease causes your onions to collapse prematurely. You act quickly, pulling the affected onions to prevent the rot from spreading and attempting to salvage what you can.
Harvesting and Storing Garlic
Fortunately, your garlic has fared much better. It’s grown abundantly and without issues. Harvesting the garlic is a satisfying task, knowing it will store well and be a staple in your kitchen through the year. The bulbs are carefully dried and prepped for storage, ensuring they last for months to come.
Afternoon Siesta
Coping with the Heatwave
After a busy morning, the heatwave insists on an afternoon break. It seems unusual in Maine, but the extreme temperatures make a siesta necessary. Taking a moment to rest helps recharge your energy and prepare for the remainder of the day.
Midday Rest and Recuperation
During your siesta, you find a cool, shady spot to unwind and relax. Whether it’s a hammock or a cozy chair indoors, this rest time becomes a treasured part of your day. It allows your body to recover from the morning’s exertions and the relentless heat.
Processing Rose Petals
This downtime is also perfect for processing the morning’s rose petal harvest. Adding these to your rosewater glycerin and tincture jars is a soothing ritual. The repetitive, meditative nature of this task helps you slow down and literally smell the roses, savoring their therapeutic benefits.
Conclusion
Recap of Daily Activities
Today was a whirlwind of activities, from checking on Chucky and making special waffles to managing garden tasks and battling pests. Each job, no matter how small, contributed to the maintenance and joy of your homestead.
Future Plans for Homestead Vlogs
Looking ahead, you plan to share more of these daily experiences through your homestead vlogs. These videos are a way to connect with others who share your passion and offer a glimpse into the fulfilling life of homesteading.
Final Thoughts and Gratitude
As the day winds down, you reflect on the beauty and hard work of maintaining a homestead. Each challenge is met with resilience and each success is celebrated. You feel gratitude for your thriving garden, supportive partner, and the chance to share this journey with others. Until next time, keep cultivating and enjoying the simpler things in life!