# Singles Homestead Monthy Thread - July



## Raven12

It is way too hot and dry. I mainly have tomatoes, peppers, and basil now. I have a couple zucchini plants that are struggling along. Hopefully, they will make it. The other herbs, onions, spinach, and lettuce are doing well in containers. I picked up a couple of the Husky hybrid cherry tomatoes a couple weeks ago and those plants are doing great.


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## Tommyice

The only things looking iffy here because of the heat are the herbs--mostly the dill. Everything else is just droopy during the day and perk up at night.

Pulled the garlic out--the leaves had laid down so I was told it was time. Very disappointing. They're miniature. Super small. Look more like onions than garlic. I tried growing them in barrels (basically a 55 gal plastic drum cut in half across it's equator) A friend at the nursery just shook his head at me when I told him about the garlic experiment. Nope girl, they have to go in the ground. So I figure Autumn is just around the corner. Right?


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## Raeven

Tired tonight... went with friends to visit the Air and Space Museum which was great fun, but my dinner guests last night stayed till way late and now I'm cross-eyed.

But not so cross-eyed that I didn't notice that I'm going to have to look at the word 'monthy' for a month instead of 'monthly' in the threat title. <scowling a bit at Raven...> Ok, ok, I'm a bit pedantic..

Grump. :yuck:


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## Raven12

Sorry, Raeven. I do that a lot. I think I may have dyslexia. That is one of those disorders that wasn't around when I was a kid. I will try to have the thread title corrected.


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## Raeven

LOL, oh, good grief, no, sweetie!! It's not that big a deal. I was just funnin'.


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## awhobert7

Most of the garden is toast, only tomatoes and peppers left! No rain for over two weeks, temps. in the 90-100. Only reason boys carrying water from pond.


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## Raeven

awhobert7, where are you located? I'm sorry your garden has mostly died.


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## Laura

Coyotes snagged the last of my chickens in broad daylight. My neighbor only has 1 duck left. I'll put the last of my eggs in the incubator and see what happens. I have both bear tracks and cougar tracks going across my driveway. Little dog, Useless, is pretty freaked out. 

Logger cull broke his collar bone an hour after signing contract. We're gonna start in the morning anyway, a week late... DD is worried the house is going to get smashed, she wants to pack her special treasures away in the trunk of the car.

Garden? It's still cold and rainy. The few beans that came up are slug food, pepper and zuchini plants are dwarf. Snow peas are doing great! The blue jays and doves stripped the green cherries and most the apricots from the trees. Fig trees are loaded.

Raspberry patch is looking wonderfully loaded, still buzzing with bees! Salmonberries are huge and sweet, and thimbleberries looke like they will be giant this year.


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## WhyNot

Yesterday I got all my grating and prepping and sorting and organizing done for soapmaking...was hoping it would bring on rain....soapmaking is a great rainy day thing.

I also got a lot of things planted for future farmer's market and got my things ready to repot for farmer's market, cups and labels and whatnot. If it doesn't rain today I'll be repotting about 50 plants and getting my flyer's ready and etc. If it does rain....SOAP! Wheeee!


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## City Bound

Called my Dad and he said the corn is starting to form in the community garden plot and that he has harvested four zucchini.

Feels good being around those fuzzy sheep of Fowler's, they have these cute funny faces when they look up at you. 

Raven, i am very happy to hear about your garden. Great work.


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## frogmammy

Too hot and dry here, watering with city water NEVER does a plant as well as rain water. Finally put shadecloths over the tomatoes and peppers so I don't lose them...I hope!

Mon


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## Terri

My onions are dying back WAY to early: They will be small and hot again. Still good for cooking but no darned good for hamburger toppings.

The okra is ecstatic but everything else is just sort of still alive! It was 107 last week!

I only go outside first thing in the morning, now.


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## City Bound

frogmammy said:


> Too hot and dry here, watering with city water NEVER does a plant as well as rain water. Finally put shadecloths over the tomatoes and peppers so I don't lose them...I hope!
> 
> Mon


It might be the clorine in the water. Clorine damages bacterial life in the soil and chlorine disrupts the biochemestry of bean and pea plants. maybe if you fill garbage cans with city water and let it sit for a day or two the cholrine will evaporate out of the water.


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## Laura

I apologize for referring to these 30 something unemployed rainforest loggers who don't want to work in the rain as "Culls." 

Let me change the descriptive to Late Bloomers.


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## frogmammy

City Bound said:


> It might be the clorine in the water. Clorine damages bacterial life in the soil and chlorine disrupts the biochemestry of bean and pea plants. maybe if you fill garbage cans with city water and let it sit for a day or two the cholrine will evaporate out of the water.


Ask anyone, rainwater works better than ANY other water. I think 108 degree temps go a LONG way toward disrupting just about ALL biochemistry! They put chlorine in your water in New York?

Mon


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## newfieannie

we just had a big downpour after thundering for an hour. thought we would never get any. i have been trying to keep up with the hose. been sweltering here for the passed few days. i just had the steps painted for an hour when it started. i think that was long enough. cement drys quickly. ~Georgia.


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## City Bound

frogmammy said:


> Ask anyone, rainwater works better than ANY other water. I think 108 degree temps go a LONG way toward disrupting just about ALL biochemistry! They put chlorine in your water in New York?
> 
> Mon


i do not disagree with you about rainwater. Rain water is the best. Yes, they put clorine and floride in NYC water. NYC has good water from the mountains that is piped in. so far the water down here in texas has been very good and I have been enjoying it.


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## Ramblin Wreck

Youngest sister took over my garden when I went to full time work in May. She's gaterhing a little harvest, but it's so darned hot, everything is just barely hanging on. Saturday my younger brother and I sprayed the hay fields next door, and with this heat, it should be very effective. I'm not a fan of chemical weed killers, but it seems the best way to get the briars and brambles under control in a reasonable amount of time. 

I'm planning to have a big Fall garden, God, the deer, and the weather permitting.


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## City Bound

Vinegar is a good natural weed killer. I use vinegar to kill slugs also.


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## Ramblin Wreck

City Bound said:


> Vinegar is a good natural weed killer. I use vinegar to kill slugs also.


Yeah, but it's hard to spray 40 acres with a vinegar bottle...plus vinegar kills pretty much everything. This stuff, supposedly, kills only the broad leaf weeds and dosn't hard the grass. However, it does "stunt" the grass a little.


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## Vickie44

Well I feel a little bad saying this but my garden is doing well.Still getting lettuce and the other greens are great . Digging up new potatos and they are fabulous . Started a big jar of self fermenting pickles as the cucumbers are coming in full force , string beans just starting and the wild raspberries ( loganberries) are just getting ripe so this weekend will be jelly, cordials and raspberry vinegar. Saw a couple blushing tomatos and my Brandywines havent perished yet ! 
Got a chest freezer for the cellar as pig harvest will be soon, they are getting big.All is good at my place


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## City Bound

Nice vickie. I am confused why you have all that harvest so soon up there. You are more north then me and my garden is no where near a harvest.


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## Vickie44

CB Everything is coming on early and fast AND I thankfully have a great water supply. I even have peppers already !


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## Ramblin Wreck

Vickie, will you process the pork in the Summer or wait until cooler temps in the Fall?


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## Vickie44

RW If I was doing it I would be aiming for the fall . This one is one of five on another farm that I went in on . The couple doing it has been doing this for five years and they have a processor . I have been learning from them about the raising etc with the plan of doing at the home farm next year if I think I have the time with work and everything else . So far I have to admit I am glad they are not here, time consuming and I tend to get attached.

These five were born in Feb so they are pretty big and close to ready . I am still trying to figure out a temp smoking method as thats my interest ( hard to figure out when you are employed elsewhere most of the day ) The processor has agreed to let me pick up a ham and a side of bacon unfrozen to work with . The rest will be frozen.

I often wish I had the time to do all the things I want to try !


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## City Bound

What is the slaughter weight, 240?


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## moonwolf

hatched the last batch of ducklings. Got around 40 in growing pens. These are welsh harlequin hardy and prolific egg layers. Butchered a couple at 8 weeks netting 3.5 lb. nice eating duckling. So, with a rest of a good summer hoping for freezer camp good waterfowl. Turkeys doing nicely at 5 weeks onto a growing feed and the 'grazer' free range chickens out on clover pasture rounding out the mess of the flocks. 
Oppressive heat this week with temps hitting over 100 and daily around 90 very uncharacteristic for the northland. Busy mowing grass for mulch and the berry crop coming along. Hoping for some good domestic raspberry harvest and shortly for wild blueberry picking adding to freezer camp. 
Well, just keeping at it!


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## newfieannie

i'll have enough blueberries for the freezer if someone doesn't carry them off. same with gooseberries. carrots are coming along nicely. should be able to get a few small potatoes by the weekend.

spent the day finishing off the steps and retaining wall. hope to get the front steps painted tomorrow. then i'm finished with my painting for this summer . repairing cement is awful dirty work not to mention the unbearable heat. ~Georgia


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## Tommyice

Vickie44 said:


> Well I feel a little bad saying this but my garden is doing well.


Don't feel bad Vickie. Zong, Foxfiredidit and Netexan have been taunting us with their harvests. It's our turn now.

So I've found some good in the garden today too. Everything is just beginning to show themselves.

Cukes









Tomatoes









A pepper that might end up being bigger than the plant.LOL









And finally green beans









Pole beans are starting to flower, cabbage heads are forming nicely. Only thing that looks iffy is the okra. Mostly because something is digging in it. On the upside, they needed thinning and I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I mean every time I looked at them I thought about _Sophie's Choice_. How do you choose which ones to pluck out?

Raspberries are done and are in the freezer just waiting on me to get the canning paraphernalia ready for jam.


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## newfieannie

your tomatoes and pepper are looking good .mine are only the size of marbles yet. i set some pumpkins for halloween. i do believe i see a flower from the window. probably from all the rain. not much room in the city for pumpkins. if they start to come good i'll let them grow over the lawn. what's left of it. i'm only leaving enough lawn for a few tea party tables. the rest is being dug for food and flowers. ~Georgia.


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## Tommyice

The tomatoes are about the size of a half dollar, the pepper is smaller than my thumbnail. What you see in the pic is the whole pepper plant--it's about 8 or 9 inches tall. All of my pepper plants are, shall is say, lilliputian?

Love your tea party pics. Did you do one for Canada Day?


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## newfieannie

yes, post 20 on "passing the time" a poor one though. i was so busy working at the retaining wall and it was so warm. i was planning on making brownies tomorrow and try to put your flag on them.blueberries for the blue and some red icing and set up something if i get my steps done. who knows. the heat is killing me. ~Georgia.


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## Tommyice

I don't know how I missed that Georgia. Adorable!

I love the pincushion (and I love unpolished silver too)


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## doodlemom

Part of homesteading with children is either decluttering or storing outgrown stuff. Boy am I mad at myself for buying that robotic dog and cat. Also that chicken that does the chicken dance and that Halloween spider that does a bunch of jigs. They are all going to the dump sans batteries. Hopefully somebody will snag them up quick before the dump police deem them stuffed animals and toss them to household trash.


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## City Bound

Doodle, i find a yard sale is the best way to declutter.


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## doodlemom

I live in one of the few quiet corners of CT where nobody goes. A tag sale sign would be silly.


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## elkhound

ready for rafters........from here on out i will feel like a circus bear on a tight rope.i hate being on a ladder so much.but i gotta get them marked and fitted.


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## elkhound

harvest 25 head of garlic.











side note..heres some different garlic i got from martin here at HT....that i grew from builbis.its small but i let it bloom so i could expand how much i grow next year.i will plant all the cloves and the bulbis.its just now busting open.


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## Raven12

We have received isolated thunderstorms for the last two days in a row. YES!


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## City Bound

I cooked up some grasshoppers from fowler's field. This is the first time I ever ate grasshoppers,they are good. Tastes like meat and roasted peanuts,sort of.


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## Raven12

City Bound said:


> I cooked up some grasshoppers from fowler's field. This is the first time I ever ate grasshoppers,they are good. Tastes like meat and roasted peanuts,sort of.


You are in Texas and eating grasshoppers. You are in one of the greatest culinary areas of the country and you are eating grasshoppers. Tell Fowler that you are NOT to return home until you have brisket and beef ribs.

:bash:


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## NewGround

and tequila...


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## City Bound

Raven, i ate some steaks and other stuff. I have been itching to try grasshoppers for a few years now.


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## Tommyice

CB I think you're wacky enough to wind up in that big ole butterfly net. 
Next time try covered in chocolate--I hear the French love them that way.

