What did you do in the garden today?

[Taote]

Do your chickens eat the whole squash, or just the seeds in the middle? It's nice of you to give them a nice big one every day. Our chickens are so strange - they don't like tomatoes, and most of them aren't crazy about watermelon, either. I've heard that chickens usually go bonkers over both of those! They do, however, love cucumbers, as well as leaves off of pepper plants, cabbage leaves, and our hostas. We have to use a lot of fencing so the stuff can grow, and in recent years we've moved the peppers into the greenhouse. We did plant a bunch of turnips this year. I made a deal with the chickens - I get the turnip bulbs, and the leaves are for them. I read that chickens really like the turnip greens, so we didn't fence off the turnip area at all - they can have at it. Hope they don't eat so many leaves that the bulbs can't grow - lol!

Wow it's funny how different flocks like different things. Mine won't eat cukes but will hop and chase for watermelon, berrries, and tomatoes, red or green. Our fences around the garden aren't entirely effective yet and they've ruined too darn many maters.

They like zucchini too if I open it up for them (slices especially). They LOVE bread but I don't like to give them too much.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Call me Jen, and I sold out : ) thanks for asking. My head hit the pillow around 3am and had to get up at 5:45.

I ended up making 36 dinner rolls (3 flavors), 1 round light rye loaf, 12 lavender caramel breakfast rolls, and 6 packs of lavender sugar cookies (wasn't going to do those but there were some people who said they were coming early to get them before I ran out so I went ahead and pulled that dough out of the fridge after all). Also made 4 peach blackberry buckles in individual tart pans. Oh and 8 mini zucchini loaves.

I'm super glad we sold out all of the bakery, but MORE excited to have sold out of specialty tomatoes (green zebra, black krim, and terra cotta). Very few of them were "perfect" and people were glad to buy them, esp. after getting a taste.

We sold all of the cherry tomatoes too, maybe 10 pints - a good mix of varieties. Plus some purple pole beans.

And also a lot of repeat customers buying summer squash / zucchini, cukes, and jalepenos.

So Yay! Our best one yet : ), but with a tiny bit of trepidation ... I'm a little afraid of people's expectations ...

People like and are coming to expect more and more bread and bakery. Kindof hard for me to pull off sometimes - if I have a bad day the day before a market and bring no bakery it feels like I would really be disappointing people.

Wow! A sell out! You are cooking with gas now. You should post a sign that says you don't use chemicals. Do you have a business name and business cards? When i had my farm, i handed out and posted cards everywhere i went. Got magnetic signs for my truck. I still get people looking at my rabbitry site from years ago, so the web helps too. When you get busy enough, maybe you can get a friend or hire a helper with the baking. Some people really like doing that. Maybe you could make some things, like cookies or brownies one more day ahead to get the jump on things. Just bouncing some ideas off you. I helped my friend get her rabbitry going, but she has not kept up the advertising so her business is dropping off.
I bet your husband is very proud! I know we are.
You can call me Cap, Capri, Deb, Sylvia, or Hot. I answer to all of those. Love the Jen, reminds me of my Sweet Papillon from years ago, Jenny.

 

[Taote]

Wow! A sell out! You are cooking with gas now. You should post a sign that says you don't use chemicals. Do you have a business name and business cards? When i had my farm, i handed out and posted cards everywhere i went. Got magnetic signs for my truck. I still get people looking at my rabbitry site from years ago, so the web helps too. When you get busy enough, maybe you can get a friend or hire a helper with the baking. Some people really like doing that. Maybe you could make some things, like cookies or brownies one more day ahead to get the jump on things. Just bouncing some ideas off you. I helped my friend get her rabbitry going, but she has not kept up the advertising so her business is dropping off.
I bet your husband is very proud! I know we are.
You can call me Cap, Capri, Deb, Sylvia, or Hot. I answer to all of those. Love the Jen, reminds me of my Sweet Papillon from years ago, Jenny.

Cap it is : ). l've experimented with freezing my dough, and it works for every recipe so far. So the best thing i can do is pick a good day and make several weeks worth of bread and cookie dough at once. The zucchini bread freezes better after baked, it seems, so I can bake that ahead too.

I designed a banner and matching post cards, so I'll take today's profit and send it to vistaprint, lol. The magnet is a good idea too.

Because we're both veterans (USMC) and are part of the homegrown by heroes program we can get help with advertising / printing if we use their logo. So maybe I'll do that for the magnet : )

Thanks for your thoughtful advice

 

[CapricornFarm]

Cap it is : ). I l've experimented with freezing my dough, and it works for every recipe so far. So the best thing i can do is pick a good day and make several weeks worth of bread and cookie dough at once. The zucchini bread freezes better after baked, ot seems, so I can bake that ahead too.

I designed a banner and matching post cards, so I'll take today's profit and send it to vistaprint, lol. The magnet is a good idea too.

