Stormcrow's Hobby Farm

[U_Stormcrow]

Im surprised you have to lime, I would think most of that is pretty hardy and wiling to grow in most soil types! (I know nothing of large scale farming)
Our neighbors new calves keep escaping his fence, he replaced about half of it last year and of course they found the gap in the old. Fortunately they are only getting into another of his pastures atm, so hopefully nothing happens.

My soil is so acidic it eats concrete. Very few plants do well near pH 5. When I get to 5.5 pH, most of my acid loving plants will do much better

 

[Sally PB]

My soil is so acidic it eats concrete. Very few plants do well near pH 5.

Wow! The only thing I can think of is blueberries, but they probably need more chill hours than you have. (We had that discussion before, I think.)

How many pounds of lime do you need to put down per acre? What about wood ashes? Can you use them?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Tom Turkey (not an original name, I know) broke his thigh bone yesterday. Had to leave work earlier than intended to put him out of his misery. He'd have bled out internally, otherwise. I think he jumped down from the fence and his bone couldn't take the strain of his weight. Otherwise in good health. Great heart and liver. His passing was swift and clean.

Ole boy was so heavy I had to use the tractor to lift him, processed him like a hung deer, goat, or hog. Hanging scale's batteries were dead (and obviously wasn't my priority), as I worked in the dark by the light of the tractor headlights. He was a monster. In spite of doing an amateur job of butchering in the mostly dark, I pulled easily 25# of meat off him, plus the carcass, neck, heart, liver, gizzard. Each breast was bigger than what I could stuff in a gallon baggie.

If it doesn't rain, and I have the right batteries, I'll try and put it on a scale today, see what the harvest was. Everything is resting in the chill chest currently. Aside from a large pocket of congealed blood on the thigh, no damage to him. Wouldn't be surprised if I pulled more edible weight off him than my estimate above. Won't be buying turkey for the wife and i FOR A LONG, LONG TIME (still two breasts in freezer camp from the last bird, plus three hens kicking around the field!)

Some days, its a tough life out here. One hen is sitting a clutch, so maybe???

 

[Sally PB]

Wow, that is a HUGE turkey! How did you happen to find him so soon?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

My wife (stays home, keeps things from falling apart around me) noticed he wasn't behaving right. When he wouldn't get up and waddle away from her as she approached, she knew something was wrong. Insisted I take care of it immediately. Good that she did.

 

[Sally PB]

Good for her. And you. And sadly, the turkey too.