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

[jvls1942]

Yes, I got the fork fixed. today I will try moving
that heavy table again. I have not decided where to
move it to, yet.
junk man is supposed to come today.
not holding my breath.
up until this year when I started getting
pain on my head from my pinched nerve
in my neck, I never had a headache.

 

[jvls1942]

good chilly autumn morning
I don't think I will be doing anything outside this day.
too cold and windy.
Annie has all the garlic cleaned up and ready to store.
I am not going to plant any this fall.
there are several bulbs that are over twice the size of
the original bulbs I bought to plant two years ago.
Annie dug up some chives that grow on the shoulder
of the road. the put them into the raised bed.
she also dug up a flower from along the road
that she has been watching for years. It is really
a bee attractor.

 

[WIchickMama]

Good morning, and yes a chilly one. I have a few things to do outside, our winds have calmed down since yesterday-it was crisp for sure-Jim, you must have our winds from yesterday.

Calm and clear morning, headed to mid 60s, I have some prepping of the garden beds today but most of it will be over the weekend. Mother Nature has started the leaves a falling, so free mulch/cover in the in beds is always nice. Plus the chickens enjoy a pile or two to dig in throughout the day.

started a fire this morning in the house to take the chill off-will likely let it die down until bedtime and then start it again as we are supposed to go below freezing tonight.

I love this time of year because it makes it so nice to work outside, but it is hard to decide when---when to put the hoses away, when to completely wrap the chicken run, when to move out the snowblowers, when, when, when.....

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I love this time of year because it makes it so nice to work outside, but it is hard to decide when---when to put the hoses away, when to completely wrap the chicken run, when to move out the snowblowers, when, when, when.....

We are almost done with winter prep here. Will just need to swap out buckets when it gets cold enough to crack plastic. Thanksgiving is only 7 weeks away. I don't expect any significant warm ups, and the growing season is over.

I'm loving the cooler weather.

 

[WIchickMama]

We are almost done with winter prep gere. Will just need to swap out buckets when it gets cold enough to crack plastic. Thanksgiving is only 7 weeks away. I don't expect any significant warm ups, and the growing season is over.

I'm loving the cooler weather.

7 weeks away! Well that is putting it into perspective! I got the garden box tunnels covered, I am going to try and keep stuff going into Nov. I remember growing up and my mom getting carrots from the garden into Nov. Not really growing but more for storage.

I will be switching out waterer too once it gets colder, something new for the July chicks to figure out. The boys go to their new home next week and then I have 2 Polish that I am trying to rehome too-nothing wrong with them just not fitting in with what I want in a flock. fingers crossed they will go to someone soon.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

We just butchered out all extra males this past week. I don't like doing it, but husband eats meat, so might as well eat something healthy and happy up to the end. The cost of feed makes it so I don't want to winter too many extra birds over this year. Hope you can find a home for those polish Anjanet.

I remember growing up and my mom getting carrots from the garden into Nov. Not really growing but more for storage.

I did that last year, and than forgot about them. Tried chipping them out of the frozen dirt, but had no luck. For some reason my carrots wouldn't germinate this year, lettuce wouldn't either. Not sure why. Was a weird year for cold crops here.

 

[Callender Girl]

Walked downstairs this morning to find it's a brisk 57 degrees in the dining room. Guess it's time to turn on the furnace. Temperature dropped into the low 30s. We didn't get frost, but I covered plants on the deck anyway; the garden is already a thing of the past.

The guys who were buying the bulk of Jim's vintage tinsmithing tools loaded a car-hauler trailer yesterday and took off for Minnesota. Don't know if it was the fault of the tire itself (one, on the borrowed trailer, had to be replaced as soon as they got here) or the weight of all that heavy metal, but they blew out a tire up by Rochester last night. Hope they got everything taken care of successfully.

Planning a trip to Bomgaars today; most everything is 17 percent off, and I'm going to load up on all-flock and goat chow.

Jim, glad to hear Annie snagged that flower. Several years back, I realized the guy the county contracts with to mow the ditches was going to take out a bunch of feral black-eyed susans. I dashed out, dug them up and they have been growing in my yard ever since.

Lisa, I wish I could share your enthusiasm for cooler weather. All I can think about is how much closer winter is getting -- bringing snow shoveling and ice chipping with it. Plus, it's impossible to ever feel cozy in this drafty old farmhouse. But, I don't want to live anywhere else.

Anjanet, I hope the rehoming goes well and soon. Keep plugging away at all those fall tasks!

I won't be very productive today, at least in the afternoon. I am a baseball junkie, and I'll be watching the wild card games. So far, my teams have been disappointing, but today's another day.

 

[WIchickMama]

Good morning! It is chilly but we did not get frost either. We did start the wood stove last night so our house was warm but I completely understand drafty farmhouses, that is what we love in too! 100+ year old house with bits and pieces updated but still drafty

Today there is a town festival in the small town (actually a village) we love in that we will go to. Food, street band and activities should he a good time.

I have a hen sitting on 6 eggs, candles yesterday and 3-4 look to be developing, which is good since they will hatch last the end of Oct. I dont think so, but do I need a heat source for mom and babies? They will not be separated from the flock and will have access to the coop and plasticed run at all times. I am debating on food and water in the coop, I usually dont but again it will be cool/cold, maybe for the 1st week. Crazy chickens, lol

 

[jvls1942]

heavy frost here near the river.
the time to do things for winter is now.
later on you will be doing it with cold hands.
yesterday I set a couple of steel traps for the
red squirrels. every morning they dance on the window
AC. I heard them this morning, but I didn't hear
the trap go snap. maybe I used the wrong brand
of peanut butter ?
I have a couple of grapes to plant. they are from
some cuttings I took early this summer.
One of these days I want to do something in my
wood shop. It has been so long since I had the time
to relax. I invented (in my head) a portable vise
for chainsaw sharpening. there is very little on
youtube about such a thing.
I also want to make a couple of wooden cases for
my flip top beer bottles. I have plans drawn
for that.
there is so much excitement about the trees
turning color. don't those people realize that
means winter is closing in on us ?

 

[WIchickMama]

Yes, I love the color in the trees but get a different sort of excitement (or more like a fire under my butt)

Days of relaxing, those are things to dream about aren't they Jim. I have so many 'projects' for fun in my mind but not sure when I will ever get to them. I also have some red squirrels that need to be trapped, I just don't know what to do with them once they are in the live traps-dispatch or rehome. I thought I read somewhere that if they are rehomed, they will die, so maybe dispatching is a better option?