The crows that plagued the corn maze last year are apparently off bothering some other farmer. It looks like we’ll have the full six-acre field with a good stand of corn for the maze. We do also have plenty of weeds in the maze field, but we’ve been working hard to control the pesky weeds before they get too big, and it looks like the hard work is paying off. I’m still waiting for the summer heat to arrive. That’s what we need to grow those 10+ -ft corn stalks. I’ve been thinking about this year’s maze theme and design, but I won’t be making any announcements about that for a while.

 The gourds, winter squash, and pumpkins are coming along nicely. I’ve been watching the first flowers appearing in the last couple of weeks. In fact, I’ve already found the first tiny gourds and winter squash forming. Now that we’ve accomplished the first big blitz on the corn maze weeding, it’s time to tackle the big pumpkin field before things get out of control.

 Our first planting of sunflowers is starting to form flower buds, so it looks like we are on track for our Sunflower Celebration in August. Just last Sunday I noticed the tiny sprouts from our last planting, so I’m looking forward to enjoying the sunflowers right up until our October frosts.

 I mention all this because it does seem sometimes that we can never catch up, something I’m sure I share with many of you in your own jobs and home lives.

That’s where our lavender and other herbs and botanicals come into play.

It’s difficult to spend any time in the herb and lavender plantings without pausing to enjoy the pungent aromas and observe the flowers, some subtle, others vibrant. No matter the season, a little time in the herbs can lift one’s spirit. I always enjoy spring in the herbs, as the plants awaken from winter dormancy and sprout new growth. The chamomile bursts into bloom early, drawing us back to the herbs with a cloud of tiny apple-scented flowers.

Then comes July and the lavender bloom, the crowning glory of the herb garden. Of all the herbs and flowers, lavender excels in inviting one to pause and just enjoy the moment.

Of course there is plenty of work to do in the herb plantings. We’ve been harvesting chamomile daily. Weeds are aways returning. The lemon balm, sage, rosemary, peppermint, spearmint, thyme, and probably several other herbs are nearing their first harvest of the year.

I have been concerned about the delay caused by the cold weather, but the Royal Velvet and Maillette lavenders are now blooming. We have already started cutting a little for our own enjoyment. They will be in fine shape this weekend for our Lavender Celebration.

This weekend we are opening the farm so you can come and share our enjoyment of the lavender in bloom. Take a break. Come on down to the farm for some fun and relaxation.

Enjoy the opportunity to stop and smell the lavender.

 ”Dr. Maze”

 (This is the intro letter from our July newsletter. Click here to sign up for the newsletter.)

Crows in the Corn, the 2010 Corn Maze Photo by Cameron Lerum

The first aerial photo of our 2010 corn maze, Crows in the Corn, was taken by Cameron Lerum as he flew past the farm.

Why did we honor crows with our corn maze this year? Earlier this year when the corn sprouted in our corn maze field, we were happy to see the entire field beautifully filled in with tiny corn seedlings. Then came the crows. Flocks of crows. Sky-darkening hordes of crows. Crows that delighted in pulling our corn seedlings out of the ground to eat the seed. Not to give up, we replanted seed by hand into the barren spots. Once again new seedlings filled in the rows. The crows came back for more. We planted corn in flats in the greenhouse, grew the corn to a larger size and planted the seedlings out by hand. The crows pulled up many of these, but finally found somewhere else to feed.

All through this we tried ways to scare off the crows. Electronic crow alarm calls, shiny bird scare tape, balloons with big scary eyes painted on each side, endless walks through the field clapping hands and shouting, air horns, and probably more I’ve forgotten. I even went out an bought a remote control airplane to fly around the field and buzz the birds. I crashed the plane twice in the first two flights and an important repair part is still on backorder. All these methods worked for a couple of days, but crows are too smart to be deterred for long when they know the banquet is spread out for them.

As a result of all the crow feeding we spent many, many more hours and days working on the corn maze than I had planned. When the time came to choose a theme for the maze, the choice was clear. Crows in the corn was the theme of my summer.

