π± Got sidetracked watching this honeybee puzzle out an approach this unfamiliar thing. Hovered & retried for a couple minutes. First time?
ππ€π‘ππππ₯π’ πππ«ππ¬
@akhateli.farm
A small farm & vineyard in Akhateli village, Georgia, South Caucasus: the very homeland of the domestic wine grape ~8000 years ago. Apologies/you're welcome. Sharing farm updates & agriculture pics from around our region. Take a look: akhateli.org
Pattypans arenβt meant to last. π±
Relentless precipitation = out-of-control late summer #wildflowers. Caucasian germander & various mulleins dominate yards of abandoned homes around here. π±
Small mango tree in summer flush with the most alluring violet leaves.π±
Watching lilies slowly outcompete weeds, grasses, snails: a tale of resilience. π±
ππ€π‘ππππ₯π’ πππ«ππ¬@akhateli.farm Β· last yr.π± Fragrant lilies brighten long workdays at the farm. Someday, these too will be discovered abandoned - and someone might wonder, βwho planted these invasive yellow lilies, and what were their lives like...?β
Marigold costume - rather convincing from a distance. π±
Sold as βbright redβ, these sunflowers actually vary from copper-brown to plain yellow. But just wait for a red sunset, position yourself accordingly, and. π± π
Guinness record: a 493km view. From this vantage you see the whole easternmost range of Argonauts: Colchis, land of Medea & Golden Fleeces. πΊ Bronze Age Greek outposts dotted this coastline. They settled & traded with the mountain peoples for whom those peaks were lifelong landmarks on the horizon.
Class journalism from this local foreign-language media outlet.
ππ€π‘ππππ₯π’ πππ«ππ¬@akhateli.farm Β· 4w agoCasualty count = 0! (afaik) Built on a large hill with a canalized river running through the middle, the nearest town hasn't deployed flood mitigations since the 1980s. This road leads to farmlands that were subsequently demolished.
Authorities have been working to mitigate βseriousβ impact in Telavi, Kakheti, after the local river overflowed following rain during the early hours of July 12, flooding streets and residential areas. No casualties or injuries have been reported.
Telavi Battles βSeriousβ Flood Damage - Civil Georgia
Authorities have been assessing the damage and working to mitigate the "serious" impact in Telavi, t
civil.ge
The same rains that brought this profusion of (fostered, strategically-planted some years ago) wildflowers also brought the need to hire unsupervised labour to help with the overwhelming job of weeding. Guess what happened next...! πͺ π±πͺ β οΈ
Casualty count = 0! (afaik) Built on a large hill with a canalized river running through the middle, the nearest town hasn't deployed flood mitigations since the 1980s. This road leads to farmlands that were subsequently demolished.
ππ€π‘ππππ₯π’ πππ«ππ¬@akhateli.farm Β· 4w agoDon't plan any emergencies - the hospital is closed.
Farmyard trampoline! Big, immobile Soviet-era concrete reservoirs intended for chemical mixing in orchards/vineyards are just mosquito condominiums now. π± But mix with vermicompost, logs, leaves, food waste, and big rocks - it's time to hΓΌgelkultur these into something useful.
The region flooded (again!) overnight, and a local news agency ran with this illuminating shot. You know that place with the nondescript buildings, cypresses and crosswalk? Yeah, water was rushing over there.
Curious that, in this storm-hell, flowers transplanted from seed trays were devoured by slugs/snails, but direct-sewn flowers of the same variety thrived- ignored by pests. What chemical camouflage do direct-plantings have? Or a small amount of (buried!) seed start mix is sufficient to draw bugs..?
