Our homestead's transition to May came in strong with new baby chicks, an epic mulberry season, sweet plums, nectarines, and is ending with a swoon worthy garden.
We've already enjoyed the bounty of the garden including squash flowers, zucchini, peppers, onions, garlic, potatoes. kale, dill, basil, spring greens, chamomile, strawberries and of course fresh eggs.
We've been in full on clean up mode cutting grass inside the garden, cleaning up the vines (taking the extra leaves below the first grape cluster plus tying and trimming the tomatoes and peppers. One hundred percent worth the effort.
This week we had mama hens number four and five with 11 and 8 baby chicks move from their nesting box in the coop to their mama condos. Bringing our new total to 44 baby chicks.
And three mama hens still sitting on a few eggs.
We've extended our fence and installed a green netting around the back side of the garden to fox proof the garden. It intruded three times and attacked a mama hen and on the second and third time he managed to kill two hens. Our neighbor has had the same issue and lost a few chickens this month. So fingers crossed we can keep the critters out and our chickens safe.
The mulberry season came in early but did not disappoint. We made two rounds of pekmez aka mulberry molasses. And Art really tested his climbing ability this year. Our trees are huge and he handled it like an absolute champ.
Our food forest includes many seasonal fruits. And our fruits of the month included white and black mulberries, plums, peaches and spring pears.
And our beloved pomegranate orchard is thriving although we have not tackled the tall grass. Art wants to wait until the last of the spring rains, reducing the window of grass regrowth. This has reduced our daily stroll through the orchard. But it's stunning.
The pomegranate trees in the garden are popping up left and right. The bees are loving it! If you are thirsty this fall swing by for a nice refreshing glass of pomegranate juice.
And fig season is just around the corner. We've noticed nearly every fig variety is full this season and we are already discussing how to manage the bounty. We've dried figs, made jam, baked them with prosciutto and goat cheese, and even frozen whole figs all which are great but fresh figs are amazing. What is your favorite way to consume figs?
The vineyard has been cleaned and the grape clusters are nice and plumpy. We've been monitoring the grapes for any hail damage after a short storm hit but so far minimal damage has been found.
We did take a day off and rode our bikes out to the lake. A new campsite and restaurant called Liqeni Agroturizëm Restorant & Camping has opened and we had the whole place to ourselves (it was a Monday). The food was amazing and had a few options that aren't found at other places up north including great handmade pasta.
Three little tiny homes are being built facing the lake and the Montenegro mountains. Also a shower house for the campers. And this is located at the base of our favorite place to hike and collect wilde pomegranates in the fall. Who's coming for a visit?
That makes two tasty lake front options to enjoy a few miles from our homestead.