Potato Growing

Last year I read of someone in a gardening group who was growing potatoes in black plastic trash/garbage bags. I thought it was a neat idea to grow them up and instead of using a lot of space and doing a lot of digging. This year I'm reading of using 55 gallon barrels to do the same. So it was only natural for a light-bulb moment, right?

I'm going to try a few of the woven grain bags for growing my potatoes this year! I thought the grain bags would do a better job due to having better drainage. Not to mention, I just happen to have an abundance of them. I'll just place them where I want to expand another plot/bed. The biggest job will be getting the compost and potato sprouts in the bags. I'll just fold the tops down to make it easy and can unfold as needed. As the potato plants start to grow, the technique is to add more compost and a few more potato seeds. So it should be pretty darned easy to get started.

Then I can use the compost/dirt from the bags to expand that garden plot without a lot of work. I can cut the bags to retrieve my yummy potatoes and the dirt will spill right where I want it. Plus the bags sitting on the edge of that plot should kill off a lot of the grass making it even easier.

Have any of you tried container growing potatoes? I've done ground planting, trench with hay planting, etc in the past. I've run into problems with slugs or something chewing on my potatoes. So I think the woven bags might just be an improvement in the pest department too!

Update From Around the Farm

I haven't disappeared! I'm just VERY BUSY! I've had 3 does kid so far and there are 6 kids. LadyBug, Jewels and now JuneBug have kidded. JuneBug is trying to "unfriend" her TINY girl. So I'm busy with hourly trips to the horse trailer to headlock her and make her let "Dinky" eat and then the other 2 to finish off any milk left. Her actual milk is just coming in so we should be up to speed soon. The kids are FIGHTING taking a bottle. I'm going to pick up a Pritchard nipple at TSC for Dinky. She's soooo tiny that the clear, soft lamb nipples are much to big for her mouth.  So, more later! And I'm trying to get pics too!

I shall return! I ahve a million and one things to try to accomplish today and I know there's NO chance I'll get them all done. But I need to try!

Easter Question

I've got these beautiful eggs my hens provide me with daily! Aren't they pretty?

I have 13 cute little chicks!

I came home with some nice rabbit cages found for sale on the side of the road! But, I haven't any bunnys yet. I want some. I'm ready for some. I've been pondering the acquisition and looking. I've given it a lot of serious thought. Now I'm READY!

Do you think the Easter Bunny might bring this old lady a few bunnys? After all, I have the other Easter type things! I can't have the candy due to being diabetic, so all that is left is BUNNYS! (I know, y to ie +s. I just like the short way.)

I need the Easter Bunny's address! I want to send him a Dear Santa, errr Dear Easter Bunny letter! Email would be fine!

I Spy Udders!

LadyBug (below right) and JuneBug (below left), ND's, are bagging up nicely! They are both making a significant difference in their udder daily. These girls are 2 of triplets. I usually refer to them as twins being I have the 2 but reality is trips. They actually look like a 2-headed goat but there are really 2 bodies here:

This is JuneBug's 2nd pregnancy. Last year she aborted fully developed quads who were getting their hair and appeared perfect. She had a TERRIBLE time over it. I had to leave her with them for a while so she could process it. My commiserations and attention weren't making any difference and she just needed the time. So I came to the house to get my camera and shed a few of my own tears. It was really sad listening to her crying over them. It was actually a wailing type cry and just a heart breaker. I so so hope she has healthy kids, an easy kidding and DOELINGS! Trips would be AWESOME!

This will be LadyBug's 3rd kidding. She had twin doelings the first kidding, twin bucklings last year and this year just HAS to be a doeling year again. (Hey, there were 13 bucklings and 1 doeling born last year! Then the lost quads were 3 bucklings and 1 doeling.) LadyBug is the doe who was badly injured when pg with her first pregnancy. She is disabled but kidded with no problems last year. I just worry a bit about her because of her severe injuries and the wear and tear on her body.

I still have LadyBug's twin bucks from last year. I really like them both. Patches is to the right with my info. He's a colorful fella! Wrapper is the chamoise (brown w/black trim) buck who broke his leg last Summer and spent 2 months in the house with hubby and I getting it healed. I hope I don't have to pick amongst them as I don't think I could. I like them both immensely. They have a LOT of similarities and yet also have some uniqueness that I really like. They are both very handsome dudes!

