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

The hens are laying again. We are back up to 17+ eggs a day. We also had 11 new chicks hatch and then a sparrowhawk decided to have three too many snacks. Art had to build a new chicken run over the mama hen condo to protect them from aerial assaults. The enclosure was a success. It prevented another attack and all eight chicks are accounted for. Mama hen is recovering from the trauma. Art continued building... a frame for a new greenhouse to add to the garden. The frame is

We've taken this month to evaluate what's working, needs work or can go. Three major things that made the list is the Orchard Guard Tower, pomegranate orchard and the old pear trees. We've had many conversation about where and how we would be build another cabin on the property. We love hosting and could see some potential of one additional cabin on property. Orchard Guard Tower The problem is where in the garden/vineyard could we place it. An ongoing discussion but the needs

A little raki brewing from our grape mash after we finished the last round of drying persimmons. It took four days to finish off the mash to make about 50 liters of raki. If you've ever had raki you know it is a sip not a shot kind of slow burn liquor. Very similar to moonshine that my late great Hatfield ancestors cooked up in the hills of North Carolina. Raki from Grapes We had a few wonderful visitors stop by and tour the homestead and had a few guests stay over at the Or

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...

The love rush one might feel they first settle in a new place tends to dull after a few months or years. But after seven years and I feel...

After the heavy frost damage in April, we've bounced back, almost. The pomegranate orchard has growth but little production at this time....

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...

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....