# Singles Homestead Monthly Thread-May



## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

A new month is upon us. Let's see what you are doing at your homestead. I hope to participate this month.


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## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

Plan to finish cleaning the round bale barn out today and get it ready for new hay, which I hope/think I can begin cutting on Sunday. It's the greenest, thickest, cleanest grass we've had on these fields, so hopefully it will be a good harvest. There's some maintenance work on the hay equipment that needs doing, which seems more like shop work than farming, but it's a part of the mix. 

The garden has been sowed in iron and clay peas, but I swear the ground grew more rocks over the winter or the tiller dug up more or something. One calf went to market last Monday and brought $2.30 a pound, which seems outrageously high. There's six more that should be ready to go around August and four more heifers should come in by then...hopefully anyway.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

not a lot to offer here. I worked myself into oblivion yesterday. now all I need is a bit of rain on it which is expected today.tulips and daffs. are in bud. today I made some suet for the birds. too expensive to buy at the store. just made from stuff I had laying around. cornmeal,oats,lard,a few raisins,flour,birdseed sugar peanut butter etc. etc. I smeared a bit on a tree before it was hardened just to check it. no time before they came. they love it! I'm having new birds come every day since I put the feeder up. had one this morning that I'm not sure of unless it's a woodpecker but it was really colorful. ~Georgia.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

What a great idea, Georgia!! Heck, I'D eat it. 

I never put out food specifically for birds here, because it brings other less desirable critters, too. But I noticed my hummingbirds were already flying up to the window near where I annually hang fuschias, looking for their morning feed. One actually looked at his watch and tapped it, while giving me a meaningful look. The plants I usually overwinter were killed by our sub-freezing temperatures this year despite being in the green house, so I hope to purchase replacements this week. They guilted me into it...


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

oh I can't wait to see the hummers! . I hung the feeder a few days ago but don't expect them yet. I also have that where I can easily see it this year. ~Georgia.


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

I hope to participate in this thread soon too! 

Just got home from a 12 hour shift.


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## viggie (Jul 17, 2009)

I did the first round of weeding and got the asparagus and strawberry patches cleaned up. The bunnies got the first weeds of the season and are pretty happy about it.










And some starts followed me home today. Kohlrabi, Swiss chard, broccoli, and cauliflower all got planted. I found Jerusalem Artichoke bulbs and put them in the failed shiitake mushroom patch. Ah well...not all experiments are supposed to succeed


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

I picked up limbs so I could mow. I'm in the house for a minute so my eyes will quit burning. The wild onions are so bad my eyes are burning and watering enough I had to stop mowing for a few minutes. It really hurts. I don't have time for this!!


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

gathering from the wilds and garden


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

Elk... that's a fine lookin' breakfast right there.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

Raeven said:


> Elk... that's a fine lookin' breakfast right there.



eat ya heart out....lol...morels and deer tenderloin.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

received 2 very beautiful olive trees for last years dead ones.these 2 are 1000x better than the carpola they sent last year. one limb has more leaves on it than both entire trees did last year.i have great hopes for these.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

Did y'all have a mental image of a big burley mountain man skipping through the woods with that dinky basket like I did? :grin:


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

tambo said:


> Did y'all have a mental image of a big burley mountain man skipping through the woods with that dinky basket like I did? :grin:




elk says...may the wild onions grow large in ya yard .... :gaptooth:




burn baby burn....roflmao


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

tambo said:


> Did y'all have a mental image of a big burley mountain man skipping through the woods with that dinky basket like I did? :grin:


And I was disappointed that those two were the only pictures. 

A basket and venison. No hand porn even. :awh:


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## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

elkhound said:


> elk says...may the wild onions grow large in ya yard .... :gaptooth:


Well, I was gonna' be nice and hold my peace, but attacking men with dainty, floral baskets cannot be tolerated. When I first read about the attack of those terrible, marauding wild onions, this song came to mind:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb9P8BLipqo[/ame]


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

Tommyice said:


> And I was disappointed that those two were the only pictures.
> 
> A basket and venison. No hand porn even. :awh:



sicko !!!


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

greens..kale,lettuce,bok choy and a bit of mustard and a few volnteer horseradish coming up.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

I still don't see your hand in that picture either!!


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

elkhound said:


> elk says...may the wild onions grow large in ya yard .... :gaptooth:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Shame Shame!! :grump:


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

been back and forth to the garden center to get soil and whatnot today. transplanted my blue hydrangea to a empty spot. I lost a lot of plants in our severe winter this year. took a pic of the grackels while I was out there. I only got 5 in the picture but it was like the movie "the birds" there for awhile. they were after the suet I made. I smeared it in a couple holes in the tree. all the birds go nuts for this. I had 4 woodpeckers this morning. they had a lot of red. probably the males. ~Georgia.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

another couple things I got this morning besides the rack and skewers was a cushion for my lawn chair. I found mine where I stored it in the shed and it was mouldy. it was a bit pricey but I had to have a cushion and I liked this one. what the heck! I can't pull it in with me!

also got me 2 little birdies for under the hydrangea tree. not bothering with flowers there this year. they just don't do well. so I plan frogs, birdies and fairies. less work too! things are progressing right nicely in the front yard. still have to get the cement steps repaired if I can get a sunny day. hopefully this week. I'll try to remember to get a before and after pic. ~Georgia.


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## viggie (Jul 17, 2009)

My front viola border is blooming  The tulips are just starting to bud behind them.










The strawberries are getting in on some of the flowering action too.










