What did you do in the garden today?

[Grannys Backyard Chicks]

It is POURING today. And the weather is just miserably perfect for a perfect miserable day.

Went outside at 7 AM to feed animals only to find one of our mares down in the front pasture. I thought she was dead... She wasn't but we can't get her to even lift her head. It's not colic so I don't have a clue what is wrong with her. We've called FIVE different vets and no one can come until later this evening. We are expecting severe storms, flash flooding, etc... Out of desperation, I talked DH into trying to use a gate panel to get her back to the barn. We rolled her onto it and then used our full size truck to drag the panel to the barn. Thankfully we got her under the safety of the barn before the downpour hit. But it is heartbreaking watching her gasp for every breath and not know how to help her... She has been given Banamine and Xylazine to help sedate her. Just have to sit idly by and wait another hour and a half for a vet to come by
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@sandburRanch, we do talk a LOT about gardening. Lots of us have been here a long time, so we talk about all kinds of other subjects too.

Jump in with a garden question or observation any time.

I am new here and already feel like am part of your family because you share daily life. I also learn so much from the knowledge shared about chicken, gardening, ect. Anytime I have a question this is where I look. Thank you all for sharing.

 

[Minanora]

This thread is 12 years old. It has become a family event. Yes, we talk about gardening-when there is gardening to talk about. We also rejoice in new grandchildren, graduations and weddings. We mourn when we loose a member or a spouse. We commiserate when someone else is injured, ill or looses a cherished pet. We swear alongside our friends when a season of work is destroyed in a single storm. We swap seeds, offer advice, and share tips.
If the way this thread has evolved doesn't suit your needs, might I suggest you go to the main garden thread, start a new topic, and keep it solely on that topic.

I'm so thankful I found this thread! Like I said earlier last week, it's given me that little spark. When I am not well enough to work in the garden, I can still go out and find joy, then bring it here to share!

I also love to see how different gardening is across the world. Seeing garden harvest from Australia that's happening now, while most of us in the US can't get their weather to even let us put stuff in the ground. We'll get there! Here, I think we're maybe three weeks out for transplanting most things. I didn't get the soil temp yesterday evening.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

What did they have there last year?
If you don't know, look at the stubble field. If it shows almost nothing, it was soy, if you see stalk stubble, it was corn. It' alternates. Sometimes we switch to sorgum if it's going to be a dry year.

They plant corn most times. I don't know why they don't rotate crops more often. They've only done soy a few times. With a wet year & with a good part of that field collecting water a few days after alot of rain, I'm thinking it could be a soy year, as it tolerates wetness better.

https://news.utcrops.com/2023/05/co...more tolerant,eventually a reduction in yield.

But it's anyone's guess What will be sowed. The owners of that 80 acres don't even live here, they're in another state. So I can't ask them. I'm just grateful it is still farmed because most farmland is disappearing here...a tremendous building boom going on, very sad how it's changing so drastically but I won't go off topic about all of that, it is what it is.

Well, if they plant their corn, I've read how cross pollination could affect my corn. I just wanted to get anyone's actual feedback or experience with this scenario.

They've got 80 acres, I'm only planting about 300 plants...200 are sweet corn & 100 are the Glass Gems.

I can plant my corn in a completely different area, but wind & bees carry pollen, even if it'll be growing 130 feet away, with a big barn between them.
I've never grown corn for popping before. Hmmm, probably shouldn't plant any corn near their corn. I can plant asparagus there instead.

So...I just read this...seems I need to separate all types of corn from eachother by 250 feet. Their corn, the sweet corn & the popping corn must all be 250 feet apart.
https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/article/2012/5-2/sweetcorn.html

Well...I can do it, but it means extra garden areas now...oh, it's a good thing I'm feeling so motivated, right? Lol

 

[Minanora]

Oh yeah and the broccoli is still progressing without bolting! Woohoo!

There are still two that haven't started making crowns yet. Dunno why. Hopefully they will, and won't bolt before harvest.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

Oh yeah and the broccoli is still progressing without bolting! Woohoo!
View attachment 3782341
View attachment 3782344
There are still two that haven't started making crowns yet. Dunno why. Hopefully they will, and won't bolt before harvest.