Not too much done around here today. Just weeded the asparagus patch. Stared at the tomatoes and willed them to grow and ripen. (no that didn't work so I guess I'll just have to wait it out). Did get all the canning stuff out of the basement and moved into the dining room.


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## elkhound

City Bound said:


> I cooked up some grasshoppers from fowler's field. This is the first time I ever ate grasshoppers,they are good. Tastes like meat and roasted peanuts,sort of.


just cook them good...you can get parasite worms from uncooked ones.


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## Terri

I picked a watermelon yesterday: it was very early for it but it has hit 107 degrees a couple of times so I guess it ripened early.

I set it out at todays Fourth of July meal, but the kids prefered the cake. Philistines!


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## doodlemom

[YOUTUBE]mr5GtScN6V4[/YOUTUBE]


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## City Bound

thanks for scaring the poop out of me doodle.

Elk, i read about the parasites and i tried to cook the grasshoppers good. i was scared that i might not have cooked them enough. They turn red when they are cooked. They looked red when I cooked them, but still i worry a little in the back of my mind.


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## newfieannie

you'd better check then CB to see if you have them. when i was growing up worms were common for some reason. our mother use to feed us worm sticks so we wouldn't get them. or to deworm us or something. it was the shape of a cigarette and we would use them like a sucker. ~Georgia.


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## NewGround

CB you can ask Fowler if she has any sheep dewormer...


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## Fowler

I'm scared to post this link, due to I never know what CB may be cooking in my kitchen. :shocked:

Insects as Food, by Gene DeFoliart; Home Page

He'll eat a grasshopper, but wont try my endless supply of organic milk duds :shrug: my dogs love them....LOL!!


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## WhyNot

Looked at more properties today and found perfection. Wheeee!

Well....you know I'm odd but perfect for my oddness so this place has the same oddly perfect odd perfection.

Walking through the living room I hit my head on the light bulb in the ceiling!!  It even comes with a permanent deer blind and three deer stands...wheeeee!

Found the perfect spot for my meditation hut AND the ******* hottub!!!!

Now it's just time to wait until my other plans fall into place and then I can make an offer. I'm hoping my timeframe of the next two weeks (my estimate for everything to come together) actually doesn't take that long.


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## Laura

We are LOGGING!!!!! The first truckload will go out in the morning and I have sunshine in my barnyard!

Yeah, I had to go to Hayseed and PrairieMan on Tuesday and tell them my logger woes. They weren't happy with my choice, but understood why I did it. Yesterday on the 4th, the logger called to tell me they were starting this morning....and they actually showed up and started working this morning!

It's a strange feeling to watch trees being dropped 20 feet away from, and parallel to your vehicles. What reputation the guy has, he's known as one of the best precision fallers in the area.


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## foxfiredidit

City Bound said:


> thanks for scaring the poop out of me doodle.





newfieannie said:


> you'd better check then CB to see if you have them. ~Georgia.


CB, don't go fooling around trying to find them in a specimen. You gotta take some to a lab, good luck. Self-suficiency is one thing, but it will only take you so far. 

What I'd do is catch a mess of them grasshoppers and use 'em for fishbait. Makes for a more harmonious outcome.


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## Raeven

CB, I worry about you. Fox has some good advice. Catch fish with them instead!!

I'm tired tonight... did more planting in the garden, caught up on the weeding, fixed the irrigation pump, spent some more time messing with the .22. This girl will be ready for a good sleep soon!!


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## City Bound

Well, i looked into it a little more and it is true that grasshoppers can carry parasites, but so do crabs and other shell fish. The hairworm that doodle posted can also be picked up from eating crabs. So, the mainstream foods that we buy are also not safe. 

We can also catch hook worms simply from walking in the dirt with bare feet.

I am worried about parasites in grasshoppers, but it is pretty amazing how mainstream food is risky also.


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## Raven12

Worked on the garden a little bit this morning. I have been watering like crazy. The temps are still in the high 90s. The zucchini is small but they seem to be doing much better. My cherry tomatoes are doing fantastic. I have one or two romas that should give me fruit by October. Lol. I am surprised that my peppers are growing so slowly. I got them all mixed up trying to save everything and start new after that hail storm so I don't know what is what yet. This should be interesting.


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## Groene Pionier

Terri said:


> My onions are dying back WAY to early: They will be small and hot again. Still good for cooking but no darned good for hamburger toppings.
> 
> The okra is ecstatic but everything else is just sort of still alive! It was 107 last week!
> 
> I only go outside first thing in the morning, now.


would canning them make them more mild?
Canning Granny: Canning Caramelized Onions


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## Tommyice

Raven12 said:


> Worked on the garden a little bit this morning. I have been watering like crazy. The temps are still in the high 90s. The zucchini is small but they seem to be doing much better. My cherry tomatoes are doing fantastic. I have one or two romas that should give me fruit by October. Lol. I am surprised that my peppers are growing so slowly. I got them all mixed up trying to save everything and start new after that hail storm so I don't know what is what yet. This should be interesting.


My peppers are puny Raven. One has a pepper on it, and I suspect the pepper will be bigger than the plant. I watered early this morning and about two hours later it looked like the Sahara in the garden. And to top it off, them green beans you saw pics of have been eaten. And not by me. Some critter sheared the tops (and the beans) right off the plant. I suspect a goundhog--woodchuck--whatever evil beastly name you want to call it. Any ideas on how to rid the garden of it?


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## Raven12

Tommyice said:


> My peppers are puny Raven. One has a pepper on it, and I suspect the pepper will be bigger than the plant. I watered early this morning and about two hours later it looked like the Sahara in the garden. And to top it off, them green beans you saw pics of have been eaten. And not by me. Some critter sheared the tops (and the beans) right off the plant. I suspect a goundhog--woodchuck--whatever evil beastly name you want to call it. Any ideas on how to rid the garden of it?


Fencing or netting. I had a problem with my plants being eaten up until a couple weeks ago. I think one or more of the outdoor cats solved my problem.


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## Tommyice

Can't compete with Zong's dilly beans and apple butter but....I did make peach jam today. The local orchard announced early peaches due to the heat. They only had small quantities so I only got enough for eating and jam. In one or two weeks they'll have enough for putting up peach slices. Perfect timing too. I've only got one jar left

















The solid white lid is the one jar I didn't have a lid and ring prepared for. Oh well, guess we'll have to eat that one. Pity.


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## NewGround

Built two homemade Berkey filter units today... Have one cycling the first flush load through now... Built the other one but haven't primed it yet, all set but will leave that way for now... Don't have any food coloring for my leak check so will do that tomorrow... 

Will post pics later...


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## GammyAnnie

I have been making a lot of zucchini pickles this week, yummy!

But this morning after church and as the cooler front was coming through my cousin and I decided to tackle the potatoes, my goodness what a haul! 10 rows of 20 plants each and we harvested just under 10 bushel baskets full. We sorted as we pulled them, most were nice big potatoes even up to the size of my whole hand, but we got almost 2 bushels of small one also.

Annie


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## newfieannie

that peach jam looks so good. i like it on home made bread. that was some haul you got there GA! mine are only as big as large marbles yet. i was out working at my mowing in the country today. i'm going to have a bumper crop of blueberries and black currants. i left at 6am thought to beat the heat but by 8 it was sweltering. ~Georgia.


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## littlejoe

Tommyice said:


> Can't compete with Zong's dilly beans and apple butter but....I did make peach jam today. The local orchard announced early peaches due to the heat. They only had small quantities so I only got enough for eating and jam. In one or two weeks they'll have enough for putting up peach slices. Perfect timing too. I've only got one jar left
> The solid white lid is the one jar I didn't have a lid and ring prepared for. Oh well, guess we'll have to eat that one. Pity.


That would be close to enough to get this starving boy till the first of the year, TI. I love peach jam!!! If you'd care to donate to this drought stricken area, I'll send a shipping addy. 

There are some widely scattered rains and showers around here at the moment, but we've had 2/10ths. Makes for a better sleep, but at least the continual wind has abated.


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## Vickie44

TI The jam looks great ! Peaches already , kinda scary.I love peach pie.

Picked some wild raspberries , not enough for jelly yet , maybe next weekend. Froz broc and string beans and probably the last of the peas and put up bread and butter and garlic dill pickles. Harvested shallots and dug up one row of Red potatos . Replanted katahdins which I was lucky to find, under the bench at the greenhouses ( they forgot they were there lol ) Had to water the garden , takes hours . 

Zuchini fritters for dinner yum


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## Groene Pionier

Tommyice said:


> Can't compete with Zong's dilly beans and apple butter but....I did make peach jam today. The local orchard announced early peaches due to the heat. They only had small quantities so I only got enough for eating and jam. In one or two weeks they'll have enough for putting up peach slices. Perfect timing too. I've only got one jar left
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The solid white lid is the one jar I didn't have a lid and ring prepared for. Oh well, guess we'll have to eat that one. Pity.


any chance of you having a open door policy?


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## Groene Pionier

NewGround said:


> Built two homemade Berkey filter units today... Have one cycling the first flush load through now... Built the other one but haven't primed it yet, all set but will leave that way for now... Don't have any food coloring for my leak check so will do that tomorrow...
> 
> Will post pics later...


that is utterly cool! can't wait to see your pictures!


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## Groene Pionier

Ok, well now, I don't have a homestead, I don't even have a garden. I gave up my allotment last year because there wasn't any water on the allotment and had to haul my water from the house, too much fuzz that was. 
So I am now doing some experimenting in the patio I have.

I have been given some Royal Mail Bags (don't even ask how they got here..) and I have been using them as planters. This is how it looked last month:

http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m564/xdewit/containergardenjune2012.jpg

and this is how it looked a couple of days ago: 

http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m564/xdewit/containergardenjuly2012.jpg


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## Groene Pionier

I do buy fruits and veggies in bulk for hardly next to nothing. Today I made marinated chestnut mushrooms:

http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m564/xdewit/marinatedchestnutmushrooms.jpg


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## City Bound

Very cool use of the bags greone and it is cool to see the europian style canning jars.


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## Tommyice

Vickie44 said:


> TI The jam looks great ! Peaches already , kinda scary.I love peach pie.
> 
> Picked some wild raspberries , not enough for jelly yet , maybe next weekend. Froz broc and string beans and probably the last of the peas and put up bread and butter and garlic dill pickles. Harvested shallots and dug up one row of Red potatos . Replanted katahdins which I was lucky to find, under the bench at the greenhouses ( they forgot they were there lol ) Had to water the garden , takes hours .
> 
> Zuchini fritters for dinner yum


Vickie they were very stingy with the peaches (Demarest Farms in Hillsdale--too lazy to drive up to DePiero's in Montvale) It was a small basket that had about 8 or 9 peaches for $4  But they were gooood. They said they'll have the bushel baskets in about a week or two. So I'll be going back for those.

My raspberries are all picked and in the freezer just waiting on me. Probably this week. I really miss picking the wild raspberries and thimbleberries when we'd go for long horseback rides. My horse was always laden down with lots of containers for wild fruit.

Those zucchini fritters sound good. Do you top them with anything?



Groene Pionier said:


> I do buy fruits and veggies in bulk for hardly next to nothing. Today I made marinated chestnut mushrooms:
> 
> http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m564/xdewit/marinatedchestnutmushrooms.jpg


Very cool Groene. Are those lids reusable like the Tattler lids here? Or are they the kind where you replace that rubber gasket every use?


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## Groene Pionier

Tommyice said:


> Vickie they were very stingy with the peaches (Demarest Farms in Hillsdale--too lazy to drive up to DePiero's in Montvale) It was a small basket that had about 8 or 9 peaches for $4  But they were gooood. They said they'll have the bushel baskets in about a week or two. So I'll be going back for those.
> 
> My raspberries are all picked and in the freezer just waiting on me. Probably this week. I really miss picking the wild raspberries and thimbleberries when we'd go for long horseback rides. My horse was always laden down with lots of containers for wild fruit.
> 
> Those zucchini fritters sound good. Do you top them with anything?
> 
> 
> 
> Very cool Groene. Are those lids reusable like the Tattler lids here? Or are they the kind where you replace that rubber gasket every use?


how cool is that... wild raspberries! I have never had thimble berries I think...
I eat my zucchini fritters (patties) with garlic yogurt. 

the glass lids are reusable or you you must accidently chip them. the rubber rings are also reusable but have to replace them after some time.


