What did you do in the garden today?

[LittleLakePhil]

Having to deal with rust a lot. Both as a mechanic and living in an area where rust is a big problem. My only concern with fixing it is will it just leak again now or in the near future. And if it was thin in one spot it probably is thin in another. I'm just saying rust doesn't pin point one spot unless there is a reason for it to. Plus I love blueberries. And you could always place a plank walkway down the center. Now I wish I had a stock tank. I really like the whole aquaponics concept too......Phil

 

[lazy gardener]

I'm assuming that this tank is galvanized? If so, it wouldn't be appropriate to use it in any kind of gardening situation, especially when dealing with high acid soil, which blueberries require. Unless it can be repaired for it's original purpose (including a "swim pool") I'd scrap it.

 

[3goodeggs]

It has four layers of epoxy paint on it. but I think you are right. it would be an awkward fit anyway and It would need to drain more.
My husband thinks if we can get a pond liner large enough we roll it into one of the greenhouses and we can use it for hydroponics or aquaponics.

We have a long molded plastic gold fish pond that got a crack in it. I have been removing the flagstone walk around it with the idea of digging it out... but I might put blue berries in it.
I'd have to figure out some drain for it, but I will get my blueberries after all.

(Everything is going kablooie around here.The oven, the dishwasher, the 'pool', the goldfish pond... geewhiz.)

 

[LittleLakePhil]

3goodeggs your life sounds kinda like mine...haha....

 

[LittleLakePhil]

Sometimes I feel like I spend more time fixing than using.

 

[3goodeggs]

We have been talking about how less might be more. Less landscape -more time not weeding and trimming, -less ponds= less pumps and irrigation and wiring...
But... I like having it and I like doing it, but... maybe just on a smaller scale I don't want to give into 'old.'

Have any of you wondered how much of something you could actually purchse if you didn't invest so much into doing it your self?
I bet I could buy a lot of spinach for what the aquaponics will end up costing us... but we have most of the stuff already... it just all needs a little work...

 

[lazy gardener]

I often think along those lines. Then, I look at a seed catalog, or look out my window, or look at the price of fruit and veggies at the store...

 

[Beekissed]

After initial cost of equipment, fencing, etc., then it all gets drastically cheaper from there on out. One has to think about long term and how that expense is spread out over years, plus factor in the cost of organic foods....HUGE expense from the store. Same with the work...initially or occasionally the work is hard, but usually it's just maintenance type stuff, then harvest and canning.

Not to mention the quality and taste of the food....no comparison to anything found in the store. Corn from the store is about as tasteless as little nuggets of cardboard and I never, ever buy a store tomato...it's red and round but that's where the resemblance ends.

Then one gets to factor in the exercise and health benefits from physical labor, exposure to sun and fresh air, and eating the higher quality foods. All of that saves huge expenses when you realize that you are spending less for medical care and medicine than those who live sedentary lives and eat the tainted foods from the grocery store.

The final analysis is that one cannot even calculate the money saved over the long term. What in the world would we be doing if not growing our own foods? Sitting around watching so called reality TV? Might as well shoot me now and spare me the slow and agonizing death of all that.

 

[lazy gardener]

Oh yeah... no gym membership fees. I hurt just as bad this week as if I'd been going to a gym for a work out with a personal whip cracking trainer every day!!!!

 

[politicalcenter]

Oh yeah... no gym membership fees. I hurt just as bad this week as if I'd been going to a gym for a work out with a personal whip cracking trainer every day!!!!

My doctor told me that since I am retired I need to start walking. I told her it ain't gonna happen.

I walk up to the pig pens, feed the pigs, feed the chickens, feed the fish, water my plants if needed and then i start to work. Today we gathered 105 gallons of acorns for the pigs...with rake and trash cans, and mixed dirt for potting up cuttings, and then potted up cuttings. I need to do some cleanup around the place and get some more cuttings and acorns.

To walk just for the sake of walking seems so useless to me.