Lena:
1. I have a daughter just going into 9th grade. Noticing a trend. She's getting more expensive each year! Tell your Daddy I'm beginning to understand! LOL
2. Keep up the good work on your studies. You're doing a great job.
3. My background (b4 LEO) was real estate brokerage and mortgage lending. I did everything in the real estate/mortgage business but build a house. Never wanted to be a Builder. Too many headaches.
4. Keep the pics going through the Fall/Winter. You're our inspiration during our off season.
5. Still loving my Golden Jubilees.
General Discussions 2009 - Chapter 28
How old are kids in 9th grade? Our school levels go from year 1-13, year 9 is about 13 years old, maybe its the same thing. If she is about that age, I'm sure you know the expensive fun is only just beginning!
I agree, let someone else do the building! I wouldn't mind getting an older place and fixing it up a bit though. Many old houses sit on decent sized sections with some beautiful views or old trees. Need to be so careful with your selection though, most houses here are timber, many uninsulated, or rotten! The government has only just realised this and recently launched a home insulation subsidy package, to try to get NZ homes to a liveable standard, especially the large number of rental homes that are below standard. Great idea, but the problem now is that there are a lot more uninsulated homes than anticipated, and nowhere near enough insulation materials and qualified tradesmen in the country. And because they said we could all have free home insulation, everyone wants it RIGHT NOW! Poor old Mr Key (our PM) I think hes actually trying but its just not working yet.
Been having some lovely warm spring weather! Lucky that, since we are still waiting on our home insulation...
Get it ready Lena. You will use it.
Jeanette
Lena: I've been offline for a few days.
We go Kindergarten through 12th grade here. Actually you can have Pre-school before Kindergarten.
1st grade is usually 6 yrs old with graduation at 12 in the 17-18 range.
So, Freshmen (9th grade) are 14-15.
Then off to 4 yr college or 2 yr tech school.
Also, the military option is a great path for many right out of high school.
Well, I took cuttings from the ends of the growing toms to get rooted . I'll take them with me to Tex. and grow them there . When I come back in the spring , I'll bring well started cuttings off those to put out here . Oh boy . I think I have it figgured out how to get an earlier start next year . Three of each should be enough after the heavy crop this year . I'll have Black Russion and what I thought was Beefsteak , was in fact, Beefmaster.
Russ , I've included a picture of the rhubarb . Boy , it's growing . I put it out in a sandbed that I used to root plants. Dh hijacked half of it to grow greens , but it isn't a large enough area , so will let him play this year and find himself another place to grow his greens next year . I'll use that bed for rhubarb and cuttings .
Sally that sounds like a really good way to do it. When do you leave for Texas?
Jeanette
We'll leave the 4th-5th of Oct . I may later on get a wireless puter ,or get hooked up to Dish out there . I'm going to take my box and have a receiver installed on the roof so we can have t v . May do cable for the puter
Well, don't forget your tomato cuttings. LOL
Jeanette
Can't afford to forget the toms ,,, my son wouldn't let me come back . He said he hadn't had a "real" tomato in years . I think he will enjoy those dehydrated ones for munching . Hope we have a decent winter there . Some years it's so cold , I have a down parka with a hood outside , and other winters , just a sweat shirt . If the temps get down to 50 , and the wind is blowing , it can get pretty frigid .
Where's Russ ,he hasn't been around for awhile ?
digger
Hey ( Russ ) has been busy. trying to get caught up, on everything else.
Nothing spectacular garden wise. I just didn't keep up with every thing.
Hoping to do better next year.
The sweet corn did very well. I have an abundance of that. Grasshoppers riddled the beans. Didn't get very many musk melons and I can only see 4 water melon but they are huge. They are the Moon and stars. I planted some Carolina Cross too but they never came up. That was a total waste of high priced seed. Need to get the beets pulled and canned up or pickled. And I'm going to start digging the sweet taters real soon.
I don't think the garden will be so big next year. Just gonna cut back.
I planted Lemon Yellow cucumbers this year. They are good but not a favorite. It was my first try at them. For me they will never replace the straight 8 or the burp-less. They do seem to be a good producer though. and they taste good.
Just don't like the large seed cavity.
