Strange Fruition

I was reading a new gardening blog (thanks Jane!) the other day and the writer was talking about how that gardening was often just a crap shoot.  And this from a professional gardener!  I had to agree in a lot of ways.  We have worked really hard to amend the soil here naturally, use no chemicals, keep everything neat and weeded (mostly) and then we have a spring like this one that is SO unusually cool.  The figs are a bust, best I can tell.  None of those this year.  We are however, loaded up with strawberries for the first time ever.  I can handle that. .  If you remember, last year I switched all the plants to varieties bred for the south and I think that has made all the difference.  These are Eversweet and Chandler.
So far I've put up 8 half pints of jam and we have been enjoying fresh ones as snacks every day or on salads.  Yummy with some feta and a nice vinaigrette.  I believe I'll make a strawberry shortcake next maybe.

It has finally warmed up enough that the garden has started growing.  And yes, I need to do some weeding and mulching!!  I know!!  That job in Birmingham has kept me working long hours there but that is almost over.  Some of the crops I direct seeded have started to some up but much of it has not.  I may have to resow everything.

I have rhubarbs scattered all over the place in hopes one or two locations hit the magic spot.  This one is doing very well since I got the ants out.  Except for that big yellow leaf; don't look at that.  Behind the rhubarb is a mess of lettuce and kale.  Carrots in the foreground.  I can't get carrots to do worth a crap anywhere but the coldframe.  I guess they like the soil there better than anywhere else.

The broccoli has really shot up this past week.  Hopefully we'll get a good harvest before the heat gets it, and I think we will judging by the way things are currently going.  I really thought we were going to make it all the way to June without turning on the air conditioning and we almost did.  That's mind-boggling!  I have never seen it stay cool this long into the year.  We did end up running it a couple of days this past week however.  Now, it's turned cool again!

The raspberries are loaded this year too!!  Yay!!  Can't wait for these!

 I have been really happy with how large some of these strawberries are but they still have good flavor.  I really, really don't see how people stomach those fake things in the grocery stores.  Gag!!  It much be they have never tasted a real strawberry.

Blueberries loaded too!

After enjoying the asparagus for about 2 weeks I let it go to seed to gain strength for next year.  *sigh*.

The little Easter Eggers are growing like crazy too!!  They are so funny.  All 6 are still doing well.

They are housed in the Goober Chicken Memorial Run where they have their own little apartment with roost and outside run.  They really love the grass and outside coop.  It's big enough they can practice their flying.

The big chickens are doing well too. 

Anybody know this variety of iris?  I moved a few of these from down by the creek to an area closer to the house and in more sunlight.  It is still an area that stays semi-wet, as it has a wet weather creek running through it.  The area is kinda boggy and unattractive and I would like to fill it all in with iris and some of the native grasses so that it doesn't require any mowing or maintenance.

These are already established in the area and I think the purple blended with the yellow would be quite striking.  I have seen these referred to as Louisiana iris or yellow flag??  Two names for the same plant or two different plants??   So, that's the news for today.
How goes the weather where you are?