Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Jake Levi]

On 38 tomato plants, I have 4 blossoms. No tomatoes to can this year, unless they are southern ones bought. Which devil to pay? Now for overpriced canning tomatoes or later even higher in the store??

 

[preciouskitty]

my potatoes did well, as did my zucchini/crookneck squashes and my corn seems to be.  but that is about it.  of course, i didn't do a great job with my garden this year either. didn't weed enough and was a bit late on planting.  don't think i will get more than a couple of tomatoes or peppers. 

Oh, forgot about my potatoes. Those do seem to be doing fabulous. First time I have planted them. Carrots will be fine, too.

I have tons of super hot red chili peppers just waiting to turn red. Jalapeños are there, but pretty small yet. But normally by this time of year, I have made all my salsas & a good batch of chili to can. The second wave of peppers within a week or two. Then third wave ends up going to co-workers in early Sept. they are gonna be seriously bummed this year...

I think I will have some tomatoes to can, but not what I had hoped with 12 plants...certainly not enough to try making my own tomato sauce this year.

How could you weed enough. It raining all the time! And I did get a good weeding in, pretty much kept up...makes no diff with this kind of weather ... Which we can't control

 

[preciouskitty]

But, wanting to add something positive to all this negative weather talk (I really like to try & find the good in every situation when possible)..

As a newbie to chickens, I am so geeked that I have gotten ~ 4 dozen eggs from my 19 wk olds who started 3 wks ago and 1 1/2 dozen from the FBCMs that are about 4 wks older!!

Now THAT is cool stuff! And they are YUMMY!

 

[Amastacia]

But, wanting to add something positive to all this negative weather talk (I really like to try & find the good in every situation when possible)..

As a newbie to chickens, I am so geeked that I have gotten ~ 4 dozen eggs from my 19 wk olds who started 3 wks ago and 1 1/2 dozen from the FBCMs that are about 4 wks older!!

Now THAT is cool stuff! And they are YUMMY!

congrats on all the eggs. i have got to get some Marans next time, those eggs are beautiful.

 

[ladyrsanti]

I love short mild summers. Just wish we had a nice balance between wet and dry is all.

My potatoes did great! I have a full peck in the mudroom. My tomatoes plants are loaded with tons of VERY green tomatoes, not a single one even attempting to ripen yet. I just picked about half a dozen hornworms off them too. My neighbor likes to brag when I tell him this, that he sprays his and never has a problem with them. I don't spray anything on my garden thank-you-very-much. But I never tell him this, just smile and congratulate silently for his clearly superior gardening prowess. Respect your elders.

Today was busy. I started a crock of sauerkraut from five pounds of garden cabbage and another of four pounds of cucumbers, lacto-fermented pickles. Luckily I had some freshly fermented ACV on hand to give the cucumbers a boost. Both will ferment for a few weeks. The cucumbers weren't mine though, because mine didn't produce enough this year. I bought them from Heidi's, our local farmer's market.

Oh and that's a pullet egg my son found today from Pepper, my BO/EE mix. Her first egg. Will be interesting to see how the color works out on future eggs. The larger egg next to it is from her mom.

 

[Mrsprincess07]

Hi Forum!

I am brand new here, my first post! I am moving back to the great state of Michigan (YES!) and will be doing a backyard homestead of sorts on 10 acres in Oceloa Twp. Is there anyone here that is in that area? I've talked to 2 Twp Officials and they are contradict each other as to whether or not I could have chickens. Basically it was decided that if I get a complaint, the chickens or whatever else I have would be taken immediately. Not cool considering I bought 10 acres as it qualifies as farmland.

So... my once dream property seems to be limited. Has anyone else dealt with hostility about backyard homesteading or chicken raising?

