Way Down in November

     The garden is now covered with about an inch of snow.  Temps went down into the teens last 2 nights, with single digits predicted for tonight. Without supplemental heat, it's not much warmer inside the greenhouse at night.  Spinach and lettuce in the greenhouse have been growing very slowly, now appears to have stopped.  I moved the chives, thyme, and spearmint pots into the kitchen, in a north-facing window.  There are no good windows facing other directions.
     Our 8 hens have been giving us an average of 1 egg a day.  I switched them from laying mash to straight corn on October 28th, and stopped giving them extra light on November 11th. Our daylight is now about 8 hours.  The egg I picked on Saturday was frozen and cracked, so I threw it out in the woods for the varmits.  I've been checking twice a day, but I'll have to make sure I pick after they go to roost, as it now freezes hard at night.
     I did get all the fall tilling done in October, but we didn't get much cold weather or snow until now  It's the warmest November I've seen in a long time.  Srill have seed inventory and planning to do, but other than that, it's time for a long winter's nap.

Greenhouse completed

     After my plans of August 7. and my update of August 25, the greenhouse is finally ready for use. And first frost is still a couple of days away. I didn't keep an exact record of costs, but I made about 4 trips to Home Depot, 2 trips to Fleet Farm, and spent about $50 on hardware and lumber.  I had some of the hardware and lumber on hand, maybe $25 worth, plus of course the remains of the collapsed greenhouse, which was priceless.
     With my limited skills, it took several weeks to complete.  I made preliminary plans, but was constantly changing them due to my inexperience and the need to adapt to the materials that I had on hand.
     The door panel can be removed in warm weather to prevent overheating. With the door and vent closed, on a sunny 68 degree day, the inside temperature went up over 90 in a short time.  The whole thing is light enough to be moved by three strong teen-age grandchildren, with one old grandpa to supervise.  Because it is so light, I'll have to stake it down to prevent our winter winds from blowing it away.

Door and vent closed to maintain heat.

Door and vent open for circulation

      I still have some air leaks to plug up and some painting to do, but I've moved in some herbs and will be moving some tomatoes in.  Soon I'll probably also be starting some fall salad crops.  Next spring I should have plenty of room to start my new plants. 

Left to right: basil, thyme, chives and spearmint

 Other Winter Preparations

     We've canned 10 quarts of tomatoes and 7 jars of plum jelly.  We'll continue to can more tomatoes as they ripen up til frost, but as I've mentioned before the garden hasn't been that great this year with the drought and such.  We've eaten all the rest as it came in, with no surplus for canning or freezing.  We should be able to save some acorn squash and potatoes for winter, but hard to say how much at this point.  I'm hoping for some Halloween pumpkins before frost, but they're still green at this time.  I started some fall tilling today, have a long way to go.  A more detailed report will come later.

Week-end Family Visit

     We had a wonderful time visiting with Cathy and Savannah this week-end.  Savannah helped harvest some sweetcorn, potatoes and carrots to take home.

     Hopefully we'll have some pumpkins and acorn squash for them when they come on their next visit this fall.

     I think the family I raised came out much better than any of my gardens.  Of course that's because Amber helped me more with the family than she did with the gardens.

Greenhouse and Watering Sytem Update

     In my previous post on August 10 (Click here), I showed my initial plans for the greenhouse and watering system.  I've concentrated mostly on the greenhouse, as I would like to use it this fall.  The watering system is not as pressing, as I won't be using it until after spring planting.  Nevertheless, here's where I'm at now.

 Greenhouse

     The framing of the greenhouse will be complete with a few more hours of work, but it's too hot to continue this afternoon.  Besides that, my daughter and granddaughter are here for a visit.  I'll probably continue on Monday, after they've returned home.  It's been a slow process trying to make sure the spacing is correct for the panels I have.  Whenever I make a wrong cut, which tends to happen every hour or two, I take a coffee or beer break until my brain clears.  2 beer breaks signals the end of that day's activity.  I should still be able to finish before first frost comes, though I hate to set deadlines.
     Notice the steep pitch of the roof.  Remember that I got the metal framing from a greenhouse that collapsed under the weight of snow on the roof.  I shouldn't have that problem here.

     This shows the current location in the garden, but it's designed to be easy to move, so it will change location from time to time.

