A Bountiful Supply of Eggs in our Future

     You know those old recipes that said, "add an egg if the hens are laying."  We had almost gotten to the point where we didn't have an egg for that recipe.  Sometimes I get the feeling we're running an old folk's home for poultry.  Yesterday, however, I found a listing on Craig's List advertising laying hens for sale.  I called, went up to her place north of Blackduck, and for $5 each I bought 5 pullets hatched this year, and 7 hens hatched last year.  She threw in 2 roosters for free.  Fertilized eggs are very low in cholesterol, right?  We'll soon be back to our healthy, egg-rich diet. 



Mr. Black is King of the Coop

The Hierarchy in the Coop

      Only Mr. Black knows how old he is, but he won't be abdicating his throne soon.  Bob, the one-year-old rooster pictured below tried to pull a coup for the Coop, but was unsuccessful.  The 1 year old speckled Auracanas behind him and the brown pullets on the left will be watching for future developments.


Bob looks a little bedraggled, but his time will come

In Other News

      I thought I'd throw in a picture of the 10 to 12 foot sunflowers as they've finally come into bloom.  We picked the first sweetcorn yesterday.  Tomorrow we'll be canning some tomatoes, and probably be eating our third baby watermelon.  The peas were done a while ago, the broccoli was plentiful, and done last week.  The cabbages have been very good, and are still coming.  We've had all the onions, carrots and potatoes we've needed, and most of the rest will go in the root cellar for winter.  The wild plums are late this year, as most things were, but should be ready in about a week.  They don't appear to be as plentiful as most years, but maybe we need a break from plum jelly.  We'll still have enough for in season snacks.
     Despite the late start, I'm happy with the results this far.  Of course the raccoons could hit tomorrow.  And the hail could hit next week.  Barring that or some other natural disaster, we should do OK this year.  And those are powerfully positive words for a Minnesotan.

Garden Plans- This year, good; Next year, Fantastic!

     This map may be helpful as a reference for the plans below.  It has also been added to my Garden Map and Geography page along with a map key and a description of plot sizes.  (Click on tag above for complete map information.)

 

 

Plans for Fall, 2013

 

First side done, second side primed and ready

Painting

     Use up the rest of the exterior paint on hand.  I still have about a half gallon of red and a gallon of white paint on hand.  That should be about enough to finish 2 sides of the chicken house and 3 sides of the garden house.  Wherever it ends, that will end my painting for this year.  To be continued next year.

 

2 cubic yards of manure if the springs hold up

 A Load or Two of Sheep Manure

     So far I've only used the chicken and pigeon poop produced on this farm, but I think it's time for an extra boost.  I now have a trailer for hauling and a friend with excess sheep manure.  The Fates are with me.

 

 

 

2 feet of snow outside, the boxes gave me an early start last spring

Greenhouse- Relocation with More Planting Boxes and More Shelves

     After the corn crop is harvested, I'll enlist the aid of a couple of grandsons to move the greenhouse from its current location on the north edge of the West Central Garden to its spot on the north end of the newly designated Greenhouse Garden.  The south end of that garden will be the outside spot where I move my planting boxes from the greenhouse when the weather warms up in the Spring. 

     The two boxes of lettuce and carrots worked well this year, so I plan to build more one foot by two foot boxes for next year.  More shelf space inside the greenhouse is also needed.
     There will be another posting on this topic when the project gets into full swing.

Root Cellar and Garden House Cleaning

     The root cellar needs a cleaning every year to prepare the spot to store those taters, carrots, onions, squash and whatever else we store for good eats in the winter.  The garden shed should be cleaned out more often, but it definitely needs it at least once a year.

Plan for 2014 Garden

     After reviewing past successes and failures, and past crop placement, I'll spend some time planning for a better year in 2014.

