|
|
Post by azlonerider on May 6, 2012 23:51:26 GMT -4
|
|
|
|
Post by leatherneckpa on May 7, 2012 9:51:41 GMT -4
Andy, you'll be very lucky if you can get any of your Australorp hens to set a nest of eggs. You don't strike me as the type to buy/use a commercial incubator. Look into the possibility of finding/buying one or two Silkie hens if you really want to have success hatching your own. I made the mistake this winter of not letting one of my Gold-Laced Wyandottes set her nest and now that the weather has warmed up I can't get a bird to sit any of them.
|
|
|
|
Post by leatherneckpa on May 7, 2012 9:56:11 GMT -4
We don't have a whole lot of front yard to begin with. In fact, right now, we don't have a whole lot of land period. We're right in the neighborhood of a quarter acre. And on that quarter acre is our house, a concrete driveway, a defunct in-ground pool, our veggie garden, the hen house and yard, and a little space left for the dogs to be outside. I have become increasingly determined that anything I do here must contribute to the quality of life. And in my book, mowing grass does NOT do that. So I decided that this year we'll convert the front yard into a combination fruit/veggie/herb garden, sort of like the old cottage gardens. Since I got back from FL I have been building and filling a raised bed to contain our new berry patch. Yesterday we finally planted it. This is what it looks like from our bedroom window.  Those octagon shaped box joints were the part that I was complaining about not being able to get to work last weekend. But I figured it out, by golly! The 2x12 cross in the center is so we don't have to walk on the soil or plants to harvest berries or tend the plants. You should never walk on the soil inside a raised bed as it compacts it, which defeats the purpose of the bed. I went with a raised bed for this because these plants need a well drained soil with a pretty high pH, around 4.5 or so. Here's a better look at it.  The two big bushes are blueberries. There are two more centered in each of the front quadrants, but you can barely see them. I figure the front ones are first year plants. The back two are second or third year plants and I expect that we will probably harvest a few berries from them this year. Spaced around the blueberry bushes are a half-dozen strawberry plants per quad. You can see that some of them actually already have berries on them. They should fill in the empty space below the blueberries quite nicely. All that's left to do now is rig some bird netting to keep the birds from eating our berries before we can. When all is said and done I expect to be able to harvest 60 - 80 lbs of blueberries and 50 - 75 lbs of strawberries each year. We'll be able to make more than enough jam for our use and have a whole pile of berries in the freezer for things like muffins, pancakes, and pies. If you look at the first picture, in the upper right hand corner, you can see a little space between the sidewalk and the driveway. There are going to be two rhubarb plants going in there today. |
|
|
|
Post by azlonerider on May 7, 2012 23:02:15 GMT -4
Mike,
We have Rhode Island Reds and Barred Plymouth Rocks and the chickens, we've had a couple of both the RIR's and the Barred Rocks get broody so I'm hoping one from this batch will as well.
I like what you're doing to your yard... I have a policy to only plant what will produce food, so I really like what you're doing.
|
|
|
|
Post by nhlivefreeordie on May 8, 2012 8:26:39 GMT -4
Good job Mike! I know what you mean about space, we have a lot more than you do here, and it isn't enough.
Andy I follow that same rule, if it doesn't feed me or cure me, it doesn't get planted.
|
|
|
|
Post by azlonerider on May 17, 2012 23:06:34 GMT -4
Hi guys...and Julie! LOL.
This is Trudy on Andy's laptop....he is out fishing this evening and I am home enjoying a quiet house but looking forward to my precious husband coming home.
I thought since no one has said anything lately I would post and maybe someone will post back. LOL.
I seriously can't believe we are move then half thru May. Good grief. Our sweet daughter graduated last week from nursing school and is currently looking for a job and starting to study for her state license. This weekend we are having a graduation party! Should be interesting, we have never had so many people to our house at once. Hopefully a good time will be had by all....and I am not crazy by the end of the weekend. LOL.
I am loving spending time in the garden every morning for at least a few minutes to pull any weeds. I am so excited that this year all our tomato and bell pepper plants are from seed. We have never successfully (till this year) grew things from seed. We also started basil, a couple hot peppers and chives (which aren't doing well...but the ones that were there last year have come back really well). We have corn (didn't start growing well till we thumbed our noses at it and swore we would never plant corn again), green beans, zuchinni and crook neck squash, sunflowers, lettuce, cumumbers, 3 different kinds of tomatoes, artichoke, butternut squash, onions, luffa's, blackberries, elderberries and several different herbs. Oh, and we just planted pole beans and watermelon around the corn.
