Surviving Minnesota!

[Cebarmlds]

It appears I have been remiss in gioving you details of our Nashville time. Nothing exciting yet.

We went to a bunch of bars and watched some young unknowns, all of whom want to be stars. Some are nice kids with good voices, others think their poop doesn't stink are aging beyond the point they should be counting on stardom and sing like crap.

It is interesting though.

We went to the country music hall of fame yesterday. We spent most the day there. Interesting place with lots of history of country music in it.

I saw some thing I never knew existed, like a 10 string guitar! They did not show anyone playing it, it was just on exhibit. The most amazing vehicle was Webb Pierce's car! Talk about gawdy.

We drove for hours in rush hour traffic to go to Hendersonville. We went to trinity broadcasting to sit in an audience for a show taping. It was free, kind of a nice break, the music was amazing.

John Conlee, Ricky Scaggs and his Wife, and a bunch of Christian music singers, I have no idea who they were. The sound quality was better than at the Opry and our seat were super. 3 rd right in front Aisle end.

Today is the day that will change Carries life forever! She will meet me around 10pm tonight. I am thinking of using deodorant for the meeting. I wish I had JJ with me, I know she should meet him too.

We are just going to site see today. We are thinking of going to Fontenal (Barbara Mandrells former home) Use to be largest log home in world. BUT not sure it is worth the price of admission to it. We might just go downtown and listen to music too, We have not decided yet.

There you are all up to date.

I would suggest no deodorant, it is the natural pheromones that will attract her to you besides your gorgeous physique.

 

[Chickenchick11]

Sounds like your trip has been fun so far, Ralpie! I'm definitely jealous.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Kloppers I would say 10-15 years for a nice tree with trimming involved. I like balsams a lot! The needles are shorter but they are fragrant and the needles are super easy to vaccuum if they dry and drop a little. I like the idea of Fraser Firs as well. I think they are a "favorite" christmas tree and they may do well down there and especially with global warming that we've been having...I bet you they're worth a try. White Pine is trully gorgeous tree...also fragrant. I never thought of scotch pine ...but that would be good too. The time will fly by. Trust me. And you will be enjoying those trees before you know it.

My Dad and Grandpa planted 500 Norways probably in the early 1980's. They are still on the property giving us a beautiful stand of green to look at. I suggested to Dad about 15 years ago to plant more. And he said, "Why should I do that?! I'll be dead before I see those trees grown!" Well he's still alive and still on the property and they have some beautiful 10-12 footers out there. Maybe taller...IDK. Needless to say he is glad he planted the second round as well. His new babies are the apple trees. He's had those going about two years. And He tends to them like they are his children. Ever the farmer. He loves to grow stuff.

Well I wasted half my day at the Dr.'s office. My son was getting a physical. The nurse wasn't the most efficient and the paper shuffling and dealing with the electronic patient record (which both the dr. and nurse complained about) did not help as well. Needless to say I got my son back to school for the second half of his day. But what a rigamaro.

Hey Rhetts! How ya been?

Ralphie. Please say hi to Mrs. DuluthRalphie. I'm sure she will put on quite a show for you. Enjoy your travels in the great state of Tennessee.

 

[KlopKlop]

Kloppers I would say 10-15 years for a nice tree with trimming involved. I like balsams a lot!  The needles are shorter but they are fragrant and the needles are super easy to vaccuum if they  dry and drop a little.  I like the idea of Fraser Firs as well.  I think they are a "favorite" christmas tree and they may do well down there and especially with global warming that we've been having...I bet you they're worth a try.  White Pine is trully gorgeous tree...also fragrant.  I never thought of scotch pine ...but that would be good too.  Did you know that the only way the cone opens to scatter its seeds on a scotch pine is with the heat of a fire?    The time will fly by.  Trust me. And you will be enjoying those trees before you know it.  

My Dad and Grandpa planted 500 Norways probably in the early 1980's.  They are still on the property giving us a beautiful stand of green to look at.  I suggested to Dad about 15 years ago to plant more.  And he said, "Why should I do that?!  I'll be dead before I see those trees grown!"  Well he's still alive and still on the property and they have some beautiful 10-12 footers out there.  Maybe taller...IDK.  Needless to say he is glad he planted the second round as well.  His new babies are the apple trees.  He's had those going about two years.  And He tends to them like they are his children.  Ever the farmer.  He loves to grow stuff.

Well I wasted half my day at the Dr.'s office.  My son was getting a physical.  The nurse wasn't the most efficient and the paper shuffling and dealing with the electronic patient record (which both the dr. and nurse complained about) did not help as well.  Needless to say I got my son back to school for the second half of his day.  But what a rigamaro.

Hey Rhetts!  How ya been?

Ralphie.  Please say hi to Mrs. DuluthRalphie.  I'm sure she will put on quite a show for you.  Enjoy your travels in the great state of Tennessee.

