What did you do in the garden today?

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I could only fit 2 bags of frozen tomatoes in my big sauce pot. I have more left in the freezer. I ended up canning 10 half pint jars of San Marzano sauce. I had 4 ounces leftover. I added a little salt and it tastes amazing. I’ll have to pick another canning day for what’s left in my freezer.

 

[TJAnonymous]

OK tree people... Need your help! Somehow my duck pen was left open and the goats got to my little Mulberry sapling. They stripped the bark down to at least the xylem (sapwood) over maybe 40% of the tree? It does have bark/cambium remaining on the back side of the tree. I know you aren't supposed to put paint or anything on it... But do you think it would be okay to rinse it with water, put the hanging pieces of bark back against the xylem and wrap it with vet wrap? Or does that simply give a better environment for killing fungi and bacteria?

 

[pennyJo1960]

OK tree people... Need your help! Somehow my duck pen was left open and the goats got to my little Mulberry sapling. They stripped the bark down to at least the xylem (sapwood) over maybe 40% of the tree? It does have bark/cambium remaining on the back side of the tree. I know you aren't supposed to put paint or anything on it... But do you think it would be okay to rinse it with water, put the hanging pieces of bark back against the xylem and wrap it with vet wrap? Or does that simply give a better environment for killing fungi and bacteria?

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I would put the bark back wrap a bit or loose wove say half width of vet wrap so it can breath still.

 

[Sally PB]

I'm pickling the cucamelons tonight. I'll let you know if they're any good in about a week.

 

[Smokerbill]

I built my trash-can-topper compost sifter today. The outer boards of the frame go down over the top of the trash can to keep it securely in place.

I haven't used it yet, but when I do I'll shovel in one or two scoops of coarse compost, shake the can and sifter to separate the finings into the can, then remove the sifter and dump the larger pieces. Rinse and repeat.

I had lunch after the build then took a nice, deep, two hour long nap. Dang, I must be getting old.

 

[fuzzi]

Was it Baker Creek seed, by chance? I had zero -- ZERO! -- germination on my BC rainbow chard. Some red stemmed chard seed from the grocery store (Burpee?) grew very well.

I had VERY poor, but not zero, germination on my BC collards. Two different plantings.

Some bug gnawed the collard leaves down to the main vein on both plantings. Left the chard alone, so I guess I'll take that as a semi-win.

Nope. It was Burpee, about 3 years old.

 

[fuzzi]

We don't give a hoot what's in style, fortunately, and we're not selling, ever. This is our last home, our forever home. Any changes or improvements are going to be whatever we like. Resale value? Ability to get the cost back out of it? Don't care, doesn't matter to us.

That's very freeing, actually. As for the cost, we have been budgeting for projects like this for years. We couldn't have done it 15-20 years ago. Now we're in a position to do them.

The selling point of this house is the land it's on and the location. It's a small market -- out in the middle of nowhere, on a dead end road with 1/4 mile driveway that the county doesn't maintain. For many people, that is a no-go right there. For the people who live back here, it's a BIG plus. Zero traffic. Very quiet.

And room for two big gardens, plus chickens, including roosters.

And goats...?

 

[fuzzi]

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Smudge!

 

[CatInTheHenHouse]

Harvested a handful of cayenne peppers today. I’m not sure if there will be any more, most of them are drying up half-ripe.

 

[cj2024]

I found out that turmeric is beneficial for chickens to consume.

Sent by Copilot:​

Yes, turmeric powder can be beneficial for chickens! Turmeric, which contains the active compound curcumin, offers several health advantages for poultry:

1. Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant Properties: Turmeric helps reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, which can improve overall health and well-being12.
2. Immune System Support: It boosts the immune system, helping chickens fight off infections and diseases23.
3. Liver and Kidney Protection: Turmeric can protect against liver and kidney damage, particularly from toxins like aflatoxins12.
4. Improved Growth and Performance: Supplementing chickens’ diets with turmeric has been shown to enhance growth performance and feed efficiency2.
5. Antibacterial and Antiparasitic Effects: It has properties that help combat bacterial infections and parasites, such as intestinal worms12.

To incorporate turmeric into your chickens’ diet, you can mix turmeric powder with their feed or add fresh turmeric to their water. It’s important to consult with a veterinarian to determine the appropriate dosage and ensure the turmeric used is of high quality2.