Thursday, 30 April 2015
A Week in Farm Photos July 28th August 3rd
past week brought gorgeous cooler days and a bit of rain. It was critter week here on the farm - in addition to our three dozen assorted critters, I rescued a giant praying mantis and a baby fruit bat, which was kind of neat. Please enjoy this slice of our life!
Sunday Blessing
"Beloved,
while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints... building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.
"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen."
~ Jude 3, 20, 21, 24, 25
Read More..
while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints... building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.
"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen."
~ Jude 3, 20, 21, 24, 25
Barn Hop 28
I would like to report that I got a long list of projects done this week, or that I was ready for my goats and they finally arrived, or perhaps something exciting happened (okay, so fires can kind of be exciting, but I was thinking of something not so traumatic), but what I really have to report is... we got a lot of school done!
Week 2 of homeschool and thankfully, routine is already starting to fall into place. Not perfectly, mind you, but better than Week 1. In some ways, I think the girls did better than me, but in all honestly, it was because I spent some of "my time" (cleaning, cooking, gardening, etc.) helping them to solidify their own routine and understand their new curriculum and that kind of thing. In the long run this is choosing the best; the ultimate priority during those hours is school and helping them to grow in character and spirit, so its all good. I just have to keep remembering that when things I often think are important dont get done.
Join The Barn Hop!
Jill @ The Prairie Homestead
Kendra @ New Life on a Homestead
Megan @ A Blossoming Homestead
and Amy @ Homestead Revival...
...invite you to link up and share your homesteading adventures!
1. Write a blog post about whats going on at your homestead or a post on something youre learning or an item of interest that will benefit the homesteading community. Be sure to add the red barn button and link back here so others can join in the fun.
2. Come back here and enter your information in the Linky. Please be sure to link to your actual post (click your title and then copy the URL above) and not your home page so those participating later in the week can find your post easily.
3. If you dont have a blog, leave a comment and tell us whats going on at your homestead!
Please Note: As hostesses of the Homestead Barn Hop, please understand that we reserve the right to remove any links that are not family friendly. While this may be subjective, we will err on the side of caution in order to keep our blogs appropriate for all readers. Thank you for your understanding!
Wednesday, 29 April 2015
resurrection pass
Repurposed Feed Bag Christmas Stocking Tutorial
Start saving your empty feed bags! It's so easy to sew up these cute stockings to give as holiday gifts to your chicken-loving friends - maybe filled with chicken treats or other chicken-themed items. And if you decorate your coop for the holidays, a row of these stockings would look adorable.
Sturdy, durable and weather-resistant, the stockings are appropriate for indoor or outdoor use.
Tuesday, 28 April 2015
The Case Against Adding Supplemental Winter Chicken Coop Light
Your flock's lay rate will slow naturally as the days grow shorter. A chicken needs approximately 14 hours of daylight in order to stimulate her pituitary gland to stimulate the ovaries to release an egg. In the winter, it can take two or three days to accumulate enough daylight naturally, but to combat the slowed laying many backyard chicken keepers (and all commercial egg farms) add supplemental light to keep lay rates high year round.
[continue reading]Sunday Blessing
Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.
The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the Lord, over many waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,
and Sirion like a young wild ox.
The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth
and strips the forests bare,
and in his temple all cry, "Glory!"
The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
May the Lord give strength to his people!
May the Lord bless his people with peace!
~ Psalm 29
Have we not heard our Lord speak the past few weeks? Floods, droughts, earthquakes, fires... man is but a vapor and kings sit on thrones only by His hand!
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; only He can give us strength and bless us with peace.
And He will!
"... and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
~ Jesus; Matthew 28:20
Read More..
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.
The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the Lord, over many waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
 |
| Photo Credit |
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,
and Sirion like a young wild ox.
 |
| Photo Credit |
The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
 |
| Photo Credit |
and strips the forests bare,
and in his temple all cry, "Glory!"
The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
May the Lord give strength to his people!
May the Lord bless his people with peace!
~ Psalm 29
Have we not heard our Lord speak the past few weeks? Floods, droughts, earthquakes, fires... man is but a vapor and kings sit on thrones only by His hand!
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; only He can give us strength and bless us with peace.
And He will!
