tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65757089028452037712024-03-14T12:24:46.592-05:00Look Ma No Weeds - A Gardening and Chickening JournalAn online journal to chronicle the gardening trials and triumphs of an east texan with a historically black thumblookmanoweedshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04675176129390458848noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575708902845203771.post-59250480051701303682011-11-02T21:47:00.000-05:002011-11-02T21:47:26.981-05:00Two weeks old<div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Yesterday the meaties turned two weeks old, so as I did with the Freedom Rangers earlier this year I have started weekly weigh ins on the birds to see how they're growing and what their feed conversion rate is. As of 11/1/11 the Kosher Kings weigh on average 6.7 ounces with the largest being 8.15 ounces, and the smallest being 5.2 ounces. They're not growing out quite as quickly as the Freedom Rangers did. At two weeks the FR's averaged 8.67 ounces, so the KK's are almost 2 whole ounces behind the FR's. That's a little disappointing. Maybe next week's weigh in will be better.</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSdivpHbpvM-vupx2xxHYvUKrtXchmwgMdTOqif5wfxsAdd3TskcjI9E1W_AcKYNpAFAdGLyVIv9iRTi0W0f7otkrPxcTx-r7eufumIy3Zuc3COu9oKcAGyhnkFJjDaXSmZo1r83200gnb/s1600/IMG_0599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSdivpHbpvM-vupx2xxHYvUKrtXchmwgMdTOqif5wfxsAdd3TskcjI9E1W_AcKYNpAFAdGLyVIv9iRTi0W0f7otkrPxcTx-r7eufumIy3Zuc3COu9oKcAGyhnkFJjDaXSmZo1r83200gnb/s320/IMG_0599.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> These guys attack the food like little land sharks!</span></span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKea-y9nvSot1xqBukSbVPiVOPHv5dsIwHU4L6NCBVd78gh_F4LZfF3k-VD4u-wMg8p6nv2Fv5XsSxuEAzSedqBy_Ru0sgWjhFedXrNFm1uLk3ojGv8GgbhZpPI4Ce9G7MPT4OIMXw1hLx/s1600/IMG_0602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKea-y9nvSot1xqBukSbVPiVOPHv5dsIwHU4L6NCBVd78gh_F4LZfF3k-VD4u-wMg8p6nv2Fv5XsSxuEAzSedqBy_Ru0sgWjhFedXrNFm1uLk3ojGv8GgbhZpPI4Ce9G7MPT4OIMXw1hLx/s320/IMG_0602.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> One of the larger chicks</span></span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3u8T1ucI82drhCR43KUbNYac-6d2gRlf7G8HVB3rtoHmQPBCzloDB1V7YFO95b0uwKmUmMT9nIPoIspbPUCK9Eyi2gxcAz-h-FPXJ1HqEjvtIzi75AKKV4xFcMlLz5gSf1rlXwn5q1jI-/s1600/IMG_0603.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3u8T1ucI82drhCR43KUbNYac-6d2gRlf7G8HVB3rtoHmQPBCzloDB1V7YFO95b0uwKmUmMT9nIPoIspbPUCK9Eyi2gxcAz-h-FPXJ1HqEjvtIzi75AKKV4xFcMlLz5gSf1rlXwn5q1jI-/s320/IMG_0603.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div>lookmanoweedshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04675176129390458848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575708902845203771.post-17848721997620898542011-10-23T02:03:00.002-05:002011-11-02T21:51:32.753-05:00Mo Meaties<div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This spring we raised a batch of meat chickens. We ordered 50 <a href="http://www.freedomrangerhatchery.com/" target="blank">Freedom Rangers</a> which we split with 3 other families. They grew out to an average of 5.5 pounds in 9 weeks. And when it was time to process we had all hands on deck to do so. There were 5 women, 3 men, and 2 kiddos available to help. It only took us about 3 hours to process all of the birds. Not too bad considering we were all novices.</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfmOC1TtkqDsYlO9vKijhRetJMaR0k_uC-3oWA9gCt0M6069Rzx3DUqrHc2JXhyphenhyphenhZFMd1KsVL4XEAzqcViYN18D6zb0rBzqOu73dsduNwlaR6lSLiVv4TEiTypZfCrAuB8GvlCZ_5-gLXt/s1600/IMG_9659.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfmOC1TtkqDsYlO9vKijhRetJMaR0k_uC-3oWA9gCt0M6069Rzx3DUqrHc2JXhyphenhyphenhZFMd1KsVL4XEAzqcViYN18D6zb0rBzqOu73dsduNwlaR6lSLiVv4TEiTypZfCrAuB8GvlCZ_5-gLXt/s320/IMG_9659.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Our processing set up</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbR6-C7hz6-psyA9fAao83sakl945E0KhI83_CI-ZnJlBD5YcTqMVLpMBYcygMgZ-S4Yg3WcG6orh09XdR3PIpqcM7oAfg2MCnuivnNnwAhH3bYsMKD6knHbIO6OTO-58-SAxmNm9b28Wq/s1600/IMG_9664.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbR6-C7hz6-psyA9fAao83sakl945E0KhI83_CI-ZnJlBD5YcTqMVLpMBYcygMgZ-S4Yg3WcG6orh09XdR3PIpqcM7oAfg2MCnuivnNnwAhH3bYsMKD6knHbIO6OTO-58-SAxmNm9b28Wq/s320/IMG_9664.JPG" width="213" /></a></span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Turkey fryers were used for our scalders. After decapitation and bleed out, birds are scalded at 140-150 degrees for about a minute. </span><br />
</div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6OzA5c9P7BTFqJMZcZ7kSzb0Fw5Ht_N4a8PwlDsjKNSdY2mpNVi1LbQJJyj6jUWb9iCadW9gFh6yQmAWbGkrVjSdxBCgqbA0hcL5-syefuW5SWkk9uCieQk9sqSAwlvWlKuhRNK4EJJpd/s1600/IMG_9686.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6OzA5c9P7BTFqJMZcZ7kSzb0Fw5Ht_N4a8PwlDsjKNSdY2mpNVi1LbQJJyj6jUWb9iCadW9gFh6yQmAWbGkrVjSdxBCgqbA0hcL5-syefuW5SWkk9uCieQk9sqSAwlvWlKuhRNK4EJJpd/s320/IMG_9686.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">After scalding we dropped the birds in our homemade plucker. We bought instructions for how to build a <a href="http://www.whizbangbooks.com/" target="blank">Whizbang plucker</a> from Herrick Kimball. None of us wanted to hand pluck 50 birds!</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXLbHNMRns_vJJ5I7j9Pm1hQ43OWBu278FcJcXkyzXHCDma3ENqhLyOasSWigrKcFM_XCo_R4oBFdo4ytrvxJdH1ufSH2gjo3Rwgzc4vmmP3s0aqy3K_4G8MQNEHQ21PgMtgFZFyNnMvrI/s1600/IMG_9695.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3qrrW82t1dA3jkwFjNUpsIqvxN50NXvi-waHfd7MitgdatiZ1bUcMXDU_mw6hecVLTtm0Xb7uVUzvYGEAd2ShyvQn1359kR9HuEV1H6N-Akmlyq-ePgoPl_TZg0UXijdgizl0hmB0pJ6-/s1600/IMG_9705.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3qrrW82t1dA3jkwFjNUpsIqvxN50NXvi-waHfd7MitgdatiZ1bUcMXDU_mw6hecVLTtm0Xb7uVUzvYGEAd2ShyvQn1359kR9HuEV1H6N-Akmlyq-ePgoPl_TZg0UXijdgizl0hmB0pJ6-/s320/IMG_9705.JPG" width="213" /></a></span> </div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">My six year old niece supervising the guys as they run the plucker.</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik74R61Jt0jNsln2_JEvtJta9ZytLewT4kWo8VfHSsLGFa4CW5AxwrnIWLq4lljOODcTunfjTj6nac5fqR76RNQLJFxyx_nJT_VjwPGScP-vT0NRZe465JjWPyxUMV3yNWz5e9l0V6gVCW/s1600/IMG_9698.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik74R61Jt0jNsln2_JEvtJta9ZytLewT4kWo8VfHSsLGFa4CW5AxwrnIWLq4lljOODcTunfjTj6nac5fqR76RNQLJFxyx_nJT_VjwPGScP-vT0NRZe465JjWPyxUMV3yNWz5e9l0V6gVCW/s320/IMG_9698.JPG" width="213" /></a></span> </div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Clean as a whistle.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijCGDOU4ZJtGBzpY0AcswcxH0rk13e9Z9zbkijQ0hoKBWlWbAb1oMM575OUuzsvTQdHSiBgXgZlyU0nDWEp3dm2rsoTS7UKiu94r0xXOYNT7fIQJR54paBMwSMI3jBfXLQBOzs_xCBD_Cw/s1600/IMG_9673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijCGDOU4ZJtGBzpY0AcswcxH0rk13e9Z9zbkijQ0hoKBWlWbAb1oMM575OUuzsvTQdHSiBgXgZlyU0nDWEp3dm2rsoTS7UKiu94r0xXOYNT7fIQJR54paBMwSMI3jBfXLQBOzs_xCBD_Cw/s320/IMG_9673.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Now on to the processing table, i.e. the girls table.</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDcNwDdNBI2gBU2U8oTnzuMsleHRkDTaAlexCMfSgd6XlOyul6AbnhCZgJBpCnwil54YikmP5CaBVlR4YrBSAEvu0kZFzPKLHzP3yTdEaxAKrUuEMozGwlu68yJcDSOyoyH4AstFMwDAuv/s1600/IMG_9679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDcNwDdNBI2gBU2U8oTnzuMsleHRkDTaAlexCMfSgd6XlOyul6AbnhCZgJBpCnwil54YikmP5CaBVlR4YrBSAEvu0kZFzPKLHzP3yTdEaxAKrUuEMozGwlu68yJcDSOyoyH4AstFMwDAuv/s400/IMG_9679.JPG" width="266" /></a></span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> My 9 year old niece was a huge help.</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Raising the meaties was fairly labor intensive. Keeping the feeders and waterers filled was practically a full time job - especially as the chicks got older and the weather got warmer. We also did weekly weigh ins so we could see how the birds were growing. Overall though it was a pleasurable experience. I know this sounds cruel, but d day was probably the best thing about it. It was neat getting to spend time with family and friends working toward a common purpose. I can now say I know how barn raisers must have felt. Except we didn't have a square dance afterwards...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">On Thursday of this past week our fall meaty chickens arrived. This time we ordered Kosher Kings from Noll's Poultry in Kleinfeltersville, PA based on recommendations from some participants at <a href="http://www.backyardchickens.com/" target="blank">BackyardChickens</a></span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp74noqh3PC3jt2QVqX8m_QGGBbn4PffN96qZIenIKLeMevKIg6xPxRzJ6VJ8ld02Zj4cNLPyTvRlm1yzSnHQkgqo1LBTdNkBXZJmm0cg_y-rhMTiChnrGhTlRX_dRkUCSRQMKDGU4nNp_/s1600/IMG_0506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp74noqh3PC3jt2QVqX8m_QGGBbn4PffN96qZIenIKLeMevKIg6xPxRzJ6VJ8ld02Zj4cNLPyTvRlm1yzSnHQkgqo1LBTdNkBXZJmm0cg_y-rhMTiChnrGhTlRX_dRkUCSRQMKDGU4nNp_/s320/IMG_0506.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Our latest batch of meaties - Kosher Kings</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This time around with the meat chickens I am going to do some things to make things a little less labor intensive. I'm borrowing an automatic waterer from a friend, and I'm going to have my husband build another pvc pipe feeder - or maybe two more. Then hopefully I'll only need to fill up the feeders once a day. A girl can hope can't she. </span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">We've got a couple new families participating in the fall meatie grow out. Since our d day falls during deer season, Charlie's uncle has opted out, but his cousins and another family friend are going to help out. I'm looking forward to another day of comradery in 8-12 weeks. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6OzA5c9P7BTFqJMZcZ7kSzb0Fw5Ht_N4a8PwlDsjKNSdY2mpNVi1LbQJJyj6jUWb9iCadW9gFh6yQmAWbGkrVjSdxBCgqbA0hcL5-syefuW5SWkk9uCieQk9sqSAwlvWlKuhRNK4EJJpd/s1600/IMG_9686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></span></div>lookmanoweedshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04675176129390458848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575708902845203771.post-148506938976868592011-09-30T19:40:00.000-05:002011-09-30T19:40:21.080-05:00Just thought I'd drop by and blog for a minute or two<div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">It's been a little over a month since my last blog post, so I thought I'd stop in and post an update on the chickens and Ely. </span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ely has now been fully integrated into living with chickens. He chased them one time, and got in pretty BIG trouble, and we've had absolutely no trouble with him since. Even though he eyes them curiously sometimes, he's not offered to chase them any more. The hens and roosters are pretty tolerant of him now, but the rooster has started giving him the stink eye when Ely gets hyper and starts running around like a little nut case too close to the hens. I'm pretty sure one of these days he may flog Ely, but it'll be a good lesson for Ely. The hens are pretty good about trying to hold their own ground. </span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNaeCmWtbo5_Fo1mwSsxWSOKuwiT0LcyWKjS1RstVlBVFIyUuEoJpwK__c4ul8c5sOMR5DK2PxOUKX9bp7AjFCil-GK1dPCWuwJixCgkYOVgQ6hETuyhK1j5h1Igpd8PzjhUUBU0CU-YH/s1600/IMG_0489.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNaeCmWtbo5_Fo1mwSsxWSOKuwiT0LcyWKjS1RstVlBVFIyUuEoJpwK__c4ul8c5sOMR5DK2PxOUKX9bp7AjFCil-GK1dPCWuwJixCgkYOVgQ6hETuyhK1j5h1Igpd8PzjhUUBU0CU-YH/s320/IMG_0489.JPG" width="320" /></a></span> </div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Ely and the only chicken he's allowed to chase.</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/m9L9N3_lynw/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/m9L9N3_lynw?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/m9L9N3_lynw?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></span> </div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Ely gets chased</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Pk7sbkfZ_uWu1pTUuC8iRnpHrVjW537f5ojM_9Ms9ZiUguyoC-Ee4ZzSYY2KfRyL_m5xAgPtOUS7f8IMWk_SdZ1aCWkhzEq5DSZTfvLTPQ2es3Au5cSMRCLFXqYr7p0wmrAOyXTYjmSk/s1600/IMG_0299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Pk7sbkfZ_uWu1pTUuC8iRnpHrVjW537f5ojM_9Ms9ZiUguyoC-Ee4ZzSYY2KfRyL_m5xAgPtOUS7f8IMWk_SdZ1aCWkhzEq5DSZTfvLTPQ2es3Au5cSMRCLFXqYr7p0wmrAOyXTYjmSk/s320/IMG_0299.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Our nameless Easter Egg cockerel and Ely</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm7QN2xH5xwDSSAJVmvoOCKlAvqsR152OnDwGU0TD9bv3HU5EYuxza-lTqjt_TUV9QI9J8yuVasM5ntAD8pCXfgY4lrPCMjXVrEIetKGg66TPhfoXwVvw1YvIGNtwx74siV4iViuDbmXkJ/s1600/IMG_0302.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm7QN2xH5xwDSSAJVmvoOCKlAvqsR152OnDwGU0TD9bv3HU5EYuxza-lTqjt_TUV9QI9J8yuVasM5ntAD8pCXfgY4lrPCMjXVrEIetKGg66TPhfoXwVvw1YvIGNtwx74siV4iViuDbmXkJ/s320/IMG_0302.JPG" width="320" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Mingling with the flock while quite possibly grazing on chicken poo</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">We've had a few new additions to our flock since my last post. Shortly after we lost our Welsummer cockerel to an unknown predator, I had a Welsummer pullet and a Silkie hen go broody. A friend of mine gave me some fertilized eggs from her hens to put under my broody girls. I put 6 eggs under the Welsummer and 6 under the Silkie. Our weather during that time was in the triple digits, so our hatch rate was pretty poor. The Welsummer only hatched out 2 chicks, and the Silkie who had had a 100% hatch rate on her prior chicks only hatched 3 chicks. Unfortunately, one of those chicks ended up with a cross beak, so now she's down to 2 chicks. </span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcSy0nUKBbcEeIzyPX63QSVCZzOnJIWbyOzB2HjIYnxP8CXdvX2bHxuhwTPU2xnqM4pEwHpxpZ2-Ovmg2HBuAes4JVP7EPxvQukwY5Lszqs-oxQdMkQB-QkbikctMbrcUCrMPlh314bZ5n/s1600/IMG_0480.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcSy0nUKBbcEeIzyPX63QSVCZzOnJIWbyOzB2HjIYnxP8CXdvX2bHxuhwTPU2xnqM4pEwHpxpZ2-Ovmg2HBuAes4JVP7EPxvQukwY5Lszqs-oxQdMkQB-QkbikctMbrcUCrMPlh314bZ5n/s320/IMG_0480.JPG" width="320" /></a></span> </div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Fran's first set of grand chicks</span></span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj29SEcHrcm-Ao80SOTulBL35yfUgodcwpJjfpGRU9tqaPw8fpWg6HB0h8-kmDhPPQqRSrhT33s4y6PdG-lTcJxfZVB80U1EvS4FNpDLWw8ZWMlHv2m3qsmAvZZAxLUgahV3nZk2EL91iw/s1600/IMG_0481.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj29SEcHrcm-Ao80SOTulBL35yfUgodcwpJjfpGRU9tqaPw8fpWg6HB0h8-kmDhPPQqRSrhT33s4y6PdG-lTcJxfZVB80U1EvS4FNpDLWw8ZWMlHv2m3qsmAvZZAxLUgahV3nZk2EL91iw/s320/IMG_0481.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Fran's second set of grandchicks</span></span> </div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A couple of weeks after the Welsummer and Silkie's latest clutches hatched my other two Silkies went broody. So I ordered some Silkie eggs from <a href="http://thegarryfarm.webs.com/" target="blank">The Garry Farm</a>. I ordered 12 and was shipped 15 eggs. So I put 7 eggs under 1 hen and 8 eggs under the other hen. Unfortunately, only 3 of those eggs hatched. I can only guess the poor hatch rate must have been the result of our hot weather (which had finally gotten down out of the 100's) and rough handling during shipping. On the plus side the three babies I got are beautiful blue chicks, and I'm hoping I have 2 pullets and 1 little cockerel, but given they're Silkies their sex will be a mystery for another 5-6 months.</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-QVRal2cosAyy2_aW-yicT_S1EoRybju277uS_QiJIbbM6PSpsrGQCM-gcIrTI5jzomc8ivo6frAPkq85mFaY8g2HRkzFaw5wmatasjO8neU3cKfPqFqfX8DjMk2H8mliXuiwPCBuew8/s1600/IMG_0458.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-QVRal2cosAyy2_aW-yicT_S1EoRybju277uS_QiJIbbM6PSpsrGQCM-gcIrTI5jzomc8ivo6frAPkq85mFaY8g2HRkzFaw5wmatasjO8neU3cKfPqFqfX8DjMk2H8mliXuiwPCBuew8/s320/IMG_0458.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">One of our blue Silkie chicks courtesy of The Garry Farm</span></span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">In the past few weeks some of my first home grown chicks have started to lay. I've got a green egg layer, and just recently an olive egg layer! The first two eggs she laid were olive with beautiful brown speckles, but all of her subsequent eggs have been olive with no speckles. I was hoping she'd keep laying the speckled olive eggs, but the olive eggs are beautiful. I really do like opening my egg cartons and seeing a variety of colored eggs. </span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpytgGvFHZzpZGxAq9XscUc58vgRY42yF1eb07swF0DCt0AbRRYLw7Gq5ZDwI2muxA_bkJLfuX4i3C3MQu3btYssofZPCtTJKvfMr6FjYiZIAnOm45JXlTSIGdv0d7pflehg0lx6Ff0ne/s1600/IMG_0464.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpytgGvFHZzpZGxAq9XscUc58vgRY42yF1eb07swF0DCt0AbRRYLw7Gq5ZDwI2muxA_bkJLfuX4i3C3MQu3btYssofZPCtTJKvfMr6FjYiZIAnOm45JXlTSIGdv0d7pflehg0lx6Ff0ne/s320/IMG_0464.JPG" width="320" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Speckled olive eggs</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYe_70rtB2mjluCxPGVJ6p8IjaJV0yWlNSK4Mg-NJKErlwnR_urUpgiHSIof_Iest-vqhQrTYQGoASQjp-c6lAsCa_aeZu-hVS-lkhlKYy9XnpLB2WNmHVXOw93hoc7J7PNl3th2vpho4b/s1600/IMG_0289.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYe_70rtB2mjluCxPGVJ6p8IjaJV0yWlNSK4Mg-NJKErlwnR_urUpgiHSIof_Iest-vqhQrTYQGoASQjp-c6lAsCa_aeZu-hVS-lkhlKYy9XnpLB2WNmHVXOw93hoc7J7PNl3th2vpho4b/s320/IMG_0289.JPG" width="320" /></a></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: xx-small;"> Welsummer/Easter Egg cross on right and assumed olive egg layer on left.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="font-size: x-small;">The moderately cooler weather we've had since Labor Day weekend has helped egg production tremendously. There for a while at the end of our 30+ days of triple digit temps the girls were laying only 4 eggs a day. Now we're getting anywhere from 9-12 eggs daily. I can't wait til my little Welsummer and Welsummer/Ameraucana hens start laying. They're about 5 months old now, so hopefully they'll be laying within the next month! *fingers crossed* </span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #38761d; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #38761d; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW54TOhz0rMJdQwG2tbhzrPhFPaQnq7Q6tu7ptJw6WhlcxfkCq5VYTBJABHt6_0xS_Q1hTC_1rirv3uULxRbuwBhmrVhzBC2nAYmmZXq2E5qDtKkabJ_h6L0TunAM_ZAq0AStjjqpGiBmh/s1600/IMG_1570%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW54TOhz0rMJdQwG2tbhzrPhFPaQnq7Q6tu7ptJw6WhlcxfkCq5VYTBJABHt6_0xS_Q1hTC_1rirv3uULxRbuwBhmrVhzBC2nAYmmZXq2E5qDtKkabJ_h6L0TunAM_ZAq0AStjjqpGiBmh/s320/IMG_1570%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: xx-small;">Our egg basket overfloweth.</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMtU21j0mGZP8phsbeul1QfwUMg-E3_2D0KZmsANnBPtvEMGCpQ1dWaegToiT-AVsg2RuKMJW5vj5QkVcNfa9sM6WRydhJxvNBb5K5N56enEKP0jnv0agYnXTF3RlnnUNxbCQTVjBGXW_f/s1600/IMG_0320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMtU21j0mGZP8phsbeul1QfwUMg-E3_2D0KZmsANnBPtvEMGCpQ1dWaegToiT-AVsg2RuKMJW5vj5QkVcNfa9sM6WRydhJxvNBb5K5N56enEKP0jnv0agYnXTF3RlnnUNxbCQTVjBGXW_f/s320/IMG_0320.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> My nieces - the farm girls</span></span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizEo9KU_tlOVhmWJPfVpCscWaeANcU77DweYhXA0q_-mFygfqlFin1IEb-aD3b3IMU87CFUD3usVkCYjmqb1TVztR-t4AXs6qK_LH5f9coVUmLAbEUQQYnqgl7VKIKcEh99g5uLqeMG48G/s1600/IMG_0451.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizEo9KU_tlOVhmWJPfVpCscWaeANcU77DweYhXA0q_-mFygfqlFin1IEb-aD3b3IMU87CFUD3usVkCYjmqb1TVztR-t4AXs6qK_LH5f9coVUmLAbEUQQYnqgl7VKIKcEh99g5uLqeMG48G/s320/IMG_0451.