Kernals, the new boy is the sire of LadyBug's and JuneBug's kids. I can't wait to see what they produce. Kernals is gold and white. JuneBug is a broken buckskin and LadyBug is a broken, spotted chamoisee (polka dotted according to non goatie people).

After 13 bucklings and a doeling last year, I am DETERMINED that I DESERVE a doeling year! I'm POSITIVE I should never have so many bucklings ever again. That was beyond ridiculous! I don't even want to see any little bucklings this year. They just aren't in my plans!

I guess I better get ready! Being they'll be March kids, the weather can be pretty cold yet. So they'll need some little goatie coaties to wick the moisture away and help while they adapt their body regulators to keep them warm. I'll need to have all the towels, kidding supplies, etc ready for a moment's notice. After all, these 2 girls live life on their own terms and to their own drummer so they won't be thinking of what is convenient for me! Neither does the goat stork!

Illusive Birds

Geese? Goslings? Hatching Eggs? They ARE illusive when I want (PREFER) to buy them locally and not pay shipping or have newly hatched babes shipped up here in the cold North! They also want a small order charge added and additional per gosling postal fee. It runs the price right up FAST.

They are also VERY illusive when I look in my pocket!

I wanted a trio of Sebastapols. I LOVE LOVE LOVE their curly feathers. Add that regal stature and those lovely feathers and you have a very BEAUTIFUL bird. BUT, when I started the serious search, I found day olds are $50 each and already sold out! Plus, you have to have a curly feathered bird AND a smooth feathered so you don't get bone deformities as the curly gene and bone genes are in the same spot on the genetic allele.

People on Craigs List aren't very good at responding to the ads they post. If the item is gone, it would be nice if they'd pull the ad or at least hit reply and a "sold" response.

I'm also trying to find out if therer would be any at some of the small animal swaps or such. I hate to spend several hours on the road to get to one if they don't have any geese there!

I've had BAD luck with getting hatching eggs shipped to me. The PO seems to think they are soccer balls or something!

I'll keep looking... I have found a place that has some but don't know their name. I can't look them up so have to catch them home to see if they'd sell a few goslings or eggs.  Maybe they'd sell a trio???

And I'm off to google a fairgrounds that I heard might have some at their sales... another 2 hour drive!

Terminology Observation

I was on wikipedia and ran across this quote:

"This article contains weasel words: vague phrasing that often accompanies biased or unverifiable information. Such statements should be clarified or removed. (December 2010)"

I have to wonder about it! I mean is it a comment from a reader not agreeing with the rabbit info provided or is it from wikipedia? I've never seen it before!

So do we have a new term, weasel words? I find it a tad offensive or repulsive. So now are bloggers a bunch of weasel worders?

I don't find wikipedia to be a professional and highly accurate site. No offense, and I do use it. But, I consider the info to be a start for researching and feel I'm then responsible to verify, clarify, or disregard if I can't support it with professional info. In a way, it's rather like reading a blog. It's the author's opinion or writing.

That being, I sure don't consider myself as weasely! I always thought to be a weasel (not the 4 legged variety) was quite negative and suggests being sneaky and conniving! That rabbit article was interesting and informative, an opinion and experience. It was NOT a negative article. I didn't find the words to be sneaky or conniving or anything resembling a weasel!

Interesting, for sure! What do you think?

Another Dilemma - Clothes Pins!

It's time to be hanging a lot of laundry outside and I have a problem! I have got to get some new clothes pins. I'm sure many of you run into the same issue I'm having. I WANT and I NEED some STRONG clothes pins. I NEED them to hold a pair of jeans on the line without using 20 of them and hoping the wind doesn't stir! Today's clothes pins are JUNK, IMHO! These junky one's won't even hold a sock, dish or wash cloth, or the "unmentionables" on the line.

I can't afford to go buy clamps at the hardware store! It does seem like those clamps are about what I need these days! I need REAL clothes pins. I NEED clothes pins for a REAL load of laundry!

And, I need to get the laundry soap made too. I have all the ingredients, just need to get that soap grated!