"... and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
~ Jesus; Matthew 28:20
seepage
Heres a shot from a few weeks back of some oil seeping out of the ground on a trail in the White Mountains National Recreation Area north of Fairbanks. At first I thought these must be from rogue dirtbikes, but they were so many, and so random that Im pretty sure theyre from some kind of oil coming up from the ground. Anyone know anything more about this?conservation and renewables
In their desire to save some cash, Alaskans are starting to talk and act like a bunch of greenies.If you asked any environmental group where to start addressing climate change, Im sure theyd say something like "conservation and renewables," and thats where the AK Legislature and Gov. Palin seem to be headed.
In terms of conservation, Sen. Lyman Hoffmans plan to dump $300 million into home weatherization and energy efficiency programs that normally get $5 million a year has passed the Legislature and probably will pass the govs veto pen. Hoffman told me yesterday that was just the start. Next year, he hopes to tackle public facilities like schools.
As for renewables, the main push is for a renewable energy fund that would spin off about $15 million a year that could be used for loans or grants to get projects going. (Alaska hasnt really embraced the renewable portfolio standard idea, although a sizeable chunk of state generation is from hydro.)
Rep. Bill Thomas, a Republican, sponsored the first proposal for a fund, and a bunch of Democrats signed on. That didnt really move, but then the House Speaker, John Harris, another Republican, sponsored another version and the bill moved relatively quickly. More than half of the House has signed on as co-sponsors, and the bill, HB 152, passed the House without a no vote. When the bill went to the Senate, more than half of the Senators signed on as cross-sponsors, but the bill got stuck in the Senate Finance Committee, where its been for 10 months without a hearing. U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski chided the co-chair in her speech Tuesday, noting that the bill was officially supported by more than half of the Legislature.
A staffer to Sen. Bert Stedman, the co-chair sitting on the bill, told me Tuesday that HB 152 would finally get a hearing next week. Stedman was cool to the idea because he doesnt like creating special funds, which he says bump up against the constitutional restriction on appropriating money in future years, the staffer said. (The alternative is that each special interest group comes to Juneau each year to lobby for its cash -- a fund provides some security, even if lawmakers can get rid of it whenever they want.)
Stedman also wanted to figure out the mechanics of funding it, the staffer said. Gov. Palin is already on board, and proposed putting $250 million into such a fund in her budget plan, but there are different ways the funds could be provided.
Stedmans staffer said he expected something to pass this year because of the broad support for the bill.
Thats Sen. Stedman, a former commercial fisherman and the only senator to consistently wear three-piece suits.
Monday, 27 April 2015
Perfect Camouflage
Todays guest blogger is Marjory Wildcraft of Back Yard Food Production. Marjory has been homesteading and working toward making her own back yard as self sustaining as possible. She and her husband have implemented and experimented with a variety of food production techniques drawn from organic farming, permaculture, agroforestry, indigenous teachings, historical anecdotes, and relief work in developing countries, all with an emphasis on developing systems using the highest productivity, yet needing the least amount of work, fertility, and/or water. Her DVD by the same title, Back Yard Food Production, is a step by step video guide incorporating the principles Marjory has learned over the last several years.
House cats don’t do very well in rural environments. White cats are in the most peril as they are highly visible - and delicious - to owls. Solid black cats, or gray-black tabbies tend to do much better.
My young daughter really, really wanted a cat. My son and I were ambivalent. And my husband was adamant that no, we didn’t need a cat. Two years of pleading and he wore down. Before he changed his mind we quickly went to the animal shelter and my daughter picked out the only tame cat they had; a half grown calico. We named her Valorie.
She was soooo cute at the shelter; her coat is delightful and appealing to the human eye, and soft and cuddly to the touch. I knew that her attractiveness to humans would mean she was a lousy mouser - and that turned out to be true. Her colors are lucky and she is clearly geared towards eating Purina more than worrying about catching a meal. It may not be exactly camouflage, but it more than protects her - it grants her prima donna status in the world.
We took Valorie home. My husband and I repressed our concerns for the long-term viability of this cat in our rural setting. We encouraged Valorie to stay indoors.
But surprisingly her colors are also a camouflage in the truest sense of the word. Yes, she is highly visible in almost every lighting condition, which seems very dangerous. But look again and you’ll realize it is very hard to determine which end is the head or the tail. Predators cannot afford to make mistakes that might get them injured. They depend on the health and function of their bodies for their lives and they wouldn’t risk attacking… what is that animal anyway? – it smells like cat, but it doesn’t look like one.