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"> Welsummer cockerel</span></span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Uc73jui3enT7jTzU_0EyKlzyKG7eulLEIfEcbRRbCvA2_PKZfsos0Tgm3EbHMjNNXWwauhZB3G192t-YiDMaexveucHMZhjxWE8SUiuaQ9bun92aAsz8CyhHLThIROnKOtfGz87q-7EE/s1600/IMG_0457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Uc73jui3enT7jTzU_0EyKlzyKG7eulLEIfEcbRRbCvA2_PKZfsos0Tgm3EbHMjNNXWwauhZB3G192t-YiDMaexveucHMZhjxWE8SUiuaQ9bun92aAsz8CyhHLThIROnKOtfGz87q-7EE/s320/IMG_0457.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"> Ameracauna/Welsummer cockerel and pullet and two Welsummer pullets</span></span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkp0cYzDb1rreeS7xg1BsfGPttQ8CCO68ChGsZycH9WdxqEuqFEFvRpPb5VmOYIIRGl3qOwzpuxoA4k-RPDttX_DAXWQwg6z1JIZ3SMaPJVIXPu_4YrStZZeYYW9l0B8SRfWZhvlWiLssr/s1600/IMG_0456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkp0cYzDb1rreeS7xg1BsfGPttQ8CCO68ChGsZycH9WdxqEuqFEFvRpPb5VmOYIIRGl3qOwzpuxoA4k-RPDttX_DAXWQwg6z1JIZ3SMaPJVIXPu_4YrStZZeYYW9l0B8SRfWZhvlWiLssr/s320/IMG_0456.JPG" width="213" /></a></span></div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">My niece feeding one of our young cockerels. He's just a tad spoiled...</span></span></div>lookmanoweedshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04675176129390458848noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575708902845203771.post-43826852560974813302011-08-20T22:01:00.008-05:002011-08-20T23:53:56.328-05:00Hello Ely!<span style="color: #006600; font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Not sure if I've mentioned it, but I'm a huge dog lover. In fact, I can't remember never having a dog. Except for the last year and a half. We lost our Rottie, Lady, in December of 2009. I decided I didn't want to get a dog until later in 2010. I had also decided that as much as I love Rotties I wanted a lap dog who actually fit in my lap. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #006600; font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Getting a dog wasn't a real high priority, and I have to admit I kinda liked not having the responsibility of a dog - going home at lunch to let them potty, rushing home after work to let them potty, finding a dog sitter or a boarding facility when we traveled out of town, etc. So when I got chickens in July of last year I thought that would satisfy my desire for a pet. Turns out chickens aren't very cuddly, and it's pretty well impossible to housebreak them (not that I tried!).</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;">When The Brawn and I traveled to Tennessee last week, the last thing I had in mind was getting a dog. But that was before we met his cousin's dog, Ellie. She was a dachshund/schnauzer mix puppy who was absolutely adorable. She was smart as a whip, obedient and very calm for a puppy her age. As I was petting this wonderful pup, her mom said, "She still has brothers and sisters available for adoption." A few minutes later she had the rescue's website pulled up showing me pictures of the other pups from the litter. Not one to make rash decisions with regards to a pet that I intend on keeping for the next 15 years or so, I explained that I don't like to make hasty decisions - and especially when it comes to adding a family member. Plus we had a 700 mile plus journey ahead of us later that week. But Ellie had her hooks in me, and I knew if one of her siblings was half as good a puppy as she was we'd be lucky to have him/her as a pet.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;">I contacted the rescue group to see if they did out of state adoptions, and if it would be possible to get the adoption finalized in a little over a day. We arranged with the foster mom of 3 of the pups - males - to meet the boys the next morning to decide which one or if we wanted to go through with the adoption. We met Eddie, Ernie and Ely, and decided to adopt Ely.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;">I was worried about how Ely would deal with the amount of traveling that lay ahead of us, but to my surprise he was a wonderful traveler! He lay on the front seat between The Brawn and I all the way back to Texas. Since getting home he's been nothing but tons of fun. He is doing pretty well with potty training provided I watch for the signs he's about to go. He loves my nieces and nephews (and revels in all the smothering of him they do. And he's not such a bouncy, overwhelming puppy that he frightens the smaller ones.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;">If you're in the market for a dachshund/terrier mix pup, check out the </span><a href="http://aarf-tn.com/" style="font-family: verdana;">AARF-TN</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> website.</span></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJd2XantoTmpdr9rhmw6_9ciaqiRs_pQtzDtgEFJj77hyphenhyphenH2MC_J32E9tbPRGrchtW4IOqzkR9c0jJFLeSHaJmAJzMyQbU0KT1yjDTNM7S8BvFsMmLMLZn1pi0X9yfhMJs2nete9gV_gRhm/s1600/photo-780301.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643166040562038802" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJd2XantoTmpdr9rhmw6_9ciaqiRs_pQtzDtgEFJj77hyphenhyphenH2MC_J32E9tbPRGrchtW4IOqzkR9c0jJFLeSHaJmAJzMyQbU0KT1yjDTNM7S8BvFsMmLMLZn1pi0X9yfhMJs2nete9gV_gRhm/s320/photo-780301.JPG" /></a><span style="color: #006600; font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #006600; font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">This is how our little passenger rode most of the way home.</span> </span></span></div><span style="color: #006600; font-size: 85%;"> <br />
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<div style="color: #006600; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtVm8LFHCNKL7UhQlec62u4ToF-BjUigIp9isgo_8fiRmhwCg3Ktt-7aNE8tfYVxeWR8vzQMtDxk-pGBsF5TA7-1pnt4bcEL98OOjbjWTtmlTM2YXyyYt-zHoJzO5UL1n-FPVAm_wt2hNi/s1600/IMG_0089.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643152488661820034" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtVm8LFHCNKL7UhQlec62u4ToF-BjUigIp9isgo_8fiRmhwCg3Ktt-7aNE8tfYVxeWR8vzQMtDxk-pGBsF5TA7-1pnt4bcEL98OOjbjWTtmlTM2YXyyYt-zHoJzO5UL1n-FPVAm_wt2hNi/s320/IMG_0089.JPG" style="display: block; height: 214px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a></span><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-size: 78%;">Ely and Emma <br />
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</span></span></div><div style="color: #006600; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipM27j8QPAiwVpXSlWw1L4csXdNjEEyACn6CwgU1QfG4WU3Z4kUaqeBx_MPZP150cjIasKH4KwVlLL_9qWjVSu-6R5ksHSdPZ4QlC9Zn7rnFpiEh6mVpNP7HmAPCTjIFH0jfWfsEJ1bnVN/s1600/IMG_0086b.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643152487223241090" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipM27j8QPAiwVpXSlWw1L4csXdNjEEyACn6CwgU1QfG4WU3Z4kUaqeBx_MPZP150cjIasKH4KwVlLL_9qWjVSu-6R5ksHSdPZ4QlC9Zn7rnFpiEh6mVpNP7HmAPCTjIFH0jfWfsEJ1bnVN/s320/IMG_0086b.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 213px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a></span><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-size: 78%;">Ely all tuckered out <br />
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</span></span></div><div style="color: #006600; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGxZqTRD_ARvnOFB4-8NJMATFOgHbIgrNG-uUjTBnF40Ks8fmM8Pag1ETO-XiFsWBNKmWUw5VER-ROUzQItEsSdgd1_UvOOJGWbA041xv4nYfWS_0PbhfngtOSOb-j8Y4CRsWpS8Oz_Wc/s1600/IMG_0081.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643152479749707842" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGxZqTRD_ARvnOFB4-8NJMATFOgHbIgrNG-uUjTBnF40Ks8fmM8Pag1ETO-XiFsWBNKmWUw5VER-ROUzQItEsSdgd1_UvOOJGWbA041xv4nYfWS_0PbhfngtOSOb-j8Y4CRsWpS8Oz_Wc/s320/IMG_0081.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 214px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a></span><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-size: 78%;">Ely (on left ) and little sister Ellie (on right) <br />
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</span></span></div><div style="color: #006600; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9MPb7gChN1pcu3-8DjkbrE3P3U2l7Lk8bIBBLtLumEz56UcDltct-YmSH-Qd08ufpp6wFQqRq_TK-boAoEeIo0lEUL3hcQpSUenx1who6iaKv7OVkOHLZJrxPOZKiIfB51M2wpAw-B51B/s1600/IMG_0123.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643152475549118962" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9MPb7gChN1pcu3-8DjkbrE3P3U2l7Lk8bIBBLtLumEz56UcDltct-YmSH-Qd08ufpp6wFQqRq_TK-boAoEeIo0lEUL3hcQpSUenx1who6iaKv7OVkOHLZJrxPOZKiIfB51M2wpAw-B51B/s320/IMG_0123.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 214px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a></span><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-size: 78%;">Ely and the chickens - we're still working on introducing him. </span> <br />
