Dreaming of Spring Gardening in the Middle of a Wisconsin winter part 2

[jvls1942]

No real plans here for Easter. My husband roasts birds or hams than chops it up and freezes it. Too much meat to get eaten in a few days when it's just him eating it.

I had forgotten about the robin saying. Next will be 3 witches after the frogs croak. I haven't heard them yet, sounds like next week is gonna be warmer. Once the grass starts to grow the mud will start to dry up.

I'm itching to start some lettuce, and radish, but have to wait until the freezing is done.

I don't know about the frogs croaking?
You don't eat meat ?
I am not supposed to eat very much meat.
The most satisfying meat is a mean rooster. lol

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That was an old wives tale told by an older neighbor lady when I was a kid. Seems to work out most years, so I follow it for my planting schedule. Three witches, frost/freezes after the frogs come to back to life. That and the weather will change at a full moon, generally the last frost will occur than. I'm fascinated by the old ways. They seem smarter than our modern weather predictions.

I haven't eaten meat since I was 18. Growing up and watching the animals you helped to raise being butchered was too much on me. Seems not eating meat may have helped to contribute to my kidneys still being good after 43 years of type 1 diabetes. That and constantly drinking water.

I eat a lot of artificial "meats". Some are quite satisfying. I never cared for the taste of meat in general anyways. Husband eats those mean roosters for me.

 

[jvls1942]

That was an old wives tale told by an older neighbor lady when I was a kid. Seems to work out most years, so I follow it for my planting schedule. Three witches, frost/freezes after the frogs come to back to life. That and the weather will change at a full moon, generally the last frost will occur than. I'm fascinated by the old ways. They seem smarter than our modern weather predictions.

I haven't eaten meat since I was 18. Growing up and watching the animals you helped to raise being butchered was too much on me. Seems not eating meat may have helped to contribute to my kidneys still being good after 43 years of type 1 diabetes. That and constantly drinking water.

I eat a lot of artificial "meats". Some are quite satisfying. I never cared for the taste of meat in general anyways. Husband eats those mean roosters for me.

I can understand that. It kind of is a dirty trick to play on the animals.

 

[WIchickMama]

morning, mind if I join in? I got the itch to plant too. Woke up to a dusting of snow, slippery roads but then tomorrow 50!? It is April in WI though, right?

I am going to be adding some berries to the mix of edible plants this year and 2 dwarf cherry trees. We plants lots of tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, lettuce and onions here-which is what the kids eat. I will also do some peas and beans for canning and freezing. I never have luck with carrots but I will try again. Rhubard and asparagus are a necessity on our small homestead

 

[jvls1942]

morning, mind if I join in? I got the itch to plant too. Woke up to a dusting of snow, slippery roads but then tomorrow 50!? It is April in WI though, right?

I am going to be adding some berries to the mix of edible plants this year and 2 dwarf cherry trees. We plants lots of tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, lettuce and onions here-which is what the kids eat. I will also do some peas and beans for canning and freezing. I never have luck with carrots but I will try again. Rhubard and asparagus are a necessity on our small homestead

Glad to see somebody up so early this morning.
I had luck with carrots once. I planted them in two by three foot beds. My wife weeded them. She said, never again. I covered them with bales of straw for the winter. They did not freeze, but I did when I went to dig some. First I had to shovel two feet of snow off the bale, then move a water soaked bale. Now I am lying on my stomach in the snow and grubbing through wet cold dirt to dig the carrots. that's when I said, never again. lol
If I get my tractor back from the fixit shop in time to plow, we will plant corn. Otherwise I will plant just six tomatoes.
I planted rhubarb two autumns ago.
last summer I planted a row of asparagus. I am trying to get grapes started. will update you about them later in the summer.
grapes are funny animals. behind my sisters house in town, I saw some thriving at the edge of a blacktop driveway. I baby mine and they don't seem to appreciate it . But the wild patch just two hundred feet from my babies is growing strong and sprawling all over the ground.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I think carrots thrive on neglect. I just sprinkle the seeds on the surface of the soil and scratch in. Burying them too deep probably inhibits germination. I personally don't thin until I start to harvest. I don't believe in planting in rows and have always broadcast seeds for most crops.

I plant my cold crops as soon as I can. Hopefully this year by the end of April. Carrots do take a while. They are worth it to me. I've had no luck long term storing carrots so I just chop, blanch and freeze.

 

[jvls1942]

I think carrots thrive on neglect. I just sprinkle the seeds on the surface of the soil and scratch in. Burying them too deep probably inhibits germination. I personally don't thin until I start to harvest. I don't believe in planting in rows and have always broadcast seeds for most crops.

I plant my cold crops as soon as I can. Hopefully this year by the end of April. Carrots do take a while. They are worth it to me. I've had no luck long term storing carrots so I just chop, blanch and freeze.

One time I stored carrots is dry sand in the basement. I had them in boxes. Unbeknown to us, the cat found the sand boxes. when we went to use the carrots, they were all rotted .
another good reason to not have cats in the house.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

One time I stored carrots is dry sand in the basement. I had them in boxes. Unbeknown to us, the cat found the sand boxes. when we went to use the carrots, they were all rotted .
another good reason to not have cats in the house.

That must of been an adventure digging in that sand. Kitty land mines.

 

[jvls1942]

Starting on my Easter dinner today. Have the turkey thawing on the porch
getting ready to make parker house mashed potato rolls today. as soon as I get off of the puter. it takes about three hours. Yields about 30 rolls.
I will make the dressing on Sunday morning. Mashed and sweet potatoes

 

[rjmyooper]

More snow for us this morning on 4-15-2022.