ππ€π‘ππππ₯π’ πππ«ππ¬@akhateli.farm Β· last mo.This bizarre, extra-turbulent, undulating front was tracking our direction, but took a slow left turn down the valley. #meteorology Note the precip below the black centre of these clouds - that's hail pouring over scores of vineyards. Dashed hopes for so many 2026 vintages. #viticulture π±
The only shade at this simple church ruin. Above the Shvanidzor River: one Persian cypress (C. sempervirens) in its native range. π± Seed samples brought forth a tiny souvenir. Striking to think they're close relations to the πΊoldest living thing in Eurasia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarv-e_...
This bizarre, extra-turbulent, undulating front was tracking our direction, but took a slow left turn down the valley. #meteorology Note the precip below the black centre of these clouds - that's hail pouring over scores of vineyards. Dashed hopes for so many 2026 vintages. #viticulture π±
ππ€π‘ππππ₯π’ πππ«ππ¬@akhateli.farm Β· 2mo agoA thread of videos folks were able to make after running for cover:
π± One portion of a 50+year-old epiphyllum - apparently a solstice cactus - hanging in a awkward location.
π’ #Azerbaijan continues to aid the flow of Russiaβs oil trade. @occrp.org identified at least 31 companies registered in Azerbaijan managing the safety of Russia's "shadow fleet." π« The #shadowfleet not only fuels Russiaβs war in #Ukraine but poses a serious threat to the #environment.
Dozens of Azerbaijan Companies Manage Russian βShadow Fleetβ Tankers
OCCRP has obtained corporate documents for 31 companies registered in Azerbaijan, which have managed the safety aspects of βshadow fleetβ tankers that avoid sanctions in order to trade in Russian oil ...
occrp.org
Heavy rains caused resurgence of an old #covercrop - Vicia villosa - planted some years ago. Back then, turned out to be a mistake: aggressive vetch strangled the unmonitored tiny perennials (new-grafted grapes, small trees) it was meant to cohabitate with. π± Similar to this, but now Iβm watching:
Daily squalls have become so brutal that lightning blasted a crevasse into a busy highway! Somehow no casualties reported. The same storm system then proceeded to ravage farmlands along its course, including ours. Corn is sideways, cherries litter the mud, grapevines flattened, etc.
No time for updates, daily damage control here. If our region were subjected to more punishing weather, land would be soon inarable; people/firms would quit agriculture within 3-5 years. Meanwhile, Dactylorhiza majalis, a fancy Eurasian orchid thrives in the overdamp High #Caucasus. #NativePlants π±
ππ€π‘ππππ₯π’ πππ«ππ¬@akhateli.farm Β· 3mo agoDestructive near-daily rainstorms continue since March 1, ruining crops across the region, causing avalanches/floods. At least someone is benefitting by taking LITTLE BITES out of the new weird surprise #mushrooms. π±π
Wine's Share of Total National Commodity Exports, 2024. Georgia and Moldova stand out as the most wine-dependent exporters: wine accounted for 4.21% and 4.04% of their total commodity exports, respectively. They were followed by New Zealand (2.84%), France (1.96%), Togo (1.77%), and Chile (1.63%).
Imagine loving humanity THIS much! Please donβt reward inhuman behaviour by friending these bots who farm followers.
Destructive near-daily rainstorms continue since March 1, ruining crops across the region, causing avalanches/floods. At least someone is benefitting by taking LITTLE BITES out of the new weird surprise #mushrooms. π±π
ππ€π‘ππππ₯π’ πππ«ππ¬@akhateli.farm Β· 4mo agoExcessive rain/flooding produced some compelling new characters around the vineyard. #mushrooms π±
Young grape leaf & inflorescence. π±#viticulture
Slowly borrowing the neighbourβs roses through the fence - especially since theyβre first to bloom & impervious to mildew. π±π₯
The subtle red-green elegance of springtime foliage. π±π΄ #agriculture
ππ€π‘ππππ₯π’ πππ«ππ¬@akhateli.farm Β· 8mo agoπ± Valley of golden leaves - pomegranate orchards.
First ever columbine grown at this farm, particularly hard to photo in high winds. After a long 14 month wait, these came out silly clown colours. π±