Plans for Fall that May get Put Off til Spring

 

     Not high on my priority list, but would be nice:

 

South Garden fence needs a little attention

New Gates and Fence Repair    

     The fence on the west side of the South Garden is in sorry shape and the only gate is through the South Poultry Yard.  It would be nice to be able to enter the garden without going through the chicken yard.  It would also be nice to have easier access to the main garden area close to the Chicken House.  Maybe this year, maybe next year.

Some work to be done yet on the new West Garden site

New West Garden Preparation

     The West Garden doesn't exist yet.  A fence needs to be torn down, a new section of fence with a gate needs to be built, a boxelder tree needs to be cut down, and a lot of site preparation needs to be done.  Maybe I'll get a start on that this fall.

 

 

Plans for Spring and Summer 2014

 

     Of course I'll be organizing and putting in the 2014 garden and continuing to work on the new West Garden, along with whichever fencing projects that didn't get done the previous Fall.  There are, however, a few other improvements I'd like to make.

Garden House Porch

     A simple porch type shelter on the east side of the Garden House would be a shady place to sit on warm sunny afternoons stirring my gin and tonic with a carrot while I commune with the vegetables and contemplate future gardening projects.

Painting, Water and Poultry

     Finish painting the Garden House and Chicken House, maybe start on the garage.
     Think a little more on the water reservoir project I started a year ago.
     Buy some new baby chicks or laying hens.  Egg production is down.

Before my 80th Birthday

 

     Renovate the hog house and remake the granary into a guest house.

     Re-roof and repaint the barn.

     If I don't get these things done by my 80th year, I'll probably just forget about them.  Or maybe not.  These are some things to think about while I'm sitting on my Garden House porch, stirring my gin and tonic with a freshly picked carrot.

10 foot sunflowers

The Lordly Sunflowers Towering over their Subjects



10 foot height, but just now thinking about forming flowers.



The first yellow flower just burst open today
 

Good Eats through the Summer


     Funny year this year.  The snow didn't go away until the first of May and the last frost, although a light frost, was on the 4th of June.  Except for two hot weeks in mid-July, the weather has been spring-like with lows in the 40's F, and highs in the 60's to low 70'sF.  That's been extremely good for the cool weather leafy crops like cabbage, broccoli, lettuce and spinach.  Not so great for warm weather crops like tomatoes and corn. 

one cabbage that survived the chicken invasion

     I'm not complaining, mind you.  We've certainly enjoyed the salads, cucumbers and cole slaw; the cooked cabbage, broccoli, spinach and carrots.  These have all been prolific this year.
     By the way, my concoction of garlic, cayenne pepper, and dishsoap marinated in water has kept the cabbage moths at bay.  No worms in our cabbage.  The trick is to spray it early, and after every rain or heavy dew.

Early Bantam sweetcorn, not so early

     We haven't had any corn or tomatoes yet, but we have immature cobs on the corn, and several orange and one almost red tomato.  With temperatures predicted to go into the 80'sF for the next week or two, I can already taste that butter-soaked corn on the cob and those tomato sandwiches.



14 inch diameter pumpkin, more on the way

     Remind me not to plant Buttercup squash again.  I meant to try Butternut, but ended up with Buttercup.  Too watery and tasteless for me, but the chickens seem to like them. 
     On the left is my biggest pumpkin so far, but they're still growing.  There are several green ones almost this big, with 2 months to go til Halloween.  Even if we get an early frost, we'll still have several nice ones.

     We've also been eating our red and Yukon gold potatoes.  The yield isn't as great as it could have been, but plenty for us.  We still have about 15 more hills yet to dig.  Yesterday I dug up the first two hills of Kennebec potatoes, and the yield was much better.  About 4 pounds to a hill and they're still growing.  There's about 50 or 60 hills of Kennebec yet to dig this fall, so we should have a good winter supply.

Tiger Lilies finally in Bloom

     Finally, for Amber's sister Kathy who was waiting for the tiger lilies to bloom last week, but had to return home to Texas last Sunday, here they are.  (Orange ones in the center)



More gardening, less blogging

     I haven't written anything here since mid-May, but I have been out in the garden.  We've had lots of lettuce; spinach as both a salad and as a cooked vegetable; some early red potatoes grown in the greenhouse; carrots from the greenhouse; and a few young carrots started outside.  We had our first meal of broccoli last week, and of course radishes.