Valorie is an example of perfect camouflage. Her colors work very well in two entirely different realms; she is adorable to the people who feed her, and confusing to those who would eat her. As your garden gets bigger, or as you work with small livestock, you’ll learn a lot more about predators. And camouflage.
Marjory Wildcraft
Read More..
House cats don’t do very well in rural environments. White cats are in the most peril as they are highly visible - and delicious - to owls. Solid black cats, or gray-black tabbies tend to do much better.
My young daughter really, really wanted a cat. My son and I were ambivalent. And my husband was adamant that no, we didn’t need a cat. Two years of pleading and he wore down. Before he changed his mind we quickly went to the animal shelter and my daughter picked out the only tame cat they had; a half grown calico. We named her Valorie.
She was soooo cute at the shelter; her coat is delightful and appealing to the human eye, and soft and cuddly to the touch. I knew that her attractiveness to humans would mean she was a lousy mouser - and that turned out to be true. Her colors are lucky and she is clearly geared towards eating Purina more than worrying about catching a meal. It may not be exactly camouflage, but it more than protects her - it grants her prima donna status in the world.
We took Valorie home. My husband and I repressed our concerns for the long-term viability of this cat in our rural setting. We encouraged Valorie to stay indoors.
 |
| Valorie, the cat. |
But surprisingly her colors are also a camouflage in the truest sense of the word. Yes, she is highly visible in almost every lighting condition, which seems very dangerous. But look again and you’ll realize it is very hard to determine which end is the head or the tail. Predators cannot afford to make mistakes that might get them injured. They depend on the health and function of their bodies for their lives and they wouldn’t risk attacking… what is that animal anyway? – it smells like cat, but it doesn’t look like one.
Valorie is an example of perfect camouflage. Her colors work very well in two entirely different realms; she is adorable to the people who feed her, and confusing to those who would eat her. As your garden gets bigger, or as you work with small livestock, you’ll learn a lot more about predators. And camouflage.
Marjory Wildcraft
BH101 Bird House Plans Construction Bird House Design How To Build A Bird House
BH101 - Bird House Plans Construction - Bird House Design - How To Build A Bird House
Units: Inches - fractions
Oversize: 1 1/8" x 7" x 1 6 7/8" (height)
...
Units: Millimeters - decimal
Oversize: 309 x 178 x 479 (height)
...
BH101 - Bird House Plans Construction
Bird House Design - How To Build A Bird House
...
See more Concept Plans
...
Detailed Plans for Construction
(PDF file; Excel file
Units: Inches - fractions
Units: Millimeters - decimal
More than 26 drawings in this document
- printed on A4 or A3 size paper)
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Step by step instructions for specific, detailed, easy to understand, easy to build.
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I made it some weeks. So I loved it. I am very grateful to you if you love it.
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BH101 - Bird House Plans Construction
Bird House Design - How To Build A Bird House
Good Bugs vs Bad Bugs The Struggle between Good and Evil in the Garden
The combination of warm sunny days, cool nights and plenty of rain has conspired to help our melon and squash garden flourish. There are cheerful yellow blossoms everywhere and even the beginnings of some tiny fruit. Bees are buzzing around - which makes me so happy considering the plight of the honeybees and how beneficial they are in pollinating all of the beautiful blossoms.
Of course bad bugs have taken up residence as well, but hopefully the toads and bats along with some good bugs are controlling their numbers. As with much in life, it's a constant struggle between good and evil, even inside the confines of garden fencing. Come take a look!
Of course bad bugs have taken up residence as well, but hopefully the toads and bats along with some good bugs are controlling their numbers. As with much in life, it's a constant struggle between good and evil, even inside the confines of garden fencing. Come take a look!
[continue reading]
Sunday, 26 April 2015
Preparedness Challenge 38
Todays Winner & Give-Away!
Last months give-away from USA Emergency Supply was the The Back to Basics Apple Peeler. Im pleased to announce the winner today...
Congratulations
AMY @ JOY IN THE JOURNEY!
AMY @ JOY IN THE JOURNEY!
month our give-away items include 2 food grade buckets with 2 gamma seals! Wow... perfect timing for storing extra grain! Guess youve heard we can expect grain prices to go up this fall - and in fact, I believe theyre already climbing. Nows your chance to try putting some extra food aside in advance.
