Howdy everybody! I hope this put up finds you properly. I’m sitting on the desk in entrance of my pc just a little after 2 PM scratching my bald head every now and then making an attempt to think about what to say. It’s 93° F outdoors and the wind has been blowing persistently for a number of days. Nicely, it’s supposedly blowing in a storm. The totally different climate web sites appear to have blended opinions. The primary time I checked the climate forecast within the drop-down menu on the highest proper of my display screen the Climate Channel stated there was a 40% probability this night. Then I checked once more about 1:30 and it stated 20%. I checked the Nationwide Climate Service and it stated it was on its method however I didn’t test the radar. I went to the backyard about 3:30 to take photographs for this put up and there wasn’t hardly a cloud within the sky. Like I discussed, it was 93° F.

OH, the doe has not been again within the backyard since I redid the electrical fence and added one other wire across the high.

Candy Corn ‘Ambrosia’ on 8-12-21 at 3:31 PM.

A number of days in the past when the wind began blowing, the ‘Ambrosia’ Candy Corn began falling over. Fortunately, I had already picked all that was prepared and it might be completed. That is the primary 12 months I haven’t needed to stand the corn again up earlier than it was prepared to reap.

19 luggage of ‘Prime Crop’ Inexperienced Beans within the freezer to this point.

I began selecting inexperienced beans final week and began selecting corn on the eighth. I used to be going to take a photograph of the five-gallon bucket of inexperienced beans from the primary selecting however I forgot about it… In whole, I’ve picked 12-13 gallons. In fact, I’ve already been consuming some. I doubt I’ll can any as a result of I don’t have time to look at the strain canner. That was dad’s job. 🙂 Nicely, I suppose I’ve time, however I simply don’t need to do it. I feel frozen beans style more energizing anyway. I simply minimize off the ends and freeze them entire. It’s fairly easy… As soon as I get the beans prepared, I carry water in a few giant inventory pots to a boil, add the beans and blanch for 3 minutes, then drain and put them in ice water for 3 minutes. Then I scatter the beans out on sheet cake pans and put them within the freezer for 3 hours. It’s important to scatter the beans out thinly so while you decide them up they gained’t be caught collectively so dangerous. Since I like them entire, if they’re caught collectively they will break extra simply after I get them to come back aside to place them in luggage. Doing it makes extra sense than making an attempt to clarify it… Possibly I ought to have achieved a video or taken photographs of the method. It’s an afterthought factor… 🙂 I take advantage of quart luggage so I can carry a pair from the freezer within the basement as I want them.

231 ears of corn within the freezer as of 8-12-21.

The candy corn did fairly properly, however not in addition to I hoped for. It isn’t fairly completed and a very good rain would assist immensely. I picked the ‘Ambrosia’ first (the bi-color counterpart to Bodacious) and to this point have frozen 98 ears of it. A number of stalks had no “pickable” ears and a few had none in any respect. The identical was with the Bodacious, which I used to be in a position to freeze 133 ears from to this point. I’d say 70% of the stalks had one good ear to this point. It wasn’t a pollination subject as a result of there was loads of it. 🙂 I additionally observed the nice ears have been on high, whereas the decrease ears have been barely even crammed out. You may suppose the pollen fell on the highest ear, however the decrease ears are on the other aspect of the stalk… The pollen landed on the silk simply superb. Probably, it’s a moisture subject and soaker hoses or T-tape would have been nice. I don’t have both one and the sprinklers would have been ineffective with the corn being so tall… A lot taller than me at this level. I hope to spend money on a T-tape system sooner or later, however funds are extraordinarily restricted…

Candy corn from the second for of ‘Bodacious’ on 8-11-21.

The second row of Bodacious was AMAZING with 54 lovely ears. Some have been fairly giant. If all 4 rows have been like that… A lot of the ears have been crammed out from one finish to the opposite. I’ve seen only a few worms this 12 months in comparison with final 12 months. I’ve solely seen two giant caterpillars and 4 tiny inexperienced ones that hadn’t made it inside to the cob. There have been a number of of these tiny black bugs… Hmmm… I recognized them final summer season however have forgotten what they’re referred to as and didn’t need to again and look. 🙂 OH, with the bi-color corn within the different part, a number of the ‘Bodacious’ at first of the rows have a number of white kernels… That’s completely superb and fantastic… All of the corn I planted is SE (Sugar Enhanced).