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## sustainabilly

Tommyice, you make me feel guilty. I've gotta get to makin my peach jam. Our little tree just keeps puttin out, *IF* I can keep the squirrels away from them when they're small. Must think they're walnuts or something. We picked approx. two gals. of dewberries/blackberries this year. The heat messed with 'em or there woulda been more. I'll have 1 1/2 gals. to put up in preserves. The rest went into cobbler and quick bread.

Spent part of Sun. and Mon. up on the roof prepping for coating. Trailers!! Metal roofing + 90 to 100 deg. = Ungh!! To think, 4 yrs ago it would have been nothing to be out in it all day. Can't lay block/brick indoors. Oh well, times change. 

Cooler here today. Rain comin. Almost finished with my second, repurposed compost tumbler. This one I made from and old dryer tub (+ guide wheels), and an old pool ladder. Have to run to Wallyworld and get more paint. Green, of course. 

Been lucky to've kept the bugs off the summer squash and the blight off the maters. Companion planting's where it's at! I mixed onions, hot peppers, dill, and marigolds in the small garden with the tomatoes. Would have planted some of my basil in there too but, I know Bugs and gang would have made short work of it. Seems to be working. Diversity, you know? Lots of flowers to keep the beneficials happy while they lie in wait for the inevitable aphid invasion.

My son took a video segment on his phone of our 'hummingbird hoard'. I think they decided to have the convention here this year. We've counted as many as eleven, all buzzing around the one feeder. We're calling it 'Hummer Wars'! They smack into each other and aero-spar while they jostle for a turn. He said he'll try to figure out how to enable me to post it. This whole posting pics is new for me. I'm confident I can learn, just have to get my feet wet. Heck, when I first joined HT, I didn't even know how to quote someone.


----------



## Vickie44

TI I top the fritters with a dollop of homemade yogurt and a smidge of Aprocot Jam on that . They are awesome


----------



## NewGround

Okay I goofed and lost my original pics but did some recreations that will give the gist of the process for the filter setup. Note the Berkey filter elements are the best you can get out there and will cost around $50 (so 4 /$200) but are good (using 2) for 6,000 gallons of treated water so that's like $.17/gallon of safe, pure drinking water...

For two complete units:

I purchased 4 new food grade buckets from Lowes for under $4/bucket... I bought 2 brand new standard lids for around $2/each... For the top lids I went with Gamma lids cause I will opening them a lot, 2 lids at about $9/each... The drain spouts were about $4/each if I remember correctly...

First I took one standard lid and placed it over the bottom of what will become the upper bucket and drilled two 7/16" holes through both for the filters...




























I used a utility knife to clean up the holes a bit...

Then in the lower bucket I drilled a 3/4" hole and installed the drain spout...



















After "priming" the filters per the directions they are fastened through the upper bucket and the lid of the lower bucket and hand tightened... The washer stays in the upper bucket for the seal, don't over tighten because you can break them...










Then just put the upper over the lower bucket and you have a clean water system... Per the instructions you run one 5 gallon batch through and discard this water, from then on in it is smooth sailing... All the fittings are hand tightened so the final step is to run a leak check...










The Berkeys are so good that food coloring will not pass through... So you drop some food coloring in the upper bucket, if the filter seals are leaking just gently tighten and retest... Same with the spout seal but you will have to put coloring in the lower bucket or just use some tissue paper if you like...

Berkeys will keep minerals in but all the bad stuff out... I haven't fully assembled my second one yet since this one will do all I need for now but once I get out to the place I'll use the other one there... Perfect for cleaning "city water" or for using rain water, creek water etc...

I want to start fermenting and I needed to clean the water of chemicals so it will not kill the beneficial bacteria I want to grow in my ferments...

Took around half and hour to make two of these so if you don't have one and don't want to pay the extra for the finished Berkey this is a simple backup water system for any kind of emergency too... With a Berkey if your main water is out you can just scoop a bucket full straight from the pond, pour it through your t-shirt into the upper bucket and minutes later have pure, clean drinking/cooking water... Not a bad deal at all...


----------



## Groene Pionier

NewGround said:


> Okay I goofed and lost my original pics but did some recreations that will give the gist of the process for the filter setup. Note the Berkey filter elements are the best you can get out there and will cost around $50 (so 4 /$200) but are good (using 2) for 6,000 gallons of treated water so that's like $.17/gallon of safe, pure drinking water...
> 
> Not a bad deal at all...


Very very cool this is! thank you for sharing and putting in the efforts to let us know how you did this! I wish you told me before, my Berfkefeld costs a little more then what you spend:/

I do have the white ceramic filters though, don't know the difference...


----------



## JohnnyLee

FINALLY got some rain here! Been raining all AROUND here, but never here! WOO HOO!


----------



## tambo

Canned 23 pints of tomatoes today.


----------



## City Bound

something ate my corn at the community garden. All of my corn except one ear. I ate that one ear raw. There was a rat in my corn patch i have a feeling that rat was eating all my corn. Rats are gross. Second year my corn was stolen.


----------



## sustainabilly

City Bound said:


> something ate my corn at the community garden. All of my corn except one ear. I ate that one ear raw. There was a rat in my corn patch i have a feeling that rat was eating all my corn. Rats are gross. Second year my corn was stolen.


CB. You could try Catnip in with your corn (in pots, it's...prolific). 'Course, cats may be an issue, but at least the seed is cheap. Then again, you could plant Valerian near someone elses corn. I've read that the Pied Piper of Hamlin carried the root to lure the rats. The music was just a decoy. No really!:run:


----------



## City Bound

thanks billy.


----------



## newfieannie

some good looking stuff there Tambo! i've been working straight out from the country to the city. got to go back to mowing in the country tomorrow but today i am finishing up the walkway all around the house. i used a long handled brush. (dont have a power washer) couldn't believe the dirt that rolled off. i went out several times after it dried just to look at it. same way with my shed. looks like i have a new shed. if i had any extra pounds on me they are gone. 

this was my supper. gooseberries. i brought these from the country when i bought this place. this much is just off a couple of branches. all i see in the stores are the big hairy ones which i'm not fond of. as you can see they are small but so sweet. didn't even need sugar. just slathered them with all that cream . i'm eating them now. so good! but of course not for people who dont like gooseberries. i will have plenty for jam. ~Georgia


----------



## City Bound

I have potato beetles in my plot, and unfortunately no they are not a Beatles cover band from Ohio.


----------



## City Bound

mmm, me wantz gooseberries. Munch! Munch! Munch!


----------



## NewGround

Yesterday the guy brought out the loader to clear the land...










He scratched out a little 30 x100 strip just to get a feel for what he needs to do...










Killer day at work and had to work late so I couldn't get out there today but he says he made some good progress and work may go faster than he first thought... I will meet him out there tomorrow after work, can't wait to see some cleared land...

Had some rain around here overnight and he said the place needs some more just to hold down the dust... Lots of rain in the forecast for the week but hoping it's enough without being too much... Woohoo! Progress...


----------



## City Bound

newground have you decided on the size and design of the cabin?


----------



## NewGround

City Bound said:


> newground have you decided on the size and design of the cabin?


Yes "I" have, but it just got bigger so it can have a full size, old-timey bath tub...


----------



## City Bound

ok, awesome. I remember you musing on different ideas but I do not recall you mentioning settling on a design. 

Good luck with the build and post pics of the progress if you can.


----------



## City Bound

eating pickled eggs I made before I went to texas. man, they are good. mmmm. I added just a touch more water to the recipe and it came out the way I like it.


----------



## JohnnyLee

Still just sitting tight at my mom's, saving money for a place. Got some lemons last week that were about to go bad so made some lemon syrup to make lemonade with. Good stuff, not as good as fresh, but will do.

Been so hot, you gotta have an ice cold glass of lemonade with your morning coffee! lol










My mom is really scared of gas and guess what the water heater is in her house? Natural Gas! lol

Here is my bucket I heat my bath water in, a couple hours in the noon day sun and it is nice and warm!


----------



## barnyardgal

With being so darn hot & dry-not having to waste gas on mowing but been watering the heck out of flowers/garden from the pond-they are staying alive but not doing all that great~

Hummingbirds been really busy at the feeders the past couple of weeks~~

Getting ready to start quail eggs in the incubator this weekend~

made 16 pints of plum jelly a couple weeks ago~


----------



## tambo

My okra has stayed at ankle high for forever. It finally worked it's way to just above knee high and kinda bushy. I never saw any blooms or anything on it so I was surprised the other day I walked by it and saw a hugh okra pod on it. So I gave it a good trim last night when I got home from work. It made me sick to throw all those over grown pods away. I cut alot of leaves off too so I can see what's going on with it now. I thought I was going to have to get a bucket to sit on while I was trimming it, it was so low. It killed my back stooping over.


----------



## City Bound

I just tried a few rose of shannon flowers for the first time and I am greatly impressed, they taste like iceburg lettuce. 

I have some zucchini and yellow sqaush from my garden roasting in the oven and I made a sauce for them from tomatoes from the garden mixed with avacado to go over the roasted vegg. 

I have some red currants sitting on a window ledge and I am going to see if they will sun dry. Also, cut and put up a giant mess of stevia leaves to sun dry for winter use.


----------



## City Bound

I was able to catch up on my tea experiment today. In spring I picked some honey suckle flowers and wood sorrel to dry. The honey suckle was for tea (because I saw that the chinese drink it) and the wood sorrel was dried to see if I could make a powdered spice out of it.

The wood sorrel lost almost all flavor when dried so it was useless as a spice. Tried making a tea from it, it made a faint tea that I do not see much worth in unless it has good medicinal properties.

Honeysuckle made a nice soft and mild tea with a slight hint of sweetness to it. I think honeysuckle tea would be very refreshing if cooled in the fridge for summer drinking. It had a sort of summer flavor to it.


----------



## elkhound

are you using a tea ball


----------



## City Bound

no tea ball. I use one of those tea strainers that sit in the cup. I did not use anything for the honeysuckle because the flowers were big enough to push back with my upper lip.

Elk, can you share your recipe for the jar of pickled eggs, hotdogs, and whatever else was in that yummy looking jar with me?


----------



## elkhound

City Bound said:


> no tea ball. I use one of those tea strainers that sit in the cup. I did not use anything for the honeysuckle because the flowers were big enough to push back with my upper lip.
> 
> Elk, can you share your recipe for the jar of pickled eggs, hotdogs, and whatever else was in that yummy looking jar with me?


theres really no recipe...its like most pickled stuff...sugar and pickling spices and ratio of 1 to 1 vinegar/water.sometimes i use straight vinegar though.add sugar as you see fit.

tons of recipes here

National Center for Home Food Preservation | How Do I? Can Fruits

i dont measure out individual spices anymore.i use a mix from spive barn as its so much cheaper that way.a pound is 6.29 and they want 3.29 for a ounce and half at local store.

Pickling Spice


----------



## elkhound

CB if you want to make a good cucumber pickle get a iceicle pickle recipe.it takes about 2 weeks to make.i will be making them soon for the first time.


----------



## City Bound

Thank you for the links Elk.

My cucumbers pooped out on me. Even if they start growing they will be stunted. 

Ok, so with the pickles half and half and spice as you like. Thanks.


----------



## City Bound

chilled the honeysuckle tea and it tastes good. A subtle but refreshing flavor.


----------



## City Bound

elk, have you ever had your pickled eggs discolor from clove, juniper, or some other ingredients in the spice mix? I got some dark spots on some of my eggs and I am not sure if it is rot, oxidation, or if the woody spiced leaked pigment into the pores of the egg flesh.


----------



## elkhound

City Bound said:


> elk, have you ever had your pickled eggs discolor from clove, juniper, or some other ingredients in the spice mix? I got some dark spots on some of my eggs and I am not sure if it is rot, oxidation, or if the woody spiced leaked pigment into the pores of the egg flesh.


i put beets in my eggs so most time they are purple/redish from them.


----------



## Laura

It's the beginning of raspberry season. Late is better than never! Favors are being returned with buckets of berries.


----------



## newfieannie

i'm so envious. no raspberries here. mine must have died out. lots of blueberries and gooseberries though.

CB how did you make your honeysuckle tea? same as you would the mints etc.? i have honeysuckle which are in flower right now. have never tried it in tea. ~Georgia.


----------



## City Bound

Georia, I took the flowers from the plant and laid them out on a paper plate on a south facing window shelf that does not get direct sunlight on it then I let them dry, rotating them when they needed it. Then I took the dry flowers and steeped them in boiling water to make a tea. Now that I know I enjoy the tea i will dry a few jars of the flowers for making summer icetea. if you make the tea chill it in the fridge do not add ice cubes, the tea is very delicate and light, so ice cubes would just water it down and destroy the subtle flavors. it is nice that you can taste that faint little sweetness that honeysuckle has in the tea.