I read a proverb or something once that said something like 'true love is planting an oak tree that you know you will never bask in the shade of'
How cool of your dad to tend to those trees for future generations some day.

I will be getting a catalog in the mail from our county soil and water conservation group. We will be able to order bare root tree bundles. We wanted to do it last year but just weren't ready by the time orders were due. We need to add new trees to our grove as there are many older trees in rough shape. That way they can fill in as the old trees die. There will be much cleanup to do in the spring to prepare but I look forward to it.
The have lots of what I would call 'evergreen' type trees as well as hardwoods like oak maple and more. We will get some of both I think.


They also started last year offering trees and shrubs that are of value for wildlife. Basically wild fruit bearing stuff. Maybe we will do some of those too for the deer and pheasants.

I love love love planting new stuff on our farm knowing how great it will be as it matutes

 

[Rhetts]

I have been wanting to plant trees since we moved here. I know nothing about what to plant. I suppose I need to figure out what the trees would be for first i.e. shade, windbreak, wood, etc. I like reading about the trees in the seed catalogs I get. Klop, are you ordering your trees from whomever the catalog is from? How would I find something like that for my area?

My DD has 5 apple seedlings/plants she started from seeds this fall. I have NO idea how to tend them. They are in pots in my window sill still. I really need to learn what to do with them.

 

[willzpapa]

Coffee Sorry about the loss.

I personally hate hawks and eagles. I think the government should retrain them to eat only wild animals or carrion.


I have tried the CD's on a line and flying shirts, Scare crows none of them work, The best thing for me is getting my lazy butt dogs to stay outside with the chickens. I have not tried the stuffed owl on a post yet. I might.

The chickens are so happy when they can run free, it is a trade off I make. If I had just 7-8 chickens like you in town I would be devastated. SO knowing that my condolences again. May the hawk hit a highline!

And may you NOT wap the neighbor kid in the head with a rolled up newspaper. like he deserves.

The owl would panic your birds a couple.of.goats in the run would help tho

 

[Coffee 1st]

my sister came across some patterns she just had to share with me.  Well, naturally I have to share them with you.  She said she was gonna make them for me.  Ha Ha too funny I think.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/chicken-coat

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/christmas-pudding-chicken-coat-with-matching-hat

Omg I love them.. It would be cute to just have a photo shoot in them with the girls...

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I had to look it up Kloppers as I think I've heard it before as well. It's a great saying and a great thing to do.

Rhetts. You might need to give those trees a couple years of protection. Hardware cloth cage or something along that lines. I'm almost sure bunnies will graze them down to nada if you put them out next spring. Bunnies will eat bark and girdle an apple tree which is larger even. I think also plants started indoors need to "harden" off. Which means they need to toughen up their leaves and such to wind, sun, etc. And that's a couple week process of gradually increasing their time outdoors. I never was good at it.

 

[willzpapa]

Ok after catching up I'm still confused!! Did Ralphie run off to 10 R C to jump the broom ?

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Question for you folks....

I was checking out a few of my chickens yesterday and Johnny Cash is looking rough around the face. Is this all normal? Molting? At first I thought she was getting some different late coloring in on her head (She's 7 months old) and now I see she's losing her feathers....I think. I haven't noticed her being picked on. She seems healthy, otherwise.





I have another girl named Elvis who never really had a full load of feathers on the base of her back, but now she has like 6. Kinda funny actually! She's my OE. Another case of molting? When I was looking at her other back feathers, I was thinking maybe she was being picked on....the feathers are jagged. I haven't seen it though. She's higher in the pecking order. I also haven't seen her pecking herself. No scabbing or blood on the area and Elvis is healthy otherwise. Thoughts? That's a piece of leaf on the left side. They were digging around all day!

It could be that she's a bit stressed and lost the feathers around the head as a result. Do you have a rooster? He uses head feathers and such to hang on...so looks like she's regrowing those nicely.

As for the saddle or forefront of the tail there. That is a favorite spot for feather eating. You may have a pesky hen with a bad habit in your coop. What you can try is water supplements in the water to see if its a nutritional need. Increase protein for that hen or for the group. You may want to put a hen saddle on her so she does not lose any more feathers at this critical season to have feathers. Brrrr..... and then if another hen shows the same sort of picking. Cover her...until you have it down to who you know is doing it. They are simple to make, no sewing and cut out of a similar color of polar fleece. So they don't get picked on any further. ie. black polar fleece for a black hen.
Some people straight out cull the culprit as it is a fun habit and hard to break. But I like to try other measures first such as the nutritional adjustments, giving them seeds in a bottle with small holes to divert them or other boredom busters. Cabbage on an eye hook. Parrot toy from a discount store. etc.... If you don't want to saddle each of your picked on hens to find the culprit another way is to sit out there at roost time and just watch to see who she is. You'll need to spend the time though.