Thoughts you, not all of the candy corn has made it to the freezer. A couple of week earlier than I “formally” began selecting the corn, I picked six ears of ‘Ambrosia’ and put them in a pot. They weren’t “fairly” prepared however I needed to give it a shot. It’s humorous how one can barely see the white kernels…

Yesterday, after I used to be completed with the ‘Bodacious’, I picked seven ears of ‘Unimaginable’ from the primary planting. The most important ear, earlier than it was shucked, turned out to be a dud… 4 out of the seven made it to the pan they usually have been certainly “unbelievable”.

Candy Corn ‘Unimaginable’ on 8-12-21 at 3:26 PM…

SO, I’ve been eye-balling the ‘Unimaginable’… Though ‘Unimaginable’ can show irritating to start with, it can come round. I proved to myself this selection may be very choosy in the case of soil temperature. When you plant and replant and it will get going, it can dwell as much as its identify.

Candy Corn ‘Unimaginable’…

Till 2013 after I got here again right here, I hadn’t grown candy corn for the reason that early Eighties. For the lifetime of me, I can’t keep in mind ever having any points with it arising or blowing over. I keep in mind the primary 12 months, 1981 after my grandfather handed away in April, I moved to the farm. I planted 14 rows of candy corn and solely ate a number of ears. Grandpa had fairly a clientele of aged women that purchased his produce they usually purchased every part I may develop. One man purchased all my inexperienced beans… 110 kilos!

Hmmm…

I’ve been pulling up what I “thought” have been Morning Glories within the inexperienced beans and candy corn. There may be one climbing everywhere in the Asparagus and some days in the past I observed it had loads of buds. I assumed, “HMMM… That’s NOT a Morning Glory.”

Cynanchum laeve (Honey-vine Climbing Milkweed)…

DOUBLE HMMM… I took photographs, as you’ll be able to see, and uploaded them on iNaturalist. Low and behold it’s a Milkweed! Nicely, definitely not in the way in which we consider as Milkweeds. The scientific identify is Cynancum laeve, generally referred to as Honey-Vine Climbing Milkweed… I took photographs of one other vine that has larger flowers within the briar patch alongside the south hayfield that turned out to be a Hedge Bindweed. It had larger flowers like Morning Glories… What number of species of these items are there anyway? What occurred to the common outdated Morning Glories?

Candy Corn ‘Unimaginable’…

The place was I? I’m simply happening the grid of photographs as I took them… Oh yeah, the candy corn. Yesterday I discovered a stalk with 5 good-sized ears however I didn’t have the digital camera and at this time I couldn’t discover it. I used to be strolling by means of the corn with out a long-sleeved shirt on and my arms have been starting to get itchy…

Smut…

There is just one stalk of corn with smut this 12 months. I needed to go away it as a result of I needed to get a photograph. Smut may be very attention-grabbing in a bizarre sort of method. Final summer season I wrote just a little about it and the way it’s really edible. Nicely, I’m definitely not going to fry any up and provides it a shot. It appears to be like method too bizarre…

Candy Corn ‘Unimaginable’..

The final planting of ‘Unimaginable’ has a methods to go but however it’s wanting very properly… Not less than at 3:31 PM when this photograph was taken…

One of many ‘Superstar’ tomato vines…

The tomatoes are SLOW this season as a result of I used to be late getting them within the floor.

Tomato ‘Superstar’…

I’ve picked one already and one is nearly prepared…

Tomato ‘Brandywine’…

The ‘Brandywine’ tomato vines have grown like loopy!

Tomato ‘Brandywine’…

I’ve solely discovered two tobacco worms and NO armyworms this 12 months (but). Hopefully, there gained’t be anymore.

Transferring alongside from the backyard…

Hosta ‘Potomac Satisfaction’ on 8-12-21…

The clump Hosta ‘Potomac Satisfaction’ is often at the least 2′ tall and over 50″ large… Due to the doe it has not been in a position to develop… Usually, the deer nibble on the ‘Potomac Satisfaction’ just a bit when the Hosta first begin to leaf out within the spring then don’t trouble any of them the remainder of the 12 months.