Neeeebleing on the first comfrey leaves of the year. And I got comfrey root cuttings posted on etsy, if anyone wants to start their own patch. It's very useful stuff!










I took hunters safety this spring and our field day is this weekend. So I found a 20 gauge to use for the season. Trap shooting will start soon and my urban homesteading friends agreed to take me to their land "up north" for some duck hunting to help get me started.


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## sustainabilly (Jun 20, 2012)

Excellent shot of that viola viggie! I love to see my volunteer Johnny Jump Ups every year. And that over -n- under's a beaut!

My corn is up and about 2-3 inches tall. When it reaches 4 in., I'll plant the beans and squash (three sisters). There'll be two plantings like that to spread out the season and to separate the types of corn. I'm growing Merit and Peaches & Cream. Got the garden fenced... finally. Lovin' this weather, hating the mowing!

The little no-till garden I put in last fall is paying dividends. I still have some herbs to place around the edges, but we've been eating off the lettuce and kale for a few weeks. The main bulk of red onions is at bottom. They're doing great. Can't wait to put the Bright Lights Swiss chard in the rotation. Yum!
View attachment 28679

Lettuce - threee kinds, kale, and chard in the back,next to my Greek oregano.
View attachment 28680


Radishes, the second harvest from my little raised bed. Tried French Breakfast this year along with Cherry Belle. Very mild. Good crunch. I looked for some Diakon seeds, but no go. I'll try and plan on planting them in the fall. 
View attachment 28682


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

Karl tell me about that rain barrel you've got there.

The little garden looks great and yummy!

Still working crazy hours. Got my first dehydrator. Not all I have to do is get some stuff to dehydrate. LOL


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

Karl awesome garden. 

I am reluctant to show mine now. Lol All I have is tomatoes in mine. I planted about 6 rows of Great Northern Beans, 5 rows of Pintos and 3 rows of Butter Beans. I had some old dried beans I knew I wasn't going to eat so I threw them in the ground. If they make it they do if they don't they don't. 

Here are some pictures but I have to say winter was hard this year and my place is showing it. It is what it is as I've done the best I can... well maybe I could've done a little better but I haven't.

That little black hen is close to 10yrs old. She is the oldest one I have and she has started laying an egg everyday since I am down to 5 hens.


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

What's got Dixie's attention in that hole?

My garden is mud. We've been getting rain. Only got the outside strip tilled up, still gotta do the big section.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

I think she is just smelling the ground. Probably getting ready to attack the cat!!


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## sustainabilly (Jun 20, 2012)

Tommyice said:


> Karl tell me about that rain barrel you've got there.
> 
> The little garden looks great and yummy!
> 
> Still working crazy hours. Got my first dehydrator. Not all I have to do is get some stuff to dehydrate. LOL


It's just a plastic 55 gal drum I bought from the co-op. I used to have 3, but they sprung leaks. I also have a 330 gal square tank I'll be putting under the eaves of my garden shed. Not there yet. 

There are a lot of ways to catch the rain, but essentially, what I did was cut out the top, put a hose bib near the bottom, cover the top with an old screen, and direct the downspout into it. I use it to water my flowers and herbs on the deck. I'll do it differently if I get more in the future.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

It started raining yesterday and there is a chance of rain every day until next Wednesday. If those seeds I planted Thursday are going the germinate this is a good chance for them to or get washed out one. I used my Earthway garden seeder. I'm not just real crazy about the thing. Yeah it makes planting easier but it doesn't cover the seed up real well in my soil. I usually have to go back and cover them. I sow the seed thicker when I plant by hand.

I've done everything I said I wasn't going to do so far. I'm not very disciplined. Lol I wasn't going to have a garden. Got one. I was going to have shorter rows so it would be easier to take care of. Nope planted all the way across the garden. Sometimes I'm my own worst enemy.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

I say that every year. this year I said I'm not planting potatoes because I hardly eat any anymore, no carrots, peas etc. etc. I'm just going to sit back and relax all summer. day comes I relax all summer i'll be dead! went out couple days ago brought back half the garden center. soon as the wind dies down I have to plant those. got to go to the country tomorrow to prepare a spud bed. I think all this gardening keeps me fit anyway! if it kills me so be it. I always wanted to give up the ghost in my garden. not layin in bed half dead depending on someone else. ~Georgia.


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

Started off as a productive day. Dad and I went out to breakfast then on to Lowes. Got my mulch for the 4-in-1 apple tree and some potting mix for the containers. Stopped at the nursery for broccoli and herbs (owner's a good friend of the family--always buy my plants from him and never from the big box places) Went to the cemetery to put out flowers for Mom and my grandmother. Cleaned up their spots while we were there. Decent lunch at home--just hot dogs, kraut and potato salad and lots of yums for the relish I made last summer. It really is good. Got the tree mulched and started planting the broccolis and the rain came and the thunder. Hard rain here now. Perfect time for a cup of coffee and some catching up on the singletree.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

My, what wonderful timing you have, Leslie!  Sounds like you made some great headway!

I'm sat with a cup of tea after planting out the flower beds in front of the house with impatiens, geraniums and marigolds. They don't look like much now, but give them a month... they'll be smile-makers! I'll share photos as they grow, if anyone likes. 

New fuchsia baskets are hung for the hummers and I planted a big bunch of iris that a friend of mine had lifted and divided. They won't bloom this year, but they should be lovely next.

Roses are pruned and fed as well. I'm looking forward to a lot of colorful beauty this year, and I'm sorely ready for it!

