What did you do in the garden today?

[Ponypoor]

Mine dump the kids between 4 and 8 weeks most of the time.
They try to drive them away from food and don't even think of roosting by mom

Mine usually keep them until 3 months. And still hang around with them, roost with them. It’s a family affair here.

 

[Ponypoor]

This meteorologist is very aware. Lol. Overnight shift about to start. Been up since 3am already. Pullets are inside. They still might get wet as the awning is gone from the massive uper windows.

Be safe!

We haven’t had any appreciable rain in a couple months. We are in an official drought and extreme fire hazard.

Last year it was all rain. Can’t change the weather!

But I would sure like it to cool a bit so my tomatoes can ripen. It’s been so hot they won’t ripen.

 

[Ponypoor]

I am now having to water my fruit trees, the peaches are slow to fill out and should ripening in another couple weeks. My Asian Pears same thing. So I have been watering them daily.

My cherry tree is also getting water, it was really droopy. My one other peach tree likely has Leaf Curl and it looks like I will loose it.

The apple trees are putting out apples but not as many as usual.

Curremt temps:
24C with a humidex of 30C with a hazy atmosphere (wildfire smoke still hanging around).

Have a lovely evening everyone!

 

[ShrekDawg]

My husband, my youngest son, and I made it home from Wyoming last night. Our middle son, and his wife are all settled in their new house apartment. I forgot my camera in the chaos so only got phone pictures.
Now I have to do a ton of laundry, my husband is at the grocery store. Then to getting garden caught up and hopefully more green beans canned.
My oldest son took excellent care of the house, my poultry (lots), my pigs, the cows, the sheep and llama, and our dogs and cats.
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WOW!!!!!!! That’s gorgeous!!!!!!!!

 

[cj2024]

I found a way to feed my bullied juvenile chick's scratch. I threw some scratch for the old hens and when they gathered around the scratch, I threw a handful behind my back for the chicks and when the hens saw the chicks eating, they would try to get past me, but I swatted them away with a bamboo stick. They eventually gave up and ate the scratch I threw in front of them.

 

[Supercow]

 

[Eagle343]

Harvested two loads of asparagus beans, and finished the 1st part of the rain garden to try and dry out the back yard.

 

[Sally PB]

Was reading an article today about staggering losses caused by varroa mites....

https://www.zerohedge.com/food/record-us-honey-bee-losses-and-what-mite-be-behind-them

It got me thinking about natural predators so I started googling. I came across an article that said varroa mites can't survive temperatures between 104 and 108 degrees for more than a few hours.

This heat dome has been centered over the middle of the country for a month and doesn't seem to be lessening for at least the next 2 weeks. Temperatures here in Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, etc have easily exceeded those temperatures. I wonder if that might be a silver lining to help our bee populations?

I have seen less than 5 honey bees ALL SUMMER. I get a moderate amount of Bumblebees and far more wasps... But honeybees are almost nonexistent around here.

Varroa mites showed up in this country in the 80s. Before that, it was common to have 90% of hives make it through winter. Now there are years when 10% make it. The mites transmit many diseases. If there aren't enough bees in the hive by fall, there aren't enough bees to keep the hive alive through the winter. For beekeepers here in Michigan, winter prep starts in August.

Last year we did not have many honey bees, just mostly Bumblebees, Carpenter Bees, YUK!, and sweat Bees. This year we have an increase of Honey and many bees! If we leave the water buckets by the garden, we cover them as too many times the bees fly in the water (in years past). I get them out, if I catch in time. Now, we just cover the water to protect them.

Like all animals, bees need water! But they need shallow water. A shallow pan of water with some marbles/pebbles in it is a great water source.

 

[chicken opey]

Something ate half of a watermelon. Gonna see if dh can help w his pellet gun. I suspect a raccoon and they can climb over fence to garden.
Tomorrow we try to integrate the Roos w larger flock. Well, just 2. The mostly white and the red one with a white tail.
Has anyone over wintered okra b4? I have one that is almost tree size and was thinking of doing that.

 

[WilderSkye]

Crazy busy so miss a lot of this boards post.

The three extra roosters left Friday. Could not be more relieved that off loading surplus cockerels was that easy. Didnt hurt that they were Alchemist Farms roos. I had takers back in March and they didn't ship til June 3. Immediate peace in the coop with that pressure relieved. 1 roo and 7 hens now.

Hard part of three sided garden shed is done. Posts set and frame started. It is all downhill from here. My year post chemo/radiation cancer surviving 64 yrs young man is a beast, working in 103 deg heat. I give up slowing him down.

This swallowtail attached itself to the side of the coop. We watched it crawl up there in the misters. I don’t guess being misted all day hurts it