Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[CherMoz]

I start my sweet potatoes in water. Prepare your soil in a mound and cover it with black landscape fabric to prewarm the soil. Plant the slips and keep watered and weeded until the plants are established. Dig before the first frost and cure the sweet potatoes in a warm spot before putting into storage. Sweet potatoes store best above 65 degrees in a dark place.

 

[GranolaGirl72]

Now I just need my Airstream.........

YES!!!

 

[jvls1942]

I start my sweet potatoes in water. Prepare your soil in a mound and cover it with black landscape fabric to prewarm the soil. Plant the slips and keep watered and weeded until the plants are established. Dig before the first frost and cure the sweet potatoes in a warm spot before putting into storage. Sweet potatoes store best above 65 degrees in a dark place.

thanks for the tips.
I will be putting my tater in water today.
I will also be: picking up my pick up.
taking the last four teeth off of the cultivator.
hopefully putting four teeth back on in their
proper location. (directly behind the tires)

Yesterday, before taking the back blade off of Ollie, I scraped up enough granite from the tractor parking spot and fixed up the car parking spots. it was getting a bit muddy.
that will have to do until we can get a load of granite hauled in
load limits are on our road..

.......jiminwisc.......

 

[GranolaGirl72]

thanks for the tips.
I will be putting my tater in water today.


.......jiminwisc.......

I have some organic red garnet sweet potatoes here at the house. If you are curious about growing differences, would be happy to drop it off.

 

[jvls1942]

Quote:

 

[corewassen87]

just raked out the gravel pad for the shed to about 4" thick. Actually broke quite the sweat. Now to start hauling materials over there n stuff. Probably run a extension cord and use the tailgate as a table for the saw. I love doing stuff like this but it's sure a lot of work.

 

[jvls1942]

good afternoon,
I am done working on the tractor for today.
I have two bolts to remove on the last tooth, and wouldn't you know it ? they have to be cut off. and my cutters are in the pu truck which I don't have home yet.
Annie has to go to work, so I guess the truck doesn't come home until tomorrow. yet, another "tomorrow"...

I have some good news.
Annie bought me a bag of whole dried green peas from the super market. I did a sprout test and they are viable. it took only 3 days for them to sprout.
much less expensive than buying seeds from the nurserys .

I am going to soak them in water for a day or two just before I plant them, I will dry them off so they will go through my garden seeder.

and my potato seed guy just stopped in to see what kind of potato seeds I want this year..
their farm is in Knowlton. he bought some land just a couple of miles from us.

I ordered 50# of russets

4 eggs today, got another double yolker. I am pretty sure there are 5 layers, they just haven't hit it on the same day yet..

.......jiminwisc....

 

[Daethen]

Yup, I bought the star drive screws. I have managed to twist a couple of them off here and there and have also stripped a bit or two. But I agree they are the toughest out there.

8 eggs so far today. Making a new cake today. Will let you all know how it turns out. I have been on a baking kick all winter. Having fun learning to decorate and make everything from scratch. The kids at school (and the teachers and office ladies) are loving getting rid of my extras.

 

[MizzHen]

As ​others have said, vultures are not a problem. They only eat dead food, but they do enjoy buzzing the yard to get the roosters going. Lol.

Darker birds do not show up in a summertime landscape as well as lighter ones do. That would include barred breeds like Doms, etc.

Coop location doesn't have much effect on a pred attack. A former Cheesehead had one of those prefab coops right next to her house & a coon still got in it & killed her birds.

Pine trees are great for pred birds to sit in & plan their attack strategy. Lots of cover to hide in & stay unseen until it is too late.

I have 1/2 acre fenced in for my chicken run so it is kind of like free ranging. I have lots of hawks, owls & falcons down here, as well as coyotes, coons, dogs, etc. In my run, I have lots of dwarf fruit trees & dense shrubs scattered about. I also like to set used pallets on logs or concrete blocks for the flock to use as cover or shade if they need it. (If you don't mind the redneck look). I have had zero attacks from above in 15 years, although a falcon did once land just outside of the fence. A few coons have scaled the fence but the birds were already locked in the coop. I did have a mink attack a few years ago. That sucked big time.

Owning chickens is pretty much a crap shoot. You have to expect losses at some point. But hopefully we can help make yours as minimal as possible. But the more pred proof you make your coop & run, the more $$$$ you will spend.    

That's a resource of great information. Gives me a lot to consider and think about. Thank you!

 

[jvls1942]

good afternoon,
I just wanted to say that, because just a couple of weeks I would have been saying good evening.
loving having sunshine you can feel and the longer days.

I just gave the chickens enough feed to last them 3 days.
I noticed that their nests were full of fresh straw. I didn't do it, must be a good fairy around here.. Annie ????

I measured the distance between my tractor tires. 45" ..
I will have to do some computing to see what my rows will be if I use the disc hiller. I am thinking 32". that would be perfect..
22" would be OK too. but then I wouldn't be able to use the Troy Bilt tiller for weeding. but I could use the tractor.
decisions, decisions.

My biggest drawback for using the star drive screws is misplacing the driver bit. I buy them by the case ..LOL
I try to keep a bit in the screw container so I have one when I need one.

My one lean to caved in from the show this winter. just one corner of it.
I am going to tear it all the way down and pitch the roof the opposite way.
I was cheap when I built it and used up some red pine 2x4's I had here. I didn't paint anything and red pine rots super fast.
I am surprised it lasted as many years as it did.
I will frame it up with treated 2x4's this time.
sort of planning on putting down a concrete floor in it, too.
that will cost me about $75.oo more.
I have a mixer and can do the pouring and finishing myself.
of course "myself" is just a figure of speech. I usually rope bro Dave into helping, and heaven help anybody else standing just close enough to draft.

........jiminwisc......
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