R
Just a quick note to you Russ, and the rest that like the ornamental sweet potatoes, I found a truly easy way to root them. I just put a teaspoon of the watersorb polymers in a cup of water and put them in a fruit jar, pint. Stick some of those things in there and they root in a couple days. Leave them a week or 2 and most of the polymers are wound around in the roots so I plant them that way.
Jeanette
Hey , I found a nice Black Diamond watermellon . Put it under a blanket in the yard for a week to ripen it up , kept wet . Long story short , I kept seeds . Let me know . The rind is thick enough on those to make great preserves . Oh yeah , It was as sweet as when I was a kid and Daddy bought them for me off a truck . This c - - - you get in restaurants is still green and nasty tasting . digger
Hey thanks Jeanette, I'll bet those polymer beads help hold the cuttings in place as well.
Digger, I'm trying to decide when to pick my first moon & stars. It keeps getting bigger & bigger and the vine or stem is still strong and green. I only have four of them so I don't really want to waste any. I'll save seeds too. Just to glance a peek at it, It's the size and shape of a black diamond but has these yellow spots on it. lol
Enlighten me a little, why the blanket? I guess it was already picked.
And you are wise to save those seeds. That is another melon that they cut you short on the number of seeds per pkt. If you can even find them locally.
Daddy kept toe sacks on two or three and by keeping the sacks wet , it cooled the W M . If you can keep a fan on it , it will be really cold . O K we'll trade . . B D are hard to find and when you do , they were pulled green , as mine was , so let it ripen until the stem was brown . I bought three B D plants this year , all were little personal size melons and two were striped . NOT B D !!! digger
I have just started melons. Sweet Siberian watermelon, Banana melon, and Collective Farm Women. All are supposed to be short season varieties suited to cool climates.
Lena; I bought a couple banana melons, store bought taste of course, not a blaaah, but I knew it could have been better. I saved the seeds, had planned to plant some this year. With everything that went on, that didn't get that done.
Now if I just don't loose track of the seed, it should still be good for next year.
Sally, I wouldn't mind swapping some seeds, also. If the season is long enough, I might be able to get a few any way. If I remember correctly, the BD is around 110 days. not sure though. Not too many seeds though. I'm not planning a big garden next year.
My musk melons aren't the best, they seem to get the size, then the plant dies. The melon does turn yellowish, but the flavor don't always come up to snuff.
At least they still taste better than store bought.
They gotta get ripe , russ . And lots of sun . I don't need much of anything , but will send 20 or so . Give away what you don't want to fool with . I'm cutting back too . D
I think that is the same with the tomatoes. Mine get big and red, but they need sun for the flavor.
Jeanette
I have set out a few bales. Posted a picture in one of the old threads
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/817883/
Started this thread in the Veggie Garden section:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1042630/
Just wondering if anyone has any experience with this variety of pepper?
For anyone with extra tomatoes and looking for something new to do with them try Spicy Tomato Jam. Its an old recipe I found in 1978 and it is great on waffles, pancakes, french toast. I don't like it just on bread, but on hot buttered buscuits its also great. If anyone wants the recipe, let me know and I'll trade the recipe for seeds of any kind. This spring 2010 will be my first time to garden here in KY and I'm looking for seeds for my strawbale garden and my routine garden.
Marti001
Hi Marti, Would some Moon and Stars watermelon seeds qualify?
I don't have extra tomatoes but maybe next year might be a better year.
Russ
Hi Jeanette and Kent and Russ and Sally and everyone else out there,
How cold is it now? Snow yet? I talked to my uncle in Germany tonight, he said they got half a metre of snow. Its still a bit cold here, but no more frosts. If it wasn't for the relentless rain I would have everything being planted this month. The soil just gets so wet that the plants rot instead of grow. I have about 20 tomatoes out in the very sheltered spots, the rest are still under cover.
