Surviving Minnesota!

[jerryse]

Ralphie must be sleeping in today.

I have a question that is gardening related and kinda genetics related I'm hoping somebody can answer.

I grew mammoth sunflowers last year to feed to my chickens over winter. I have saved a good pile of seeds to replant this year. I saved the biggest seeds from the biggest heads in hopes this would propagate the genes of the biggest plants. Is there any truth to my logic? Or will any seeds from the heads do?

This is how gardeners have done it since plants were first cultivated . Yes it works .

 

[duluthralphie]

Ivie have you found morels around here?

Will they grow on sandy soil? I have either sand or water/swamp. There is no in between river bottom type soil here.

 

[jerryse]

Ivie have you found morels around here?

Will they grow on sandy soil? I have either sand or water/swamp. There is no in between river bottom type soil here.

Yes on sandy soil .

So anybody pick oyster mushrooms or shaggy mane / shaggy inky caps ?They are mostly fall mushrooms .

 

[duluthralphie]

This is how gardeners have done it since plants were first cultivated . Yes it works .

Sure, disagree with me! First you remind Mother Nature yesterday we should pay for the nice spring we had, then you tell me I was wrong...


Oh the pain!!

Now a serious question. Is there a way to tell a single comb from a pea comb on my day old pea combed BA's? I hatch them separately and would like to raise them together. ( I know I could mark the toes, but I am a whimp at cutting them..)

 

[duluthralphie]

I think I see Runnings in my future... I am not going to try and work in this stuff, I know I would slip and twist my back and really be in deep do-do.


I hade a kestrel land in the tree next to the coop while I was feeding the turkeys last night. I had chickens out, they scattered. Then the kestrel flew to another tree. I yelled at it and it flew to a coop right next to shed with my chick pens! I had left the door open as I was only going to out for a minute.. Scared the poop out of me. I ran back to the shed pronto..


It did not go in the shed. I will admit I was weighing how much of the 25,000 dollar fines the judge would access me if the Kestrel had died of lead poisoning... I feel so at the mercy of all these raptors! BTW the dogs were outside with me and that did not dissuade it either.

 

[lvie]

Ivie have you found morels around here?

Will they grow on sandy soil? I have either sand or water/swamp. There is no in between river bottom type soil here.

I have not but now will start looking when I take the dogs for their walk in River Oak Park. Lottsa dead wood there and I will also look on our riverbank where the low land is and in all those branches and stumps. I will let you know Ralphie.

 

[jerryse]

Sure, disagree with me! First you remind Mother Nature yesterday we should pay for the nice spring we had, then you tell me I was wrong...


Oh the pain!!

Now a serious question. Is there a way to tell a single comb from a pea comb on my day old pea combed BA's? I hatch them separately and would like to raise them together. ( I know I could mark the toes, but I am a whimp at cutting them..)

Yes you should be able to see a difference on the combs . You are right about possible hybrids but sunflowers self pollinate . So chances are slim .

 

[holm25]

There is two new calves on the ground. One Tarentaise cross heifer and a big old bull calf from one of the new cows.

 

[duluthralphie]

Yes you should be able to see a difference on the combs . You are right about possible hybrids but sunflowers self pollinate . So chances are slim .

I cannot even see a comb on a lot of them, and I know they have to have one.... They sure are cute though..

 

[duluthralphie]

There is two new calves on the ground. One Tarentaise cross heifer and a big old bull calf from one of the new cows.

Grats.. pictures are allowed......