All the folks over at the Farm Life board have been posting their weather, but this place ain't a real farm in that I don't have any intention of making any money on the place. I'm just geared to self-sufficiency, and rural living, so this seemed the place to maybe see if anyone else was too.
The wind's been roaring here for the last couple of days (50 mph gusts), which just figures as I finally got the corrugated fiberglass up on the front of one of the donkey stalls to keep the weather out. So far it's held up, and the donkeys seem to appreciate a place to get in out of the worst of it all. When I put these sheds up, I didn't think it would be soooo long before we got the rest of the barn up, and so unfortunately the open front faces right into the prevailing winds. I tried this once before, but the boys (Shenanigans and Trombone) ripped it down. Levi, the jack, left his up and he's had good shelter for some time. But it took a while to figure out how to get the stuff up so the boys wouldn't rip it down again. Sigh. Well, it's really more for my piece of mind than them, as they seem to have done well enough these last couple of years.
Anyway, along with various odds and ends flying around the place, it started snowing this am and it looked to be serious. Opposite side of the valley whited out sort of thing. But now the sun is out a bit, the snow has quit, though the wind is still kicking up. The other side of the mountain is supposed to get 6-12", but over here it doesn't look like we'll get much.
So what's up on your place? I heard about the big ice storm, guess we won't be hearing from those folks anytime soon. Hope everyone's OK.
Jay
Weather Report
jayryunen- My DH and I have thought about moving to NM, but our weekend trips can only get us so far-we've never made it to your side of the mountains.
I CRAVE to be able to call myself self-sufficient, and envy you your chance to live that lifestyle.
I don't trust the satellite shots off the Google Maps-does your area get enough rain to grow stuff without a well? Are the summers very hot?
The areas that we always liked the best were the canyons, where there was a flat valley along a riverbed, trees and grass, and then the mountains rising away on both sides. DH loves the 'pockets' of trees tucked up in a side canyon, the sense of isolation. I just want a flat spot and some water so I can have the chickens, cows and garden of my dreams.
I've heard alot about raising mules, not so much about donkeys. I do know that there are few things more irrisistible than a baby donkey!
Hope your little farm isn't damaged by the wind, snow or ice,
Julia
Hi Julia,
NM has a lot of different climates. Where I am it was 14* this am and right now it's snowing. Just a dusting so far, but it can mount up here. It doesn't get very hot here in the summer, maybe a few days in the 90's.
Canyons are nice places to visit, but in general I wouldn't want to live in one. The reason they're there is because a canyon is basically a flood channel. And the canyons you speak of are in the true desert, a very difficult place to do the self-sufficiency thing.
I am in the eastern foothills of the Sangre de Cristo mountains, where the Great Plains begin to roll out to the far horizon. We do get rain here, but sometimes not when you need it. As far as I know, there is no place in NM that doesn't require irrigation, either from surface water or well, at least some time during the growing season. We are gradually building up our rainwater harvesting capacity, so far we have an 1100 gallon tank and 3 55 gallon rain barrels. From this I water my small garden, as our well water here is very hard.
There are places in NM that essentially don't have water, no matter how deep you drill. I'd recommend anyone wanting to live here move to a town or city in the state and then spend a lot of time learning about water in that area. It's not a given, and drought is a regular part of our cycle here. If you buy land, make sure you've got water rights to it, again not a given. Many land owners are selling water rights to the cities for a handsome price... the cities in NM are in desparate need for water.
As the old timer's say... 'Whiskey's for drinking, water's for fighting.'
As for self-sufficiency, I can hardly claim that. Like you, it's something we're working towards. Grew my biggest garden this year, put up over 200 jars of food, got a small chest freezer, and a wood stove for heat. Harness for the donkeys to see if we can get them to pull a harrow, cultivator, and maybe a plow.
Just start where you are and begin learning skills. Carpentary, welding, gardening, preserving, plumbing, basic mechanics... all essential and all easier to pick up in a city, where there are classes and many more learning resources. I'd also urge that you resist the tendency to gender split... it's such a help if your helpmeet knows what a #10 eye bolt is and doesn't come home with a #8 eye screw! And sometimes mom is too busy to put up the tomatoes, but they're ready right now. You will have your preferences, obviously, but knowing something about everything is a huge part of homesteading. Both of you should be able to tell when one of the animals is 'not right'.
Glad you're on the path! Tell me what you've been working on so far.