Living out in the country in a farmhouse has some perks, to be sure. But its also a favorite spot for mice! Having the buckets with gamma seals assures me that these unwanted guests arent getting into my grains and leaving behind little "gifts", if you know what I mean.
I use the same buckets (10 + and counting) for rice, beans, oats, various kinds of wheat, spelt, dried corn, and sugar (for bees and canning, of course!). One even stores our G.O.O.D.Y. supplies. And having the gamma seal lids makes it a breeze to get into them on a regular basis while still keeping the buckets well sealed. If you need some good information on various grains, USA Emergency Supply has an entire information center with excellent reference material.
If you plan to store items long term, you still need to use mylar bags and oxygen absorbers, but once you open the bag, as long as you plan to consume the contents in a reasonable amount of time, you can just pour it right into the bucket and put the gamma seal on.
How I Met The Challenge!
I felt really good about this months challenge...
• Food Storage: Lots of food preservation going on around here... jams, relish, dehydrated cherry tomatoes, chopped and frozen bell peppers, etc. I also stocked up on oats, wheat, and chicken feed.
• Emergency Preparedness: From my THRIVE party, I got two 55 gallon water barrels, a pump, and a siphoning kit! Woo hoo! Ive needed this for a looooong time. Thank you to everyone who ordered from my on-line party... you really blessed me!
• Sustainable Living: Got the fall garden going with carrots, parsnips, beets, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, three kinds of kale, and two kinds of chard.
Now its your turn to join the Preparedness Challenge..
Living out in the country in a farmhouse has some perks, to be sure. But its also a favorite spot for mice! Having the buckets with gamma seals assures me that these unwanted guests arent getting into my grains and leaving behind little "gifts", if you know what I mean.
I use the same buckets (10 + and counting) for rice, beans, oats, various kinds of wheat, spelt, dried corn, and sugar (for bees and canning, of course!). One even stores our G.O.O.D.Y. supplies. And having the gamma seal lids makes it a breeze to get into them on a regular basis while still keeping the buckets well sealed. If you need some good information on various grains, USA Emergency Supply has an entire information center with excellent reference material.
If you plan to store items long term, you still need to use mylar bags and oxygen absorbers, but once you open the bag, as long as you plan to consume the contents in a reasonable amount of time, you can just pour it right into the bucket and put the gamma seal on.
 |
| USA EMERGENCY SUPPLY |
I felt really good about this months challenge...
• Food Storage: Lots of food preservation going on around here... jams, relish, dehydrated cherry tomatoes, chopped and frozen bell peppers, etc. I also stocked up on oats, wheat, and chicken feed.
• Emergency Preparedness: From my THRIVE party, I got two 55 gallon water barrels, a pump, and a siphoning kit! Woo hoo! Ive needed this for a looooong time. Thank you to everyone who ordered from my on-line party... you really blessed me!
• Sustainable Living: Got the fall garden going with carrots, parsnips, beets, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, three kinds of kale, and two kinds of chard.
Now its your turn to join the Preparedness Challenge..
Join the Challenge & Enter The Give Away
To be entered in the drawing you must complete the following 2 steps:
1) Either leave a comment
(with your email info - this is required to contact you)
OR
link up your Preparedness Challenge blog post(you only need to comment or post, not both).
2) Your comment or link up MUST include something you did this week to be more prepared in terms of food storage, emergencies, or sustainable living (or all three areas!) Posts not related to at least one of the three areas of preparedness will not be counted toward the give-away. Please be sure to clearly state in your comment or post what you did this month to be more prepared (see my example above as one easy way to do this). Again, the three areas we are focusing on include:
• food storage for lifes unexpected events whether related to long term effects from a disaster or a job loss and everything in between
• emergencies for times of power outages, natural disasters, and such
• sustainable living in order to be more independent, both physically and financially, and to live as close to the land as possible given each individuals situation
Please be respectful of our challenge and only add a post on one of these three preparedness topics ONLY in order to retain the integrity of the link up event. If your post is just a general homesteading post, please save it for the Monday Homestead Barn Hop.
NOTE: challenge and give-away ends Friday, August 31 at 11:59 p.m. PST.
Be sure to take the Preparedness Challenge picture and add it to your blog so others know youre participating and hopefully theyll join up, too! THANK YOU!!
