Homesteaders

[rancher hicks]

Another question.

Anyone use Sheep shears for anything. This kind here. See they have a pair, rusted on Ebay for .99 and I was thinking of bidding on them so I had a pair for snipping things in the garden. I would clean them up of course. This pic is not of them.

I have two mailboxes near my gardens for holding tools. Two so I don't have to walk so far to get them.

Ohh I need to get a couple more mailboxes too.

​

I like to find antique boxes to use for tool storage.

 

[rancher hicks]

I just left the leeks in the garden

I froze some kale the first year. Blached first kept longer in the freezer... but my kale was still good in the garden until -5 ... -15 if covered by a cold frame.

The celery I grew and liked was Victoria
The celery I did not like, it was thin and very strong, was Safir. It over wintered though at -15 f , figures the one I didn't like LOL
I put celery through the food processor a, cook in broth and freeze.

I like High Mowing rainbow mix chard

I do have High Mowing catalog. I generally go with whoever had the cheapest shipping. Baker Creek is $3.50 no matter how much I think. Though they don't always have the best variety.

Too I like to order some foreign stuff too. Seeds of Italy has some cucumbers I like.

I'll make a note of your suggestions. Somethings don't always grow well for everyone.

I had a friend say he'd been to the Farmers market and their Swiss chard wasn't any good. I said "well you should have called I've got some in the garden, come and get it".

I don't like Collards but may grow some and see. I have a friend who like them and DW does too.

I may have to add some beds this year.

Any suggestion on how much of this stuff to grow to last the year. Year being from one harvest to the next. Not necessarily 12 months.

TTFN,

Rancher

 

[Beekissed]

I'll be planting celery for the first time this year, so will report how that goes. The Rouge Vif D'Etampes in the pics were not mine but I have some pics of mine. I didn't plant just the one vine of them this year as my BTE garden wasn't composted enough yet for good growing conditions. My Rouges didn't get big as they normally do as a consequence.

Usually you'll get 3-4 pumpkins off each Rouge vine and they're normally bigger than these two and much more red, depending upon the nutrition in your soil. Another difference between them and the traditional Howden type pumpkin, they seem much more dense and heavy...could be due to having thicker walls, more actual pumpkin meat inside of them. Supposed to be great for pies but I've not tried that yet but intend to this coming harvest.

These are mine...

 

[rancher hicks]

I'll be planting celery for the first time this year, so will report how that goes. The Rouge Vif D'Etampes in the pics were not mine but I have some pics of mine. I didn't plant just the one vine of them this year as my BTE garden wasn't composted enough yet for good growing conditions. My Rouges didn't get big as they normally do as a consequence.

Usually you'll get 3-4 pumpkins off each Rouge vine and they're normally bigger than these two and much more red, depending upon the nutrition in your soil. Another difference between them and the traditional Howden type pumpkin, they seem much more dense and heavy...could be due to having thicker walls, more actual pumpkin meat inside of them. Supposed to be great for pies but I've not tried that yet but intend to this coming harvest.

These are mine...

Well if I can get about a dozen like yours I'd be happy.

 

[Fuzzy Moto]

I was Just at Home Depot tonight and saw that they have 8"x13" (approximate dimensions) containers that would work great for growing fodder in. They were only 98 cents each. So for those of you that were asking about fodder growing there is the start. And then if you head back to the corner behind the lumber you may be able to find great lumber at 70% off to make a nice stand to keep the containers in. Just passing on what I saw.

 

[Molpet]

I was Just at Home Depot tonight and saw that they have 8"x13" (approximate dimensions) containers that would work great for growing fodder in. They were only 98 cents each. So for those of you that were asking about fodder growing there is the start. And then if you head back to the corner behind the lumber you may be able to find great lumber at 70% off to make a nice stand to keep the containers in. Just passing on what I saw.

this one? http://www.homedepot.com/p/Sterilite-6-Qt-Storage-Box-in-White-and-Clear-Plastic-16428960/203120094

 

[Fuzzy Moto]

Yes indeed.

 

[KlopKlop]

They work great! Carefully drill or melt holes to drain

 

[KlopKlop]

I have been working on expanding my indoor garden lately. I got my grow lights running and good. I have some house plants under them plus started Rosemary basil and oregano last week and 2 flats of lettuce this week. I got carrot seeds today to do a 5 gallon bucket but need more soil. Those oat sprout fodder pans are also on the rack 6 bins total. I meant to get new photos today but I'm in bed with my dogs already do another day!
If I can find soil I may also start a potato bucket too but I'm not buying potting soil for that!

 

[rancher hicks]

I have been working on expanding my indoor garden lately. I got my grow lights running and good. I have some house plants under them plus started Rosemary basil and oregano last week and 2 flats of lettuce this week. I got carrot seeds today to do a 5 gallon bucket but need more soil. Those oat sprout fodder pans are also on the rack 6 bins total. I meant to get new photos today but I'm in bed with my dogs already do another day!
If I can find soil I may also start a potato bucket too but I'm not buying potting soil for that!

Sounds good. I'm still looking at catalogs and deciding what to grow. I've picked out some things from Seeds from Italy. Varieties I think are FROM there or at least the varieties they'd grow over there.

Carrots I have to pick for size too since raised beds don't always go as deep as some carrots grow. One things I don't like about the catalog though is they don't give the days to harvest like many do. However they do say when to pick beans. Many catalogs don't and I don't know when to harvest eating beans. I think in the past I was picking green beans to late.

I plan to order a red giant pear tomato, that seems meaty and good for canning.

But then who knows if all that this catalog says is true about where these varieties are from. Might be from Timbuktu for all I know. Their prices are a bit high too. Average $3.25 a pack.

I think it really saves to learn how to save seeds. I'll definitely be reading up on that. Normally I stick them in an envelope, put them in my "treasure chest" and keep that in our closet that stays cold.

I have some in there and will be testing germination. Wonder whether I should store in jars?