Jay
Jay-
Thank you for the indepth response! It is hard to get that kind of info from real estate agents:>P
Your last paragraph is basically where I have started. Raised very poor, eldest child of three, and with a mother who believed absolutely nothing was impossible, whether you knew how to do it or not, I have learned to do all the basics of home building. I built an addition onto a travel trailor (did you know you can't start with the ceiling, so you can build the rest in the shade? I had that gently explained to me by the kind carpenter next door.) I am competent with a hammer and nails, circular saw, drill, etc, wired my home for electricity, plumbed it for propane heat, put in skylights, windows and doors, (THAT is hard) and learned to do drywall, though I'll go for the VERY textured look before I tackle a smooth finish again. I was also the family mechanic. And for about 5 years I was able to raise cattle in a little valley that a friend owned, free of charge, so I'm darn good at fixin' fence, too. And I raised a calf in the mud room for about two months. The real miracle there was that the Mama took him back and finished the job!
So, I've mastered the DIY attitude, and am confident that I can tackle practically anything.
But I am recently married to a man that is NOT a farmer, his retirement dream before me involved a mule, a gold pan, and headin' for the hills. Thus the intention to find something remote, in the Southwest, but hopefully with a little arable land. He plans to retire in about 5 years, which means I do to, at the wonderfully young age of 45, and until then we live in a strange mixture of the city/country. He has 5 acres of mostly gully's and rocks, with about a 1/2 acre that I have claimed for growing stuff. But it is mostly decomposed granite, so it will be slow work adding enough compost etc, to make a good garden. But I've got 5 years to work on it!
Anyway! The stretch we thought was beautiful was along the 180 between Luna and Pleasanton. I don't know if you've ever been through there, but it seems to be a good compromise for both our needs. But as you pointed out, water might be a serious issue, no matter where we go. Can you explain the water rights thing? How can someone sell their water to a City? I could understand that if the was an interlinking water system, but isn't everyone on wells out there? Is it just a gentleman's agreement, only to use so many gallons a year?
"Harness for the donkeys to see if we can get them to pull a harrow, cultivator, and maybe a plow." THAT sounds fun! I mean, literally. To be able to use such a simple, clean- EPA -wise anyway- healthy way to plow. And they help fertilize too!
We had some serious rain through here yesterday, so I think you are getting it today. I hope everybody is warm and dry, feet up and enjoying that wood stove!
Julia
Luna and Pleasanton? What state are you talking about?
All water systems are inter-related... wells draw from aquifers, which are huge underground lakes, sometimes underlying several states, for example the Oglalla aquifer. You'll have to look it up, I forget how many western states it's under, but the water level is rapidly sinking. Rivers supply hundreds of towns, all competing for the same water.
Water rights are by acre/feet, it's no gentlemen's agreement. There's surface rights and well rights and it's best to get someone who really knows what they're talking about to learn more. If you sell your rights, say to the water in the irrigation ditch that is part of the valley's system, to a city or town, then they get your portion of the water out of the ditch and it is against the law for you to take any. Make sure you can get a permit to sink a well; NM is starting to limit them.
This is how the Owen's Valley in CA went from fertile farmland to barren desert... LA obtained--by hook and by crook-- the water rights, so all the water goes to LA and none can be used in the Owen's valley. That valley could have been as productive as the central valley if it had retained its water rights. Read "Cadillac Desert" to find out how serious water rights can get.
The Mogollon Rim which runs through NM and AZ might have what you're looking for... gold panning, and a little irrigable land. Rugged, rural, and idiosyncratic as all get out. Around the Gila Wilderness area there's some nice country. Show Low in AZ is nice, too. Four corners area, Cortez, CO might not be too expensive yet. There's also a little town on the eastern foothills of the Chiricauhua mountains that looked nice when we drove through years ago. Don't recall the name.
Boy, you are way ahead of the game with all your skills and attitude! I wish I had all that going for me. How 'bout you move in down the road and I borrow you? Boy, it seems a rare thing for a hopeful homesteader to marry another hopeful homesteader... LOL
Jay
We got started on all this with a weather report, so here's a shot of what we got going here today. This is NOT normal, and it is supposed to snow all night!
Does Portal ring a bell? That is the town that is tucked up into the Chiracauhua's, just on the AZ/NM border. The stretch I was talking about runs along the westernmost border of NM, through a very mountainous stretch. In fact, if you keep heading north I believe that highway runs through Show Low.
It's kind of ironic, I learned all that stuff, then married a man who doesn't need me to do anything around here but the regular housewife stuff. It drives me nuts. The 'homesteading' won't start till he retires, and since he is a lineman his days are so active that when he comes home he just wants to relax. No country chores around here. So I'm making it as farmy as I can, with a LITTLE garden, a pot-belly pig, a pygmy goat, a duck, and two dogs. We got adopted be a pigeon, just to complete the strangeness. The poo and used straw go into the garden, so that makes me feel like I'm making progress anyway.
