August On The Homestead

I don’t know who is in charge of this anymore since Jay left but I went ahead and started the one for August. Hope I didn’t step on any toes.

Thanks, Lizard. I'll be back later with updates.

Is Jay gone from DG? I have been missing her posts for quite some time now. I always enjoy her.

Thanks for starting the new thread... no toes stepped on here and losely enough run that nobody is in charge. Your IT!!! lol

What have ya'll been doing? I'm thinking a rain dance here. Dry and hot and blessed humid!

Same here and way too hot to even think about dancing. Too hot to garden also, just been busy trying to keep everything alive. I do have a TT report coming up in the next day or so. Would do it now but I forgot to get a picture before I left tonight.

Hope everyone else is dodging the heat, floods, and tornadoes that are flirting around the country.

On the TT report, odd you mentioned that. I heard one person say it was so dry that was their only tomato that was delivering fruit this year.

Rooting fall cuttings here, potting some plants up in size and prodding the fall tomatoes to grow.

Not much going on here at this tiny 'homestead'...

I'm ready to pull up all my tomato plants even though they are bearing well. They are so infested with stink bugs that not one has matured into something I want to eat. I bought some Surround™ last week to spray them, but even the baby maters are infected, so it really wouldn't help. I won't use a pesticide because the plants are just a few feet (and slightly uphill) from the creek.

I have the idea that applying something this fall for grub control for Japanese Beetles may also cut the stink bug grubs over-winter. However, most of the things that work (like milky spore) take 2-3 years to build-up and really control JB's, don't know about SB's. Sigh.

My winter squash are fruiting nicely even though I only planted a few, and I've picked some butternuts and acorns already; they are 'curing' and will go in the root cellar in a week or two.

I should have started some cool season veggies already, but didn't make the time. Can't believe we could have frost in 10 weeks!

The stink bugs are ruining my tomatoes too. I have tried spraying with Neem Oil but the rain kept washing it off. There are watermelons and pumpkins still producing but not much else.

So...what kind of damage do the stink bugs do? I've lost most of my 75 tomato plants. The leaves on all of them started dying from the bottom up 3-4' and a lot of the fruits rotted on the vines, a lot before while they were still green. The ones that still had good foliage on the tops, I laid on the ground and covered part of the stems to root near the good foliage. They're starting to put on new growth and blossoms now.

Peppers went nuts this year. Again, lots are rotting on the plants, but they are getting some size to them. Corn now is being attacked by tiny white worms. Summer squashes aren't doing so good, but winter squashes are growing like crazy. Watermelons and cantaloupes are doing well, too, except some are splitting in the heat.

Flea Beatles that are suppose to go away when it gets hot, are still happily muching away. I am seeing bugs this year, which I have never seen before and don't have a clue what they are.

And the heat this summer....OMG! On this hilltop, we've been in the upper 90's for 6 weeks and it's 103 now. Doesn't even cool off at night like it's suppose to. Hard to figure how the fall temps will be. Early winter or extended summer?

Darius, sure wish I had your set-up with the spring house and root cellar. Al said he'd put in a root cellar for me hopefully next year, but I don't have a clue where it should go.

Anyway....that's it for my homestead news.

Stink bugs bite into the skin and suck out juices... kinda like a mosquito does. Where they bite develops into a hard pithy or corky whitish spot in the flesh. One or two in a tomato aren't bad... you can cut them out (they aren't poisonous). But when a tomato gets half a dozen or maybe a dozen, they are just downright nasty.

Stink bugs may also carry yeast and other pathogens on the bugs' mouthparts that may cause decay when introduced into fruit.

