Posted on 07/19/2013 12:45:12 PM PDT by greeneyes
The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you.
This thread is non-political, although you will find that most here are conservative folks. No matter what, you wont be flamed and the only dumb question is the one that isnt asked.
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I don’t know how deep the well has to be, but if you search Youtube for drill a water well yourself, there are a number of them. They are labor intensive and not for everybody, but interesting to watch. Now if I was thirty something...maybe.
You have so much energy!
We have a local well drilling outfit that drilled our well almost 40 years ago. We had to replace the pump a few years back, and the son had taken over the business. His father retired.
He was a likeable sort, and did a good job for us, so we would probably call him if we ever have to drill a new one.
I don’t really have that much energy, but more determination and stubborness than many. I have had to learn lately to plan on extra time and take it a little at a time.
Wash all produce and let it drain/dry REST while it drains/dries. Sit on high stool at counter and slice off ends of all cukes. Process using veg o matic.
Put slices in brine to soak and rest some more. Fix up the pickling liquid, put the lids in water to sterilize, fill up water bath canner and put it on the stove to heat. Rest some more.LOL
You get the idea?? I can only stand for about 30 minutes before my back hurts and leg start feeling like pins are sticking into my thighs.
So after much pain experienced from defiance of reality and trying to do it all at once, I have finally given in, and learned to break it down into doable tasks of about 20 to 40 minutes with breaks in between. LOL.
The heat is on here in my neck of Missouri. 94 degrees at 7:35 p.m. No measurable rainfall going on three weeks, after getting inches at a time up to first of July. I am having reminders of last summer's heat and drought as I have had to start watering.
The cucumbers are a plenty and I got my first picking of green beans earlier this week. No ripe tomatoes yet but many loaded plants. I have planted some more beans for fall picking. I got my sweet potato slips out and they are loving this hot weather. The snow peas are done producing and I am allowing the last pods to develop seed which I will pick hull and plant for a fall harvest.
I have a few peppers near ready to pick and many more blossoms. My potatoes were planted late this year and even in spite of the heat and dryness most of the plants are still green, mainly because I mulched them with thick layers of straw. For now I am just digging up what I need, that is until I see the dirt monsters begin to feast on them. Last digging was not particularly easy as the dirt is beginning to congeal into a solid mass, and not even the potato fork goes into the soil easily.
The chiggers are so plentiful this year I have to soak myself in bug repellent before I can step into the grass. I hate that sticky feeling and the smell after I spray myself down, but IF I don't I am in agony for days after getting a chigger bite. I have noticed far more destructive bugs this year than during the heat and drought last year.
That’s interesting, for the most part we have had less pests than usual, and our theory was that the drought killed a lot and solarized the soil.
We had the low 90s high 80s today, but the basement kitchen has stayed steady at 75 degrees, with just the fans on. Hubby just brought in some produce. It looks like I’ll be doing a batch of pickles and maybe some green beans too tonight.
The sun is hovering just over the horizon, so I need to take a turn around the garden and see what I can do for the next 15 minutes or so before dusk set in and the skitters come out to feast.
Then I got to start on the cukes. So I’ll be off the thread for a while. Later.
German Butterball. *<];-’)
Oh, you mean TYPE. Sorry; couldn’t resist.
http://produceexpress.net/products/produce/item/german-butterball-potato.html
“An undisputed favorite heirloom for superior flavor, storage, and versatility; Russet-type with rich, golden, slightly flaky flesh. Luscious in any potato dish, ....”
Hi Black Agnes. Thank you so much for this info-wow. Sounds like you have this down to an art! I’m saving your post in a file for later reference. This really sounds like an efficient and smart way to grow winter squash.
Would love to have your “cake” recipe-if you can?
So that was why I had to trap and untangle a wren that was under the netting on the cherries today: it was after bugs attacking the tree, and keeping fruit stealing birds away!
Yes; I am in the market for a good bridge, as a matter of fact!
LOL. Thanks. I’ll have to write a recipe down the next time I make my cake.
It goes something like this though:
2 or 3c of processed, cooked squash/pumpkin puree
1/2c oil
2 or 3c of sugar (mix of brown and white depending on what i have on hand)
6 or 8 whole eggs (depending on how productive the feathered pets have been)
1 or 2 cups of rice flour
1 or 2 cups of almond/coconut/flax milk (depends on what i have)
1 cup of almond flour + enough to make cake ‘batter’ texture. I let it sit for 30s between additions to let it thicken up before I add more.
1tsp of baking powder (we use the non aluminum kind)
cinnamon to taste. We use a lot of cinnamon. Plus nutmeg or ginger or whatever you wish.
Put in rectangular glass dish, I use a 13X17, greased with coconut oil and sprinkled with a little sugar instead of flour. Bake at 350 until done. Depending on the ratios (how much pumpkin and how many eggs I have) this may take two pans. Be sure to give room for any rising.
If I have time I make a streusel crumble and drizzle a little frosting over the top to make it pretty.
The kids eat this warm with coconut milk for bfast. It lasts us 3 or 4 days or a little longer.
Small Army Corps flood control reservoir & recreation area about 3 road miles from the house. Rainbow trout; small & large mouth bass; and bluegill in it.
BTW, the storm I mentioned last week put an 11 foot wide stream across the access road to it, and raised its level around 3 feet. In addition, there are other stream beds that empty into it.
Our foster daughter who lives in Belarus brought them last summer. The russians and ukranians have some very interesting tomato varieties, they are bred to withstand a frost. We shall see.
Medina lake is 5% capacity. Yep, 5%. Out of approximately 32,000 acres of surface area, only 830 have water. We'll need a couple tropical storms to refill the lake.
Yeah, you plant Romas.
And that, my FRiend, will slap those people hard who buy survival seeds and do nothing but store them away. Too many believe that when the time comes, they'll merely toss some seeds out in the backyard and be eating full harvests two weeks later.
Some of the heirloom tomatoes at one of the farmers markets at the twice weekly street markets in Benderville. We live too close to the cool Pacific ocean to grow decent maters. These are grown a few miles east where temps can reach 100++
A view of the nearby farmers market where about 20 stalls were set up
Old shoes, and anything with holes in it; an old cap, worn right way around. Now & then somewhere between that & Johnny’s favorite.
If I have a lot of dirt work to do with the tiller, substitute work boots for the shoes, to keep dirt out; no cuffs.
If I need to chase out stray cows, then I usually am lucky to just have shoes on. No need to be fussy, as no roads or neighbors. Not even Jehovah’s Witnesses come knocking, after their first trip down our driveway.
Harvest is slowing down for everything but the peppers. This is the morning haul.
Normally, this time of year, these guys would be a memory, but the rain this week woke some stuff up. This is one plant on the property that I can't eat. Of course, it's been here longer than I have, and I've been here all of my life.
/johnny
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