Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[ValerieJ]

Lucky chickens! I gave mine a handful of half-ripe tomatoes and a big parsley plant. There's a chunk of rib roast beef fat I need to chop up and give to them this evening to help them stay warm overnight.

Garden hoses are put away for the winter and I mulched a few herbs in the garden. The onion and shallot seeds I planted a few weeks ago haven't germinated yet. Maybe they will next spring... or not. I have more seeds if they don't.

I planted garlic too. What I read on Farmers Almanac was to expect them to sprout in spring. They need to go through the cold winter, but mulched so they don't freeze. We put a few inches of straw on them and will rake that up after last frost.

 

[ValerieJ]

I'm so excited! Our new bedroom furniture is in! We'll be able to pick it up on Wednesday. I have used the same antique dresser for 50 years and we've had an antique armoire for about 30 years. I'm very tired of antiques!!!

 

[Smokerbill]

I planted garlic too. What I read on Farmers Almanac was to expect them to sprout in spring. They need to go through the cold winter, but mulched so they don't freeze. We put a few inches of straw on them and will rake that up after last frost.

That's weird. Maybe it depends on the type of garlic, because mine were sprouting out of the ground within a couple weeks of planting. Most of them are 6 to 8 inches tall now.

It was the same last year. They didn't grow much during the worst of the winter and weren't damaged at all, even with temps in the teens.

Mine didn't go through any cold at all before I planted them. They were dug in July, and were hanging in the kitchen until I planted them in October.

 

[ValerieJ]

That's weird. Maybe it depends on the type of garlic, because mine were sprouting out of the ground within a couple weeks of planting. Most of them are 6 to 8 inches tall now.

It was the same last year. They didn't grow much during the worst of the winter and weren't damaged at all, even with temps in the teens.

Mine didn't go through any cold at all before I planted them. They were dug in July, and were hanging in the kitchen until I planted them in October.

Interesting. Well, it's my first year, so just going by what I've read. There are no sprouts coming up here. I planted 3 different kinds, two hardnecks and one softneck. Can't remember the names off the top of my head. Would have to go look at the markers I put out.

 

[Smokerbill]

Interesting. Well, it's my first year, so just going by what I've read. There are no sprouts coming up here. I planted 3 different kinds, two hardnecks and one softneck. Can't remember the names off the top of my head. Would have to go look at the markers I put out.

Mine is a hardneck garlic, and my guess is it's Russian red but I don't know for sure. The package I bought from HomeDepot a few years ago just said "Garlic"... no variety specified. Good luck with yours!

Since you eat lots of parsley are you going to grow some of that too? It gets big later in the season. The flatleaf parsley plant I pulled up for the chickens today was about the size of a half-bushel basket.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I'm so excited! Our new bedroom furniture is in! We'll be able to pick it up on Wednesday. I have used the same antique dresser for 50 years and we've had an antique armoire for about 30 years. I'm very tired of antiques!!!

I'm the exact opposite. If I could I'd replace all my hard surface furniture with vintage or antiques. New stuff just isn't as durable or solid. I'm still using the dresser and bedside table that my grandmother had in her room.

 

[ValerieJ]

I'm the exact opposite. If I could I'd replace all my hard surface furniture with vintage or antiques. New stuff just isn't as durable or solid. I'm still using the dresser and bedside table that my grandmother had in her room.

We ordered custom made furniture from the Amish. IDK. Looks like good stuff to me. But, hey, lots of people are into antiques these days. I get it totally. I used to be.

 

[ValerieJ]

Mine is a hardneck garlic, and my guess is it's Russian red but I don't know for sure. The package I bought from HomeDepot a few years ago just said "Garlic"... no variety specified. Good luck with yours!

Since you eat lots of parsley are you going to grow some of that too? It gets big later in the season. The flatleaf parsley plant I pulled up for the chickens today was about the size of a half-bushel basket.

Well, I wish I could grow parsley. It has never worked for me. Maybe next year I'll try some on the deck. I'm amazed at what you can do with herbs, and actually all your plants. I'm not worthy!!!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Well, I wish I could grow parsley. It has never worked for me.

I've never had a good time with most parsley either. The best results I've had were with hamburg parsley, which is grown as a root vegetable, so not quite as prolific with the herby tops, but the plants always grew better for me overall.

 

[Sequel]

Made broth over night with the turkey carcass. Got a 3 qt soup for the freezer plus 4 pints of broth out of it. The soup and broth might be my favorite part of the turkey. I used a dry brine on the turkey this year, 24 hours, and it not only made the turkey delicious, it improved the broth. We won't eat the soup right away. I don't want to just eat turkey for days. lol

I did broth today in the pressure cooker. I only used the body carcass and one wing. lol I’ll have to do the rest in another batch. And that was a couple days ago.