Get rid of legumes, blackberries, Russian thistle, mustards, and little mallow that are good overwintering hosts for adult stink bugs around fields to be planted in tomatoes in spring. On green fruit, damage appears as dark pinpricks, surrounded by a light discolored area that turns yellow or remains light green on ripe fruit.
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r783300211.html

With so much going on at our house and my garden being 10 miles away, I didn't get to tend it often and it is nearly a loss. I dug a few potatoes from my tater sacks in the yard. Enough that I will try it again with a bit of tweeking. Still got a few maters here in the yard in big containers. Herbs are doing well. A couple of cukes in hanging pots have a couple on them but nothing to get excited about. I pulled about 40 garlic bulbs but they are small. Trying to construct a kitchen garden bed out the front door in time for a few fall greens. I'll let ya know how that pans out. Hoping to get the goat house moved this weekend down the hill and fence in a new lot. Took the pigs to slaughter 2 days ago. Glad to have that done. 678# between the 2 of them. Lost a pullet to stargazing. The rest are fine. Horses still need to gain weight before winter. Praying I can sell 4 of them. It's hot here and humid. That's not normal. It cools off at night to where I need a jacket. Galloway is slowing down and so am I. DH is having surgery on 8/16 on his right eye for cataract. Don't know when the left will be done. Has had laser already and will need it again. Bone scan results came back. More infection in the bone so more IV antibiotics. May need to pull the PIC line and put another in. Looks like i may miss Mom's 80th BD party. She will sure be disappointed. I was looking forward to it as well. We have the boys with us til the weekend. It has been the only bright spot in this summer. Sure hate to see them go. Knock has been such a help to me and Radar is entertaining as usual.

It's still too hot and unbearable for me to spend much more than 2-3 hours in the garden each morning. Any and all other homesteading projects are on hold till cooler weather arrives. Nothing else new in my world.

Same here, with heat index hovering around 105 112 most days I get out around sun up and back in by noon.

103 here yesterday. Must have been at least that today. Thought I caught a heat stroke. Got the goat house moved and a new lot fenced in. Still need to get the roof on it. It rained tonight. Hope they are OK. I'll see tomorrow. DH has an early appointment at the wound care clinic. Then we have to pick up the pigs. 548# dressed out. 99# of smoked bacon! Anybody want to buy some fresh pork? LOL The boys went home Sunday. It's been too quiet here and lonesome. Keeping busy but it is heart breaking. Galloway is still trying to figure out wher they are. They played with him n the creek all day nearly every day. He is lonesome. He was like a pup again this summer. The big plastic drain pipes should be here in a week for our creek project. Going to cover up 40ft of it and straighten out the driveway. That will give us quite a bit more flat space to use. Praise the Lord!!! My friend told me I have some great big red maters ready to pick in my garden. Sure hope I can get there tomorrow evening.

Wish we were closer cause we would surly relieve you of some of that pork. Just be careful out in the heat. It’s a killer if not handled properly.

I know those young men go home with dreams of summer at your home Cajun. How fun. We used to do the same thing in the nearest waterhole. That photo makes me feel nostalgic. I am hoping you have freezer space available for all that meat! That is always a secure feeling. Good luck with your busy day and go pick them maters. lol

I had started fall tomatoes as my early crop failed miserably. I potted them up Monday. I am trying four by planting them in bags of potting soil. Hoping if the vines don't get too huge, I can even move them in this winter. I can not remember a summer like this... it is tough nationwide. I never complain about heat and spend all my spare time outdoors but the humidity has never let up this summer. We have these heat advisory warnings even all night ~ no relief! Do be careful of a heat stroke. A person that has one will always suffer from heat in the future and it will seem like it takes for ever to recover.

Have been following your thread, here in NY we have had 90"s and above since mid June, High humidity no rain, never seen anything like this here and I've lived here 25 years, going to have one heck of a water bill.

Heat never really bothered me before either...didn't like it, but I handled it ok. Yesterday was rough. I was doing fine, then all of a sudden it hit me and I called Al on the cell phone to have him watch me to make sure I made it across the yard 150'. Must have made him nervous, as he came over to walk with me.

I'm really disappointed with the garden. The first 75 tomato plants didn't do well at all. Infested with stink bugs and the heat has been brutal. The few that didn't totally die, and was able to lay over and cover part of the stems with soil are slowly recovering. I had taken several cuttings and brought in to root, and they are now planted in a different location in the garden that gets afternoon shade. They look good. The beans are not producing at all. Peppers are going crazy. Planted about 90 plants, 10 different varieities. One of my customers takes an extra grocery bag full of peppers every week. Watermelons and cantaloupes are doing well production-wise, but vines look rough. Got corn 2 weeks before the worms got to it. Winter squashes are doing well. Summer squashes aren't...stink bugs again. Cole crops were a bust from the beginning. Got 4 heads of broccoli and 6 very small cabbage heads and a few kohlrabi. Started several trays of stuff for fall harvest, but it's just too hot to plant in the garden. Their in my potting shed which is basically a shade house covered in lattace (sp?).

