What’s Growing On in July at the Homestead

July has arrived in full force, and while things are growing like crazy, we’re still waiting on those first ripe tomatoes.

Our cherry, slicer, and Roma-style varieties are loaded with green fruits, but none have blushed just yet.

I’ve definitely caught our 3rd born (our tomato loving child) checking the vines extra often, willing that first one to ripen.

They are arriving so soon little one… stay patient.

Our 7 year old son who will bite into a tomato like it's an apple, but only if they are home grown ;)

Tomato Tasting

We’ve been tossing around the idea of hosting a tomato taste test here at the homestead later this summer!

It would be a super casual gathering where you could tour our gardens, ask questions, try different tomato varieties (sweet, tangy, juicy - you name it), meet fellow growers, and maybe even discover your new favourite tomato!

I think it would be such a fun way for others to connect in person with the amazing Sunnyhill Homestead community!

Let me know if that is something you’d be interested in; we’d love to make it happen!

Our Pollinators Have A Preference

I noticed something neat in the garden last week, our pollinators have made it very clear which blooms they prefer!

Even though our calendula and borage are planted side by side, the bees are obsessed with the calendula. So much so, they are basically ignoring the borage altogether!

I will still let the odd borage plant grow (the flowers are so tasty in salads, and it self-seeds reliably), but next year I won’t be allowing nearly as much to take hold. 

I much prefer the beauty of calendula, and we use it much more around the homestead when compared to borage (from skin salves to tea blends)! 

Plus, if it makes the bees happy, it makes me happy!

Workshop Fun With Adults In Motion

One of the highlights of this month was spending time with our friends at Adults in Motion - Cambridge. We’ve been having fun prepping & planting into outdoor garden beds, using seedlings we started together in an earlier workshop (so satisfying to see the full circle!).

This time around, we focused on planting vegetable and herb seeds into containers that will stay indoors at Adults in Motion. The plan is to harvest our indoor and outdoor grown foods to make a simple meal together later in the season. 

It’s been such a joy watching this group care for their plants and get excited about growing their own food. Truly one of the best parts of this month!

*Shoutout to an amazing local entrepreneur, Brandon of Brandon's Burn Bags for donating over 1/2 a yard of high quality, hardwood wood chips to our outdoor garden space. Much appreciated, Brandon! 

For anyone looking for wood chips for their gardens, or split wood for their wood burning fireplaces, ovens, or just a good ol' fashioned bon fire, please reach out to Brandon! You won't be disappointed! 

You can find him on instagram @brandons_burn_bags

A Little Natural Farming Experimentation

This year, we’ve been dipping our toes into Korean Natural Farming, specifically some of the practices from JADAM (an ultra-low-cost, natural farming method developed by Cho Youngsang). 

1. In our composting system (as a homemade bokashi spray), and

1. As a foliar spray to help introduce beneficial bacteria directly to our plants.

One of the big things we’re trying is their LAB (Lactic Acid Bacteria) recipe. You can make it at home using fermented rice water and animal milk (we used homogenized cows milk).

We’ve been using it in two main ways:

The composting spray thus far has been a massive success! Foods are breaking down much faster and with hardly any smell, which is always a win! More on Bokashi composting in an upcoming blog post, so be sure to click the 'Follow' button on our homepage, so you don't miss a posting! 

The real surprise came when using it as a foliar spray! I sprayed some on our calendula that had a moderate amount of powdery mildew. Within 24 hours, the powdery mildew was completely gone! I was honestly shocked! 

I’m now super curious to see if this can help us prevent late blight on our tomatoes that's bound to arrive later this season. Fingers crossed!

From Flower Beds To Food

One of the most rewarding parts of my work is seeing others take what they’ve learned and watching them run with it! 

A recent consultation client sent me the loveliest update. After our session, her and her husband completely transformed a perennial flower bed into a productive veggie garden.

She told me that the raspberries and mulberries (that were harvested off their existing weeping mulberry tree), have already saved them so much on fruit costs! She went on to mention:

 "We haven't needed to buy anything other than banana's and apples!"  

I think this means she needs to add a couple apple trees to their gardens, asap! :)

She also mentioned how one evening, after the kids were in bed, she stayed up late just so she could hand-pollinate their squash! 

That’s the kind of dedication that makes my heart so happy.

In just two months, the cost of her consultation has already started to pay for itself in what they’ve saved in groceries, and by the end of the season, the garden will have more than covered their investment. That’s the kind of impact I strive to see! 

I'll be sure to update with some before & after photos soon as I plan to stop by and see how their garden is growing, but in the meantime, here is a photo of the result from her hand pollinating evening! 

Future squash harvest! There are benefits to letting squash meander outside of a garden bed and grow along the ground/lawn, especially if you have squash vine borers in your area.   

Gardening doesn’t have to be hard or expensive. A few simple tips and clear instructions can set you up for success, whether you’re just getting started or ready to level up your growing game.

Wishing your garden was doing better this year? Looking to expand, or maybe start your very first veggie patch? 

I’ll be taking on new consultation clients in August and September, and I’d love to help you grow something amazing!

From Our Homestead To Yours

July has brought plenty of harvests already, most of which we’ve eaten fresh or happily gifted to friends and neighbours. 

It’s that sweet spot in the season where the garden is producing steadily, but the real rush to preserve hasn’t quite begun.

We’re soaking it in while we can; snacking on beans in the garden, tossing fresh greens into every meal, and watching the tomatoes inch closer to ripeness. 

It’s busy, but in the best kind of way. There’s still so much to look forward to in the weeks ahead, and we’re feeling grateful for every bit of it.

An overcast July day, but a much appreciated one! This day brought the break in our latest heatwave and the cool breeze was absolutely lovely! 

Thanks for following along with all that’s growing on around our homestead!

Until next time,

Sarah & The Sunnyhill Homestead Family