For those who lost rhodies and azaleas this year, don't be too quick to give up on them. I had a stunner of an azalea that I thought had been killed off by our very cold temperatures over the winter. It looked so pathetically dead. I was ripping on it to pull it out of the flower bed when I noticed... new growth! Very subtle. So I moved it to a less conspicuous spot in the garden and will give the poor thing a chance to recover. Not sure it can after all the indignities I visited on it, but a fighter always deserves a second chance.


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

Please share pics Rae. 

I'm fearful that I lost one the old azaleas here (one that the great-grandma planted). Porter had dug up around it rooting for bunnies and other rodents, I tried to fill it, but not too successfully. It's a red and there are many branches with buds but one whole section all brown. But....there are spots of green popping in amongst the brown so I'll leave it and see what happens next year.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

I bet it will be fine. They are surprisingly hardy! The one I just rehomed looked ALL dead. I had actually looked for signs of growth before uprooting it and just hadn't spotted the very few subtle spots. It may be a couple of years, but I bet it will live to bring joy again.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

a honey crisp,wine crisp,winesap and wolf river apple followed me home to my orchard....lol...the wolf river looked real bad so they told me i could have it for $5.99 i am putting it on lifesupport in elks ICU....its the only one they had and i felt it needed help and a home....i am such a tree huggin hippie.....roflmao.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

didn't get to the country today. it was supposed to rain so I decided not to. we had a little and then everything cleared up. it's been a glorious day. I started at 9am rejuvenating my perennial bed. it had started to decline. I think from overcrowding. I should have taken before and after pics because I made quite a difference in it. just too busy . just finished about an hour ago. long enough to jump into the jet tub. I was beat but quite pleased with the results. also set swiss chard today. ~Georgia.


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## viggie (Jul 17, 2009)

I went out to get a dwarf fruit tree today myself, but they didn't have any  Instead, these somehow got in my cart  Bloomerang Lilac and a climbing Don Juan Rose to stink up the clothesline area (and replace a previous lilac and honeysuckle that didn't make it through the rough winter). And I'm going to try getting raspberries started one last time. I've tried before and failed, but now I'm putting them in a different area along the fence for the rabbit run where the ground should be better.










First direct sown seeds of the season have sprouted. These are kale, and juuuust starting to pop up next to them is the lettuce.










And our Hunters Safety field day yesterday went really well and was pretty fun. I finally got to shoot a shotgun for the first time and even hit 2 of the 6 practice clays. When I posted about it, one of my urban homesteading friends offered to take me trapshooting soon and has been dropping some serious hints about fall turkey hunting...so I'm looking forward to that.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

Last year, I had other priorities that I now understand weren't, and I let my garden tasks slide. I've paid the price this year with the need to do a ton of weeding! But I'm coming to the end of all that, and things are looking up. 

As previously mentioned, I got the little flower beds out front of the house planted out and the new fuchsia plants hung for the hummingbirds. Here are a few "beginning of season" shots:

Doesn't look much yet, does it? 































The Very Dead Azalea:












How it is supposed to look (although the damage to leaves on this healthy one is still evident):












A close-up of one of the fuchsias:












We'll see how the season grows! And I see it's already time to mow again...


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

Love your little red maple. Ours has been there about 20 years is finally looking substantial.

I finally got those herbs planted. Also some spinach and lettuce. Tuesday potatoes are going in--first time I'm playing with those.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

LOL, potatoes are fun. Easy to grow so long as they're happy with their soil, and addictive to dig up. Kind of like finding buried treasure. 

Remember that potatoes like a slightly acidic soil (5.3 to 6.0) and they love potash. Other than that, they're easy to grow. Don't overfeed them or they'll get scab. Fine to eat, but not very attractive.


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

OK revise that. Planting potatoes on Wednesday. Tuesday I'll be buying peat to mix into the soil. LOL


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

LOL, oh, and if you give them too much nitrogen, they'll grow you some amazing stems/tops, but potatoes... not so much! Not too much nitrogen for the naughty things.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

just lovely Rae! I've been working straight out again today digging over the flower gardens. yanking out stuff to make it less crowded. planted swiss chard. lettuce. dill, basil, 85 glads for cut flowers. lavetera, cosmos.lupins,nasturtiums,strawberries etc. everything has been dug over and sheep manure added. still haven't gotten to the rock garden. suppose to be a beautiful day tomorrow.first thing I have to do is paint the previously patched steps. that wont take long. then I just have to start at the RG because it borders the street and I get a lot of compliments on it.

there just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day in the springtime. my stars I just realized I only had a tea and a couple crackers today! I got a pic of my forsythia.it is brighter than this but it was clouding over when I thought to take it. a couple birds. not sure. I thought they might be doves. I haven't seen these in this area before. no hummers yet.

bought myself 2 more clematis today when i went to pick up soil. 1 white already in bud "mrs bateman" and a red one"Niobe" both new to me. I was too tired to change and then change back to working clothes later so I went the way I was. I did change from rubber boots to sneakers. heavens to betsy I needn't have worried. wish I had kept on my rubber boots .~Georgia


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

not sure where the forsythia went. hopefully it's here this time. ~Georgia.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

It was rainy today. I went to town to buy fishing line to restring some mini cast reels my Dad had. One of them is a Diawa Minicast and one is a Kmart SK-001. One was on a rod already and one needed a rod. I also have a Zebco 11 mini reel so I bought 2 4' 10" rods. I counted rod and reels when I got home. I have 12 now. 

I went fishing at a large pond/ small lake. It is nice. It has a cabin on it just like I would want if I was building a new house. I caught 1 nice crappie. A friend was fishing too. I'm not sure what all he caught as he was there when I got there but he said they weren't biting too good.

