What did you do in the garden today?

[CapricornFarm]

Oh heck, I went to bed and could not sleep. Took a pill. Still can't sleep. Too many thoughts running through my head.

 

[NorthTexasWink]

Taking a morning break, haven't had breakfast yet, and those baked goods got me Chicks out in the temp run, ALL of them! HE sleeping in this morning again. I try to get him to bed earlier, but he's set in his late night ways. So I just do what I can alone in the early mornings. Starting at 4-5am every day means I take a nap in the heat midday and still in bed most nights by 10pm. I've always needed my sleep.

I really hope we get the rest of the coop walls finished today. Ready to have those big chicks out 24/7 already!

Y'all are getting so much done! Nothing keeps you down! We got the best strongest ladies here! Impressive. Working smart and hard. Y'all are the best.

 

[NanaKat]

Today, I've already cleaned the web worms out of our young pecan tree....hate those things...they really smell awful too.
Picked bell peppers to share with the neighbors and will mow the garden today and the back yard....they get the water from the sprinkler. The front yard and highway frontage isn't growing without rain.
The camera didn't pick up a critter so will put more juvies outside today in the three pens still empty.
Then it will be pickle making time. going to can dill slabs for sandwiches and some more SenfGurken.

@chickenmom3941 here is my Chowchow recipe with a variation for a hot sweet version.
Chow Chow - makes enough for 15 pints
Tip: First Coarse chop veggies for a food grinder or processor to fine grind (I used my food processor) The recipe can be halved for fewer jars.
4.75 lbs green tomatoes
1 1/4 lbs cleaned carrots
1 1/4 libs sweet peppers cored (a variety of colors)
4 1/2 lbs cored quartered cabbage
2 lbs cucumber with skin
2 lbs cleaned quartered onion
1 1/2 c whole chopped jalepeno
2 TBS dry mustard
1 1/2 c sugar
2 tsp celery seed
2 tsp tumeric
1/4 c pickling salt (no iodine)
[VARIATION: for a hot sweet version add 1 c hot peppers like chili, Big Jim....or 1/2 c tabasco or habanero AND 1/2 c more sugar]
Combine all ingredients in a 4 gallon stew pot or (16 quart) combine the veggies and
ADD:
3 pints white vinegar or more as needed to barely cover the veggies.
Bring to a boil stirring frequently.
Pack in sterile hot jars and cover with hot sterile lids and rims. Hot seal the jars upside down on a towel. Flip over after 15 minutes to finish cooling. Refrigerate any that don't seal and use them first. Great added to mayonaise for a dip for fish, or to potato salad, for topping a hot dog, on beans. etc.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Could not sleep last night, mind on overdrive. At 230 i took a pill, then later took more. Now im groggy. The cat was well behaved at least. Kittens vaccinated last night. Deworming next.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Oh man, I love connecting with ya'll on this thread in particular. You're all so upbeat and workin' hard! I really like that there seems to be a real appreciation for each other in the thread regardless of who they are. Not that I've been in here all THAT long but it seems to be the vibe I've gotten.
Most of my friends IRL are huge indoorsy nerds (which I am too, to some degree), so while we geek out over comic books and board games and video games and the like, very few of them share my love for being outdoors. It's nice to have people who share that interest to talk to.

 

[BirdsNRabbits]

This thread is so active I can't keep up with it lol!

This morning I picked some peas, lettuce, and pulled up some onions. I think I waited too long to pick the peas as they are kinda tough. Will they taste better after they're cooked? I also discovered the rest of my kale was covered in little caterpillars. Into the compost pile...

 

[lazy gardener]

I need some advice. I have the opportunity to adopt two cockatoos and a blue headed pionus. I really want them, but I have to work on the man of the house.
Help me!! Please

No help here. My sister is big with parrots, and I find that they are loud, time consuming, and extremely dusty. They whip my asthma into over drive. I had parakeets when I was younger. Enjoy bird personalities, but not worth the dust and the work, and the mess to me.

View attachment 1085348 View attachment 1085349 View attachment 1085350

We bought the land last fall, and are building our house as time and $ permit. This is slow going in part because we get things to a point where it's safe (like, house sheathed and roof on), then move to next priority (coop so we would get eggs this year), then onto raised beds with plastic stretched over - two fields about 3/4 an acre total.

It's also slow going because I'm in a wheelchair most days so when I say we I mean he (my awesome hubby).

Everything "we" build is designed with my ability to access it in mind, so i can get to the coop nest boxes from the outside, and from my wheelchair, for example.

We are selling at the market, making as much from my baking (bread and herb infused sweets) as the veggies, but now with tomatoes fully in that will be the main focus.

Really were trying it out this year to see if how we like it, and if it is sustainable (for my hubby)
... so much work. So far we love it.