</span></div>lookmanoweedshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04675176129390458848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575708902845203771.post-57136658656583962792011-07-20T12:49:00.004-05:002011-07-20T13:28:28.184-05:00Happy Heniversary to me!It's been just a little over a year ago now that we became chicken owners. We started with 26 little chicks in July of 2010 and as of today we have 36 chickens. Of those 36 chickens we only have 12 of our original 26 left. Early on we lost 1 EE chick to a crossbeak and 1 Welsummer chick to a mysterious illness. Our original rooster, Winston, was the next to go. He was ill tempered and after he snuck up behind my 8 year old niece and attempted to flog her, he sealed his fate. We had Winston and dumplings a couple of days later. I sold 3 of our 6 Silkies. I'd ordered a straight run hoping I'd get at least 2-3 females, and they all turned out to be hens! Who would've guessed! I also sold one of our RIR hens to the same guy that bought the Silkies. When I checked on them a few weeks ago, they were all doing well, and the RIR apparently likes to ride the tractor! I asked for a picture but haven't gotten one yet.<br /><br />In October I ordered some chicks from a breeder in NY. I'd asked for 8 Welsummer chicks and 8 Ameraucana chicks, but the hatch went bad and only 5 Ameraucanas and 3 Welsummers hatched out. We had to euth 1 of the Wellsie chicks upon arrival because it couldn't walk, so that put us down to 2 Welsummers. Of those two one was a roo (yay! I needed a replacement) and one was a pullet. The Ameraucanas were 2 females and 3 males. Not so yay. <br /><br />On Christmas day while the flock was free ranging a HUGE hawk came down and attacked them. The 2 EE roosters (who were supposed to be pullets) fought him off and the hawk left empty handed. But the chickens came out from cover and we did a head count, we noticed we were down one New Hampshire Red pullet. I don't know if she ran off in the woods and got lost, or the hawk inflicted a mortal wound, and she died while hiding in the wooded area around our house.<br /><br />When the Welsummer male from October came of age I gave away the 2 EE roosters and 2 Ameracauana roosters to a friend of my brother. I kept one gimpy Ameraucana roo. He is now in our freezer. <br /><br />While the 2 EE's were running with the girls our 3 Silkies went broody we had 8 chicks hatch out among them. We lost one to a coon, but the others are doing well. Of those 7 chicks left there are 3 roos and 4 pullets. I expect the older two pullets to start laying soon as they were born in February. The other 2 pullets are about a month younger. <br /><br />One of the Ameraucana pullets started laying beautiful blue green eggs in March. Shortly after she started laying she disappeared one evening when the chicks were out free ranging. She just never showed back up at the coop at night time. I'm sure a predator got her, but there were no feathers or other indicators of fowl play (sorry. couldn't resist!)<br /><br />During Welsummer rooster 2's reign 2 of our Silkies went broody again, so I put Welsummer eggs under them for them to hatch. They successfully hatched out 13 chicks - 11 Welsummers and 2 Welsummer/gimpy-(but sneaky)-Ameraucana-rooster chicks. I gave my mom 5 Welsummer chicks and I kept the rest. We lost one Wellie chick due to an unknown illness. But the remaining chicks are going strong. We have 2 Wellie roos and 1 Welsummer/gimpy-(but sneaky)-Ameraucana-rooster roo. The rest are pullets.<br /><br />A couple of weeks after the chicks listed above hatched out we lost a New Hampshire Red and EE hen and our rooster to an unknown poultry assailant. The EE hen (named Kooky) made it back to the coop where she later died of blood loss from a nasty gash under her neck. I imagine our rooster was lost making a valiant attempt to save her from the predator. We're not sure what got them. We didn't hear a fuss or commotion on the evening it happened, and we never found any feathers. <br /><br />Right before my Weslummer rooster died one of our Delaware pullets went broody, so we put an assortment of eggs under her. Of the 8 eggs we put under her 8 hatched out. All three of the eggs that hatched were Welsummer eggs. I was hoping that at least one Kooky egg would hatch, but sadly none did. :(<br /><br />About the same time that my Delaware hen went broody some Ameraucana eggs I ordered from a breeder arrived. I borrowed an incubator from a friend and used them to incubate the 16 Am eggs. I also put 8 Welsummer eggs in the incubator. I made a completely bonehead move on Day 18 when I put the eggs into lockdown, so unfortunately only 2 chicks hatched - 1 Ameraucana and 1 Welsummer. <br /><br />A couple of days after the rooster died our 3rd Silkie went broody again. Since hens can lay fertile eggs up to 2 weeks after they've been around a rooster we collected some Welsummer eggs and put them under here. Of the 8 eggs we gave her 4 hatched out. So far the Silkie and Delaware's foster chicks are too young to sex. We should be able to do so here in the next week or so. Welsummer roosters' combs and wattles develop at an early age, so I won't have to wait much longer to be able to sex the young chicks. <br /><br />So that's the shorthand version of our chicken losses and additions over the past year. I never really planned having this many chickens. And I know I'll thin the ranks and eliminate unwanted roosters. Eventually I want to get more Ameraucana hens, because I like opening the egg carton and seeing eggs of varying colors. And I'm also considering getting a couple more Silkie hens and a Silkie rooster. I just have to figure out how to tell my husband that he's going to have to add on to the coop....lookmanoweedshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04675176129390458848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575708902845203771.post-4452270198195694442011-06-12T22:49:00.015-05:002011-06-13T23:10:56.074-05:00Forgive me SFGers for I have fallen off of the wagon.<span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:verdana;">I have a confession to make. I am no longer SFGing. Well, I guess I am, but I'm SFGing only a few plants. I planted a big old fashioned garden this spring. But despite all the weeding I'm having to do, I'm really enjoying it.</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;">In February/March of this year my brother-in-law and sister-in-law moved to The Woodlands, and after their trailer was moved we had a huge gaping hole in our land (and our hearts). Rather than drive by that empty lot every day and be reminded that they were gone, we decided to take advantage of the clear spot and turn it into a traditional garden plot.</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;">We hired someone to come till it up with the tractor (after we spread semi-composted chicken manure and pine shavings over the plot), and boy did that dirt powder up nicely.<br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center; font-family: verdana; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBqhpF7fM8I-gbYDYRmerdXMREke1eQfUXkkwjKT2p76plr8TYgGXRto7kQ9kB98K5QHYLvwMxoSN-TPXbDLj8T5sIq_K2DsYKnfpiQ5pml328DEOUJ4OvRm0V6xTfpGlvsKqWzYUdLcTl/s1600/IMG_9067.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBqhpF7fM8I-gbYDYRmerdXMREke1eQfUXkkwjKT2p76plr8TYgGXRto7kQ9kB98K5QHYLvwMxoSN-TPXbDLj8T5sIq_K2DsYKnfpiQ5pml328DEOUJ4OvRm0V6xTfpGlvsKqWzYUdLcTl/s320/IMG_9067.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617549304629011058" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:78%;">The new garden spot</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF42Y9deg-Ta3vDcZl3P73BQwYuaMHEp6prnJexg2Akels-SS71-pc9vbcXNRh3IwciyHyh5enX8ShoGl_S4AF3wIzAPZ51P6lteD6uHES1aEdma1bhyphenhyphendiUezF0gud3I1aKOsUYgLPuU-N/s1600/IMG_9068.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF42Y9deg-Ta3vDcZl3P73BQwYuaMHEp6prnJexg2Akels-SS71-pc9vbcXNRh3IwciyHyh5enX8ShoGl_S4AF3wIzAPZ51P6lteD6uHES1aEdma1bhyphenhyphendiUezF0gud3I1aKOsUYgLPuU-N/s320/IMG_9068.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617549311154097042" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Nice and soft</span><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />The weekend after the garden spot got tilled, we got busy planting - tomatoes, corn, squash, zucchini, green beans, black eyed peas, spinach, sugar snap peas, and potatoes.<br /></span></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXBnjbnB0X2odxjJFa8wKMcd49c4YuqnKTYuCB67lm_1FuW1gw8UbXcr6V-eIWDy4YO6TXPm4DhmRSgVw7n8WzNPmx7jVVXjXoF5D6_0K3AcwIh2fpKxYC31Hreiw2uZWkiDIUcR0hC2oJ/s1600/IMG_9076.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXBnjbnB0X2odxjJFa8wKMcd49c4YuqnKTYuCB67lm_1FuW1gw8UbXcr6V-eIWDy4YO6TXPm4DhmRSgVw7n8WzNPmx7jVVXjXoF5D6_0K3AcwIh2fpKxYC31Hreiw2uZWkiDIUcR0hC2oJ/s320/IMG_9076.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617549324528814178" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:78%;">The Brawn using the high wheel cultivator. I really want a wheel hoe, but maybe next season...</span><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; font-family: verdana; color: rgb(0, 102, 0);"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJsWFAefhuCvdGW0J8I2ZLjT4d7NE7g1Za3lJ29ISjQQowOTIjzV7EYi9ci_l3sc7M7CzBRGEyooQFlr_hxYTvrs2NtTzI80HgId-FMJtPPWz9vRd2XZ9LlvsF-XF4hFLREpeDOM2r0Ual/s1600/IMG_9080.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJsWFAefhuCvdGW0J8I2ZLjT4d7NE7g1Za3lJ29ISjQQowOTIjzV7EYi9ci_l3sc7M7CzBRGEyooQFlr_hxYTvrs2NtTzI80HgId-FMJtPPWz9vRd2XZ9LlvsF-XF4hFLREpeDOM2r0Ual/s320/IMG_9080.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617549344425088562" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Getting some help in the garden from my brother and his gf</span><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:85%;">We are still using some of the things we learned while SFGing. We are trellising our tomatoes and sugar snap peas.<br /><br />So far I'm pleased with the output of our traditional garden. That was one of my biggest complaints with SFG. I didn't get the yield that I wanted out of my garden space. I like that with my traditional garden I have enough produce to share with friends and family, and I wasn't able to do that with my SFG. Of course, I guess I could have made more boxes, but that would have been pretty expensive.