 

Water Reservoir and Distribution System

     This is the beginnings of my water holding and distribution system.  No rain gutters are installed yet, but the pool sits under a 6 foot section of the barn roof, and the 1/2 inch of rain we received on August 15, resulted in 2 1/2 inches of water in the wading pool/duck pond/water reservoir.  The rain gutters and additional water storage will probably wait until spring.

     The drain plug at the bottom of the pool is connected to a hose that comes out by the edge of the barn door.

     I tested it out by watering the corn patch a few days after the rainfall.  I still have to figure out how I can get even distribution with the least effort, but I'm not going to worry too much about that until next growing season.

In Other News

     This is the only surviving sunflower after the chicken attack this spring.  They truly loved those freshly planted sunflower seeds.  I put in a hill of pumpkins to take up the space.

A lonely sunflower

     Amber made the best cole slaw out of one of the cabbages today.

Cole slaw and cooked cabbage. Mm-Mm

     Black tomatoes.  They're still hard yet, but should be ripe before frost.  Thanks Gerry and Teri for the plants.  We've gotten about 20 red tomatoes from the Early girl and Roma tomatoes, but they've been small, maybe 2 to 2 1/2 inches in diameter.  The Better Boy tomatoes are still green.

Indigo Rose Tomatoes

     The broccoli is done now, (I think) but it was good.  As we didn't have big production, we usually mixed it with beans and/or peas when they were in season.

Broccoli and late planted corn

     I've only picked 2 ears of corn so far, but we will have a bunch for tomorrow to share with Cathy and Savannah who are visiting this week-end.

Early corn, second picking tomorrow

Poultry Report

     My two setty hens didn't have any chicks.  They each tried on two different sets of eggs, but none hatched.  Our rooster seems to have relationship problems.  It's late in the year, so we'll probably wait until next year to try again.  I think we'll also buy a new rooster next year.
     Comments or suggestions?  Post a comment below.

Plans for Fall, Greenhouse and Watering System

     As I sit in the shade of the boxelder tree contemplating next year's garden, my mind often drifts over a number of things.  Lately, it's been a greenhouse and a rainwater collection and distribution system.

Greenhouse

    I have enough space in the house to start plants in the spring, but when re-potting time comes in April, finding space for these plants has been a challenge.
     2 years ago, I acquired the remains of a small greenhouse that had collapsed under a heavy snow load.  There were a number of bent and broken pieces, but some of the framing is still good and I have 18 panels 77" by 23", 4 panels 68" by 23", 2 doors 32" by 76", and a number of smaller pieces.  With these and a little lumber I am hoping to build a 6 foot by 8 foot greenhouse to put in the space between Missouri and Illinois.  I would also like to make it moveable so that once a year or so when I get a big load of manure, or if I need access behind the barn for bigger equipment, it can be moved out of the way.  I hope to have it ready by this fall's frost so I can save a few tomato plants, and maybe grow some greens for later in the year.

Rainwater System

      I mulch a lot, so the need for watering is reduced.  However, this year and all past years when I've felt the need for watering, I've used well water.  Besides the use of electricity to pump the water, cold well water is not as good for plants as warm rainwater.  For collection of rainwater, I've been thinking of installing new rain gutters on the front of our house, so would be able to collect rain from half of our roof, an area of about 420 square feet.  One and a half inches of rain should produce about 400 gallons of water, which is enough to put a half inch of water over the entire 1200 square foot garden.  If next year I decide I need more, I can put rain gutters on the south side of the barn, close to 1200 square feet, which would almost triple the amount collected.  For holding tanks, I have a 4 foot by 5 foot children's wading pool, most recently used as a duck pond, that holds about 125 gallons, and an old satellite dish, most recently used as a goose pond, that holds about 200 gallons.  We no longer have geese or ducks, but I could set one of the pools in the chicken yard, in case we ever do get waterfowl again.  The other will be an elevated water feature in the Alaska area, which is the highest spot in the garden.
     For distribution in the garden, I've done some experimenting with holes drilled in PCV pipe that should work out.  I'll have to do some more tests because of the low pressure of gravity feed, but I'm sure it will work out.   PCV pipe is quite inexpensive. about $2 per 10 foot section.
     With a little luck, my initial investment will be only a few dollars for hose fittings, and maybe $30 to $40 for lumber for the greenhouse.  First frost will be coming in about a month, a little later if I'm lucky, so I better get to work.  I hope my results look better than my "artist's conceptions."
     Any helpful suggestions or comments, please click on "comments" below, or e-mail me at bemidjidavid@gmail.com.
    

