NY chicken lover!!!!

[Overhill Flocks]

Well, hubby is home. white blood cell count is back to normal. As long as he behaves and doesn't pop a stitch we should be pretty safe.

Chick I've been getting bit as well...gnats I think?

Rancher, I have been looking into heirloom apple varieties as well. If I ever get a chance to order some I was thinking I would try this website; www.treesofantiquity.com

Good news on the hubby front!

Trees of Antiquity is great, but try http://www.cumminsnursery.com/ - they're in upstate NY (Ithaca) and have a huge repository of antique and modern varieties. Trees of Antiquity concentrates more on California and west coast varieties. Cummins stock is grown here, so it's all hardy and acclimated to Upstate NY. I've ordered a number of their trees and have been very pleased -- I'm a sucker for antique / heirloom varieties of anything!

 

[Overhill Flocks]

Interestingly enough apple trees are grafted in order to reproduce the same apple variety. I bought "The Apple Lovers Cook book and learned a lot.

Do you know that the seed in your apple and planted it , it would produce a completely new variety. The genetics in apples is amazing. In fact each seed would produce a new variety.

Many we have today are only because they're marketable. Cornell is coming out with two new varieties.

In 1905 the USDA cataloged all the known Apple Varieties and came up with 14,000.

I would love to find , Black Oxford, Ambrosia, Arkansas Black, Cox's Orange Pippin, Pink Pearl and many others. Some do well in the south or the north west , while others only do good in the cold north east.

Rhode Island Greening, Ribston Pippin, Roxburry Russet, Sierra Beauty, Winter Banana, Westfield Seek no Further, and the Zabergau Reinette.

And of course the recipes. Squash Apple Gratin, Welsh Rarebit with Apples, Tennessee Cornbread Dressing with Sausage and Apple, Duck Panzanella with Apples and Thyme, Baked Apple Oatmeal Pudding, Apple Stuffed Biscuit Buns, llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

So post a pic of the Apples and we can see what kind you have.

Country Max has their trees half off. $12.99

Apples, by Frank Browning is a fascinating book, and one of the best on the subject. There's a great farm called Black Diamond Farm that sells a lot of the varieties you mention each fall at the Ithaca Farmer's Market -- worth a drive! I've got several antique varieties started on our property -- they're young trees, but we should have a small harvest next year, weather permitting.

 

[Tough Old Bird]

Been scarce lately as our summer schedule has been nuttier than a Christmas fruitcake!

Sure hope that everyone is doing well, along with your families....summer is starting to wind down, and I hope all are making the best of it. The cooler, dry weather is certainly keeping both me and my chickens happier. All is well here. Gertrude the Brabanter still having eye issues, but is improved overall. I just don't think she'll ever recover full vision, so she is at the mercy of the bigger girls. Hence the continued separation. Still not sure how I'm going to handle this, so I keep skating it out there and swapping in and out time for the two flocks.

Helen the Marans hen has been giving us eggs most every day, some times every other day. No eggs from the Rocks or Delaware yet. Rancher, has Helen's sister started to lay for you yet?

Featherz, hope you got rid of the botulism source with your cleaning and treating of the coop, etc.

Take care everyone...sorry if I missed anything important, but I can't get on BYC daily at this point. We are a little too busy for my taste!


TOB

 

[miquwid]

I Have a ridiculous apple tree that has produce a lot of fruit. I'm going to make apple butter and lots of apple pies! part of my peach tree died but the rest of is doing well seems I should have September peaches. Love all the mint growing made some fun dinners. My other apple tree isn't as big and has a little but of f

So sunny chick & nutty I hope the hubbys are well, nutty I hope your doing ok. TAB how are you doing.

Lazy day today, son mowed front lawn. Gotta move the tractor to new grounds. Found what looked like a best of young cats living the mess that is my neighbors yard. I don't understand they caught the cat from last year I offered to get the cats in a program to get a rabies shot and fixed. They said they had it under control, well if anything happens to any of my animals, I'm catching every cat I can and getting rid of it to the first shelter I find. I'm so angry, I'm getting three new birds and just don't need this trouble. I knew about predators but to shamelessly let these animals breed beyond control, most sickly.

 

[Cass]

I Have a ridiculous apple tree that has produce a lot of fruit. I'm going to make apple butter and lots of apple pies! part of my peach tree died but the rest of is doing well seems I should have September peaches. Love all the mint growing made some fun dinners. My other apple tree isn't as big and has a little but of f

So sunny chick & nutty I hope the hubbys are well, nutty I hope your doing ok. TAB how are you doing.