NOTE: challenge and give-away ends Friday, August 31 at 11:59 p.m. PST.
Be sure to take the Preparedness Challenge picture and add it to your blog so others know youre participating and hopefully theyll join up, too! THANK YOU!!
Fluffy Vanilla Pancakes Made with Fresh Eggs
Fresh eggs make everything better, including pancakes. My favorite pancake recipe uses vanilla to give the pancakes a yummy, comforting flavor. They're so easy to make ... why not whip up a batch this weekend?
[continue reading]
Saturday, 25 April 2015
A Week in Farm Photos May 4th 10th
I see trees of green, red roses too. I see them bloom, for me and you.
And I think to myself,what a wonderful world.
I see skies of blue, And clouds of white. The bright blessed day, The dark sacred night.
And I think to myself, What a wonderful world.
Swedish Egg Coffee
Everything is better with fresh eggs, we all know that. But what about coffee? Yup, even coffee. If you have never tried Swedish Egg Coffee (also called Norwegian Egg Coffee or Lutheran Church Egg Coffee), you don't know what you're missing!
[continue reading]
Busy As a Bee!
The bees have arrived and the homestead is buzzing with activity! And not just with the new pollinators...
Without a doubt, spring is my busiest time around here. Im beginning to remember this so that I dont plan a lot and the girls get most of their homeschooling done before April. Were just finishing up on most subjects and its a good thing! Its all hands on deck!
• Bees: Two packages just arrived and have been sitting overnight so they calm down before installation in their new home. Yesterday I cleaned hive boxes and got them mostly ready, but will finish this morning. The company accidentally sent Italian queens, but because of my climate, I really needed Carniolans. Theyre overnighting the royal ladies and so Ill have to give the workers extra time to adjust to their new monarchs. Please pray this years bees are a success. is an expensive venture due to shipping costs and if this group of bees doesnt work, Im going to have to switch to ferral bees and Im really not sure Im up to that!
• Chickens: While the mature hens are down to 5 plus 2 roosters, I picked up 2 Plymouth Rocks and 2 Salmon Farvolles this past week. Twenty four more chicks arrive at the end of the month - 10 Blue Laced Red Wyndottes, 10 White Rocks (for meat), and 4 Rhode Island Reds.
Were still trying to get the bobcat. It has become a daily thing... weve almost got it timed to when he shows up, but the girls are all locked up in their brand new chicken run (which is suppose to be for the chicks, not the hens!).
• Garden: Due to the mice (caught 3 so far), Im having to replant peas, radishes, and lettuce. Some lettuce in another box is looking nice. I have broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, a few beets, and onions started indoors along with about 24 volunteer tomatoes that came up in the onion tray! I used some compost from my worm bin and apparently I must have composted a tomato because these things sprang up everywhere. I pulled them out when they got larger, using a fork and being oh, so careful, and replanted them in their own pots. And theyre looking fabulous! I have NO IDEA what variety these will be! Unfortunately, Im not sure it was real good for the onions. Some are doing okay, but its spotty.
Today I need to start my warm weather crops indoors (my zone 7 plant out date is between May 15-June 1). Im getting the season extenders down to a science, so Im pleased with the progress there. Fencing is going in today as well for sectioning off the garden and goats, while creating a support for blackberries and such. Raspberries are also waiting to go in as well as some blueberries. We still need to make 2 more raised boxes, but the lumber company doesnt seem to have what we want and we keep waiting on them. Finally, my husband has some major plumbing issues to work on in the garden... we had a busted line this year because we didnt drain it in time and we learned a very expensive lesson!
• Goats: Dance Hall is still milking nicely for a Nigerian. She is giving me 3 cups or more each morning and 2 - 2 1/2 each evening, although Ive noticed whenever we get a cold snap or snow, her production goes down until its warm again. She definitely does not like the cooler weather!
Fiona has been bred twice and it has been unsuccessful both times. Im going to try one more time, but before I do, I need to research what I can do to change her diet in order to increase her chances. In the meantime, weve about decided to purchase another Nigerian. (Oh, my! is goat thing is addicting!) We had hoped to stick with Kinders, but after lots of research and talking around, all the breeders are 4-8+ hours away from us and that just isnt working out for us.