Bemidji Walks

     My daughter and my two grandchildren came to visit for a few days.  It's always great to see them.  We just sent them home with a couple dozen eggs and about 5 pounds of Yukon gold potatoes.  I was hoping our sweet corn would be ready before they left, but not quite.  We did, however, eat up all the broccoli, green beans and asparagus that was ready while they were here.
     My daughter went for a walk on the pathways near the downtown area of Bemidji and painted several area scenes.  I especially liked the ones by the lake between downtown and the campus of Bemidji State University.  Check them out at her website, T Nara paintings and drawings, Bemidji walks

The corn is hip high by the 4th of July

A Fourth of July Sampler

MM-MM Good!

     To the right is the produce I gathered on the fourth of July.  The onions in the foreground are about 2 inches in diameter.  I know they look dirty, but they cleaned up real nice.  The carrots are rather small, but I wanted to see how they were coming, and they needed a little thinning anyway.  Behind the carrots and the Hungarian wax pepper are the new red potatoes.  It's a little early for them too, but one hill was crowding my carrots, and the other hill was shading one of my cucumber plants.  In a week or two I should have lots of nice new red potatoes.  Behind the potatoes is my second picking of peas and one late-coming asparagus stalk, that we'll mix in with the peas for tonight's supper.

Tomato Patch

Tomato patch, July 4, 2012

     This is my tomato patch in Puerto Rico.  In the front are 8 Early Girl plants.  I know you can't see them but they have several green tomatoes a little more than an inch in diameter.  Behind those are 8 Better Boy, a later, larger variety, and then 6 Roma plants.  Bringing up the rear is one hill of cantelope.

Corn patch in Martinique, July 4, 2012

  

 

 

Corn Patch

     This is Early Bantam sweet corn that I planted in late April.  A little early for this far north, but what did germinate is about hip high right now.  Probably 2/3 of it did not germinate due to the cold weather in late April.
     The other corn patch I planted in late May germinated much better, but it's only a little more than knee high right now.
     In the background on the right is the large chicken house, the barn in the center, and on the left is the combination garden/chicken shed, formerly a milk house.

Poultry Report

      This is my first experience with setty hens.  I understand the eggs are supposed to hatch after 21 days.  I'm not exactly sure when they started, but I know they both looked real serious on June 12th.  July 3 was 21 days, and as of 3:30 pm July 4, nothing has happened.  I gently moved the white hen off her eggs to take a look, and the eggs looked fine.  However, I must have woken her up from a trance, because she got up and ran around clucking for at least 10 minutes.  From experience I know that any expectant mother would probably do the same thing.  Hopefully she settle back down again soon.

     If anyone has any suggestions or ideas on what I should do, or how long I should wait, please send me an e-mail, or write in the comments below.  Of course, you're always free to comment on any aspect of my homesteading endeavor.

Beginning of summer garden report

Master David, how you've slavêd, in your garden long.

What do you know? how does it grow? Was it worth it all along?

     Well, we've had 2 meals of asparagus off a 3 foot by 3 foot plot, and it's done now.  2 meals of spinach and some baby spinach leaves for salads, that is also done now.  Lettuce for salads keeps coming,  Peas should come in the next week or two.  Won't have more than a couple meals 'cause the chickens ate many of the sprouts as they came up.  The chickens also harvested string bean sprouts, but we'll still get enough,  Everything else is coming, looking fair to good.  I think I've planted everything I'm going to plant, though I might try some more salads and such in the fall.
     My most bountiful harvest has been the pleasantness of sitting in the shade of the boxelder tree on the southwest corner, watching the garden grow and contemplating my next move.

From the SW corner, June 20,2012

     Below you can see the peas starting to climb the fence in Montana, with the potatoes in Colorado, Kansas and Iowa behind them.  (For references to states, click on "Garden Map and Geography" at the top of the page.)  Below that is the sweetcorn, squash, broccoli and potatoes in the eastern states, and below that is the corn I planted earlier, on April 28th, and the squash, pumpkins, and tomatoes in the Caribbean, just south of the chicken yard.  I may have planted that corn a little too early, judging form the poor germination rate, or the chickens or crows may have eaten the seedlings.  The other corn I planted in Indiana and Ohio on May 20th had excellent germination.  But no problem.  The pumpkin and squash should fill in the gaps.