In the end, we were faced with a number of areas in the corn maze where there was hardly any corn plants to see. This is usually not a good thing to find in a maze of corn. To make use of those spaces and to add to the maze-solving fun we embedded five additional walk-through mazes and two labyrinths inside the corn maze. This is, after all, Dr. Maze’s Farm.

The embedded mazes are all made of common farm items. The Flying Crow Maze and the Standing Crow Maze are walk-through mazes made with farm fence posts, recycled water drip tubing, and bird scare tape. There are three walk-through logic mazes; the Color Maze (made of hard irrigation pipe), the Number Maze (made of fence posts), and the No Left Turn Maze (made of hay bales). You may find yourself spending a fair amount of time figuring out these three maze.

You will have to decide for yourself how to interact with the two labyrinths. You can walk them as an aid to contemplation. You and a partner can each start at an entrance and race to see who will exit first. You can just hang out. The Hay Bale Spiral is made from 85 hay bales laid out in a double spiral. The Tunnel Spiral is made from row cover, a light fabric we lay over plants to protect them from pests and to give a bit of warmth. The fabric is stretched over the wire hoops we use to make low greenhouse tunnels in the fields. The wire hoops are duct taped to the tops of fence posts. Bamboo poles add rigidity. Water tubing adds a finishing touch. In honor of this year’s crow theme, we have painted numerous crows on the fabric for you to enjoy as you pass through the tunnel.

In the photo above can see the hay bale spiral and the tunnel spiral in the upper right corner, several people in the Number Maze in the lower left corner, and the hay bales of the No Left Turn Maze at center left. The sun glints off the Flying Cow and the Standing Crow mazes. The Color Maze is in the center of the corn maze. The maze entrance, covered by a white tent, is at the lower left of the maze. Compare the photo with the map seen below.

The photo also shows our green & white farm stand tent at the far lower left, and our hay ride wagon between the farm stand and the maze entrance. Our Pumpkin Patch lies between the corn maze and the road. You don’t see any pumpkins because they were all still green when the photo was taken.

Map of the 2010 Corn Maze, Crows in the Corn

The corn maze map may help you interpret the aerial photo of the corn maze. The black line is the path through the maze.

Be aware that due to an exceptionally cool summer and to huge flocks of crows feeding on the corn as soon as it sprouted, the corn stalks are not as dense as we would like and range in height from ok to very short. We think our corn maze still works very well as a maze and is lots of fun, but it will be a different experience from last year. So far, folks have been enthusiastic.

]]> http://drmazesfarm.com/farmerroger/2010/09/13/2010_corn_maze/feed/ 2 http://drmazesfarm.com/farmerroger/2010/03/01/announcing-dr-maze%e2%80%99s-corn-maze-pumpkin-farm-and-dr-maze%e2%80%99s-botanicals/ http://drmazesfarm.com/farmerroger/2010/03/01/announcing-dr-maze%e2%80%99s-corn-maze-pumpkin-farm-and-dr-maze%e2%80%99s-botanicals/#comments Tue, 02 Mar 2010 02:15:56 +0000 FarmerRoger http://drmazesfarm.com/farmerroger/?p=416 This year will look different at The South 47 Farm.

Much is changing, but some of your favorites will remain.

The partnership that owns the farmland and has operated the farm for the last 10 years has decided to get out of the farming and farmstand business. Instead we will concentrate on renting the land at The South 47 Farm to other farmers and farming organizations. The partnership feels this is the most sustainable way to keep the land in farming.

Carol & I have decided to take on and continue some of our favorite projects as our own family farm, Dr. Maze’s Farm. We will continue the familiar fall harvest farm activities and the teas and the essential oil distillations, and we plan to add even more excitement. Other farmers will be growing vegetables and fruit.

In September and October visit Dr. Maze’s Corn Maze & Pumpkin Farm for harvest time fun! Explore our fabulous mazes, pick a pumpkin from the field, greet the goats and alpacas, shop at the farmstand, take a hayride, and enjoy refreshments. Discover our three dozen varieties of pumpkins and winter squash, as well as gourds, cornstalks & other fall decorative objects.

