Bees, and More Tilling

(Thursday) -- Advances are happening on the farm. This morning when most of the bees were off working (and therefore out of the hives), Adam put new boxes on three of the hives. He added a top box to the first (Warre) hive on the left, the 3rd hive from the left, and the 4th hive from the left. Then he put out honey water for them to eat. They will be set for the winter, which is a relief.

Having bought more gasoline last night, he was able to do a bit more tilling this afternoon. 

He's about 2/3 finished with the wheat field.

He's got a tiny bit of mowing left, plus some tilling. He realized that the September deadline was for the NC mountains, where we used to live. Here on the coast, he can plant his wheat in October, so he's not as crunched for time as he thought.

Our soil is nice and dark and healthy. When wet, it is quite mucky, but when dryer it is lovely. After working in it for several days, Adam says his hands smell like manure; there were animals on this land a little over a year ago.

Out past the wheat field (which is about 1/4 acre) is yet more land. Eventually the present wheat field will become the garden, and the wheat field will move out to that grassy area far away.

Julia was calling the doggies to come play, and they were high-tailing it out to her! They LOVE having all this play area. Beau plays with the grasshoppers, and he is hysterical. When they jump, he jumps ... straight up in the air. It's a sight to see.

Between the wheat field and the main road is the area that will be the spring garden next year. Forgive me if I'm repeating myself.

 This is a little stand of pine trees and one cedar. They will stay. I love trees.

 Can you see the shovel sticking in the ground? That's one end of the winter garden which Adam will work on after the wheat field is done. He's mowed it once.

We are so busy here these days. I'm working every afternoon. Julia's off to New Bern for college classes during the week. Anna's waiting tables. Adam is doing his pastoral/preaching/teaching work, his astronomy class, and now his farming. I made a batch of soap on Monday, but I do need more time to knit and crochet for the winter farmers' market coming up. Sometimes Adam and I watch online videos of other homesteaders/farmers who are farther along in this process than we are. It's fun to see what might happen ... what will happen, Lord willing.