What did you do in the garden today?

[igorsMistress]

This, for sure, helps me.

Me too. You put this very well. Thank you.

https://www.kombuchakamp.com/kombuc...y-kombucha-scobys-mold-formations-on-top-brew
See if this helps you figure out what happened. I have never had mold, in 5? 6? years of brewing kombucha.

https://www.kombuchakamp.com
This is the link I was looking for yesterday, @igorsMistress and @Liz Birdlover. I learned everything I know about brewing kombucha from this site.

Thanks Sally! I was looking at that site last night. Excellent information there!

 

[igorsMistress]

Good morning gardeners. Waiting for the sun to take care of the rest of the snow and ice. Our ground is so soggy even though it’s still partly frozen. More rain coming in a couple of days. I’m planning on doing what I can to prep the garden beds this week. I also need to get busy patching up the old chicken coop and run so I can move the flock and use the “winter-coop” to brood the new chicks that are coming. Grand daughter was very happy to have her own little secret garden to finally plant her own stuff. I forgot to add the fairy statue and the bowl of pansies. I think it may be safe to out the pansies out today. I gave her several grow bags to start with and DD is going to take her seed shopping.
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What a pretty spot for a garden! I think it’s super cool she wants her own little garden. Would love to see it again when stuff is growing there.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

One BIG difference between homemade and store bought kombucha is the fizziness. When you buy it, like buying soda pop, you always get the same level of fizz. My tea varies, subtly, but I can tell.

Commercial tea uses "forced" carbonation. Not sure how it's done, but they force the CO2 into the liquid. Home brew uses "natural" carbonation, ie, the culture uses sugars in the liquid to make the CO2, and because the bottle is sealed, it has to go into solution.

I'm not a fan of fizz at all, hated sodas ever since I can remember. Only exception being true Ginger Ale, which is hard to find. Fizz feels like I'm drinking acid, burns & hurts the throat & never quenches thirst anyway. That stuff I tried at the store, yuck, it burned my throat & tasted like I was drinking garbage juice. Not that I've ever actually tasted garbage juice but that one time something leaked in the garbage & there was disgusting garbage juice in the bottom of the can...yeah, I think that's what it would taste like.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

What a pretty spot for a garden! I think it’s super cool she wants her own little garden. Would love to see it again when stuff is growing there.

I may have forgot to mention that this was a gift for her tenth birthday. I wanted to make it portable so when DD is able to buy a house she can take her “garden” to her own backyard.

 

[igorsMistress]

I may have forgot to mention that this was a gift for her tenth birthday. I wanted to make it portable so when DD is able to buy a house she can take her “garden” to her own backyard.

You’re a really good grandma Sarah

 

[TaylorGlade]

The rain we were supposed to get looks like it's missing us. David built another bed yesterday so I'll probably plant some more okra and sunflowers today.and water since the weather man keeps changing his mind.

My niece is coming to clean my house today. And we had the first of our hatchlings pop out last night. I need to update my hatch a long post. It's the first one and we were not expecting it until today. Poor think keeps hopping around to the other eggs crying.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

This thread is so motivating. It really has made me feel like I can keep chipping away at stuff. I got rained on pretty hard today but it was worth it. The cloudburst was enough that I had to go inside for about an hour. Slow moving storm this weekend.

I'm so excited to see everyone's gardens start to take off come May. I think this is going to be a good season.

It is motivating!

I got some different tomatoes that were absolutely delicious in our tacos last night, so I saved seeds from them. Not sure they'll sprout but ya never know unless ya try. I've already sprouted seeds from my neighbor's last year & some seeds I got at TractorSupply. It's been a long time since I've done a large garden, but this year is the year! I'm excited & looking forward to it. I've gotten lots of ideas here, too.

