Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Sally PB]

the thing they make loofa sponges with

I tried to grow those. My season isn't long enough, even starting them inside.

I was impressed with my 24 tomato plants last year, but didn't get enough to can all I need, which is 50-60 quarts. A neighbor had 100 (!) plants, and she cans about 150 quarts. So I'm not really in any position to brag! I hope this year is my Year of Many Tomatoes.

 

[Sally PB]

Love the pics, @Dreamzchaser! Keep posting, please!

 

[Dreamzchaser]

I tried to grow those. My season isn't long enough, even starting them inside.

I was impressed with my 24 tomato plants last year, but didn't get enough to can all I need, which is 50-60 quarts. A neighbor had 100 (!) plants, and she cans about 150 quarts. So I'm not really in any position to brag! I hope this year is my Year of Many Tomatoes.

Why would you need to can that many?

 

[aart]

Why would you need to can that many?

Because they had that many tomatoes?
...and a big family...with extras to share?

 

[Sally PB]

Why would you need to can that many?

We use a quart of tomatoes every week. Wednesday is spaghetti night, so I make spaghetti sauce. Sometimes I use a quart to cook rice.

My neighbor cooks for herself, husband, daughter, SIL, and their three kids, so she uses about 3 quarts/week.

We had our first harvest from the garden this evening! A few leaves of cilantro on tacos.

 

[1muttsfan]

I can a bushel every summer, nothing like home canned tomatoes. But our growing season is too short for proper tomatoes, so I get them from one of the farmers market vendors, who gets them downstate.

My backyard is still covered in snow.

 

[RaZ]

Amazing what a nice day can do to improve the mood of chickens. That and fresh feed and treats.
16 eggs from 18 hens today. I had been getting 10 - 12 all week even though I was out of mill feed. Yesterday was pay day so I made a trip to TSC for feed, scratch, and BOSS. Actually, I got the BOSS from work which was cheaper.

Red winged blackbirds have returned to my area so Spring is surely here. I'm seeing goldfinches too. I hear the phoebe call but haven't seen them yet. I get a nest on a light fixture every year. I love watching the earth wake up in the spring. It won't be long now until the hummingbirds and orioles return.

It is supposed to be a nice weekend. Too soon yet to work the gardens but I can at least get them laid out where they will be. I'm putting in a hop garden and expanding the raspberry patch.

Regarding the equinox / equilux thing. If memory serves me, Equinox is when the sun appears directly over the Equator, or exactly halfway between the poles. Equilux is when the total amount of day light equals the same amount of nighttime. Lux means light or illumination in some ancient language. If I remember correctly. In any case, the days are getting longer and warmer and that makes me happy.

 

[Sally PB]

But our growing season is too short for proper tomatoes,

@1muttsfan, I'm going to try some very short season tomatoes this year. Supposedly 65 days...? We'll see. Most of the ones I've grown have been 85-90 tomato varieties.

 

[riss]

Well today was a busy day but a good day. Was a beautiful day outside and took a nice walk outside with my cat and ducks. They got their swim in while I did my outdoor chores and even had a campfire.

Afterwards I went to friends house to let her dogs out since they are gone for the weekend. They are super lovable and it's such a joy to spend time with them. (I always spoil them with bones )

Shelter was super busy. Ended up being there half an hour later then when I was supposed to leave and head home. It was a good day though cause I love my job

When I got home my brother came home for the weekend and we had a campfire and enjoyed our pizza and smores. Then we went for golf cart ride and called it a night.

Overall it was an amazing Friday

 

[Dreamzchaser]

Good evening everyone. Just stopped by and not really wanted to type anything but that European blood is pumping like there is no tomorrow.

First, I apologize to the ones that got offended by any and all of my comments. It never cease to amaze me how spurs always come out. Maybe the Scripture in the Bible is right when it says that everything that comes out comes from the heart and especially the one that says about nothing from the darkness will remain concealed.
Anyways, it was nice to see some genuine people and hope they stay true to who they are. However, sometimes, people change because they get caught up with the wrong thinking. LOL, It reminded me the saying, one bad apple will rotten the whole sack, or something to that effect and of a president that once said he will send Puertoricans back to their country. That just showed me how illiterate can a person be and still hold an office in such high ranking position. There are a lot of smart people here and I enjoy learning. And if I ask is not to be rude, I know how to be rude. I ask because of curiosity or because never herd of such things being done.

I am genuine. I am Puertorican, therefore, American since being conceived. I have a teaching degree in Secondary Education in English and History and a minor in Special Education. Taught English in Puerto Rico for over six years before joining the United States Army. Puerto Rico has been the country that has given birth to most military soldiers in the U.S., more than Guam, Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa which are territories of the U.S.

Once I moved to Michigan noticed the misconception of many students and people in the United States think that I am Mexican because I speak Spanish. A ninth grader told me to go back to my country, yeah, coming from someone that can barely wipe correctly his behind, lol Sadly to say, I do not understand all Mexican Spanish because I learned mine from Spain. The Spanish I know is the one that derives from Latin. There are over 20 countries in the world that speak Spanish and it mainly came to the new world from Spain. Some of the countries in the New World had many indigenous people and it changed according to their native language, just like English changed. Even though Spain brought the Spanish to Mexico, logic tells me that it is the largest country in Central America, meaning more indigenous people, more weakness of the original language. Furthermore, most of the translated works are done in Mexican Spanish. (Is it because they are so close?) I don't know or maybe because of using the easiest way instead of the smart way. English came from England yet United States does not speak the same English. English in the United States is more colloquial which it means that it depends on where it is spoken. New York English is not the same as Tennessee English yet it is still American English. If I am not wrong as of 2020, United States does not have any recorded written document of what is the official language of the United States. And crazier than that, Mandarin is one of the most spoken languages in the U.S. I am glad for that because China has over 500 dialects, lol

So, where I am going with all this? There are American common words I do not recognize because I learned English not from US but from England. The word "lad" was odd for me that I had to ask. The same thing in Michigan, there are things that only are used in Michigan. Most of the north states do "canning" I know that Florida does not because I lived in Florida for 10 years and never heard of it. I have learn about canning during the past six years of living in Michigan.
In my country's cuisine history, comes mainly from Spain and they use a very good amount of tomato sauce. I have learned to cook with a lot less to avoid the acidity intake for me. There is no such things as tacos, salsa, pico de gallo in Spain. That is only common to Mexico and some Central America countries. So, when I asked about canning so much tomatoes, it was because I was just curious. I canned tomato sauce every summer. Not in quarts but in smaller cans and then I send one or two to my sister in PR and my in laws in Florida. I just keep a few. Nothing more to read than what has been written. I write with love and curiosity. I try to be funny because this world has lost its smiles, plenty of them. Everyone looks at each other like the other had just gotten off a UFO. Everyone wants to believe they are better than others. There is not enough love. Americans are walking around like raisins and forgot how plump it was being a grape.

Hence, I am an adult and if anyone from the staff thinks I should be removed from the group, I am fine with it. So keep it in mind that I might be removed because I will not condone mistreatment, sarcasm, racism or hate. And there is a place to insult someone, it is called a private message. Use it. So if I am removed, I am sure I can find other places where I can learn too. I do not need sarcasm and the high nose. I have the same red blood as anyone else. Show me your blue blood and I might bow to you. Other than that, why be sarcastic? Power trip? Show-off? Be adults who have knowledge and have a desire to pass your knowledge to someone else. Be a role model to those that can one day say they look up to you. Be the change you expect from others. Live by example.

Good night