 

3 sisters

     The jungle shown above is the 3 sisters garden. It's a 14 foot diameter circle with corn, beans to climb the corn stalks and squash for a ground cover.  Behind that is a backdrop of 6 foot sunflowers.

 

East Garden

     This is the East garden, formerly known as NY, PA, AL and GA.  From back to front is sweet corn, pumpkin, cucumbers, broccoli with cabbage peeking up in the front.  These are the same cabbage that the chickens ate the day after I transplanted them, but they mostly recovered, and are only a little behind the ones I planted in the South garden.  The blank space is where the green beans didn't sprout.  We should have a second meal of broccoli this week or next.

 

South Garden

     This is the South garden, formerly known as Puerto Rico and Martinique.  The Kennebec potatoes on the right continue another 15 feet to the right.  In spite of being planted late, they're doing well, and some are starting to flower.  To the left of the potatoes is  cabbage which  should be ready in about 2 weeks; beets, not too long now; acorn squash for fall; and carrots that will come soon.  Out of sight to the left are 2 watermelon plants.  The vines are growing well, but no blossoms yet. 

 

Potatoes not so great

     In front of the greenhouse are tomatoes, a few small green ones and lots of blossoms.  In front of those are red and Yukon gold potatoes.  They look stunted, so the yield will probably be low compared to the Kennebecs in the South garden.  The white flowery plants on the right are radishes.  The flowers will produce seed pods which are great in a salad.

 

Recycled Futon Frame

     The North garden, formerly known as MN, has 5 foot sunflowers in the back and tomatoes in the front.  The tomato cage pictured is made from the frame of Jeremiah's old futon.  I love it when things recycle so easily.

 

Garlic, Carrots, Peas and Onions

     On the north side of the 3 sisters and the sunflowers are these garlic and carrots.  I'll be cutting those seed pods off the garlic for a salad tomorrow or the next day.  We've eaten some of the carrots, but they're still only 5 to 6 inches long and not very thick.  They'll be better in a few weeks.  To the right of the carrots are peas.  We'll have the first of them for supper either tomorrow or the next day.  Behind the garlic are onions I started in the greenhouse, and more that I sewed directly in the garden.

     Not pictured is the California garden, which is half corn and squash, and half spinach, with a little lettuce.  As we've eaten all the spinach and lettuce, I've tilled up that half.  I'll probably plant some more spinach and lettuce in that space.  Also not pictured is the strawberry patch and the asparagus patch, which both came in late and feeble.  Both are full of weeds now, and don't look very pretty.

     In spite of, or maybe because of a few disappointments and the late start this spring, the small successes are giving me plenty of enjoyment.  I will eventually be getting those weeds out of the asparagus and the strawberries.

My World of Gardening as of May 19



The stick in the soup can shows a quarter inch of rain, more or less

RAIN GAUGE AND TATERS

     The snow is gone and the ground is warm, so I was busy from Wednesday the 15th of May until Sunday, the 19th.   Under the straw, directly behind my soup-can rain gauge wired to the fence, is the Yukon gold and the red potatoes I planted on Wednesday.  Nothing is planted yet in the area between the straw and the green house.

3 Sisters; Corn, Beans and Squash

THREE SISTERS GARDEN

     This picture shows the start of the 3 Sisters garden, a 14 foot diameter circle.  Around each stake a hill of corn surrounded by pole beans has been planted.  Later I'll be putting in some squash plants.  The pole beans will climb the corn stalks, and add nitrogen to the soil, while the squash vines will provide ground cover.  Behind the 3 Sisters garden are some sunflowers, 2 rows of peas, some carrots, onions and garlic.  Not shown here, but further east in PA and NY, early sweet  corn was planted.