But even if we decide to scale back, we'll still produce our own food using sustainavle, responsible practices.

And we will grow our farmstead by adding a few pigs, a few cows, and bee hives next year.

It might take us two years to finish the house, but we're fortunate to have a fully functional (mostly) rv that meets our needs as we make steady progress : )

Coop pic was before the nest boxes were added and it still doesn't have the pallet siding finished, lol.

Awesome pics, and kudos to you and your hubby for your hard work.





@chickenmom3941 here is my Chowchow recipe with a variation for a hot sweet version.
Chow Chow - makes enough for 15 pints
Tip: First Coarse chop veggies for a food grinder or processor to fine grind (I used my food processor) The recipe can be halved for fewer jars.
4.75 lbs green tomatoes
1 1/4 lbs cleaned carrots
1 1/4 libs sweet peppers cored (a variety of colors)
4 1/2 lbs cored quartered cabbage
2 lbs cucumber with skin
2 lbs cleaned quartered onion
1 1/2 c whole chopped jalepeno
2 TBS dry mustard
1 1/2 c sugar
2 tsp celery seed
2 tsp tumeric
1/4 c pickling salt (no iodine)
[VARIATION: for a hot sweet version add 1 c hot peppers like chili, Big Jim....or 1/2 c tabasco or habanero AND 1/2 c more sugar]
Combine all ingredients in a 4 gallon stew pot or (16 quart) combine the veggies and
ADD:
3 pints white vinegar or more as needed to barely cover the veggies.
Bring to a boil stirring frequently.
Pack in sterile hot jars and cover with hot sterile lids and rims. Hot seal the jars upside down on a towel. Flip over after 15 minutes to finish cooling. Refrigerate any that don't seal and use them first. Great added to mayonaise for a dip for fish, or to potato salad, for topping a hot dog, on beans. etc.

View attachment 1085993[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the recipe. looks really good. But, seriously: is that a misprint??? ONE AND A HALF CUPS OF JALAPENO???? I'd die!!!!

 

[Taote]

Oh man, I love connecting with ya'll on this thread in particular. You're all so upbeat and workin' hard! I really like that there seems to be a real appreciation for each other in the thread regardless of who they are. Not that I've been in here all THAT long but it seems to be the vibe I've gotten.
Most of my friends IRL are huge indoorsy nerds (which I am too, to some degree), so while we geek out over comic books and board games and video games and the like, very few of them share my love for being outdoors. It's nice to have people who share that interest to talk to.

I'm pretty new here, and I have to agree. There are a lot of kind, caring helpful people on the site, but the folks who frequent THIS thread are super friendly and supportive. Great group!

 

[abraga]

I let some of my squash get humongous so I can slice if up for my chickens..every morning I go out to cut one off the vine to slice up for them. If i have a few defective tomatoes..they get them To!

 

[chickmom3941]

Today, I've already cleaned the web worms out of our young pecan tree....hate those things...they really smell awful too.
Picked bell peppers to share with the neighbors and will mow the garden today and the back yard....they get the water from the sprinkler. The front yard and highway frontage isn't growing without rain.
The camera didn't pick up a critter so will put more juvies outside today in the three pens still empty.
Then it will be pickle making time. going to can dill slabs for sandwiches and some more SenfGurken.

@chickenmom3941 here is my Chowchow recipe with a variation for a hot sweet version.
Chow Chow - makes enough for 15 pints
Tip: First Coarse chop veggies for a food grinder or processor to fine grind (I used my food processor) The recipe can be halved for fewer jars.
4.75 lbs green tomatoes
1 1/4 lbs cleaned carrots
1 1/4 libs sweet peppers cored (a variety of colors)
4 1/2 lbs cored quartered cabbage
2 lbs cucumber with skin
2 lbs cleaned quartered onion
1 1/2 c whole chopped jalepeno
2 TBS dry mustard
1 1/2 c sugar
2 tsp celery seed
2 tsp tumeric
1/4 c pickling salt (no iodine)
[VARIATION: for a hot sweet version add 1 c hot peppers like chili, Big Jim....or 1/2 c tabasco or habanero AND 1/2 c more sugar]
Combine all ingredients in a 4 gallon stew pot or (16 quart) combine the veggies and
ADD:
3 pints white vinegar or more as needed to barely cover the veggies.
Bring to a boil stirring frequently.
Pack in sterile hot jars and cover with hot sterile lids and rims. Hot seal the jars upside down on a towel. Flip over after 15 minutes to finish cooling. Refrigerate any that don't seal and use them first. Great added to mayonaise for a dip for fish, or to potato salad, for topping a hot dog, on beans. etc.

View attachment 1085993

Thanks so much for the recipe! I'll have to give it a try. It was very kind of you to post it.