Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[Apyl]

hi folks,

lucked out on the temp today, the humidity left and we had a nice wind, even at 85 it was nice, till/cultivated 15 rows and watered the taters b4 8am,,, raked 34 acres of hay at noon, the boys got it bailed,, one field done

Apyl, potatoes grow above the seed, the more dirt you add the more taters you get,,,when they start to flower you're done pretty much for new formation. That said now is also when the taters need the water for maximum production,,,,you can skip the adding more dirt and mulch heavy with straw or hay (if you find a farmer with hay that got wet b4 bailing you can get it for cheap,,,,or free from the field)

Thank you yet again Unk !

 

[kristip]

thanks everyone... well hen is moved to basement. I did a fan in the garage for a bit but that was not helping as much after getting her feet and comb wet, so moved her to cool basement. Not interested in water or food, but seems to be sleeping comfortably, except she sounds congested... little snortly... hope she will be better tomorrow. we will see. Thanks for the kind words of help

Bigz... sorry for your loss...

 

[Bigfamily4me]

I asked for help with my Delaware. If you didn't see the post, please go back and read it!

Also, I saw my marans cockerels have started fighting a bit. Is 3.5 months early for this? It was nothing horrible, but the one cockerel might argue that! Should I start butchering the ones I'm not keeping this early?

Sorry Brent about your friend

 

[jvls1942]

BigZ - Sorry for your loss, I'm sorry.

Kristi - Sorry no help here, I do hope your chicken is feeling better soon.


Good evening everyone. Well it wasnt near as hot as I thought is was going to get. Our high was 83 today. Not sure why since people below us and people above us seem to have had 100 degree weather today. Weird. So far the crew seems to be doing fine with the heat. I have 2 kiddie pools refreshed every morning and I ran the sprinkler a bit today. I put a tire swing up for the kids today, it was a hit I also weeded half the garden. It looks like half my plants never grew now that the weeds are gone. I swear I am going to read read read about gardening. I know this is only my 2nd year trying to garden ( well I did it 1 year about 5 years ago but we had black dirt and I really didnt have to do anything, it kinda just grew on its own), anyway I need to read up on gardening. My plants are tiny and minimal. There is a place not far from here that sells dirt for $7 a pick up truck load, I think I should get a few loads once this years plants are done.

Oh and how tall am I suppose to let the potato plants get before putting dirt around them? I keep adding dirt but they are growing really tall.

Well I guess that about it. Nothing much new happening here I hope everyone has a great night.

You can start to hill potatoes as soon as you can do it without covering the plant.. and you can keep on hilling them as they grow, but it is not necessary after once or twice.. mainly you want to be able to find the row to dig them after the plants wither..

do not hoe too close/deep around the individual plants.. the potatoes set on the roots, if you cut the roots off,,,,,,no spuds..

pull the weeds or cut them off with the hoe.. then hill them.. the added dirt will help keep the weeds from growing back too soon..

 

[Terri O]

Good evening...got back about 9 or so from the 4H gathering. They decided to order pizza so most were sitting around eating for a bit. I wanted to go home...oh well, it was cool in the basement! I was planning on stopping at the lake for a quick dip on the way home but was sufficiently cool that i didnt feel the need. I might have to drive back into town after I do the chores though...
All of tha animals seem to be doing OK in the heat. It was about 95 here. I was very glad that I cancelled my early client cause I had a confused mama bird...she left her nest with 6 chicks and there were 10 still up in the barn! Yes I have another record breaker..or should I say a tie? THere was one chick that was pipped a great deal but dead, two eggs doing nothing and two more pipped and working. By the time I went to work one was out and dry soI moved the 11 to the mom and put the other eggs under another broody that hatched hers yesterday but was still on the nest.
Here is Super Mama with her new family:

Most of her chicks are chipmunks as usual--look at the ones on the left; It kinda looks like I lined them up there! This is her second brood for the year and I can tell that she has a "different man" in her life! The Dad is the game bird I got from H&R or the Phoenix. Her last man was Little Turk...easily identified by all the naked neck chicks now running about around here!

