Pictured: Himalayan Blackberries starting to ripen in the sunnier locations 7/26/26.
| This week wasn’t big on photo galleries but the activity on trail-cam was outstanding! Shane did a little foraging and harvesting – we’ve reaped the rewards in our tummies! Enjoy! Amy | Table of Contents: ~ Spying on Wildlife: Trail-cam Videos! ~ The Birds: Discovering with the Merlin App ~ Woods Walks: Hidden Finds & Plants ~ The Bucket Garden: Harvesting the Bounty ~ Garden Guide: Phenology at Work! ~ The Funnies: Plant & Nature Humor ~ The Blog: Upcoming Editions |
~ Spying on Wildlife: Trail-cam Videos! ~
So much happened on trail-cam over the last few days! The creek log camera caught all kinds of neat birds. We had Great Blue Heron, Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk, both adult and juvenile Northern Flickers, Nuthatch, and Quail. I didn’t save some creek log videos of the Steller’s Jay, Pacific Wren, American Robin, Chipmunks, Squirrels, Opossum and the silly Brush Bunny.
On the trail the mama does were taking their spotted fawns out and about quite a bit too. I picked my favorite of those videos to share with you all as well.
Note: Ignore the 2025 timestamp on the deer video—our camera had a brief time-travel glitch after a battery change!
~ The Birds: Discovering with the Merlin App ~
The woods were very quiet again. No life birds for me this time sadly.
Birds we saw:
- Western Wood-Pewee
- Belted Kingfisher
- Downy Woodpecker
- Black-capped Chickadee
- Chestnut-backed Chickadee
- American Robin
- Purple Finch
- Song Sparrow
- Red-tailed Hawk
- Turkey Vulture
- Heard a few others we weren’t able to spot (like the Great Blue Heron!).
Mom’s ‘bird-tree’ now has a pair of Eurasian Collared-Doves hanging out regularly along with the regulars. More and more are starting to become brave enough to investigate it.
~ Woods Walks: Hidden Finds & Plants ~
I didn’t see anything any different than last week either blooming or setting fruit. The Cascara fruit is turning black though and attracting many birds. Himalayan Blackberries are getting ripe up by the barn but not as much down in the woods. I imagine the direct sunlight in the barnyard is pushing them along faster than the shaded areas of the woods. The Evergreen Blackberries are close behind and don’t appear to have any ripe berries yet.
Shane managed to pick a bowl-full of Himalayan Blackberries and made us a cobbler Saturday night!
~ The Bucket Garden: Harvesting the Bounty ~
We’ve eaten some Champion Radishes and a bush Cucumber this week. The Cucumber wasn’t super great haha. He has another variety coming on before too long so hopefully those taste better. He harvested a huge bowl-full of leaf lettuce we’ve used for salads the past few days too. No diarrhea-lettuce for us hahaha.
~ Garden Guide: Phenology at Work! ~
I switched to using phenology to plan my garden, so I created a practical planting guide to help you do the same! Instead of following a rigid calendar, phenology means watching local indicator plants to know exactly when the soil is ready for your crops.
What to look for in Late-July/Early August:
– Himalayan blackberries starting to ripen.
Harvest immediately as they become ready:
– Pie Cherries (last call!)
– Japanese Plums
– Early Peaches
– Early Blueberries
– Summer Raspberries
– Summer Squash
– Cucumbers
– Bush Beans
– Collard Greens
– Swiss Chard
– Carrots: They reach peak sweetness when the foliage hits 12+ inches tall and the root shoulders poking out of the soil are 3/4 to 1 inch thick.
Harvest begins shortly:
– Early European Plums
– Early Apples
– Early European Pears
– Red Huckleberries
– Evergreen Huckleberries
– Red Elderberries
– Onions: When the plants are ready, the the green, tubular stems will lose their structural integrity and naturally flop over at the soil line. Once 50–80% of the patch has flopped, it’s time to let them sit in dry soil for 1-2 weeks, then harvest!
– New Potatoes
– Beets
– Pole Beans
Fall Planting is on the Horizon!
Make sure you pay attention to what nature is doing, as the months listed are APPROXIMATE. Especially with the crazy weather we’ve experienced this past winter until now! It may seem early to start some tasks, but trust that nature knows exactly what it’s doing! Just because I am here in Molalla, OR, doesn’t mean you can’t use the same phenology in your own yard! The concepts work anywhere, though the exact timing will shift—for example, higher elevations or colder regions may take longer for some plants to bloom or set fruit.
Ready to garden by nature’s clock?
~ The Funnies: Plant & Nature Humor ~
~ The Blog: Upcoming Editions ~
We’ll see you next week on August 3rd for the next Gardens & Nature, where we’ll share even more garden guidance and check out what else is blooming!
Be on the lookout on August 1st for our monthly Livestock Edition, where we talk about plans for sheep breeding season!
In case you missed the latest:
Livestock Edition: July 2026
As always, I deeply appreciate every like, follow, and subscribe. You can find our social media links below!
~ Thank You!~
Hollow Hills Ranch 