The Garden Thread - August, 2025

August 1, 2025 | Diana in WI/Greeneyes in Memoriam

[Augie]

The counter surfing thing... When #1 Marine Daughter’s Doberman was young she was a one-dog wrecking crew if there was food on the counter. Ten seconds of inattention from humans was all she needed. She’s 7yo now and will still try it every now and then if she thinks nobody is watching.

Booger the Aussie jumped on top of the kitchen counter a couple times when she was young. She’s a very tender-hearted thing and only had to be scolded a few times to break her of that behavior.

A buddy of mine has Beagles that live in the house and they do pretty well. He always gets them as young pups which makes things easier.

I’m going to attempt it with Howard. I can shut the stairway door and confine him to my office in the basement while I’m working. If it doesn’t work it doesn’t work, but there’s only one way to find out.

I’ve got roughly a month before Mrs. Augie is officially retired from the DoD to work on it. If I suddenly stop posting here you’ll know it went badly and she’s killed me and taken Howard to the pound. lol

[Pollard]

Just noticed the different sizes in Lodge Dutch Ovens and more than one blue. That and a huge price range due to walmart website being like amazon now. Looks like 5.5 qt in Indigo blue is the one I can get from WM. They do make a 7.5 qt in indigo but wm doesn't carry them. Amazon has them for $120. Maybe later. I have a 6 qt Instant Pot but I want something I can use in the smoker or on top of the wood stove.

Will be heading that way shortly. Grab some lunch on the way. Maybe we'll get lucky and the Mad Moose BBQ guy will be set up in town. Mobile trailer and has the best wings ever.

Probably won't get any cattle panels from TS but will grab a flat of the wide mouth pint jars and look at their air hoses. Gonna drop my son off at WM and let him roam the food aisles with a cart. We're trying to expand his menu. I'll kill time at TS, hit GW Foods for a few racks of ribs, check out the discount grocery store and then head back to WM and hit the kitchen aisles. Meet up and check out and then hit the local grocery stores on the way back. One of them has wings for $2.49/lb which is a deal and we like our wings too.

Lodge makes Dutch Ovens in a lot of colors and sizes.

From Lodge on Amazon

From WM

Oddly, Lodge website doesn't show the 5.5 qt. Specially made for WM? Might be inferior if that's the case. WM tells suppliers what they'll pay and they can either figure out a way or not get the WM volume orders. Must be some quality difference if it's $100 for non WM Lodge 6 qt or $45 for WM Lodge 5.5 qt.

My Presto pressure canner was like that. It's 16 qt iirc and the one from WM has weights while the one available elsewhere including direct from Presto had the dial gauge. Even before starting as a machinist I could see that the machining wasn't great on mine. I've never gotten a chance to look at the non WM version but if I had to guess, I'd bet they're a little better. Mine has always worked just fine though and I prefer the weights. I grew up with that sound. It was usually green beans from the garden.

I might have to have an Indigo Dutch Oven selection, SM, MED, L and XL.

[FamiliarFace]

*** If I suddenly stop posting here you’ll know it went badly and she’s killed me and taken Howard to the pound. lol***

🙏🏼 Good luck, Augie! 🤣

[FamiliarFace]

I think you’re right, Pollard, about the 5.5 qt being made exclusively for Walmart. That is a decent price, too.

My blue 6 qt Dutch oven looks like the blue that is 3rd from the left, top row. On Amazon, it just says “blue” for the color. I’m glad it was purchased when it was, 5 years ago.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Could go EITHER way, really...YOU might be the one sent to the Pound, LOL!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I noticed that Walmart has expanded their listing for items! I wanted a particular cookbook, and they also had a used copy listed for half the price. Since I’m not picky, I ordered that one, and it was signed by the Author. Score!

I also discovered two tricks:

If you want to save $ on food, do a search for ‘foods under $2.00’ and you’ll see a LOT of unadvertised sales items. I do that, and also $1.00 items, which are usually canned meals (Chef Boyarde, etc.) that I buy for the Food Pantry.

They also have a tab for ROLLBACKS which are all kinds of discounted items; food, clothing, household, soap, shampoo, junk from China, etc. ;)

I wouldn’t go any smaller than the 5.5 quart Dutch Oven. Get the 6 quart if you can swing it. You won’t regret going bigger when it comes to those.

[Qiviut]

Howard might end up being a laid back house dog. My brother’s Brittany was totally different in the house. Other than scarfing food whenever he had the opportunity, he mostly just laid around & was pretty chill. Howard is smart - I’ll bet he figures out there are advantages to being allowed inside. It seems to me he enjoys your company, too :-)

[MomwithHope]

I think from what you have said about him that Howard will be good. He will learn and be happy just to be with you.