----------



## newfieannie

Thank You CB! i have my flowers drying now and then i will try it. 

i have been staining my deck today. i only got it half done as you can see because i ran out of stain. i need to do it over to match the walls. i scrubbed it yesterday. i dont know what those black spots are . they dont look that noticeable when i'm out there. guess the second coat will cover it. see i still have my snow shovels out?

it was 33 when i was doing this and the back of my head is still throbbing. i feel good otherwise because it looks much better now.it's been looking awful ever since i bought the place. i just never got around to it before(too much other work i guess) ~Georgia.


----------



## City Bound

geogia, play around with the amount of dried flowers that you add until you find the amount that has the strenght and taste that appeals to you.


----------



## NewGround

Update pics of yesterday's land clearing progress...














































Just a little progress but progress nonetheless...


----------



## Tommyice

Bet them ticks are ----ed off at you now...when's they gonna roast?


----------



## NewGround

Way too dry right now, after some good rains will get a permit and start burning... Most all is scrub stuff it will go fast... Still got the whole north line and some on the south side... Neighbor says will be glad to help with fence hole digging, he has a big ole' tractor... I'll buy the 3-point auger and he'll dig them as we go...


----------



## Tommyice

OK learned a new word that is verboten here. Hmmmm.

Middle picture--is that a view of some mountains in the distance?


----------



## NewGround

Not mountains, those are tress on the rolling hills in the distance...


----------



## doodlemom

I'm on top of a rolling hill with another in the distance too.


----------



## doodlemom

That's grape vines trained up apple tree up front.


----------



## JohnnyLee

Tommyice said:


> OK learned a new word that is verboten here.


LOL! I was reading that and was wondering why they blocked "ticked off"??

Yep, it's my bed time! lol good night!


----------



## littlejoe

doodlemom said:


> That's grape vines trained up apple tree up front.


Since this is word discovery night, I now know the definition of the word "grapple". Thanks for helping me out with that one, DM!


----------



## tambo

Tried my hand at dehydrating some carrots yesterday. This is 6 lbs. of carrots. It filled two dehydrators. I will post another picture when I get them in a jar. I picked and froze some okra. I also picked another bucket of tomatoes. I'm thinking about making and canning some salsa with these.


----------



## Tommyice

Tambo did you dice those? Are they for use in soups, stews and sauces or can you re-hydrate them for a side dish?

Not too much going on here, except trying to figure out how to rid myself of the varmint that's been stripping the bush beans. I've narrowed it down to a rabbit (he left some buttons behind). CB maybe you can call off your minions for me. Pretty please. 

On more productive notes....I finally found THE english muffin method that yields nooks and crannies!!!!!

















Next time, I'll make them thinner--this batch was a little too thick. But they tasted just as good. Especially with that peach jam I made last week. Now all I have to do is learn how to make cream cheese and I'll be set.


----------



## NewGround

Tommyice said:


> On more productive notes....I finally found THE english muffin method that yields nooks and crannies!!!!!


Do tell...


----------



## Tommyice

The secret is the baking powder. Mix it with hot water (that activates it for the first time) and add it at the beginning of the kneading (I use a KitchenAid for that). It makes more of a sponge-y dough than a bread type of dough--almost like a poolish starter for french baguettes. The dough can't be rolled, you put it on a well floured and corn mealed board and press it to the thickness you want. Get them started on the stove top on a griddle but finish them off in the oven.


----------



## Groene Pionier

Laura said:


> It's the beginning of raspberry season. Late is better than never! Favors are being returned with buckets of berries.


raspberries are one of my favorite fruits! fantastic you got BUCKETs full of them


----------



## newfieannie

i always thought if you added hot water to baking powder it would scald it. at least mother always told me and stuff wouldn't rise. on the other hand i do add it to baking soda. guess i learned something new today. they sure look good! ~Georgia.


----------



## Tommyice

Baking powder is double acting Georgia. It reacts when liquid is added and then again when heat is applied. When the Tablespoon of hot water was added to 2 teaspoons of BP it bubbled and fizzed like Alka Seltzer.


----------



## City Bound

Some recent things.

CB's Summer Sage Hobo Salad

Bulger, rose of shannon flowers, abundant sage, salt, garlic powder, olive oil, and hobo spirit.









Dock seed. Going to try to play around with this and make pancakes and stuff.







[/IMG]

Starting to learn to save seed. here is chard seed from my garden. A jelly jar full from one plant. 







[/IMG]

Some red onions from my community plot. Not much but it is a start. They are going for 90 cents a pound in the super market here. I want to see if the green tops will dry out and be strong enough to make an onion braid.


----------



## City Bound

man....I hate how hard it is to post pics. What size is the best size to resize the pics to?


----------



## JohnnyLee

Probably 640x480 is your best bet for resizing the pics, to be kind to those on dial-up or lower speed Internet. If it is something really cool, and only like one or two, 800x600 is good too.


----------



## tambo

Tommyice said:


> Tambo did you dice those? Are they for use in soups, stews and sauces or can you re-hydrate them for a side dish?


Tommy this was my first time doing this. I used a mandolin to slice them then. I've never used anything dehydrated before so this is going to be a learning experience for me. I plan to use them in soups and stews. I have another 6lbs I'm thinking about canning if I can find the time. I will let you know how they turn out.


----------



## tambo

Here is the carrots.










I made a Peanut Butter Cookie from scratch in a cup. 45 seconds in the microwave.


----------



## elkhound

CB tell me how ya saved the seed on the chard i have some falling over now from last years planting that are 4ft plus tall.i havent done a thing to them tops where the seeds are...i hope theres still seed to harvest in them.


p.s. i made a half gallon of refrigerator pickles with cucumbers and onions tonight.2 days and i will be eating fresh pickles...woooot


----------



## shanzone2001

I want to be Tambo when I grow up...you rock, Girl!!!!


----------



## City Bound

elk, with cucumbers from your garden?

Those seeds cling to that stem pretty good so you most likely have almost all the seeds still.
Can you see the seeds on the chard plant? If so, are those seeds brown? if they are brown and dry they are ready. I waited until my plant was totally brown, stems and all, then I cut the stems from the ground, then I heald the plant upside down over a plate and I ran my grip down the stems to take the seeds off onto the plate. it was a little messy so when it came time to do the dock I hung it upside down in a clean garbage bag and I stripped the seeds off inside the garbage bag and that worked better at keeping the stray seeds from flying all over the place......and that would work for chard also, I think.

After I stripped the dock I was using the stems to sweep some of the stray seeds on the floor. Those stems actually swept better then a store bought broom. 

I saved Beet seed also.


----------



## Raven12

Took off a couple suckers/branches from my fav cherry tomato. I am going to see if I get get them to root.


----------



## elkhound

City Bound said:


> elk, with cucumbers from your garden?
> 
> Those seeds cling to that stem pretty good so you most likely have almost all the seeds still.
> Can you see the seeds on the chard plant? If so, are those seeds brown? if they are brown and dry they are ready. I waited until my plant was totally brown, stems and all, then I cut the stems from the ground, then I heald the plant upside down over a plate and I ran my grip down the stems to take the seeds off onto the plate. it was a little messy so when it came time to do the dock I hung it upside down in a clean garbage bag and I stripped the seeds off inside the garbage bag and that worked better at keeping the stray seeds from flying all over the place......and that would work for chard also, I think.
> 
> After I stripped the dock I was using the stems to sweep some of the stray seeds on the floor. Those stems actually swept better then a store bought broom.
> 
> I saved Beet seed also.


yes CB i used boston pickling cucs from the garden.i put a tad to much tummeric in them....but they will be fine.took about 12 to do half gallon jar and 5 small onions from garden.

thanks for seed gathering tips on the chard.


----------



## newfieannie

i only make bread and butter pickles from my cucks. only kind i like and also they are what my friends want for gifts. i'm going to have to buy mine this year.

i have not seen any seed on the chard but i guess it's because i eat all of it. i must give some of them a chance to go to seed.

i have pumopkins growing in the city! just counted the flowers. have 40 or so. lots of bees too. people are complaining about the lack of bees but i grow lots of thyme and they are always around it. ~Georgia


----------



## City Bound

Annise hyssop draws the bees well, they love it and the flower makes a nice tea and can be baked into deserts to make them sweet.

The chard will send out a few seed stalks. Let the stalks grow as they wish and eventually the plant will set seed, then wait for the seed to mature and dry, then harvest them.


----------



## City Bound

Elk you are welcome. You can do it with beets also. It is impressive how big beet plants get when they go to seed.

post pics of the pickles when they are done, if you can


----------



## newfieannie

took a rest from the garden today because the humidity is not so high and i thought i would put together a little grub. made white bread, lemon and pear loaves, hermits, macaroni for my supper. buttermilk scones but they dont seem to have gotten in the pic. on the plate on top of the toaster is some dough i saved from the bread rising and made dough gobs or damper dogs. were they ever good with the macaroni. 

i think that if i am able to ask for a last meal. it will be dough gobs. sometimes mother wouldn't get a chance to bake any of her bread because we would want it all fried for supper. i should go out in the garden though and work them off soon. ~Georgia.


----------



## elkhound

outstanding georgia !!!!!!!!


----------



## Tommyice

Georgia I know you've told us before, but how do you get your bread to look like that? Also do you give it an egg wash before baking?


----------



## newfieannie

i make 2 buns for each pan . i take them apart once they are cold and freeze individually . that way i only have to take 1 loaf out of the freezer at a time.

i dont do an eggwash. when it comes out of the oven i brush on butter or margarine. ~Georgia


----------



## tambo

How do you make dough gobs? Never heard of them. Everything look so good. I would'nt be able to loose weight around there.


----------



## tambo

newfieannie said:


> i make 2 buns for each pan . i take them apart once they are cold and freeze individually . that way i only have to take 1 loaf out of the freezer at a time.
> 
> i dont do an eggwash. when it comes out of the oven i brush on butter or margarine. ~Georgia


I'm confused do you freeze the dough or the loaf after it's cooked? Sorry I'm slow.


----------



## newfieannie

after it's baked and cooled. ~Georgia.


----------



## newfieannie

dough gobs is just fried dough after it has risen a couple times. serve with syrup,molasses,mustard ,jam. i like honey mustard with mine.

no. i dont eat all the food i make. i bake something every day but i have a son who will take whatever i will give him in the way of baked goods. also whenever my friends come in they will carry off a loaf of bread ,cookies etc. i eat a fair bit of it though but i also work very hard between this place and the country so i wear it off. ~Georgia.


----------



## City Bound

made some fried squash balls with pasta for dinner tonight. Raided my sister's garden to get some oregano for the balls and some tomato for the pasta. Got the squash and the basil from my garden. mmmm good. took a while for the balls to be done but they were worth it.

I have been cooking dinner for my parents here and there. So far my garden has fed three people for four nights. Man, I love my garden. What a blessing that food is. Squash and zucchin keep you fed.


----------



## elkhound

dug my early taters....red pontiacs and pulled the red sweet onions that were dieing back.




























not nearly as nice onions as the ones last year...


----------



## doodlemom

I see your taters got invaded by white patty squash.


----------



## littlejoe

newfieannie said:


> no. i dont eat all the food i make. i bake something every day but i have a son who will take whatever i will give him in the way of baked goods.


I'm very adoptable... just in case. You might should worry 'bout your son "foundering"?

Your bread looks delish!!!


----------



## Fowler

I made sun tea....LOL


----------



## City Bound

Fowler , you make good sun tea.


----------



## newfieannie

littlejoe said:


> I'm very adoptable... just in case. You might should worry 'bout your son "foundering"?
> 
> Your bread looks delish!!!


i dont know the word foundering littlejoe but if it means passing then you are close to the truth. i do not think he will make old bones. when he meets up with me out at the country on the weekend he just seems so tired.(same thing i saw in his father)(also GF on his fathers side) i am going full speed ahead and he just cannot keep up. i usually go out now on the weekdays to do the heavy work and not let him know. i try not to dwell on it .

i would surely feed you LJ if you were close by. any of you for that matter. ~Georgia.


----------



## NewGround

newfieannie said:


> i would surely feed you LJ if you were close by. any of you for that matter. ~Georgia.


NC & NS are pretty close, only 15 letters away...  I'll PM you my mailing address, LOL...