So what do you all do about this? This is a REAL problem!

Let the Incubating & Hatching Begin!

TODAY is THE day! The incubator has been running since yesterday. The temp is almost ideal. The 2nd thermometer (with humidity) is now recharged and in to temp compare with the other therm.

I'll be going out to collect eggs soon and hope they aren't frozen due to it being so DARN COLD! And then I'll add all my collected eggs to the incubator and wish them a successful hatching with healthy, vibrant little chickies!

They will be due to hatch March 3rd - 4th!

Do you want to see a banner up with all the seasonal ones to tell when the hatch is due to begin? I hadn't decided if I would do that this year. If you enjoy seeing it there, I'll be happy to add it! Just post me a comment OR mark at the bottom of this post in the "interesting" box. You don't have to log in or anything to mark the "interesting" box! :) No capcha code to try to discern.

I'm really looking forward to hatching again. I really need some little chicks to grow into layers and farm entertainers. I do enjoy watching their antics.

Varmit Control Update: No luck last night as we had a snow storm and it got COLD! There weren't even any tracks in the snow. I've more juicy tidbits to add to the container of cat kibble and a juicy pork chop fat strip to freshen up the aroma.

Off to murmur my little hatch well chickies mumble jumble while slowly circulating my hands over the incubator. Gosh, after last year maybe that isn't the best for wishing my lovely eggs well. I didn't seem to have to great of hatches..... Maybe I need a new gimmick or routine! Maybe a better prayer....

So Bummed!

Yesterday I found the Banty Cochin hen in the pic in the preceeding post eaten by a possum. She's the little adorable white hen with her roo. He's pretty much at lost ends yesterday and today. They were really bonded and stuck together amongst the others in that pen. I almost cried. She was a very calm and friendly hen. She followed me around and was fine with being picked up and talked too, as is the roo.

As soon as I can get my big cage from the frozen ground moved, I'll put the roo and my little blue banty Cochin hen with him and hope the 2 will hit it off and become buds.

I'll be getting my incubator out tomorrow and start warming it. Then Friday I hope to be able to set the eggs I have been collecting. The oldest 5 of the eggs will be just a week old so hopefully they are fertile. Aren't the pretty?

I sure do hope I get lucky and have some little banty Cochins in that clutch! There aren't too many banty eggs so I'll be REALLY lucky if I do. There are 2 pairs of banty Favorelles in that pen too so could end up with the eggs being Faverolles.

TSC chickies, here I come! I'll be checking for feather-footed bantys along with some standard size chickes. I'm thinking of ordering from the TSC flier to get some mottled, gold and silver laced and another color of Cochins. I'm hoping they'll have Brahmas too.

Wish me luck. My chickie luck runs really low and I need all the good vibes I can get!

I Can't Help Myself!

Really, I can't! Could be because I really don't want to!

Today I brought in 4 BEAUTIFUL eggs and my banties had started to lay and I found their nest! You know what that means, don't you?

Yup, those 3 cute little eggs and the pretty big brown one are now sitting and waiting to be put in the incubator.

Yes, I said good bye to the ground hog and HELLLLOOO pretty eggs! Simple reasoning of a hatch addict, huh? It simply was so easy to set those eggs aside... after all, I have a dozen in the refrigerator so I'm not shorting us.

I just wish I hadn't lost my last ADORABLE little mottled Cochin Bantum (above). I've got to get some new laying chicks this year and I think I may need to see about some of the Bantams too. I don't have any of the cute colored ones, just the pair of white Cochin Bantams and the 2 pair of Black Faverolle Bantams. And there is also the Faverolle cross roo who runs with the big hens (above behind the mottled hen).
Yes, Spring is coming. Our ground hog prediction was opposite the PA Phil's and our weather man says his prediction is we'll get some more snow before it's over.

So I guess maybe I'm going to be pushing for Spring a bit early. And I do so love hatching and the chicks.
      
Now, how many eggs do I want to set aside to hatch before I start them going? A number of them? A week's worth? Ten days' worth? Such decisions and hard ones too!

EGGS!