Lettuce is ready, carrots coming soon

PLANTING BOXES

     The 1'x2' box in the front is 1/2 transplanted carrots and 1/2 carrot seed   The same sized box in the back is leaf lettuce.  The carrots were started in the house on March 29, and transplanted to the box in the greenhouse on April 28.  More carrot seed was planted in the other half of the box on April 28.  The lettuce was started in the greenhouse on April 13, and has been supplying us with salad since the second week in May.  I moved the boxes outside on May 19.  With some minor changes, which I'll describe when I build them, I'm planning to make more boxes like this for next spring.

COMING SOON
     After the full moon on May 24, I'll be planting more potatoes, carrots, onions and beets.  I'll also be transplanting the broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes, peppers, watermelon, cucumbers, squash, pumpkins and flowers from the greenhouse to the garden.  Depending on the room I have left, I'll probably also buy a few more plants.   Lord willing and the creek don't rise, ALMOST everything will be in the ground by the first of June.

Garden Plan 2013

     It's May 11 and there was a coating of snow on the yard and garden when I woke up this morning.  Right on top of the spinach I planted yesterday in California.  No harm done, just a slow start for germination, but I kinda hope it doesn't snow in June.  Sorry, but no pictures.  It all melted by noon.
     In the fall of 2012 I changed my over-all plan generally from beds of 20 feet by 2 1/2 feet, 50 square feet, to plots of approximately 112 to 126 square feet.  My reasoning was two-fold.  1) Too much grass on the edge of the beds tended to creep into the garden, and 2) it gave me more useable growing space.  I still haven't decided where I'm going to plant what, but I'll update as I go.

Main Garden, 2013

     Buildings are outlined in red, chicken yards have sketches of red chickens, fences are lines with X's, grassy areas are indicated by grass symbols, and garden plots by rectangles with state abbreviations.    
     Puerto Rico and Martinique are not shown on this map.  They are located south of the chicken coop and yard, and contain about 480 square feet.  More detail is available by clicking on "Garden Map and Geography" at the top of this page.

California Plot, 2013

     In 2011 and 2012, I had 3 plots, each 8' by 2 1/2 feet, named Washington, Oregon and California.  In 2013 I combined them into a new plot named California, 9 feet by 15 feet.  Crops planted in 2011 and 2012 were as follows:
                                                                                                                                    E
                                                                                                                                N +  S
                             2011                                                                      2012                W
                                                                                                                                                        
|           Corn           Corn          Corn               |       |             S                G                Hungarian    |
|                                                                       |       |             p                 o                    Wax          |
|          Squash        Squash      Squash          |       |              i                 u                   Pepper       |
|                                                                       |       |             n                 r                                      |
|               &                &                &                 |       |             a                 d                    Tomato     |
|           Beans           Beans        Beans          |       |             c                 s                                      |
|                                                                       |       |             h                                        Tomato    |

     In 2013 I covered the plot with manure and straw from the chicken coop and tilled it up.  On May 10, I planted the South 7 feet in Spinach, Burpee Bloomsdale Long Standing.  On the West half of that, I put about 10# of commercial compost directly in the spinach furrows, whereas on the east half I sprinkled about 10# on top after I planted.
     As I have more activities in the California plot, I will add them to this Post.

No Snowstorm here

     Sorry about all that snow you guys are getting down South.  Winter Storm Achilles missed us completely here in Northern Minnesota. 


May 2, snow finally gone

     The plants are all in the greenhouse now.  On nights when it looks like the temperature will go down to freezing or below, I turn on a supplementary electric heater as a precautionary move.  Last Sunday and Monday I re-potted the cabbage and broccoli and planted radishes and potatoes in the greenhouse.  I also tried transplanting the carrots I started earlier into half of a 1'x2' planting box, planting carrot seed in the other half.
     We are now gathering plenty of eggs.  Two days after I switched the chickens from corn to laying mash, they started laying four to five eggs a day instead of one or two.  Next week it's time to clean the henhouse and put in new straw.