 

[preciouskitty]

I love short mild summers. Just wish we had a nice balance between wet and dry is all. My potatoes did great! I have a full peck in the mudroom. My tomatoes plants are loaded with tons of VERY green tomatoes, not a single one even attempting to ripen yet. I just picked about half a dozen hornworms off them too. My neighbor likes to brag when I tell him this, that he sprays his and never has a problem with them. I don't spray anything on my garden thank-you-very-much. But I never tell him this, just smile and congratulate silently for his clearly superior gardening prowess. Respect your elders. Today was busy. I started a crock of sauerkraut from five pounds of garden cabbage and another of four pounds of cucumbers, lacto-fermented pickles. Luckily I had some freshly fermented ACV on hand to give the cucumbers a boost. Both will ferment for a few weeks. The cucumbers weren't mine though, because mine didn't produce enough this year. I bought them from Heidi's, our local farmer's market. Oh and that's a pullet egg my son found today from Pepper, my BO/EE mix. Her first egg. Will be interesting to see how the color works out on future eggs. The larger egg next to it is from her mom.

Oh, I luv that little pullet egg! Can't wait til my EEs start. They are the only ones that haven't started yet & I know I have a few weeks yet. Excited to see what color they give me to round out my pallete. So far this year, I haven't had hornworms. I, too, spray nothing on the garden or grass. The 2 previous years have been fun searching for them & cutting them off the plants & throwing them in the woods for my possum (didn't have chickens yet!). First year had NO clue what hornworms were, saw the decimated top of a plant, THEN saw that disgusting "thing", ran screaming in the house to google.... A few of my grape maters are almost red...but it may be green tomato salsa this year for the rest! What's a peck (yes, proof I am a pretty much a city girl....)

 

[preciouskitty]

congrats on all the eggs.  i have got to get some Marans next time, those eggs are beautiful.

Aren't they? Got the 2 pullets on a whim from Wynette at Chickenstock 2013.

And, on top of the gorgeous eggs, the birds (Maia & Lela) are really sweet too...

 

[preciouskitty]

Hi Forum!

I am brand new here, my first post! I am moving back to the great state of Michigan (YES!) and will be doing a backyard homestead of sorts on 10 acres in Oceloa Twp. Is there anyone here that is in that area? I've talked to 2 Twp Officials and they are contradict each other as to whether or not I could have chickens. Basically it was decided that if I get a complaint, the chickens or whatever else I have would be taken immediately. Not cool considering I bought 10 acres as it qualifies as farmland.

So... my once dream property seems to be limited. Has anyone else dealt with hostility about backyard homesteading or chicken raising?

Welcome!!!

Wow, I am really close to you in Howell Twp. It is like all farms around here! I share ~ 10 acres with one neighbor & am surrounded by woods & corn & cows!
I find it hard to believe you can't have chickens on 10 acres...
Is it zoned agricultural?

You will probably get LOTS of responses "hostility" about backyard chickens in different area in MI & there have been plenty of stories of issues & action being taken throughout this thread, so I am sure a few people will chime in.

 

[ladyrsanti]

Oh, I luv that little pullet egg!

Can't wait til my EEs start. They are the only ones that haven't started yet & I know I have a few weeks yet. Excited to see what color they give me to round out my pallete.

So far this year, I haven't had hornworms. I, too, spray nothing on the garden or grass. The 2 previous years have been fun searching for them & cutting them off the plants & throwing them in the woods for my possum (didn't have chickens yet!). First year had NO clue what hornworms were, saw the decimated top of a plant, THEN saw that disgusting "thing", ran screaming in the house to google....

A few of my grape maters are almost red...but it may be green tomato salsa this year for the rest!

What's a peck (yes, proof I am a pretty much a city girl....)

A peck is a 1/4 bushel. So I was wrong. I have two pecks I have three measures of baskets in the garage and never can tell which one I have without comparing it to the others. One must be a half a bushel basket and that's the one the potatoes are in. The daffodil bulbs are in the pecks.

I have no clue what a chicken would do to a horn worm or if they should even have them. I would guess they wouldn't eat em but I could be wrong. The caterpillars eat tomato plants after all and that's not good eats for a chicken. I usually drown them. They sure are nasty though and of course, turn into beautiful moths.

Yeah, I may end up having a lot of green tomato pickles this year and fried green tomatoes and tomato salsa and chutney, etc. It's looking like a distinct possibility.