In January and February eggs are sure a high point here in the North Country! So far, up until today, I got more frozen eggs than not. BUT, today made a difference. We're above freezing for the 2nd day so that helps tremendously. If I'm not out there to get them soon after laying, I get this:

And another angle of the same 2 frozen eggs:

Frozen solid! The dogs and cats love them though and they get a few.

On the warmer days and the end of last week I was gifted with these:

I managed to find these BEFORE they froze. The egg on the right is a thinner shelled egg than I like to find. I'm out of oyster shell and the feed store hasn't been able to get me any. :( So I need to make a trip to the big feed mill a couple towns away or to TSC. I'm going to need grit and a few other things too. I hate losing eggs to weak shells. I do crush my shells up really well and I mix them into some table scraps and feed them back but they need the oyster shell too.

The end of last week I got these:

I found a new nest and these were the only good eggs. There were several frozen. Bah humbug! But at least I know the girls are doing THEIR job!

I had managed to collect a full dozen so made pancakes. I like extra eggs in my pancakes. They add extra protein and make them a pretty yellowish shade. As soon as I had made the pancakes I was back to no or only 1 egg a day. So, what are they up too? We had a snow storm but that only means it was snowy outside of the barn. Shouldn't that give them more time to hunker down IN the barn where it's dry and warmer and just lay some extra eggs?

Then today when I was getting 2 eggs from a nest I can hardly get too, I hear another hen off to the right. Ah ha! There just be a nest over there. Of course that is hubby's "junk" corner in the barn and I only got a quick glimpse of the hen coming out in a big hurry. FINALLY, peaking between some wood standing on end and JUNK, I spy a nest.... WAY out of my reach. So I had to move and move and move things. Then I got my grill tongs I keep in the barn and managed to pull out these beauties, 2 of which were not from the well-hidden, near to impossible-to-get-to nest:

For egg laying being the hens' job, I sure do have to work hard to bring a few eggs to the house! I can easily say I'm all ready for Easter! I've been practicing egg hunting for 3 weeks now and have successfully managed to put close to 3 dozen in the refrigeration.

I'm also having the urge to set a few aside to put in the incubator! With wood heat and it still being Winter, it's a few weeks too early. So I better get some oyster shell in these girls and get the shell quality such they can be incubated!

And for now, I'm off to find my Easter banner to see how many days until then so I'll know how many more days of practicing the Easter egg hunt I have to go!

Fond Memories and Chores with the Boys!

I could look up the date that I lost Nipper, my ND buck, but I have already been thinking of him a lot the last week. I'm thinking that it was a year ago that I lost him. He's not forgotten and sadly missed.

On days like today, I'm very thankful to have his twin sons. They are very different in their antics and yet have many similarities too. Wrapper, the boy who had broken his leg and spent a lot of time inside healing, often reminds me of Nipper. Today Wrapper was doing his daddy's (and his) thing while I did chores. He runs along with me, races past me, and when I get where we're going, he's off to where I'll be going next. Then he races back and forth while waiting for me, all the while, demonstrating his athletic ability with his side-winder running moves, boink-boinking along, and that flat out run with a leap into the air. What a hoot!

Meanwhile, Patches (Wrap's twin) and Kernals (the new buck) amble along with me, usually RIGHT BEHIND me! Yes, if I stop unexpectedly, I often get rear-ended and then given the innocent, "Why did you stop here?" look.

Wrapper has to jump up on an old steel garbage can (froze down and wish I could move it) and leans over the edge of the stock tank for a tepid drink. Patches and Kernals patiently wait for me to scoop a bucket of water and place it in front of them. ALL new water MUST be taste tested before it can be taken to the barn! it's a goat rule! Wrapper scares me that he may fall in the tank, which would mean I'll have to bring the stinky fella to the house to get dried and warmed. Then back to the barn we head with water for the does. All the while, Wrapper is still showing me his moves.

He sure reminds me of his daddy! Patches and Kernals remind me of a couple old souls who are just plain happy to be under my feet and waiting for their being loved on.

REALLY!

There just isn't much I can say about this!

Today is World Menopause Day.

REALLY! We need this day? How do we celebrate? With a cake or fancy dinner?

Please share with me how you would like to celebrate this day!

Sunday Silence - Missing

What Season is it?

