Late April life on the sub-urban farm

It's nearing the end of April, and I'm wondering where the year has flown to?  The summer crops are all planted, except for the sunflowers; they get a new bed this year. Much like last year, this year I've planted: okra, two types of bush Lima beans, pole Limas (from last year's harvest), cilantro, basils, sage, stevia, onions, garlic, several kinds of peppers, Hansel and Ichiban eggplant... and edamame.
Tomatoes include Roma, Celebrity, Cherokee Purple, Yellow Pear, and a new one: Radiatior Charlie's Mortgage Lifter!  What a name!

The over-wintering crops did so-so. The Romaine lettuce was killer! Unfortunately, the cruciferous veggies (brocolli, cauliflower, kale, and brussells sprouts) got hammered by green caterpillars.  I'm trying to show the chicks how to eat them, but to their credit the caterpillars are well camouflaged. I pick them off and give them to the girls, and then spray the plants with Dipel dust... One broccoli plant did well - it's right next to the onions, and no caterpillars.... lesson on companion planting learned!

Saturday I went to Ambrose Family Farm on Wadamalaw and picked organic strawberries in the rain. They had a great year, which they attribute to the cold weather. I made 8 pints of strawberry preserves Sunday... yum!

I love the early mornings before work, when I go outside with a cup of coffee and watch the girls jump and bump and play in the coolness of the morning...

Helen and Geneva waking up on a cool Monday morning... Geneva flew on top of the coop to find goodies in  the chestnut tree...