Peas beginning to climb the fence, potatoes in back. June 20, 2012

IN, OH, PA with ME in back June 20, 2012

 Martinique, Puerto Rico with chicken yard in back June 20,2012

 

A word from the poultry division

    Finally, if you've looked at my garden calendar, you've noticed that egg production is down.  That's because two of my best layers have become broody hens, who are working on our next generation of layers and chicken dinners.  I'm not sure when they started, but there should be little chicks any day now.  I go out at least twice a day to listen for little peeps.

Setting on 10 eggs-June 20,2012

Setting on 5 eggs-June 20,2012

 
     Thanks to my grandson, Al, for the use of his camera and his photography skills.
     That's the report for mid-summer, the longest day of the year. Remember, keep your hoe sharp and your chickens out of the garden.

 

It's been too hot, it's been too cold, too little or too much rain.

But if the goal is to feed my soul, then the gain is worth the pain.

                                 'til next time,     David

Oh, the woes of gardening

"The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft agley."  ...Robert Burns

     My tomatoes all died of wilt, as did the cabbage and broccoli I transplanted to Indiana.  Though the carrots I planted in Iowa are doing well, the ones in Texas have not sprouted.  Even the radishes are coming up spotty.  Worst start I've had in gardening in years.  Being this is the first time I've blogged on the net about my garden, could it be a computer virus?
     OK, so the potatoes and peas are starting off nicely, we've had one meal of asparagus, and the strawberries are blooming.  We gathered some spinach and lettuce for a salad, and the hens laid 9 eggs today.  So nothing's ever perfect in gardening and in life.  I've changed my plans many times in the past, and can do so again.  Now that I'm done ranting, here's what I did today:
     I planted more spinach, Burpee Bloomsdale long standing, in Washington and Oregon, and American Seed Grand Rapids lettuce in the south 6 feet of Idaho(old seed packaged for 2010).  I planted more Golden Bantam sweet corn in the south 8 feet of Indiana and Ohio,  I'll buy tomato plants to put in my new Puerto Rico section, and other as yet unspecified plants, (pumpkins? zucchini? peppers?) to go elsewhere.  And more carrot seed for the north end of Idaho.
     If you're curious about the locations, Iowa, Texas, Indiana, Puerto Rico and so on, click on the "Garden Map and geography" tab above.  To pass on your condolences for the tomatoes, or any other comments or suggestions, click on "comments" below.

Tomato wilt

     I've been keeping this to myself, a little depressed maybe, but my magnificent tomatoes have evidence of wilt.  On Saturday I tried cutting it away on some of the healthier plants, and threw away  a lot of them.  When I repotted, I used some garden soil, not steralized. That may have been the source.  Worst case scenario, .I'll have to buy all new plants.  There, I feel better now that I've confronted it.
     More pleasant news, On Friday I harvested some asparagus, and the peas look really good. On Saturday, I weeded and mulched the peas and garlic.  The asparagus and strawberries also need a weeding, and I'll get to that in the next day or two.

Poultry report, Old Red is dead

     When I walked into the chicken coop yesterday morning, our old red rooster was laying dead right below his roost.  I figured he must have died peacefully in his sleep, and just fell off. I buried him beside the barn in the shade of the big black spruce trees, next to the little red hen, who died last fall.  He was 4 years old, which is not real old for a chicken, but old enough that he didn't fly over the fence to go exploring like some of the others do.  We still have one rooster, so for the most part the eggs will still be fertilized.

Old Red is the one on the left (I think)

Last year when Old Red had two mates

     In other news, the red potatoes are beginning to make their appearances in Iowa and Colorado along with a few Yukon gold in Kansas.  The carrots have popped through in Iowa and New York, and are making a good showing in Texas.  Kennebec haven't popped up yet, but they're a late potato.