Because we're both veterans (USMC) and are part of the homegrown by heroes program we can get help with advertising / printing if we use their logo. So maybe I'll do that for the magnet : )

Thanks for your thoughtful advice

See what you can do if you just think outside the box? Thank you both for your service! My Dad was a vet, went to Korea. I am planning my rabbitry again, i did well with them in TN. Here the prices for rabbits are much higher. I used to get $20,for most rabbits and here some folks are asking $50-100 depending on pedigree or blood lines. I am not in a hurry, need to get the guineas set up and the chicken coop first. Plus this heat is hard on rabbits.
I am just as pleased as can be about your success!
And, it's raining and the temperature has dropped 10 degrees!

 

[chickmom3941]

Wow it's funny how different flocks like different things. Mine won't eat cukes but will hop and chase for watermelon, berrries, and tomatoes, red or green. Our fences around the garden aren't entirely effective yet and they've ruined too darn many maters.

They like zucchini too if I open it up for them (slices especially). They LOVE bread but I don't like to give them too much.

Yes, I know what you mean. When my son came up a few years ago (with his chicken!), she didn't like the apples from our trees at all. Our chickens LOVE apples! I suppose it may have something to do with what they're used to eating. Although I did try giving them tomatoes & watermelons when they were fairly young, so I don't know what went wrong there.
I can see why your chickens love bread - looks like you make some awesome kinds of bread - YUM! (I'm glad to hear things went so well for you at the farmer's market).

 

[Taote]

So on topic : ), today in my garden I pinched, dead headed and harvested sage, oregano, lemon thyme, german chamomile, lavender, mint, and shiso.

I'd like to start some seed and transplant some seedlings but it's too hot for me! A rainstorm came sooooo close but didn't quite reach us so this is day 9 - or maybe 10 without rain.

 

[Taote]

Yes, I know what you mean. When my son came up a few years ago (with his chicken!), she didn't like the apples from our trees at all. Our chickens LOVE apples! I suppose it may have something to do with what they're used to eating. Although I did try giving them tomatoes & watermelons when they were fairly young, so I don't know what went wrong there.
I can see why your chickens love bread - looks like you make some awesome kinds of bread - YUM! (I'm glad to hear things went so well for you at the farmer's market).

Thanks! And, I told my hubby about your son traveling with his chicken and he laughed out loud. But man, when I have to go to ohio for medical stuff - we take our dogs - and I worry the whole day about the chickens. I really care about them, and think they are way more intelligent and affectionate than I ever would have believed.

 

[NorthTexasWink]

@Taote Yes, Jen, please do consider using the Homegrown by Heroes logo! I know it would influence my personal buying habits to know I was buying from our local veterans and their families. I'm so very tickled you had a good day at market!

I'm being lazy this afternoon. Well, not lazy, prudent. It's blasted hot and I got a bit dizzy before lunch. Got some things done out on the coop though. Painted the floor while the walls are off and it's easier to get a good couple of coats on it all. Painted some cut pieces and the edges near foundation, even though they'll be covered, paint helps them last longer. Watered everything good while I did other stuff by letting the hose run low and slow. Kept an eye on the biddies in their pen. Gave them a large plant saucer wading pool. Not sure everyone is using the nipples yet, so better safe than sorry.

Biddies catching flies in midair is hilarious! Running and jumping to catch them. And the noise they make as they run around with some special find is great. Fun to watch them.

I am known far and wide as Wink. Got the nickname from my Uncle Darrell when I was about 5. I asked him why he blinked his one eye at the nice ladies ("To show them that I think they are special nice"), then practiced learning to wink for a long time. He started calling me "lil wink" and it stuck. I'll answer to Terri, but I only seem to be called that when I'm in trouble or for legal matters.

Doing indoor housework this afternoon. HE is going over bills, so I'll bake him a sweet treat. Maybe a cheesecake so I don't have to get the house hot.

 

[chickmom3941]

So on topic, today in my garden I pinched, dead headed and harvested sage, oregano, lemon thyme, german chamomile, lavender, mint, and shiso.

I'd like to start some seed and transplant some seedlings but it's too hot for me! A rainstorm came sooooo close but didn't quite reach us so this is day 9 - or maybe 10 without rain.

What's shiso?

 

[CapricornFarm]

So on topic, today in my garden I pinched, dead headed and harvested sage, oregano, lemon thyme, german chamomile, lavender, mint, and shiso.

I'd like to start some seed and transplant some seedlings but it's too hot for me! A rainstorm came sooooo close but didn't quite reach us so this is day 9 - or maybe 10 without rain.

Can you do the seed starting indoors? Hope you get some rain soon. We got enough to cool it off but not a real soaking. Still, i will take what i can get. Our soil gets like rock when dry. Maybe i can go out and plant my pumpkin plants before supper.