It is bloom time

Plum is in full bloom. Peach is following close by and pear is chasing both.

Look closely. Who do you see on this picture?! I've identified those as Harlequin bugs.

Stinky, ferocious, un-relentless buggers. They usually show up sometime in June.

Well. It is NOT JUNE! But those guys were on my overwintered Arugula, having 

a party. Squashed them all.  It is only a glimpse of what awaits us this summer.

Greenthumbs everywhere - beware - this will be the buggiest year yet to remember.

Mushroom logs are done.

Our annual Mushroom Workshop was this past Saturday. Twenty one people participated this year.
Hugh Martin did a presentation about mushroom growing to get everyone up to speed with the Shiitake mushroom and how to grow them in one's back yard. I had prepared a mushroom-lentil-barley soup and mushroom pies for the tasting and we also learned about re-hydrating dried mushrooms and sauteed those so that everyone could get the taste of what's to become about a year from the inoculation of the logs. Greg Bender walked everyone through the details of the inoculating process and shared his many years of experience growing the Siitakes.

Shawn from Dezern Farms drilling the logs. We used some angle grinders this year instead of drills - and it made this part of the process a breeze!!!

Greg Mender instructing how to fill the drilled holes with sawdust spawn using the palm style inoculator.

Dean Yates and his grand daughter working together. This can be a fun family activity!

Thank you everyone who came out this weekend, I hope you had fun! Thank you Greg and Hugh for all your help! Lets hope we all will be eating yummy mushrooms off those logs next year!

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I would like to bring your attention to an event that is taking place very soon in Raleigh.

The Guinea Fowl International is having their seventh "Small Flock Poultry and Guinea Fowl Conference."

Clicking on the link will take you to their web-page with more information!

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Please don't forget to sign up for the STARworks Garden CSA this year. It's promising to be better than ever.
Happy spring everyone!