Skalitsa Springing Into Action

Skalitsa Springing Into ActionIt seems quite unbelievable that now from worrying about not being able to grow crops this season to now having two plots and other that I can take up if I wish. There is now a never-ending supply of food making resources at my disposal.

The Skalitsa farmhouse is a weekend project well under way, the Yambol town plot is also in progress, but the third offering was from my brother who has a home in a village 15 kilometres from Yambol. I have pruned all his vines this week, but had to decline managing the rest of his extensive grounds as this is too much for me as well as the time and cost of travel is not practical.

Skalitsa Springing Into ActionSo this weekend arrived and the forecast was warm and sunny and the forecast was right for a change! Galia and I arrived to a display of colour that just made us gasp. the tulips where now in full bloom and a carpet of red on the fringe of the garlic bed under the vine trellises. What a difference 5 days has made as the greenery had now come into play on the field and the onions and garlic now clearly visible on the plot that was planted not so long ago.

Within ten minutes I was in my blue village outfit and working away on the land preparing for the sweet corn, melons and carrots. In my element was an understatement as Galia looked on at this crazy Englishman sweating away with his labours breaking up the soil in preparation for the honey melons that were laid a few hours later. These were sown and plastic bottled put over the top weighed down with a brick creating mini greenhouses and will probably remain for a few weeks until they greet the hotter weather towards the end of the month. This is the Bulgarian way and now mine.

Skalitsa Springing Into ActionThen two beds of sweet corn were prepared, both had to be square to aid cross pollination and set regimented with enough space between for the weeding that will be needed throughout the season. Again, this was quite hard work and that was the buzz for me and the mystery for Galia who again thought I was possessed with my eagerness.

Skalitsa Springing Into ActionGalia helped with the sowing after the groundwork had been completed, three corn seeds per hole as an insurance; the strongest on germination will just remain. Again, all these crops don't need daily watering and should survive 4-5 days without any supplementary water.

Carrots were sown at the back of the strawberry patch and watermelons at the front of the house where a bit of space was found. The soil isn't too good there so I don't expect a bumper crop, but there's nowhere else now with all the farming areas filled.

In the summerhouse the tomato and cucumber seeds had germinated with this warm weather and they would be taken back to the Yambol plot with their thirst for water. All is under control and it feels great.


Skalitsa Springing Into ActionThe vines are now weeping as we sit in the sun under the trellises being dripped on, we just move to avoid them never every getting annoyed, this is spring, this is nature starting another cycle gathering up momentum, this is a wonderful feeling watching it happen before us.

Galia loves flowers as she gathers bunches to take back to Yambol for Baba. What a treat and all for free! That’s the beauty of it all, no reliance on anyone but ourselves and nature.
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14 comments:

  1. Martin, all for free till you start adding up all your hard work.,but then that's one of the reasons you moved there, to have a farm and be close to nature and grow your own food your way . .Indeed you are at home .Just like the song I sung as a kid Old Mc Donald had a farm e i e i o.I'm so glad you are happy and your sweet wife watches you and says to herself " I am a lucky women " I want to say I have planted many gardens in my life time ,but none as pretty laid out as yours ,my compliments to the farmer.The flowers are pretty , we had tuplips in Oregon , but I don't see many here in Thailand , I wonder why?.Maybe like many flowers and blubs they need a freeze every year . Of course we don't have that here in the LOS.Take care and remember to drink lots of water while working . Malcolm
    Question: will you sell the extra when harvest time comes for income ? are will you just share it with friends and family? just wondering ,what with all the stuff and the amounts you are planting.

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  2. Looks like you are pretty set already.

    Sure nice to enjoy fresh produce that you've worked so hard on. Enjoy your bounty soon! :)

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  3. Hi Martin,
    You've got a great spread going there in both the town and the village! Good luck...it's fun watching it come along! And you sound very happy with the life you've made!! That's great!!

    Have a great day,
    Sher :0)

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  4. Hi Martin,

    I love the open space u hv there ! Our garden is only 5 by 10 meters, sandwiched between 2 neighbours. We hv tried growing veggies but to no avail.

    Just this sunday, hubby n I spent the whole morning weeding n pruning the flowerbeds. We had such muscle pains after that :-/ We hv 2 side borders full of bright yellow narcissus n patches of blue bells in bloom now :-) The multi-coloured tulips hv yet to blossom. Having a floral garden simply makes our hearts sing with joy ! Even the little birds hv returned to sing n play in our garden :-))

    I do envy ur supply of veggies n fruits (sweet melons r yummy). Since the conversion of our currency to the Euro, these 2 items has risen rapidly. For eg, andive used to cost 45ct euro a kg. Now it's 3,40 !! I hv to trawl around a few supermarts to get money-for-value on just abt all of life's necessities *sigh*

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  5. Hi All.