The water situation sounds a little dire over there! We have our own well here, and as long as we pay the electric bill for the pump, nobody cares how much we use.
We're having weird weather too. 41* and drizzling! In December at 7100', that's outrageous. We should be getting snow and single digit temps in the morning.
Found Luna on the map... I haven't been down that road, being more in northern NM myself, but I've been through Reserve. I think it's got real potential for you, AND I'd recommend you rent and live in Reserve to find out about the water situation, local politics (they are pretty wild down there) and if you fit in with the community. They are BIG on Amendment 2 down there, lots of hunters and ranchers. I also like Quemado, Pie Town, and Fence Lake... a little less mountainous, maybe a better growing season. Magdalena is nice, too. An old mining town. =0)
Find out how the warming trend is effecting things down there. One of the things we're doing here is putting up a hoop house, not so much to extend the season as to protect the veggies from wind and hail, which has become more extreme here, according to old timers. We're planning on covering it with shade cloth so the rain can still get to the crops, but the high winds and hail can't.
Portal is the town. Er, village.
As far as water... most individual wells are permitted plenty for a household and reasonable garden. But if you were to put in an orchard or irrigate a pasture... THEN they'd care. When you move to a new area, ask around and see if anyone's wells are drying up... that happens with some frequency around NM and AZ. Big cities are sucking the ground water up and dropping the water level.
Also, check into rainwater harvesting. The water will be better for your garden anyway... much of NM water is so high in calcium or other solids that it is a pain with drip irrigation, keeps clogging it up. And trust me, you'll want to use drip, if you aren't already.
The warm weather here has me wanting to be outside, but the wind and mud is making it miserable. I need to get my barn built! Then I wouldn't be stuck in the house, doing the *&^% dishes and mopping the floor. I'd much rather be brushing donkeys, oiling tack, racking barn aisles.... I'm not the housewife type either! LOL
Jay
Wow, I had an awful day yesterday-I logged off Dave's for the first time ever, by mistake, couldn't remember my password, and since I have AOL they couldn't get the info back to me. Something about AOL blocking Dave's quite regularly. So I couldn't get my DG fix for almost two days, and talk about withdrawals! I finally got a Gmail address, and then the power went out for a couple of hours this morning. But at last, I'm back!
I'm beginning to think Alaska may be the new frontier! Just think of all that untouched fertile soil that is being exposed by these hotter temps. But I think the bad days up there might be REALLY bad, with all these weather extremes.
I'm sorry to hear about the nasty mud. I try to use this kind of day as an excuse to grab a book, hit the tub, and have some down time, guilt free. That way when the weather is good I have more get-up-and-go. But too many down days and I want OUT!
Do you have any pics of the donkeys? How many do you have? How did you get started with them, instead of mules? Around this area there are a lot of mules (well, I mean compared to donkeys :>)) Many people like to go up to Bishop for Mule Days.
I rented on a large piece of commercial property for a couple of years and there were about four donkeys there to keep the weeds and grass down in the undeveloped area. They would come put to our porch and bray when it was time to feed. That is where I saw the baby, and I've never seen anything since that I felt beat him for cuteness.
If things go as planned and we are able to sell this place and go, I really think it would be a good idea to do a year long road trip, visit all the different areas we have considered as possibilitises, then make a decision. As you said, it's important to do the research, and there is a lot you can't learn any other way.
Hope you have some dryier weather soon-
Julia
I hate it when the computer goes down, too. I miss all the conversations and ideas that I get from this board. =)
For pics, check out 'New Round Here' on the equine forum, I've posted some there. Eventually I'll get a pic of Levi "The Man" jack, but not today! The story of how I got into donks is there, too. I grew up with horses, and still love 'em, but I'm getting old and lazy, so donks suit me to a T. =0) Mules are too much like horses, only harder 'cause they're smarter.
I've gone to Mule Days! Twice. I did the Bishop to Bodie ride one year on my jack. What a fun time!
I had some friends who used to live in AK... they grow great cabbages up there! And the mosquitoes aren't all THAT big. LOL But you gotta love winter sports, that's for sure.
I'm using the day to make cookies... just finished the rum balls. Ooops, too much rum... I guess I'll just have to eat that bunch. lol That would be toooo decadent, I guess I'll make more 'nilla wafers and thicken it a bit.
Catch you later...
Jay
Those are the biggest donkeys I have ever seen! Either that, or you are really short:>)! I was thrown by a horse once, broke my pelvis, and after the obligatory 1 time get back on, haven't been back since. But it sounds like when I finally get my place a donkey would be the perfect equine for the job, if they are as tractable, sweet, and strong enough to do some pulling as you say.