School is actually coming to an end, after 5 years. I have my last exams in early November, and still two final reports to write before then. And my flatmate has had to suddenly move out to chase a job in another city, so I'm paying the rent alone for a while. I have so much work to do and really need to focus. And really need to get a job straight after exams. I would hate to have to move out because I couldn't afford to keep the place. I would loose my garden! I want to move soon anyway, but I was planning on doing it in autumn or winter, not spring. Its all up in the air and depends on getting a job, wherever that may be. I would have to (have to!) cart all my seedlings and plants and half rotten bales with me, and then plant them into unprepared soil, when I have spent all winter burying manure and other goodies for my plants to feast on over summer. As much as I'm trying to restrict the garden to a slightly movable size at the moment, spring is definitely well under way and everything is GROWING!
Kent, how did your hunt for the ghost pepper go?
Lena
No snow yet Lena. It warmed up to the 60s just like it is suppose to. Only one year I remember in the past 14 that I have been here that it didn't and boy, what a winter it was.
Gosh, what an awful time to end up having to worry about all the rent!! I am so sorry. You really need to take care of your studies. How is the job market there? I sure hope it is better than here.
I know the garden takes a lot of time, but it does relax your brain kiddo. You need that too. I hope you don't have to lose it.
Take care, study hard, and keep us posted.
Jeanette
Lena: good to hear from you.
Very cool today - high 40's - low 50's, then back up to the 70's for the rest of the week.
Congrats on almost finishing school! Good deal.
Good luck on getting the job you want. Hope we all hear good news on that issue, soon.
I won't start looking for a Ghost Pepper source until probably next Spring, but I do want to plant some to see if they really live up to their name.
I picked about a 6 gallon bucket full of habaneros yesterday and will be giving them away during the week.
Are you going to make jelly of some of them Kent? Don't give them all away. That jelly looked sooooooo good.
Jeanette
Just reminded me to get some Habaneroes to make some.
No jelly in the plans, but it sounds like an interesting item to make.
I will look for that recipe and post it for you. J.
Ok, Kent, here it is. Enlarge this picture. Isn't it beautiful? It sounds so good. I love the jalapeno jelly. It is wonderful on pork steak. Just some o the side to dip each bite in. Soooooo good. Try it. Don't give all of the habaneros away. Here it is:
jomoncon
New Orleans, LA
(Zone 9a)
July 30, 2009
06:54 PM
Post #6887439
I posted this recipe over in the canning forum with a question, but I thought I'd post it here also.
I made the below habanero pepper jelly & it came out wonderful. A beautiful golden color. Very, very peppery HOT, but delicious. I love this jelly with the ubiquitous cream cheese & crackers, but it's also good as either a glaze on or a condiment with grilled chicken or pork.The only problem is that everyone who tastes it wants a jar!!
Habanero Gold Jelly
1/3 cup dried apricots -- finely sliced
3/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 Cup Red Onion -- finely diced
1/4 cup Sweet Red Pepper -- finely diced
1/4 cup habanero peppers -- finely diced
3 cups granulated sugar
1 pouch liquid pectin
Cut apricots into 1/8 inch slices. Measure into a large deep stainless steel saucepan with vinegar; let stand 4 hours. Individually, cut onion and seeded peppers into 1/8 inch slices; cut slices into 1/4 inch dice. Measure each ingredient; add to apricots. Stir in sugar.
Over high heat, bring to a full roiling boil. Stirring constantly, boil hard 1 minute. Remove from heat. Immediately stir in pectin, mixing well. Pour jelly into hot jar, dividing solids equally among jars and filling each jar to within 1/4 inch of top rim. Wipe rims. Apply lids.
Process 10 minutes in BWB. Cool upright, until lids pop down, about 30 minutes. When lids are concave but the jelly is still hot, carefully grasp jar without disturbing lid and invert, twist, or rotate each jar to distribute solids throughout jelly. The jar can be inverted temporarily but do not allow it to stand upside-down for prolonged periods.
Repeat as necessary during the cooling/setting time, until solids are nicely suspended.
Yield: 4 Cups
Jo-Ann
Thumbnail by jomoncon Kent, if the picture doesn't come out, it is in the recipe file.
Jeanette: got it. It's funny, because I was looking at habenero jelly recipes today! This looks good. When I get some made I'll let you know how it turned out.
Thanks.
I really like the Jalapeno jelly. On pork steak it is just wonderful. I have been making that for several years. Wonderful. I just have to try the habanero. But, on the jalapeno jelly, for your info, I like it better not so much as a jelly, but a bit thicker, kind of in the middle of jam and jelly. With the peppers chopped not as small as minced.