<br /><br />Here are some pictures of our harvests so far this year:<br /><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXTEuMfmk-WQzRfxxhmVKGsMvfble9xM2QzUaGLirSa8gIsSJ2VbQ1RAieKMKrWtgCrfLdovPje052WdIG8wCdbar9oeCCETV_KvVSCODICj7SvFNLAwiILDFjkJFgBz-EqU2U7cNQZY7C/s1600/249197_2005806552488_1463371161_2207295_362957_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXTEuMfmk-WQzRfxxhmVKGsMvfble9xM2QzUaGLirSa8gIsSJ2VbQ1RAieKMKrWtgCrfLdovPje052WdIG8wCdbar9oeCCETV_KvVSCODICj7SvFNLAwiILDFjkJFgBz-EqU2U7cNQZY7C/s320/249197_2005806552488_1463371161_2207295_362957_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617919288728296914" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQiM-nLqVhSpd4zvaM0pL7aTXifUCcgOc4U8YS02Bl5OCc5E0I8fvD9AW9omMGYrXUegCg7AE_TDiTpBbbQDdqba6NS37ouZPAwZJW-vaU-F9mRPLaVDHqqt1QuYwWF5XuxodqOJrF2nQV/s1600/250345_2029751671101_1463371161_2240693_4526525_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQiM-nLqVhSpd4zvaM0pL7aTXifUCcgOc4U8YS02Bl5OCc5E0I8fvD9AW9omMGYrXUegCg7AE_TDiTpBbbQDdqba6NS37ouZPAwZJW-vaU-F9mRPLaVDHqqt1QuYwWF5XuxodqOJrF2nQV/s320/250345_2029751671101_1463371161_2240693_4526525_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617919278345791714" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9yT0OYwWM8t5Ntf2Dq0549aeM4XjFj7vXHZzvLJdOwreW-1nKkjoLNamTNPAw0R5ZbR3L_w6NuPuoBgoZXlAD9gV3ePZUSkN42cO23Vyq8fNtlONkMzqSm8Qa5dd9LgUIzA-V9Na2Z7a/s1600/255191_2035343730899_1463371161_2247954_476736_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9yT0OYwWM8t5Ntf2Dq0549aeM4XjFj7vXHZzvLJdOwreW-1nKkjoLNamTNPAw0R5ZbR3L_w6NuPuoBgoZXlAD9gV3ePZUSkN42cO23Vyq8fNtlONkMzqSm8Qa5dd9LgUIzA-V9Na2Z7a/s320/255191_2035343730899_1463371161_2247954_476736_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617919274322130162" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3AgKFNSr2zK42lBbZMvylbulSJbsvGquJ_Ap8RmF49tUa71It7ETPfdmUSktwO5Qn9VnDCNiYRHvIijF1G2gN-aQOzG0c-OSe9j2wpmSZg-i7CpvNWWsAod1fhjL4oWiZzLqi0E3xvBA/s1600/254422_2048839108275_1463371161_2265232_2663289_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3AgKFNSr2zK42lBbZMvylbulSJbsvGquJ_Ap8RmF49tUa71It7ETPfdmUSktwO5Qn9VnDCNiYRHvIijF1G2gN-aQOzG0c-OSe9j2wpmSZg-i7CpvNWWsAod1fhjL4oWiZzLqi0E3xvBA/s320/254422_2048839108275_1463371161_2265232_2663289_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617919264087937378" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5jKrYDQ9YuA3GiNoiElFhdZrP5q7hDsJzPzz3izX1Q4-fiyFmJaZkHvQrOhCBUPbdJREP3r0_YzSnV2VAV8JTctsgF8UeQkGTFRwTNU2DO0lZ8qSBfZeopetB_WEUS87lI1FcUxY44V4/s1600/254032_2048838388257_1463371161_2265231_7742726_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5jKrYDQ9YuA3GiNoiElFhdZrP5q7hDsJzPzz3izX1Q4-fiyFmJaZkHvQrOhCBUPbdJREP3r0_YzSnV2VAV8JTctsgF8UeQkGTFRwTNU2DO0lZ8qSBfZeopetB_WEUS87lI1FcUxY44V4/s320/254032_2048838388257_1463371161_2265231_7742726_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617919261424920962" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioNOELIamavks5ZB53KXgyKoHnRtBef74vpNM0Uv3bPSTmsJsged65Z_ta03us9qdCsWJVzkjZ4ObxvsM7bEof8NHRBWnl9zFSjySSGPpGL_DxP4AeVfPcKDhHhTnOMtes21GE4Pyb3ovl/s1600/255748_2010574111674_1463371161_2213248_3266915_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioNOELIamavks5ZB53KXgyKoHnRtBef74vpNM0Uv3bPSTmsJsged65Z_ta03us9qdCsWJVzkjZ4ObxvsM7bEof8NHRBWnl9zFSjySSGPpGL_DxP4AeVfPcKDhHhTnOMtes21GE4Pyb3ovl/s320/255748_2010574111674_1463371161_2213248_3266915_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617919900855270162" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLNNF3RvTqd8F_N5YbwQ37Sw1j90n2576lz7m5_ngwJ0spZ_cmq-qtYQcr7v8421h1RfOMUkcX4X0ameo_RmpwfLQin6JrPKNnO887J4x962TLkMgaLApGico2BJmorxR8B0SwGyUVsW4/s1600/247010_2015919085295_1463371161_2221653_4746792_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLNNF3RvTqd8F_N5YbwQ37Sw1j90n2576lz7m5_ngwJ0spZ_cmq-qtYQcr7v8421h1RfOMUkcX4X0ameo_RmpwfLQin6JrPKNnO887J4x962TLkMgaLApGico2BJmorxR8B0SwGyUVsW4/s320/247010_2015919085295_1463371161_2221653_4746792_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617919896309881986" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />I'm still SFGing my strawberries and more recently - herbs. For mother's day my wonderful hubby built a lovely raised cedar planter box for his mom, so she could have an herb garden. She'd been hinting for months that she'd like a herb garden, so we figured Mother's Day was a pretty good ocassion for that.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguj-gvayAkKmiXgXeUr1wQUIhZZMMNVAUkj7ZkFeMx2NZognwTg__UsAwWZ254naPLwk1pbUTT5F5L0ShNnpIsefUSASnlexAUWOWJ98KI4lU8WA5WAI0k3IzVbmKCTYU5QL2FoJ-5gnXA/s1600/IMG_9508.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguj-gvayAkKmiXgXeUr1wQUIhZZMMNVAUkj7ZkFeMx2NZognwTg__UsAwWZ254naPLwk1pbUTT5F5L0ShNnpIsefUSASnlexAUWOWJ98KI4lU8WA5WAI0k3IzVbmKCTYU5QL2FoJ-5gnXA/s320/IMG_9508.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617900487573744866" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">My m-i-l's herb garden</span><br /></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />After The Brawn finished with his mom's box, I asked him to convert my 12" box to a herb garden. He put 36" legs on it, and voila! we have fresh herbs just steps away from our kitchen window. (Well, technically it's closer to the bedroom window.) My herb garden isn't as pretty as my mother-in-laws, but I don't own a bed and breakfast like she does, so it doesn't have to be as aesthetically pleasing. Plus I'm a cheapskate and we already had a 12" SFG box that wasn't being used. And the chickens are currently the only ones who see my makeshift herb garden anyway. :)<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsR42aLpZJB-ZEwQmnD64r12gsck-5RXMJ8MWEHNSam5KHFc-BRDwIdY0wAbpTeSEQvw8k_GZ62QXyEPM1cQFCMvlyZkBRj_Za5zFKedmmZ87P6_WA308ybLftjhe1EJvfsKiVmQtA5vte/s1600/IMG_9807.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsR42aLpZJB-ZEwQmnD64r12gsck-5RXMJ8MWEHNSam5KHFc-BRDwIdY0wAbpTeSEQvw8k_GZ62QXyEPM1cQFCMvlyZkBRj_Za5zFKedmmZ87P6_WA308ybLftjhe1EJvfsKiVmQtA5vte/s320/IMG_9807.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617906078562662514" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">My herb garden</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><span style="font-size:85%;">Speaking of the chickens they are doing well in spite of our sweltering heat. I currently own 3 Silkies, 3 Delawares, 3 New Hampshire Reds, 2 Rhode Island Reds, and 3 Welsummer pulletts. I also have 7 Easter Eggers that we hatched out right here. Two of my Silkies are currently raising 5 Welsummer chicks and 2 Welsummer/Ameraucana chicks. I have a broody Delaware sitting on 7 (maybe 8. can't remember for sure) eggs from assorted hens covered by a Welsummer roo, a broody Silkie sitting on 7 Welsummer eggs, and in the incubator I have 16 Ameraucana and 6 Welsummer eggs due to hatch on June 27.<br /><br />I'm hoping to have chicks coming out my ears here in a couple of weeks, but as I've never used an incubator before and the Ameraucana eggs were shipped from Washington I don't know how many will actually hatch. I need to candle the eggs, but I haven't done so yet.<br /><br />Below are some pictures of the Hokey Pokey Hen House and its residents:<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ886UD5HTkJ2YwJmyJWS7jQaWecZZTtlHA96DroGMaoiotmcr0yFnGJnayuYV-jQ3oqjy3xVVZs8UfkebggAGTJCLtDQaqlxnYMPdsVquCZXSUNgsW1b0mG5BZyeRW6_yMvY-QxlrQtM-/s1600/40953_1558154121457_1463371161_1440932_3762220_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ886UD5HTkJ2YwJmyJWS7jQaWecZZTtlHA96DroGMaoiotmcr0yFnGJnayuYV-jQ3oqjy3xVVZs8UfkebggAGTJCLtDQaqlxnYMPdsVquCZXSUNgsW1b0mG5BZyeRW6_yMvY-QxlrQtM-/s320/40953_1558154121457_1463371161_1440932_3762220_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617917370588969970" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">The Hokey Pokey Hen House<br /></span></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIxrSHYZAGQTfprwRF0tr-vu3nZjxVXO_XiU3zRksaLa06ndJSioKgRko1B1UJPge-j7e6_5XXmk3s8H_Z5bqMLiY5hkblHGFFDtZCft9ukd9C0BkE-e0PheITrxOprJvUi21rNtACyykD/s1600/IMG_9844.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIxrSHYZAGQTfprwRF0tr-vu3nZjxVXO_XiU3zRksaLa06ndJSioKgRko1B1UJPge-j7e6_5XXmk3s8H_Z5bqMLiY5hkblHGFFDtZCft9ukd9C0BkE-e0PheITrxOprJvUi21rNtACyykD/s320/IMG_9844.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617917393444955282" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Delaware pullet</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQDOI9hyphenhyphenawsFhRD-TN1e7wp69KFf-qB2zMKdAm0VAAEehcurV48WP26T3NSGxDJiHBqp5C2iY8waj0p4OD9akwcz5ThNYTlCgNU40f_ZUWxSjEYofDhLxvH9MYrOROK76W225cb-WNLxQ/s1600/IMG_9795.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQDOI9hyphenhyphenawsFhRD-TN1e7wp69KFf-qB2zMKdAm0VAAEehcurV48WP26T3NSGxDJiHBqp5C2iY8waj0p4OD9akwcz5ThNYTlCgNU40f_ZUWxSjEYofDhLxvH9MYrOROK76W225cb-WNLxQ/s320/IMG_9795.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617917384846714498" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Everyone loves watermelon</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXyXpGp9CEMe84KgDIB003pceNoVUp-HgP3TxWRPPWUQODzNCHUrWSc9OQSlPXO9IkJpv9knQCkK-1aIV_PHrBeOSYHTAYShYfTyHw6gcvrNtDHsZtGqHdtgh13AmVRQEeUn-NPftsMuBE/s1600/248080_2007585836969_1463371161_2209838_2037049_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXyXpGp9CEMe84KgDIB003pceNoVUp-HgP3TxWRPPWUQODzNCHUrWSc9OQSlPXO9IkJpv9knQCkK-1aIV_PHrBeOSYHTAYShYfTyHw6gcvrNtDHsZtGqHdtgh13AmVRQEeUn-NPftsMuBE/s320/248080_2007585836969_1463371161_2209838_2037049_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617917365417265586" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Welsummer chick hiding under its Silkie mama's wing<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdY3HCAOQS2zabXbwZ5_IdkSFdP1Ic7ROXU8OmcTLlylRufruWzD6QYM3VKIBpF0UxozcCT3Rukr9gSFMyRIJvtoXKew86_H4JuPKi3BlvjO_Ue-kJYI0843V_TztXcQb3iuCEcEDOltaD/s1600/181991_1804224353059_1463371161_1924126_2743498_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdY3HCAOQS2zabXbwZ5_IdkSFdP1Ic7ROXU8OmcTLlylRufruWzD6QYM3VKIBpF0UxozcCT3Rukr9gSFMyRIJvtoXKew86_H4JuPKi3BlvjO_Ue-kJYI0843V_TztXcQb3iuCEcEDOltaD/s320/181991_1804224353059_1463371161_1924126_2743498_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617917361852354546" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Peek a boo</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:85%;">So that's a very brief summation of what's been happening around here the past 9 months or so. I've got oodles more pictures of chicken stories I could post, but I'll probably save those til next year when I post again. :)</span><br /></div></div></div></div><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-size:85%;" > </span>lookmanoweedshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04675176129390458848noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575708902845203771.post-60836945535236271602010-09-20T11:46:00.004-05:002010-09-20T12:14:35.358-05:00I have great garden sitters<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My great grandmother passed away last week, and so my husband, brother, his 4 children, and I had to make a flying trip to Illinois on Thursday to attend the services on Friday/Saturday. I wanted to pay my respects, but I must admit I had some trepidation about leaving my fledgling garden. But my brother-in-law and sister-in-law garden sat for me, so my fears were misplaced. We got in late last night, so I checked the garden at daybreak. (I was too exhausted to check last night after spending 30 hours in a car with 4 screaming, arguing children.