What did you do in the garden today?

[CNJ]

ou need chickens for some eggs. I heard eggs could be a dollar an egg!

I started feeding my fat layers once a day because feed got more expensive. Its probably the reason for egg and chicken meat prices going up.

 

[SheaLoner]

I started feeding my fat layers once a day because feed got more expensive. Its probably the reason for egg and chicken meat prices going up.

Nah the price increase is due to the millions upon millions culled due to the Avian Flu. That and fuel and feed. But mostly to the culling.

 

[NewBoots]

I am over 60 pages behind, so sorry if I've missed any comments or questions.

Our littles are well integrated now and the tinies are on their way. There are 2 cockerel leghorns and both of the idiots think they can push the big girls around...I think not. They're starting to crow already and they're too small to make much of a meal but that's the way it goes. I got all of the summer squash planted today, and got most of the lawn mowed. I have discovered the deliciousness of making a sauerkraut stew using pork ribs, I think I have to get off the dime and start making my own sauerkraut. Next kraut stew I make will be with rabbit.

 

[CNJ]

I am starting some semi determinant Beef Steak Tomatoes that were developed by the University of Hawaii for Hawaii residents. I saved some seeds from a recent grow out in 5 gallon wicking tubs.

I am going to do things a little different and improve my game. This time I will mix sweet granule lime pellets into my potting mix with a tomato fertilizer and I will monitor the ph and EC of the excess drain water and add citric acid and fertilizer when needed.

I will use tomato cages instead of string to hold them up and wrap a rope around them when needed. Furthermore, I will use 2 x 3 inch net cups with potting soil, instead of the wicking microfiber towel, on the bottom of the bucket and fill in around them with coarse lava rocks. I got this idea today while watering my plants.

I am thinking about installing a float valve in a separate water reservoir to keep the water at around 2 inches. The only problem with this is, I have to level everything, so I may need to buy a wooden plank and some tiles. Its a little extra work, but it saves a lot of time watering.

 

[chickengr]

Ugh I hate bugs!
I put Joey (satin roo) over in there and he wanted no part of it either!
Yeah when I was trying to see what was causing the squash to literally fall off the stems.at thumb length a huge one scurried along! They are fast as grease lightening! And it was HUGE!

leghorns and guinea fowl would take care of bugs. I let my 5 leghorns and 5 silkies out to the garden for half an hour. silkies are interested in weeds only and do not decimate greens while leghorns chase bugs.

 

[chickengr]

After a day of mental gymnastics, I think I have figured out where I'm going to plant this new gooseberry (provided it actually grows which is a crap shoot on a DeGroot plant). I just potted it up and put it in this general location for the summer. I will move it into a nice raised bed in October when there is less pressure from the heat.

my mother lives in a sort of zone 7 (hot in summer and freeze in winter). dirt is heavy clay. her gooseberries thrive there. black and red currants as well.

 

[chickengr]

I am over 60 pages behind, so sorry if I've missed any comments or questions.

Our littles are well integrated now and the tinies are on their way. There are 2 cockerel leghorns and both of the idiots think they can push the big girls around...I think not. They're starting to crow already and they're too small to make much of a meal but that's the way it goes. I got all of the summer squash planted today, and got most of the lawn mowed. I have discovered the deliciousness of making a sauerkraut stew using pork ribs, I think I have to get off the dime and start making my own sauerkraut. Next kraut stew I make will be with rabbit.

sauerkraut with smoked pork are my mother's favourite. I ate sandwiches when she cooked it

 

[Acre4Me]

Anyone familiar enough with mushrooms to identify these? I found these mushrooms in my horse pasture. I do have some large oak trees in my pasture. A couple were found within 20 - 30 ft of the oak tree but most were far from any trees and in the open. They are white cap & stem mushrooms with pink gills. I think they are edible field/meadow mushrooms but my DH is worried they could be toxic Angel of Death (or something close to that name) mushrooms.... What's your vote?

View attachment 3139229

I’ve limited mushroom knowledge, but when kid had to collect mushrooms for a school project we had to look up info. As I recall, AOD mushrooms are smaller than yours appear, with a different cap shape. Apparently, one aspect of ID for mushrooms is to cut off stem, lay the mushroom cap onto a piece of paper and let sit several hours or overnight. They will release spores onto the paper and from this, certain things can be determined…but it’s been a few years since we did this.

So, an elderly relative went mushroom picking her whole life…she was older (seemed elderly) when I was a kid. She would always say this about mushroom picking:

“There are old mushroom pickers, and there are bold mushroom pickers. But, there are no old, bold mushroom pickers.”

 

[Iluveggers]

I am starting some semi determinant Beef Steak Tomatoes that were developed by the University of Hawaii for Hawaii residents. I saved some seeds from a recent grow out in 5 gallon wicking tubs.

I am going to do things a little different and improve my game. This time I will mix sweet granule lime pellets into my potting mix with a tomato fertilizer and I will monitor the ph and EC of the excess drain water and add citric acid and fertilizer when needed.

I will use tomato cages instead of string to hold them up and wrap a rope around them when needed. Furthermore, I will use 3x 3 inch net cups with potting soil, instead of the wicking microfiber towel, on the bottom of the bucket and fill in around them with coarse lava rocks. I got this idea today while watering my plants.

I am thinking about installing a float valve in a separate water reservoir to keep the water at around 2 inches. The only problem with this is, I have to level everything, so I may need to buy a wooden plank and some tiles. Its a little extra work, but it saves a lot of time watering.

I plant tomatoes in the ground. I use a post hole digger, add coffee grounds, banana peel, shrimp shells, egg shells, worm castings, and kelp meal. Put a little dirt on top. Then plant. I don’t ever have to fertilize the rest of the summer! People come and wonder why my tomatoes plants are double the size of theirs! Last summer we had so much rain half of everyone’s crops washed out. Somehow my tomatoes escaped blight and grew anyway until October when it got too cold and frosted. I dig all the holes in one day, walk up the row with each “dirt ingredient” dropping it in, and then plant one by one. Saves a ton of time later.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

So reading yalls posts reminded me I forgot to plant the sunflower seeds - again.
I had posted the question a few days back...
Do yall think using these cinderblocks to contain the dirt would hold the sunflowers til they get established into the ground here in my compost area across the front where you see the blue pot? It gets full sun and would help provide some shade for chickens in that side once they grow.

Also...1 yr old grandson pulled carton of eggs outta frige and they cracked open....had my hands full so just stuffed em back into carton and put back in frige to cook up for the chickens...but then forgot bout em! That was on Thursday night last week...reckon they are still ok to cook up and give to chickens?