Ive spent hours researching goat business... everything from minerals to feed! Its definitely a bit more complicated than chickens. And bees are more complicated than goats. But its all extremely interesting and very satisfying. The number of nights weve set down at the table and recounted where all our food came from (and thank the LORD), and to realize that most of it was from our own homestead and that it tasted fabulous... priceless!
Life is busy, but its GOOD!
Read More..
Without a doubt, spring is my busiest time around here. Im beginning to remember this so that I dont plan a lot and the girls get most of their homeschooling done before April. Were just finishing up on most subjects and its a good thing! Its all hands on deck!
• Bees: Two packages just arrived and have been sitting overnight so they calm down before installation in their new home. Yesterday I cleaned hive boxes and got them mostly ready, but will finish this morning. The company accidentally sent Italian queens, but because of my climate, I really needed Carniolans. Theyre overnighting the royal ladies and so Ill have to give the workers extra time to adjust to their new monarchs. Please pray this years bees are a success. is an expensive venture due to shipping costs and if this group of bees doesnt work, Im going to have to switch to ferral bees and Im really not sure Im up to that!
• Chickens: While the mature hens are down to 5 plus 2 roosters, I picked up 2 Plymouth Rocks and 2 Salmon Farvolles this past week. Twenty four more chicks arrive at the end of the month - 10 Blue Laced Red Wyndottes, 10 White Rocks (for meat), and 4 Rhode Island Reds.
Were still trying to get the bobcat. It has become a daily thing... weve almost got it timed to when he shows up, but the girls are all locked up in their brand new chicken run (which is suppose to be for the chicks, not the hens!).
• Garden: Due to the mice (caught 3 so far), Im having to replant peas, radishes, and lettuce. Some lettuce in another box is looking nice. I have broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, a few beets, and onions started indoors along with about 24 volunteer tomatoes that came up in the onion tray! I used some compost from my worm bin and apparently I must have composted a tomato because these things sprang up everywhere. I pulled them out when they got larger, using a fork and being oh, so careful, and replanted them in their own pots. And theyre looking fabulous! I have NO IDEA what variety these will be! Unfortunately, Im not sure it was real good for the onions. Some are doing okay, but its spotty.
Today I need to start my warm weather crops indoors (my zone 7 plant out date is between May 15-June 1). Im getting the season extenders down to a science, so Im pleased with the progress there. Fencing is going in today as well for sectioning off the garden and goats, while creating a support for blackberries and such. Raspberries are also waiting to go in as well as some blueberries. We still need to make 2 more raised boxes, but the lumber company doesnt seem to have what we want and we keep waiting on them. Finally, my husband has some major plumbing issues to work on in the garden... we had a busted line this year because we didnt drain it in time and we learned a very expensive lesson!
• Goats: Dance Hall is still milking nicely for a Nigerian. She is giving me 3 cups or more each morning and 2 - 2 1/2 each evening, although Ive noticed whenever we get a cold snap or snow, her production goes down until its warm again. She definitely does not like the cooler weather!
Fiona has been bred twice and it has been unsuccessful both times. Im going to try one more time, but before I do, I need to research what I can do to change her diet in order to increase her chances. In the meantime, weve about decided to purchase another Nigerian. (Oh, my! is goat thing is addicting!) We had hoped to stick with Kinders, but after lots of research and talking around, all the breeders are 4-8+ hours away from us and that just isnt working out for us.
Ive spent hours researching goat business... everything from minerals to feed! Its definitely a bit more complicated than chickens. And bees are more complicated than goats. But its all extremely interesting and very satisfying. The number of nights weve set down at the table and recounted where all our food came from (and thank the LORD), and to realize that most of it was from our own homestead and that it tasted fabulous... priceless!
Life is busy, but its GOOD!
Friday, 24 April 2015
Low Tunnels For Gardening Success
Ive been saying for two years that I would plant a fall garden and I finally have something in the ground! summer when I passed through Oregon and had a chance to stop at Territorial Seed Company, I picked up some seed packets specifically for cool and cold weather crops; various of varieties of green leaf vegetables along with broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, beets, carrots, and parsnips.
My motivation came from Eliot Colemans book Four-Season Harvest and the supplies for my low tunnels came from Johnnys Select Seeds. Eliot writes that his inspiration came from the four season gardens of France, which he later realized were located at nearly the same latitude as his farm in Maine. At that point, it became clear to him... sunlight, not temperatures alone, were a crucial factor in growing certain crops during cooler months if coverings were used to maintain as much warmth as possible.
