What did you do in the garden today?

[WthrLady]

Regarding the food bank not taking eggs. I can see their point of not taking eggs because of egg handling or other regs and liability issues (government and insurance can make their life hell).

I agree, but I have to meet certain requirements to have my state permit to sell to the public to include inspections, labeling, washing, carton, and storage standards. For them to NOT take them is just nuts.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

The food bank that accepts my eggs is precisely local and not connected to the larger regulated ones. It’s a pretty small operation and they gladly accept donations, food or money. They were the only food bank / pantry around here that does. They do get some food donations from the only grocery store in town that I’m aware of but I know they use the dollar donations to purchase eggs and most likely milk. That grocery store doesn’t give them fresh produce I’m certain, mostly bread and canned items. Fortunately my hens are laying again so I’ll be able to send a few more dozen their way along with more lettuce. I planted extra lettuce because it grows well here and there’s plenty to share with others. I can freeze excess kale and chard but lettuce has a shorter shelf life. My cherry tomatoes are blooming. They’re big enough to support fruit, but the larger tomatoes need to grow more before I’ll stop pinching their blooms off. The okra, eggplant, peppers and summer squash are doing much better. My acorn squash plants are doing well also. The poblano and jalapeño plants are doing well too. Overall, I am looking forward to a very good harvest this year on my “Wee Farm.”

 

[MandaRae]

. Did you succession plant so you don't get all 20 at the same time?

Well my first time planting it so I definitely sowed everything all at once so yeah I'll end up with it all at once
Guess I'll have to can some of them

 

[TJAnonymous]

The food bank that accepts my eggs is precisely local and not connected to the larger regulated ones. It’s a pretty small operation and they gladly accept donations, food or money. They were the only food bank / pantry around here that does. They do get some food donations from the only grocery store in town that I’m aware of but I know they use the dollar donations to purchase eggs and most likely milk. That grocery store doesn’t give them fresh produce I’m certain, mostly bread and canned items. Fortunately my hens are laying again so I’ll be able to send a few more dozen their way along with more lettuce. I planted extra lettuce because it grows well here and there’s plenty to share with others. I can freeze excess kale and chard but lettuce has a shorter shelf life. My cherry tomatoes are blooming. They’re big enough to support fruit, but the larger tomatoes need to grow more before I’ll stop pinching their blooms off. The okra, eggplant, peppers and summer squash are doing much better. My acorn squash plants are doing well also. The poblano and jalapeño plants are doing well too. Overall, I am looking forward to a very good harvest this year on my “Wee Farm.”

I wish it was like that here.... Unfortunately every food bank falls under the jurisdiction of the Dept of Health who checks to ensure food is kept at required temperature, cans aren't dented, broken or expired, and there are other requirements met (permits, hand wash sinks, etc....)

Technically at the farmers market, you can't sell unwashed eggs and they are supposed to be kept under 40 degrees. Most inspectors will turn a blind eye though unless they see someone doing something stupid like leaving eggs in full view of direct sunlight when it's 90+ degrees outside....

 

[igorsMistress]

Good afternoon all. @TJAnonymous I’m sorry about your dog/chicken situation. Hopefully the pup will learn in time As for food banks, ours won’t take eggs either. I put an ad on nextdoor for free eggs from time to time and had people contact me. Have you considered freezing or waterglassing to preserve them for use in Winter?

We are currently watching the clouds build as storms start moving in. I hope we get some RAIN! It looks promising. I ordered some creeping thyme. It comes like carrot seed does sometimes on a paper strip, I’m going to hang onto it until Fall. So far the little lilac is still alive and the bananas are quite happy. Gotta go, the dogs keep wanting to play. Take care!

 

[Sally PB]

We got some very much needed rain last night/this morning. It sang me back to sleep after I took care of the chickens. It was really hard to get up when I eventually did.

I got the heavy soil garden hoed. I figured I'd better, since we'd had rain and the ground was soft enough to hoe. I found a tomato about 2" in diameter up there, still green. I have high hopes for the maters this year.

Yesterday I dug up a volunteer potato plant that was between two rows. Got enough tiny to little potatoes to make for a go-with for dinner. I finished them today for lunch, sautéed with eggs and garlic scapes. Home grown lunch! Well, not the seasonings. Can't grow salt, pepper, and olive oil here.

Tulle, the miracle fabric!

I'm going to remember this! Thank you.

No sweet potatoes?? What happened?

Not sure why I didn't get any. I think they needed a longer season? I planted the shortest season variety I could find.

Posted this in the harvest thread also.

Anyone know what this is? It is hanging on the leaf of one of my potatoes. Looks like a tomato. Definitely off of a potato leaf…

Those are potato seed balls. I got a couple two years ago, for the very first time. I saved the seed, which is called "true potato seed," (TPS) to differentiate it from seed potatoes.

I planted a few pots of it the next year, and got some plants that made a total of 6 small potatoes. I didn't eat them; they are planted in my potato bed now, and have made decent sized plants. We'll see what I get when I dig them this fall.

One thing about TPS... consider it a breeding experiment. You don't know what you'll get, unless you have just one variety of potatoes. (I had three.) Also, the seeds are TINY, like mustard seeds.

Do you plan to save the seed and try growing it?

 

[WthrLady]

7 more hours in the hay field today.
Let's just say I've got my years supply of VitD in 4 days.
Bales are laying in the field and DH and I will put them in the curing shed tomorrow morning.
I am numb, sunburned, and have more bruises from a fight with the PTO on the baler and when it tried to double bale in the middle of the field and jammed and needed taken apart.
Can't complain though. First year not racing the weather and the first 3 days were glorious, today, a little more of the ick factor.
Hoop house tomatoes are almost 7 feet tall.
Garden tomatoes are either fabulous or thin and weedy, depending on the variety. Honestly, as long as the canning tomatoes are nice, I don't care.

 

[Sally PB]

Last night I looked on line for 10' u-channel posts, baked enamel on steel.

$53 each, and no idea what the shipping was, because I didn't go any farther. So the 25 posts DH got for FREE at work are worth $1325!!!

I told him that if that customer wants to throw out any more, hell yes, I want them!! I knew We got a score, but I didn't realize it was a SCORE!!!

 

[bruceha2000]

Technically at the farmers market, you can't sell unwashed eggs and they are supposed to be kept under 40 degrees.

They wouldn't have to be stored under 40°F if they weren't washed. By forcing the vendor to wash them they are also making it nearly impossible to keep them at the proper temperature at an outdoor market.

It is illegal to wash eggs for sale in some European countries. Presumably it forces good animal husbandry practices if you can't cover up bad practices by washing off the evidence.

I don't know what the requirements are for Farmers Markets here but people have at least one "sample" carton sitting on the table so you can see that they have eggs. Clearly those are not below 40°F.

 

[jerryse]

Posted this in the harvest thread also.

Anyone know what this is? It is hanging on the leaf of one of my potatoes. Looks like a tomato. Definitely off of a potato leaf…

View attachment 3167830

Seed ball .