New Garden area tilled and planted

     On Thursday, the 26th, I tilled up a new area in the old chicken yard, just south of the old chicken house.  The old chicken house is on the SE corner of the main garden. (click on garden map, US geography above)  The total area is about 14 feet by 30 feet.  On Friday I put on a load of pigeon manure and on Saturday I planted the southern half, which I call Martinique, in NK golden cross bantam sweet corn, with a very small section in the SW corner in American Seed early golden bantam.  The northern half, which I call Puerto Rico, is planned for tomatoes to be planted later.  I also planted a row on the north edge of Texas in sunflowers, seed I had saved from last year's crop.
     On Monday, May first, I planted  green beans, contender, in north Kansas, SMR 58 cucumbers in North Colorado, and 6 hills of Table Queen acorn squash in between the corn rows in Martinique.  On Thursday the 3rd, I manured and tilled up everything else, Washington, Oregon, California Minnesota and Ohio.  I planted Romano green beans, a pole type, in Minnesota.  The seed packet says its an Italian broad bean, "buttery tender with a distintive hardy flavor."  "Harvest in 60 days."

     I noticed today that the asparagus is starting to show itself.  The peas, lettuce, spinach and radishes have been up for a while.  No blossoms on the strawberries yet, but they are looking good.  The plum trees are in full blossom, while the crabapples are just starting to blossom.  The irises and the wild rose canes are greening up.  Of course no buds yet.  The oak tree doesn't have any leaves yet, but it's always the last one to green up.  I know I'm supposed to wait until the oak leaves are as big as squirrel's ears before planting the corn, but we'll see if I get sweetcorn by the end of July.  Life is one big experiment.

Broccoli and cabbage plants to the garden.

     This morning I transplanted the broccoli and cabbage that I had started indoors to Indiana.  10 cabbage plants  on the south end and 12 broccoli on the north end. I have enough left to replant if any of these freeze out, or I decide I want more.  I also mowed the grass area of the garden for the first time this year.  Besides the lettuce and spinach popping through the ground earlier, I noticed the peas and radishes showing little flecks of green today.  The day was sunny and in the 60's, so I spent some time sitting in front of the garden house, meditating.  That's the garden's real purpose.

A note on egg production

Feed costs 12.5 cents/egg

     In 21 days, from 27 March to 16 April, 8 hens produced 108 eggs.  That averages out to 5 eggs a day from 8 hens.  Pretty close to my ideal of every day and a half, a hen and a half lays an egg and a half.  (That's today's math challenge)
     They also consumed 50 pounds of laying mash, costing $13.42.  This cost amounts to $1.50 per dozen.  Other costs, housing, initial cost of hens, periods of low production, probably bring that cost up to at least $2 or more, but the quality of the eggs and the camaraderie with the chickens make it a bargain.
     I'll probably be changing to a less expensive laying mash, but otherwise I'm pretty happy with the way things are going.  Comments or suggestions are welcome in "comments" below.

Planting root crops in the moon's 3rd quarter

Busy day.  Last day of the 3rd quarter, so I had to get those root crops in.

     I didn't have a picture of the Kennebec potatoes or the white onion sets, which I bought in bulk, nor of the radish seed, which was saved from last year's radishes.
     The map below shows where things were planted, except for the radishes.  There is one row of radishes in Wyoming and one in Colorado, in the middle between the 2 rows of potatoes.  The radishes will be harvested before the potatoes get very big.  The blank spots either have already been planted, as the peas in western Iowa and the perennials in northern Wyoming, or are areas yet to be planted.
  
     Rain predicted for tomorrow.  If it doesn't rain, I'll have to water.

Planting on 12 April, 2012

 

     In other news, the chickens took a well deserved rest, laying only 5 eggs today, after their marathon performance of 9 eggs yesterday.

8 hens, 1 day, 9 eggs!

     The old record of 8 eggs in one day is shattered!  You know by now we have 8 hens and 2 roosters.  Today they produced 9 eggs!  5:30 last night, I gathered eggs.  This morning I found 2 eggs in the coop, and at 3:30 PM there were 7 more. Super chickens!
     It's been cooler and windier than usual the last few days with low temperatures in the 20's, highs in the 40's, with a cold, usually west wind of 10-25 mph.  Monday and Tuesday we even had some snow in the air.  Today after about 10 AM it finally started to warm up a bit, and the winds let up.
     Tuesday I scooped more pigeon manure out of the barn, and today I spread it and tilled it into Colorado, Kansas, Texas, Maine, Pennsylvania, New York, the eastern part of Iowa and the southern half of Wyoming.  Those are the areas that I'll be planting to potatoes, carrots and onions on Thursday or Friday, weather permitting.