Eliot Coleman uses two coverings for the most part; a low row tunnel and then a high tunnel which is large enough to walk inside. The cost of the high tunnel is more than my budget could handle at this time, but the low tunnels were reasonable by comparison. However, a single row cover alone will most likely not provide enough protection during the coldest of months with the exception of a few root crops that are mulched and covered. Still, it will extend the season considerably and allow me to hopefully get a jump on the season much early next spring. Hopefully, the low tunnels alone will allow my garden to produce for at least three seasons of the year.
Low tunnels can be made from a variety of materials, but most use pvc or conduit. To use pvc, just bend and slip it over rebar stakes driven in the ground. While this is certainly cost effective, it will not withstand really strong winds or heavy snow loads as well as conduit. Another consideration is the effect of sunlight; conduit will win hands down in this category.
Its probably no surprise what I chose. Living in a high wind area that experiences periodic snows accumulations of 3"-12" at a time, I decided to spend the extra money and go for durability and longer life span.
The other big investment, and I mean BIG, is your covering. These items are anything but cheap! Dont be surprised to spend as much as $100 on a 100 roll of some products. The good news is they are fairly durable and can be re-used for several season depending on weather conditions and circumstances.
Uses for Hoops:
• Bird Netting. Having a ready supply of hoops has provided support for covering seedlings with bird netting to keep the quail and other birds from eating them as they sprout. has been a huge issue for me since I live where there are plenty of birds. In fact, its been so bad, I havent been able to grow one thing from seed unless it was started indoors or covered with bird netting.
• Shade Cloth. In the heat of the summer, shade cloth can proved a bit of covering to protect your lettuce and other crops from the intense sun which can make them bitter or bolt (and go to seed). Shade cloth is easily supported by low tunnel hoops.
• Agribon. Agribon makes several different products for low tunnel covers: insect barriers, floating row covers, and regular row covers. As a light weight row cover fabric that breathes, it can provide sunlight yet protect plants from freezing by 4-6 degrees (advertisements say it can protect down to 28 degrees). can make the difference between loosing a crop or saving it during the first part of fall when freezes are light and not so intense. It can also provide extra protection for plants later in the spring.
• Tufflite. Tufflite is a nursery grade UV resistant clear plastic cover used on greenhouses and low tunnels. Its very durable for long winters and can help keep your plants cozy. Just remember that on warm days, youll need to raise the sides a bit to allow air to circulate and not build up excess heat and moisture.
You can see that these can quickly become a year round garden necessity and a worthy investment. I really drug my feet to spend the money on the bender and covers due to the initial cost, but now I realize that if Im going to get serious about my garden providing food for my family most of the year, its a small price to pay. After shelling out more money than Id like at the grocery store for nutritionally inferior produce, Id say this was a good acquisition.
Supplies Needed:
a jig to bend conduit or Quick Hoops Bender (4 or 6) $59
1/2" EMT conduit (3/4" conduit optional) (approx. $2.50/10 stick)
snap clamps (optional but highly recommended - love them!) $4.95/10 per pkg.
covering choice: bird netting, shade cloth, Agribon, Tufflite (price varies)
Bending Conduit:
If youre purchasing the Quick Hoops Bender from Johnnys Select Seeds, youll need to attach it to a sturdy surface that wont move when youre bending the conduit. It comes with two very long screws that allow you to do this (and great instructions!). We used our old picnic table because its on its way to being replaced anyway.
Slip the conduit in the bender and extend the EMT about 16" beyond the bender. will create a straight leg for the hoop.
Stop when you get to the end. Take it out, flip it around, and do the same thing to the other side of the conduit. Dont forget to realign your marks to center it!
Once you have both sides bent, stand between the ends, grasp both legs and pull toward you until they meet the bender on each end. (Sorry the photo doesnt show this step; forgot to take that shot.)
When youre done, youll have uniform hoops for a nice look in your garden and supports for your selected covering.
Read More..
My motivation came from Eliot Colemans book Four-Season Harvest and the supplies for my low tunnels came from Johnnys Select Seeds. Eliot writes that his inspiration came from the four season gardens of France, which he later realized were located at nearly the same latitude as his farm in Maine. At that point, it became clear to him... sunlight, not temperatures alone, were a crucial factor in growing certain crops during cooler months if coverings were used to maintain as much warmth as possible.