Coming Soon

     The moon is in the fourth quarter on May 2nd, so besides cleaning the chicken coop, I plan to get manure down in the garden and till up the area where I'll soon be planting early crops like greens and root crops.  I also hope to get some weeding done in the perennials.  Lord willing, we'll see a little rise in temperatures and I'll start to plant some hardy crops outside at the new moon on May 9th.

Thursday Morning Update

     Yesterday I turned the heater off in the greenhouse during the day, and forgot to turn it back on in the evening.  It was a stupid move, as the heater is thermostatically controlled, and turns off anyway when the temperature gets up to about 40 degrees F.  Anyway, the temperature last night was a few degrees below freezing, about 28 F, and I lost some tomatoes, and squash.  I may have to add starting a few new plants to my schedule in the next week.
     On a more positive note, my friend Dean stopped over today and left me some beautiful plants.  He gets his seeds from Heirloom Seeds (www.heirloomseeds.com), and does a wonderful job starting them off.  The tomato in the center is a "black from Tula", originating from the Ukraine.  I forgot the name of the pepper on the left and the basil on the right, but I'll get those next time I see Dean.  He's going to bring me more tomatoes next week to replace some of those I lost.  Win some, lose some, it all balances out.

My Lunar Gardening Guide and Potatoes in the Snow

"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.  A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;"
     Ecclesiastes 3:1-2.

     The most obvious effect of the moon's gravity on the earth is the raising of the ocean tides.  The logic of gardening by the moon is based on the effects of the moon's light and gravity on the moisture, microbes and other matter contained in the soil.  The pull of gravity is greatest during the full moon and the new moon.  Of course the light is greatest during the full moon.  Farmers throughout the ages have observed the effects of the moon on their planting, cultivating and harvesting activities and developed some guidelines.  I generally try to follow these guidelines for several reasons:
     1) I tend to respect the wisdom of those who came before me.
     2) the moon calendar helps keep me on a schedule, making it difficult to postpone things.
     3) It makes me feel in touch with the wider universe and the continuity of life.

General Lunar Guidelines

During the New Moon and Waxing Crescent- best time to plant flowers, leafy vegetables and plants with exposed seed.  Ex: lettuce, cabbage, broccoli and grain including corn.
During the Second Quarter and Waxing Gibbous- best time to plant vegetables with enclosed seed.  Ex: tomatoes, beans, peas, squash and melons.
During the Full Moon and Waning Gibbous- best time to plant for root development.  Ex: potatoes, carrots, beets, radishes, onions and transplanting.
During the Fourth Quarter and Waning Crescent- best time for tilling, cultivating and harvesting for storage.

     There's a lot more to gardening with the moon, but these are the basics and my general guidelines.  Of course there are times when other factors prevent me from religiously following these guidelines.  At those times I just punt and do what I can when I can.  Life is oft times a crap shoot.

Poultry Report

     Looking at last year's calendar, I saw that egg production jumped quickly from 6 or 8 eggs a week to 40 or 50 eggs a week after I switched the hen's diet from corn to laying mash.  Hoping for the same results, last Tuesday I splurged and spent $16.11 on a 50 pound sack of laying mash.  I've still got the same 8 hens that I had last year, and they look as healthy as ever.  So come on girls, let's go!

     I'm considering getting a new rooster this year, so we can produce some new chicks.  These hens are between 4 and 6 years old, and will have to slow down some time.

Plans for the Coming Week or Two 



Part of 2'x8' area to start potatoes and radishes

Lettuce and Spinach started sprouting

Full Moon April 25th
    There's still close to 2 feet of snow on the garden, but the soil under the greenhouse is warming up nicely and the short range forecast is showing temperatures only going down to freezing with highs in the 45 to 70 F range, I'm planning to start some radishes, carrots and a few hills of red potatoes inside the greenhouse.  I want potatoes by the fourth of July!

