Join us for May on the Homestead...

Continuing our homestead trials and tribulations and successes right here... please join us. Came from here http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1084833/#new

Perhaps Jayryunyens' computer crashed. We have all been there!
What is the fundraiser for Taynors?

Hoping for more than light showers and high humidity here today.

What's planned for today on your homestead?

Lizards_keep ~ a local garden center here has been quarantined due to a white fly swarm and last night I saw a DGr in Grapevine was having problems with them. Hope they haven't found y'all!

taynors,

As hunting season for them comes to a close, a lot of us have 20 pound plus tom turkeys in the freezer wondering how to get the best mileage and taste from them. We hunters sometimes ask - what would the Amish do?

Always timely would be new ideas for preparing venison and fish.

Here's a challenge question for you (and you all). How can it be that we export millions of pounds of Carp to Japan and elsewhere yet refuse to eat it ourselves?

Hmmm...

Thanks,

GD

Their here, or rather they were here and a swarm is the correct terminology. They were everywhere for a few days and then were gone for the most part. They were more of a nuisance than anything. I am going to ask my Agg. Inspector, when he shows up, what is going on with them.

Been raining here but not as much as I would have liked.

Today will be devoted totally to the garden …. If I can find it in all the weeds. LOL.

Carp is way bony and oily. Too many others taste good for me to eat carp. They can have 'em.

Calling for rain here too so I fed early. Had my coffee on the porch this morning. Sure am happy I got that space cleaned up. The other half of the porch is a feed store but it can't be helped. At least it's a clean and organized feed store now.

I am washing a load of laundry hoping the rain won't come before i get it dried on the line. Still haven't had that wiring taken care of.

I need to get my rapsberries planted before the rain. It should perk them right up.

Have to cover 3 of the small chick pens before it rains.

The bantam eggs in my bator are 3 days overdue and still no pips. Guess they are a loss but they are not smelling bad so I'll let them go a few days more just in case.

Hope you all have a good and productive day.

Took my class out after our lesson Wednesday night at church and we picked wild flowers.

I don't know if it's still there, but years ago in Omaha there were 2-3 resturants called Joe Tess, that served carp. They were always busy.

What beautiful wildflower bouquets those young ladies have assembled. Very nice.

Little rain, lots of wind and humidity. Spring was nice while it lasted.

Some of the older folks will eat carp here, also gar. Most of the gar fishermen were loading the bed of their trucks with large gar and ice and making a flying trip to a catfood processing plant in MS. They were paid quite well.

Lizards_keep ~ what do you use to treat the white flies?

GoldenDomer ~ lots of folks here will only use the wild turkeys' breast, cutting crossgrained and batterfried. It is TX afterall ~lol One friend cuts his crossgrain, marinates in orange juice and seasons before roasting. How do you propose fixing yours?

Walked the dogs to the pond for a swim tonight and harvested my first water moccasin of the season. Recipes anyone?

HOW do you eat gar? We caught a small one and gave it to the cats. They gnawed on it for a while but even they couldn't eat it.

Raining here but the weather is not bad, thank the Lord. Praying for those less fortunate.

We used to fish for gar. We made gar balls out of it. Tasted great. The cajun's motto: Anything tastes good if it's cooked right. LOL

I have never eaten snake so i can't help you there. Sorry. I ate sushi for the first time a couple of days ago. the one i tried tasted like a cold sardine but not as good. I like sardines. the sushi wasn't awful but it wasn't something I wanted to keep eating. I'll try a different one next time.

Took a short drive from the house today and got some good photos.

What beautiful country Cajun ~ I could pull up a rock and just sit there for a long time. You take me too seriously, I was just joking on a snake recipe. Would have trouble choking that one down. YUK! I like sardines too. Have never tried sushi or gar balls but hear they are good when fixed by a Cajun! lol

Porkpal, I wouldn't know how to fix any oddities but will eat anything if someone else cooks it. Most of the alligator gar that were carried to the cat food plant were huge. The largest I saw was 119 # . Awesome and ugly rascal.

Prayers for all who are in harms way tonight with the storms and tornados. Stay safe!

Since I’m hoping for another new idea or two, I’ll hold off on my turkey recipe for now but here’s what I would do with that snake.

Dip 4 inch sections in egg and milk, drag through jiffy cornbread with fresh ground pepper, fry him until he's golden brown and delicious.

Feeling I should add to what I said about Carp, I dug up this recent news story:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/06/asian-carp-big-river-fish_n_527075.html

The point here is that not only do millions of people eat Carp but they consider it a delicacy worthy of a very high price tag.

