North Carolina

[Tbird84]

I have a question for all you folks in NC. Has anyone here ordered from Metzer Farms? I hear they are awesome for ducks, but just wondered because they are all the way in California. Just worried about the distance. But for what I want, they seem to be the way to go. Any input would be great. Thanks!

~Tess

 

[ramirezframing]

bird collector and a special

to tat2d, thanks for the service.

Congrats on all the new babies, looks like my boy wasn't up to the job before I lost him

so no eggs from him.

 

[NewHomesteader2010]

bird collector & tat2d!! Tat - thank you so much for your service!!

Wow I was gone for a day and so much has happened...I suppose that will teach me!! We are going shopping tonight for the final pieces for the barn - shingles & handles & oh yeah a ladder big enough to reach the roof of the barn!!

. Right now the DD & I are sitting outside watching the bumble bees & I am being used as a jungle gym!! Once she goes down for a nap my veggies will be planted!!

praying for no rain on our build day - saw that its suppose to rain sat.

Good luck to all of you hatching!!

I await pictures to feed my addiction!!

 

[vfem]

Quote:
I have not, but I do hear good things about their ducks too!

Just a bee update, got a call from the bee lady today! Looks like we can get our bees the second week of May if a swarm doesn't fall upon us!

NH, good to hear you have made so much progress. Do you have a thread started in the coop area of the forums for us to see? We've been SUPER busy here too. I picked up strawberries from Porter's on Hwy 42 today (couldn't BELIEVE they were ready), but I only went over to load the truck with compost for the raised beds. So it was a super morning for me. One of the beds is full now, 2 more to fill this week still... but I'm going to take the rest of the day to play with the little one, and she and I can cut up the strawberries for jam. I'll try to do it after lunch so we don't eat half the buckets! lol

 

[Miss Lydia]

vfem, that is such a temptation when we use to go pick those big juicy strawberries i would be eating them right out of the field.. sand and all sometimes.. we have a few plants but they won't be ready here till May.. some nice things to look forward too. Have fun. and good for you Ruthann, hopefully ya'll will get alot done and we'll get to see more of the final project. And tell the foreman to keep her hard hat on..

 

[BHep]

Quote:
I just got an order of ducks from Metzers on March 30th. They shipped on the 28th. So it takes 2 days. I ordered 10 they sent 11. I did order the grow gel stuff they have and HIGHLY recommend it. It was $4 or $4.50 and they ate it all during the trip. Ducklings are heathy and doing great.

 

[NewHomesteader2010]

Good afternoon everyone!!
ML - I just saw your little hatch!! What a CUTIE!!

can't wait to see more

As for the Forman...she's still teething, so she has been sleeping through most of the building. When she's not sleeping though, she's a tough cookie...always yelling at us and correcting us to make sure we do things right.

How is your Ruthann doing??

SCM - I have faith that all those that are in lockdown will hatch for you!! I'm sorry the cochins didn't work out, but once you get the hang of it, you can try again!!

I know you just LOVE those cochins!!

Vfem - I do not have a page started on the coop build page...I guess I should do that...haha...I get so wrapped up in stalking this thread that I forget about the others!! Haha. How is your garden doing? I might PM you with a few questions, if you don't mind!!

I am SO new at this. I didn't even know you were suppose to place a few seeds in a starter greenhouse...someone put the whole packet of seeds...yeah...oops!!

!!

Well...I managed to till the ENTIRE garden area...it's not that big...it's only 25'x15' but I had fun. I did get the tiller jammed several times on some GIANT rocks. Fortunately though, a crowbar and a hammer later, it was unstuck and I was back to work!! Haha. I will say that I managed to get it stuck SEVERAL times and even chopped a few rocks in half. I LOVE this tiller...so glad I bought it for the DH since he's used it a whole one time. Haha. I hauled our big bags of 50# cow manure out there to mix into the soil when I start to plant tomorrow. Now...now I just have to decide what all I want to plant with what and where!!

I am at a total loss. Guess I will be spending some time researching the best layouts and what veggies (and fruit...tomatoes, watermelon and pumpkin are fruits..I can't forget that) compliment what. Waiting on the DH to get home so we can run and get the last of the supplies. If all goes well, and there is NO rain this weekend we just might be able to get it finished (well, the walls up)!!
Chicks update: Our chicks are going to be in our possession sometime around April 16th!!!!!!!!!

Just got the CALL from the DH...he's on his way home so off we go to the store to get the FINAL supplies!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

did we see pictures Beth? and so far no other chicks have hatched out of the 5 just the 2 but she's still sitting on them so does that mean she knows something I don't? I tried to listen to the eggs but the other 2 were chirping so loud couldn't hear anything.

 

[BHep]

Just checked my uploads Miss Lydia....pic was in there. Here it is again, in case you missed it.

 

[Gold Griffin Chicken Mom]

NH, Get a notebook. Sketch a map of your garden and label your rows. On the next page start listing as you plant "Row 1, section A: carrots", etc. I keep track of the tomato varieties as I stick them in the dirt. At my old house I had finally gotten my garden to about 14' x 25' after 15 years. Large tomatoes always cracked or got bug eatten before they ripened. (Learned that from going back through my old planting notes.)

This will be my second garden at our "farmette". In 2009 I didn't even try to plant because we were so busy with moving and settling in. Late last Summer, Dad made rude comments on the poor state of my tomato crop until my Mother pointed out "This is her first garden in a new spot. They look great, considering deer and everything else are snacking on them!"

Weirdly enough the deer ate the Early Girl tomato plants down to the ground! The other plants were barely nibbled. Then the cut worms arrived. Husband taught Middle Child how to locate them and the hens LOVED those worms!

Hmm, where did I leave last year's notebook? It's not critical yet. I'm still removing weeds and putting down landscape fabric. Good luck!