Garden Map

Seed Packets

I've decided to scan the info off the seed packets for future reference.  I may need a magnifying glass to read them, but the information is there.  The Ferry-Morse peas are 2012 seed.

Peas

The squash on the left is 2012 American seed, on the right is 2011 Northrup King.  The lettuce on the left is 2011 Ferry-Morse, on the right 2012 Burpee.

Squash and Lettuce

The spinach is 2011 Ferry-Morse, the carrots, sweet corn and green beans are American Seed, 2012..

Carrots, Sweet corn, Spinach and Green beans

8 eggs a day!

     These are the 8 eggs I gathered on Thursday, and the 8 hens and 2 roosters responsible.  I give the roosters some credit in keeping the hens happy, and fertilizing the eggs.  We all know that fertilized eggs are better for you than the commercial unfertilized eggs.  They're lower in cholesteral.  (My opinion.  Does anybody know of any studies proving or disproving this?)  You'll also note that 2 hens were very busy when it was picture time.

     The next day, on Friday, I gathered 8 more eggs.  I swear to you I don't have a turkey or a goose in the group.  

     Wouldn't it be fun to hatch out that big one and see what we get?

Cucumbers planted, seed potatoes bought

     I planted 2 pots of NK Sumter cucumbers indoors on Friday.  A pickling cuke.  Seed packet says harvest in 56 days.  On Thursday I bought 2 bags of seed potatoes, Yukon gold and red.la soda.  Two 5 pound bags at $6.50 a bag.  Each is supposed to plant a 50 foot row.  Still looking for Kenebec.  I've always had good luck with those, and they're the best keepers for winter.  Also bought a bag of 100 white onion sets for 99 cents.
     Today, Saturday, I found Kenebec potatoes at Bemidji Co-op.  2 pounds for $1.  I bought them there 2 years ago, and they produced very well.  I will plant the potatoes, onions and carrots within the next week.

Transplanting tomatoes and peppers

     When I planted the 36 pots of tomatoes, I put in 3-5 seeds per pot.  Germination was good so today I transplanted.  they were at the 4 well developed leaf stage.  I ended up with 39 re-potted Rutgers and 52 super beef-steak tomato plants.  The peppers didn't do as well, the year old seed did not germinate, but the new seed did well, so I have 16 re-potted pepper plants.  Now I have 91 tomato plants and space in my plan for 24.  I have 16 pepper plants, and space for 10.
     The first week in June, a decision will have to be made.  What will become of the 67 displaced tomato plants?  the 6 displaced pepper plants?  Will they be left to die for lack of resources?  Will they be relocated to new frontiers, like Manitoba and Ontario north of the barn?  Or Siberia, east of the chicken yard?  Or will they find new homes in gardens on distant planets?  Stay tuned for upcoming episodes of "As the garden turns."

Tentative plan for 2012

     This is the tentative plan.  Things change you know.

     Starting from the west, Alaska is unplanned.  Washington, Oregon and California will be tomatoes.
Minnesota will be green beans, Iowa, west 7 feet peas, east 13 feet potatoes.
Idaho, Tomatoes and peppers, Montana, peas. north 3 feet is garlic planted last fall.
Wyoming, north 7 feet is perennial asparagus, chives and thyme. south end, potatoes.
Colorado and Kansas, north end squash and corn, south end potatoes.
Missouri, North to south, radishes, dill, spinach and lettuce.
Texas, Sunflowers on the north edge, carrots in the south west, onions in the southeast.
Maine, green beans and potatoes.  Illinois, perennial strawberries.  Louisiana, cucumbers.
Indiana, broccoli, Ohio, cabbage north, lettuce south. Pennsylvania, potatoes
New York, carrots in the north, onions in the south.
     Details and changes will come as I do the planting.

Squash, peas and compost

     2nd day after the first quarter.  Indoors I started 3 pots of American Seed table squash, and 5 pots of last year's table queen squash.  They did well last year, planted directly in the ground, late May.
     Outside, I planted the south 15 feet of  Montana, and the west 7 feet of Iowa in FM Alaska early maturing peas.  Temp in mid 30's with no wind this AM, mid 50's, 10-20 mph SE wind this PM.  6 eggs.

