First Annual Cinco de Mayo Turkey Hatchathon- Join us! Set Day: Easter

[Wisher1000]

You know, I forget that y'all are so far away. I have had tomatoes in the ground for three weeks and have blooms and pea sized tomatoes, already. I wonder if the fruit from your areas tastes differently from mine. We all know the difference between store-bought (pink mealy mush) and homegrown (firm, tomatoey deliciousness) but is there a difference in geographical location? I would like to try some of yours and to share some of mine. Anyone willing to consider a "Tomato Swap?" Hey, we already know how to pack them to ship!

ETA
I planted some in August last year. The plants did well and I had a bunch of late fruit. The tomatoes never got too big (in the South, we pride ourselves on big tomatoes, one slice should cover the bread for a tomato sandwich) but that didn't bother me. What I found interesting, was that they didn't taste as good. They were closer to store bought than homegrown and I wondered if the cooler temps were the reason. We have hot weather into October, (sometimes November!) but it cools off at night starting in September. Hummmmmmm........

 

[NotAFarm]

You know, I forget that y'all are so far away. I have had tomatoes in the ground for three weeks and have blooms and pea sized tomatoes, already. I wonder if the fruit from your areas tastes differently from mine. We all know the difference between store-bought (pink mealy mush) and homegrown (firm, tomatoey deliciousness) but is there a difference in geographical location? I would like to try some of yours and to share some of mine. Anyone willing to consider a "Tomato Swap?" Hey, we already know how to pack them to ship!

ETA
I planted some in August last year. The plants did well and I had a bunch of late fruit. The tomatoes never got too big (in the South, we pride ourselves on big tomatoes, one slice should cover the bread for a tomato sandwich) but that didn't bother me. What I found interesting, was that they didn't taste as good. They were closer to store bought than homegrown and I wondered if the cooler temps were the reason. We have hot weather into October, (sometimes November!) but it cools off at night starting in September. Hummmmmmm........

My husband didn't eat tomatoes, said he didn't like them. When we moved to this place in '01, I planted Brandywine tomatoes. He saw one on the counter.

DH: What is wrong with that tomato?
Me: What do you mean?
DH: It's wrinkled and pinkish....not smooth and that orangey-red color.
Me: Oh, that's a Pink Brandywine....you should try it.
DH: I don't like tomatoes.
Me: Just take one bite. You've never had a good homegrown tomato...that's why you don't like them.
DH: Okay, make it a really small piece.................that doesn't taste anything like I remember them.....
Me: That's because all you've ever had are the "picked green so they ship good and look pretty in the store" tomatoes!!

He is now a convert.........loves tomatoes!
His favorite is the gold Sun Sugar cherry tomatoes that he can bring in his lunch and pop in his mouth. Because of our shorter growing season, some of the larger types are hard to grow. We finished a hoop house covered in clear plastic that will be serving as a "season extender" for us this year.


And on the hatching front...........still only the one early bird out.........but there are two more eggs that are pipped....that I can see.....maybe others that are turned the wrong way. The old cabinet was not designed for watching!!!

 

[cmfarm]

You know, I forget that y'all are so far away. I have had tomatoes in the ground for three weeks and have blooms and pea sized tomatoes, already. I wonder if the fruit from your areas tastes differently from mine. We all know the difference between store-bought (pink mealy mush) and homegrown (firm, tomatoey deliciousness) but is there a difference in geographical location? I would like to try some of yours and to share some of mine. Anyone willing to consider a "Tomato Swap?" Hey, we already know how to pack them to ship!

ETA
I planted some in August last year. The plants did well and I had a bunch of late fruit. The tomatoes never got too big (in the South, we pride ourselves on big tomatoes, one slice should cover the bread for a tomato sandwich) but that didn't bother me. What I found interesting, was that they didn't taste as good. They were closer to store bought than homegrown and I wondered if the cooler temps were the reason. We have hot weather into October, (sometimes November!) but it cools off at night starting in September. Hummmmmmm........

I was just thinking the same thing about it being so different for planting things. Here they tomato planting season ended at the end of April. I did get a bunch of free tomato plants from a nursery (probably because the season for planting is over) and will plant them and see what happens. If they don't make it at least they were free.

 

[Arielle]

Candled the 4 turkey eggs this morning. No changes.

This is the "I can't handle it" phase. I am concerned the air cells are too small, yet all the chicken eggs are on target. THe 3 BO have hatched and are fluffing up--I'll move those out of the LG and put in the turkey eggs. Then I'll worry less.

You know, I forget that y'all are so far away. I have had tomatoes in the ground for three weeks and have blooms and pea sized tomatoes, already. I wonder if the fruit from your areas tastes differently from mine. We all know the difference between store-bought (pink mealy mush) and homegrown (firm, tomatoey deliciousness) but is there a difference in geographical location? I would like to try some of yours and to share some of mine. Anyone willing to consider a "Tomato Swap?" Hey, we already know how to pack them to ship!