I sure needed to mow today because I have a meeting at work in the morning then a 2hr class there at 12. I hope my boss lets me stay and work until my class so I don't have to leave then go back. It's my day off but the boss makes us come in if we are off for our monthly meeting.

So I have goofed off all day. :whistlin:


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## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

Some of the cows contracted pink eye, and three of them were pretty far advanced before we caught it (too many late nights getting the hay in the barn). We're erring on the side of caution and giving all of them a penicillin shot, spraying on a topical antibiotic, and applying a salve to keep the flies off the area around their eyes. I also put out two fly blocks which supposedly kills the larvae in the poop. I hate to overmedicate, but I hate sick animals even more. Got to hem up eight more tomorrow, mostly calves, to finish the task.


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## oneraddad (Jul 20, 2010)

I took a bunch of old cinder block and the last of my old Redwood and built this wind block for the BBQ's today.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

dad you have grills like me....several....to many grills is like to much fun...lol...you cant have to much fun or grills !


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

Nothing will get me out of the house early in the morning faster than the prospect of a hot (for us) day (80F) combined with newly-planted seedlings and an irrigation pump that must be put back into the pond so I don't have to hand-water the gardens or the lawn. 

Installing the irrigation pump is probably one of my least favorite jobs around here each year. The pump is very heavy, must be humped down a disturbingly steep bank to the pond over thick, slippery foliage including cruel blackberry brambles that grow back faster than they can be removed without using poison (the fish!). Then it must be reassembled, primed and hooked back up to the electrical supply while I balance on a sliver of slippery ground about a foot and a half square. I always have visions of my mail carrier reluctantly hoofing down to investigate after a couple of weeks of mail piling up, where she will discover a pair of legs sticking out of the pond. When the body is recovered, an irrigation pump will be found holding the torso firmly under water in the mud. The crawdads will have enjoyed a feast they&#8217;ll talk about for years to their grandchildren, and my mail carrier will have bad dreams for a couple of months.

But today, after only one extra trip up and down the nasty, steep bank to find a new bucket for pump priming (goodness knows where the old one went, it lived on the bank for years), my installation task was fairly routine.
After all that, a small offering of fervent hope was sent up to the Powers of Entropy that the wretched thing would fire up and pump like a mad thing when I flicked the switch. This morning, success!! But not so fast on the celebrating. This is also the moment when any damage to the irrigation system over the winter is revealed. We had some very cold temperatures in December and February.

Sure enough, once the pump was pumping, I discovered a big split in one of the main lines in a weird spot, despite my best efforts last fall at drainage and insulation. Not a hard fix &#8211; provided I had all the right parts. As most of you know, working with PVC is like Cheap and Nasty Tinker Toys for Dummies. That&#8217;s good, because I am eminently qualified. The actual repairs took about 3 minutes. Locating everything I needed to do the repairs required an hour-ish of repeated trips to the workshop to dig through irrigation piping parts and tool boxes. Would I need my channel locks? Do I have enough Â¾&#8221; fittings? And where is that dang primer and glue, anyway? How come this crappy PVC cutter doesn&#8217;t work? Where is my hacksaw? Whoops, forgot the duct tape (my place runs on duct tape) to secure the newly-repaired pipe to the T-post so it doesn&#8217;t wobble. The hour-and-a-half-three-minute job.

At last, success. The pump works, the irrigation pipe is repaired and the rest of the system doesn&#8217;t require additional attention. My little seedlings were nicely watered without further fuss. I&#8217;m set now until next fall, when I have to go yank the pump back out of the pond. Time enough left over for a couple of hours of target practice!

Such is the life of a single, female homesteader.

It&#8217;s going to be a great summer.


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## jokersloose (May 5, 2014)

We have way to much to do this summer (all 3 days of it lol) 

Finish goat barn
Build milking room
Build new chicken coop
Plant garden
Fix skirting on trailer
Feed
Feed
Feed

Lol

James


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

I worked outside until the rain ran me in. I burned and picked up limbs. After this winter I wished I didn't have a tree in the yard. Then I mowed until the rain came in
I had about 30 mins worth of mowing left but it will have to wait. I'm not to sure now it is the onions making my eyes burn. I may have become allergic to the grass. I didn't see many onions or smell any but my eyes were on fire again. My nose was running and I was itchy all over. This mower is lower to the ground and grass blows all over me if I turn to the right very much. I use to mow with the guard up but I have to leave it down now. 
Dixie doesn't like to stay in the house very much but when it's hot outside she likes to come in and lay on the vents. I wouldn't let her in today can you guess why. She found what would make a great hog wallow.


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

Awwww, she is beautiful!


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

Thanks roadless. She smelled like a polecat there!!


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## sustainabilly (Jun 20, 2012)

Raeven said:


> ...After all that, a small offering of fervent hope was sent up to the *Powers of Entropy* that the wretched thing would fire up and pump like a mad thing when I flicked the switch. This morning, success!! But not so fast on the celebrating. This is also the moment when any damage to the irrigation system over the winter is revealed. We had some very cold temperatures in December and February.
> 
> Sure enough, once the pump was pumping, I discovered a big split in one of the main lines in a weird spot, despite my best efforts last fall at drainage and insulation. Not a hard fix &#8211; provided I had all the right parts. As most of you know, working with PVC is like Cheap and Nasty Tinker Toys for Dummies. That&#8217;s good, because I am eminently qualified. The actual repairs took about 3 minutes. Locating everything I needed to do the repairs required an hour-ish of repeated trips to the workshop to dig through irrigation piping parts and tool boxes. Would I need my channel locks? Do I have enough Â¾&#8221; fittings? And where is that dang primer and glue, anyway? How come this crappy PVC cutter doesn&#8217;t work? Where is my hacksaw? Whoops, forgot the duct tape (my place runs on duct tape) to secure the newly-repaired pipe to the T-post so it doesn&#8217;t wobble. The hour-and-a-half-three-minute job.
> 
> ...


