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

[WIchickMama]

You must be farther south, or way braver than me. Can't plant much yet here. Still sloppy, and cold. I'm so jealous.

Not sure where you are but we are about dead center along the border of MN/WI, weather has been decent the last couple days and will be in the 50s for the next 10 days for sure, lows in the 40s.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Not sure where you are but we are about dead center along the border of MN/WI, weather has been decent the last couple days and will be in the 50s for the next 10 days for sure, lows in the 40s.

I'm about in the center of the state, so sounds like we are similar. You must be braver for planting already. I used to get out there sooner when I was younger, but these days I'm not as efficient as I once was. I used to love weeding in the mud, made getting the crab grass out of beds easier.

The coming rain and warmer temperatures will hopefully jump start my seeds I planted last week.

 

[jvls1942]

You can still weed in the mud. Just have a jug of water with you and pour it onto the weeds. Annie's gramma used to do that. made weeding easier and watered the veggies.
Just ate a BLT and soon will go out and see what I can do outside.
no planting, that's for sure.

 

[jvls1942]

I did go out and mulched another bed of garlic, and two small beds of strawberries.
My back held up better than it did the last time I mulched. I figure the more I work the better the back will get.
I called about the tractor again at noon. surprisingly he called me back.
He has it torn apart. The head gasket was not blown. but the head was cracked. I kind of suspected that as a second guess. He found a head and has it at a machine shop. They will check it for cracks and if it is OK they will resurface it to make it flat.
A head costs about $350.oo. I don't know what the machining will add to that. This is the third head .

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I can't weed anymore because of my replaced knees and a bad back from farming. Weeding in my raised boxes is simple enough. I have used the horse in the past to weed. I used to always find it satisfying to get the whole weed out. These days I'm more leisurely about weeding.

It did turn cold out again. It's a baby step year for gardening apparently. Good news is I have some goose eggs hatching under a few bantams, so that's both exciting and nerve wracking. They are taking their time getting out.

 

[jvls1942]

I sent lots of goose eggs through the incubator. Never had a lot of good luck with them. I managed to hatch some.
they do take time to get out of the shells. they test your patience.
I stayed in the house today. It threatened rain, and then it did rain.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Poured like crazy a few times this evening. We are sopping wet. Hopefully it helps get stuff growing at least.

The only incubator I use is my bantam cochins. They will hatch everything and anything. Hopefully my goslings are out by morning.

 

[jvls1942]

Poured like crazy a few times this evening. We are sopping wet. Hopefully it helps get stuff growing at least.

The only incubator I use is my bantam cochins. They will hatch everything and anything. Hopefully my goslings are out by morning.

So, how many goslings do you have today ?
Another nice day indoors. Getting tired of this.
Annie is straightening out the basement. putting shelves into the fruit room.
Have over 20 one gallon cans of old paint. much/most of it is dried in the can,..
I brought up two bottles of home brew. Haven't tried any of it for almost a year.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'm up to 6 goslings, one more hasn't hatched yet but seems to be working on it. Here's the first 4 that hatched, they are much stronger today.



My tomato plants are getting tall in the house. The plan is to fill the Kozy Kotes up this week and hopefully get them planted. Than pray the soil temperatures continue to warm up. Otherwise I'm gonna have tomatoes in the house the way things are going this year.

 

[jvls1942]

good hatch. Toulouse ?
Keep the faith, your tomatoes will make it outside.
the next warm day we get, I am going to cut some apple and elderberry branches and get them stuck into the dirt.
I am hoping to get the tractor back this week. Have lots of odd jobs for it.
The driveway is a mess. It needs grading . there are tons of fallen branches that need to get hauled back to the burn pile.
I have ordered wood chips from the company who trims along the electrical high lines. they will start cutting in May.