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here's what I found this morning:</span><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrKGyFRA8-AQ1jsyPc6NXFn5Xw6lYjRnrbcul6NiC29suv4sMRDAD2yP4wbgqi3cKlU1KQZj3E-6knsIfj9sOH_IGsa0zlIteoO-Ii1jNGL9oZxTqg2YHYZQYJyJ5N5rcvwtWOBTB4MlI/s1600/IMG_6655.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrKGyFRA8-AQ1jsyPc6NXFn5Xw6lYjRnrbcul6NiC29suv4sMRDAD2yP4wbgqi3cKlU1KQZj3E-6knsIfj9sOH_IGsa0zlIteoO-Ii1jNGL9oZxTqg2YHYZQYJyJ5N5rcvwtWOBTB4MlI/s320/IMG_6655.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519043673120508994" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Sugar snap peas are coming on</span></span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguQbzbLFHUIaYWiUDkM-3CuzBlmrhoHEUJ79I4UfR9RAa6oyntm5-8SQrieC6ftaK_FitxKlT-_E5FUOc5tT5p6GZJXeP7fuW0JiWtpeUH246FnXKdFLrOHlMEBuRHmPqiHTuwv4IsDqqX/s1600/IMG_6654.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguQbzbLFHUIaYWiUDkM-3CuzBlmrhoHEUJ79I4UfR9RAa6oyntm5-8SQrieC6ftaK_FitxKlT-_E5FUOc5tT5p6GZJXeP7fuW0JiWtpeUH246FnXKdFLrOHlMEBuRHmPqiHTuwv4IsDqqX/s320/IMG_6654.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519043663941087954" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Lettuce</span></span><span style="font-size:78%;"> - not doing as well as I'd hoped, but I did direct seed it, so I didn't have really high hopes</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEogfs2QDo24x1cBWGkvpAOIZsMrFRkJ3A9WEu9WyPrujg6eHtmthM9VGPJj7mxRd1I8U3sqjtrA5Mz7C0E4PHPoc_Zimc0nhDzK4BBtyga5-PxdFK25EBIgiLywKU7DW14F8oUEvo3B0h/s1600/IMG_6653.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEogfs2QDo24x1cBWGkvpAOIZsMrFRkJ3A9WEu9WyPrujg6eHtmthM9VGPJj7mxRd1I8U3sqjtrA5Mz7C0E4PHPoc_Zimc0nhDzK4BBtyga5-PxdFK25EBIgiLywKU7DW14F8oUEvo3B0h/s320/IMG_6653.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519043310142796386" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Spinach</span></span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4WuzetOwb-0oBpAqNL9EarUbs2mPACucC20ITXLJrfNxF0pIpOGGoeMmXNQpO6_k3xGn6uj0vzhOokB7MvKllnIepnLABXyt1RjJzY-L41KjniBznDz1yang1FFPD6gLM1WfbPBANWw9j/s1600/IMG_6652.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4WuzetOwb-0oBpAqNL9EarUbs2mPACucC20ITXLJrfNxF0pIpOGGoeMmXNQpO6_k3xGn6uj0vzhOokB7MvKllnIepnLABXyt1RjJzY-L41KjniBznDz1yang1FFPD6gLM1WfbPBANWw9j/s320/IMG_6652.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519043302655987938" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Looks like a green bean got in the spinach square. Not sure how that happened.</span></span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqy4jboZJko1OU2pjsZLHMUP-ecQjb3rz9cRlbxJ8a9WQaLkoT681KctbO4SqApvgi3vVmp-vOk1XlBfobn-XeN1Ot5WTY0IFBJzRtH9VD9GcuK1tQZ2dMsVEK_MlAbRs3Pqqa7_6XpAan/s1600/IMG_6651.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqy4jboZJko1OU2pjsZLHMUP-ecQjb3rz9cRlbxJ8a9WQaLkoT681KctbO4SqApvgi3vVmp-vOk1XlBfobn-XeN1Ot5WTY0IFBJzRtH9VD9GcuK1tQZ2dMsVEK_MlAbRs3Pqqa7_6XpAan/s320/IMG_6651.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519043290840373874" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Green beans look great! I got about 100% germination last time I planted them, so I only planted one seed per hole. </span></span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje7o4sAdxfrjnXN3xIgRXoHAViBX_9hkYbVGTTcSajM9ERc3fAqQ7AoWCJXAJKFevUq1PNZkh7ggeRxKOo08veOkWQp9GQ81ZwgK5ekKyIhp-_sp1Q9K5xNaMo_dR-0rJmUU2qrdwcco4W/s1600/IMG_6650.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje7o4sAdxfrjnXN3xIgRXoHAViBX_9hkYbVGTTcSajM9ERc3fAqQ7AoWCJXAJKFevUq1PNZkh7ggeRxKOo08veOkWQp9GQ81ZwgK5ekKyIhp-_sp1Q9K5xNaMo_dR-0rJmUU2qrdwcco4W/s320/IMG_6650.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519043280974701586" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">A few little carrot sprouts. I have a hard time with carrots. </span></span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcQ6T3KpoxwGNqseUjrrXqzFMy-yIVVKb2JVo4ZC9kYmUkEs5QjyQZdkHMn3f9Vagyjiqnn6XeXkeOUxzgSy554K827V5AxPyWB7TkXhiroWpzIDiXf4pDQdfHDSrbfAzqPubf3IVF3zsN/s1600/IMG_6649.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcQ6T3KpoxwGNqseUjrrXqzFMy-yIVVKb2JVo4ZC9kYmUkEs5QjyQZdkHMn3f9Vagyjiqnn6XeXkeOUxzgSy554K827V5AxPyWB7TkXhiroWpzIDiXf4pDQdfHDSrbfAzqPubf3IVF3zsN/s320/IMG_6649.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519043256896401522" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Radishes look pretty good too. Not as good a germination rate as I'd hoped though.</span></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />So far so good with the fall garden. Our mornings and nights are cooler, but daytime temps are still in the 90's.<br /></div></div>lookmanoweedshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04675176129390458848noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575708902845203771.post-48978940730912695492010-09-15T19:24:00.004-05:002010-09-15T19:47:30.282-05:00Trying a fall garden<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">So I've decided to try a fall garden this year. On Saturday I got my beds prepped by removing all the shriveled victims of my spring garden and putting them in the compost heap. Then I mixed in some new soil. Did you know that Miracle Gro had an organic soil mix? I didn't, but I was pretty excited when I found out Saturday. </span> <span style="font-family:verdana;">My nephew helped me get the grids screwed back down on the boxes, and we started planting. We planted 4 squares of Chantenay Red Core carrots, 2 squares of radishes (not for me), 4 squares of green beans (not for me), 2 squares of lettuce, 4 squares of sugar snap peas (not for me), and 2 squares of spinach.<br /><br />As of today the lettuce, sugar snaps, green beans, radishes, and spinach are starting to sprout! Exciting how quickly things come together. I'm not sure about the carrots. The soil got a little dry today, because I forgot to water this a.m. Maybe they'll sprout anyway.</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;">A couple of weeks ago I started some broccoli, cauliflower and onions. So far the broccoli has sprouted and is looking good, and a few onions have as well, but I don't think I single cauliflower has sprouted yet. Not sure what that's about.<br /><br /></span> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;font-family:verdana;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Over the next few weeks I am also hoping to plant some fall squash. I'm trying to decide upon acorn, spaghetti, or butternut. I may just plant all of it, and see how it does! </span><br /></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6F-ClGeXkixI9pwzHzhT0SBrf6jMjDs452dgb9t0XOwlkqjLzm9jwmcQ8XDQKjFiFIZV2z7v7fAwJiW9fL3ajdtNS3T4bsceNUlXalv0CmO_9MJ8PqRWwEt7fB6iQQrEyHvBae0IrA_-k/s1600/IMG_6570.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6F-ClGeXkixI9pwzHzhT0SBrf6jMjDs452dgb9t0XOwlkqjLzm9jwmcQ8XDQKjFiFIZV2z7v7fAwJiW9fL3ajdtNS3T4bsceNUlXalv0CmO_9MJ8PqRWwEt7fB6iQQrEyHvBae0IrA_-k/s320/IMG_6570.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517304559708220546" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Sugar snap sprout - 1 is just peaking through<br /><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_F9cf4pwRnQLVOVOu8sJDooK7EweZai17RxmF6W50fknQlDX9hyphenhypheneV6gjiMslXOBoi0LPs8HyYnwzIPMW9MvXZYpIif3OPLzpOV4PGDYNAk-7CmDc3gpJ3bhsIkoQd4jE8PcFeeC8HyK5y/s1600/IMG_6569.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_F9cf4pwRnQLVOVOu8sJDooK7EweZai17RxmF6W50fknQlDX9hyphenhypheneV6gjiMslXOBoi0LPs8HyYnwzIPMW9MvXZYpIif3OPLzpOV4PGDYNAk-7CmDc3gpJ3bhsIkoQd4jE8PcFeeC8HyK5y/s320/IMG_6569.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517304555717525954" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Green bean</span></span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-rFu2cj9IF0nZwLAWjVjFXYogZ9z0Or7ZUFCZXFaJLBvVNhcXuX_PtsHs5LRstaYgtDAi2874UO-sNZzaFS-ZjKliVlATDm3DtsR0rp0e2vIFVXoIgGeLVX6TwHosn7AVASFOEEI2jWa/s1600/IMG_6568.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-rFu2cj9IF0nZwLAWjVjFXYogZ9z0Or7ZUFCZXFaJLBvVNhcXuX_PtsHs5LRstaYgtDAi2874UO-sNZzaFS-ZjKliVlATDm3DtsR0rp0e2vIFVXoIgGeLVX6TwHosn7AVASFOEEI2jWa/s320/IMG_6568.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517304545111325586" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Lettuce sprouting. I hope it's okay to direct seed it in the garden.</span><br /><br /></span> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje3fGQ4qDQXhcmGHS6eu-aYTX0nI4MNw2y66RqcjA44SKhMwiLTfLB21iVtxb5ZPI2vHcPQlHKhKPaJ2SOj7ozAvT-49gY72muBkmBwRKNgPEJsfMdwImSTG7xO1L5HlJMd2FaT8XW4fND/s1600/IMG_6567.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje3fGQ4qDQXhcmGHS6eu-aYTX0nI4MNw2y66RqcjA44SKhMwiLTfLB21iVtxb5ZPI2vHcPQlHKhKPaJ2SOj7ozAvT-49gY72muBkmBwRKNgPEJsfMdwImSTG7xO1L5HlJMd2FaT8XW4fND/s320/IMG_6567.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517304534570471986" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Spinach (I think)<br /><br /></span></span> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi10_hqaAnmsEbxGXSi4M7s7q_FDsSadbeHS8TiF_8f6Lt2Z824s7dK8j3zW5gbYWiXAk-eDUmTVuWL7vRp3X3NZ4zhRz_ZzgyLoVGJj3GG2FSXOvldP30u6AXHV62jYy_LOHtAEPuvyH7T/s1600/IMG_6565.