The wild Mayberries

. . .have been so abundant this year. They're also known as huckleberries, but Mayberries says when they arrive and that seems right. We have tons of wild blackberries, too - but the kudzu spraying means they are off limits this year. I lobbied hard for goats to eat the kudzu, but there's no government cost sharing plan for goats. Maybe some day.

Anyway, there's just something magical about the Mayberries and I can't get enough of picking and eating them. . . . . and they just grow - without any interference on our part! I know Paul would have thought they were really cool, too.

The past few mornings there's been a lot of moisture in the air - but no rain. And we are desperate for it, even as others are flooding along the Mississippi following the terrible storms and tornadoes. RB put a cistern on the trailer and trucked in water from his aunt's for the garden and orchard.

I think the fruit trees will live but was dismayed to see all the persimmon blossoms on the ground. Our raised beds have been hit & miss so far - but they will be successful when we get the soil built up. Trial and error - learning as we go. The cabbages didn't make heads and don't know what that's about. The strawberries look great, but we had to put down landscape cloth to kill the hay seeds (tried to use it for mulch) and has kept the runners from spreading properly. The blueberries are hanging in - the plants are strong and the Mayberries have more than made up for them this year.

Thank goodness for those great, reliable Earthboxes! Tomatoes and peppers are looking good.

So, after watering everything I was pooped and took a break. Played in the worm bin adding the 3rd tray to our new Worm Factory 360, using dirt from an old planter, wet cardboard, a bit of pumice, some wheat bran and goat poop (starter worms and goat poop courtesy of Mr. John Harrelson, 'the canjoman'). Topped it off with wet, shredded phone book pages. Each tray is a little different, but worms seem to be thriving in their new home.

Cleaned the kitchen and made banana bread with wild Mayberries. Supper included day-before chicken from the crock pot with sides of cabbage and orzo cooked in onions and chicken broth. After dinner we took the dogs for a ride - they run, we ride - in the Polaris.

All in all, a very nice day in Boston, Alabama. 5/11/11

Right Brain Exercise

The vines are everywhere! The land that's been in my husband's family for generations is full of wisteria, kudzu, honeysuckle and muscadine vines. Last year we began clearing a small area by hand to create a 'get away' camp that will also be a place we can evacuate to when hurricanes threaten. The plan is to leave it natural and disturb the area as little as possible. Our long-term goal is restoring it to it's original state - before being logged and farmed.

Growing up in Alabama, the wisteria, kudzu, honeysuckle and muscadine were like southern treasures to me. Later on I learned kudzu was invasive and harmful, but I didn't realize for a long time that honeysuckle and most of the wisteria was, too. As we talked about getting rid of the invasive vines, it felt too wasteful not to make use of them somehow and I thought of baskets. I'd never made a basket in my life, but I began reading about it and discovered these vines were perfect for making the random-weave baskets I'd always been drawn to.

This is my first basket filled with cones from the long-leaf pines and I couldn't be happier about it! My husband and I cut the vines and I made it in an afternoon. I filled it full of plants and gave it to my mom for Mother's Day. It felt a lot like being back in elementary school - "here mom, I made this for you!" I can't wait to get back up there to make more.