Surviving Minnesota!

[Violetsfeathers]

I made a video last year of my white Cochin bantam hen Marshmallow "singing" Let it Go from the Frozen movie. I figured out how to post videos on YouTube not to long ago, figured you guys might want to see it.

Marshmallow is currently the foster mom of four two week old chicks.

 

[Dandelioness]

Got a notice that my raspberry plants will be shipped this week Boyne and Mac Black . Some will be planted here and some will be potted for planting at the lake . Scion wood for grafting is in the mail . Roorstocks should come soon but no notice yet .

Ralphie I did my part to remove evil waterfowl yesterday . Bought 3 Muscovy  drakes at the sale barn yesterday . Butchered them froze two and ate 1 .

You are just a wealth of home steading info!

 

[jerryse]

I thought I was in 4a. but I did this interactive map thingy...

http://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-minnesota-usda-plant-zone-hardiness-map.php

And it says 3b.......

I know the cabin is a lot closer to the north Pole and the center of the universe so it is a lower zone yet. maybe 0.005a....

Probably 4a most winters . You have a few more tree options there . Many pears are rated zone 4 .

 

[duluthralphie]

I was actually thinking of going to a few nurseries and see if I could get some pears.

I know this will surprise many of you, but I am a tad cheap. (hey, I am retired everything goes out, nothing much comes in)....

I normally buy my trees at Menard's, Walmart or Fleetfarm. The trees never seem to do well. or seem sub standard to other trees.

This year I am going to actually spend some cash at a good local nursery. Unless I cheap out.

When I looked at the map I am only about 10 miles into zone 3. I think Aussie and Cluckies is even closer to the line.

 

[duluthralphie]

Cluckies!!!!

I am going to go to Menards today sometime. My Schedule is open. Tell me when and where and I will bring you some turkey eggs.. The cost to you will be Zero..

I just hate to see them go to waste.

 

[Dandelioness]

I was actually thinking of going to a few nurseries and see if I could get some pears.

I know this will surprise many of you, but I am a tad cheap. (hey, I am retired everything goes out, nothing much comes in)....

I normally buy my trees at Menard's, Walmart or Fleetfarm. The trees never seem to do well. or seem sub standard to other trees.

This year I am going to actually spend some cash at a good local nursery. Unless I cheap out.

When I looked at the map I am only about 10 miles into zone 3. I think Aussie and Cluckies is even closer to the line.

I have an apple, crabapple, and a couple black walnut trees that I got from a place in NY state - St. Lawrence Nurseries. They are on the border of zones 3 and 4, like us. They don't baby their stock at all, so it's used to our type of climate. Their bareroot prices aren't bad either. I read a really good book on home orchards in MN, and they seemed to be of the opinion that a lot of nursery stock trees are really babied and often come from another hardiness zone. So say your pear tree is hardy to zone 4, but it was raised in zone 6 - it will not be nearly as tough as a little tree that was raised in zone 4. If you're having bad luck with trees, maybe keep that in mind as you shop around and ask questions. I literally stuck these in the ground and just watered the first year. No maintenance besides cages to keep the deer from eating them in winter. The bareroot ones will take a few years to bear. Now, I'm not calling you old, but the upside to a potted nursery tree is that they often bear sooner. So maybe something potted but grown around here?? Good luck with the pear tree shopping!

Well, the sun came out over here yesterday afternoon. Sunny again today!

Have a good day, all ~

 

[KlopKlop]

Its not going to be a heat wave here but shaping up to be a nice sunshiny day! The frost is burning of and the palms are waving! (For real thought... It's Palm Sunday lol)

 

[duluthralphie]

I have an apple, crabapple, and a couple black walnut trees that I got from a place in NY state - St. Lawrence Nurseries. They are on the border of zones 3 and 4, like us. They don't baby their stock at all, so it's used to our type of climate. Their bareroot prices aren't bad either. I read a really good book on home orchards in MN, and they seemed to be of the opinion that a lot of nursery stock trees are really babied and often come from another hardiness zone. So say your pear tree is hardy to zone 4, but it was raised in zone 6 - it will not be nearly as tough as a little tree that was raised in zone 4. If you're having bad luck with trees, maybe keep that in mind as you shop around and ask questions. I literally stuck these in the ground and just watered the first year. No maintenance besides cages to keep the deer from eating them in winter. The bareroot ones will take a few years to bear. Now, I'm not calling you old, but the upside to a potted nursery tree is that they often bear sooner. So maybe something potted but grown around here?? Good luck with the pear tree shopping!

Well, the sun came out over here yesterday afternoon. Sunny again today!

Have a good day, all ~

That makes good sense.

I bought a bunch of trees from "the arbor day foundation". A complete waste of time and money. Not one tree I got from them survived. but they are located in Mo.

My Brother claimed they were a great place to get stuff from. but he lives in NC.

 

[bantiesrule]

My sister owns a nursery right here in the center of Minnesota. It's not open to the public but she takes plants to flea markets and such. I could get a schedule of where and when she sells if you want. I believe she goes to Annandale every Saturday in the summer. Her plants are not cheap (probably cheaper than a nursery though) but they are grown out in an open field in zone 3b (according to the map Ralphie posted) and are very healthy and hardy.

 

[Dandelioness]

My sister owns a nursery right here in the center of Minnesota. It's not open to the public but she takes plants to flea markets and such. I could get a schedule of where and when she sells if you want. I believe she goes to Annandale every Saturday in the summer. Her plants are not cheap (probably cheaper than a nursery though) but they are grown out in an open field in zone 3b (according to the map Ralphie posted) and are very healthy and hardy.

Bantiesrule, you should post her schedule for the season!