NEW CITRUS!! Limequat ( lakeland ) + American oil beetle

Limequat - Lakeland 

Its been a great week for us here, new shipment of citrus came in, We managed to get our hands on the lakeland limequat which I've been wanting for some time now. Whenever the limequats come around its usually the eustis, our normal supplier does not carry the lakeland so we were very lucky to find this one available. The next mission will be to source the tarvaes,  part of our goal is to locate old/odd varieties that the industry has neglected, often at times for the oddest reasons, but I digress.

We just added a new berry bush to our collection!! ( cherry red current ) and a rhubarb ( crimson cherry  ). 

It will be interesting to compare the two rhubarbs we have ( Canada red + crimson cherry ) as when I was growing up I never knew there was more then one type.

I stumbled across this little guy the other day ( american oil beetle ), this is the first time I've seen one, very strange looking thing, almost seemed to stop and watch me as I brought the camera closer, his colour was the most vibrant blue with almost an iridescence as it stumbled quickly along the grass.

American oil beetle

Work has begun on the new greenhouse, pathways have been mulched, hydroponic tomato system is being setup, display racks are full, plants are potted up and most are ready for sale!!.

and to top it all off, we have a week/two of 20c+ weather!. Cant beat that in spring, especially for Canada.

This coming week we will be placing an order with our new sub-tropical fruit tree supplier, as well as sourcing an organic fertilizer we can start to sell + work on our rabbit/chicken shelter. 

Spring is never a boring time round here.

Lakeland Limequat

Oil beetle

American oil beetle + parasitoid 

April harvest - Key limes and calamondins

April harvests

Calamondin + Key Lime

Calamondins and Key limes, what a way to start the day, especially during cold and rainy April. While some curl there face when they eat a cala whole, Me on the other hand, gobble these up like candy at christmas. Key limes are another favourite of mine, in fact, limes, dare I say, are my favourite. Something about there taste sends my brain on a joyride. The smell of a fresh picked persian lime is no less then a oceanic blast of citrus heaven, leaving you unsure of whether or not you want to eat it or smell it all day long. This love for limes has actually lead me to start a few from seed just to see what happens ( red finger lime + Indian sweet lime). I am still in wonder of the finger limes as I have yet to try these little beauties, actually, I have yet to try any of the varieties from Australia due to there tight restrictions on selling live plants internationally. I believe this has changed somewhat as Im starting to see things pop up online. The only way I was able to get the red finger limes was from ebay. It was a year or more now and I have forgotten the seller and the account I used to order,lol. But from what I wrote down, It was the wild red type from the rain forest. One of the only varieties to grow true from seed, with the red colour holding in the inner pulp, even if its not true from seed, the chance of something new is just as interesting and I don't mind waiting 4-7 years to find out, in this case I believe, good things come to those who wait.

If anyone out there has an Australian citrus there selling/trading IM INTERESTED !!

Even if its seeds. I would love to get my hands on an outback lime!!.

So to cap off the night, I figure it calls for a home grown salad with homemade Calamondin dressing and a key lime beer ( HOORAAA!! for MILL ST). 

Good night fellow growers.

Calamondin turkey salad