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi10_hqaAnmsEbxGXSi4M7s7q_FDsSadbeHS8TiF_8f6Lt2Z824s7dK8j3zW5gbYWiXAk-eDUmTVuWL7vRp3X3NZ4zhRz_ZzgyLoVGJj3GG2FSXOvldP30u6AXHV62jYy_LOHtAEPuvyH7T/s320/IMG_6565.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517304530086521826" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Radishes. They're sprouting very well! I hope my friend likes lots of radishes.</span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu_Gmaa4Gfg8j4FQUmOTwkR2DncDgLKz0yrNMKpjDrrfqor5I5YHFYJrtROGYbn78UhjEvdi2MfUG6ppjQ-sCO2nsOMy8Mvj32agjncFVrWuCBUafFWapcCkfqr3srExpejALAptHJqnfC/s1600/IMG_6572.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu_Gmaa4Gfg8j4FQUmOTwkR2DncDgLKz0yrNMKpjDrrfqor5I5YHFYJrtROGYbn78UhjEvdi2MfUG6ppjQ-sCO2nsOMy8Mvj32agjncFVrWuCBUafFWapcCkfqr3srExpejALAptHJqnfC/s320/IMG_6572.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517305784896508498" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Broccoli sprouts. They're looking great!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisHLw6Jog1khbDM5GXPkjxoU_tTL4pvizFySfBnl_govF0xopfbG77gLdwJa0UBU0M1IhFfq3MpZfhJFbcUvfgKcaYFUEIb3ZV9Fjw9OTFUenxzDMbL1XiyqQ-PQNXuA8gco79kXet04sC/s1600/IMG_6571.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisHLw6Jog1khbDM5GXPkjxoU_tTL4pvizFySfBnl_govF0xopfbG77gLdwJa0UBU0M1IhFfq3MpZfhJFbcUvfgKcaYFUEIb3ZV9Fjw9OTFUenxzDMbL1XiyqQ-PQNXuA8gco79kXet04sC/s320/IMG_6571.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517305780429660898" border="0" /></a>Onion seedlings. A few sprouts<br /></span></div>lookmanoweedshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04675176129390458848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575708902845203771.post-87089119606720474592010-09-11T17:42:00.002-05:002010-09-11T18:00:09.808-05:00The chickens have landedSo it's been what like two months since my last blog post? What can I say. I'm just not a devoted blogger. And time has been a relatively limited commodity as of late. In one of my last blogs I mentioned getting a few chickens. Well, a few turned into 26 as I received my order of day old chicks from <a href="http://www.ideal-poultry.com">Ideal Poultry</a>. Initially I had placed an order for 6 Silkies (straight run), 4 Rhode Island Red pullets, 4 New Hampshire Reds pullets, 4 Delaware pullets, 4 Easter Egger pullets, and one New Hampshire Red rooster. I really wanted some Wellsummer chickens because I love the nice dark brown/speckled brown eggs they lay. And the roosters are super handsome!<br /><br />Unfortunately per Ideal's website they were out of Welsummers. I called and left a message stating I really wanted to add 4 Welsummer pullets and 1 Welsummer roo instead of the New Hamp roo to my order just in case they might have some come available. I left them my number so they could call me back to let me know for sure. I had planned on telling them when they called that I also wanted to cancel the New Hamp pullets if I was going to get some Wellie pullets. I never got a call, so I assumed I would not get any Wellies. <br /><br />My chicks arrived on July 9th. The post office is supposed to call you when you have live chicks arrived. Apparently the Lufkin post office does not follow instructions well. I had to call them - three times! Finally found out the chicks were there and beat feet to get over there and pick them up! When I got home I discovered I had 27 little peepers in the box! Ideal had gotten my message and sent me the Wellies!!! But as I discovered later I was shorted one Wellie (though I originally thought I was shorted 1 RIR pullett). But 26 chicks is QUITE the hand full! <br /><br />So the arrival of the chicks sealed the fate of this year's garden. That and the fact that it turned unbearably hot (triple digits, high humidity), and it quit raining. The chicks took a lot of time to care for, and honestly they are much cuter than zucchini. <br /><br />As of today the chicks are 9.5 weeks old, and I'm preparing to put in a fall garden. The peeps are in their newly constructed coop now, and don't require as much attention from me anymore, so I hope the fall garden will be able to compete with them. We'll see!<br /><br />I wanted to wait til my nieces and nephews could help with the planting, but I've been waiting for two days now, and I'm ready to get this show on the road. I may just move ahead without their help/hindrance.lookmanoweedshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04675176129390458848noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575708902845203771.post-82217882448220960142010-06-22T06:46:00.004-05:002010-06-22T06:57:25.832-05:00Die, bunny! Die!<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I foolishly thought we could live in peace and harmony. The rabbits contentedly munching on bahia grass, and my garden safely nestled behind the confines of the electric fence. I was wrong. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">This morning as I began my ritual of checking on the garden and hand pollinating my squash I was shocked to discover a rabbit inside my fence and eating the <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">ONLY</span> Cherokee Purple Tomato I have!!! It had plucked the just starting to turn pink fruit off the vine and was chowing down. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">My trigger happy husband has been asking me if he could shoot the rabbits that frequent our yard, and I naively kept telling him to leave them alone. Today, however, I'm putting a bounty out on my four-legged foes, and all bunnies who dare hop onto our property will meet a solemn fate compliments of Remington.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I also intend on upgrading our FiShock to a horse and cattle unit. Hopefully doing so will prevent further ground outs from twigs touching the fence and stem any further losses. </span><br /><br /><br /></span>lookmanoweedshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04675176129390458848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575708902845203771.post-73440462282450668252010-06-19T20:33:00.003-05:002010-06-19T21:04:43.954-05:00Count 'em. Four, yes, four!<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This evening as I was watching the US Open i.e. attempting to nap to the US Open, my husband asked me if the electric fence was on. I forget to plug the thing in half the time, so my immediate thought was probably not. And I was right, so I went outside to plug in the fence to discover what I initially thought were three little hoppers in the backyard. They didn't even budge as I walked out the door to plug in the fence. They all just continued to contently munched away on our overgrown bahia grass - not such a bad thing.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Since they were not intimidated by my appearance I decided to come back in the house and grab my camera. They weren't disturbed by my second appearance with camera in tow, so I was able to fire off some shots of them grazing. As I took a few shots I realized that there weren't just 3 rabbits - there were four! <br /><br />I stood outside and watched them for at least 10 minutes. Two of them got dangerously close to the electric fence as they peered enviously into the garden. I just knew I was gonna get some really cheap entertainment when one of them touched their nose to the fence, but alas, no luck tonight. </span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi42O2BLLEgpkhvqyEzsCSmqPzvN33soR5TkY3g-AiCqj3iep4miwKp0goU8W0oKHwt4EFY3Mi6TQYWjIUxBngtk8ex7NZdrh-U_i9gmQDyGFXoqYjPr0ylGWaKcVKVzr-Z-cuStLKSHAJv/s1600/IMG_4571.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi42O2BLLEgpkhvqyEzsCSmqPzvN33soR5TkY3g-AiCqj3iep4miwKp0goU8W0oKHwt4EFY3Mi6TQYWjIUxBngtk8ex7NZdrh-U_i9gmQDyGFXoqYjPr0ylGWaKcVKVzr-Z-cuStLKSHAJv/s320/IMG_4571.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484669383381304098" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >The two smaller rabbits were a bit more shy and stayed closer to the safety of the wooded area.</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjnuE1W1k4pIc_dV3SJqWRavn-LHzLRApdrYiX9VFFOEJL1ZjJraLtCaL7oLXlfyvglEPNVJpfKPixkt1MTWCh2g9iKkYsPWFpAXT8o0uo7QjFPgMleT5fWq4lF1d9AXNc5-Vph7VXkT5/s1600/IMG_4570.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjnuE1W1k4pIc_dV3SJqWRavn-LHzLRApdrYiX9VFFOEJL1ZjJraLtCaL7oLXlfyvglEPNVJpfKPixkt1MTWCh2g9iKkYsPWFpAXT8o0uo7QjFPgMleT5fWq4lF1d9AXNc5-Vph7VXkT5/s320/IMG_4570.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484666362733568066" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >These two felt perfectly comfortable hopping around in the open area of the yard, and even playing with each other. I was only about 15 to 20 feet from them as I snapped these shots.</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv8yDr5zngJDiE8-2aX6XITbXfFR5PsB8HJd16te0PvrCxYRJ6IyL2Tmbqw_AWNevWhs036PvuT9UU6un6HMUs4oU7cMDvSa-pFPP6gVqVwIDc-NTFFtHd80uTsw9dshNcWnkhc01RXH9X/s1600/IMG_4568.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv8yDr5zngJDiE8-2aX6XITbXfFR5PsB8HJd16te0PvrCxYRJ6IyL2Tmbqw_AWNevWhs036PvuT9UU6un6HMUs4oU7cMDvSa-pFPP6gVqVwIDc-NTFFtHd80uTsw9dshNcWnkhc01RXH9X/s320/IMG_4568.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484666342265197810" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >I bet he's thinking the garden looks pretty tasty, but he'll have to settle for bahia.</span><br /></div>lookmanoweedshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04675176129390458848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575708902845203771.post-4960881986698221572010-06-19T20:25:00.002-05:002010-06-19T20:33:37.961-05:00First harvest<p class="mobile-photo"><span style="font-size:85%;">Today I picked the first veggies from my garden. I think I left the crookneck on the vine a little too long. See how bumpy it is.... Guess I'll find out when I try to eat it. It along with its zuke cousins will be on the menu tomorrow. yum</span><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9BHDcWHGmF_Wyz9ozoMEPf1aFKyGIy7OR08P-X4n-HW8lHGbRbUnTS1EgvEYZO8mqqhKDUQUrCNULr22H4A9JEF04j7iMJixbbx4-jLffgH0O64PNR9YsjGhuHvAo8HCEuED02XPilQg/s1600/photo-740722.