Later…

Made it through a second night of severe thunderstorm and tornado watches and warnings. Luckily no damaging winds, but have received 5" of rain in the last 30 hours...and thankfully, it was all only a nice steady rain, so didn't pulverize any of the plants. Right now it looks like it's getting brighter, although we were forecast for 100% rain and clouds today. But the next four days are mostly sunny.

I played in the greenhouse yesterday. Went ahead and moved all the tomato plants out into the open air so they could get lots of rain water. Sure hope they aren't too big to transplant. The biggest ones are probably 2', but they have nice sturdy stems and look healthy. Also started seeds for all the squashes, pumpkins, melons, etc. Figured by the time they are ready to transplant, I should have the rest of garden rows ready for planting. Also started a few trays of the early spring greens, etc, to have baby ones available the week we start delivering.

Hope everyone is safe and sound from any storms in your neighborhoods.

Echoing your thoughts on those grim storms your area & TN received. Hope everyone is safe...

Even large tomatoes will transplant fine. I have broken stems off, stuck them in soil and had them root and take off. I am sure you know, you can remove some of the lower leaves and plant them deeper. Roots will form all along the stem and make them stronger, sturdier plants. When do they get to go in the ground? Glad you are receiving rain, it should help your garden do well.

GoldenDomer ~ I will pass when it comes to dining on poisonous reptiles. These guys smell rank. I got to thinking about carp. My Dad wouldn't eat them as they were "bottom feeders". We used to put a couple of bullheads in our stock tanks to clean up the algae on the farm. Here, catfish is the fish of choice. Again a bottom feeder. DH won't eat them but I have NO reservations. Most are pond raised and good eatin'!

Funny how some people get something in their head and don't hear what they are saying, as with the carp and catfish and will eat one but not the other because of it being a bottom feeder.

The tomatoes will be planted as soon as I can get back in the garden. I've got 6 of the 9 rows prepared. My nice 20' x 30" raised rows that I worked so hard on, look so pretty... completely surrounded by 18" wide moats 2-3" deep. On the bright side, with the wonderful friable soil, any future normal rain should soak in well on the top of the rows, while excess rain will soak in slower through the compacted soil from the walkways closer to the roots. In the perfect world in my mind's eye...lol

Good to know they aren't too big to transplant. I've been burying at least half of the stems of the first row that I planted the other day. I'm going to cut off a branch of a couple of our favorites varieties late July to plant to see how well and how long i can keep going with winter harvest

Cut it off or lay in on the ground and cover with soil. That will allow it to root and then, you can cut it from the plant. Less of a set back that way.

Pod – I think it is Malathion (sp?). Will have to look tomorrow when we get back to be sure. We try not to use any more controls than we have to since most of our stuff is edible, but sometimes we just have to use the big one. The product turns over pretty rapidly so it doesn’t get much of a chance to be infected. About the only thing on site that whitefly really loves is the citrus and a little spot treatment fixed that just fine. Out worst enemy around here are the aphids. Nasty little devils.

Sorry but i left out the &*$%(#@ mealy bugs. they go claw in claw with each other. Blah!!!!!!

This message was edited May 2, 2010 8:37 PM

Yep, it is Malathion for whiteflies. Unless the population has gotten too large, just spraying for other pest will knock out any whitefly that may be lurking around.

Checking in from the waterlogged state of Tennessee. Spent two days with no cell service, no home phone dial-out service and no Internet. Thankfully it came back up before I had to be at work tonight. Seems the telco boxes were underwater in Nashville, and no trucks could get to them as they too, were under water. Nashville metro is under water for the most part, along with several other counties here. I got 7" of rain, some basement seepage, but no high winds or hail, although I spent most of Friday and Saturday under either tornado watch or warnings. I am very thankful.

Since my last check-in I have mastered the garden tractor machinations, although I don't drive it very fast, but man, it sure beats push mowing these acres!!! Also the weed eater has returned to life as well, so I spent my day on the mower, then with the push mower doing finishing, and the weed eater prepping the trees for tomorrow's mowing session. I swear I can actually SEE the grass growing here! I sure hope that fertility moseys it's way over to the water garden....err vegetable garden. After managing to finally get it tilled, I haven't actually been able to DO anything in it yet due to water, water everywhere! I guess it beats a drought though :)

Hope all is well elsewhere, and that any KY or TN peeps made it okay through this stuff!

WhooHoo, Hineni! Doesn't feel great acquiring new skills?

Got yet another 1/2' of rain overnight. Might as well accept the fact that I'm going to get muddy planting these tomatoes and peppers out in the garden. I hauled them all to the rows where they'll grow last night, so planting should go pretty quick. The sun is shining now that the fog has lifted, so maybe it won't take long for the soil to dry up.

But you won't have to water...

We are starting to dry up now. No problems and we should have a string of nice days now. I think it is time to plant out my maters.