You sure can cook good, ma'am...


----------



## Fowler

I hung a macrame light and table CB and I found at the farmers fleas market.

The Gnome seems to like it. Now I just need a round glass top for the table for the bottom. :grin:


----------



## shanzone2001

Fowler, you are killing me!!!!


----------



## Fowler

I know it's so shagadelic!!! I love it!!!


----------



## Tommyice

Some kooky reason it reminds me of "3's Company" Can almost see John Ritter coming around the corner.


----------



## shanzone2001

So, this is what I have done...not very "homesteady" but it is outdoors and involved dirt!

I spray painted a metal yard sale plant rack and then filled many pots, tubs, etc. with flowers.


----------



## doodlemom

Randomly move it around the house like a guest stalker lol.


----------



## shanzone2001

doodlemom said:


> Randomly move it around the house like a guest stalker lol.


The light or the creepy gnome??? hahaha


----------



## doodlemom

I would bring the gnome to work with me and pull him out whenever there was an insurance problem. He's a good listener.


----------



## elkhound

you woman are doing a fine job !!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Tommyice

Doodle for that I need a REALLY LOVE IT button. Tomorrow I'll be thinking of the gnome.


----------



## Fowler

shanzone2001 said:


> The light or the creepy gnome??? hahaha


Hey now, no bad mouthing the cute gnome, he can turn into troll and bite your face off!!!...LOL


----------



## shanzone2001

Tommyice said:


> Doodle for that I need a REALLY LOVE IT button. Tomorrow I'll be thinking of the gnome.


You girls are weird with your gnome attraction...they give me the creeps! :runforhills:

Doodle, how do you know it is really listening and not just quietly plotting against you???


----------



## Fowler

doodlemom said:


> I would bring the gnome to work with me and pull him out whenever there was an insurance problem. He's a good listener.


He's is good listener I talk to him all the time and he always has a smile for me. He fetches toilet paper too.


----------



## Tommyice

Because it nods its head at the appropriate times in the conversation?


----------



## shanzone2001

OK, so page 6 of this thread has really NOTHING to do with homesteading ...hahahahaha!!!!!!


----------



## Fowler

It home decor...shut up!!!....LOL!!!


----------



## shanzone2001

No, YOU shut up!!!!!!! 

Maybe it was home dÃ©cor like 40 years ago!!! Duh!!! :buds:


----------



## doodlemom

I love macrame and beading. I'd like to get back into that. My brother made a 3 tier macrame shelf in 8th grade with wood. It's still proudly displayed and I wish I had one too.


----------



## Tommyice

shanzone2001 said:


> OK, so page 6 of this thread has really NOTHING to do with homesteading ...hahahahaha!!!!!!


Hey I posted about my vegetables and my success with English muffins.


----------



## shanzone2001

Fowler said:


> It home decor...shut up!!!....LOL!!!


If I were you, I would sleep with one eye opened tonight...your gnome will be watching!!!


----------



## Tommyice

Yeah they like to watch....


----------



## City Bound

take a second look at the gnome hehas the cutest smile. He also lights up if you put a lightbulb in his back.

Macrame is cool.

I need a jute twine macrame guitar strap for my guitar. I will eventually have to learn macrame.


----------



## City Bound

ok. here is something homesteading that does not involve a gnome and three's company.

I made an ice today. Took a peach and smashed it up, added water and agavi and froze it. Tastes good. Anyone know how to get the ices soft like in pizza parlor?


----------



## newfieannie

Shan is correct it was around 40 years ago i had almost the exact same one. i still have the table part somewhere. probably in the shed. i was really into them . my husband use to make them for me. i could never master macrame myself~Georgia.


----------



## City Bound

ok, i just thought of one way to get the ice to be soft. Use the snoopy snow cone maker to grind my peach ice up. Remember the snoopy snow cone maker?


----------



## Tommyice

Do you keep it next to your Holly Hobby oven?


----------



## City Bound

newfieannie said:


> Shan is correct it was around 40 years ago i had almost the exact same one. i still have the table part somewhere. probably in the shed. i was really into them . my husband use to make them for me. i could never master macrame myself~Georgia.


Well, when we found that lamp it was wrapped in newspaper from 1981. I think it was 1981. So, it is was in storage for over 30 years.

Speaking of 70's stuff. God's Eyes were cool.


----------



## Tommyice

They had one of those on the walls in 3's Company too.


----------



## City Bound

Tommyice said:


> They had one of those on the walls in 3's Company too.


I know. I always admired it and wanted on just like it as a kid.

I also admired Jack's brown robe with tan trim and a tan belt


----------



## City Bound

Tommyice said:


> Do you keep it next to your Holly Hobby oven?


No, I keep it next to my Etch-a-scetch


----------



## Fowler

I hung a paper towel holder.


----------



## Guest

I hope you gave it a fair trial first.


----------



## maverickxxx

I'm finishing moving all my stuff from my old shop to new one. After we had worked a deal for just some use of property for less rent he/ they decided they didn't want to do that but never bothered to tell me for the months n said I owed full rent for last three. N then sat culvert for there pond gave n now they gotta pay me money. After all that they been begging me to stay. Last night they brought me n ice cold soda cause it was hot. Whatever I'm still moving outta there n no more deals with them. So I gotta a lot of stuff there now n more to come.


----------



## City Bound

mav, i thought you bought that land you are building on? or was the shop some place you rented?


----------



## City Bound

battered and fried some rose of sharon flowers. Worth trying. They were good. That plant just kicks out food like crazy. I have not even picked from the whole tree and it is giving me many meals and snacks. Each day one little spot makes a great deal of new flowers.


----------



## maverickxxx

I am moving the rest of my stuff from old shop. I was going to rent just some land to store topsoil n other stuff cause it was where I do Mosta wrk. But they after three months decided they weren't going to n decided they wanted me to pay them full rent for the last three. So I told them I was moving at end of July. Yea ever thing is going to homestead n that shop


----------



## City Bound

oh ok. Renting stinks because people can jerk you around. Good luck with the move.


----------



## shanzone2001

Fowler said:


> I hung a paper towel holder.


You go, Girl!!! Now can you figure out how to put the paper towels on it??? :nana:


----------



## shanzone2001

I spent the afternoon helping (more like watching) a couple of truck loads of junk get loaded up for the dump....leftovers from a rude renter who left it all behind when I had him move out. 
My yard looks back to normal now...


----------



## Fowler

shanzone2001 said:


> You go, Girl!!! Now can you figure out how to put the paper towels on it??? :nana:


How did you know I was still trying to figure that out?


----------



## tambo

This weeks work.


----------



## Groene Pionier

Looks fantastic Tambo! Really nice, I hope to be able to start tomatoes soon. Depends if I can get them for a good price...

I am working on my box of rhubarb, 4 boxes of peaches, 4 boxes of apricots. This morning I finished the rhubarb/strawberry jam, pineapple hot sauce and pineapple sambol. Got 2 dehydrators full of pineapple leathers and pineapple parts. I sure hope I can finish the rest of the fruit tonight. It is, what we call "dangerous weather" everything spoils real quick!


----------



## Groene Pionier

Finally finishing the fruits I bought, I even ran out of jars and had to run to the store for some more. I have made apricots in ginger/honey/lemons syrup, peaches in vanilla syrup, made plum/rhubarb jam and now on the stove some 6 liters of apricot jam, the clasical kind. I will put in some fresh rosemary and almonds. I only have some rhubarb left. 
Tomorrow I have to work and sunday morning I make an italian plum jam with cardamom and currants. I marinated the plums already. It takes about 72 hours of marinating. 
I love the colours of the fruits and veggies in jars!


----------



## Raven12

It has been raining off and on for two days! My indeterminates are so freakin happy.


----------



## City Bound

raining here also and it feels like fall.


----------



## Raven12

City Bound said:


> raining here also and it feels like fall.


Really? It is so hot and muggy here. The plants are loving it though. I can't believe how much of a difference a little bit of rain makes. My zukes are strong again.


----------



## City Bound

yes. Cold and rainy here. i am wearing pants and a zip up hoodie.


----------



## elkhound

1/2 inch rain right before dark last night.=..fast results

a few things harvested today...cucs,squash and okra










hand porn for katy....lol


----------



## City Bound

deleted


----------



## Raven12

My place smells like basil. I am so happy. I have food. :grin:


----------



## elkhound

Raven12 said:


> My place smells like basil. I am so happy. I have food. :grin:


makin pesto ?


come on CB i wanna see them things fried up.try it again.


----------



## City Bound

elk go up to the plant iD forum I have a thread going on rose of sharon there and there is a pic of the fried up rose of sharon there.


----------



## Raven12

elkhound said:


> makin pesto ?
> 
> 
> come on CB i wanna see them things fried up.try it again.


Not yet but I plan to in a couple weeks. I adore pesto. I only have enough basil to toss on top of the veggies.


----------



## littlejoe

I was down for 2 days over the weekend waiting on a part. Monday evening I broke down again. I'm STILL down!

I've usually counted on this mechanic to get me going, and I understand I'm not the only one waiting. Just that he told me when I called him, "the next day" it would be up and running. Then it was the next day, then by this morning, then this afternoon, and the SOB still wasn't! Now, it's by morning? If it's not I'm making a phone call and get somebody else to fix it while it sets in front of his shop! Good thing it's a slow year, in that respect.

I do some light mechanicin' but somethings are just faster done when you get somebody that knows what they're doing. And when your busy down time is more costly than repair.

Good thing is... I stopped by a nursery and bought more trees. THey had just reopened for produce season, and trees were cheap, cheap! Selection was limited, but I picked up a plum, nectarine, and pear for $16 apiece. The plum and nectarine were big...7 1/2 gallon, the pear a fiver. 4 shade trees, 2 of them were 7 1/2 gallon containers as well, at $30 apiece. More or less a 1/2- sale from spring pricing. "course them guys are always making me good deals!

Pretty well fills the orchard spot up...except for one spot! I've got lots more room, but it would be like an add-on. I think 20 or maybe 21 should be more than plenty, even if some have to be replaced through time. All that I've boughten locally have been on semi-dwarf rootstock, which from what I've read should be good for 20 years. All that were planted last spring have been full size, which may last amny decades longer? A lot to these trees I don't know.

I don't have any of them under a drip system, since I had counted on irrigation water. Keeps me busy dragging a hose around the yard for the fruit and shade trees...sometimes late at night. It's good medicine for the soul, though!


----------



## littlejoe

That produce looks delish, you guys! I stopped at a farmers market a couple days ago and bought a bag of local 'maters. The first ones to make market...I've gobbled them up while chewing on a rib roast I put the smoke to.

Your canned tomatoes look like some fine eating too, Tambo! In the winter I sometimes peel a can of diced tomatoes, and eat them with a spoon. And then I have to open another one for the chile.


----------



## City Bound

free food for my rabbit at the fruit and vegg store. They had boxes of corn husks on the sidewalk for the garbage so I grabbed a mess of them for my rabbit.


----------



## barnyardgal

I canned tomato juice-made bread & butter pickles-shredded zucchini to put in freezer...AND watered the garden again~~such wishing for rain~~non in site either-


----------



## Fowler

I found the glass to my macrama light table, and hung a 50lb mirror really crooked.
Oh...and I googled instructions on how to place my paper towels in the holder... so there shan :nana:


----------



## City Bound

Fowler, I have to be honest. I had my doubts about that lamp when we bought it but you judgement turned out to be good because that lamp looks really nice. it is a keeper.


----------



## shanzone2001

I won't believe you can do the paper towels without proof!!!! Oh, that creepy little troll is staring at me again!!!


----------



## City Bound

gnome-y the homey, loves you shane.


----------



## WhyNot

Fowler....uhm....no velvet glow in the dark elvis poster and black light? No lava lamp? 

What the heck are we going to look at when we eat these sugar cubes?


----------



## elkhound

picked a few things this after noon...finally getting more than my daily needs so putting up for winter.










trying my version of stir fry freezer pack.doing these without blanching to see how they do.several folks i know dont blanch these items.i will be blanching some to compare taste over winter.










another half gallon refrigerator bread and butter pickles and off to side in back a old store bought jar i done earlier this week.i like them so well i topped off that jar with spears...waste not want not.those are just straight pickle spices with dash of sugar.










finally 3 quarts of bread and butter ..close up of the yummy goodness.


----------



## maverickxxx

Yea didn't look like July get much or really anything accomplished at homestead


----------



## NewGround

maverickxxx said:


> Yea didn't look like July get much or really anything accomplished at homestead


Did you ever post pics of your sand filter?