Entropy is the natural order of the world.
Good to see you haven't disregarded the watchful eye of Saint Murphy and the Chaos Sisters of the Church of Destabilization.


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## sustainabilly (Jun 20, 2012)

tambo said:


> ...This mower is lower to the ground and grass blows all over me if I turn to the right very much. I use to mow with the guard up but I have to leave it down now...


I think I see the problem tambo. You're supposed to drive fast and *turn left*, LOL


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

it's a wonderful day here! +21 C on my deck. a good day to get some work done. finished up on the steps. it's not the best . it'll do for this year. this was done when the house was built in 52. stuff is falling apart. I think next year i'll get someone in and have everything torn out. I'd rather have wood myself. just messing around with my little garden under the pee gee. ~Georgia


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

couldn't seem to get them all at once. hopefully they are here. ~Georgia.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

out digging around in the garden this morning. came across this daff.hiding under a bush. not like the others in the garden. must have been in the earth I brought out from the country last year. Mrs Bateman clematis is blooming today and 2 more just about ready I think. so sweet! this is my newest clematis and looks to be the earliest blooming for me. my earliest before this one was Guernsey Cream which has yet to bloom.~Georgia


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

not sure what's going on . hope the daff is here now.


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## oneraddad (Jul 20, 2010)

The blackberries cuttings I got down by the river are coming up, along with the row of beets. I'm waiting for it to cool down to plant 10 tomatoes a couple weeks early and risk frost. I think I can manage to cover 10 if it dips below freezing, but if not I have over 40 more.


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

I finally have a day off that's not the weekend!!!!!!


And it's raining cats and dogs here. 

Might be the gods way of telling me "girl do nothing today."


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

Leslie, I hope you enjoyed EVERY MOMENT!! 

I, to the opposite extreme, had a PERFECT gorgeous day here. I took full advantage, got my mowing out of the way, did a little more weeding, blew the debris off the patio. Fired up the barbie and am now sat outside with computer catching up on threads, listening to melodic Irish music, looking at all the stunning flowers with a nice glass of red wine while I wait for the coals to be just perfect for baking a potato and grilling a little sirloin strip steak. There's a side salad chilling in the fridge and broccoli ready to stir fry with a bit of sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic and diced red pepper. The sky is clear, the breeze is gentle and just exactly the right cool/warm temperature. Life is pretty fine. 

I'd snap some pics, but I can't be stuffed to do it and besides, you'd all be so jealous.


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## Jaclynne (May 14, 2002)

I have a really nice roast ready for my supper but my kitchen stinks! You know that smell when you poke your thumb thru a long forgotten potato? The worst smell ever. It's like that, but there are not any potatoes in my kitchen, or the house. 

I thought yesterday that I had determined where the stench was emanating from. I found a can or two of spaghetti sauce in the pantry with stinky liquid pooled on the top and dribbling down the sides. I threw them away and wiped off the shelf. Today I find two more, same process. Carried the trash out of the house. 

This afternoon, after being gone, that smell is back. Back to the pantry I go, but I can't really figure out how so many cans of spaghetti sauce have gone bad all at once. I'm gazing at the shelves, puzzling what the problem, as I half hold my breath. Then I see a drip. On the top shelf there is canned milk. A new case still in the plastic shrink wrap, and a few older individual cans. I carefully pick up all the single cans, I say carefully because this is all above my head. Thinking there might be a stray older can behind the case, I slide it out. The smell was overpowering. Yuck, the whole case stunk and is wet, drippy and discolored. 

I now know rotten canned milk is worse than bad potatoes. I got rid of all of it and cleaned up but it still stinks in here. Its a little cool for the attic fan, but I may have to get a blanket and go for it.

It's clearly time to clean out the whole pantry room.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

LOL, Jaclynne, honest to Pete, I had the exact thing happen to me a few years ago. I don't like canned milk and use it very seldom, so unfortunately, it has gotten away from me. I don't store it anymore, apart from a couple of cans. A good friend and I have an agreement that if the day comes, I get her raw milk in trade for pork. That's going to have to do for if TSEHTF.

What's crazy is, in Europe, they have this awesome milk in boxes that keeps forever! I have no idea why we can't have it here. It doesn't even have that nasty "canned milk" taste. I've looked and looked, but no joy.


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## oneraddad (Jul 20, 2010)

I have 82 eggs in the incubator. 

The last three days of hatching you stop turning the eggs so the chicks can tell which way is up. Last year I left then in the turner until they were just about out, then put them in a Tupperware in the bottom. Today I made this little brooding box to put them in so I don't have to keep opening the door. Opening the door the last three days is bad. 

Last year I hatched about 70%, I'm looking looking for 90% this time.


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## Jaclynne (May 14, 2002)

That's a great idea, saves having to scrub tiny little turning parts that have gotten nasty too.


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

We do have that here--it's Parmalat. Actually I don't know if it's still available. I haven't gone looking for any in the grocery lately. I used to buy it all the time for baking as I didn't drink milk back then.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

Leslie... maybe I can order it online. I'll have to look and see. Loved that stuff when I visited Germany!!