Eliot Coleman uses two coverings for the most part; a low row tunnel and then a high tunnel which is large enough to walk inside. The cost of the high tunnel is more than my budget could handle at this time, but the low tunnels were reasonable by comparison. However, a single row cover alone will most likely not provide enough protection during the coldest of months with the exception of a few root crops that are mulched and covered. Still, it will extend the season considerably and allow me to hopefully get a jump on the season much early next spring. Hopefully, the low tunnels alone will allow my garden to produce for at least three seasons of the year.
 |
| Low tunnel covering with bird netting secured with snap clamps. |
Low tunnels can be made from a variety of materials, but most use pvc or conduit. To use pvc, just bend and slip it over rebar stakes driven in the ground. While this is certainly cost effective, it will not withstand really strong winds or heavy snow loads as well as conduit. Another consideration is the effect of sunlight; conduit will win hands down in this category.
Its probably no surprise what I chose. Living in a high wind area that experiences periodic snows accumulations of 3"-12" at a time, I decided to spend the extra money and go for durability and longer life span.
The other big investment, and I mean BIG, is your covering. These items are anything but cheap! Dont be surprised to spend as much as $100 on a 100 roll of some products. The good news is they are fairly durable and can be re-used for several season depending on weather conditions and circumstances.
Uses for Hoops:
• Bird Netting. Having a ready supply of hoops has provided support for covering seedlings with bird netting to keep the quail and other birds from eating them as they sprout. has been a huge issue for me since I live where there are plenty of birds. In fact, its been so bad, I havent been able to grow one thing from seed unless it was started indoors or covered with bird netting.
• Shade Cloth. In the heat of the summer, shade cloth can proved a bit of covering to protect your lettuce and other crops from the intense sun which can make them bitter or bolt (and go to seed). Shade cloth is easily supported by low tunnel hoops.
• Agribon. Agribon makes several different products for low tunnel covers: insect barriers, floating row covers, and regular row covers. As a light weight row cover fabric that breathes, it can provide sunlight yet protect plants from freezing by 4-6 degrees (advertisements say it can protect down to 28 degrees). can make the difference between loosing a crop or saving it during the first part of fall when freezes are light and not so intense. It can also provide extra protection for plants later in the spring.
• Tufflite. Tufflite is a nursery grade UV resistant clear plastic cover used on greenhouses and low tunnels. Its very durable for long winters and can help keep your plants cozy. Just remember that on warm days, youll need to raise the sides a bit to allow air to circulate and not build up excess heat and moisture.
You can see that these can quickly become a year round garden necessity and a worthy investment. I really drug my feet to spend the money on the bender and covers due to the initial cost, but now I realize that if Im going to get serious about my garden providing food for my family most of the year, its a small price to pay. After shelling out more money than Id like at the grocery store for nutritionally inferior produce, Id say this was a good acquisition.
Supplies Needed:
a jig to bend conduit or Quick Hoops Bender (4 or 6) $59
1/2" EMT conduit (3/4" conduit optional) (approx. $2.50/10 stick)
snap clamps (optional but highly recommended - love them!) $4.95/10 per pkg.
covering choice: bird netting, shade cloth, Agribon, Tufflite (price varies)
Bending Conduit:
If youre purchasing the Quick Hoops Bender from Johnnys Select Seeds, youll need to attach it to a sturdy surface that wont move when youre bending the conduit. It comes with two very long screws that allow you to do this (and great instructions!). We used our old picnic table because its on its way to being replaced anyway.
Take a Sharpie and mark all the conduit exactly in the middle. Do the same to your Quick Hoops Bender. way, you can line the mark up on the conduit and on the bender and youll have perfectly centered hoops and none of them will be lopsided.
Begin bending, pulling the conduit toward you. Its hard to tell in the picture, but it will fit right up against the bender between the two larger pieces of EMT as seen below...
Stop when you get to the end. Take it out, flip it around, and do the same thing to the other side of the conduit. Dont forget to realign your marks to center it!
Once you have both sides bent, stand between the ends, grasp both legs and pull toward you until they meet the bender on each end. (Sorry the photo doesnt show this step; forgot to take that shot.)
When youre done, youll have uniform hoops for a nice look in your garden and supports for your selected covering.
post has been linked to Farmgirl Friday!
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