----------



## maverickxxx

No I can. U can't see much though cause the top filter part is a 275 tote an it's inside a galzinzed tin case. No purpose to that just what I had. But it's sand fabric # 2 stone fabric 1a stone fabric n then into another 275 gallon tote for storage


----------



## maverickxxx

U find track loader yet


----------



## NewGround

maverickxxx said:


> U find track loader yet


Got a guy working the place by the hour... Going today to get update pics...

He's using a 955L he says he'll sell me for $12k but with the bulk of the work done I think I'll pass... It would be good for building the dam though...


----------



## Fowler

Never underestimate a woman with a saw zaw.

Before:











After: The saw zaw is my friend, I can see my sheep now.


----------



## elkhound

you would be scary with my bush hog....it dont cut off when ya back up like a lawn mower does......ooops......she said....lol


you get a 10 out of 10 for the ability with a saw saw....


----------



## Fowler

Thank you Elk 

And that was just this mornings chore, now it's too hot to work outside.

Man what i could do with a bush hog..~dreaming~


----------



## Groene Pionier

Made cucumber dill pickles and prune jam with cardamom today. Got some rhubarb ketchup in the pan now, almost ready to can.
I am packing all the jars into boxes so I can easily store it. 
Next week will be dehydrating 20 kilos of potatoes and making hot sauce and dehydrate garlic. Here it is quite busy, preparing for the winter..


----------



## City Bound

Fowler, nice work. Don't go all Leather Face on me though.


----------



## Fowler

wait till you see what I can do with a chainsaw....LOL!!!


----------



## shanzone2001

elkhound said:


> you get a 10 out of 10 for the ability with a saw saw....


I have a girl crush on Fowler now!!! 

(Wait, I already did! Now I just like her even more!!!)


----------



## elkhound

Fowler said:


> wait till you see what I can do with a chainsaw....LOL!!!


chainsaw chaps and eye protection.......please


----------



## elkhound

today.....


----------



## Tommyice

This morning I made raspberry jam.









Also went to the orchard/farm stand to get peaches. Don't they look beautiful?








yeah, they're not really ripe enough yet. Dad picked out peaches that were too hard. So they'll be canned up Tuesday night. Did get "bruised" tomatoes. 8 quarts for $6.00. There was only two that needed creative trimming--all the others were just too "imperfect" to sell. They've been cored, quartered and tossed in the freezer until Saturday. Then I'll be using the pressure canner for the first time when I make Tomato Basil soup. I bought them since my tomatoes just aren't ripe yet.


----------



## sustainabilly

Did it work? Today's garden haul. Tomatoes are late ripening. Finally got my peach jam made. About 7 lbs more in a bucket destined to be wine.


----------



## sustainabilly

Yay, Thanks Shrek! Thanks JohnnyLee! That tutorial was easy enough. Amazing what small, insignificant things will please some people, Huh?


----------



## NewGround

Tommyice said:


> Also went to the orchard/farm stand to get peaches. Don't they look beautiful?


I think your peaches are beautiful...


----------



## NewGround

Yesterday at the 'stead...










Good cabin site...


----------



## newfieannie

i was out to my country place too yesterday. lovely and cool under the trees. about 2 weeks i guess and the blueberries will be ripe. a bumper crop too! it's only 30 miles from the city but my ground out there is not as parched as it is here. i've been watering this everyday and it's almost bare in places today. we are expecting rain but it doesn't look much like it. i'll have a good crop of carrots in the city though.

those raspberries are to die for Leslie. my favorite. i have to buy them this year. i made peach and apricot jam yesterday. i did have them ready to stew seperately but decided to throw it all together. turned out to be delicious. had some on home made bread today. ~Georgia.


----------



## foxfiredidit

I really like those outdoor photos.

Fowler, that brush you cut looks like privet hedge we have here. I have loads of that to clean out. Dig the nice shady areas...and the barn.

NG, you got it going on. When the pushed up junk is gone and you got everything kinda healing over with new growth, it will be amazing how much difference there will be and how great it will look. That looks like a really old roadbed you're standing in.


----------



## doodlemom

One of the little peach trees I planted surprised me with a cluster of peaches


----------



## doodlemom

Little Asian pear


----------



## doodlemom

Harvest time for seckel pear. The grape on pear is intentional lol.


----------



## Tommyice

Look Doodle's got pretty peaches too! What you got planned for them?


----------



## doodlemom

My kids will eat the peaches off the trees. We'll see what they leave me lol.


----------



## Tommyice

foxfiredidit said:


> NG, you got it going on. When the pushed up junk is gone and you got everything kinda healing over with new growth, it will be amazing how much difference there will be and how great it will look. That looks like a really old roadbed you're standing in.


And I was thinking that'd be a sweet trail to ride your horse on.


----------



## Raven12

Prepped some beds tonight.


----------



## doodlemom

What kind of leaves is in the 4th pic down of 5 right hand bottom looks like paw paw or something NG ?


----------



## NewGround

doodlemom said:


> What kind of leaves is in the 4th pic down of 5 right hand bottom looks like paw paw or something NG ?


Will have to look next time there... I do have my Sibley Guide to Trees to help me identify trees... That whole hillside is where I'd like to have an orchard/ forest garden... Save the front area for pasture and barn/shop and poke in an acre or two garden space on the south line...


----------



## Guest

It's not pawpaw. But, I do have some pawpaw trees I'd give you. Also, my strawberries set a gazillion runners, if you want some. I don't know how far you are from Yanceyville. All that sort of transplanting is best done after November, while dormant.


----------



## NewGround

doodlemom said:


> Harvest time for seckel pear. The grape on pear is intentional lol.


This is forest gardening concept with the grape vines growing up into the trees... You've probably got other mid hight, low items and maybe Jerusalem artichokes or something in the ground too, right? 

This is what I'm thinking, random (semi-natural) patterns not a grid orchard... Lots yet to learn about symbiotic, beneficial relationships like plums and currants grown near each other etc... Bee attractants and more... An adventure for certain...


----------



## doodlemom

I use this book fruit key twig key - Bing Images
and
newcombs wildflower guide - Bing Images


----------



## NewGround

zong said:


> It's not pawpaw. But, I do have some pawpaw trees I'd give you. Also, my strawberries set a gazillion runners, if you want some. I don't know how far you are from Yanceyville. All that sort of transplanting is best done after November, while dormant.


Not far away, LOL... Somewhere near the metropolis of Yanceyville... Will look you up a little later in the year...


----------



## doodlemom

Yes NG on the right you can see black raspberry using the pear tree as support and under the tree is stinging nettle deeper shade and chives partial shade-companion planting.


----------



## NewGround

doodlemom said:


> I use this book fruit key twig key - Bing Images
> and
> newcombs wildflower guide - Bing Images


Hey, I have the first one too but will get a copy of the other too... Need all the help I can get


----------



## doodlemom

Between trees black currant,daylilly,and chicken fodder to cut down for winter or drop as is for mulch. What weeds?


----------



## City Bound

I added this to this thread because we all have vegg coming in and we may or maynot have good ideas for what to do with it while the summer gardens are filling out. 

Some good ideas on how to use garden vegg for meal time. 
The beet dish looks amazing and it looks like it tastes great. 

[YOUTUBE]szgMk3SPyec&feature=endscreen[/YOUTUBE]


----------



## shanzone2001

I admit it...I have a problem. I drove 20 minutes to the gas station for a green Mountain Dew slurpee. By the time I had driven the 20 minutes back home, I was ready to go back and get another one.

That is all I accomplished today....:smack


----------



## tambo

shanzone2001 said:


> I admit it...I have a problem. I drove 20 minutes to the gas station for a green Mountain Dew slurpee. By the time I had driven the 20 minutes back home, I was ready to go back and get another one.
> 
> That is all I accomplished today....:smack


Did it have chipped up pickles in it?


----------



## shanzone2001

Ewwwwww!!! lol


----------



## tambo

Dehydrating tomatoes.


----------



## City Bound

tambo, can you show a picture of the tomatoes after they are done, please?


----------



## tambo

Sure CB. I've never dehydrated them before so don't know how they are going to turn out. Good or bad I will show you.


----------



## City Bound

Thank you Tambo.


----------



## NoClue

right now I'm swimming in tomatoes and jalapenos, and daily enjoying my favoritist summer time snack: grilled gouda cheese sandwiches loaded with fresh tomatoes.


----------



## City Bound

I still have no tomatoes on my plants, but it is still early here for tomatoes. I have yellow squash and zucchini squash coming in at a nice clip. Made some squash balls with spagetti one night for dinner. My potatoes are leaning over. i think the two storms we had knocked them over. pumpkin vine is taking over creating chaos. Dried a mess of stevia.


----------



## NoClue

City Bound said:


> I still have no tomatoes on my plants, but it is still early here for tomatoes. I have yellow squash and zucchini squash coming in at a nice clip. Made some squash balls with spagetti one night for dinner. My potatoes are leaning over. i think the two storms we had knocked them over. pumpkin vine is taking over creating chaos. Dried a mess of stevia.


I have this little competition I do with myself every year I have a garden to be the first one in the area to get tomatoes. I blew my old record to heck this year and got my first tomatoes on June 20th. I started them in March with heating pads indoors and planted them out in April. A native here didn't believe I'd actually gotten tomatoes - he thought I'd bought them at the grocery store and was pulling his leg until I brought him over and showed him. I got a free beer out of him for that (and free beer is the best tasting beer in the world).

The conventional wisdom here is that tomatoes shouldn't be planted out until Memorial Day, and you can't have tomatoes until the 4th of July. I'm a rebel though.


----------



## haypoint

The dry weather continues. My field of oats has headed out, but not turning tan yet. The wild raspberries are ripe, but small. The low bush blueberries are just starting to ripen. Drilled a few post holes and the clay soil is dry a long ways down. Painted an old Gravity box bright red. Looked so good, I painted the running gear it was sitting on, too.
Bought a half ton of Spelt seed for a 10 acre spot I have tilled up. I bought a hundred cedar posts from an Amish guy. They are freshly cut, so it isnât too hard to peel the bark off.
I had a friend use his loader to put three logs onto my trailer. A 16 foot Elm, 16 foot Ash and a nice 20 foot Ash. Had them cut into 2 by 8s. Picked up lumber to build a flat rack for baled hay. The two main beams are 4 by 8s, 16 feet long. I cut notches so theyâd ânestâ into the metal running gear. Then I cut notches on their tops to nest the oak 2 by 4s. Then I screwed 2 by 6 by 16 feet oak boards over the top. I used 2 by 4s along each side. Being thicker, they help prevent bales of hay from drifting off the wagon. I used tar on the places around the notches, to prevent the wood from rotting. The wood is freshly cut. I put the deck boards close together, but after they dry, there will be spaces between the boards. When the wood is dry, Iâll brush on a coat of non-detergent motor oil. Works like Thompson Water Seal, but lasts longer. Not slippery.
I worked on my mower/conditioner. My son has cut hay on my property the past few years, so I havenât used my equipment. It needed some work on the slip clutch and new hydraulic hoses. It is old, but has new cutter bar, new guards and the rollers do a good job of crimping the hay. I have a Oliver mower that needs a new pitman. It is all fixed up with new teeth and guards. Even new tires! Monday, I ordered some pieces from the Machine Shop so I can complete the pitman. Then it will be field ready.
After countless hours of digging, measuring and screwing, my barn foundation boards were all set for concrete. I put 4 rows of rebar running through it all, held in place with wire. I ordered the two truck loads of concrete to be delivered at 730 and 8 am. The rain started just after the first truck started to pour. But I kept leveling out the concrete. The rain stopped and only served to boost the humidity. The pour went well and I spent the rest of the morning troweling. 
I cleared some brush with my bush hog. Then the big nut that holds the whole blade assembly fell off. Luckily, I found the big nut. So, Iâll be putting that back on before I do any more clearing.
So, that was last weekend. Looking forward to another productive weekend. If it stays dry, Iâll use my big rototiller and 150 horse tractor to till up the neighborâs field and plant clover and timothy. Need to insure my combine is ready to harvest oats. Posts to peel. Pull the form boards off my barn foundation and get ready to lay cement blocks. Run the disc over the ten acres again, too early to plant Spelt.
The weather forecast has called for 30% to 60% rain every other day, but we never get any. If it does rain it is just a light shower that evaporates right away. The temperature has been a lot hotter than normal. As a result, hay yields are down and pastures are eaten off.


