What did you do in the garden today?

[CapricornFarm]

I processed 3 cockerels today. Not exactly gardening, but the feathers and "gore" have been buried in the sheet compost area. That area is adjacent to the north end of the HK, and will cover approx. 15 x 30'. Should be ready to plant next season. May do a 3 sisters with bush or pole beans (on poles) with some cucurbits here and there, also on poles or tee-pees. And intersperse some corn hills here and there. I don't like traditional 3 sisters b/c it gets too jungle'y. Makes it hard to harvest anything. Didn't plant anything in the HK this year b/c the little bit of top soil put over the logs has sunk down through the logs. Will continue to build it up with yard/garden debris, and hope to plant brassicas there next season.

Picked an other qt. of raspberries. All berries are being cleaned and immediately frozen... unless we eat them. I've found that they simply don't keep in the fridge at all. Will have a jamming session later when weather cools. Picked first green beans. Potatoes, with garlic and green beans on menu for tonight.

You have me dreaming of raspberry pie. Can' t you just freeze the berries for later use?

 

[karenerwin]

Lol. If I could get a vacuum cleaner thrown in, I would have ordered from Hoover, too - haha. We ordered from Meyers, the same place we got our original flock from. I was happy with them, so just ordered from them again. What kind of chicks do you have coming? When will they arrive? You're going to raise 24 chicks yourself? I was thrilled with how much easier it was when Bertha raised her brood last year, than when I had to raise all the original ones myself. No fuss, no muss with Bertha taking care of things, and I was also glad I didn't have to worry about integrating the chicks into the flock. So much easier letting Bertha deal with everything! I just hope there's no problem getting her to adopt the chicks. I've heard it usually goes well with experienced momma hens. Anyone here ever tried the adoption route?

I have snuck 6 chicks under a broody hen. The key is to do it at night, in the dark. Don't let her see what you are putting under her. Good luck!

 

[Pensmaster]

I've mulched around the thornless blackberry vines with pine needles.

 

[CapricornFarm]

I've mulched around the thornless blackberry vines with pine needles.

Pen, do you have to replant those regularly or do they spread? I had some in TN and they did ok but they did not seem to spread.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Oh, i forgot to mention my weed pulling session! I did find some interesting things. First, something chewed a piece off a tomato plant! And i have lost 5 sunflower plants to being mashed down or pulled out so far. It's annoying. I found two cutworms in the weeds, and mashed them. Also found one caterpillar on the wood of one of my raised beds and ended it. Plus i saw some tiny bug that i have no idea what it is but it was chomping on the poor green bean leaves and beans. They are too small to capture and kill , and as long as i still get to eat most of the beans i can tolerate that. I wish i could get rid of the tent caterpillars, they are so unsightly. Most of them are too high to reach.

 

[NorthTexasWink]

I'm firing my weatherman! Bottom fell out of the bucket and it is POURING out there. oh well, nice and cool now.

cutworms! I hate those. Sorry about that Cap.

 

[CapricornFarm]

I'm firing my weatherman! Bottom fell out of the bucket and it is POURING out there. oh well, nice and cool now.

cutworms! I hate those. Sorry about that Cap.

Could be worse, we could have locusts! Image how bad it was during the Great Depression when people were struggling to get by and on the verge of starvation when the locusts or the dust storms would destroy the crops they worked so hard to plant by hand and invested everything in! How heartbreaking to lose your crops year after year, then to lose your home and have to move on. Then when you get where you are going , no work to be had. No place to stay. Hard times for sure. Makes my little losses seem so trivial.
Tomorrow is going to be clean the house day. There is so much hubby wanted me to do that i didn't get done. He wanted the shelves painted, and the grass mowed and weed whacked. I used the paint i had bought to paint other wood and have not found any to replace it. But the story of the shelf mold is long and complex, involves magical thinking. I won't bore you with it. I can always use the excuse it was raining too much when i was going to mow...But he would really so not like to come home to a messy, smelly house. Thank goodness i closed all of the downstairs rooms so they are good. So its just the living room, kitchen, and my bedroom and bathroom that need attention. I can do that.

 

[lazy gardener]

You have me dreaming of raspberry pie. Can' t you just freeze the berries for later use?

Yes, I can. And if I don't turn them all into jam, I just might make a raspberry pie. The thing is: if I make a raspberry pie, it's gone in a day or two. But, if I make jam, I get a mouth full of summer every single morning to start my day with a smile. I make my jam with Pomona's pectin, so I get to make it just as tart as I want, and only as sweet as I want. It's heaven in a jar.

 

[lazy gardener]

This evening, I pulled out the spent pea vines. The birds are having a blast pawing through them, looking for peas. Harvested the garlic, most of it. The jury is in. It is definitely better to pull the scapes. Some of those garlic heads are almost as big as my fist. So, I will be planting traditionally now, and only let the scapes mature if I intend to do a massive planting. Those bulbils are still great for chicken treats and to plant in the orchard around the trees.

Have 2 short rows spaded up and ready to plant to lettuce and kale.

 

[nenebynature]

I've mulched around the thornless blackberry vines with pine needles.

I bet that looks really nice