Beautiful!!!

 

[WthrLady]

@Liz Birdlover you can plant your corn where ever.
It just means the seed you would want to use from the pure plants THIS year, won't breed true for next year.
Plant gem glass this year, and you'll get gem glass corn.
Plant those gem glass seeds next year, and you'll get WHO KNOWS WHAT.
It's like when you try to plant second year hybrid tomatoes or apples from your own seed saving, it doesn't work.

 

[fuzzi]

Thank you, all, for the well wishes. Sadly, she did not survive... The vet put her down when he arrived late this evening. We knew her chances were very slim. I have her covered up in the barn since weather is bad. DH will call someone tomorrow to come bury her.

We are keeping our other mare in a stall for the night so she doesn't run around in a panic looking for her friend. On Wednesday, we'll transfer her back to the boarding facility where my daughter has her show horse. That way she won't be alone...

For the first time in 20 yrs, I won't have horses to care for every day. Still have horses we own, just none on our farm.

I've heard that they don't do well left on their side.

Did the vet diagnose her problem?

 

[Liz Birdlover]

I went to bed last night with the plinking of sleet on the windows. I woke up to a sheet of ice and snow on the ground.

Isn't it funny how that sound of sleet plinking the window in December makes us want to snuggle with hot chocolate by the fire, roast chestnuts, toast marshmallows, bake & feel cozy indoors...then that very same sound in the spring, Ugh, No More Please.
Just goes to show ya, timing is everything!

 

[Minanora]

They plant corn most times. I don't know why they don't rotate crops more often. They've only done soy a few times. With a wet year & with a good part of that field collecting water a few days after alot of rain, I'm thinking it could be a soy year, as it tolerates wetness better.

https://news.utcrops.com/2023/05/corn-and-soybean-tolerance-to-flooding-and-submergence/#:~:text=Soybean are certainly more tolerant,eventually a reduction in yield.

But it's anyone's guess What will be sowed. The owners of that 80 acres don't even live here, they're in another state. So I can't ask them. I'm just grateful it is still farmed because most farmland is disappearing here...a tremendous building boom going on, very sad how it's changing so drastically but I won't go off topic about all of that, it is what it is.

Well, if they plant their corn, I've read how cross pollination could affect my corn. I just wanted to get anyone's actual feedback or experience with this scenario.

They've got 80 acres, I'm only planting about 300 plants...200 are sweet corn & 100 are the Glass Gems.

I can plant my corn in a completely different area, but wind & bees carry pollen, even if it'll be growing 130 feet away, with a big barn between them.
I've never grown corn for popping before. Hmmm, probably shouldn't plant any corn near their corn. I can plant asparagus there instead.

So...I just read this...seems I need to separate all types of corn from eachother by 250 feet. Their corn, the sweet corn & the popping corn must all be 250 feet apart.
https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/article/2012/5-2/sweetcorn.html

Well...I can do it, but it means extra garden areas now...oh, it's a good thing I'm feeling so motivated, right? Lol

I'm just laughing because you get more garden. Motivation or no! My whole lot isn't even 250' long. That's so awesome! I can hardly wait to see your epic popcorn.

I do have 83 acres of raw land about an hour away, it's where we camp, hunt and get firewood. I have about 3 usable acres there and a Kubota m6800. But bad soil, no water, no utility. I'm looking into getting a metal building put up there to store our tractor, and our other toys. Then we'll put in a solar array with batteries and have a well drilled. Right now we can't even keep the camper there, field mice send me under the camper fixing wiring usually once a year. Even with the split loom, they just eat it all. I want to redo all the wiring with conduit but... That's a huge project that I will likely never make the time for.

 

[Molpet]

Thank you, all, for the well wishes. Sadly, she did not survive... The vet put her down when he arrived late this evening. We knew her chances were very slim. I have her covered up in the barn since weather is bad. DH will call someone tomorrow to come bury her.

We are keeping our other mare in a stall for the night so she doesn't run around in a panic looking for her friend. On Wednesday, we'll transfer her back to the boarding facility where my daughter has her show horse. That way she won't be alone...

For the first time in 20 yrs, I won't have horses to care for every day. Still have horses we own, just none on our farm.

So sorry
Prayers for comfort