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

[jvls1942]

I do the same, I use them to acknowledge that I have read the post. but you and I also write a note.
Many people just acknowledge and seldom or never respond.
I subscribe to four sites on BYC, it is the same on all sites.
once or twice throughout the years, I knocked down the blackberries. One small patch, I mowed it afterwards.
gave it a whole new life.
we have three different blackberry patches, so we always have one to pick after destroying another.
Last year we didn't get any berries.
I think that is because the patch was worn out ? there were other years when the berries were sparse.
maybe the blossoms got frozen ?
If you do squash your patch. just do half of it , otherwise you will not have berries for two years.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Good to know Jim. I'm still learning on how to manage berries. As kids the things grew wild everywhere. Used to go out and pick buckets full. Now all we have here are brambles with no purpose except to scratch me up.

 

[jvls1942]

I remember riding somewhere with my parents . we kids stayed by the car while they disappeared to pick blackberries.
Annie and I used to drive down our road to a woods and pick blackberries. the last time we were there, a man was parked behind our car. He accused us of stealing ginsing seeds. He demanded that we dump out the berries so he could see the ginsing seeds we had hidden underneath. If you know me, I did not comply. when I got done reading him the riot act, he apologized. some time later, Annie and our son went back and dug up a few plants and planted them here along the driveway. The wild birds took care of spreading them all over our property.
Notice, I did not like your post ? lolol

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

People aren't as friendly as they used to be. Everyone is more private, and neighbors don't need each other anymore. I probably sound old.

Is ginseng still a big crop like it used to be? I remember when everyone started to get into it. It was pretty popular around Wausau. I don't go that way much these days so I'm not sure how many of the farms still exist.

 

[jvls1942]

People aren't as friendly as they used to be. Everyone is more private, and neighbors don't need each other anymore. I probably sound old.

Is ginseng still a big crop like it used to be? I remember when everyone started to get into it. It was pretty popular around Wausau. I don't go that way much these days so I'm not sure how many of the farms still exist.

ginsing was really going strong in the early 60's . around Marathon City and Wausau.
then when it got going strong, the government stepped in and ruined things for the farmers. up until then the farmers were dealing directly with China.
once ginsing is harvested , it can not be planted on the same ground again forever. So little by little the farms got used up around this area
Canada began raising it and that didn't help the American market any.
The original ginsing growers did not encourage nor sponsor any new growers. they wanted to keep it in the family.
I have a few acres that could be used. I will never plant any. but I might be tempted to rent the land.
I own a ten acre square out of a forty. the land around mine has been planted ..

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I didn't know all that about ginseng. They must get a decent price to put up all that shade. It seems labor intensive, but they probably have developed machinery to do the job? I didn't know ginseng was big that far back. We were hearing about it in the 90's while we had a dairy farm.

We are hoping to get our sweet corn patch tilled up this weekend. Last year weeds overran us. This year I'm thinking till, than till again in a couple of weeks? Not sure that will work either. Would like to avoid spraying it.

 

[WIchickMama]

Good to know Jim. I'm still learning on how to manage berries.

Me too, very very green to berries.

Question, I have 1 raspberry transplant out of like 15 that the leaves are turning yellow and drying. It came from the same soil and was put into the same bed. Fertilized and mulched and watered after transplanting. Any thoughts?

Mowed yesterday, grass must keeps a growing! Potatoes are looming good, peas are starting to climb the trellis, lettuce and spinach look good and beans/cukes are up! Headed to a local farm to help out this morning for a couple hours.

DH and I starting an add-on project for the chicken run, got half done rest will have to wait until Mon when DH is off, hopefully will get it finished. 6x12ft additional space for my 7 spoiled hens.

 

[jvls1942]

I didn't know all that about ginseng. They must get a decent price to put up all that shade. It seems labor intensive, but they probably have developed machinery to do the job? I didn't know ginseng was big that far back. We were hearing about it in the 90's while we had a dairy farm.

We are hoping to get our sweet corn patch tilled up this weekend. Last year weeds overran us. This year I'm thinking till, than till again in a couple of weeks? Not sure that will work either. Would like to avoid spraying it.

actually ginsing goes back into the 50's as far as I know. I worked weekends in 1960 for a ginsing farmer from Marathon. back then we built wooden racks for the shade cover. That was labor intensive. all hand work.
later on the shade cloth came about. I never helped with that.
at one time the ginsing was selling for $80.oo/pound dried.
back when we gardened in ernest, I would plow, then rototill after a week, and then after another week. then we would plant. we still had weeds. I like to think that we didn't have as many weeds.
My tractor is supposed to come home this week. Today is the last day of this week. Can I hope ?
I read that sweet corn can be planted as late as August. I really doubt that.
If the tractor comes home, I will plant corn in June. I want to experiment this year. I want to make hills with my furrowing discs.
then plant the corn on top of the hills. then later on, I will hill the corn instead of cultivating. this could turn into a disaster real quickly. lolol
tomorrow we are going to Clintonville for a group gathering of friends. Today I am making a batch of cowboy beans. I might make some mashed potato rolls, too.
we had a few sprinkles of rain about three PM yesterday. didn't amount to much, though.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Me too, very very green to berries.

Question, I have 1 raspberry transplant out of like 15 that the leaves are turning yellow and drying. It came from the same soil and was put into the same bed. Fertilized and mulched and watered after transplanting. Any thoughts?

Mowed yesterday, grass must keeps a growing! Potatoes are looming good, peas are starting to climb the trellis, lettuce and spinach look good and beans/cukes are up! Headed to a local farm to help out this morning for a couple hours.

DH and I starting an add-on project for the chicken run, got half done rest will have to wait until Mon when DH is off, hopefully will get it finished. 6x12ft additional space for my 7 spoiled hens.

Some might die back to the ground, that send up new shoots. My raspberries are 2 year plants. They die back after the second year. Maybe the older canes can't handle the transplant? I would just wait and see how they go.

You don't generally fertilize newly planted plants as it can burn the roots. That's what I read at least. Probably the slow release granulated stuff is okay, but the liquid stuff can kill plants. I learned that the hard way years ago.

That's a nice sized addition for your hens.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

actually ginsing goes back into the 50's as far as I know. I worked weekends in 1960 for a ginsing farmer from Marathon. back then we built wooden racks for the shade cover. That was labor intensive. all hand work.
later on the shade cloth came about. I never helped with that.
at one time the ginsing was selling for $80.oo/pound dried.
back when we gardened in ernest, I would plow, then rototill after a week, and then after another week. then we would plant. we still had weeds. I like to think that we didn't have as many weeds.
My tractor is supposed to come home this week. Today is the last day of this week. Can I hope ?
I read that sweet corn can be planted as late as August. I really doubt that.
If the tractor comes home, I will plant corn in June. I want to experiment this year. I want to make hills with my furrowing discs.
then plant the corn on top of the hills. then later on, I will hill the corn instead of cultivating. this could turn into a disaster real quickly. lolol
tomorrow we are going to Clintonville for a group gathering of friends. Today I am making a batch of cowboy beans. I might make some mashed potato rolls, too.
we had a few sprinkles of rain about three PM yesterday. didn't amount to much, though.

I make cowboy beans. It's where I open a can and eat them cold. Husband doesn't like my recipe.