What did you do in the garden today?

[karenerwin]

Turned over the soil in the in ground garden and in the raised bed. Took out some mangled fencing that I used for supports for tomatoes and things last year. Then I started working on an extension on the small coop ( Americana Cabana). I added on an approximately 5’ x 5’ area that is about 4.5 feet tall. When I’m finished with it they will be able to access this area from inside their coop and it will be predator proof. With the 16 not so little, youngsters in there with the 8 adults it’s getting pretty crowded. They have an automatic door so they do spend most of their time out in a very large enclosure ( plus I just made it bigger a couple of weeks ago) that goes into the woods. But when we get snow or ice they don’t come out as much. Or if there is a hungry hawk hanging around.
Speaking of hawks, I thought I had lost a chicken the other day. There was a pile of feathers in 2 places in the other chicken yard. It looked like a hawk had grabbed a chicken and started plucking it. Then flew to another part of the yard and plucked some more.
I was truly expecting to be down 1 chicken. But everyone is accounted for. and none appeared to be missing any feathers. It is definitely chicken feathers that were in 2 areas of the yard.
My guess is that a hawk grabbed a chicken but it managed to get away. Maybe twice. Everyone was still doing good 24 hours later, so I’m guessing no internal damage either. I was hearing a lot of hawks calling that day.

 

[chickengr]

We have it everywhere.... Our pasture, garden area... But I am most annoyed about battling it in the backyard. There's about an 8 inch gap between the chainlink fence for the backyard and a metal field fence for our pasture. Of course it grows prolifically in that gap. I've been trying to clear it out periodically over the last few years. Look like I wrestled a bobcat.... And it's stuck in my hair, clothes, shoes, you name it. No matter how hard I try to get rid of it, it comes back with a vengeance and spreads...

I'm almost ready to break down and use Roundup along the fence but I have a Mulberry, Lilac, and Pink Lady apple tree that I'm worried I'll kill accidentally. Plus my dogs in the backyard and chickens are also nearby....

you can let your goats forage there. I have heard goats don't mind thorns and help a lot with wild raspberries/blackberries.

 

[chickengr]

cold but not frozen here. I am loosing my tomato seedlings. due to this cold snap they are inside but I don't have a good spot/set up to grow anything inside. peppers didn't sprout at all. I am going to buy more seeds if I find what I like.

 

[chickengr]

congrats @jerryse

 

[littledog]

Dang, I'll have a job as an "influencer" soon!

YES! The instant-pot company owes you a dollar, for sure.

Still no ideas on these?

They look like peas or beans to me, but with only one set of leaves yet, it's hard to know for sure. The one with the bigger first leaf does look like some sort of squash to me too. Remove the grass seedlings (weeds) and stake into your container something vines can crawl up - a dead wood limb with several branches would work well for your small container. If the seedlings start putting out vines and growing up it, you will know for sure if they're peas or pole beans.

 

[SheaLoner]

Finally got around to rigging up a "rack" in front of my window for my seedlings. Going to start my tomatoes here this week and need to replant some onions.



Not entirely certain what is going on with these onions, but I'm starting some more just incase.

 

[Sueby]

Feels like spring is on its way!

My neighbor just stopped by with all her jelly jars, she doesn't use that size & is moving so she brought me 3 cases & 3 boxes of lids.

New pressure canner will be here tomorrow, I think I'm going to make some stock - clean out the freezer of some bones ( on still cleaning the freezer)& test the new canner. I'm going to try pressure cooking the bones - never done it that way before.

How long do all you broth makers pressure can the bones for? I usually shoot for 24-36 hours on the stove top so the birds can have all the mushy bones.

 

[Swiss]

Today is Day 1 of seed starting. I brought all my seed starting soil in yesterday so it wouldn't be freezing. The puppy just started a nap, so I think I'll try to seize the opportunity to start them.

I didn't see any robins all winter. The other week, there were 4 on our hill on a warm day. Today (currently 46°F), I counted 19 on our hill! I'm sure there were more, but it was amazing to see a flock of them.

 

[Anime2lover]

YES! The instant-pot company owes you a dollar, for sure.

They look like peas or beans to me, but with only one set of leaves yet, it's hard to know for sure. The one with the bigger first leaf does look like some sort of squash to me too. Remove the grass seedlings (weeds) and stake into your container something vines can crawl up - a dead wood limb with several branches would work well for your small container. If the seedlings start putting out vines and growing up it, you will know for sure if they're peas or pole beans.

I used parakeet food, wich does not have bean seeds. It had a tiny bit of hamster food mixed in wich is where the squash seed came from. The taller thicker ones I know are sunflowers. Saw them emerge from their seeds. It's that grass like ones I'm trying to figure out, and the pumpkin/squash. I heard that the different kinds of millet look like grass at first?? Their is actually a strip of hardware cloth on the pot, though it's purpose is to stop the cats from using it as a sun bathing spot.

 

[TJAnonymous]

you can let your goats forage there. I have heard goats don't mind thorns and help a lot with wild raspberries/blackberries.

I've tried that....they aren't very fond of it either. Same with the chickens.... I suppose that's because they have so many other tastier options. The goats *DO* like the wild blackberry brambles though.... I have 3 patches of wild blackberries that are loaded with thorns designed by the most sadistic demons in hell.... Luckily none of those patches reside in my backyard! The raspberries....that's another story. They aren't even GOOD raspberries. These are very bitter tasting. Even the wild birds don't like them. If I could just kill them in the backyard, I'd be happy. I am going to TRY to do the dirty work with some 2-4D before I move on to Glyphosate. I just gotta be uber careful to not get it near the mulberry, lilac, and apple tree. But the 2-4D is safer to the animals....and is supposed to work.