I'm going to plant a variety. 3 types of Corn, squash, zucchini, pumpkin, turnip, cucumber, radish, onion, carrot, 4 types of tomatoes, 2 types of lettuce, various herbs with lots of basil, 3 types of Sunflowers, etc. My mint is coming back every year & filling in around the chicken coops which was the plan. Blueberry plants are doing great, I had several varieties so going to buy more of what does well here. We've had wild raspberry shrubs all around, mostly on a neighboring property. I've cut their grass for them for years, so I'm digging up some to put on my property. (Have permission).

There's a very productive Mulberry tree with delicious berries, so I'm going to start a few of those from seeds. I've started several Magnolia trees from seed, their large fragrant flowers are Heavenly. Funny story about that tree...When I moved here, it was about 30 feet tall, but it was very sparse and scraggly looking. A tornado blew through here and snapped it like a twig, near the base. The tree itself went flying through the air like a large umbrella that day. I'm very lucky all it took out was an outdoor glass table (it was a gift a mere 48 hours prior so we never even got to use the darn thing once). I'm grateful that tree finally landed between the pigeon loft & house, instead of in or on them! Anyway, I figured that tree was a goner, with basically a mutilated, twisted 3 foot stump left behind. I leveled it off down low with a Sawzall & figured it would disintegrate.

That tree grew back & is more full & lush that any Magnolia I've ever seen. Prior to the tornado, it would get 1 flower a month. Now it blooms several huge flowers all summer long! I guess God knew all this tree needed was a good pruning.

The pretty Magnolia, provides shade for the chicken pens.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

https://www.kombuchakamp.com
This is the link I was looking for yesterday, @igorsMistress and @Liz Birdlover. I learned everything I know about brewing kombucha from this site.

Awesome & very informative, thank you!

I have been drinking a teaspoon of Braggs ACV in a glass of water daily. I don't mind that taste at all.

Looking into kombucha, I also found this helpful info as I avoid sugar, especially processed sugar, with exception to natural honey. I'm thinking we can create some very unique flavors. Cherries & honey sound good.

https://www.culturedfoodlife.com/wh...n Caloric Sweeteners,they will starve and die.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

It's the first one and we were not expecting it until today. Poor think keeps hopping around to the other eggs crying.

Awww! Chick is crying, "How come you other chicks won't come out to play? Hurry up & Come on out, I'm all by my lonesome!"

 

[TaylorGlade]

I got some different tomatoes that were absolutely delicious in our tacos last night, so I saved seeds from them.

Grocery store toms? It's never occurred to me to try that. I hope it goes great. It also sounds like you will have a beautiful bounty.

We just planted raspberries but have wild blueberries and blackberries. And we planted a couple of figs and some more blackberries. Hoping they don't get too cross pollinated with the wild ones. But David loves the things and the store is crazy expensive on them. Especially on the organic ones.

There's a very productive Mulberry tree with delicious berries, so I'm going to start a few of those from seeds. I've started several Magnolia trees from seed, their large fragrant flowers are Heavenly. Funny story about that tree...When I moved here, it was about 30 feet tall, but it was very sparse and scraggly looking. A tornado blew through here and snapped it like a twig, near the base. The tree itself went flying through the air like a large umbrella that day. I'm very lucky all it took out was an outdoor glass table (it was a gift a mere 48 hours prior so we never even got to use the darn thing once). I'm grateful that tree finally landed between the pigeon loft & house, instead of in or on them! Anyway, I figured that tree was a goner, with basically a mutilated, twisted 3 foot stump left behind. I leveled it off down low with a Sawzall & figured it would disintegrate.

That tree grew back & is more full & lush that any Magnolia I've ever seen. Prior to the tornado, it would get 1 flower a month. Now it blooms several huge flowers all summer long! I guess God knew all this tree needed was a good pruning.

Too bad about the table! We also have wild magnolias everywhere, but they are all scraggly. They do flower, though and it's like a wonderland in June.

Do you have any gardenias? We have one and it's as tall as the house. It has these delicate white flowers and I just get lost in the scent every summer.