     My daughter left a book here on her last visit, "Composting Inside and Out" by Stephanie Davies.  I've been composting for many years, and reaped the results for my garden, but haven't been as serious as I could be..  I sat out in the garden and read about half the book this afternoon. She explains the process and different methods suitable for city and country.  Composting is not just for gardeners.  I learned some new things about the process and the benefits of composting.  Just as gardening illustrates birth, maturing, dying and rebirth in a single year, composting illustrates the necessity of death and decomposition in the nurturing of continuing life.
     The second half of the book deals mainly with earthworms.  Ms. Davies is also known as the urban worm girl.  Who knows?  I may get serious about that too.

Spinach, lettuce, dill and laying mash

     In Missouri planted Burpee Black seeded Simpson lettuce in the south 3 feet, what was left of last years FM black seeded Simpson in the SE 1 foot of row.  Next 6 feet FM Bloomsdale long standing Spinach from last year's seed,  Next 5 feet Dill seed saved in 2010.  4 feet at the end of the bed not planted yet.
     Started feeding chickens the new 18% protien3-4% calcium, 0,7% phosphorus laying mash.  Cost $12.50 per 50 pounds.  The old mash cost $11.00/50 lbs and was 16% protein, 3.7-3.9% calcium and 0.45% phosphorus.  Don't see how we can improve on the 7 eggs most days with 8 hens, but we'll see.

Broccoli and cabbage started

     3rd day after the new moon.  Last night temps in the 20's, highs today in the 30's.  Wind 10-15 from the north.  Planted Burpee Waltham 29 broccoli in orange flats and Amer Seed early golden acre cabbage in white and black flats inside.
     2pm, still only in the mid 30's, still a cold breeze from the north.  The chives, strawberries and irises are showing some growth, but no other perennials.  2nd year carrots and garlic planted last fall haven't shown yet either.  I was going to plant lettuce and spinach outside, but I think I'll wait a few days.  At least the chickens seem happy.  It was a 7 egg day today.

4 eggs and 3 beds tilled

     Fourth day of the fourth quarter.  Partly cloudy today with light winds 10-15mph from the south.  High of 70 degrees with lows at night in the 50's.  From 4 to 5 pm, I tilled up Missouri for lettuce and spinach, (click on "Garden map and  US geography" above for locations) Montana for peas, and Iowa for carrots and potatoes.  Greens will be planted first quarter, peas the second quarter, carrots and potatoes the third.
     No chickens jumped my new 7 foot fence into the garden, and we got 4 eggs today!  I guess I can put my ax away.

Pigeon poop and poultry escapes

     Happy St Pat's day.  3rd day of the 4th quarter, Temps in the 70's and overcast.  Today was manure spreading day.  I worked from about noon to 5pm, but took lots of breaks.  Manure hauling is heavy work.  I got pigeon manure from our hayloft, and spread it on the asparagus, herbs, strawberries, garlic and the beds where I'll be planting the lettuce, spinach, peas and some of the carrots and potatoes.  I also raised the height of the fence between the garden and the chicken yard from about 5 feet to 7 feet.  If this doesn't keep the chickens out of the garden, I'll have to stand guard with a chicken hook and an ax.  (Don't tell the chickens I'm not serious about it, even though we only got one egg today..)

Garden Review 2011

     This was my garden in 2011.  Although there are still some problems with my drawing, I hope it's easier to read than the previous one.  From east to west, (top to bottom), it's about 90 feet.  From north to south,(left to right) it's about 40 feet.  The paths between beds are about 30 inches, and the beds, with some variation, are about 30 inches wide.  Although it may seem like a waste of space, it makes for easy access for weeding and planting, and is more pleasing to my eyes.  I usually have a table and a chair or two sitting on the northeast corner of the garden shed, where I can sip on my gin and tonic, and talk or sing to my plants.  The chickens are right behind me, so they often get in on the conversation.
   