It's funny, my DH went to Alaska on a moose hunting trip years ago, and he's had a definite mosquito issue ever since! Wherever we go, it will be above the insect survival zone.
How'd those cookies come out? Rum, huh? And vanilla wafers? You got that recipe anywhere handy?
So how did you come to live in NM? Are you an original native? It sounds like you have had your share of traveling and adventures!
It's funny, I live in sunny SoCal, about 75 miles from the coast as the crow flies, only about 60 miles north of San Diego, and we all got snowed in on Thursday. Almost 2 feet on my side of the valley-no school for two days for the kids. If it wasn't for the trusty old '66 Ford 4X, I couldn't have got to work yesterday, either. But on the up side, I think our water table will got a good boost.
Did you ever get any snow?
Julia
Yes, we get snow...
OK, but this time we only got 6" and it's already gone. So far it's been a dry, warmish winter. Still in the 20's and 30's at 6 am. Today it's not supposed to get out of the 30's, and the wind's still blowing... UGH. At least the sun is shining. I sure wish I had my greenhouse up now; I've got wood I want to paint with Halt Cribbing (because donkeys are part beaver) and it's too cold outside for the stuff to soak in. So I'm going to try it in the kitchen while SO is at work today... the fumes from the stuff make her wheeze.
Finally got fiesty enough yesterday to say to hell with the weather and went out and got some stuff done. We skipped breakfast and went out and put the roofing tin over the front of the stalls, so now the wind can't blow rain and snow in there. Had to get right to it 'cause the weather predicted light winds later, which came up just as we were putting the last sheet up. Hooray!
Being on such a roll, I went into town and picked up some plywood to replace the stuff the donkeys ate on the walls. Managed to get one sheet painted and up, using one of the stalls that are now protected from the wind. =0) Shenanigans managed to get his head far enough into the stall to take a nibble from the new wood...
Thing I do not like... working with sheet goods in the wind. }:0P
Now to clear out the kitchen and throw a tarp down...
Here's a view of our valley in late summer, when the sunflowers are blooming...
Sorry it's taken so long to get back-Saturday we went to an annual family Christmas party, and yesterday we drove down to see my daughter-both 2 hour drives one way, and you never 'get off the hill' without doing a bunch of errands, especially this time of year.
I can't get over that picture of your valley!! I want to live in exactly that kind of place, it looks like the perfect homestead/farm.
If that stuff you are painting smells anything like creosote-I think that's what they used in the old days?-it must have been no fun at all in that kitchen! How did that work out?
Thing I do not like... working with sheet goods in the wind. }:0P Probably felt like you were holding a big sail up, huh?
Hey, I picked up some Vanilla wafers at Walmart yesterday......hint, hint.
Stay warm,
Julia
Now I owe you an apology... I've just been very distracted and a bit down the last few days. Still not at the top of my game, but I think I can at least be civil... or as civil as I can get. LOL
OK, OK, the rum balls. =0) I got this recipe from Cooks.com....
2 1/2 C vanilla wafers, crushed
1 C. chopped nuts, finely
1 C. powdered sugar (plus more for rolling)
1 1/2 TBL cocoa
dash of salt
1/2 C. rum or brandy or OJ or bourbon
2 1/2 TBL corn syrup
Mix thoroughly and form into small balls. Roll in powdered sugar and wrap in wax paper.
Of course, you can just skip the rolling part and eat it with a spoon... You wouldn't be the first! LOL
It's snowing a pretty good lick here today, an inch on the ground so far. They're only predicting 3-4", but they've been wrong before.
Ooops, S.O. needs the computer, gotta go....
Jay
Merry Christmas Julia and everyone,
I think donks are very good for folks who find horses a bit intimidating or don't have the time to keep a horse worked down and sane. Donkeys are great for learning how to handle large animals, for even the pony sized ones are plenty powerful, but because they're also pretty mellow there's more latitude for making mistakes.
For example... if you tie a horse loose (a common beginner mistake), it's liable to get a leg over the rope. Often the horse will panic, struggle, set back, rip up whatever it's tied to, break the rope, fall down, and then run off. All tremendously exciting (to say the least).
If you tie a donkey loose (they'll sometimes help with that by loosening the knot), and they get their leg over the rope, they'll usually just stand there with an accusatory look on their face... Why did you do this to me?... while you put down the saddle and walk over to lift their foot back over the rope. Then they'll expect a scratch at the very least. LOL
Donkeys are great buddies, not nearly as energetic or skittish as horses, and cheaper to buy and keep. They're stronger pound for pound, as well. Overfeeding is probably the biggest health challenge they face; folks fall for those big eyes and give them race horse food... alfalfa and grain, which they definitely don't need. I've only grained my donk once and I was riding him 15 miles a day in preparation for a wagon train ride. You can ride, drive and pack 'em. There's even a couple who looks for lost mines that uses donks... get ahold of The Brayer, they write up their adventures in there.
