***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[Fanaticalchickenlady]

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Yep, you should be very proud of how you helped him grow. The best thing we can teach our kids is how to take care of themselves while respecting others. Sounds like you've done it right.

 

[Kassaundra]

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I'm not Okla, but have a suggestion, I have not tried all elements I'm about to suggest, but when I read your question this is how I would do it. I personally think the best way of cooking a whole chicken is the "beer butt" method. I would slightly modify by having crystal light in (or a lemon drink, hard lemonade if you would like) the can, and I would put as many lemon slices / wedges as would fit in between the top of the can in the cavity of the chicken. (this will give a lemon infused steam to cook the inside meat of the chicken) I would rub the outside skin w/ pepper (maybe a little garlic powder and any other seasoning that caught my attention) I would rub some lemon powder under the skin and on top, but sparingly that stuff goes a long way. You could drizzle lemon juice on the chicken, but I wouldn't let it marinade in it think it would make the chicken "bitter" rather then lemony. Bake it until it's done. (sorry I am not a recipe follower, I make it up as I go along so not very good at measurements)

 

[Kassaundra]

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My Okra plants are amazingly beautiful, and they are just the clemson spineless, not the fancy orange or red ones. Tall, lush, thick, green etc............... but not an okra in sight!!!!! I figure there is a little to much nitrogen for them.

I bought the egyptian walking onions online, they will self perpetuate so once I get them established they will keep me in onions for the rest of my life!!!!! The onion bulbs will be smaller, but just put 2 in a recipe, after all the best things come in small packages don't they!!!!

I have tried beans several times this year w/o success, I am going to try one more time this fall I have yellow bean seeds left.

I plan on hitting the ground running this spring too. Can't wait to see how successful the chicken garden will be and the changes I have planned for from this seasons problems.

I have identified several issues this year and researched some potential problem solvers so we'll see.


Thanks I'll try that. I have a plan for the okra plants for next year also. I plan on getting the very tall variety and planting a short (couple of plant long) okra wall and on the sheltered side plant my veggies that could use a little protection like peppers, beans, chard, greens, raab broccoli etc.... and on the sunny side plant things like bush squash that love the sun.

I also have decided to plant the garden in such a way as the east garden/run for each coop will be where the chickens are for the entire really hot part of next year's summer. I am arranging for a large trellis over part of the run that will be planted to provide shade, and then take those same very big okra (they say 10' tall) and plant several of them in that garden / run as early in the year as possible so they will be big enough by the time the girls go into that run that they can't hurt them, but they should provide additional shade.

 

[Okla-doodle-doo]

The receipe I used was to take the breast(I cut them into strips because I was feeding a large group,used about 20 pounds of breast!) and roll them in lemon pepper,then brown them on both sides. Layer into a pan,place canned mushrroms over it, then cover with cream of mushroom soup,then cover with a mixture of bread crumbs and parmesean cheese and bake in the oven another thirty-forty-five minutes to finish coooking the chicken and brown the bread/cheese. Wfie said everyone liked it.

Kass if you want tall shade plants for the run I can send you some burgundy castor beans. They grow 8-12 feet in good soil and with a little watering and make a fast shade. Its like growing a small tree in a single season! And they are beautifull too. And you can grind the seeds and mke racine which is the most deadly poison there is and elimate your enemys! Well you might skip the last part ,but it is true thats where racine posion comes from.I have grown it around my birds for years and they seem to know to leave it alone so its been no problem.
I stopped at the hardware store and bought some turnip,radishandmustard seed. If we don't eat it I can feed it to the birds!

 

[Greybear23]

Kass that sounds like a good plan, you also consider saving those huge Okra plans after harvest and ust hem for trellis poles for beans or make a lattis panel out of them to grow on or use for shade, they are very woody plants and hard to chop up after harvest so why not put them to work for you!!! Lynn

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Thanks I'll try that. I have a plan for the okra plants for next year also. I plan on getting the very tall variety and planting a short (couple of plant long) okra wall and on the sheltered side plant my veggies that could use a little protection like peppers, beans, chard, greens, raab broccoli etc.... and on the sunny side plant things like bush squash that love the sun.