ETA
I planted some in August last year. The plants did well and I had a bunch of late fruit. The tomatoes never got too big (in the South, we pride ourselves on big tomatoes, one slice should cover the bread for a tomato sandwich) but that didn't bother me. What I found interesting, was that they didn't taste as good. They were closer to store bought than homegrown and I wondered if the cooler temps were the reason. We have hot weather into October, (sometimes November!) but it cools off at night starting in September. Hummmmmmm........

My tomatoes never taste like store bought, no matter the variety I grow. Subtle differences could be the variety best for a given area or soil types. We lived on the coast for years, my mother still does, and I remember having yummy grape tomatoes for school lunch.

Quote:

Quote: Perhaps locate them in a microclimate, a cooler area with less sun as your sun is so strong compared to mine.

 

[NotAFarm]

Our last average frost date is May 15. We had one the last week of May last year. I try not to put out my tomatoes and peppers until Memorial Day. First frost average is Oct 15, last year we had one the end of Sept. We'll see if the hoop house helps to get the season beyond 100 days for those temperamental types!!

Still only pips in the incubator....not that I'm checking every few minutes or anything!

 

[dsqard]

Still only pips in the incubator....not that I'm checking every few minutes or anything!

Not that I am checking either but I have a second egg pipped.

Totally can't wait for these babies to pop out. My first pip is bigger too but I think they are resting now. I will have to go to town in a bit and that will help with the anticipation. Nothing I can do in town to "help" them.

I do have to pick up some pine shavings since I have to move the Easter chicks out of the small brooder and into the large brooder. I meant to do it last weekend but got distracted by needing to get some stal mats to keep the "stall kicker" from knocking down the barn. Totally spaced the pine shavings. Dang CRS.

 

[Arielle]

Our last average frost date is May 15. We had one the last week of May last year. I try not to put out my tomatoes and peppers until Memorial Day. First frost average is Oct 15, last year we had one the end of Sept. We'll see if the hoop house helps to get the season beyond 100 days for those temperamental types!!

Still only pips in the incubator....not that I'm checking every few minutes or anything!

I'm obsessing over the last 2 shipped eggs.

TO reduce the stress, I moved the BO to the brooder, and moved the turkey eggs due to hatch into the LG. No upping the humidity yet--until I see internal pip or hear a cheep.

TOmato News-- You can fill milk jugs ( gallon size) with water in early Sept and keep in the green house to hold the heat when an unexpected early frost hits. Helps hold the heat in the greenhouse overnight. My mother would throw old sheets over the plants to keep off the frost and it acts like a blanket to hold the heat.

 

[Arielle]

Quote:

Still only pips in the incubator....not that I'm checking every few minutes or anything!

Not that I am checking either but I have a second egg pipped.

Totally can't wait for these babies to pop out. My first pip is bigger too but I think they are resting now. I will have to go to town in a bit and that will help with the anticipation. Nothing I can do in town to "help" them.

I do have to pick up some pine shavings since I have to move the Easter chicks out of the small brooder and into the large brooder. I meant to do it last weekend but got distracted by needing to get some stal mats to keep the "stall kicker" from knocking down the barn. Totally spaced the pine shavings. Dang CRS.

????

I only have 2 chicks left from the Easter hatch. My boys named them.

 

[HEChicken]

I did a little candling tonight. Here is my observations.

1. SHipped eggs lose moisture slower than non-shipped eggs.
THis observation includes the 24 shipped eggs which are not showing any air cells at this time(set apr 27). Or they fall into the grouping below.

2. Dead or non-developing eggs lose far less moisture than developing eggs.
THere is no apparent air cell in any of the eggs that look clear. ANd every developing egg had an air cell.

HELP! ANyone have similar observations . . . or not.

I just looked at my incubation log and found I had different results. Well, actually it depends on the type of eggs.

I have 10 RP turkeys and 2 muscovy's. The 2 muscovy's are both clear (I suspect the guy does not have a drake so that wasn't too surprising). They did lose far less moisture than the developing eggs - 2.7 & 2.86%. However the turkey eggs that are clear lost MORE moisture than the developing eggs. The eggs that are developing all have a moisture loss % right in the desirable zone, while the ones that looked clear had lost 7-8% (this was at my 7-day candling).

 

[karimw]

You're Welcome! Hope you enjoy them! Did they get there in good shape?

Yes! The box wasn't damaged at all. The PO only does that with fragile contents you know

When you said you were going to pretty it up, I though you meant you'd dust off the cobwebs! You have a lovely sense of design. Thanks so much!