----------



## foxfiredidit

Tambo - I think I have the same dehydrator that you have there. I did tomatoes for the first time a week or so ago. Surprised at the reduction in volume when they were done. Now to go about learning how to cook with them. Next time I'm going to spray the racks with some cooking spray so they don't stick so bad. 

Haypoint - You been busy for sure. Good luck on the barn. Building a larger pole barn is something I've been collecting material for. Going to close in one side for some tool storage. On my small hayfield where a good crop of hay is 18-20 roundbales, they cut and rolled only 6 in the first cutting. Better rain since then so things are looking up a bit.


----------



## City Bound

Noclue, it is hotter down where you live. I have to wait until the frost is gone before I can plant tomatoes. We usually get them in August.


----------



## Raeven

NoClue, it's a laudable goal -- I'm impressed at your success!

I have a crazy friend up in Washington State who is a tomato freak. He researches heirloom varieties year round. He slaps up Picasso-like hot houses all over his property with whatever materials he has handy, starts his tomatoes in January. Then he builds these nutty contraptions around each plant to keep them growing, which creates a root ball that's about 3 feet long before he plants them out. (You plant them sideways, in trenches.)

He does this because I made the mistake of idly telling him I'd once read where if tomatoes stop growing, their DNA tells them to stop TRYING to grow. In other words, if they become pot bound, they stop growing altogether and are worse producers than if you just throw the seeds out into the garden in June and hope for the best.

He's the only person I know in the PNW who harvests tomatoes in June. I guess that's why his wife puts up with all the wackiness!

haypoint... I'm in awe. Your post made me want a nap!! 

fox... I'll have to post some pics of my old home built prune dehydrator. A garage-saling friend grabbed it up for me a few years ago for $12. It's a behemoth... has 5 huge racks and runs with a small heat lamp and an old fart fan. When I get sick of canning tomatoes, I start drying them. I love how little space they take up when they're done, and they add so much flavor to many dishes. 

If I have space left over in the dehydrator when I'm drying something, I throw in a batch of beef jerky, just to not waste the energy being expended. It also does apples, pears and grapes to a tee -- and they all keep forever!


----------



## NoClue

City Bound said:


> Noclue, it is hotter down where you live. I have to wait until the frost is gone before I can plant tomatoes. We usually get them in August.


yes it is hotter here, but downright frigid compared to Texas and California where I spent most of my life. In southern California I used to start my tomatoes in February and have tomatoes in April


----------



## Groene Pionier

NoClue said:


> right now I'm swimming in tomatoes and jalapenos, and daily enjoying my favoritist summer time snack: grilled gouda cheese sandwiches loaded with fresh tomatoes.


am a bit disappointed: no home made gouda cheese?
ah well bought gouda will do as well. you do understand we do like our cheeses huh


----------



## NoClue

Groene Pionier said:


> am a bit disappointed: no home made gouda cheese?
> ah well bought gouda will do as well. you do understand we do like our cheeses huh


Cheesemaking isn't something I've mastered yet, although I do make a pretty good queso fresco. 

Virginia is one of those states in the US that treats raw milk as more dangerous than heroin. Like heroin, it's available of course, but it isn't easy or cheap to obtain unless you have your own animals, which I'm not currently ready for.
maybe someday though


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## Fowler

NoClue said:


> Cheesemaking isn't something I've mastered yet, although I do make a pretty good queso fresco.
> 
> Virginia is one of those states in the US that treats raw milk as more dangerous than heroin. Like heroin, it's available of course, but it isn't easy or cheap to obtain unless you have your own animals, which I'm not currently ready for.
> maybe someday though


You dont have to have use raw milk to make cheese, I dont.

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/country-homemaking/dairy/417962-update-cheese-pics.html

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/country-homemaking/dairy/418592-store-bought-milk.html


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## Guest

Negotiated a lasting peace in the middle east for another 2 dozen quart jars and 6 pints. I'm back in the peach canning business!!


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## Tommyice

zong said:


> Negotiated a lasting peace in the middle east for another 2 dozen quart jars and 6 pints. I'm back in the peach canning business!!


If only that's all it took.


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## elkhound

pulled a row of onions...pitiful....about a 1/3rd the size onions i been growing..oh well..thank you god and i am glad for it with such a tough gardening year.guess i will be chopping onions tomorrow....pass the crying towel....i might get out my swimming goggles.


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## tambo

Here you go CB. This is a quart bag.I have a question about this. Was I suppose to peel the tomatoes before drying them? I didn't.


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## City Bound

Are you going to leave the tomatoes in the bag?


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## tambo

No I think I'm going to grind them into powder.


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## NewGround

Tambo I haven't dehydrated maters yet but I do think you can do it either way... I sliced my onions when I did it and the first time I used them got all these stringy bits and pieces... Now for my onions I just crush them as I add them to soups and stews...

Are you planning on storing some in olive oil?


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## tambo

NG I may. I have some more tomatoes to do something with.


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## sustainabilly

Didn't get to work outside today. Housecleaning, yay! 

Nice haul elk. 
I'm going to dry some 'maters too this year, tambo. I've got a dehydrator something like yours only brown. The element burnt out though. So now I just leave it on top of the freezer and it slow dries. Good for small qty of herbs. I built a 5 shelf dryer out of an old machine packing crate. Got metal screens from resale shop and cover the food with muslin. works good on the porch if it's not too humid.
I've got catnip, basil, parsley, and Grk oregano drying now.

Had time this morn to do some baking.








Zucchini Bread








Irish Soda Bread, plain and whole wheat raisin


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## tambo

Yummy that all looks so good sustainabilly.


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## elkhound

sustainabilly looks like you brew beer too? your baked goods look great.


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## sustainabilly

elkhound said:


> sustainabilly looks like you brew beer too? your baked goods look great.


Thanks. Yeah, that's a Mr. Beer brew keg. But I ran out of the makings. Hope to get more, or the raw ingred. Grow hops and such. I've read that hops are good for pest control or beneficial attractants also. Or something like that. I have it saved somewhere. So another multipurpose plant to throw in the beginners permaculture pot.

Right now it'll be used to make some plum wine. A friend has a bunch of native plums, the little ones, I can have. I hope to get enough for a couple gals of wine and a dozen pints of plum butter. 

I got two of every thing when I first got the brewing kit. More liquid capital then than now. So the plan is to have one in beer prod. and one in wine. But for now it's all wine. Whiiinnne's gooood.


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## sherry in Maine

elkhound, tambo & sustainabilly- good pics, good jobs!

Yesterday I got couple of beds ready for some fall stuff. Hope I'm not too late, if I am, oh well . . .. planted collards, cukes (yes probly too late) bak choi, and orach (purple spinach thing)
cleaned out the small lettuce/greens bed that also has marigolds planted throughout it. Everything had overgrown, especially the turnip greens, no one but me likes them, so I pulled most of them. Cut the spent lettuce back and transplanted some into the bed that were limping through the summer in boxes. Now they'll take off I hope. Cut back the marigolds. I've read that marigolds are good bug deterrents, but have found japanes beetles sleeping or mating ontop of these flowers ... so I guess they arent what I thought.
Looks like the okra that I thought had stopped growing at 6inches has leapt up to the great height of about 8 inches.
Picked peas, checked on the cantalope/squash plants that I found in compost pile and planted- think they are melons, maybe but still not sure. getting some buds now.

Cabbage coming along, wish I'd planted more. Might do so.

last few times dd and I go for walk at local school area (where I saw the bear who was probably eating wild strawberries) we've picked over a pint of raspberries (ate them while walking) blackberries and found a vry few wild blueberries. Some years the raspberries are already gone, picked by birds, bears, folks. Some years they haven't even produced much by now. At least we got some. Blackberries aren't quite yet ready, we ate the ones that were in the full sun. The others, in more shade wont ripen till much later. Soon blueberries will be ready and I can make some wine . . . .


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## WhyNot

Well...I went to the farmer's market with my sticks, rocks and empty bivalve carcasses and had a really good time. Sold a few things but got more than my seasonal fee in advertising, fellowship and advice about the area.

It's difficult to tell the temp. of an area when you first move....these people here are happier and more positive than the place I moved from. There is a large creative/art population it would seem...that's good...because I've been waiting for the inspiration to sculpt and paint again...and I felt a bit of that come today from being around like-minded people. :thumb:

The Hippy Jelly Man told me, "Us hippies have to stick together and help each other out because no one else will!" Then he went on a tirade about not paying taxes LMAO

So this might turn out pretty good. My market fee includes being able to sell in another town so I'll be there tomorrow with bells on seeing what they have to say about my rocks and twigs :grin:


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## newfieannie

baked beans and molasses rolled oats bread i made for supper.it's too hot for cooking but i was craving some beans and canned just wouldn't do. on top of the beans you can see salt pork slices. not the same without. i also made some poor cakes to take to the country on saturday. no picture. i already had them frozen.

that old iron pot was grandmothers. when i was growing up we would have that one and 2 more larger in the oven every saturday night filled with beans. we'd also had our molasses bread. lots of it. dad was good for a loaf himself. just rough food! good for what ails ya! at least that's what mother use to tell us.~Georgia.


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## NewGround

Dehydrated six pounds of strawberries a day or so ago... Fits into two quart jars with room to spare...



















Some cabbages, potatoes and onions done a few months back...










Peaches, green peppers and celery...










Also have corn, peas, I'm out of my carrots... Guess I'm gonna have to get busy...


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## Tommyice

I would have dipped those berries in chocolate

Looks good. Are those vacuum sealed too?


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## NewGround

No I have the attachment but they keep fine like this... The taters and other stuff are probably 8 or 9 months old and still just as when I first put them up...


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## NewGround

Tommyice said:


> I would have dipped those berries in chocolate


We can save the chocolate for other stuff...


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## Raven12

I have put aside my cheesemaking because I picked up yet another hobby that is zapping all of my cash. I need to rein myself in. I will get back on track and start working on it in the Fall.

Lately, I have been cloning plants and starting a Fall garden.


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## Raeven

Spent nearly the WHOLE DAY cutting Canada thistle out of my pastures and spot-spraying the leftover plants with Round Up. Not a big Round Up fan, but it has its place -- and that place is on every Canada thistle I see! Then weeded the garden.

I'm ready for a shower, a glass of wine and traction, in that order.


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## WhyNot

Did not make it to the market this morning..had a raging storm last night (yay rain!!) and was tired this morning and it was still rainy this morning. The market here only goes for about three hours...then it's hot...so the rain takes it's toll in the open air.

Made it to the new to us and also new to everyone poultry auction...I think they've had 2 or 3 of them officially. Had to pull a lot of birds...can get more for them where there are already local outlets. But did get some good prices on the ones that were going at a good price. The place and people seemed really geared towards game fowl.

There were some juvenille ring neck doves I would have LOVED...but you had to buy the entire cageful....not in the market for 28 ... maybe 2 pair...but not 28.

I did buy a wild turkey over there though.....in a bottle 

I could have had an actual turkey for the same price...but the one I got does not require feed...just a little water.


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## littlejoe

Raeven said:


> Spent nearly the WHOLE DAY cutting Canada thistle out of my pastures and spot-spraying the leftover plants with Round Up. Not a big Round Up fan, but it has its place -- and that place is on every Canada thistle I see! Then weeded the garden.
> 
> I'm ready for a shower, a glass of wine and traction, in that order.


You surely know, Roundup is gonna kill what it hits? Even the grasses in your pasture. It's a great herbacide, and I use it spraying irrigation ditches...or wherever I want to kill everything sprayed. 24-d might be better suited for your pastures? Don't know what you're growing in them though? For tougher broadleafs, like smallish trees and willows, I've used 6 pound 24-D with great results. (instead of 4 pound)


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## Raeven

littlejoe... I know. It's just very focused spot spraying, hitting only the stupid Canada thistle. It may get a little bit of my pasture grass, but very little. I used Round Up on the rosettes in spring with excellent results and the pasture is fine. I just didn't find them all, so now is time for a clean up operation. This routine will probably go on for another couple of years to totally control them.

I use Crossbow for smallish trees and blackberry. I have to be careful, though, because I have so many creeks -- and Crossbow is bad for aquatic life. I think Crossbow is a 2-4-D herbicide. Also, it kills clover... and I encourage clover growth in my pastures for a natural means of fixing nitrogen.


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## doodlemom

Alberta Native Plant Council || Publications


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## Raeven

doodlemom... interesting. Truth be told, I don't think I could gag down that green emulsion on a bet.