I also have decided to plant the garden in such a way as the east garden/run for each coop will be where the chickens are for the entire really hot part of next year's summer. I am arranging for a large trellis over part of the run that will be planted to provide shade, and then take those same very big okra (they say 10' tall) and plant several of them in that garden / run as early in the year as possible so they will be big enough by the time the girls go into that run that they can't hurt them, but they should provide additional shade.

 

[Kassaundra]

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I haven't seen those plants in ages my Gma used to grow them when I was a teen. I knew that about the seeds, but thought to whole plant was very poisonous? If the plants are in the runs w/ the chickens it won't hurt them? Wasn't sure if confined in the run would be different then free range choice for the chickens.

 

[Kassaundra]

Okla, have you ever tried the spinach mustard (tender green ) I think, it is awesome all through this 110' summer and it kept producing greens like a champ, not even a hint of a bolt (think it can't) The taste is to "sharp" for me and my family but the girls like it and it is a real good green mulch especially if you intensive plant and want all the dirt covered w/ green for moisture control and cooler dirt.

 

[Okla-doodle-doo]

I have had them just on the outside of pens and if they nibbled at the leaves I never lost any! The seeds don't fall easly so they don't just land on the ground for the birds to eat. you have to crush the spiny pods to remove them. I guess thats what protects the animals. I also have free ranged my birds around them with no problems.

 

[NanaKat]

Cowboy...Raising our children to be independent and capable of going out on their own is a joy that is hard to bear. He will be home often after the new wears off to enjoy your love and companionship. You've obviously done a great job as a father spending quality time with your son over the years. That attention will come full circle as he continues to need your expert advice.

Okie Wayne...you best be giving up that lemon chicken recipe!!

Channel 9 was here this morning doing an interview with hubby. The edited show will air Tuesday morning between 5 and 6 AM....guess I'll have to get up early to view it. They will interview the doctors and will show the surgery procedure....so I'm sure they will edit out a lot of the time spent here.
Spent most of yesterday cleaning house and they never came inside...go figure. But, the house is clean.

Need to weed wack the garden today... but it's going to be hot...so may wait until this evening. Hubby wants to ride the mower...gonna let him.
Walking around the yard today, there are a lot of dead or dying perennials and the grasshoppers ate the bark off the rose of sharon bushes...will have to wait to see the full damage this fall. We've lost two evergreen trees and some of the pines really lost needles.
The trees set in pots in the garden will have great locations near the barn and hen run. Hubby is going to use the drill on the tractor to make great big holes that can be filled with a mix of compost and soil to give them a good start on a fall root system. There are Zelkova elm, soapwood, rose of sharon, large crepe myrtle, a mimosa, a peach and a plum that can be set in place. We have a number of young Redbuds that can be moved from a wooded area also. I'm going to look at some nice beech trees at the local nursery too....would like to plant a variety of foilage trees...maybe a ginko too. We have to do something to get more shade around the house and barn. Another summer like this one without proper shade will be miserable. Gonna have to be diligent about watering all of them, but the effort will pay off.

Oh, did anyone notice the news report on Channel 4 about the horse trailer that overturned on I 35 last week as it was going to slaughter? We think that was one from the sale barn in Meeker. They have been bringing horses in in stock trailers and loading out semi loads from there over the past month and all of a sudden there was no activity. They did bring about 4 bales of hay to the horses housed there yesterday. Sad losses of beautiful animals.

 

[Greybear23]

Wayne, that chicken recipe sounds wonderful!!! Had to pen one of the little greys up in a rabbit cage, the little bugar kept flying up and gettin out of the pen he was in, not hurting anything just didn't want him to get hurt or eaten!!! Getting some beautiful color out of them, eggs are really small, you sure there is not bantum in them???, I am thinking of usthe bigest on over some BBR Leghon hens and try to start a line of Silver Leghorns!
Kass have you considered growing gords over your pens for shade and to sell? O maybe cucumber vines, the cukes come out very straight from hanging down when groeing and they are a lot easier to see and harvest!!! Not so back breaking that way!!! Lynn

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