Another example of how donkeys are smart and a little lazy... donkeys will get away from you, especially when you're first teaching them how to lead. If you happen to be out on the trail, they will head home, just like a horse will. But unlike a horse, they will not run all the way home and work up a sweat and make themselves sick... oh no. They will stay juuust out of reach in front of you all the way back. Run and they will run, walk and they will walk. They will expend just enough energy to not let you catch them while continuing to go home. LOL
As far as my valley... it's probably not the perfect homestead site, we've got a pretty short growing season here at 7100'. With hail coming in the summer. So, though it is beautiful here, it is a pretty tough gardening environment. Hard to get a lot of things to ripen before first frost and the wind beats the plants up pretty bad sometimes.
I think you're right on with your plan to take several months and check out various locals. Lots and lots of places are pretty, but pretty doesn't grow food.
And please, no matter where you move, don't let your dog(s) run. I've shot too many bothering my stock to ever encourage anyone to do that. Keep your dog on your place. Period. And don't think just 'cause he doesn't bother your critters he won't bother mine... especially if he's in bad company. I don't let my dogs run for that reason. They don't bother my donks, but I've seen 'em run a strange horse. My dad lost a foal to being run through a fence by a neighbor's dog (broke its neck). That foal was worth $6000 when it hit the ground, and potentially more in earnings as a race horse. Next time that dog came on my dad's property, he met a bullet. Many rancher's will shoot a strange dog on their land just on principle... they don't wait til they've lost money. So please don't let your dog(s) run.
I managed to get a couple of new sheets of the plywood up in the stalls. Working in the kitchen worked out pretty well; I ended up rubbing the Halt Cribbing on with a rag, messy work. Can't do more right now because of the holidays... just messin' with the flow, don't cha know! Lol
So'd you get the rum balls made? And how's your Xmas?
Blessings,
Jane
I'm afraid I'm feeling a little HumBuggy today. Nope on the rum balls, although I think I will give them a try tomorrow.
This is my first Christmas without my daughter, or any of the original members of my immediate family, so it just doesn't feel the same. Since it's just DH and me, we haven't even planned anything special for dinner. I think the weather has me down too-too many days inside, too much mud outside. I think what I need to do is get off my sorry-for-myself butt and scrub something!
I know what you mean about the dogs running loose. Today I hear mine barking her 'somethings wrong' bark and looked out to see her standing off a pack of four coyotes! I've never seen even one in the area during the daylight, let alone the whole pack. I know they are around, I hear them at night, and they leave their 'sign' all over the place, but this morning they were right out there in the front yard! My hubby grabbed the mini 14 and headed out, but he couldn't shoot blindly into the brush, and they had hightailed it out of sight. I got Chuey back in the fence again safely, but I wish we could have eliminated at least one of them. I'm not a coyote hater, but I am a dog lover, and I know if they could they'd take the new puppy.
As for domesticated dogs running around, I say, if they are destructive, they have to go. As I've said, I love dogs, and I've always had at least one around, but I don't believe they should ever be allowed to terrorize other creatures. (Rabbits and other garden pests excluded).
I like your description of the donkeys mentality. Sounds like just my cup of tea!
I guess all that green in your valley comes with a price, huh? So I'll have to settle for some lower altitudes, and grow my own green stuff.
Hope your Christmas is cheery and bright, and the weather lets you get your stalls finished, so you can relax inside knowing your animals are snug 'outside'.
Julia
Boy, can I relate to being stuck inside. It's actually not too cold outside right now (40's), but the wind is blowing again. I was outside for a little bit cutting firewood and ugh... it sure makes it feel warmer inside. We're holding off on lighting a fire; it's still 65* in the house, so we just bundle up and drink hot tea. =0) But I'm chomping at the bit to get outside and DO something... clear off the tomato bed, clean up the corn patch, drive a donkey or two. Putting up another sheet of plywood on the stall walls.
Yes, there are places not far from here that are lower in elevation and have a longer growing season. Takes some searching, but persistance can pay.
We're not doing much today ourselves, mostly being slugs. I've spent far more time on the computer than is justifiable. LOL We don't really celebrate Xmas anyway, just bake cookies for all the folks that help us all year... the feed store, the mail carrier, the farrier, and our other friends. Ship packages of our jellies and relishes to friends and relatives.