Also, I have maligned the Canada thistle in another way. Turns out what I have is Bull thistle. I learned this this morning when I was working out how to dispose of the seed heads. Bull thistle is easier to control than Canada thistle, because it doesn't spread by roots. It's a biennial, and by clipping and disposing of the seed heads diligently for 2 years, I can eradicate it. The trick, of course, is catching them all -- but I'm up for the task.

And hey, if things get rough enough, I now know I can probably eat it. Thanks!


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## doodlemom

Try a little of the green emulsion with some olive oil,garlic,herbs tossed with pasta, green emulsion nacho dip, frozen sweetened green emulsion on a stick....Think of the possibilities lol.


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## Raeven

LOL, I love how you think... but I think I'll leave you to make the millions available for THOSE ideas!! 

Can't... breathe...!!!!! :hysterical:


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## trish4prez

Thanks to FR, I'm all ready to add my new chicks to my flock. They'll be enjoying the new chicken tractor for a few weeks while they acclimate to the rest of my flock. I'll bring them home from FR's next week


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## maverickxxx

I got my loader at homestead now so I will be able to get some dirt moved now an the baby loves the loader the most. An by the end of next week the baby might be the next per ant addition out there 7 days a week


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## Tommyice

Nice home for the new chicks. Does the tractor come with the fella? 

Here's yesterday's doings.
7 quarts of peaches (yeah I know there's only 6 in the pic--Dad opened a jar already); 12 half pints of salsa (I may have gone a little overboard on that one)

















Salsa was a new recipe, so I needed to do a mise en place so I made sure I had everything. It's the Annie's Salsa recipe (with a few of my own tweeks) from the Preserving the Harvest forum up yonder.








(yes, I used the Cuisinart)

I also did the salsa at my house (normally do the canning at Dad's--bigger stove, more room). I got one of those Ball Learning to Can kits for doing small batches (yeah I know, that wasn't a small batch of salsa). It's actually a pretty decent product for doing small batches. It holds 3 pints (5 half pints) for water bath canning.


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## newfieannie

how is FR anyway Trish. he's looking good. Mav: i do believe you are a really good father. too bad you can't post a few pics of baby enjoying her playtime! ~Georgia.


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## maverickxxx

I'm usually right there with her doing stuff so I don't think of pictures everyone else sees a lot are photographed in my mind. Two I gotta get my phone computer synced agin an I am kinda lazy as far as that goes. I gotta bring backhoe out this week she wants to drive on that with but it's not as user friendly as loader n excavator. It's so nice having loader at homestead I've moved prolly 200 yds in three hrs so things ashen I have time will move at an exponential rate with that. I things go well this week as they should somewhat I will be less stressed on certain matters but more stressed in others as far as time management. I'm going to have to teach cb how to run loader an backhoe well maybe backhoe is bad idea. U know how those flat landers are. I hope fowler thaught him how to use chainsaw but idt so cause she cut that hedge row out with sawzall. Course I'd prolly be one clroformed so he could escape the wrk here after a couple days


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## newfieannie

went to the country yesterday for another day of work. picked a few of the ripe blueberries while i was there. the trees are loaded. i say trees because they are so tall not like bushes. i'll get a pic. next weekend. i do hope i can save them from the birds. i procrastinated for so long putting the nets on that the ground was too hard to get anything drove in. can't see them growing so well with so little rain. made a blueberry cobbler with the ripe ones. was it ever good! 2 of those was all i needed for supper tonight ~Georgia.


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## maverickxxx

Well I met some other homesteading people tonight. N u gotta read along carefully to follow this. It is my exs ex that's the father of my ex s son his girlfriend that went to school with my brother an her sister was friends with my sister well was her dad n his wife. An how I ended up there an spent most of evening is quite the story but I'll only tell some. But basically I an ex s ex are both filing full custody suits against her an I have him a ride out there as we talked about court stuff. An have brief conversation with her father on a septic that I'm going to be putting in where he used to be town inspector which turned into he needs some digging dun to hey look at those pigs to I got more pigs an chickens to we gotta catch piglets to well I might as well stay for dinner an yes me n exs ex continued chatting on case an welding an various other things. So it was cool to meet someone that was actually already doing where I plan to be soon. They are still green themselves so it's pretty cool.


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## WhyNot

Well...I'm happy for ya Mav..you seem pleased with what transpired...although I tried to read carefully but didn't follow much of that at all LOL.


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## NoClue

yesterday, I made a valiant effort to deal with my deluge of tomatoes, and canned up 4 quarts and a pint of tomato sauce (20-odd pounds of romas and brandywines).

I also started a new batch of kraut.

Later today, I'll be pickling up a few pints of grape tomatoes, and start working on the squash and peppers.


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## City Bound

maverickxxx said:


> Well I met some other homesteading people tonight. N u gotta read along carefully to follow this. It is my exs ex that's the father of my ex s son his girlfriend that went to school with my brother an her sister was friends with my sister well was her dad n his wife. An how I ended up there an spent most of evening is quite the story but I'll only tell some. But basically I an ex s ex are both filing full custody suits against her an I have him a ride out there as we talked about court stuff. An have brief conversation with her father on a septic that I'm going to be putting in where he used to be town inspector which turned into he needs some digging dun to hey look at those pigs to I got more pigs an chickens to we gotta catch piglets to well I might as well stay for dinner an yes me n exs ex continued chatting on case an welding an various other things. So it was cool to meet someone that was actually already doing where I plan to be soon. They are still green themselves so it's pretty cool.


So, you are saying that you and this guy both share the same X and that you both have children with this same X, and that you are both trying to get full custody of your kids from this shared X? Your X has two kids, one from you and one from the guy you were hanging out with last night?


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## City Bound

Squash
By CB

Squash here and there.
Squash everywhere.
Squash are stacking high,
For over night they multiply.

I am grateful for this
Abundant crop;
It keeps me fed,
This squash.



I am getting a lot of squash and basil coming in. made pesto.


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## maverickxxx

Yes cb u got it exactly


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## newfieannie

i was cleaning up the rest of my peas this morning and just now noticed lots of squash also. only as big as a large grapefruit yet but they are coming. these are butternut. also have a few pumpkin. not bad for the city.

i guess i've been around here too long because i knew exactly what Mav was talking about there. course by this time i even understand Bill. ~Georgia.


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## trish4prez

newfieannie said:


> how is FR anyway Trish. he's looking good. Mav: i do believe you are a really good father. too bad you can't post a few pics of baby enjoying her playtime! ~Georgia.


He's doing well, Georgia. He was a bit tired when I took the picture of the tractor and didn't move quite fast enough. LOL


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## trish4prez

Tommyice said:


> Nice home for the new chicks. Does the tractor come with the fella?


 He did a great job!! I think the chicks will enjoy it. 




Tommyice said:


> 12 half pints of salsa (I may have gone a little overboard on that one)
> ......



You can NEVER have too much salsa!!!


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## WhyNot

Ok gender count might be official now on my six chickens. 2 jersey giant pullets and 3 sumatra pullets and one sumatra roo. The handsome boy:










He's looked skeptical ever since a chick. I love that.


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## Ramblin Wreck

Tell FR to put some wheels on that tractor Trish!


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## NewGround

Got two bunches of celery in the dehydrator and started my first batch of sauerkraut... This is my first fermenting experiment but you gotta start somewhere...


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## doodlemom

Catnip and fennel are both deer and woodchuck resistant friends that are very useful and naturalize well.


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## City Bound

New ground, I have had no luck when making fermented kraut. I made lacto-fermented pickles, but the kraut is still beating me.


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## Raven12

Trying to clone peppers.


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## sustainabilly

NG, That's cool. I've never seen a contraption like that. 'Course, I'm the only one here that likes kraut. What else do you use it for?

doodle, do you develop/maintain your naturalized areas as part of a permaculture scheme? Like edible lndscp, no-mow yard,...etc? 

I've got an area in the back that I want to do that with. I'm saving seeds from other beds and growing stock plnts. to divide. Stuff that will look good in a meadow envir. and be useful also. It's a 'shoe-string' operation. But that gives me time to learn more about everything I need to consider.


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## doodlemom

Yes permaculture selected "weeds" Adding more millet now for the "chicken blend" lol


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## sustainabilly

I'm hoping to start with some chickens and guineas in spring. The guineas will free range, chickens, in a tractor. I've read that guineas won't go where the stuff is too long or very far into the trees at the edge of fields. How long could a person let that kind of area grow and still have it be suitable for poultry foraging?


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## doodlemom

I can't free range. Too many predators. I pick out what I want and cut the rest into a laundry basket and deliver it to them.


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## WhyNot

sustainabilly said:


> I've read that guineas won't go where the stuff is too long or very far into the trees at the edge of fields. How long could a person let that kind of area grow and still have it be suitable for poultry foraging?


There are, I think about 20 that free range here where I am couch surfing. I have never really read anything about them or anything. My friend here has told me how to raise them up so they stay with you and not run off and disappear forever and how to hatch them, how to know when you hear a hen laying so you can find and rob a nest, etc. He's still learning too I think and has had them for a while.

I don't remember us discussing their foraging habits. HOWEVER...shortly after I first got here I picked an area to train my dog that he needs to stay in when he is off the leash and it was a little long in grass. Then I noticed he was getting a lot of ticks so I mowed it and cursed the guineas ...or the people that say they eat ticks...I wasn't sure who exactly was at fault but it could not have been me LOL.

Anyway...I noticed of course after I mowed when the guineas came in at night for some feed and to roost, they went bat-crazy in the area where I mowed. If it's reasonably short (it's not particularly thick grass) that they go forage over there, especially if they see you throw out a few handfuls of scratch or ...well...anything.

They go through the woods here but now that you mentioned it, where I have seen them go through is usually sparse in underbrush. So it does seem like they don't necessarily like to be in very tall or thick anyway underbrush areas. 

Now...I'm willing to believe that there are guineas that go in thick bushes...just saying that since you mentioned that and now that I think of it...I guess what I have seen coicides with what you have read.

So...how long to let it grow...no idea, might depend on how thick it is maybe. That area of grass got long again...about as long as it was before I cut it and they seem to be out in it more than they were a few weeks ago when it was long...BUT then again...it could just be that there are more bugs out now and hence more things buzzing around to lead them frolicking into it.

:shrug: I've really no idea.


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## sustainabilly

Thanks for your 2cents, WN. I'll prob have to experiment some. I've got till next year before anything happens anyway.


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## NewGround

City Bound said:


> New ground, I have had no luck when making fermented kraut. I made lacto-fermented pickles, but the kraut is still beating me.


Well this is my first batch but I'll try again if this does not work. One "theory" is salt brine only and another "theory" is using whey as a starter to jump start the process... This is the first type... I've got some yogurt to make whey with, LOL... Do I got to make whey while the sun shines?


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## NewGround

sustainabilly said:


> NG, That's cool. I've never seen a contraption like that. 'Course, I'm the only one here that likes kraut. What else do you use it for?


The container is called a Pickl-it is supposed to be some fancy contraption for this... Does it help me is all that counts... That's a 3-liter model and there are two 1 1/2 liter ones maybe seen in the background... First try... 

My Fermenting for Dummies/Idiots whatever book says you can use regular jars but for anaerobic fermenting this is supposed to be better since the airlock lets off gasses without having to "burp" the jar which obviously lets more oxygen in when you do so...

About like anything else I'll just keep banging at it until something happens, one way or another...


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## City Bound

I saw a cheap and easy way to make an airlocked fermentation chamber. Just drill a hole in the lid of a food grade five gallon bucket and then put an airlock with a rubber cork in the hole. I guess it would work with small containers also.

A cheap DIY air lock is to take some clear fish tank tubing, loop it, secure the loop with tape or wire so it does not lose its form, then add water into the loop like you do with a store bought lock.


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## NoClue

NewGround said:


> The container is called a Pickl-it is supposed to be some fancy contraption for this... Does it help me is all that counts... That's a 3-liter model and there are two 1 1/2 liter ones maybe seen in the background... First try...
> 
> My Fermenting for Dummies/Idiots whatever book says you can use regular jars but for anaerobic fermenting this is supposed to be better since the airlock lets off gasses without having to "burp" the jar which obviously lets more oxygen in when you do so...
> 
> About like anything else I'll just keep banging at it until something happens, one way or another...


I have a couple of these air locks for mason jars - ther pickl-it one is kind of expensive (I think I paid 15 bucks), later though, I found a much cheaper one on Amazon - a slightly different design, but only about 4 bucks and bought a couple of them. I've had good success with them. I'll try to find the link to them.


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