So BigFam--that could be an eggbound thing I guess. Is it an egg with no shell or part of her intestines? IF it is guts you can wash it off well and push the whole mess badk in. Sometimes it works...how old is the hen? Your little cockerals will try to determine which one will be the dominant one...just let them work it out and dont stress over it. I wouldnt butcher any that young unless they are meat birds.
Sorry about your friend BigZ...we all know how much you are enjoying retirement! Remember when it was the countdown for Doc? He was so funny with that. I wish someone would tell me to retire!

Well, my eyes are "pinchy" so I guess I'd better get out to close up and off to bed...gotta cook tomorrow...I will try to bring my camera cause I am making deviled QUAIL eggs for lunch! I cant wait to see how they turn out!
Nighties--sweet dreams--Terri O

 

[Apyl]

You can start to hill potatoes as soon as you can do it without covering the plant.. and you can keep on hilling them as they grow, but it is not necessary after once or twice.. mainly you want to be able to find the row to dig them after the plants wither..

do not hoe too close/deep around the individual plants.. the potatoes set on the roots, if you cut the roots off,,,,,,no spuds..

pull the weeds or cut them off with the hoe.. then hill them.. the added dirt will help keep the weeds from growing back too soon..

I have been hilling them, but its like I cant keep up. the hills are about 10 - 12 inches high I'm guessing with about anwhere from 6 inches to 2 feet of plant still above. I started out with the potatos in ditches about 6" deep. I appreciate all the advice. Thanks

 

[jvls1942]

good evening, I worked so hard yesterday, that I had nothing left to do today..

I did finally start up the lawn mower for the first time.. of course, the throttle cable is tight so all I can get is idle speed.. tomorrow I will tear that cable off and lube it good..

I counted chickens as they came out of the coop this morning.. 29.. I think there are 4 sitting on eggs too.. anyhow,, we are getting 24 eggs from the 29 active ones..

when we cut that tree down, there was a nest of paper wasps in it.. one of the boys took the nest and tossed it into the pines along the driveway.. I guess they didn't like it there.. so when I climbed onto my tractor, they swarmed me and I got stung on the hand.. they decided to build their new nest in the dashboard of the tractor.. I put them out of their misery with a can of wasp spray. last year they built their nest on the other tractor..

I must have missed a few posts.. the one from Brent about somebody dying ?? I will go back and look for it.. anyhow.. I must be overdue,, I am 69.. I think taking that way out is very disrespectful to the people left behind.. I am sorry for their loss..

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

 

[babylady4]

Busy day! The birthday boy was blessed with all sorts of new toys, his Swiss knife, two multi tools, his glove, and a Bay Blade toy. We went to the beach, he went over to my sisters to jump on her trampoline, we had cookies and of course his pancakes.... all in all a good day here!

BigZ, thankfully your friend did not decide to take the rest of his family with him...... I hate it when people 'check out' like that.... so selfish and thoughtless....

BigFam I hope your chicken gets better quick, and yours too Kristip.

I can't remember anything else. Too tired. Big drive ahead for me tomorrow and since I will be going over the weekend I know I'll have 20 pages to catch up on when I return.

Night all!

 

[jvls1942]

I have seen the comment several times, about not bringing a chicken into air conditioning from the heat outside because it might shock it.. I don't think so..

I won't even comment about egg bound chickens.. I have had many chickens throughout the years.. never had an egg bound one..

somebody has a chicken that seems to be losing weight,, or is not as heavy as they think it should be .. laying hens and especially broody hens are always skinny.. If you have a nice plump fat hen running around, ,, I'll bet she is not laying eggs..

just saying......jiminwisc.........

 

[Cindlady]

Grrrrr... Late and I still have stuff to do so...

Sorry for loosing a friend Bigz

Bf4m... Sorry, about your hen... I have no clue what to do.

TO...Deviled QUAIL eggs! For how many people? That's ALLOT of peeling! Hope you can sell all those chicks!

Sorry, that's it for me....night!