Porkpal...LOL! They are literally growing like weeds with all this rain. Maybe when we go into drought mode over the summer, they will have really deep roots.

Cajun, check your forecast for the weekend. Last I saw a couple of days ago, we were suppose to have lows in mid-40's and we're usually several degrees lower than the forecast on our hilltop. We're going to have 8 or 9 20' rows of tomatoes and I think I've got enough plastic drop cloths to cover all the rows, if need be. I've got some ready-made low tunnel thingies that I'm setting up over the 4 rows of peppers and 2 rows of sweet potatoes. Good Heavens, it may be June before the night time lows stay above 50.

Good Morning! I am pleased to announce that this is not one of my usual sleepless nights when I can only sleep 2- 2 1/2, nor one of the past week or so of 1 hour sleep nights. This is now the second night in a row that I have slept 6 hours... whoohoo.... knock on wood... and anything else I need to say not to jinx it.

Went to the doctor for 2 week follow up and he was impressed with how well I am doing breathing wise. Not 100%, but close enough with not being tethered to an oxygen tank all day. I go back in 3 months and if I am continuing to do well, he thinks I can come off the oxygen then. For those with RLS, my sympathies. Being on the steroids (or coming off of them) has caused nightly episodes for me this past two weeks where I wake up with excrutiating leg pain, but that's slowly getting better, too.

I set some more plants out ON the garden rows yesterday. I think Al is going to put up the trellis frames today and it's dried up enough that I should be able to plant today. Garden is going to look fantastic, if I ever get it all planted.

I am conducting an experiment. I made a big funnel from a foil windshield screen and put it in a black 5gal bucket. Then I put a can of mixed veggies seasoned with green onions, garlic, basil and just a little chili powder along with a small amount of thin spaghetti broken into 2 inch lengths and a drizzle of EVOO into a black loaf pan. I put the pan into an oven cooking bag and sat it in the foil funnel. I am going to see how long it takes to cook the pasta. If it works well we will be able to use the technique when we are camping. Wish me luck!

I hope ya’ll are enjoying your spring cause our two week spring has sprung and it’s HOT!!!!!!!! My potatoes droop to the max during the day and spring back up in the evening but at least the corn hasn’t complained yet. LOL. I just hope the tomatoes make before they stew on the vines again like last year. Thinking about spreading some shade cloth over the cages and see if it helps. Only problem I can foresee is the wind whipping it and wrecking everything.

Interesting experiment CajunKy ~ please report back on your success or failure.

Lizards_keep ~ I agree on the heat and it is compounded by dry, dry, dry. The weather report was a total of 1 2/3 inches of rain in April. That is pretty puny! I had noticed the heat wilt when I was home on Monday... sure seemed early.

Cajun – if I can find it, I have instructions for building a simple solar cooker out of cardboard and tin foil; and it does work on a sunny day.

Yep the heat is back already. I think the humidity is supposed to start increasing in the next day or so. Hate the sweat but it does cool you off.

My taters should be ready pretty soon. A couple of weeks ago, when I covered them with hay, they were pushing out of the ground.

Chiming in here... I somehow 'unwatched', LOL.

Turkey suggestions: I brine both heritage and wild turkeys, at least 24-36 hours. In fact I'm getting to where I brine a lot of things like whole pastured chickens. MaVieRose has posted several times on the recipe forum about brining turkeys, chickens and even beef or pork roasts. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/670025/

I don't see why you couldn't make pemmican with lean turkey. And turkey sausage and salami. Get a good book on home chartcuterie.

Fish: I plan to smoke fish this year, local trout from the mountain streams. Since I'll finally be using my smoker as a smoker rather than just a grill, I also plan to smoke pork belly and hocks. I'd smoke sardines if I could get fresh ones.

With my decision to eat only 100% grass-fed or wild meat, fowl and fish, I'm starting to find lots of recipes for very nutritious parts we used to eat that fell out of favor... I have a beef heart in the freezer, and on order lots of liver (chicken and beef), beef tongue, plus marrow bones and chicken feet for stock. I couldn't find sweetbreads (yet) and I'm not ready to try brains (I didn't find any available anyway) although my father loved scrambled eggs and brains.

My step-mother fed me enough tripe to last several lifetimes and I see no reason to ever cook more!

There are many things I will try with grass-fed where I wouldn't DARE with factory farmed... liver (being a filter) is one. Plus, there's always a zillion recipes pates and terrines...

I'm house-sitting 250 miles from home and I noticed a local ethnic store had fresh shad roe. If there's some today, I may try it. It doesn't freeze well so it will have to be bought and cooked before I leave for home.