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## sustainabilly (Jun 20, 2012)

Tommyice said:


> I finally have a day off that's not the weekend!!!!!!
> 
> 
> And it's raining cats and dogs here.
> ...


Been raining here too Leslie. It's just as well. I sprained the ulnar collateral ligament (inner elbow) in my right arm last week and it hurts like fire. But, I have too much to do to baby it. It's frustrating. I got stuff to do. At first I couldn't even hold a coffee mug in my hand. Had to try to do everything left handed. It's getting a little better now, but it still gives me a sharp reminder when I forget and start to try and work normally. It sucks. Don't get me wrong. I can be as lazy as the next guy, but ain't nobody else gonna clean this house or mow or get the garden up and running. Aarrgh!


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

Can't help you much Karl other than to suggest for the house cleaning, Molly Maids. Maybe you'll get one that's French


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## sustainabilly (Jun 20, 2012)

Ha! Never! I'm not paying anyone to clean. I don't want anyone to fix the problem. I just want to gripe, LOL


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## summerdaze (Jun 11, 2009)

Leslie, I feel your pain with all the rain! It's been raining for several days here, and I am getting frustrated with trying to put my garden in. I stopped by the nursery today, and I only meant to get a couple things, but you know how that goes! Found my much loved "Hillbilly" tomatoes, and probably 6 other kinds as well, rainbow chard, flowers, and herbs. The plant place is close to the new house. As soon as I put the stuff in my car, it started raining.  Tomorrow is supposed to .....RAIN. Sunday they say is going to be nice and NO rain. Geeze, I HOPE SO! I got things to DO!


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

I has baby chicks hatching. 3 so far.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

I have 5 now. 4 in this picture and 1 still in the incubator drying off.


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## Jaclynne (May 14, 2002)

Love baby chicks!!


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

I think I'm going to wind up with 5 chicks out of 8 eggs.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

one of the replacement olive trees all tied up to protect from these crazy winds,lettuce and radishes coming on,bok choy and a couple apples. i posted on here i got a honey crisp but as you see it was a candy crisp....dah huh......memory...lol


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

black seeded simpson lettuce and radishes.this is my favorite lettuce but its very delicate i have never seen it in a store or produce stand for sale.i will be eating that red sail lettuce before long.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

ramps i transplanted are looking nice and they have a bloom stem coming up on them.i have a ounce of seed coming too...lol


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

I set some parsley a couple weeks ago. thought it froze. dug it over and planted lettuce. i see today i have parsley and lettuce both coming. going to be fun getting those seedlings separated. I like my parsley by itself. ~Georgia.


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## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

We grew black seeded Simpson when I was little Elk. I would pick some from the garden, toast some bread, add a little mayo, salt and pepper to make a sandwich with nothing but the lettuce for filler. It tasted great.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

I got to get me a new brushcutter. I have always had gas ones but after taking my old one to the shop several times and still not getting any satisfaction out of it I bought an electric one last year. it's the hardest thing I've ever used and always have a bad back after. it's not that easy either dragging around 2 or 3oo ft of cord.

it's because there is no support to my back of course. the others had a belt around my shoulders , cross over like a cross-over bra and hooked to the machine. I could make that thing fly almost. I told my son today to get one at the store he frequents just down from his place and have it all set up for when I get there next Saturday. 

it will be something like 500 but certainly worth it. it's a little different from the one I had for 10 or so years. I guess from what he says everything snaps together . it can take attachments even a small tiller which I don't need. same name as my first one . an echo which I got excellent service from for many years. I also had to give up on the electric mower and go back to gas. same thing, dragging around that cord was a killer~Georgia


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## Twp.Tom (Dec 29, 2010)

Georgia*, I read your post about brush-cutting the other day. I barely noted the part about how hard it is on the back. Yesterday, I ran five tanks of fuel, and used all of the line I had on hand. Today, I could barely get out of bed. No back support/harness, on my unit. Never again!, looking forward to a review on your new unit*.:Bawling:


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## viggie (Jul 17, 2009)

Showing my appreciation to the first fish of the season










And baked white bass for dinner










Outside the tulips are finally in flower










And the rhubarb is bolting like crazy


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

that's a lovely tulip Viggie! parrot? don't you cut those off the rhubarb as they start? I do. ~Georgia.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

Twp.Tom said:


> Georgia*, I read your post about brush-cutting the other day. I barely noted the part about how hard it is on the back. Yesterday, I ran five tanks of fuel, and used all of the line I had on hand. Today, I could barely get out of bed. No back support/harness, on my unit. Never again!, looking forward to a review on your new unit*.:Bawling:


 well I went to the bank today and drew out enough money to give my son for the unit when I meet him at the shack on Saturday. just a little while ago he called and said the BC I threw in the barn last year works like a charm.(I must say the fellows at the shop said there was nothing wrong with it) I'm not fooling around much with it though. if it doesn't work for me i'll get the new one. I got to have good tools for the 2 properties. 

about the harness. the first 2 I had over the years was Echo. this last one was a sthil and did not have a way to hook on( I already had the harness from the 2 Echos) my husband modified it for me. put a clamp in the middle and a hook. worked perfect so perhaps you could think of doing that. it's definitely hard on the back. I have been lugging around soil and digging all spring and had no problem until I started with that electric BC. I'm going to put that one on the median for giveaway day in june. no more electric for me. I will keep the one electric lawnmover I still have just for back-up. Georgia.


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## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

Rhubarb looks a little like collards.