The job market is not so good, especially not for new graduates. I have been job hunting like crazy, almost everything available is for highly skilled and experienced people, or there's a few unskilled jobs that don't pay much, and that nobody wants to do, especially not after 5 years of study! I have sent my CV to the Horticulture Research Centre in Kerikeri, thats in Northland near where my folks live. I'm still waiting to hear back, but they said they might be taking on a new technician soon. Fingers crossed.
I have decided that it would be most sensible to move, home to Northland where I can stay with my family for a while, and look for a job without the pressure of paying such high living costs. I haven't been able to find a flatmate or a decent job here, and I dont want to work long hours in some boring low paid job just to cover all the costs and end up with nothing. Its much warmer and nicer up north anyway, and the idea of being close to my family definitely appeals. So dad will drive down with the truck on the 16th of November to bring me and my furniture and my plants home.
Big losses in the garden, but I will build a new one at home. It wont be as big or as good, but I'm trying to look forward to it anyway. Will be a huge change, and very sad to leave. Wish I could focus on my study without thinking about and organising all this.
Boy Lena, when you think about something, you make a decision and act on it don't you!! Good for you. When you thought about the problem you took care of it.
It probably isn't perfect, but you will make it so when you can. And just realize it is not a forever move. Good for you. Life will be looking up for you soon. Next comes the job.
Jeanette
Lena: thanks for the update. Good luck in your move. Something will turn up for you.
Tell your Dad we all said hello from the US of A!
I'll second that Lena; from both Jeanette & from Kent.
Hope that you just happen to be in the right place at the right time and that elusive job and you get together.
Wishing you all the best!
Russ
Thank you all for your encouragement. I just had someone turn up to buy some tomato plants, and he ended up taking all my corn seedlings too. Sad to see them go, but everything I can sell or re-home is just another thing less to worry about.
I just have sooooo many seedlings that want to be planted. If I had known, I wouldn't have started them so early. There's a lot I would have done differently if I had known I was going to move! My potatoes are starting to pop up through the straw and soil. Usually a cause for excitement, but now its sadness. I hope someone else will look after them and get to enjoy them.
I have been thinking it might be nice to leave NZ for a while after summer, see if I can get a job in Germany. Or anywhere else, maybe Australia, or America. I almost feel like I have been given another chance to make the most of my youth and freedom, if I don't take it now, I will end up settled somewhere again with a new garden and partner and probably kids in a few years. So much to think about and look forward to.
Is it hard to get a job in the USA? What are the wages like? From what I can tell, the people are very friendly :)
Oh boy Lena, I hate to tell you this, but the unemployment in the US is the highest in many years. I don't know how it is in your particular field. What would you be looking for? Yes, the people here are friendly, but that doesn't help with so many people out of work.
Maybe someone else on here would give you more hope in their area? If you tell us what you are looking for we could take a look in the papers.
Jeanette
Lena: I know what you mean about feeling like you've "been given another chance to make the most of my youth and freedom, if I don't take it now, I will end up settled somewhere again ... "
In 1980 I was a Senior at NC State Univ when I acted on a life-long yearning to join the US Navy. I knew that if I graduated with my Civil Engineering degree I would end up at the NC Dept. of Transportation as a Highway Engineer, settle down, and always regret NOT going into the Navy.
So, I went down to the Recruiting Office one day, picked out the job I wanted, got sworn in, and then went home with those memorable words, "Mama, guess what I did today?" LOL
Here's a plug for my neck-of-the-woods:
http://www.raleigh-nc.org/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_306_202_0_43/http%3B/pt03/DIG_Web_Content/category/Resident/Raleigh_At_A_Glance/About_Raleigh/Cat-2CA-2007423-142554-Raleigh_Recognition__Rec.html
I'll keep the porch light on for you!!!
This message was edited Oct 25, 2009 11:36 AM
Boy Lena, you can't beat that!! Even Rachael Ray says it is the best city for singles. LOL
Got your ticket?
Jeanette
Shoot, now I want to move to your area Kent, LOL.