What did you do in the garden today?

[Elyrian1]

Eh, I forgot the flycatcher family is stinking huge, lol. We have the long-tailed ones around here occasionally.

 

[Cjcamp]

What did you do in your garden today?

I picked a bunch of Rattlesnake green beans and Cherokee wax beans, a few tomatoes, three eggplants, some broccoli shoots, and jalapenos. Pretty happy with today's harvest!

I mowed the lawn in the ridiculous heat we have here in Queensland, Australia. Got cucumbers and cherry tomatoes from our veggie garden.

 

[Elyrian1]

Oh yes, rather warm for this time of year in Australia. I had heard that from some other folks I chat with.

 

[chickengr]

This is what it looks like around here ATM.
It's ALL about the wild bids. This is currently the lake below my house.View attachment 3017262

thank you for sharing. I have never seen birds in such a large number. we have the migration birds flying over but they look like a few flocks compared to this pic.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Tried to give away oranges last year from my trees before the freeze hit. The local (religiously oriented) food pantry will not accept homegrown food donations. "May become a liability" was their excuse. Gave away some to friends and family but still lost at least a couple hundred # of citrus.

Today??? turned over the garden again. Looks like I got most of the cover crop last week. Hopin that I got the rest of it today. Need some rain though. This past month has been DRY. Tilling more than about 8" deep felt like I was tillin bricks. Whats still growin is doin good though. Onions and garlic should start bulbing soon. Brussel sprouts still producing, carrots are about 4" long now. Only thing not doin good is the aweet peas. They haven't done much all winter. Got enough for 3 meals of stir fry veggies. Oh well, some ya win, some ya lose.

Yesterday, I was complaining that we were alread 5" shy of rainfall on the year compared to average. Why am I up at 5:00 am typing this??? RAIN! Legit rain, not a little drizzle.

...and in 2 hours, or maybe 4, I'm supposed to have my (anniversary) NPIP inspection - blood and swabs, 30 birds. Going to be a PitA mto get 30 birds together and contained in this. I had planned to scatter feed in the grow out run, like I did last year, then hand birds over the fence - but scattering feed into the mud doesn't work for me, or the birds, so maybe I'll lure them into the barn instead.

The new seeds I scattered into the pasture went in a few weeks ago, before an anticipated 3 days of rain that never arrived. Chances are, the birds ate them all, but here's hoping them missed a few...

and Saturday, they are saying we'll hit 25 degrees as a low. It was 83 yesterday. I'm going to lose all the flowers on my blueberries, and my citrus, AGAIN this year - assuming I don't lose the citrus entire.

 

[igorsMistress]

I wonder too. I know CT is actively looking for it, hunters are reporting it, etc - maybe not so much in MA? Or maybe the migrators stop in CT for a rest & then fly right over MA? I laugh at myself, I complained to the Dept of Ag lady about the neighbors feeding the birds/turkeys/bears etc & told her that they should do more to educate.

@igorsMistress thanks. I'm surprised they aren't more strict at the group home where your Dad is. But I guess this is CT & all nursing home type places are locked up tight here. I had to show proof of vax, booster (original, no copies or pics) AND fill out a digital form (which I somehow set off the alarm & they tried to kick me out, lol). We were in Moms room & my sister took her mask off so she could communicate with Mom & they came in & yelled at her. I hate COVID. & CT. Been one of those days here.

We have a governor named Ducey. We call him Douchey for a reason He took the same line on Covid that Trump did so…

 

[igorsMistress]

I mowed the lawn in the ridiculous heat we have here in Queensland, Australia. Got cucumbers and cherry tomatoes from our veggie garden.

That sounds about right. It should be cooling down soon for you though, is that correct?

 

[Sally PB]

I swore off Gurney's last year. I ordered some Red Baron onion sets, and they arrived rather late. I got a couple of emails saying they would ship on such-and-such date. Then it would be delayed. They didn't look that great when they got here, either. Lots of them were dried up, shrunken little bits.

This year, I've ordered onion sets from someone else, the Maine Potato Lady. Never ordered from her before, so we'll see what we get.

I'm trying some new things this year with the idea of more stuff for the chickens if it ends up being things I don't like or use. I've fallen in love with frittatas, now that I'm getting lots of eggs. Those are a great way to use up odds and ends of veg, and it even got DH to eat a bit of broccoli, which never happens.

I'm trying broccolini, which I think might do better in my garden. I'm giving carrot another go; haven't had great luck. And, I never thought I'd say this... I'm going to try beets.

I don't care for beets. They taste like dirt to me. After reading Eating on the Wild Side, though, I'm going to try Detroit Dark Red because they supposedly have less geosmin, which is the chemical compound that gives them the dirt taste. I love their color, and can at least put a small bit in a smoothie. And the greens will probably go in a frittata.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I swore off Gurney's last year. I ordered some Red Baron onion sets, and they arrived rather late. I got a couple of emails saying they would ship on such-and-such date. Then it would be delayed. They didn't look that great when they got here, either. Lots of them were dried up, shrunken little bits.

This year, I've ordered onion sets from someone else, the Maine Potato Lady. Never ordered from her before, so we'll see what we get.

I'm trying some new things this year with the idea of more stuff for the chickens if it ends up being things I don't like or use. I've fallen in love with frittatas, now that I'm getting lots of eggs. Those are a great way to use up odds and ends of veg, and it even got DH to eat a bit of broccoli, which never happens.

I'm trying broccolini, which I think might do better in my garden. I'm giving carrot another go; haven't had great luck. And, I never thought I'd say this... I'm going to try beets.

I don't care for beets. They taste like dirt to me. After reading Eating on the Wild Side, though, I'm going to try Detroit Dark Red because they supposedly have less geosmin, which is the chemical compound that gives them the dirt taste. I love their color, and can at least put a small bit in a smoothie. And the greens will probably go in a frittata.

STILL taste like dirt.

I do plant them though - the chickens like the tops, they are good at breaking up the soil, my wife likes them (even if they stain EVERYTHING!), and the goats like them more. Seriously, two (food) things will stain good stainless steel. Pickled red cabbage, and beets. For the same reason.

Good luck on the carrots - last year, most of mine failed, a few looked like pale spindly mandrake, and one came out like a small orange potato - all from the same raised bed. I just don't get it.

 

[Sally PB]

STILL taste like dirt.

Ok, well, I'll try them. There are a lot of health benefits to eating them, so maybe I can find a way that I can tolerate them. Never had them dehydrated...

Thanks for the heads up on them staining stainless steel.