Reports from the Department of the Exterior; anything and everything we post about work projects, horticulture, agriculture, and property management.
Last summer I experimented with a better way to convert sod to garden. In past years I had tried manually removing the sod with a mattock, or spading it up and turning it with a shovel, or rototilling. However, a new method has proven to be an easier and faster way to convert wild ground […]
As we were enjoying a wonderful lunch outside, something in the orchard caught my eye. “Oh no! Michael look what’s hanging on the apple tree! Quick get your Equipment. Do you need help?” I ran to get the camera and followed him to the orchard. The following video is what was in the orchard and […]
Much has been accomplished on the property this spring thanks to the availability and cooperation of the whole family. In addition to starting the garden, working the beehives, and maintaining the orchard, we had ordered almost 70 new nut trees, fruit trees and shrubs. The plan was to dig a large hole for each one […]
After reading of some folks’ concerns about a sustainable human future on our planet, I am reminded of the words of God: “men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth;” Luke 21:26 Their primary concerns are poor environment, overpopulation, and unsustainable economy. Yet these pale […]
There is a lot that goes into fruit production in Taiwan and one Saturday this April I was invited to join the banana harvest. Chen Po Hau’s father is a professional banana farmer. Together they told me a lot about how the fruits come to maturity, starting as a large bud at the top of […]
Yu Shan! Po Hau’s invitation and orchestration efforts all paid off on March 6 and 7 when he and his brother Po Song, three from Nan Jung Junior High School, four others and I met up for an intense two-day hike. The first night was spent not far from the Tatung Vistor Center, and for […]
“Ye shall know them by their fruits.” For the past few years we have begun evaluating a few peach cultivars here in our orchard. A summary of our conclusions so far would simply be this, that the ‘Reliance’ cultivar (planted in 2005 on seedling stock) outperformed the other 4 varieties tested by a long shot. […]
Almost a year ago was the post: The High Places of the Earth, Part I. In it I shared that as we follow God (giving Him the first part of our time each week) He leads us along the high places of the earth where we can be most useful and influencial. For me, visiting […]
Did you know that skunks are very confident but not very courageous? The night was warm for September. The singing chorus of crickets and dew-covered grass helped to muffle the sound my footsteps. Cautiously, I moved from the shadows of the forest into the moon-lit field, scanning for any signs of occupation. A few minutes […]
We have been blessed with another successful beekeeping year so far. I was delighted to see our ten productive hives bring in a surplus of over 600 pounds more than they needed this spring. It was more than they had ever brought in before. Recently I read an opinion stating that people should not eat […]