Homesteaders

[OrganicFarmWife]

I had both pekin and Muscovy and they did eat my collard greens and spinach, they also loved the pumpkin leaves but didn't touch the few squash plants I had left tomatoes and beans alone. Maybe the greens had bugs lol, they free ranged all the time and loved the garden. Got rid of them now.
No apologies needed we are here to learn. My local guy has signs of no spray on his farms as occasionally the county sprays for mosquitoes I gues or whatever but I always wonder since not all farms in our county are organic doesn't that defeat the purpose to some extent due to cross pollination?

So ducks are not really the answer, oh well good to know.
Our biggest problem is the county spraying the weeds. The roadside is theirs, nothing we can do to stop them from spraying it, but sometimes they get over excited and spray past the area they are responsible for. I think it is like ten feet? from the road.
We, organic farmers, use specialized varieties of seeds that do not cross pollinate. I think corn has a three mile radius. So if we plant corn and any neighbors plant corn as well then we must use a variety that does not cross. If we do not then the buyer, who tests for GMOs, will refuse the grain. Organic can be hybridized seed, just not genetically modified.

 

[duluthralphie]

I have Guineas, lots of guineas, They seem to go through the garden and leave most things untouched. I have seen them pulling a bean vine, but I think that was bad aim when grabbing a bug.

Guineas have no socially redeeming qualities, just so you know. BUT as bug control they are unbeatable. You do have to find any bad actor leaders in your flock and cage them to keep the rest of the flock safe. They will visit the imprisoned leader occasionally but they will stay off the road and will not assault other birds when the leader is locked up. If you eat the leader, removing her from the picture a new leader will emerge and the bad actions will occur again.


Beware they are noisy, Here they are in action protecting our house: Turn up the volume for full effect.

 

[Loc20chick]

So ducks are not really the answer, oh well good to know.
Our biggest problem is the county spraying the weeds. The roadside is theirs, nothing we can do to stop them from spraying it, but sometimes they get over excited and spray past the area they are responsible for. I think it is like ten feet? from the road.
We, organic farmers, use specialized varieties of seeds that do not cross pollinate. I think corn has a three mile radius. So if we plant corn and any neighbors plant corn as well then we must use a variety that does not cross. If we do not then the buyer, who tests for GMOs, will refuse the grain. Organic can be hybridized seed, just not genetically modified.

Good to know.

 

[Loc20chick]

I have Guineas, lots of guineas, They seem to go through the garden and leave most things untouched. I have seen them pulling a bean vine, but I think that was bad aim when grabbing a bug. Guineas have no socially redeeming qualities, just so you know. BUT as bug control they are unbeatable. You do have to find any bad actor leaders in your flock and cage them to keep the rest of the flock safe. They will visit the imprisoned leader occasionally but they will stay off the road and will not assault other birds when the leader is locked up. If you eat the leader, removing her from the picture a new leader will emerge and the bad actions will occur again. Beware they are noisy, Here they are in action protecting our house: Turn up the volume for full effect.

That's quite vocal. I can imagine my neighbor's reaction on finding my birds on his roof ghs didn't mind the ducks actually said the loved seeing them in their yard and on top of their shed.

 

[duluthralphie]

That's quite vocal. I can imagine my neighbor's reaction on finding my birds on his roof ghs didn't mind the ducks actually said the loved seeing them in their yard and on top of their shed.

Your neighbor would love them when he found he had no more ticks in his yard.

 

[Fuzzy Moto]

I have heard or read (do a lot of both) that letting ducks into the garden for a day, while watching them, they will eat all the bugs and slugs they can find, once those are gone, then they start eyeing the nice fresh green goodies. So then you take them out and in a couple of weeks you repeat as necessary. Guess you have to watch them just like you do you guard dogs with them.

@Rancher Hicks I do understand the whole as organic as you can. My parents, who are an inspiration to me with their huge garden, do what is called reasonably organic. There are some natural sprays for fruits that do not fall under organic rules, but they use them so that they get some fruit. The rest of the garden they do no chemicals, but house plants get Miracle Grow. So I do see the benefits of being reasonable.

And I am happily corrected on the heirloom verses Hybrid. My only possible issue with hybrid, like with chickens, is that some of them are not reproducible from the offspring. I really do enjoy listening (reading really) to all the ideas, suggestions and experiments that everyone shares on this forum.

 

[Culpepper Farms]

me and my wife have been on this road now for three years and slowly but surely it is coming together a little at a time an animal at a time too lol we now have two ducks one cow one calf and one bull three goats and two pigs but each bought or swapped for slowly that way to keep the debt from piling up time is the my key to our home stead

 

[Loc20chick]

Your neighbor would love them when he found he had no more ticks in his yard.

By the way, I have been told hat they help control snakes. Is that true?

 

[Loc20chick]

me and my wife have been on this road now for three years and slowly but surely it is coming together a little at a time an animal at a time too lol we now have two ducks one cow one calf and one bull three goats and two pigs but each bought or swapped for slowly that way to keep the debt from piling up time is the my key to our home stead

 

[Beekissed]

Anyone here care to show a map of their planned garden this year?

Is there something you're going to try that you have not planted before?

Do you plan to grow a percentage of your food this year? What percentage have you grown in the past.

I'm not sure whether to plant onions since I just bought ten pounds for $3. Not big onions but I could have gotten bigger ones for $5.

I've drawn up one but can't put it up here. I'm going to plant a few things and varieties I've never tried~asparagus, celery, honey dew melons, Pruden's Purple tomatoes, red and purple carrots, parsley, borage, garlic, etc.

I always grow a large percentage of our total food stores here but this year I plan to go further by planting much more romaine lettuces, which we eat tons of, and planting them in succession plantings and also into the fall and winter. Will also be planting a whole lot of sweet onions and garlic this year for dehydrating and also for storing.

I would love to go all organic, but like you pointed out, it is insanely expensive.
Also- hybrid plants are developed to overcome disease and pests that are naturally in the environment.
I plan to plant some heirloom tomatoes and some hybrid. I have lost all of my heirloom tomato plants in past years to disease. I like to eat, so I hedge my bets and plant the hybrid as I know I will get something from them.
I am planning on building a big solar dehydrator. Then I will be able to harvest my white clover all summer and dehydrate it for winter feeding. Spinach, kale or any greens actually. I will also be using it for tomatoes, apples, and anything else I want for my own purpose. Need to get going on that project ...

Hey, Wyo!!!

I plan to make a big dehydrator this year also with an old screen door and some flashing...really want to dehydrate plenty of onions, garlic and herbs this year.

I'm with everyone else...organic is nice and I try to be as organic as possible in all my food growing, be it animal or plants, but I don't go out of my way to spend tons of money to get organic chicken feed or anything. I have chickens so I have good, pure meat on the cheap, but spending tons of money to get organic feed would cancel all that out.

I try to keep to heirloom varieties on maters and cukes, as much as possible on lettuces, squash, melons, etc. But, some veggies I like the hybrid varieties, so I stick with those...Ambrosia sweet corn, Candy sweet onions, sweet peppers, hot peppers, etc.

Getting all wrapped up in organic or heirloom seeds only can get to be a real headache and can take all the fun and productivity of the garden out of the equation. I just plant, harvest and eat it without using chemicals and I feel that's as hard as I want to work at it.