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## viggie (Jul 17, 2009)

newfieannie said:


> that's a lovely tulip Viggie! parrot? don't you cut those off the rhubarb as they start? I do. ~Georgia.


They are Fancy Frills Fringed Tulips. And yes I cut them down, it goes so crazy it's a weekly chore for me once they get going.


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## viggie (Jul 17, 2009)

One of my goals for this year is done


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

Congratulation viggie! :thumb:

Good for you!


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## Twp.Tom (Dec 29, 2010)

I was able to go fishing last evening, caught a few Bass, on soft plastics, and spinner baits.Was a very pleasant evening*


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## oneraddad (Jul 20, 2010)

Candled the first 41 this morning and had 4 that weren't fertile and 4 that had the ring of death early on.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

So I went to Walmart to get some Smoked Sausage when I got off work. I didn't realize I left my debit card in my truck until I was back in sporting goods looking around. I checked to see what I had in my pocket. Maybe $13 or $14. So what to do I say to myself. 
First picture is what I bought.
Second is some lures I ordered online. USA made from a company in TN.
Third is free samples they sent with my order.
Fourth is the baby chicks.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

just got back from the country. been mowing and whatnot since 9am. haven't kept up with it for a couple years. mostly because of rain and when I got to it .it was too high. it is so lovely. even with my house falling down. as I mentioned before I spend most of the time outdoors.

there's a large tree hanging on the wires looks like it's pulling from the ground. saw 2 guinea hen. lovely red and white head. I can't find my camera. had it already to take but it wasn't in the car. that is the first time I have seen them except in pics. I must have been mowing close by to an eagles nest because one kept swooping at me. where I'm mowing borders the deep woods. every time I got in close it would swoop .I would have gotten some good pics today.~Georgia.


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

It's raining. Again. :awh:


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## summerdaze (Jun 11, 2009)

Tommyice said:


> It's raining. Again. :awh:


I know just how you feel. It rained for days here when I was chompin at the bit to start in on my garden. And I was :Bawling: too!! Finally it got nice and this is the first weekend where there's no rain in sight, and cooler temps too! I t will get there for you too girl, so hang in there! :rainprf:


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## summerdaze (Jun 11, 2009)

Yesterday I went to the lil' house, and my friend Jim made me a deal. If I would paint him up some artsy-fartsy garage sale signs, he would finish tilling up my lil' garden spot. I had tilled with that big honkin' thing, and knew I was in for a rough time of it, so I JUMPED at the chance to exchange services! I turned out some pretty cool signs which they really liked, and I could get right to the plantin'. Win-win.

I'm always looking for unique gardening things that I can make or re-purpose for the garden. I came across a free wooden portable baby changing table, and took out the shelves and the bottom rungs so I could plunge it further into the ground, and now my maters have 2 good long side pieces to climb up on, and I can use the bottom pcs as tomato stakes too. Also found a wrought iron piece that has scroll work at the top, and woven removable shelves on it that you might use in a bathroom, about 4-4 1/2 feet tall. With shelves off, the side pieces fold out straight for one long iron thingy that that my future peas will climb up on.

I planted 3 Five Color Swiss Chard plants that had been in a planter, shoved a bunch of herbs into that planter, and planted more toms for a total of 9 in the ground now, and put in 5 different kinds of peppers. Going to put in a couple rows of beans tomorrow. Got metal stakes into the ground around garden, but didn't put fencing on yet b/c I was working in it. Will put fencing around it tomorrow too. 

My friend took 3 pics of it yesterday, and will take some every so often, so that by the time I post them here, you can see how everything is coming along. I know my little venture might not be too impressive to you professionals, lol, but I'm having fun. Got more ideas then money tho!! 

Going to Wally World tonight to get a kiddie pool and some Walmart bags to plant in. Think it was Boston Leslie/ArticCow that have things growing that way on their patio, and I kinda like that idea, so, I'm gonna do that to! Also want to get one potato planting bag and some landscape fabric to make some pallet gardens out of. I get all the pallets I want at work for free. So much fun!


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## viggie (Jul 17, 2009)

It's absolutely gorgeous this weekend and Im about burned to a crisp after spending all day yesterday digging.










And most of today planting  This is 18 Jersey Giant Tomatoes, 3 Purple Cherokee Tomatoes, 4 California Wonder Peppers, 2 Listada de Gandia Eggplant.










P.S. If I don't check in after Tuesday, it's because I'm meeting someone from the board to do some Sporting Clays and they prolly axe murdered me.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

I hope you are talking about Axe body spray!!


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

trying something new....going again with zong,my and others idea combined.deep top soil for indeterminate tomatoes.


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## summerdaze (Jun 11, 2009)

My plans for today changed a little bit. Yesterday I found a large shed on Craigslist free to whomever would dismantle it. It's 8'X20' and has cabinets mounted on one wall. I saw pics of it, and though it would make an excellent chicken coup. It was 8 mins from my little house, and my friends were already there. Me and my friend, Jim spent a few hours knocking the sides off today and hauling pcs to the van. Tomorrow another guy with a big trailer is coming there and we'll take off the roof and framing. I marked all the pcs and took pictures for easy re-assembly.

We picked out a great spot for it in the yard, and stacked all the pcs for it close by on wooden blocks. 
I'm so excited! I'm finally gonna have chickens, and it's coming sooner then what I thought it would! 

Bought 4 more maters, 2 more peppers, cantaloupe, cauliflower, and a couple cabbage plants plus a few more herbs. I have free water to water everything with!