     There will also be more re-potting of plants started in the house, and most of them will soon be moved to the greenhouse.
Last Quarter May 2nd
     After next week, if most of the snow cover disappears from the garden, It will be time to clean the chicken coop and put it and the pigeon poop in the compost and the garden.  If I'm lucky, I may even be able to do some tilling, but that's just a pipe dream for now.

 

 



Re-potting pumpkins, squash and tomatoes

     I re-potted the cherry and beefsteak tomatoes, and the pumpkin and squash from saved seed today.  Transplanting is best done during the 3rd quarter after the full moon to encourage root growth, but mostly you have to transplant when they're ready.  I couldn't wait any longer for these pumpkins, squash and tomatoes,  as they were just too big and crowded.  Hopefully it will be warm enough to move most of them out to the greenhouse soon.  I'll have more to re-pot in the next 2 weeks, and it's getting crowded in the house.

"I beg your pardon,---would you like to see my garden?

It's really quite fantastic, don't you know.

It's filled with dreams,---and hopes and plans and schemes.

And waits patiently beneath two feet of snow."



Garden on April 20th

The Snow WILL melt, really

     After 2 weeks of overcast skies, the sun finally came out today.  We still have 2 feet of snow everywhere, but the ground is showing through where I shoveled my path to the greenhouse. 
     My friends tell me the maple sap isn't running yet this year.  It's no wonder as we only have a few hours in the afternoon when the temperature gets barely above freezing.  It should start running soon though, as the mid-range weather forecast is for highs in the 40's and lows in the mid to high 20's.  At that rate the snow should be off the garden by early May, about 2 months later than last year.  Looks like a short season.  I can probably forget about the cantaloupe.

 

Blessings for the coming year 



     I'm still looking forward to celebrating the successes and learning from the failures of this coming year.  The hours I'll spend planting, spreading compost and poop, weeding, and sitting in my lawn chair watching the garden grow will be the joy that can only be brought by another year on the farm.  Did I mention the good eats?
     Enjoy the mud when it comes and watch out for the high water.

Don't forget the cole slaw!

     Whoops!  Last day of the waxing crescent moon, and I almost forgot to start the cabbage and broccoli!  How can we have those marvelous summer picnics without some of that savory cole slaw that Amber makes so well?  So I started the broccoli and cabbage in the house today.

Brand              Type of Plant                     Days to      Days to            Comments
                                                                  Germinate   Harvest
Am Seed       cabbage, early golden acre        5-7           60-65       same seed as last year
Am Seed       broccoli, calabrese                   10-21           70          same seed as last year

     Named for a pic-a-nic basket stealing bear, Winter Storm Yogi is coming through tonight and tomorrow.  He may drop a few inches of snow, but he can't ruin my plans for summer pic-a-nics.

Greens, herbs and flowers in the snow

     After predictions of 7 to 12 inches of snow, winter storm Xerxes left us with just a little over 2 inches last night.  Last week when I wrote "One last taste of winter,"  I guess I was premature.  Now they're talking about winter storm Yogi coming.  Nevertheless, I planted the spinach and lettuce in the greenhouse last Saturday, and started flowers and herbs in the house today.

Lettuce and Spinach in these boxes

     The planting boxes pictured above are 2x6 pine boards nailed together with chicken wire stapled to the bottom.  A layer of dry grass on top of the chicken wire  holds in the soil above it, while cardboard dividers separate different types of plants.


Snow slides of the steep roof as planned

     The greens listed below were planted in the greenhouse on Saturday, April 13.
                                                       Days to            Days to
Brand     Plant name               Germination       Harvest       Comments
                Lettuce
Burpee    Black seeded Simpson     7-14                   45             seed bought 2007
NK          Black seeded Simpson     7-14                   45             seed bought 2012
Amer seed  Grand Rapids                10-14              40-60          seed bought 2010
Burpee     Green Ice                         7-10                   45             seed bought 2010
                 Spinach
NK           Correnta Hybrid              7-14                   45             seed bought 2010

        Today, Monday, I started the following flowers and herbs in the house.