It is Seed Catalog Season, of course!

There's nothing like reaching into the mail box and pulling out a sign that Spring is really coming! I think it's the best time of the year to collect my mail. I still get the bills, but the seed catalogs brighten it immensely!

I got the Baker Creek Catalog first so the photos here are pics I took of their catalog. I LOVE their catalog. The photos are just awesome. I think I should consider framing a couple of the pics to display.

Along with Baker Creek's catalog, I've also gotten the following:

RH Schumway

Jung Seeds & Plants

Gurneys

Gardens Alive

John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds

Territorial Seed Company

Miller Nurseries

And what a breath of Spring they are. It is also nice that we are having a VERY mild Winter so far. I can't believe how mild it is. I can deal with this! I wish it was like this most years instead of this being a totally unusual one! I regress....

I'm really enjoying the seed catalogs. I'm marking x's near the seeds I need and filling the pages with sticky notes to find those pages again. Next, I'll jot what the seeds on those pages are at the top of the sticky notes. I COULD do that at the same time that I stick them in, but I really enjoy a 2nd trip thru the catalogs to do this. It also makes the 2nd trip faster so if I missed anything I can catch it and it's a good prelim for the next thing I do. And, that is a list of what I want to get. Then I'll note the prices and catalog page for each item. After that I use my list to price compare and also to see if there are any catalogs that won't make the cut this year. If shipping and handling prices weren't so high, I'd order a few from each catalog. It won't work that way for me again this year.

I really do have fun doing this. I guess it's the "dream" and yet it's a necessity to plant a garden. And, I'm started with my reviews.

THEN, it happened! I had to make a trip to Dollar General yesterday, along with getting gas and goat and poultry feed. And what did Dollar General have? A nice, big see display, all nicely full and no empty spots! Yes, I did it. I bought a whole lot of packages of seeds. What was a gal to do? I need to garden! They are filling a need, and they sucked me right in with marketing! The majority of seeds are only 3 for $1. It's a far cry from the $3 seeds for 1 packet in my lovely catalogs! AND, NO shipping and handling charges! Granted the packets don't have as many seeds as the major seed companies do, but I don't always need 1,000 seeds, even for zucchinis!

Needless to say, I now need to make a list of what I have and then I can resume perusing the seed catalogs.

I even grabbed a few flower seeds! Nasturims are good bug deterrants and are fun to see down amongst the squash plants. Nasturim flowers are also edible, as are the squash blossoms! So, if I get hungry I can eat flowers!

I might not like normal winters, but I sure do enjoy Seed Catalog Season! I do enjoy a good deal too. I shouldn't look to see how much I spent on seeds. It might blow my mind and that would ruin the rest of my season!

Project Storage!

After years of desire.... and I DO mean YEARS....

I'm FINALLY getting some storage shelves that I've wanted sooooo badly! I was trying to figure out how to put them in myself, but hubby kept telling me I "can't do that".  Well, nephew Mick is going to put them in for me!

 

I'll FINALLY have a shelf the cream separator (it's a BEAST) can set on and not have to be moved, etc.! And milk jars will have a better place to set when not in use. And my small collection of pitchers and decorated jars I store goodies in will have a place to "pretty up" while being practical.

 

Also, my pressure canners, stock pots and such will have a "permanent" place to be instead of being toe stubbers.

 

AND, on the end will be floor to ceiling book shelves for all my cookbooks! They can be out of their boxes and better accessed! I'll be able to get to those with the little sticky tabs sticking up from something I want to make!

 

I'm also hoping for a floor-to-ceiling cupboard added on the edge of the kitchen. This house has ALWAYS been lacking storage space and over the years, my kitchen acquisitions and such have expanded.

 

The good news is, we have MOST of the materials needed and may only need some shelf wood and a door for the cupboard. YAH!!!!

 

I have soooo needed all this for sooooo long! Mick is off work for the Winter and was tickled to have something to do. He'll probably have BIL's help as they enjoy puttzin around together doing guy stuff. They came out the other day to help me with getting all the cut and split wood from the edge of the woods up here for our wood heat, and they cut some extra too. They also cut a couple trees off my fence that were in bad need of being done. I was trying to do them with a hand saw and getting no where fast other than the saw eventually broke.