And did I say it was HOT? Unbelievable how much of the country it is affecting. We use to sleep with the windows open at night, but this year, I don't think it's gotten below 75 at nightmore than twice, but the humidty was too high those night to open up the house.

Cajun, glad you had the kids there with you for awhile. I know they had a great time. My grandpa took me to creek like that when I was a little girl.

Try to stay cool and safe....

Am way behind in reading Dave's Garden posts, for all manner of reasons. On the plus side, my son and DIL and I put in 800 baby lavender plants here at the ranch. 3 months later, they are doing splendidly. I'll upload a picture. Some are already putting forth blossom buds, but we are supposed to cut them off and let all the growth go into the roots, for 2 years before we let them bloom. On the negative side, my tiny community is fighting our county, that is determined to approve up to 90 giant wind turbines, 1/4 mile from those homes that are on our southern boundary. Their minds are made up and all the facts we give them are to no avail . We keep reminding them that they are committed to protect property values of EVERY citizen, not just the enormously rich and powerful rancher who has leased his land to the wind farm developer, but the P&Z commission and the Board of Supervisors just sit and listen impassively and then vote for the developer. Heart-breaking. The rancher owns 228,000 acres in this county with nothing but cows on them, but chose this spot right next to the only residences for many miles around on which to place wind turbines. Seriously, we are way out in the boonies and nobody comes out here unless they really want to. It isn't like the rancher didn't have anywhere else to lease to the developer.

When not weeding the lavender patch or trying to change the Bd of Supes' minds,
I pick tumble weeds -- my fingers are sore & bloody -- their official name is Russian thistle, and I had to chuckle at Darius" comment "Get rid of legumes, blackberries, Russian thistle, . . .) because with 80 acres of tumbleweeds it ain't easy! Thank goodness we do not have a stinkbug problem -- my veg garden is doing well, mostly squashes but lots of other stuff too, lots of tomatoes. I only planted a little corn because last year alll of my corn was ruinded by those little tiny black beetles that arrive with the rainly season.

Then of course, we had a major rainfall with lots of lightning -- a nearby strike fried the controller to my solar water pump. I expected to have to haul water for the vegs, lavender, and me for a couple of weeks, but our local solar co happened to have the controller I needed so it is already in and pumping. Also had to replace a remote meter that was inside the house. In all, it was a $1,009 hit. I am just thankful that the solar pump was not damaged, and the rest of the house solar system wasn't either.

So it's been really busy around here. Oh, almost forgot, I took 2 weeks off and flew to Fairbanks to help one of my sons and his family move to colorado -- my DIL and I 1 grandson, with 3 cats, 1 big old dog, and a bird in a cage drove down the AlCan highway to colorado. Had a great trip and didn't lose one cat! Anyway, happy gardening to y'all.

Grammie

My yard looks a little like your lavender patch right now lol. Being the nosy old goat that I am, why so much lavender?

Same question here.

What's the big deal with wind turbines ?
They are everywhere in this part of the country. Thought the big deal was to cut down on use of fossil fuel. Of course that is only a good idea when it affects someone other than you.
They are building 240 of them right now in amongst the farmers 40 miles SW of here. Also an another wind farm going in about 40 miles east of here. Don't know how big that is.
Lots of ethanol plants around here too.

A number of people here have their own wind turbine. They can sell the extra electricity to the power companies. How would you like getting a check every month from the power company instead of a bill ?

Gardens are going great here this year. Plenty of rain & like everyone else, hot.

Hope to sell lavender in a few years.

I have no electric bill. I am totally off the grid. I use solar panels and a small residential turbine. Everyone in my tiny subdivision uses solar.