                  Flowers
Burpee      Phlox                               11-21          spring bloom
Burpee      impatiens (hybrid)           18-28         summer bloom
Amer Ch  babys breath                        10              quick bloom
Am Seed  petunia                                  ?                                       mixed colors
Am Seed  zinnia                                 6-10           continu bloom  dwarf, mixed color
saved seed  marigold                                                                      seed saved 2010
Am Seed   marigold, lemondrop         7-10
Am Seed   marigold, crackerjack        7-10                                    mixed color
Am Seed   daisy, Alaska Shasta         15-21                                   white, perennial
Am Seed   cosmos, mixed color         10-15
                  Herbs
saved seed  basil                                                                             seed saved in 2010
Am Seed    parsley, moss curled            14               70-75
NK             dill, ducat                          21-25     
Burpee       Fennel, Florence                                      60-90
Burpee       Rosemary                          14-21             90-400
Burpee       oregano                             10-21             90-200

      As I continue to prepare for the time when the soil is warm, I will keep looking for spring's first greening, as she bravely struggles up through the snow.  If you see her before I do, tell her I'm here waiting.

One last taste of Winter

     Another inch or so of heavy, wet snow to add to the inch or so we got 2 nights ago.  I know everybody in the northern half of the country is tired of snow, but ain't it perdy when it clings to the spruce trees and that crabapple tree in the foreground?  Those black spruce were planted a little over a hundred years ago, when this place was originally homesteaded.  They go almost all the way around the house, and make a picturesque backdrop for the farmstead.

     The onions sprouted 2 days ago, and a few carrots are just starting to sprout.  They're inside of course, but I'm still going to plant some greens out in the greenhouse by the end of the week. 
     I'll have to talk to the chickens as there's been no eggs for the last two days.  They shouldn't feel so gloomy just because the sky's been overcast for a while.  Maybe I should sing to them.  Anybody know any good chicken songs?
     Enjoy the snow, but keep your feet dry and watch your step on those icy sidewalks.

Chickens outside and seeds sprouting inside

 

 Poultry Picnic Time

     The chickens have been going outside for the last few days in these balmy 30 to 40 degree temperatures.  They didn't go out before that because the snow was up against their door.  Now there's a narrow path of mud and dry grass next to their house.  Hopefully a few bugs or worms are hiding just below the surface.

"I think I saw a stinkbug down there."

Spring is sprung, the sprouts is riz; I wonder where the grubworms iz.

     The two tan containers on the right contain squash and pumpkin.  The sprouts are from seeds I saved from the 2010 crop, and the cells on the right that haven't sprouted are from seed packets purchased in 2010.  The black containers on the left are tomatoes.  If they all look a little pale and spindly, it's because I just got them out of their dark sprouting place.  A few days in the light will do them a world of good.  The cucumbers, peppers and melons haven't sprouted yet.

     After the long winter's sleep, I am renewed each spring when I see the first signs of rebirth.  Every season of the year has wonderful gifts for us, and spring's first gift is the promise of life's continuity.

Plant your taters on Good Friday

     As you can see, I won't be getting the potatoes in real soon.  When I learned that adage,  I lived in the St. Paul area.  Have you guys down there got your potatoes in yet?  Maybe this year you have to be in Texas to get potatoes in this soon.

     I did, however, get a chance to start some root crops inside today.

Onion    Ferry-Morse Sweet Spanish Yellow Utah Jumbo   Germ-10-12 days   Harvest-115 days
Carrot    Burpee          Nantes 1/2 long                                Germ-14-21 days   Harvest-70 days

     Except for one time in the 1970's, I've always grown my onions from sets.  I've never started carrots from seed before, nor have I heard of anyone else doing it. Don't know if they trans-plant well or not, but it's worth a try.  We don't have any carrots left from last year, and we're very fond of carrots here.
     I was going to plant some radishes in the green-house, but they're still predicting nights down to 0 degrees F in the next week or so.  Besides, I don't have any greens to go with them.  I am planning to start some greens in the green-house at the next new moon in two weeks, and my radishes at the next full moon in about 4 weeks.  That way they should come in at the same time, about the end of May.