Lazy day today, son mowed front lawn. Gotta move the tractor to new grounds. Found what looked like a best of young cats living the mess that is my neighbors yard. I don't understand they caught the cat from last year I offered to get the cats in a program to get a rabies shot and fixed. They said they had it under control, well if anything happens to any of my animals, I'm catching every cat I can and getting rid of it to the first shelter I find. I'm so angry, I'm getting three new birds and just don't need this trouble. I knew about predators but to shamelessly let these animals breed beyond control, most sickly.

Is there a program around you that catches feral cats and neuters them? Personally I would like a few feral cats on my property. Neutered of course. The mice are eating my entire tomato crop. Boo hiss.

 

[rancher hicks]

Well, hubby is home. white blood cell count is back to normal. As long as he behaves and doesn't pop a stitch we should be pretty safe.

Chick I've been getting bit as well...gnats I think?

Rancher, I have been looking into heirloom apple varieties as well. If I ever get a chance to order some I was thinking I would try this website; www.treesofantiquity.com

I would have planted apples but not enough of our land is cleared. That and that they take longer than I have before I'll be eating apples from my own trees. I should be eating my own Currants, gooseberries and raspberries but that is not happening.

I suspect who ever buys this place when I sell in my old age will be reaping all my labor.

 

[rancher hicks]

Apples, by Frank Browning is a fascinating book, and one of the best on the subject. There's a great farm called Black Diamond Farm that sells a lot of the varieties you mention each fall at the Ithaca Farmer's Market -- worth a drive! I've got several antique varieties started on our property -- they're young trees, but we should have a small harvest next year, weather permitting.

Thanks I'll have to have a look. Trumansburg. One of my favorite places to go. I'm making plans already.

 

[rancher hicks]

Been scarce lately as our summer schedule has been nuttier than a Christmas fruitcake!

Sure hope that everyone is doing well, along with your families....summer is starting to wind down, and I hope all are making the best of it. The cooler, dry weather is certainly keeping both me and my chickens happier. All is well here. Gertrude the Brabanter still having eye issues, but is improved overall. I just don't think she'll ever recover full vision, so she is at the mercy of the bigger girls. Hence the continued separation. Still not sure how I'm going to handle this, so I keep skating it out there and swapping in and out time for the two flocks.

Helen the Marans hen has been giving us eggs most every day, some times every other day. No eggs from the Rocks or Delaware yet. Rancher, has Helen's sister started to lay for you yet?

Featherz, hope you got rid of the botulism source with your cleaning and treating of the coop, etc.

Take care everyone...sorry if I missed anything important, but I can't get on BYC daily at this point. We are a little too busy for my taste!


TOB

Funny you should log in. I found an egg in the corner of the coop that can have only come from a maran so it must be Helens sister. Don't want to think of if she has been laying all this time. I've not found any eggs til now.

 

[rancher hicks]

Is there a program around you that catches feral cats and neuters them? Personally I would like a few feral cats on my property. Neutered of course. The mice are eating my entire tomato crop. Boo hiss.

Now I've been setting traps for mice and just bought a few more.

I was taking out last years hay from the run and uncovered a nasty hornets nest. I only go one sting thank the Lord. I expected mice to be there. I've seen a few mice of late. Them and rabbits and good garden o' peas, lots of toads. I like toads so they get extra consideration in the caution area.

I DE'd the hornet nest, but can't use any kind of chemicals on them as the chickens will be scratching through the hay. I was attempting to spread it on the lawn so they could work it some. Then my intent is to mow it up with the bagger on and dump it in the compost.

Anyhow, we have the Central NY cat coalition here and they 're very good a trap and release. Cat's are fixed and then release back where they came from. My neighbor doesn't let her cats out anymore. Not since one got hurt and is missing half it's tail.

We just have Norma Jean and she's a house cat. I don't care to deal with cats anymore. Not even feral cats. You could try to contact the Coalition. They might know of an organization that can help. They just might bring you some cats.

 

[Lynzi777]

Has anyone ever ordered from the Poultry Hatchery in Fayette, NY? It's about an hour from me and I figure if they won't ship just two female ducks I can always just drive out there. Unless anyone knows of anyone with two females available? I was looking for runners since my husband really likes the black runners. I gave up on trying to find more Magpies, no one has any. Eventually one of these magpie drakes will have to go, I just don't know which one. I love them both. They're so pretty, even the black and white. Thought I liked the blues better but I love them both equally, not sure what I'm going to end up doing.