Here is a list of current yard projects:
1) Tomatoes: We have planted about 80 heirloom tomatoes. We have a few hybrid tomatoes, but these are just to fill some taste gaps (yellow sungold cherry tomatoes, for example). All of our tomatoes were started from seed in early March 2015 and again early March for 2016. We are experimenting this year with growing a few in straw bales
2) Other vegetables: sweet peppers, chiles, eggplants, squash, cucumbers, and beets. These were started from seeds in March and April of 2015 and again in 2016.
3) Shitake mushrooms: These are grown in logs inoculated in April 2015.
4) Birds: Bluebird and nuthatch houses serve the locals who need a place at the edge of the forest to raise their babies.
5) Container gardening: Started with a Meyer lemon and dwarf lime, which have to move into the house in winter. Expanded the effort to grow 2 lemon trees from seeds brought home in an Italian lemon, started 5 years ago. Several annual vegetables seem to do well in containers: lettuce, arugula, spinach, and even eggplants.
6) We added two hives of honey bees (Pirate hive and Dino hive) to the backyard ensemble this year.