Poultry 

    Two weeks ago, the ladies in the hen house were giving me an egg every third day or so.  Now it's one almost every day.  That should mean 5 or 6 a day within the next two weeks.  In spite of last year's failure, I'll probably let one or two setty hens try hatching some out again this year after I get a new rooster.

     'Til next time, may your seeds germinate and may your flowers bloom.  And may your chickens be smiling.

Planting 2013, 25 March - 2nd Moon, Waxing Gibbous

First Planting in the house on March 25.  All from seed on hand.

Brand             Plant Name     Days to        Days to    Comments
                                               Germination Harvest
                        WATERMELON
Am Seed         Crimson Sw       3-10            60-65         Round, striped, 20-25 lbs
                        CANTELOPE
Am Seed          Imperial 45        5-10              87
                        CUCUMBER
Burpee             Pick-a-lot hybrid 7-14            54             Pickling
Ferry-Morse    Straight 8             8                 60            Pickling & slicing
                        PUMPKIN
Ferry-Morse    Jack-o-lantern   10-15        100-115       Last year turned orange about Oct 15
           ?                    ?             SEED SAVED 2010       Productive, did very well in 2010
                        SQUASH
Ferry-Morse     Acorn, Table Q 7-10          58-75
        ?               Acorn, Table Q  SEED SAVED 2010   Good quality and quantity in 2010
                         PEPPERS
Northrup King  Calif wonder     10-12            75
Cal wonder sw  Burpee              10-21            75
                         TOMATO
Am Seed           Rutgers             15-20          55-60
Am Seed           Beefsteak          15-20          55-60
Am Seed           Red cherry        15-20          55-60       

Planting time

     It's the first quarter of the second lunar month.  Time to plant, inside of course, the fruits that bear above the ground. Like tomatoes, squash, cucumbers and melons.  So I checked on the seeds that  I should have inventoried during the winter, and I had what I needed.  Then I realized my planting pots and such were in the garden shed.  A 50 foot run through a little over 2 feet of snow separated them from me.  3 fifteen minute sessions of shoveling got me to my recycled pots and potting soil.


50 feet of snow 'twixt me and the gardening supplies

     After washing the pots with soapy water and rinsing them in a solution of 1/2 gallon of water to 1/4 cup of bleach, I was ready for planting.  I didn't want to repeat last year's error of not cleaning them well enough, and watching my tomatoes wilt in their starting pots. 



This year they're sterilized
 

     Supper's ready.  Lasagna, m-m.  Planting will wait 'til tomorrow.



Late Winter

     It's a 50 meter trek from the steps of the house to the little red chicken coop in the background of this photo.  Although it's difficult to see, there is a narrow path laboriously shoveled from the house  through the 2 feet of snow to the coop.  I take this path every day to visit with the 8 chickens while they eat their lunch.  I bought another 100 pounds of corn in January that will last until they start laying again in March or so. They also get leftover vegetables, rice and potatoes from the house to provide a little variety in their winter diet.  Except for a fluke, when one of our hens laid 3 eggs the last week of January, which were frozen by the time I picked them, there's been no egg production since November.  Those lovely hens are, however, producing fertilizer that along with the pigeon poop from the barn, will help produce next year's vegetables.



THE LONG TREK

 WE BECKON THEE, OH SPRING!

     The only thing we've got left in the larder from last year's garden is a couple of squash, and some canned tomatoes, and a few jars of wild plum jelly.  I hope to do a little better next year.  The year before we had carrots and frozen green beans until the new crop started coming in.  And the potatoes lasted until January, instead of just until November.  With the new greenhouse for starting plants, I eagerly await thee oh spring.  With the days lengthening, and the temperatures coming up to almost freezing during the day, I can just about taste those first stalks of asparagus.  Each year is a re-birth with hope springing eternal.