Visit Dr. Maze’s Botanicals where we create herbal teas, essential oils, mists, and other botanicals from lavender, rosemary, mints, chamomile, and other plants grown right here at the farm. We plan to expand the herb plantings and start production of a variety of new items in addition to our essential oils and hydrosols (herbal mists). We are planning to start with foaming hand soaps, lotion bars, and bath salts. Stop by to see our two hand-made copper stills and check out our selection.

Keep in touch with our website, blog, & twitter to see the new developments.

Anise Hyssop blossoms

Anise hyssop is a mint with a distinct licorice flavor. A tall plant, anise hyssop grows rapidly without requiring more than basic care. You can establish a bed of anise hyssop in your garden that will return year after year. Bees and other polinators love to visit the flowers. I like making a simple syrup with anise hyssop, using both the leaves and flowers. The licorice-flavored syrup is refreshing over shaved ice or mixed with fizzy water.

Thyme blossoms

A bee’s-eye view of thyme flowers.  Thyme plants are small and compact. A little fresh thyme goes a long way. Anyone who enjoys both gardening and cooking should consider dedicating some room in the garden for thyme.

Phlox blossoms

Phlox bears large clusters of small flowers. You can find varieties of purples, reds, pinks, and whites of this perennial plant. Phlox has a distinct aroma. Most people find it appealing, but some folks find it off-putting. Phlox is often recommended as a butterfly magnet for butterfly gardens.

Rudbeckia flowers

Rudbeckia, often called black-eyed Susan, is a very attractive plant in bloom, bearing many bright yellow daisy-like flowers. This is one perennial plant that does well for us with minimal care, and would be a good choice as a landscaping plant.

Yarrow blossoms

Yarrow is considered a weed by some, and a medicinal plant by some. It forms flat clusters of tiny flowers. We have a pastel variety with a number of different hues. Yarrow flowers last quite a while as cut flowers, and dry well, retaining their color.

Tomatillo blossom

Tomatillo flowers are showier than those of their cousins, the tomatoes. The fruits are covered with a papery husk, and are usually harvested slightly immature. Most commonly used as the basis of salsa verde, tomatillos can also enjoyably be grilled, roasted, sauted, and stewed. 

Cucumber Blossom

Cucumbers have a small yellow flower. Cucumbers are part of the cucurbit family (Wonder where the name comes from?) along with squash, pumpkins, gourds, melons, and watermelons. You can see the similarity between the cucumber blossom and the zucchini blossom, also shown in this entry. We grow several dramatically different cucumbers that I’m sure I’ll write about when the time comes.

Vitamin Green blossom

New to our farm this year, we planted Vitamin Green at the suggestion of Claire Thomas of The Root Connection Farm. It is an excellent green, and was very popular while we had it. Like most greens, Vitamin Green is harvested before the plant sets flower. This year the sudden switch from cool and damp to hot and dry pushed these plants into flowering before we could complete the harvest. This bolting to flower is an undesirable trait in a crop of greens. Much effort is put into breeding resistance to bolting.

The flowers are characteristic of the brassicas, which includes a quite large list of crops; broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, turnips, kohlrabi, kale, collards, mustard, and gai lon, as well as a number of Asian greens less well known to most of us here.

Zucchini Blossom

This is a flower of the Romanesco zucchini, an heirloom variety that we find far superior in flavor and texture to modern types of zucchini. We grow four varieties of summer squash. I will let this photo represent all the summer squash in the blossom photo series. We just started havesting summer squash last Thursday. As long as we keep on picking squash, we should have summer squash until the weather turns cold nest fall.

I expect the potatoes will start blooming before long. Look for potato blossom and sunflower photos soon. I have a sage flower photo, but I need to go back and try again with the tiny thyme blossoms.

Jupiter's Beard flowers

Jupiter’s Beard is a drought-resistant and durable plant in the garden. It  is also a good choice for a butterfly garden. Jupiter’s Beard’s clusters of small dark-pink flowers work well as a long-lasting cut flower. I’ve poked around some online trying to find out how Jupiter’s Beard got it’s curious name. So far I’ve found nothing on the subject.

