It's April already!!!

No, just wind, a light shower and high humidity. No found snake yet either. Hope you didn't see any of the bad weather there.

When you said you didn't prefer Mortons' salt. What do you use?

Oh no, I was hoping the rain was wide spread, but haven't caught the news today. It couldn't have been too bad here,woke me at three and I slept till six, and it looked like it rained all that time.

I promise this is not as snobby as it sounds,but I like the fancy salts, they're fun! lol My BIL and SIL have access to gourmet markets and travel a lot. They bring me all kinds of fun stuff, like pink and black salts. I can pretest the saltiness by adding to water, but really they just taste like salt. I am really fond of the fine flaky types on roasted veggies. It's something about the mouth feel...when the fine flakes melt on your tongue. I haven't been keeping track of the names, I know I'd never be able to find locally.
Then my son was a Morton's salt girl escort... in the parade they decorated the float with Morton's salt canisters...we still have a case left.lol

I think that snake is waiting till you least expect him/her.lol

No rain down here, just more wind. I heard that over 400 square miles of Texas is on fire.

Cocoa, Jay is a member of this forum who has been away on a religious trip. She lives out west and we have missed her posting here. She is home at her house but is trying to catch up with the Spring work. She was at a monastary (sp?) in Ca for a couple months. I'm sure she will be around as quick as she gets caught up.

Doh, sorry, Cajun! You know you have to speak slowly around me ;0)
Is that Jay, the gal with the mules?

I caught up on the wildfire news, how sad...so many homes gone. I thought we were hit by lightening, last year. Shook the house and window panes. Instead it a was nearby tree.

Ouch! did the tree survive?

I'm thinkin' of making dehydrated snake jerky ~ hmmmm...

Lulu, I don't think it's snobbish about the salt. I watched a tv program about salt mining and the subtle differences of taste and colors from different areas. One area, I think it was Africa, is still mined by hand using rocks and carried out on foot because vehicles can't get to it. I found it quite interesting.

Heard about the wildfires in Texas. You all be careful.

We're getting rain off and on, but nothing serious here storm-wise, and definitely not enough to brag about. Most of the storms are further north.

Welcome home, Jay! We know you've got lots of stuff to check on and do around the homestead, but look forward to you checking in with us.'

Darius, glad you are doing better.

Podster, I couldn't help but laugh when I got a vision of you in a safari outfit searching through your greenhouse for that little snake. I found a 15" or so snake in the big water tub I had in my greenhouse last year. I was going to fish it out with a little net, but it hissed and attacked the net, so I left it. It finally drowned.

That's gratitude when all you wanted to do was save its' skinny a#%. LOL

I used to have a longhandled grabber that I'd pick the nonpoisonous small slithering buddies up with but it broke.
I need a new one in a Magnum caliber of course. 8 )

Yep. Jay is the mule gal.

n the last few days I have seen 3 garter snakes. I don't mind them at all. Only thing is that if they are out, so are the rattlers and copperheads.

The tree did leaf out this year, but I think its on borrowed time.

Robin, that sounds like a cool show. We sometimes get a tv crew doing a story on Morton's but I don't really get Tv reception so I never get to see them. I don't know exactly what they can report. Morton's hasn't let anyone in the mines for years. they say it's too dangerous. Considering part of the town is on top of the mines, I find little comfort in the 'dangerous' statement.

Thanks, Cajun. Yes, I remember Jay. Can't wait to hear about her travels!

Did all the "business" part of buying the tractor and implements yesterday. We go to get it on Wednesday. I think I sold the old tractor for 2k, so that will pay for the stone for my driveway. Today I am clipping the wings on my chickens and ducks, planting some more nursery stock, and getting the sled ready under the minibarn so it can be moved and made into a new henhouse. Funtimes

It rained much longer than expected, but I think it finally quit. About 4" in the last 36". Added to the 2" on the 4th, we're good for the monthly average. Probably won't be a drop of rain in sight over the summer.

Nik, how or where do you clip the wings? Have you raised turkeys? Great news on the tractor!

Usually I clip them with sissors in the henhouse.hehehe

Yes, I raise three turkeys every year. I name them Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Casserole. I get them the first of May when I get my meat chickens.Then I slaughter them after at least 12 weeks. I don't really want them to get too big as there is only me, the MacTavish (dog) and Simba (cat).
I used to keep a couple breeders here, Bourbon Reds, But the jakes kept running off with the wild flocks. If they stayed around they would try to hump anything that stood still long enough. I would be one knee working on something and all of a sudden I'd have a big tom turkey trying to climb aboard. When the last tom I had eloped with the wild flock I ate his mate. Now I just get them from the hatchery.

