Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[naglady]

As long as leaves are dry when you store them in the bag they will stay dry.. if you add water to bag in spring you will have compost.

that is a really cute hat. nice job.. and the corn looks yummy...

sorry raz, that is crazy

my friend is getting out of the chicken business, and asked me if i wanted his chickens.. i went there this am and got them all...
another friend came over and helped me clean the dispatch nonlayers. they were 2 yrs old.. i asked him if it was ok to dispatch the ones that are not productive and he said yes..
from checking vents,and other signs of not laying eggs, we cleaneds 9 chickens, and discarded one that had internal laying going on.. and didnt want to eat her..
the other 7, which there is a silkie roo in the mix.. i got 4 eggs from after bringing them home. and that is about what he said he was getting every day..

i also have 2 female runner ducks if anyone wants them..

. TC that must be frustrating loosing all those chicks.. so sorry

 

[mara1]

sorry RaZ

 

[Opa]

Circling vultures are fascinating to watch. Their ability to ride the air currents and soar for hours is amazing. If you watch careful you can distinguish from hawks by their wings. VultuSres have a Vee set to their wings and the primary feather end look like splayed fingers. You won't see that spacing with hawks. Also, with the exception of during migration, you never see very many hawks together. Its been my experience that if you see three or more birds circling overhead they will be vultures.

Speaking of migration, for those of you that free range or have an uncovered run, in about two weeks the hawks will be headed south. Not all hawks migrate but those that do do so slowly so you many see a marked increase in local population that lasts for several weeks.

Today was reasonably productive in that I peeled and sliced a half bushel of apples for the freezer, helped one of Granny's friends pick a bushel, then I picked more apples for pressing today. I had pressed 9 gallons of cider yesterday but 8 gallons went for wine. So today I pressed another 3 gallons for drinking. However today's pressing was definitely an exercise in self control and restraint. I have never seen yellow jackets like we had to deal with today. Each time I would place an apple into the grinder I would have to chase them away from the opening. I kept the catch pail covered with a cloth and when I poured the ground apples into the pressing bag I was constantly waving them away. If that wasn't bad enough I must have had at least a dozen crawling over my face and arms the entire time. While at times the urge to swat them became pretty strong I knew that would result in stinging. I even tried placing some apple pomace in a pail near where I was working in hopes that the majority would be drawn to that. I think what happened was that they must have called all of the friends and relatives to come to the feast. I'd almost be willing to bet that some of them were out of state relatives come to visit.

 

[Totalcolour]

>>>I had pressed 9 gallons of cider yesterday but 8 gallons went for wine. So today I pressed another 3 gallons for drinking. However today's pressing was definitely an exercise in self control and restraint. I have never seen yellow jackets like we had to deal with today. Each time I would place an apple into the grinder I would have to chase them away from the opening. I kept the catch pail covered with a cloth and when I poured the ground apples into the pressing bag I was constantly waving them away. If that wasn't bad enough I must have had at least a dozen crawling over my face and arms the entire time. While at times the urge to swat them became pretty strong I knew that would result in stinging. I even tried placing some apple pomace in a pail near where I was working in hopes that the majority would be drawn to that. I think what happened was that they must have called all of the friends and relatives to come to the feast. I'd almost be willing to bet that some of them were out of state relatives come to visit.

I am a bit envious here. I haven't any apples, and if I did, no way to press them. I am making some peach and nectarine wine though this coming weekend. I find that freezing them first makes them burst their tissues and I get more juice from them.

Being British, cider is a particular love of mine! First time I took Himself to England, we went down to Somerset (where the cider apples grow) and had us a gallon of hard cider, and some real cheddar (aged in the Cheddar Gorge). It was a wonderful time.

 

[iamfivewire]

Raz - they probably re-sent the ticket so they can charge you a late fee in addition to the ticket
. . . . smh

 

[Opa]

I am a bit envious here. I haven't any apples,

I've got more apples than I can possibly use and will just feed the excess to the deer. If you want to pick them yourself you're welcome to all you want.

 

[chickwhispers]

RaZ, sorry to hear. Wish there was something anyone could do. That is just crazy.

Opa , congrats on all the apples! Our pear is so tall many have fallen and have attracted so many wasps i can't get in to pick them up. I too think all their out of state (not from Michigan or Ohio) relatives have come to visit. but they were just rude. One flew up my shirt while I was working on chickenrun yesterday and stung me 2x's! Just rude!

 

[Totalcolour]

Quote: If I was closer I'd take you up on it. But Washington is just a little out of the way! We actually grow pretty good apple and pears here. I'm thinking of planting a couple of apples, or maybe one with some grafts for pollination.

 

[RaZ]

Raz - they probably re-sent the ticket so they can charge you a late fee in addition to the ticket
. . . . smh

A little research shows that this particular ticket was already dismissed in September. Double jeopardy anyone?

I've got more apples than I can possibly use and will just feed the excess to the deer. If you want to pick them yourself you're welcome to all you want.

I might be out that way this weekend if I can get my truck repaired.

RaZ, sorry to hear. Wish there was something anyone could do. That is just crazy.

There are people trying to help. Just as I am trying to help other people who may be over-whelmed by the system

 

[iamfivewire]

a couple months back there were some posts about petition to keep chickens for the family with the special needs children in Perry, MI. Was wondering if anyone has heard anything more about if they allowed them or not . . . . ?