    Malcolm and CieJay:
    I think you're right tulips need a frost in the winter I think and die off when it gets too warm. Not really suitable for the Thai climate I'm afraid, but then you have hundreds of other beautiful species of plants that more than make up for it.

    Answer - Everyone has their own food in the villages, we will bring some back for town family, but selling produce is not practical at all here, especially from a foreigner still learning to grow the Bulgarian way.
    Take Care!

    Lina:
    Thanks Lina, 20 days for the first lettuce salad and then there is non stop food until October!

    Hi Sher:
    This says it all :)

    Dutchie:
    Good to hear from you again. Why did your crops fail, some crops are guaranteed results, potatoes, runner beans, pumpkins etc. Such a shame you have to spend lots on food in the shops which are never as good.

    You must have green fingers with your success with the flowers. How about growing flowers that you an eat? Seriously!

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  6. In response to Malcolm's question and your answer about the excess of farmed vegetables. What about if you grew some flowers for selling on the many religous and festival days that Bulgaria has ? I would imagine that you have already thought of this as a source of income but dismissed it for some reason. Flowers sell all over the world and the extra land you have would surely be suitable for a venture of this kind. I am interested in your reply.

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  7. Hi Martyn,
    Thanks for your constructive suggestions for earning here. There are hundreds of ways to make a little from growing and selling stuff, but the competition to do that is unfounded. Every Bulgarian has some business on th eside that involves growing and selling from convential four walled shop, a bazaar stand to a table or chair outside their house or even on foot carrying goods. Even the bonnet of a parked Lada car is a place where produce can be sold. Most business from the latter are illegal, including the open sale of homemade rakia. Flower stall are everywhere and sellers come out of the woodwork on religious days to swamp the market. Graveyards have at least 15-20 stalls outside trading. It is a buyer's market here too much to go around. I honestly don't know how soemone can spend 14 hours a days behind a counter six or even seven days a week and still not make enough to cover their living costs.
    My own idea is to create some form of growing herb stocks on my land to dry and to sell on as bulgarian tea. But like any business it needs investment something that is not there. This is my goal, but stuck on hold right now as things are. I may try herbs on a small scale new year depending on how things go.
    I hope that explains a little Martyn.

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  8. Martin, I think the soil which is rich in worms n bugs has eaten the seedlings b4 it had the chance to germinate :-( I didnt hv the patience like my late MIL to let it take root in pots prior to planting them in the soil.

    The flowers survived well bec they r bulbs to begin with ... although I am missing 8 of the 11 hyacinth over the years. I just loved the fragrance of this species :-)

    Btw, I like ur new format here !

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  9. Bugs mmmmm, yes I can see your problem, we have ants that just take away seeds, a whole crop of coriander went missing three years ago! I think that slugs, snails and other foliage eaters are not a problem here, it's too hot more most of them. Idid have major probs in the UK and used poison to solve it having tried other methods that didn't really work as well, wasn't too happy about it though although it worked well. Here the crops tned to be checked every day once it get hot and bugs are hand picked off and killed before they get a change of a first course. We have the colarado beetle here as well, again catching them by hand on a daily basis does the trick.
    I know it seems a lot of trouble to go to but it takes no longeer than watching the news in the evening and good news at the end of it.
    I'd be tempeted to give it another go and consult neighbours who might grow crops in the area, they might have local tips that could make the difference.
    I agree hyacinth s are great, we have blue, pink and white in Skalitsa and sit in the home given off their scent for weeks - Happy Days!

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  10. Hi Martin, I would like my life to follow your last line "no reliance on anyone but ourselves and nature". That is going back to the good ole days.

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  11. I like te discussion here. first of all I love tulips, its my second best fave flower of all... I love gardening and farming too, i grew u in the farm so this post make me miss my childhood so much.

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  12. Looks like you're in your cecond life.)!

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  13. I planted my sweetcorn yesterday, using the Laura Ingalls Wilder way too: one for the blackbird, one for the crow, that will leave just one to grow!

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  14. Martin in Bulgaria3 May 2009 at 16:34

    Hi Sarah nice to see you here.

    Sowing three seems to be global.

    Hope you get success in your garden. Fresh sweetcorn when harvested it the best - 10 times better then supermarket stuff.

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