We've got a rat-tailed coyote around here we see from time to time. He doesn't seem to bother the stock, so I leave him alone. He's holding space and keeping a possible stock botherer out. There's even a pen full of chickens down the road, and he doesn't seem to be bothering them... of course they have a big rottweiler buddy, so I'm sure that helps. And there's tons more up in the hills. But I don't shoot something unless I see it messing with things. And as far as I'm concerned, if Mssr. Coyote wants to eat some cats, that's fine with me. Cats are the most disruptive thing to happen to the environment since DDT.
Have a mellow holiday...
Jay
Now I know why I was feelin' down last week-I have been sick since Christmas Eve, and just not feeling up to being cheerful. But I'm MUCH better now!
I work for a veterinarian, and every once in a while we get a dog in that has been torn up by coyotes-but usually if they get that close the pups are goners anyway.
Hope the sun is shining in your valley-
Julia
Temps today in the 40F range. It is very windy. So far it has been a wet winter with some snow and freezing rain but mostly just rain. Got to go out and get some wood split or it will be 40F inside, too LOl. Catch you all later.
It was cold here all day, Never got above freezing. I was breaking ice in all the water buckets at the barn. Hope tomorrow is better. I want to go carting.
Thanks. I can't wait to get back into the drivers seat. I'm going to go a little farther afield next time now that I know what he will do.
We've been having incredibly warm, spring like weather. Above freezing at nght, no wind, daytime temps into the 50's! I checked yesterday and the ground isn't even frozen! Needless to say, we've really been taking advantage of it. Driving the donks, cleaning the corrals, splitting wood, cleaning up garden beds, and plotting to put up the greenhouse attached to the pump house.
Today looks like it's going to be our last beautiful day, so we're talking about making a firewood run, and prepping the foundation of the pumphouse to put the stucco coat on so that we can build the greenhouse and use it this very spring. I've been drooling over my seed catalogues in the evening, dreaming about all the fresh greens. And we want to get some more driving in, too. =0)
Tomorrow we've got a chance of rain showers (oughta be snow this time of year here) and ++sigh++ wind again. Middle of next week it's supposed to get nice during the day, but below freezing at night.
Have fun with your new little guy, Cajun!
I have been searching my seed books also. Think I will order from bakercreek heirlooms.
I've heard good things about them, but I forgot to send for their catalog. I've got Territorial Farms, and Johnny's as my favorites right now. We do a mix of OP and hybrid.
I've never heard of those seed venders. Are they specialty seeds-total organic etc? I want to try to go the truly natural seed way, so I can save some of the ones I grow for the next year.
Jay-What size greenhouse will you have? With this weird and unpredictable weather it is probably going to come in handy, I think!
I've checked 3 different weather report souces-Accuweather, The Weather Channel, and The National Weather Service, and they range from either sunny skies all week, a chance of showers Saturday, or two days of rain ending Monday! No two stories the same! I wish I had a job like that! I could make all kinds of predictions and promises, be wrong, ruin plans, get paid top dollar, and get on TV in the bargain!
I'll just go with the achy hip from an old break-that is pretty reliable for coming bad weather.
Good luck on those projects. I'm still snuffling and sneezing and trying to sleep away this cold.
Maybe I'm just trying to sleep till spring and sunshine and planting time!
Julia
Julia,
Oh, ugh, colds. Hope you're back on your feet soon!
Territorial has a lot of short season, cool weather varieties, which are vital up here. I can grow tomatoes using some of their varieties, whereas many seed catalogues don't really give enough info to make a good decision. They have both hybrid and OP, conventional and organic (when available) seed and plants.
Johnny's is another one that cold tests their varieties. They are mostly hybrid seeds, and we do use those for some of our veggies, just cause it's too much hassle to isolate to save seed right now. And there are some definite advantages to some of the disease resistance that they offer. Right now, for us, it's more important to get food that save seed... we're working towards that, but food safety is our immediate concern.
I like heirloom seed, but it has it's down side out here in the 'wilds'. Many have no disease resistance, they often take up a lot of space, and they may not be as productive as more modern varieties. We have to amend our soil and protect it from gophers, so our bed space grows pretty gradually and therefore is limited. So production and space utilization is important.
I got a Cook's Garden catalogue, too, but I threw it out... it was worthless as far as telling me anything about the variety cultivation... cool soil tolerance, days to maturity, and other info.
We are building this green house for the exact reason you mention... more and more variability in the weather. I'll post a thread about that later. Anyway, this first one is going to be 8' x 20', attached to the side of our pumphouse to help heat it and keep the pipes in there warm, so we don't have to use the plug in heater as much.
Well, that's a long windy! LOL Gotta get to it, talk to you later...
Jay
gardenza
For a minute there I thought you were describing the president's job. LOL
I ordered out of Cook's Garden last year but wasn't that impressed with it and they can get pricey.