Learned I have homesteady neighbors and they're interested to meet me, so will do that tomorrow. They're selling plants, and are also willing to barter for stuff. Several neighbors have come around to introduce themselves, and they all seem really nice. It was a really good day today. Tomorrow.....finish chicken coup, and later, gonna fire up the grill at the lil' house!


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

bio char jalapenos and taters in a barrel...some experiments this year.


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## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

Didn't know where you were going with the biochar jalapenos, so I googled it...which led to your post in Survival and Emergency Preparedness. You've got some neat experiments planned for the Summer Mr. Elk. Good luck, and you're bound to learn something, even if it is what not to do.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

RW i find it sorta weird google can find my weird ******* made up terms....lol

yea i just called them that cause i dumped all that char on them to see how they grow and do...i have a few things to try iffin i get time to get them all in and up and running.


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## summerdaze (Jun 11, 2009)

Well, I worked in the hot sun taking down the large shed/future chicken coop with a friend most of the day today. I never dreamed it would be so hard to take down, but it'll be worth it in the end. Didn't quite get it all done...shingles are off, roof is off, pieces are numbered, nails removed, stacked and ready for transport. My friends are finishing it in the morning, and taking what's left to the lil' house, as well as getting rid of the debris. I have to go in to work tomorrow, but will work on the reassembly of this.
We were supposed to have a cookout tonight, but when we joined back up with the others (who were doing a yard sale) we were all too tired to fool with it! 
It was mostly a working weekend for me, but it was good.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

Spent the day yesterday mowing. Today I had to go in to work for a couple hours for an Excel class. Then to the dentist for a cleaning. It started raining before I got home to finish mowing.It's back to work tomorrow. 3 day weekend this weekend though.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

cut a few perfect tulips to go with my breakfast this morning before I start my heavy day. the hummers are back! at least the female is. too quick for a pic. but I have hope. have 2 feeders up. I'm surprised because it still goes very low at night. sometimes frost. my peonies are very ragged. I think it was the cold. buds are still okay. just the leaves look terrible. well, I'm off to shovel composted manure! enjoy your day everyone!~Georgia.


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## summerdaze (Jun 11, 2009)

Simply lovely Georgia! My favorite color.


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## summerdaze (Jun 11, 2009)

I picked up some flowers and grape, blackberry, and raspberry plants. Didn't make it back over to the little house tonight. Bought a bunch of Walmart bags to plant in. Have cantaloupe, cabbage, califlower, more maters, and couple more herbs to plant. I need to have a big truckload of dirt dumped out by the garden. There's just never enough!


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## summerdaze (Jun 11, 2009)

Got in my beans and most of the snap peas tonight. Bought another larger red raspberry plant, and a peonies (white). Cant seem to locate a potato planting bag, so just have to plant em the old fashion way I guess. 
I made 28.80 recycling pop cans today, and then I turned around and used that to pay a portion of today's plant bill. 
Got another full day planned in the garden tomorrow.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

half a day is enough for today. I'm beat .trying to dig out some bricks and whatnot. I've lost 5 lbs this week. I think it's working hard and not stopping to eat. cooking trout for supper or chicken whatever thaws out first. my swiss chard is up a couple inches. that's good for here. I'm not doing a lot of veggies this year. mostly flowers. got out early this morning to beat the traffic and bought a hundred dollars worth for some pots. you can't hardly see what you get for that this year. put in 80 more glads for cut flowers. good thing I grow a lot from seed. the ground is as dry as a bone .have to water twice a day. ~Georgia


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

I went fishing today at Reelfoot Lake. I almost took my kayak but decided to take my boat instead. I'm glad I did as the wind was horrible. I only caught one again but at least I didn't get skunked. I'm glad I don't have to depend on what I catch to eat. I would starve.

In the top of these trees is a eagle's nest. One picture you can see them flying aroud waiting on me to leave so they can come back. One was in there when i came up but left before I could get a picture.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

looks like fun times tambo.


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## Twp.Tom (Dec 29, 2010)

Planted my Little garden today*. 10 green peppers, 13 tomatoes, 90' of burpee stringless green beans, Sunflowers, snap peas, cherry radishes, spinach, and dill*. I would plant more, but I pretty well 'crammed' all that I could, in a small area*. Really feels good to have it in*. Rain Mon&Tues.**


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## Twp.Tom (Dec 29, 2010)

I had a helper too*


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## Twp.Tom (Dec 29, 2010)

Tom Turkey, is 'Flush'*-He rules the barn*.


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## summerdaze (Jun 11, 2009)

Love your pics, TT. Your garden looks to be about the same size as mine, and I've crammed a lot into mine too!
Tonight I finished puttin' in the snap peas, 4 more maters, 2 more peppers, 2 cabbages, 1 cauliflower, white and red grapes, 2 red raspberry, 2 blackberries, and a couple flowers. Felt good to get this stuff in the ground! Bought the kiddie pool, but now I need gravel to put in the bottom b4 I set my Walmart bags of planted stuff in. Tomorrow I shall get gravel! And yellow squash, and maybe a zucchini, a couple more Swiss chard would be nice..........


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

My hell week at work is over so now I can go back to regularly scheduled programming. LOL. Did some sewing yesterday--got some shirts cut out which meant opening the cutting table (no I didn't fix the robe). Discovered that piece of furniture needed a little repair work too. Got the hammer and screwdrivers out. Really cleaned behind it too. Must not have done that for a while--having the mother of allergy attacks. LOL Planning on going to the garden store for some flowers.


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## oneraddad (Jul 20, 2010)

I worked on firewood yesterday, didn't finish but made a good dent.


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