     The U shaped bed in the NW corner had Russet Potatoes planted under straw.  Didn't work out that well.
     The 3 beds next to that were corn, acorn squash and string beans.  We got 2 meals of sweet corn, and the  squash did all right, but the beans were a bust.  The east end of the southern bed was carrot seed.  Did fine.
     The 2 beds east of that on the north edge of the garden were sunflowers, corn and dill, plus some volunteer kennebec potatoes from the year before.  The potatoes, sunflowers and dill did very well, and the corn was part of our 2 meals of sweet corn.
     The 6 beds just south of that, starting from the furthest east; bed 1 was corn, acorn squash and beans.  The beans did just fine, except for the ones with the corn and squash.  The squash also did OK.
     Bed 2 was California Wonder green peppers and Rutgers tomatoes.  We got a few nice green peppers, but I've never had good luck with green peppers.  I keep trying.  The tomatoes were OK, but nothing to write home about.
     Bed 3 is my perennial bed of asparagus, chives and thyme.  Never get that much asparagus, but the chives and thyme were fine.  Nothing planted in the south end of that bed.
     Bed 4 was peas.  Had 2 or 3 meals and froze 3 quarts.
     Bed 5 was carrots and onions.  Carrots always do well for me, Onions, so-so.
     Bed 6 was red potatoes.  So-so, but not as good as other years.
     The bed south of that was better boy tomatoes and cucumbers.  Cucumbers and tomatoes both did fine.  We ate many tomatoes through the summer, and with the rutgers tomatoes, we canned 8 or 10 quarts.
     The June bearing strawberry bed just east of that was in its second year.  Only got about 2 quarts, maybe better next year.
     The bed in the NW corner was carrot seed, (last years carrots) and green cabbage.  Got plenty of carrot seed for this year.  The cabbage was ok, but had some cabbage moth problems.  I'll do a better job of spraying with my garlic, red pepper, soap spray this year.
     In the 4 beds just south of that, the first 2 were russet potatoes.  Remind me not to plant russet potatoes again.  Extremely poor yield, compared to my kennebecs and yukon gold of the year before.
     Bed 3 was spinach, black seeded simpson lettuce, and peas.  Early crop was fine, but the later crops didn't do so well.
     Bed 4 was broccoli and spinach.  so-so.  Someday I'll raise a good crop of broccoli.
     We had radishes interplanted with something, but I don't remember where.  Radishes always do well, and I especially love the French breakfast radishes.  Saved some seed.
     A review of last year is necessary for this year's planning.  Wish me luck for 2012.

Spring preparation

     Happy St Urho's day!  2nd day of the 4th quarter.  Sunny, and the temerature has been in the 60's during the day, and the 30's at night.  The only snow left is on the north side of buildings and trees.  3 eggs from the hens today.  6 total since they strted laying this spring.
     From 6 to 7 pm I cleaned the mulch off the strawberries, carrot seed patch, the perennials, and the garlic I planted last fall.  In the next couple of days I'll clean up more and get prepared for planting lettuce and spinach in the first quarter, peas in the 2nd quarter, and potatoes, onions and carrots in the 3rd quarter.  Gardening by moon phases seems to work for me.  At least it keeps me on schedule.

Onions and eggs

     3rd day of the 3rd quarter.  Sunny, breeze of 5-10 mph, Low temp this morning about 28F.  at 3 pm it's 55.  Started a pot of onions from seeds saved from last years onions.
     My 8 hens got the winter off from laying, but yesterday I cleaned out their nests and put in new straw.  I also extended their day by turning the light on in the coop in late afternoon, and leave it on til 8 or 9 pm.  I'll run out of corn tomorrow, but have some of last year's laying mash which I'll start.  My efforts were rewarded by a blue egg this afternoon!  I don't expect more than 2 or 3 eggs a day, 'cause they're all in their 3rd to 5th year.  They also seem to enjoy being outside, even though their yard is covered by a foot of snow.

Tomatoes and peppers started

     I'm a little late, today is the first day of the full moon, and I should have started during the second quarter, but I've started 18 pots of FM Rutgers tomatoes in orange pots, 18 Burpees Super beefsteak in black, 8 pots of Burpee Calif wonder green peppers, 6 pots of last year's NK California Wonder seeds.
     It's 25 F degrees at 4pm, and a 10-15 mph wind. It snowed a little less than 1/2 inch today.  Overall snow cover is about 12 inches.
     I began this blog because my past garden records are sketchy.  I'm disorganized and tend to lose my notes.  Sometimes I lose my whole notebook.  It's worth a try to keep it on the www..