Bakercreek is all heirlooms and no GM enhanced seeds. I like saving seeds though I just got into it. Not only do I get to keep raising what works for me but I also have seeds to trade that way.
Jay
I don't have much room at all to garden but I try to make the most of it. We live on main street in our little town. It's the county seat and we live on the busiest corner in town. I hate it. That is why I spend most of my time at the barn we rent. I gave up flowers and just grow veggies in my beds. I did great with my tomatoes last year and most of the other stuff did well too. Except the broccoli. I have to try to do better with that this year.
Speaking of which, do any of you know how I can make a grow light from regular lights? I would like to get my seedlings going earlier this year but I don't have the sunlight to do it.
Here is a pic of my tomato patch. I had 16 plants in there and had tons of tomatoes. I don't know how to can so I gave lots of them away. That is something else I will have to work on this year. So much to learn. My Mom is a whizz at all that stuff but while she was canning and cooking, I was riding. Now I live 14 hours away so she can't teach me.
Your mom must be more restrained than mine was... she was always telling me what and how to do things and she lived two days drive away. I'm afraid I have a deeply ingrained loathing of telephones as a consequence. LOL
Yeah, I save seeds from the easy things, like tomatoes and beans, but everything that's bee pollinated requires more attention than I've got right now, what with building cages or hand pollinating or... I looked up one time to try and find out what it took to maintain a pure strain of corn... Hoo-Hah! that's down the list, for sure. I've got neighbors that sometimes grow corn, they're about a quarter mile away, but up wind, so it gets real complicated. Right now my big project is trying to grow OP onions, 'cause it's getting hard to find them. And we eat a lot of onions.
I'm sort of basing my strategy on what do we eat the most of and easy things. We are big starch eaters, lots of bread, potatoes, pasta. So I am looking into growing and processing our own wheat (that's where the donkeys enter the plan), making a potato bed this year, and learning how to make hominy as a possible substitute for pasta. I mean, think about the energy that goes into that bag of spaghetti! It's probably some sort of high moral crime, but I love my pasta, it's so quick and easy on those worn-out nights. And I'm pretty sure I'm not ever going to make any WW pasta that I can like. LOL
As far as grow lights, I've got plain old cheap flourescent shop lights with regular 40 W kitchen and bath bulbs (SP30?). I did the research last year, and found out that for seedlings, regular flourescent works fine, you don't need to spring for the fancy grow lights. Keep the flourescents 1" above the seedlings as they grow, and gently run your hand over them or blow on them to strengthen their stems. I had nice healthy, stout tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, lettuce, and onion seedlings last year. =0)
I think what made another big difference to my little operation was a germination mat. I grow these in a minimally heated shed room, so it made germination much faster and stronger. This year I'm springing for the thermostat for it, because I had real problems with starting kale, they got real leggy.
Territorial doesn't do GM seeds either. I don't know about Johnny's, but I suspect not. And Peaceful Valley catalogue also carries a number of vendors that are in accord with their philosophy of going organic, but I find the info provided too spare.
Broccoli's hard! We tried broccoli raab a couple of years ago and it was like setting the table for the whole valley's bugs! Especially aphids and flea beetles. Grrrr. Next time I do it, it stays under a row cover until I eat it. I'm not even going to peek at it (oh sure).
Our weather was indeed gorgeous today, and we got a lot done. Drove down and picked up a truck load of firewood and had a nice visit with the wood cutter, who had the cutest pit bulls I've ever seen. I'm sure there's something else back there somewhere. Instead of the blocky, muscular, square chested atheletes, these looked more like dumplings! They were just sort of round and, I don't know, plumpish, even the fit ones. Very cute. =0)
On the way back we stopped at the building supply and picked up portland cement to stucco the foundation of the pumphouse, hopefully next week when the weather warms up again (this weekend is supposed to be nasty), a bale of straw to cover the new stucco while it cures, salt bricks for the donks, and a nice visit with the folks at the feed store. Then home, stack wood, unload cement, straw, eat lunch, take nap and then dig out foundation, so that if the ground freezes I can still stucco if the day is warm enough. I mean, we were crankin'!
It feels so good to move things along. =0)
Jay
Thanks for the info on the light. Can I just set that up in the corner of my DR? My house is small but if it means more veggies it takes precedence (sp?). How does the mat work? Can you post a pic of your setup?
Mom gave me a pressure cooker for Christmas. I cooked some red beans with the ham bone and they were delish! Just finished the sweet potato pie she brought for Christmas. Actually brought 2 SP and 1 coconut meringue (sp?) and 2 sugar free cakes for DH. One was plum the other was banana. His Mom sent him a sugar free pumpkin pie. Mom brought a baked pork roast and a baked turkey complete with dressing and gravy too. She loves to cook and boy is she ever good at it. Oh yeah, she also brought fudge and date loaf. No wonder my pants are getting tight.