Most of the new recipes and techniques I try will be posted step-by-step on my blog with photos, starting probably in several weeks since I have a bunch of stuff already written and ready to post.

here's a great blog I follow, and his preparation of a wild turkey his wife shot recently. Several recipes and tips, actually...
http://www.honest-food.net/blog1/2010/04/29/wild-turkey-time/

Darius, I had your blog in my faves on the old computer. What is the name of it so I can find it again?

Still plugging away building and putting the garden together. We have 4 blocks of seven 20' wide rows left to go. We better have a really late fall so we can enjoy the "fruits of our labor". Al built the frames to tie up tomatoes in 6 rows.

That isn't a garden, it's a farm. LOL

At this point, it sure feels like a farm. lol If my figuring is right, we'll have a total of 1/4 acre in production. This garden is about 200' long by 25' wide. This is a brand new space, so it's taking a lot of work getting the rows set up. But if it's like the other garden, it will be a lot easier to work with in the future.

Sounds great, Robin. Are you putting in lots of winter veggies which store well? That could increase your late fall sales, except the ubiquitous halloween pumpkins that end up feeding so many fields because you can't even give them away...

I wish I had just 1-2 decent raised veggie beds! I started tomato seeds up here (house-sitting) just 5 days ago and they are now almost 2" tall. The winter squash seeds have broken the surface, too. BUT the low temp at home for the weekend is in the 30's. Good thing my seedlings were started late...

I'm not doing much in veggies this year. I'm going to concentrate on getting a coop built for chickens, and maybe fencing for a dairy goat. I really want a milking Devon (cow) but I don't have enough pasture. Sure wish my money stretched like government spending does, but without the debt.

Thanks Darius. I was missing it. Didn't realize it was here all the time. Duh! :) I have got to get my tomatoes in the ground soon. They are getting way tall but spindley. I'll have to plant them deep and cage them right away.

Robin, you are working like a rented mule. I'd love to see pics if you ever get time to take any. I am so excited for you and Al. I pray the CSA is a huge success.

I have been slowed down a bit. Day before yesterday I took a shot to the head that nearly knocked me out. I was putting Equispot fly repellant on the blind mare. It's applied like Spot On for a dog except you put it down the entire topline, head (poll) to tailhead and down the backs of all 4 legs. I had done the topline first and was on the front leg on her blind side. The repellant had started to drip down her back and I think she must have thought it was a fly. She had her head down eating and threw her head around to knock the "fly" off. Halfway up to her back, she connected with my head. It was like an explosion in my head and things started turning black. I remember thinking "She has knocked me out and I'm going to fall under her feet and get stepped on." My knees started to buckle but I grabbed on to her rump and was able to hold on til my head cleared. Thank the Lord He took care of me. I was home alone and DH wouldn't have been home for hours. I seem to be fine now just very sore and moving slow.

I see there’s another recall of Shredded Romaine Lettuce to deal with. I think it was traced back to Yuma and sold out east in some twenty something states; but don’t talk bad about the company or the veggie thought police will haul you off. LOL.

Cajun, I'm glad you are okay. It's scary when something like that happens and you are home by yourself.

I surely feel like a rented mule! I thought I was farther along planting, but after I marked off the final blocks for Al to run through with the tiller, I took a row count. There are 32 rows already planted in the new main garden and 34 left to plant. But most of those rows are for the big stuff with much wider spacing, so won't take quite so long to plant. There'll be 5 rows of different kinds of winter squash, 5 rows of different kinds of beans, 6 rows of corn, 2-3 rows of sweet potatoes, 3 rows of different kinds of potatoes, 3 more rows of tomatoes, okra, and more root crops. Of the rows already planted, there are 6 rows of tomatoes, 4 1/2 rows of peppers and 3 rows of potatoes.

I had switched the original garden over to a perrenial garden last year. It has 5 rows of herbs, 5 rows of strawberries and 7 rows of asparagus.

I took a couple of pictures, then the batteries went dead, so don't know if they are good or not. Will post them later if there okay.

Hopefully this is close to the end of the cold temps. Suppose to hit 40 here Saturday night, so I'll be covering lots of tomatoes and peppers.

Later...

LOL. I signed up for the email reports from the FIS for recalls... I get 2-4 almost every day. Most never make the news.

Figures. What you don't know won't hurt you i guess.

MsRobin ~ is 40° critical to cover tomatoes and potatoes? Sounds like y'all have accomplished alot. I do hope you don't have a set back ~ weather or physical!

And CajunKy ~ don't we always offer up a prayer and feel grateful to have the Lord on our side when something like that happens. Not what you needed and I'm glad it wasn't worse. I don't know if you could have avoided that in any way.

Lizards_keep ~ Vegie recalls = another reason to plant more fruits & vegies!