Hopefully one day very soon our chickens will start laying. We have gotten one really tiny egg a week or so ago. Andy pretty much threats the chickens every day that he is going to eat them if they don't start laying in the next couple weeks. LOL. They are just over 20 weeks old.
Oh, and I am loving having the shade cover in the garden...to it makes you want to go into the garden. We have borrowed some out door benches and a swing from my inlaws for the party....we already don't want to give the swing back, we have it under the tree next to the garden. The other day we had the wind or something do damage to the kids current trampoline and while Andy was fixing it he was saying how he would like to turn it into another shade cover for the garden. LOL.
Tomorrow we are going finish working on a horse area, something we have talked about doing for a while but got our butts moving on it since the party is happening. Always seems to be something to keep us busy and not bored. LOL.
How are you guy's gardens going? Done any interesting projects lately?
Mike, I am surprised at how small an area you live on. I thought that you had this huge yard. When I found out I told Andy....but he has all these chickens and....he kind of laughed at me.
One of these days Wayne I so want to come see your gardens! And Julie (if you are around LOL)...how is your new business coming along? Do you plan to go full time with it soon?
Come on guys....tell me you are alive!!!
|
|
|
|
Post by Martin on May 18, 2012 18:55:19 GMT -4
I seriously can't believe we are move then half thru May. Good grief. Our sweet daughter graduated last week from nursing school and is currently looking for a job and starting to study for her state license. This weekend we are having a graduation party! Should be interesting, we have never had so many people to our house at once. Hopefully a good time will be had by all....and I am not crazy by the end of the weekend. LOL. Very cool! It's a great profession, there are a lot of nurses in my family, and soon, our first doctor. I am loving spending time in the garden every morning for at least a few minutes to pull any weeds. I am so excited that this year all our tomato and bell pepper plants are from seed. We have never successfully (till this year) grew things from seed. We also started basil, a couple hot peppers and chives (which aren't doing well...but the ones that were there last year have come back really well). We have corn (didn't start growing well till we thumbed our noses at it and swore we would never plant corn again), green beans, zuchinni and crook neck squash, sunflowers, lettuce, cumumbers, 3 different kinds of tomatoes, artichoke, butternut squash, onions, luffa's, blackberries, elderberries and several different herbs. Oh, and we just planted pole beans and watermelon around the corn. Congrats on the garden, this is the only year in many years that I didn't start plants from seed because I've felt like crap lately, but i did buy a few plants today, so all is not lost. Hopefully one day very soon our chickens will start laying. We have gotten one really tiny egg a week or so ago. Andy pretty much threats the chickens every day that he is going to eat them if they don't start laying in the next couple weeks. LOL. They are just over 20 weeks old. It's kind of the same as the 'watched pot never boils" deal...it seems like it takes forever and a day for new hens to start laying. LOL Oh, and I am loving having the shade cover in the garden...to it makes you want to go into the garden. We have borrowed some out door benches and a swing from my inlaws for the party....we already don't want to give the swing back, we have it under the tree next to the garden. The other day we had the wind or something do damage to the kids current trampoline and while Andy was fixing it he was saying how he would like to turn it into another shade cover for the garden. LOL. The old trampoline to shade cover conversion is a clever idea. ~Martin |
|
|
|
Post by leatherneckpa on May 19, 2012 12:04:18 GMT -4
Trudy, I know how you feel. Sad to say, but this forum is almost the extent of my social life. When it dies down like this I have serious withdrawal issues.
Way cool on the daughter. I am STILL waiting for Harrisburg to send me my teacher's license. I submitted it on Feb 2nd. So yesterday I probably lit a fire under somebody. I sent requests to both my state rep and my state senator to see if they would find out why it's taking over four months to clear my license.
Our garden is coming along better than in many years before, since I am now home to help tend it instead of being out of state somewhere on a job. Peas may have gone in a little late, oh well. Beans are up and running. Cindy started all the seed plants on May 1st, way too late IMO, but better than not at all. Our local garden center had fruit trees on sale for 33% off last week and I bought the last two peach and two of the last three cherry. This week they were 50% off so I bought two pears to round out the orchard. That should be it for fruit trees.
I'm figuring we'll take all of our seedlings out to harden them off next week and then put the in the garden Memorial Day weekend. I bought enough soaker hoses to cover all of the garden beds plus the berry patch.
I built a wheelbarrow screen last night. It's a box made of 2x6's that measures a little over 2'x2'. It sits on top of my wheelbarrow while I shovel dirt out of the holes for the fruit trees. I have found that my holes are about 10% rock and 90% dirt. This way I sift out the rocks and the dirt that goes back in around the fruit trees is nice and friable.
