What did you do in the garden today?

[Ascholten]

Hunger makes you very less choosy over your next meal Especially if you got a dozen friends prancing around with you, looking to eat the very same meal. It's still deer season or is that over already up there? It's been so long I don't even remember

Aaron

 

[pennyJo1960]

The Deer here have left the garden alone but come eat the apples

 

[TJAnonymous]

High of 32(0'C) today and winds howling. No gardening today.
They came and filled the propane while I was taking the dog for her 6 month checkup and dental cleaning.
$1300 gone in one day
UGH
Stop at feed store for PDZ and Shredded beets...both are up a solid 25-30%. PDZ used to be 9.99 or 10.99 depending on company, today was 13.99 for the 10.99 company. other has been out of stock.
Meanwhile the paycheck just went 'down' again as our taxes shot up.
(This house got NO pandemic assistance, but we sure are paying for it.)

I feel your pain.... I spend more on animal feed per month than I spend on groceries. My feed bill is easily $400/month conservatively. That's not counting cost of hay which I buy in the summer harvest and store for winter use.

 

[TJAnonymous]

The price of propane is disgusting now. I got 500 gallons a few years ago, at the time thinking, did I really need THIS much... Glad I did now. geez.

I spent $15k to put in a wood burning fireplace because I knew utilities were going to skyrocket this winter. I've only run my heat a handful of times in the past month despite the cold. My bill dropped over $100 from last January as a comparison so I'm thinking it was a good move. Now if I could just get solar to get off of this grid, it would be perfect....

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I feel your pain.... I spend more on animal feed per month than I spend on groceries. My feed bill is easily $400/month conservatively. That's not counting cost of hay which I buy in the summer harvest and store for winter use.

Hold my beer...
My bird feed a month is around $450 but... all the other feed a month is an additional $6000+.
Dairy cows are always hungry and we are hurting to feed them. We can't ever seem to get them enough feed...

 

[TJAnonymous]

Hold my beer...
My bird feed a month is around $450 but... all the other feed a month is an additional $6000+.

But I bet you are running an actual commercial farm?

I've just got a backyard hobby farm. Except for the extra roosters and eggs, I don't even EAT any of them.... And I'm pretty certain they are convinced that I'm actually here to serve THEM instead of the other way around....

And while I'm holding your beer, don't expect to get it back! Lol....

 

[vall]

Electricity is 40-50 cents a kwh here. If my math is right that's 15 bucks for incubating/brooding the quail. Didn't realize that would come close to feed costs.

 

[WthrLady]

I spent $15k to put in a wood burning fireplace because I knew utilities were going to skyrocket this winter. I've only run my heat a handful of times in the past month despite the cold. My bill dropped over $100 from last January as a comparison so I'm thinking it was a good move. Now if I could just get solar to get off of this grid, it would be perfect....

We're looking at a turbine and a hand water pump for emergencies/power outs, but if I have a turbine, that would fix the power out thing too.
But also for not having to haul water to the barn.

 

[TJAnonymous]

We're looking at a turbine and a hand water pump for emergencies/power outs, but if I have a turbine, that would fix the power out thing too.
But also for not having to haul water to the barn.

I've thought about doing a windmill as a backup to solar... We've also been looking for property higher up in the hills. Preferably one that has a cave and natural springs. If I find something worthy, I'll use hydropower.

 

[Acre4Me]

Storm arrives sometime tomorrow.

We will get precipitation…appears in ALL its forms: rain, sleet, ice, snow. How much is not yet known-really depends on the exact path.

I went to grocery Monday morning-good thing, many shelves bare this evening. Found batteries and even ice scrapers/brush combo for the car! Usually those are sold out by now irregardless of the weather. But our Walmart keeps them in the back of the store in an odd little area, so you won’t just see them.

The farm supply store we usually get feed at posted into fb that they had supplies for the storm and itemized the various things. But, the did note that their generator was already rented!!


On the gardening front, I received an update on my sweet potato slips that I ordered from Sandhill Preservation. I ordered 4 specific types for late May (or so) delivery, but also ordered their end of season specials, which get shipped end of June into early July. The update included my spot in line, and planting instructions. It’s my first time trying to grow sweet potatoes, but we will have plenty if they all survive and grow well.

Bathroom Reno still ongoing…month 3? But, now priming the 3 areas (whole bath, half bath, hall closet). Now I know why I was chosen to prime the closet (1.5’ deep x 3’ wide with a 20” door)- yup, my arms have a decent amount of paint on them. Paint was picked and purchased. My SW store had to collect all parts of my order from various stores in the district, which took nearly a week - as of Friday I got the last gallon of flat ceiling paint in the district. Yes, they will get more in, of course, but supply is a bit spotty for various paint bases and supplies.