The Pumpkin Patch at Smoky Hill Bison Visitors Center

June 4, 2009

I was just talking about our Summer season last week, but we’re already starting to get ready for our Fall season too.
 
The giant pumpkin varieties were planted this week. We lay down drip tape irrigation and black plastic to conserve the water we need to give our crop, then plant the pumpkin seeds through the plastic.
 
The seeds will soon sprout and start vining across the plastic and the field. Before we know it, we won’t be able to see the ground or drive between the rows. 
 
My main summer farm project (and hobby) is my flower beds around the place. Besides having roses and perennials in beds, I also plant annuals.
 
Zinnias, marigolds, and alyssum seem to thrive the best in our hilltop wind, so I scatter those seeds around my flower beds for extra spontaneous color. And then of course I weed and water, but I enjoy the daily change I see in the flower beds as I’m doing it.
 
I notice that when visitors stop by, they pause at the flower beds in front of the Visitors Center first, so they are enjoying them too.