June for us was full of ripe, sweet and plump wild yellow and red plums, near perfect potatoes, and juicy pears. It's the first year we've had a zero frost damage and a successful harvest of wild plums. We've made several rounds of plum suko (juice) and wild vanilla plum jam. Plus an amazing bounty of picking and eating straight from the tree. For several visitors and guests of the Orchard Guard Tower it was their first time trying these varieties and they came back for more.

It's been a little sticky around here. Would you stick around for mulberry season?

A question that I often answer with a resounding, yes! I can see the appeal for the city dwellers... socialization, shopping at your doorstop and a variety of events. But what they miss is the peaceful serenity of a pollution free morning of coffee on the front porch overlooking the vineyard with the melody of the birds and chickens. Spring offers a variety of florals and unique aromas. Plus the lambs baaing from the neighbors adds to the rebirth of the season. We love walkin

March came with warm temps and loads of sunshine but also some very curious pigs. Let me set the scene. We were busy weeding the garden until about dusk and I went to feed and let in our pigs. And they were not snorting impatiently at the gate. I called for them and nothing, no pigs. I hollered at Art and after zero signs of them after searching the woods, hillside, fields, and door knocking on the homesteads nearby. We went to bed without the pigs tucked safely inside their

November was a bit gloomy but we still had a productive and beautiful month

The seven year itch living in Albania

Welcome to fall aka the JUICY season here at Homestead Albania

The heat is back and in full burn mode. Several hill sides in the surrounding area have scorch marks. We've ventured to the spring fed...

Our garden has been on overdrive mode for the last few weeks. The cucumbers, peppers, squash, eggplants, and tomatoes are bountiful. We...

April started with heavy frost and snow capped mountains but we survived, mostly. The orchard is still recovering from the major loss....

February came with sunshine, flowers, and new guests. We were busy bees this month here at Homestead Albania. Our Orchard Guard Tower ...

Piles and piles of limbs and vines stack up every January. Art has successfully cleaned the entire orchard, (800+ trees). He focuses on...

Build it and they will come is our dream for 2025. Over the last seven years we've been asked about accommodations here at Homestead...

November was stunning. We had mostly warm beautiful blue skies and sunny days. A vast changed to last years three week gloom and rain...

That's right, Art and I have called Homestead Albania home for six years this month. I left a fancy IT job in New Zealand and moved to...

September was a very busy month but oh so tasty. We've picked figs all month long. This makes our longest fig season in six years. We are...

Wrapping up August in three words: HOT, DRY and FIGS. Our watering game was constant to keep our plants and orchard alive. In the garden...

July was scorching hot with a record number of days breaking triple digits in Fahrenheit and over forty for those Celsius folks....

The garden is in peak production mode. Mornings consist of harvesting climbing beans, peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers,...

Our homestead's transition to May came in strong with new baby chicks, an epic mulberry season, sweet plums, nectarines, and is ending...