Maine

[lazy gardener]

I've used the little green house units you are talking about and absolutely love them. Have actually considered how I might adapt one for a very small brooder ... but that's the subject for an other day. My units are only 2 shelves high. I'm not sure if the taller unit would be tippy in the wind, probably not if weighed down well with seedlings. On the down side, the plastic tent is prone to melting if left laying in the sun. When you take the plastic off to harden your seedlings, be SURE to put it under cover. I made a little rolling cart to place my 2 units on to make it easier to move them in/out of garage (I keep them in at night and during very cold weather) they definately extend the season. An other thing you can do is take the shelves out and push the bottom legs into the soil for a mini tunnel in the garden. Weigh it down to protect from wind taking it.

 

[lazy gardener]

Question for all the gardeners. Has anyone used the small greenhouses to help the seedlings grow? I'm talking about the ones that have two or three shelves and are about 5 ft. tall and 1.f feet deep. TSC has them on sale for $20 starting tomorrow. Since my Fedco order shipped today

I thought the greenhouse might be helpful.

Has anyone else had issues with cast iron frying pans? In the past eight years I have had three break or crack on me. One I understand. The dog dragged it off the stove onto the tiled floor and the handle snapped off. Another one the handle cracked. The third a cracked developed just to the right of the handle and because it leaked I had a nice little grease fire on the stove. The one time I contacted customer service to inquire about the warranty I received a very rude email back stating that the pans are not indestructible.

On another note I just got off the phone with the state regarding my unemployment. Very pleasant person. This was the interview to see if they will actually pay me unemployment. I have yet to collect benefits since I found the whole system a bit on the confusing side and I'm a Mensa member. I have no idea how people do it. And having a part-time job made it even more confusing on how to report what I make every week. So I'm wondering if they deny my claim and I had been collecting for the past month if they would have asked for the money back.

I emailed the person who had the chickens in his backyard in Portland. He had someone come Sunday night and catch them. So they are safe.

Re: iron cookware. I'm sure you have it well seasoned and are not putting it in your dishwasher. I'm guessing that the newer stuff from Chinamart is poor quality. Have you considered going to yard sales, antique shops etc and buying the ancient stuff? It's indestructible, and much better finish (smoother) than the new stuff you can buy. I'm sure (IMO) that the metal is better quality too. Price probably a fraction of what you'd pay for new.

 

[hoppy]

I have one, sort of like it. they blow over in the wind

I started mine inside the house last yr in this, they grew great, then I moved it to the porch, did well until one windy day, then I had a huge mess.
have you tried any of the amish stores for the castiron fry pan?

Question for all the gardeners. Has anyone used the small greenhouses to help the seedlings grow? I'm talking about the ones that have two or three shelves and are about 5 ft. tall and 1.f feet deep. TSC has them on sale for $20 starting tomorrow. Since my Fedco order shipped today

I thought the greenhouse might be helpful.

Has anyone else had issues with cast iron frying pans? In the past eight years I have had three break or crack on me. One I understand. The dog dragged it off the stove onto the tiled floor and the handle snapped off. Another one the handle cracked. The third a cracked developed just to the right of the handle and because it leaked I had a nice little grease fire on the stove. The one time I contacted customer service to inquire about the warranty I received a very rude email back stating that the pans are not indestructible.

 

[Widget]

As for the cast iron I ended up at Wallyworld to get another one. I use it so much that I didn't want to wait until I could find a used one. Although now I will be on the lookout for one or two more. I don't use the regular non-stick stuff since I don't want to take a chance with the fumes killing my African grey. And I like the way the cast iron cooks food.

And I may just head over to TSC tomorrow to see if they have any of the greenhouses in stock. Of course I am still a bit upset that I didn't even get to the next round of interviews for a job there. I guess having over ten years of retail experience and plenty of farm animal experience wasn't important. Better to have employees who know nothing about half the stuff they sell. Oh well I'll eventually get another job. Hopefully before spring because I so want some Icelandic chickens.

 

[lazy gardener]

Re: iron cookware. I'm sure you have it well seasoned and are not putting it in your dishwasher. I'm guessing that the newer stuff from Chinamart is poor quality. Have you considered going to yard sales, antique shops etc and buying the ancient stuff? It's indestructible, and much better finish (smoother) than the new stuff you can buy. I'm sure (IMO) that the metal is better quality too. Price probably a fraction of what you'd pay for new.