Well, time to go dig a couple more fruit trees in. I planted one of the peaches last night after the box was done and I want to get all five remaining ones in the ground this weekend. Stay safe y'all.
|
|
|
|
Post by leatherneckpa on May 19, 2012 18:25:51 GMT -4
Well, four trees planted so far. I have two more to do tomorrow. The only down side to any of it is that the smallest cherry tree was short enough that the hens could jump up and snatch leaves from the lowest branches. Once it grows some, this winter, I'll prune it higher so that won't happen any more.
|
|
|
|
Post by leatherneckpa on May 20, 2012 9:13:52 GMT -4
My DW is a world-class contender when it comes to sleeping in. So when I woke up this morning I decided that I could probably get the two remaining fruit trees planted before she dragged her butt out of bed. And I was right.
The orchard now consists of six fruit trees; 2 peach, 2 cherry, and 2 pear. I have fruit on the 2 peach and the 2 pear. Nothing visible on the cherry as yet. And while I was working my mind was wandering, as it usually does. Fortunately it has always found it's way beck to me.) I stumbled upon next month's article. Imagine that.
|
|
|
|
Post by luvtohomeschool on May 20, 2012 18:31:03 GMT -4
Yeah, glad someone is out there in cyberland. LOL.
This morning I found a freaking chicken in my garden. Tomorrow we are clipping wings. We have a couple that like to jump up on things. She ate a strawberry and a few more that was ready to pick....that I had just looked at a little bit before and thought "oh, I will pick that in just a little bit when Andy and I come back out here". UGH.
We have another chicken that is walking really funny.
Martin, we have never had success with seeds in the house. Don't beat yourself up about buying plants, just enjoy the gardening were and how you can.
Mike...good for you planting all the trees. My grandparents had a big cherry tree when I was young. I have never been one to sleep in and especially anymore, I could have been a farmer's wife with the "early to bed, early to rise thinking." LOL. Andy and the kids laugh at me wanting to go to bed early or just plain passing out in the front room if I sit still.
We survived Ashley's party. We have never had so many people to our house at one time. I wish I would have taken more photos and got to visit with everyone more. Today has been one of recovering our house and our bodies. I think before we head off to church I will make some strawberry ice cream in the ice cream maker. This week Jake and I will be attending a VBS style program on creation thru our homeschool group. Hope you guys have an awesome Sunday!
|
|
|
|
Post by leatherneckpa on May 21, 2012 7:06:00 GMT -4
Why do you never have a camera/video when you want one? I've said before that chicken antics can be more entertaining than television and yesterday proved it again. I went outside to let the dogs in and happened to look down toward the hens. (Kind of hard not to.) Two of the trees I planted are just about 4' tall, with leaves down as low as about 2' high. Or at least, there used to be leaves down that low. There were a half dozen chickens down under the low branches and they had learned that they could just barely snatch leaves if they hopped up and stretched their necks. Watching chickens hop for leaves is as much fun as watching the hot dog grab at a motorcycle rodeo.
|
|
|
|
Post by nhlivefreeordie on May 21, 2012 9:50:35 GMT -4
Wow, as painful as it was, we managed to get tomatoes, and beans planted, as well as planting annual flowers among the perennials. Lost two weeks due to being laid up, now it is a mad rush to complete the paper and finish planting the garden.  |
|
|
|
Post by leatherneckpa on May 21, 2012 12:14:22 GMT -4
In keeping with my "just do it" attitude, last night there was the usual nothing on the electronic wasteland so I headed for the woodworking shop. I have wanted to rebuild the chicken feeder for a while now. The old one didn't "quite" hold 2 full bags of feed. I always wound up spilling about 25% of the second bag on the floor. I have also wanted to offer the girls an oyster shell supplement. Not that their shells are soft or anything, mostly for their crop, to aid digestion. I just finished installing the new and improved MEGA-FEEDER. The whole thing is built from materials I had on hand, including recycled hinges. No money spent on this one. The front of the feeder is a 2'x4' plywood sign we used to have on the front porch. (Cindy sells all the eggs we care to sell now at the bank, including to the president. So we don't need to advertise.) The sides and dividers are 1x12 pine boards. The inside is sloped at 45* to slide food forward. The tray is 2.5 inches deep. After filling it today I believe that each of the side compartments will hold two full bags EACH! I could load this thing up before a three week vacation and have nothing for my neighbor to do but collect eggs. The one remaining thing I want to do is make a turn-latch to hold the lid open while I'm filling it.  |
|
|
|
Post by Martin on May 21, 2012 21:48:52 GMT -4
Nice feeder!
~Martin
|
|
