What did you do in the garden today?

[jerryse]

Thunderstorm now. We needed rain. Picked tomatoes, okra and a cucumber. Made nut butter with the new processor. Made a loaf of bread. Thinking of parthenocarpic and female only cucumbers for next year. About half of my cucumbers were poorly pollinated this year.

 

[Knobby]

I pressure washed a food-grade IBC tote I got off Facebook Market, since I was getting tired of using 5-gallon buckets to bring to the coops and garden. Tote was from a national potato chips manufacturer and had cooking oil inside....made for a very slick lawn afterwards.

 

[Knobby]

100%. When I was in Costa Rica this summer there were chickens everywhere (they were GORGEOUS too) and I saw them snacking on them and some of them were eating a roadkill that I saw when we were in the car

Not surprised about the roadkill since I usually give the flock a venison carcass after I've finished butchering it.

 

[Nym]

My sentiments exactly, especially with the cockerels.

I was patient enough today to watch the nestbox long enough to verify which New Hampshire pullet is the early egg layer. It was the little blue-banded one.

She's been laying for around 3 weeks now, starting at around 19 weeks. The others, at 22 weeks, haven't started laying yet but some have began to squat so they'll start laying soon.

I decided today was the day to pull up all the onions and shallots. I didn't count but it looks like around 150 yellow onions and 60 shallots, all started from seed. They are all supposed to be good keepers that store well.

Around 15 of the yellow onions sent up scapes and hadn't fallen over. I'll use those first for salsa and eating.

View attachment 4210470

Shallots...
View attachment 4210471

Yellow onions...View attachment 4210472View attachment 4210474

Onions with scapes...
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They are a really good size too!

 

[Smokerbill]

Watered a few things in the garden. It got close to 90 degrees today, plants wilted a little which I think is good for them occasionally. Encourages the roots to dig deeper and makes the plants stronger.

I'm going to let the pickling cukes on the vines now grow a little big and use them to make bread and butter pickles in the next week or so.

 

[Smokerbill]

They are a really good size too!

Some are, yep. The largest yellow onions are about 4 inches in diameter. Some of the shallots are good size too.

 

[jxp]

Made nut butter with the new processor. Made a loaf of bread.

Did you eat these together? Sounds lovely.

Some are, yep. The largest yellow onions are about 4 inches in diameter.

I know where you can get a couple slices of fresh homemade bread for a tasty onion sammy.

 

[Minanora]

Cute toad... I find them around here and take special efforts to go hide them somewhere like I'm smuggling something illegal. My chickens are like little raptors when it comes to toads.

Yeah, I feel you. I love toads and frogs.

I'm 99% sure that's a frog though. Climbed up the siding on my lean-to. Based on the eye location, markings, size, leap and sticky toes... But I can't be 100% sure. Regardless, I love the fact that it lives in my garden area.

Far from the chickens.

 

[OnlySympathy]

I'm 99% sure that's a frog though. Climbed up the siding on my lean-to. Based on the eye location, markings, size, leap and sticky toes... But I can't be 100% sure. Regardless, I love the fact that it lives in my garden area.

It is some type of tree frog. I’m not sure of the species native to CA but i do know my frogs from the fat lumpy friends

 

[OnlySympathy]

Far from the chickens.

That is one of the reasons I won’t let my chickens free range right now. I am too scared they will kill Chickpea the toad