When you clip the wings of ANY bird, just clip one side. Have a pair of pliers eady in case you get a blood feather. If you get a blood feather, just pull the whole feather and the bleeding will stop immediatly. I hold them upside down by their feet and use the scissors to cut the feathers. Cut them as far back as you can without cutting any flesh, and make sure you get the big flight feathers. It's really pretty easy.

Rained here last night and it's raining again now. I am really hurting from overdoing it yesterday but I got a lot done. Got in my new littel bed for the strawberries. Only fit 20 plants. I still have 30 to 50 plants left. Don't know what I am going to do with them. May just tuck them in the ground here and there and let nature take care of them.

Nik, well, you answered my next question. I was wondering if you kept them confined in a fenced area, and if clipping the wings kept them in the fence.

Sure isn't much vegetable selection available in the stores. I've been checking weekly for a couple of months, so I know I haven't just missed them. The Walmart closest to me has about a 8' section, 3 shelves high. I drove 40+ miles south this morning to check out Walmart and Lowes, thinking there would be a few more items beside broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts and cabbage and more cabbage. I'd say there are about as many cabbage plants as the others put together. Last year I was able to buy all kinds of greens and lettuces. I did find some tomato plants at Lowes, so bought a couple of larger ones to get a head start and I found bags of onion sets at Walmart already marked down half priced. Found some cool perrenial flowers half price too.

I'm seeing the same thing here, Robin. Limited selections. Bleck. Fortunately, my seeds have arrived and there's plenty of time to get them started; our last frost date is mid-May.

It doesn't matter too much to me right now, since I'm sick as a dog and couldn't plant anything anyway. My legs and arms are like rubber bands, and I have NO energy. I spent 16 hours in bed last night, it didn't rest me at all.

The Kid went to the ER about 2am this morning, coughing her guts out... but the ER doc she saw doesn't think she has bronchial pneumonia (which is what I have). In fact, he didn't even order a chest x-ray. Now my sis sounds like she's getting it too.

Some days it's not even worth chewing the restraints.

Here's a tip some might find useful... it's not the title of the post, but they elected to use a plastic toboggan to move mulch... http://vikingpreparedness.blogspot.com/2011/04/mulching-upper-orchard.html

A couple of pictures for you "Homesteaders." First we were planting strawberries today.
We don't like sore backs.
These are "Seascape" strawberries. They produce huge berries all summer.

Our hens are getting it "on". 300 hens, 179 eggs today. Soon they should be in top production.

Some of the girls.

We raised a few turkeys years ago. We dressed one a couple days before Thanksgiving. You can't beat that fresh turkey!

Now that all the big box stores have run the little guys out of business, they are free to do as they please for plants. I would imagine they never did show a profit on plants, so now must do things differently.

A huge grower here grew for Walmart in Minnesota. He quit after 2009 season because they didn't pay him enough to keep going. Large greenhouse ranges now sit empty.

I noticed at a Walmart here they are doing Bonnie Plants. I remember them being mentioned in the tomato blight 2 years ago.

We've been growing our own things for over 25 years. I wish I was closer to you Robin, I would share!

Bernie

Bernie, it all looks great! I'd love to have my little strawberry patch up high like that. Who is responsible for that one white egg? LOL Are your girls a sexlink hybrid?

Darius, so sorry you are feeling bad. Keep up those meds. I'll say a prayer you get to feeling better soon.

Robin, I confess I have not looked for plants anywhere. I am like Pa Ingles, I could go to town twice a year and be happy with it. But I would miss the book rack at TSC. :) I did get some onion sets at Wallyworld a few months ago along with some elephant garlic. The "toes" were $1 each and came 3 to a pack. They have finally sprouted. Everything else I raise from seed.

Darius, sorry to hear you are feeling so bad. Hope you get over this soon.

All the plants here at Walmart and Lowes were Bonnies. I did have most of my spring stuff started, but lost more than half while in the hospital. It's going to be close with some of the stuff. I just wanted some plants for insurance.

That's actually a blue egg from Americana. Have about 15 of them but most are laying pink or tan eggs.
Our hens are Gold Stars. They like to lay, around 90% once they get going.

