Welcome to The Yardstead!

Well summer is here and it is HOT!  The temperatures have been hovering around 101-103 degrees F this week.  Today (Saturday, June 20th) it was close to 90 degrees by 8:00 a.m.!  Needless to say the garden has been neglected a little this week. 
We are very excited because two weeks ago our hens hatched 4 little babies. They all seem to be doing well and we are so proud of our first hatchlings.  I will be sure to add some new pictures soon.
Last weekend I read about the farm in California producing so much food on 1/2 an acre.  Jason posted a link to their video in the forum.  Of course this made me think of how much more we could be doing here at the yardstead.  So I've been reading and planning.  I added a new article I found this week to the Home page, titled Raising Catfish in a Barrel.  This is a project I really want to try.  First I will need to find the supplies.  I'm hoping to find these at little to no cost.
We've also decided this year we will cut a 100 ft x 50 ft area in the backyard for additional gardening.  We can use it this fall for onions, garlic, and other winter vegetables.  Then in the spring, I believe we will have our own pea patch.  We often put up quite a few quarts of peas in late summer when we have access to a pea patch grown at our Uncle's farm.  Why not try to grow these in the backyard?  I love the idea of rolling out of bed into the backyard to pick peas very early.
Also before the year is over, Jason will be building to areas in the backyard for growing vining plants.  One for a grape arbor that I've always wanted and another area for melons and gourds.
I did get the Colocasia (elephant ears) planted this spring.  These are edible if you need them.  They must be cooked appropriately as they have a high percentage of calcium oxalate crystals in the tubers and stems.  The water used to cook (boil) the tubers or stems must be changed often to remove this chemical.  I love the way they look along the front of the house and we probably will not cook any until they are very well established.
My water chestnut corms are doing very well in a 5 gallon pot.  I believe it will be very crowded in the pot before harvest time this fall.  I will be sure to add pictures of those soon too.
The sugar cane we planted last fall has come up and is already looking like it will be a nice privacy screen along the side fence in the backyard.  I've never seen a tastier looking privacy screen.  I'm looking forward to introducing this tasty treat to the boys in the fall.
In a few weeks I will be starting seeds for our second "summer" garden.  Here in our neck of the woods we can plant another round of zuchinni and other summer vegetables to produce on into the fall.
I will be sure to have Jason add the many pictures we have taken to the forum.  Keep checking back for more articles and information on making the most of your yardstead.