Hosta ‘Dancing Queen’ on 8-12-21…

The Hosta ‘Dancing Queen’ has met an analogous destiny. Sadly, the ‘Krossa Regal’ are principally non-existent… I’m definitely not pleased with the doe… I do know it needs to be the identical one, as a result of I’ve seen her often within the pasture behind the home all by herself. There may be lots to eat for her within the pasture/hayfield. Oh properly, although the Hosta are shot this summer season, hopefully, the doe will relocate and I can discover a resolution to maintain her out of them by subsequent spring. I can’t very properly relocate the shade mattress and I don’t intend to place up an electrical fence round such a small space…

After I was mowing final week, I observed the correct entrance wheel was getting just a little wobbly… Earlier this spring, I needed to exchange all the steering rod… Since dad and I introduced this mower house it has had its points. It’s a John Deere LT120… It mows bizarre, however I feel I’ve that subject discovered… It was all about altering the way in which I mowed from a 36″ deck to a 48″deck… The Gator blades I began utilizing final summer season are nonetheless working superb.

As an alternative of utilizing bearings within the wheel, there are solely two bushings… They put on out very often, as I’ve simply came upon. I hadn’t paid a lot consideration till I observed the wheel wobbling after I was turning. I assumed the steering rod gizmo was about to have one other subject. I drove the mower into the storage, jacked it up, and had a glance… Then I went to the web and came upon individuals are changing the bushings with bearings. I did NOT even name John Deere for a worth on the conversion equipment as a result of they are often purchased on Ebay (or Amazon) for at the least half the value. The kits on Ebay run from $19.95 on up and embrace new washers and hubcaps for each wheels… I made a decision since all I wanted have been the bearings I’d purchase 4 for $9.95 and use the identical washers I have already got. If I want new washers, I can get them on the ironmongery shop for a number of cents… You’d suppose the wheels would have had bearings within the first place. The spindles (axle) are sort of worn due to the bushings reducing into them, however I should exchange them at a later date…

I went again inside at about 4 PM and determined to have a nap and end the put up afterward. Possibly after dinner… There was not a cloud within the sky… The following factor I knew, it gave the impression to be getting darkish and the wind was blowing like loopy. I acquired up and seemed outdoors and the clouds had arrived…

Wanting towards the backyard from the entrance porch at 6:04 PM…

At 6 PM it began POURING like loopy. I went to the entrance porch and took a shot… The wind had fully modified instructions and now was blowing out of the north.

The backyard at 6:44 PM…

After the rain stopped, I went to the backyard to take a look… The temperature has actually dropped! Wanting again on the first photograph taken at 3:24 PM, you’ll be able to see the ‘Ambrosia’ had blown to the north for the reason that wind had been blowing out of the south for a number of days. At 6:44 PM is extra leaning towards the south as a result of the wind switched instructions…

Candy Corn ‘Unimaginable’ at 6:45 PM…

The ‘Unimaginable’ blew over just a little. It may have been a lot worse…

Candy Corn ‘Unimaginable’ at 6:45 PM…

From the north aspect… It doesn’t seem any of the stalks have been damaged…

Candy Corn ‘Bodacious’…

To not dangerous… I’ve seen it MUCH, MUCH worse. Then once more, we’ve got extra rain and wind within the forecast by means of Saturday night.

View of the candy corn from the northwest nook at 6:45 PM…

I knew we couldn’t get by means of a season with out the corn blowing over however I used to be sort of hopeful. We definitely did want the rain so I’m not going to complain. I’ve discovered to simply accept the climate it doesn’t matter what it does. I needed to come again inside as a result of it was beginning to rain once more.

I checked the rain gauge and it stated 7/10″. The temperature dropped from 93 F to 70. That’s a 23° drop! Nicely, it positive cooled issues off a bit and I’m positive grateful for the rain. I suppose the wind blowing the corn round a bit helped to get the moisture to the roots.

There may be extra rain, and wind, coming so I gained’t trouble standing the corn again up till it’s completed… Nicely, we are going to see about that. It relies upon. The ‘Ambrosia’ and Bodacious’ have been nearly completed, however the rain might assist what remains to be not prepared. It can definitely assist the ‘Unimaginable’, so I’ll undoubtedly stand it again up…

Nicely, now it’s 8:54 PM. Time to prepare dinner one thing for dinner. Hmmm… Grammarly says I’ve 4 errors however I need to eat dinner. SO, for those who learn this put up earlier than I edit it, chances are you’ll discover some errors…

Till subsequent time, be protected, keep optimistic, and at all times be grateful!