Sunflowers and Chicks
Across this Spring, Summer and now into Autumn we have found great joy in hatchings of chicks by our kids and Mister Farmer. And our sunflower patches in our veggie gardens.
Sunflowers are a part of our veggie gardens as we love them. And they are so great for the pollinators. Which is in turn terrific for the productivity of our veggies.
Hatching #1. Super Mamma Brownie Hen. Brownie went broodie and was not at all a happy hen. Until she was given some fertilized eggs. And she knew exactly what to do!
Chick hatching Number #2. I can’t say how much joy it has brought me to be at my kitchen window and look out to see these little fluff balls on our lawn. Here are early Sunflowers. The red one was magnificent. That will have to be a repeat again. And sunflowers from our patch at our Farmers Market stalls.
Hatching Number #3. We were all delighted to see this broodie hen become a Mamma Hen. She had been the first Orpington to start sitting . . . and had her eggs stolen mid sitting by another hen who turned broodie. So we all felt this Mamma hen’s patience paid off in the end. Although in this delightful series of photos, she may be thinking “why did I sit on all these eggs again?”
The pen Brownie’s chicks are in, is next to one of our veggie patches.
While they were little enough to pop through the large rectangle farm gate mesh, they had a wonderful time scratching around, eating bugs and pecking on weeds under the protection of the canopy of the sunflowers. Nature took care of the veggie garden in its own wonderful way, by the chicks growing to a large enough size that they were no longer able to get through the fence. And the veggie garden has flourished with tomatoes, zucchinis, corn, pumpkins and of course sunflowers.
Red Sunrise over our Sunflower Patch. Mid February I captured this beautiful red sunrise over our Sunflower Patch. It made me very pleased that I was out hanging out the washing so I didn’t miss it.
We love picking sunflowers from our garden and bringing them inside. Here they are pictured with my cooking essentials and garlic from Hidden Valley Farm (Adelaide Hills Famers Market). As well as sharing them with you at our Farmers Markets. The birds have also found and loved the treat of the sunflower seeds inside the flower heads. We find they help scatter the seeds about the place when they are feeding. Which helps to drop the seeds down on the ground ready for when it’s germination time next spring/summer. Mister Farmer tells me they germinate when the soil temperature hits 18 degrees.
Sunflowers really are the biggest bang for your buck in the garden, I think. They grow from inexpensive seed, straight into the soil. Then self seed. They do better with regular watering. But they really are pretty hardy. Sunflowers put on a beautiful sunny show of flowers that make it really feel like summer is here. They are great for pollinators. Great for birds. Kids love growing them. They are great along a fence, north facing. Or in rows in your veggie garden or veggie garden border. Sunflowers are just beautiful and uplifting for the soul.
Our sunflowers are still going strong mid April this year. I noticed this sweet little one on the side of a garden variety sunflower. So I will save the seed of this one.
In these times, I think it is a great idea to be growing as much food as possible.
We often do this across the summer. But this year, I’m continuing on in autumn and into winter. We have the garden space. So we may as well be putting it down to food.
Everything seems a little brighter after getting down in the garden and seeing the difference a productive 30 minutes in the veggie garden makes.
Not to mention the benefit of getting in contact with the healthy microbes in the soil. So good for gut and mental health.
A fresh air circuit breaker for our screen heavy world.
I take inspiration from :
Hannah Moloney from Good Life Permaculture and Gardening Australia, with her new book out now.
Local Gardening Expert Sophie Thomson who is building her new dry land garden Sophie’s Patch 2.0 at Shingleback Farm (garden tour tickets on sale now), also from Gardening Australia.
The guys from the local Adelaide Hills Veggie Gardens with their wonderful local wicking beds business, with their helpful “what to plant” monthly guides.
Heather from Country Herbals at the Adelaide Hills Farmers Market giving lots of planting advice. Amy and Patrick from Walden Homestead at Mount Pleasant Farmers Market, for getting the seedlings started for us.
Friend and experienced homesteader and gardener Shelley from Hidden Valley Farm, with her tips to plant all the leafy greens right now (lettuce, kale, brocoli, rocket, mesculen etc).
And I am also loving the practical gardening inspiration from enthusiastic Damien on insta from Home Hardware Blackwood.
I’m stocked up with seedlings to plant from Country Herbals at yesterdays Adelaide Hills Farmers Market. As well as seedlings from Walden Homestead from Mount Pleasant Farmers Market.
Now I just need to be on top of the netting of the leafy greens so the white cabbage moth don’t get the best of the food we are growing. This has been my challenge in the past.
And then there is the weeds!
Hope you are getting out in the garden this autumn too. Soak up the sunshine while it’s here. Stay tuned. We have more coming on our beef boxes, farmers markets and a special event in May that is dear to our family.
Love to you all, Misses Farmer X