I keep them penned up in the chicken yard til about 4 pm. By then they have laid most of their eggs. AT 4 or there abouts I open the gate and let them free range. They fall into 3 groups around the roosters and range around eating bugs and the dog's food, and rooting around my compost pile, etc. The neighbors say my eggs have the deepest coloured yolks around. Even the amish' eggs are pale in comparison. If you let your birds free range you have to make sure they have a good place for their dust bath. I find all the dust holes and throw in a couple handsful of Diatomaceous Earth. Keeps the mites, ticks, and lice under control. In the fall I dust them with pyrethm dust. That's an organic insecticide.

I used to raise the different sexlinks. Gold Comets are pretty much the standard for brown egg layers. Although I liked the black stars better. But I decided to go with the purebreds so I can sell hatching eggs. I can get alot more for them on CL (20-25 bucks a dozen). Any I don't sell in a couple days, I can sell to the amish store next door, or to the old guys at the coffee club. I also incubate 4 dozen at the time and sell the chicks on craigslist for $2.50. I make a few bucks either way. And I don't have to pay the hatchery for more of them.

I had over 200 mixed birds at one time. Folks were leaving them in my driveway like unwanted kittens. I took them to the small stock auction in DeGraff. The next spring I ran an add in the Examiner, explaining that whatever was left here would be slaughtered. Last spring I only had 2 rabbits, and a duckling left here. It took a couple years for the word to get out, though. Yuppies at Easter, what can you say?

If you get a couple tom turkeys of the industrial breeds like BroadBreastedWhite, or BroadBreastedBronze, and feed them all they'll eat while allowing them to range, you can get them to over 50 lbs hanging weight by November. I've done it. They are just as flavourful as the lighter weight hens, too. But you have to take the drumsticks and wings off of them in order to fit it into a roasting bag. I stuff them with sage stuffing, then throw about 4 tablspoons butter and 1/2 cup orange juice in the bag. The wings and drumsticks I rub with sage, and toss a slice of onion, the butter, and applejuice or 7-up. I put both bags in the oven together.

But now I just butcher them at no more than 20 lbs. I may do a couple giants again, though. just to can.

Going to go get the new tractor today, and all the iplements. And a feller I know called as I was typing this to tell me he has the money he owes me. Sometimes, it's good to be Nik

Lizards_keep ~ I am glad to hear your business is going smoothly. If I would have guessed, edible landscaping would be a hot item again this year. Tis a sign of the times

Yes ~ we are at a point in life that when overhead is low, business is always good. Particularily when we are our own boss.

You & your spouse are doing o.k. working together? I would bet it is an adjustment for both of you.



Countrygardens... looking good! When do the farmers markets start there? Hopefully before Easter... how much are those good looking eggs selling for?



NikB ~ I know you've been testing it... how is the new tractor and equipment?

I am hoping for rain tomrrow(not storms) We are so dry up here.
I got some of those strawberrys from Wally world and eight cuke plants. I've always grown straight eights but could'nt find any. I bought a new kind of tomatoes this year. Cajun. Ought to do well in our hot dry summer.
I managed to scrounge up a little poke salet and dandelion greens to eat. Added a few violet leaves to a lettuce salad.
Have any of you ever eaten kudzu leaves or roots. I've been reading up on them and they seem to be taking over the south so may as well make use of them.The vines apparently make good baskets.
Our wild huckleberry bushes are just blooming(the small bushes) The large bushes won't bloom till later. Sarvis berry trees are blooming. The birds always beat me to them anyway. Saw a wild turkey on our road the other day. There is one usually nests in the field across our road.
Vickie

Our mulberries are ripening in the NE pasture!

the Tractor is AWESOME!!!! I already graded my driveway with it, and leveled out the 4 year old piles of manure and leaves. Today I am going to plow the new garden with it. I'm just having a blast with it.

I thought I posted this yesterday. Anyhow,
Our market starts May 7, every Tuesday, Thursday, & Saturday.
We charge $2.50 & $3 a dozen.

Thanks.... I didn't see it posted here but you might have on another forum. Too bad it is after Easter for all those eggs but I'd bet you have a market for them from regular customers too.

Brown eggs make for interesting Easter eggs. Colors are way different than on white.

Fruit trees, bushes and plants are just starting to bloom here. I sooo wish I had mulberries. I have started some seeds.

Nik, great news on the tractor. It sounds like tons of fun.

Saw my first Hummingbirds this morning!

Nik, cool about the tractor use.

CG, do you use a soilless mix in your strawberry beds?

Mostly.
Miracle Grow from Sam's & peat moss mixed, then a little 19-19-19.

Here's a nursery shot for ya.

THAT looks fantastic!