Re wind farms, the big deal is that people who lease their land for wind turbines make big $$$ from them and do so by their own choice. They are willing to put up with the noise (yes they are horrendously noisy 24/7), vibration (shaking walls, rattling dishes in cupboards), health hazards (yes, check itout on the internet and DO NOT believe what the wind farm developers tell you, they lie because they are in it for the money), and the view of forests of giant wind turbines rather than forests of trees (the developers strip the countryside to make room for their equipment). Either that or they put them where they are not near to the land owners' houses. In our case they will be 1/4 mile from the homes of people who have lived there for 35 years. These people didn't ask for this and will receive nothing from it (except misery). The county is determined to ram this down our throats regardless of our consitutional rights to the "use and enjoyment" of our property, just to please a fabulously wealthy rancher who owns 228,000 empty acres where he could put the wind farm rather than in our laps. Plus, of course, the county gets big $$$ too. Re "reducing dependence on foreign oil", they don't. Do some research and you will find that they are less efficient than any other form of renewable energy. They are very popular now because all the developers are rushing to get them in by the end of 2010, when the great stimulous funds end. Remember, they are using OUR tax money. See the attached picture, would you really want them right next to your house?

I wouldn't want that mess next to my house. I'd be tempted to plant some home made explosives in them.

I do not pay for the electricity that I use - nor the satellite tv or the dsl connection - at this point - who can say what will happen in the future? If I were paying for it - I would be looking for a way to pay as little as possible - Wind, Solar, heck gerbils if necessary.

I applaud the efforts of those to become more "self sufficient" while at the same time becoming more disgusted with those who would make a dollar from others needs. When is enough ... enough?

On this earth we are many, and we have choices, but they are being diminished by the few that we ourselves elect.

What are we doing? To ourselves? and more importantly to our children & grandchildren? For they are all we leave here.



This message was edited Aug 13, 2010 4:02 PM

Very well said, Dyson.

August means it no longer is 90 by 9 am! Water usage drops in the garden as it now takes all the way till noon to get to 90 and cools off more quickly in the morning. Veggie garden is letting out a sight of relief from the summer heat and pumping out yellow squash. Chickens starting to ramp up production - but - I've got an egg eater, and I've got to figure out who she is before she starts eating all the eggs! Sunflowers setting seed. Last batch of chickie poo compost for the summer is done and has been turned into the future garlic bed. Threw some chicken food on it to let my chickie tillers till that compost into the high desert sand. Time to make the last rosemary harvest of the season. My one apple on the tree is blushing (late freeze killed most buds this year). Wild geese are honking on the lake a few miles away.

Harvesting the blessings of good health, cool morning and summer squash this August! And a return to DG after a year's hiatis.

Glad to have you back. Our cool down won't come till about the middle of September. Right now the heat index is still around 105 to 110 most every day. But this to shall pass }=0)

LOL, I cannot fathom August equaling cooling temps! In my neck of the woods it is usually the exact opposite.

Nothing much going on here, to my dismay. I still haven't been able to get someone to help me get the foundation poles placed for a chicken coop, so it will probably be spring before I can even think of getting chicks.

Most of my time has been spent inside... having a go at making several fruit wines to eventually become vinegars, and putting up some lactobacilli-cultured vegetables instead of canning. I am still harvesting red raspberries and may have enough for both vinegar and a bit of drinkable wine. My tomatoes are a bust (stink bugs) so I'll have to buy a bushel or so of tomatoes to put up.

I do have a bunch of winter squash I harvested 2 weeks ago now hardening off on the front porch, and the vines are still making a few more. My root cellar needs a complete cleaning and re-organization before I can store them for winter, though.

I have had potatoes growing in the back corner of the root cellar all summer... where I had last summer's potatoes covered in straw on the cement floor over the winter and didn't get them out to plant. I haven't checked to see if the plants are actually growing potatoes, but the plants are about 2 feet high... and spindly.

I picked a bunch of elderberries and have canned some sweetened juice for winter colds and flu prevention. The currant bushes (both red and black) I planted 2-3 years ago are all dying, as are the gooseberries. Can't figure what's killing them... Sigh.

Hi darius !!

I have started a September page

Thx ~ I'll probably see y'all there...