Making a Killing

I asked Google, “what is killing milk price”, and the answers I get are quite different. Google decided to jump straight to an alarming solution, “low milk prices have dairy farmers killing cows”, which hit the headlines in US in 2009 and 2011. It does make sense, as the farmers are losing money on every pint of milk they sell. On a more free market capitalist view, this will be a classic play out of the survivor of the fittest.

9.5mm of rain accumulated this week, most of them yesterday. We have a high of 27.7dC and low of 2.7dC.

The roses must have taken advantage of the warmer period with the newly planted Perception blooming in full force.

Black Beauty.

And Deep Secret.

The Manuka tree is flowering too. I planted this 3 years ago.

The peppers have finally started to flower. I just need them to fruit and I can save the seeds to start establishing a landrace.

The Pinot Gris grape is flowering too. The Schuyler grape is still dormant! I broke off a bud, and it is still green on the inside. I wonder why?

I’ve been hanging out by the strawberries bed after work just about every day. Snacking on the shellout peas growing in there, and also the awesome tasting strawberries. Now, they are trying to make a run for it, see those runners trying to get out of the raised beds. I enjoyed the White Alpine Strawberries that were growing in the Asparagus bed too, they simply melted in my mouth!

And the occasional ripe raspberries.

Was it just me or the black raspberries seem to be a bit tart?

The Hybridberry Thornless Jewel had some really large berries.

Berry laden Boysenberry Tasman.

In another week or two, I might be able to feast on these lovely cherries.

Finally, I will be able to enjoy the decadent Goldstrike Apricot again! These apricots will color up beautifully even before they are ripe enough to eat. When they are ready for eating, their color is like that of the orange sun.

The bananas are growing again, shooting out the next leaf. They flower after 42 leaves.

I have started potting up the rooted cuttings. Purely by chance, I made an interesting discovery. It would appear to me that coarse sand, some of about 1mm grade, makes better rooting medium compared to really fine sand. The cuttings from the coarse sand managed to develop roots that were stronger and well spread out from throughout the cuttings, compared to the ones in fine sand. Its also easier to remove them from the container and repot them.

I didn’t managed to put up all of them as I ran out of PB3/4 planter bags. I think next round of propagation, I will use coarse sand in 60 cells propagation trays, see how that work.

The currants and gooseberries are going to be planted all over the hedgerow next season.

I’ve planted the pumpkins, squash and watermelon into the tractor tire. In the future, I am likely to plant the rooted figs in there as a tight clump, and keep them low.

The Orchard Cottage this week. Amazing sprays of Bishops flower, and tree lucerne growing well. The poppies will now slowly give way to Summer daisies.