Back to the mini green houses... yes they do blow over if not totally loaded with seedlings. I think the shorter version is better in that regard. Have not had problems with them on my little garden cart. It's just a 2' x 4' 1/4" ply wood over a 2 x 4 frame, sits very close to the ground on 4" swivel caster wheels with a pull rope on either end. I think last year, I ran a bungee cord through the frame to give a little more stability and hold them to the cart. Also good in the house to keep cats off the seedlings in the window. (Now that I remember, I set trays on the bottom shelf, put the next shelf over them, and wrapped tin foil around the 3 sides so they were boxed in to the window.)

 

[lazy gardener]

As for the cast iron I ended up at Wallyworld to get another one. I use it so much that I didn't want to wait until I could find a used one. Although now I will be on the lookout for one or two more. I don't use the regular non-stick stuff since I don't want to take a chance with the fumes killing my African grey. And I like the way the cast iron cooks food.

And I may just head over to TSC tomorrow to see if they have any of the greenhouses in stock. Of course I am still a bit upset that I didn't even get to the next round of interviews for a job there. I guess having over ten years of retail experience and plenty of farm animal experience wasn't important. Better to have employees who know nothing about half the stuff they sell. Oh well I'll eventually get another job. Hopefully before spring because I so want some Icelandic chickens.

sorry you didn't get the job you wanted. That's got to be frustrating, especially since you obviously give them a fair amount of business. Their loss.

 

[Widget]

Well TSC just advertised for an assistant manager opening in Lewiston. Figured I had nothing to loose and applied. Who knows maybe this one will work out. A bit more of a commute for me but not too bad.

All that warm weather from the past two days made a nice mucky/icey mess of the duck pen. Cleaned out what I could but it still is icky. At least they have a nice dry and hay stuffed shelter. Now if I could just get all the girls to actually lay eggs instead of free-loading all would be good.

 

[ashandvine]

http://maine.craigslist.org/grd/3451681593.html

We are going to Lubec, ME. in the end of feb beginning of march to pick up some hatching eggs. Does anyone need any picked up and brought over to the Augusta area? We want to avoid putting eggs in the mail plus have a look around. It's something like a 3 hour trip; trying to make it worth while.

I might be interested. I have an arrangement with Noelle right now for some eggs so if you let me know when you are sure about when you plan to go I can firm things up with her as well. Thanks for this very nice offer.

this is a cross post from another chicken site:

I tried to check out this link today because I am very interested but got no where. Could you double check it and I will try again later as well. I would love to learn about the turkeys and what not.

Amish stores??

A gf of mine got in touch with me today to complain that yet another of her birds had started crowing. She has a tiny coop and run for her small by flock. She is very disappointed and frustrated. This time it was a pretty splash cochin who crowed. I have to laugh because she tells me these things and I have more than five here *on purpose.* I tell her I will process them for her to help her out but she says the kids would never let her. Well, they eat chicken all time! I don't get it at all. I feel like the universe is telling her its time to start eating the meat right there at home she is already paying for. She on the other hand just wants pretty chicken pets and pretty eggs. I support her but I have to shake my head when she reaches out for help and sympathy with something like this. Bad friend?

Anyone else headed to the Poultry Congress??

 

[CoopChick719]

Back to the mini green houses... yes they do blow over if not totally loaded with seedlings. I think the shorter version is better in that regard. Have not had problems with them on my little garden cart. It's just a 2' x 4' 1/4" ply wood over a 2 x 4 frame, sits very close to the ground on 4" swivel caster wheels with a pull rope on either end. I think last year, I ran a bungee cord through the frame to give a little more stability and hold them to the cart. Also good in the house to keep cats off the seedlings in the window. (Now that I remember, I set trays on the bottom shelf, put the next shelf over them, and wrapped tin foil around the 3 sides so they were boxed in to the window.)

My mum has a small one her deck. She's got it up against the house on one side but does anchor it to the railing for stabililty. Big Lots has 4 different sizes on sale for $20, $30, $69 & $119. I was thinking of making my own with the huge green plastic bag that was wrapped around our pallet of wood pellets & a plastic shelving unit. I like your cart idea LG!

 

[kinsey228]

For some reason, I have lost 8 chickens in the last 2 months and I don't know why. One day they were doing great, the next they were dead. On another note, this year I will be looking for a Silver Laced Wyandotte, a couple of Marans, some more white egg layers and maybe another blue or green egg layer. I am hoping to bring some Barred Rock and mixed chicks to the swaps this year. I might as well make my Barred Rock/Buckeye roo earn his keep Hoppy, what are you going to have at the swaps this year ?