Coreopsis flowers

Coreopsis is another good plant for the garden. Like Jupiter’s Beard, the plant is very hearty, and blooms all summer long if you keep deadheading the spent flowers. As cut flowers, the blooms usually don’t last a week, but they do add cheer to a mixed flower bouquet.

Delphinium blossom close up

Delphinium’s tall spike of massed blossoms are a striking addition to a flower arrangement. Here I’ve focused in on just a few flowers in the spike.

 Our yarrow is just about ready to bloom. The dalhias, the real mainstay of our cut flower perannials, are still busy growing folage, and won’t be blooming for a while yet. Sunflowers, China asters, and zinnias are our main annual cut flowers, along with a half-dozen or so other flowers to make things more interesting.

Lovage blossoms

 Lovage has been around for a long time. It was a major herb in Roman times. It’s intense flavor reminds most of celery. The stalks are quite fibrous and respond best to cooking, while the leaves can be eaten raw or cooked. Be careful with the amount, lovage will take over the dish. The hollow stalks make a great straw to drink your tomato juice (vodka or no), adding the lovage flavor.

Sorrel blooming

Sorrel is one of the earliest greens, so sorrel soup is traditional springtime tonic. Sorrel has a lemony tang that adds a spark to salads. Once the plant sends up the big flowering stalk, the plant devotes its energy to flowering rather than forming leaves. Usually you can chop the whole plant back and get another crop of leaves.

Catnip blossom with bumblebee

This catnip plant is growing in a large pot near the farmstand. Catnip is a big rangy plant with small purple flowers that appear designed to make it easy for bees to visit. Here a bumblebee is collecting. There are usually bees around the flowers. We have bumblebees and small native bees as well as the familiar honey bees. We are planting catnip for the essential oil. I hope to distill a batch or two this year.

Chamomile blossoms

Last year’s chamomile planting has established well. We have already started harvesting the chamomile flowers for tea, a popular item in the farmstand. If we can spare any flowers from tea, I’d like to try distilling chamomile essential oil. The yield is quite low, so I may wait another year for the plants to get larger.

The first pea blossoms of 2009

Raspberry blossoms

 Today I found the first raspberry blossoms. There are still just a few, but there seems to be a good crop of buds coming along. The raspberry blossoms are quite inconspicuous. You have to walk right up to the plants to see the flowers. The bees seem to have no trouble finding them, though. 

Honeybee feeding on a Thornless Blackberry blossom

In contrast, blackberry flowers are much more showy. The flower’s big floppy white petals span a couple of inches. We grow four varieties of thornless blackberries. In this photo a honeybee is collecting from a flower. I also saw a number of bumblebees and small native bees in just a minute or so as I was taking photos today. All the bees are in constant motion. For me, capturing a good bee photo is a matter of taking enough photos so that I have a good chance at getting one I like. 

Tomato blossoms

It’s exciting to see the first tomato blossoms. The first vine-ripened tomato is always a high point of the year. There are many great tomato varieties. Every year we trial a few varieties new to us, but we do have a list of favorites that would be hard to displace.  

A pile of fresh-picked Black Locust blossoms

About 10 years ago, soon after we purchased the property, we planted Black Locust trees along part of our boundary fenceline. In the last week, I’ve heard several mentions of eating the blossoms from the Black Locust. Evert recently taught a workshop on foraging for wild edible plants, and told me that the Black Locust blossoms were the hit of the class. I had recently read similar mention from other sources, so I collected some blossoms this morning. I took this phot of my sample pile. The taste is interesting, kind of a floral pea or bean combination. They do have a bit of a crunch when you bite down. I gave out samples to seven people today. The response ranged from mildly interested to a polite “hmmmm.”  Maybe we’ll try selling some in the farmstand, but it doesn’t look like Black Locust blossoms will be the crop that pays for our next tractor.

I took some photos of a beautiful deep blue delphinium, but I didn’t like any of the photos, so I’ll have to try again. We also have quite a bit of chamomile in bloom that I haven’t yet photographed. When I was writing about the inconspicuous raspberry flower, I was reminded that I could probably also get a photo of French sorrel going to seed. So, I’m already three blossoms behind, with lots more to come.