Good luck with the green house project. Sounds like you are moving right along.
I don't eat much bread but I'm with you on the pasta. Love the stuff. Chicken spaghetti is my favorite but I love shrimp spaghetti and crawfish spaghetti too.
My Mom knows the best way to do everything. If you don't believe me, just ask her. LOL She even rearranged the dish towel drawer while she was here. But I don't mind. I'm not much of a housekeeper so every little bit helps. But I did get the dishes washed today and 3 loads of laundry, Swept the downstairs twice and took the trash off. Got a load of sawdust for the barn and did the barn chores. Got 2 eggs today. I just love those little hens. If it's nice tomorrow I'm going to go carting. I only have 1 stall that needs work.
Yes, you can set it up in your DR... but there's a bit I didn't mention. The lights should be on for about 18 hours a day, so you'll need to figure out a way to make things dark if there's no door to close on that room. The set up I saw in a magazine, the woman used those cheap plastic shelves and surrounded 3 sides with aluminum foil, then on the fourth side used a blanket to block out the light. She lived in a little apartment, but had one of those community garden plots.
As for the picture... ah.... well.... that's another project. My set-ups kind of buried under debris right now, all the stuff we throw on the shelves the rest of the year. LOL When I get it cleaned up, I'll post it. If I remember by then. =0)
You can probably see a germination mat picture if you go to Peaceful Valley Farm Supply.... www.groworganic.com (I think). Basically, you put it under the flat of seeds and it warms the soil. Works great for tomatoes, peppers and eggplants, but I think without the thermostat it's a little warm for the cool season crops... lettuce, kale, broccoli, etc. Mine is big enough to warm one flat. Once the seeds have sprouted, you remove the mat... if the soil stays warm, the plants will get leggy.
We could make a bread addict out of you... my partner was a professional baker, and we grind our own flour. You would not believe the difference that makes. And the other morning I made sour dough pancakes served with homemade choke cherry syrup. Carb heaven! LOL
OMG, I love your mother! Can I have her? I'll just go buy sweats. LOL
Jay
DH loves bread but being a diabetic he can't eat much of it. He dearly loves light bread. I do love my Mom's cat head biquits. Slathered with butter and swimming in poor man gravy!
I'm just thinking. I have a table upstairs that I just have boxes stored on. Maybe I could put my trays on the floor, hang the light from the under pinning of the table and wrap the table with a blanket? I'll bet an old waterbed heater could be used as a grow mat with a cover of some type on it.
Just need to know how hot that heater gets. It might work. A heating pad might, though they're usually not water proof.
You don't need to wrap it if the light's not going to be a problem for you. Hanging the light under the table sounds like a great idea; get those little lightweight chains so that you can raise the light little by little as the plants grow.
Sounds like your wheels are turning now!...
I always have big plans. Problem is, I am bad about putting things off. But I'm always planning. LOL
I'm real bad about starting and never finishing! Besides all the great ideas. So two years ago I resolved to not start anything and finish some of my projects. Naturally, that was the year my mom decided to stroke and die, so that messed up that resolution, as I spent the 3 summer months with her as her life wrapped up. That was a project that no one anticipated.
So this last year has been the year of trying to get things done around here, and I've actually made a dent. I'm just so pleased with myself. We had a bigger garden than ever, we did something with the donks, got the chest freezer, got the wood stove, canned like maniacs, fixed all sorts of little falling apart things. And now we're moving on to the greenhouse! I sure hope this nice weather holds, then I'll actually be ahead in terms of that project, which I didn't think I'd get to til summer, missing the spring season all together for those beds. I've got my fingers crossed. =0)
Here, let me help... ooooo, fresh from the garden spring lettuce. Spinach to die for. Big plump juicy ripe tomatoes. Sweet crunchy red peppers. All uncontaminated by some lethal bug.
How's that?
Sorry about your Mom. That had to be hard. My Mom had a stroke a few years back. Thank the Lord the only residual affect she has is that food tastes like metal. It was a very dangerous stroke but God was with her.
You really got a lot done in the last year. You have reason to strut.
How did you learn to can food?
I just read the instructions a million times, kissed it up to god and did it.
Dinner time,
Jay
There is a coop for seedling mats in the coop forum right now. The price is not bad and the shipping is free.
Thanks for the heads up. I'll give it a look see.
Wow! That is a great price on the thermostat. Too bad they're closed right now, I can hardly wait to order one!
Thanks!
Jay