Washingtonians

[Chickielady]

Anyone wants Icelandics OR Buckeye chicks..........I have a bunch & can bring to the show.

OK, this storm was not as bad as I thought it would be.
Not bad at all here.
Let 2 flocks out to free range in the garden...the rest are back up the hill.
Cooking a Pork Shoulder Roast, and later adding the vegies, as in new England boiled dinner:
carrots, taters, some green cabbage hunks, cauliflower & onion and maybe Brussels Sprouts...

Het CCG!
My Brussels Sprouts are NOT sprouting!!!
Cut the tops last week (late I know, cuz of my injury) but they still are doing nothing!
Any tips?
Like do not plant that avriety again!!!

First BS failure in 20 years....

Well, better get some work done.....see ya peeps later!

 

[Chicken Rustler]

Quote:
Talk to us HOW big My RIR B lay 2-2 1/4oz.

Egg-zactly!

So do I have this right? The Barnie B also lay about 2-2 1/4 oz egg?
I guess I better get makin some stuff. I already have several "pre-sales".

 

[Stumpfarmer]

Quote:
Clean it up?
I got needles and leaves mixed together in my gutters that is gold for your beds as is the same needles and leaves on your roof that haven't started the break down process as much.
Only difference between gutter material and roof is the gutter material is more compact which the air breaks up a bit.

Why would I take the needles, leaves, tiny branches from my beds around my house?
When you blow out gutters it doesn't go far.
One side of my house has two chicken runs that I try to blow it into also.
That way when I dig out the sand in the spring for the raised beds it has been breaking down with the poop straw etc all ready for my beds.

Only thing I clean up is before starting the blower I grab all the big branches and from top of my roof I can throw them into my fire pit from my roof.
When I'm done cleaning the roof only thing I got to do is blow off the porch and deck, then put away the equipment.

You and I got a whole different view of what makes a bed look best.
That different view only makes since if one of your jobs is landscaping.

I like a plant that is healthy cause it's receiving what it normally would get.
A healthy plant that has leaves breaking down with needles most people not looking at the bedding they are admiring the flowers or the fruit what ever it is.

I see all the perfect beds driving through sub divisions and it doesn't surprise me.
People have been programmed for a long time it is to look perfect all the time.
That is just fine. That's the USA!
Creates jobs. Sells products.

I prefer my way.
And since my neighbors and so many who walk down my street comment on how healthy my plants are I may be changing a few people's minds about the 24/7 perfect bed look because after it breaks down it looks just like others beds without the chemicals and the money spent for them.

Geez! LOL. Was referring to gutter cleaners who leave stuff in customers beds who pay me to have it look a certain way. They leave the mess for me to clean up. A lot of the gunk falls onto the plants foliage also which needs to be cleaned off. I've also seen the particles stuck on the sides of the house. I don't use chemicals. They just want it neat and tidy. Most of my customers are using compost now instead of bark for mulch since they do want healthy plants and healthy plants require more than just a little gutter gunk. There is nothing wrong with wanting debris raked out of the beds. Most customers don't have a bunch of flowering perennials to take everyones eyes off it. Usually just shrubs.

My own beds are a mess, definitely not perfect so not really a different view. Whatever works for ya. I'm sure your beds are beautiful.

The shoemaker's children go barefoot, eh? My beds are a mess because I've been unable to get down and weed for several years: I'm glad of every bomb-proof old rose, and peony and blooming shrub I've planted, and most of my "weeds" are stuff like hardy geraniums and lemonbalm and self-seeders like columbine but I am all too aware of the nature of the impropriety.

 

[Cowgirlgrace]

Yes, exactly. It's embarrassing to have people come over. I did manage to keep the beds up some what when all I did was the landscaping and had my weekends but now that I'm growing the produce it takes all my weekend time. I am always apologizing for my landscape. Really miss how it used to look. Maybe when I retire, IF my body isn't retaliating from the abuse!

 

[Stumpfarmer]

Quote:
One thing about paper feed sacks and coop bedding: I've got lots of sheet compost makings for places I'm battling creeping buttercup (spits and makes sign to avert the evil eye)- put down dolomite, sacks/cardboard/et'c, then cover with six inches of whatever I'm composting. I'm thinking of double-covering the worst of the Ranunculus repens zones and possibly using ag lime for one of the pH correctors, and then just putting containers around for color while things work.

OH: my son was turning on the water so I could wash feed pans the day before Thanksgiving, and said he saw something run under the lawnmower- not a rodent, and as soon as he put his fingers and thumbs together to describe the shape I knew I was right, that I had been hearing a Pacific Toad, hooray, yay, and so on. GREAT slug controller, even better than the garter snakes because they hibernate when it's below 40F. I'd forgotten to include that in things I was grateful for.

 

[Cowgirlgrace]

Quote:
I started my brussels in June and got them planted out by July. If they are not doing anything they probably didn't get planted soon enough since once our days get to 10 hours most things will cease to grow due to low light. Depending on the variety they may overwinter and you'll get some once they resume growth in Feb. but not sure if there are overwintering varieties. If they make it through the winter they will probably just go to seed in spring. Really need to get transplants in before August. They should have sprouts on them in September/October and hold most the fall. The cold will sweeten them up. I know there are a few broccoli varieties that need to overwinter before flowering, mostly the Purple Sprouting.

 

[Mia_]

Quote:
Have you tried the place at S 56th and Washington (I think that is what it is, a block off of South Tacoma Way)? I usually go to Avenue Feed at S 99/100th & Pacific (Highway 7). I would think that both of those would be closer than Puyallup and Gig Harbor.

 

[AriLovesChickens]

So, having never been to a chicken show... Is it common for many people to just bring birds they want to sell, or are sales usually pre-arranged?

 

[broodytood]

What the heck! The chickens were making a ruckus outside while free ranging so I got up to see what was happening.
I look out the window just in time to see a predator type bird pack off my only WL B girl!!!! The kids are all bawling and I'm ticked!
I supposed it will be back to see if the buffet is open on other days as well? Does this mean that free ranging is over???

 

[Greg Richardson]

Take care of comments in one post here......................

CL.

Greg she has a landscaping business, you know, business parks & doc offices?

That is why I stated..............

That different view only makes since if one of your jobs is landscaping.

By talking about this roof method maybe others will use it and discover when we use what nature gives us we don't need to spend $$$ on fertilizers etc.

SF. That all depends.
12 feet the leaves, needles come down just like they do out of the tree when blower is used.
Yet, if you haven't blown off your roof in years then you will have chunks that are not going to be just blown out.
And if that is the case lot more to worry about then gunk as one is setting themself up for roof problems.

Concerning the heat pump my neighbor not home today. I noticed your comment about maintance costs.
WTG! Most people just go for cheapest then come to find out the cheapest normally comes back to bite them.
You are very smart to think about long term costs.
Huge part of your decision.​