 

Can you tell I'm excited about some storage space? REALLY EXCITED!

Merry Christmas!

I am wishing you all a blessed Christmas, Hanakkah, Kwanza, and other celebration! I celebrate a Christian Christmas but respect others' beliefs also. I wish more peace for all of us to unite as humans with respect for others' beliefs, feelings, etc. Even though Christmas is my belief, I always hope that others will interpret my saying MERRY CHRISTMAS to be happiness in your life and with your family and those most special to you!

Sunday Humor!

Here is Jethros Hollyday christmas Shopppin list. AKA what i want for Christmas.

1. Camoflage Shower Curtain
2. Links (That's that new perfume from Jimmy Dean)
C. A Flannel One-zee for bedtime
5. Case of beer (domestic prefurde)
18. A new set of snow tires for the house
42. The Best of Hee-Haw DVD
3rd. A palet of Cheetoes

Hey, I was a good boy all year long.

So, I just happened to have that nifty lawn mower in my files and thought it would be just the thing for a guy of this calibur! I also have this, which would most likely fit the decor he's aiming for:

Now, I do have something to ponder on! Is this fella a "hillbilly" or a "redneck"?

Sunday Humor

Enjoy the humor! And I just happened to have this tp graphic that will go well with the decorating style!

Here is Jethros Hollyday christmas Shopppin list. AKA what i want for Christmas.

1. Camoflage Shower Curtain
2. Links (That's that new perfume from Jimmy Dean)
C. A Flannel One-zee for bedtime
5. Case of beer (domestic prefurde)
18. A new set of snow tires for the house
42. The Best of Hee-Haw DVD
3rd. A palet of Cheetoes

Hey, I was a good boy all year long.



I thought you might enjoy that. I'm stumped though. Is it "hillbilly" or is it "redneck"?

Update!

Hello friends! Yes, friends. I've had this blog long enough that I have you WONDERFUL readers who seem like friends - virtual friends who I'd love to meet in person! Thank you for being here and following my blog and my crazy life! I GREATLY appreciate that you have all stuck with me during this rough patch I seemed to collide with.

Good news! I'm finally doing some catching up and getting some where! I still have just a couple projects that MUST be finished up asap. I hope to have them completed this week. I've sure pulled my hair out over these last few! Well and plumbing issues are NOT in my area of "expertise" or just plain know-how. They have been becoming a hands-on job though. :(

Another good news item is the critters are all doing well. It's been a rough year with some of them and far too many injuries. I do need to trim all the goatie hooves and finish de-burring the 2 horses. They all seem to be content with winter so far and are adapting well. The bucks are losing their stinky aromas so I am suspecting that the 6 does are all bred. I've not seen anyone in heat for sometime. So kidding will start in March if no one has pulled some sneaky will stunt. Goats will do that if they get a chance!

I have my sewing machine ready to use and the beginning of some sewing projects ready to start. Now I need time. I guess I need a new hat. I think I've pulled all the magic out of the ones I have!

I've been relearning to knit and crochet. The bad news is I never knew enough to have it easy to just pick back up. I seem to have forgotten everything but what the yard, needles and hooks are. I also remembered that getting knots in something is a whole lot of entertainment and sometimes VERY frustrating - enough so to grumble and stuff it all back in the bag! I don't throw tantrums, but rather get frustrated and upset that I'm not getting it better/easier. But, the good news is that I spent 4 hours at the dental clinic and FINALLY made progress and was able to actually knit. I was slow, but I was knitting and got somewhere! Since then, I have found a pattern for some baby booties that only take 4 inch squares! I'm really psyched now! I can finally see it coming to fruitation.

Along with everything else in life, I've been dealing with some medical issues. I am heading to the oral surgeon next for some surgery. I also have a lump at the back of my jaw to my ear that needs addressed. Hopefully I can soon get the rest of my health status improved and get back some "forward motion" instead of being stalled!

That being, I have more to share later but need to get back to work for now. I've just felt pretty guilty not posting here and on the 2 new food related blogs I'd just started. So I wanted to hop on in and give you all an update and thank you for staying with me. We'll all be back in business soon!