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9BHDcWHGmF_Wyz9ozoMEPf1aFKyGIy7OR08P-X4n-HW8lHGbRbUnTS1EgvEYZO8mqqhKDUQUrCNULr22H4A9JEF04j7iMJixbbx4-jLffgH0O64PNR9YsjGhuHvAo8HCEuED02XPilQg/s320/photo-740722.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484662245180144882" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This year's first harvest</span></span><br /></p>lookmanoweedshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04675176129390458848noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575708902845203771.post-60029712234853248162010-06-15T21:09:00.004-05:002010-06-15T21:44:26.290-05:00Pics from the past week or so<p style="text-align: left; font-family: verdana;" class="mobile-photo"><span style="font-size:85%;">Here are some pictures I've taken since I got back. Most with my phone because it's easier to carry to the garden than my camera, and easier to upload too because I don't have to resize the pictures. The downside is the quality is not nearly as good, and the focus is not sharp. But these are garden pictures not pictures for the art gallery, so I guess they'll do.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left; font-family: verdana;" class="mobile-photo"><span style="font-size:85%;">I'm having to hand pollinate all of my squash and zuchinni, which is kind of a pain, and I've lost several female squash blossoms because I overlooked them during my morning garden inspection, or they bloomed after I left for work.</span></p><p style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;" class="mobile-photo"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Last week pics:</span></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbodVAksByaqpPek1uupx0jpMU5ZD29Mc3QFbo1zny4knvbb7p7pdD0N3E2dX5A3GO2XbhYc9EH-QkE49VXyH6lOgRHyqDZI3ZOXVJUvf1RvgfdB_v_MaJgp_zLs-QS3euveQFqNoTsrus/s1600/photo-735376.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbodVAksByaqpPek1uupx0jpMU5ZD29Mc3QFbo1zny4knvbb7p7pdD0N3E2dX5A3GO2XbhYc9EH-QkE49VXyH6lOgRHyqDZI3ZOXVJUvf1RvgfdB_v_MaJgp_zLs-QS3euveQFqNoTsrus/s320/photo-735376.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483186900713669890" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdwnvRI1vUbbek10iFt2kKuDtsgacI7lleUUERAbnLzK2_OjbD0b4jxhiKiv4hHyjjoN5LAMMxHZGh2H1RVrQ4zUUOhYD5MRuUP81eRzPUQRxqHEQNwyd6lUnXC1PiLQxSqMICLUcidbDO/s1600/photo-751307.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdwnvRI1vUbbek10iFt2kKuDtsgacI7lleUUERAbnLzK2_OjbD0b4jxhiKiv4hHyjjoN5LAMMxHZGh2H1RVrQ4zUUOhYD5MRuUP81eRzPUQRxqHEQNwyd6lUnXC1PiLQxSqMICLUcidbDO/s320/photo-751307.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483186968209458850" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH-lAF9pgBnhGYo8_kgwPdw3GLMRME95Buhjv4F_VEemzjklJNPKXpHkcsKadvvdc0Skg4o1mW_j5wq3nMAhGvOiCKvWsG3qyvpBA-q2IQOmEWWPgv-URk9Ck_ciXOHHvCzXSiUn1VFRWi/s1600/photo-767485.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH-lAF9pgBnhGYo8_kgwPdw3GLMRME95Buhjv4F_VEemzjklJNPKXpHkcsKadvvdc0Skg4o1mW_j5wq3nMAhGvOiCKvWsG3qyvpBA-q2IQOmEWWPgv-URk9Ck_ciXOHHvCzXSiUn1VFRWi/s320/photo-767485.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483187040172290978" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><span style="font-size:78%;">Baby eggplant</span><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiruzpqI4u3LYvaTn2aSFr1WBusqloOGCOgiU7F265WQLdeVsQbf8l8m86kJHZev4MDhu3qf0cx-yjP2YIzO7bo0tUl37D9RP8UKvwwCwQ-wXvtqrkXyr2wsiiUGH8pPIZDIHthP5jJRLdM/s1600/photo-784109.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiruzpqI4u3LYvaTn2aSFr1WBusqloOGCOgiU7F265WQLdeVsQbf8l8m86kJHZev4MDhu3qf0cx-yjP2YIzO7bo0tUl37D9RP8UKvwwCwQ-wXvtqrkXyr2wsiiUGH8pPIZDIHthP5jJRLdM/s320/photo-784109.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483187113258519602" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqH-Q4GAD1YetmfFQIOoQdtyv3XIDpAUV8IVa-9NxtJ0ynpUblfZDnxeZzZSfA9IrRlTiZXdF1sTFZIcOa21MGWzZxO8qfcTuafMPzUsyhuhfWubI8Kvmr90OlDEeR1C9d-XEDvUxEctJE/s1600/photo-767819.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqH-Q4GAD1YetmfFQIOoQdtyv3XIDpAUV8IVa-9NxtJ0ynpUblfZDnxeZzZSfA9IrRlTiZXdF1sTFZIcOa21MGWzZxO8qfcTuafMPzUsyhuhfWubI8Kvmr90OlDEeR1C9d-XEDvUxEctJE/s320/photo-767819.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483188756845737698" border="0" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wGJ05Myt05u8h_YXDeay9AugNj86ejRItxfNMGlZfzhClJ0HRB0cwpXv_DuJvE9y5BnQmNx2p8LPaWekTkqdWLqWozk_sphwHBcFQ1-TRMJpsUvW5OS1C3nIdQJG5RQ2JieJV9KPqZ3W/s1600/photo-758164.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wGJ05Myt05u8h_YXDeay9AugNj86ejRItxfNMGlZfzhClJ0HRB0cwpXv_DuJvE9y5BnQmNx2p8LPaWekTkqdWLqWozk_sphwHBcFQ1-TRMJpsUvW5OS1C3nIdQJG5RQ2JieJV9KPqZ3W/s320/photo-758164.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483187427829593874" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHgR9bQvQz_ZUUL9IhqNCeXwuR0IJrHdZ5iUlglOpLcZisUOEOBigY7OiLEMKf_5xoeRSUmVF8ArK2k5hCCfakrdBtd8E7QkjbLYvryJ77TW90y6nYMHLTvgKPA7XFfICjRTgl8hQ6600P/s1600/photo-794556.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHgR9bQvQz_ZUUL9IhqNCeXwuR0IJrHdZ5iUlglOpLcZisUOEOBigY7OiLEMKf_5xoeRSUmVF8ArK2k5hCCfakrdBtd8E7QkjbLYvryJ77TW90y6nYMHLTvgKPA7XFfICjRTgl8hQ6600P/s320/photo-794556.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483187582942227682" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">This week's pics</span></span><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk6yqmROVMxTyF6xob67gLi4sqSkWKtC0IkSkOgZ77IC4qNLd-U1I9GEa7e70ZrWnw0jgKMo_r0kH8C2EsvhP5UEk8L8X3Wf2MG4TgTRxP6UNW8DqqzC5dnmy9A8seDKjN-fnwtVNl_Gu0/s1600/photo-746905.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk6yqmROVMxTyF6xob67gLi4sqSkWKtC0IkSkOgZ77IC4qNLd-U1I9GEa7e70ZrWnw0jgKMo_r0kH8C2EsvhP5UEk8L8X3Wf2MG4TgTRxP6UNW8DqqzC5dnmy9A8seDKjN-fnwtVNl_Gu0/s320/photo-746905.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483188239028751234" border="0" /></a></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpc_ysX4tJsHSnNz67FNt_zeueFlq4wjSdBKOfcs1SLH_nU8lCZvQC-2dQNWPWr3JBq-apX1URfJje9UjQRHTukVbGQuQRcXKBQeamYRJ2As8ZUQS9-S2x1LI7i6-t2ErDv9eHZMOIJHvy/s1600/photo-729540.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpc_ysX4tJsHSnNz67FNt_zeueFlq4wjSdBKOfcs1SLH_nU8lCZvQC-2dQNWPWr3JBq-apX1URfJje9UjQRHTukVbGQuQRcXKBQeamYRJ2As8ZUQS9-S2x1LI7i6-t2ErDv9eHZMOIJHvy/s320/photo-729540.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483188165843921794" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoUtkfIrdiVyVMhUn0Fp6_0pLD8R59GNYEFjQJsquZIkxxBv4Dl-ssgQrXL6h1JlbS52fi6Als1Yc6-PsPyYZwVvBSMJU1xOlmRarwh1eVBCoANIGMfbLBv24x0LrF-pcTFtGLZYICRfFs/s1600/photo-712608.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoUtkfIrdiVyVMhUn0Fp6_0pLD8R59GNYEFjQJsquZIkxxBv4Dl-ssgQrXL6h1JlbS52fi6Als1Yc6-PsPyYZwVvBSMJU1xOlmRarwh1eVBCoANIGMfbLBv24x0LrF-pcTFtGLZYICRfFs/s320/photo-712608.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483188090639679426" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><span style="font-size:78%;">Eggplant blossoms</span><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXjnTOIwhB_5JwAq9IIbD40zd85Am93o4rqjLIWhRggDIzDmgWD9BZpUZqbqcyEs9KF2X8xANuU99gvYGmpsWOssmX7TxFZx5Sc-q3Qb14fX_f9XLKQds1Gtpbp30xEIAcXh9GwsbIv8P/s1600/photo-700143.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXjnTOIwhB_5JwAq9IIbD40zd85Am93o4rqjLIWhRggDIzDmgWD9BZpUZqbqcyEs9KF2X8xANuU99gvYGmpsWOssmX7TxFZx5Sc-q3Qb14fX_f9XLKQds1Gtpbp30xEIAcXh9GwsbIv8P/s320/photo-700143.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483188037467410226" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><span style="font-size:78%;">Almost ready!</span><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7BoPx7sORe9Lw7HrQGffEufiXpRzlgPw9VD-ptXGhKy676G1HFyeF5f93lQGI1a6F8WCW95epMS6ZDjK5HUGp9QMJzZZ7guj3O6mbFi4Ze87_pi1aKiOxLW_WdPif6k8k3Wz-EDIdDd99/s1600/photo-766669.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7BoPx7sORe9Lw7HrQGffEufiXpRzlgPw9VD-ptXGhKy676G1HFyeF5f93lQGI1a6F8WCW95epMS6ZDjK5HUGp9QMJzZZ7guj3O6mbFi4Ze87_pi1aKiOxLW_WdPif6k8k3Wz-EDIdDd99/s320/photo-766669.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483187891714030834" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><span style="font-size:78%;">Getting bigger</span><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-1ntfPOCOtyMjyjWUQOlgcGLvcqq-YFMYlY1tVoaMds6JmhJruwcKy1N_dRcOFxaHdfInzoN-LJru59maeYFY-mZDUnAPAs8nDEf1H2kdw-THHsUmxG61PylUNU8yxlWC3BJvuj_ZCLc/s1600/photo-728727.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-1ntfPOCOtyMjyjWUQOlgcGLvcqq-YFMYlY1tVoaMds6JmhJruwcKy1N_dRcOFxaHdfInzoN-LJru59maeYFY-mZDUnAPAs8nDEf1H2kdw-THHsUmxG61PylUNU8yxlWC3BJvuj_ZCLc/s320/photo-728727.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483187301524297714" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><span style="font-size:78%;">Cherokee Purple - it's kinda split. Not sure if it is gonna make it to ripening with all those splits</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbW2b07XdADYHrpkcQBhfqOhHlVwoOVjaMqudvoHvNvI77ntppkbPU5Iod4ZGYeGy-XEF7FiAAIamoGcexNHy0r2hNqBl_4THlBA0MkfQrZeXX9gMZWpEayom04wisWz5kLwV3EHPCiQDC/s1600/photo-782651.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbW2b07XdADYHrpkcQBhfqOhHlVwoOVjaMqudvoHvNvI77ntppkbPU5Iod4ZGYeGy-XEF7FiAAIamoGcexNHy0r2hNqBl_4THlBA0MkfQrZeXX9gMZWpEayom04wisWz5kLwV3EHPCiQDC/s320/photo-782651.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483187961163107602" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_XwHyOVmtCtIwm9rKYWZ6DSkBBvwwnDV3WdFrwhE3mgCX4RDu6xLbQGFouepOvqv_Fh7zAV5nk-H480qhzBW0PzTfql3o7ka9Yqhu2WudZqEOpB6l9NAHmNroOYNLq7k4zbdATXC_WKhV/s1600/photo-749527.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_XwHyOVmtCtIwm9rKYWZ6DSkBBvwwnDV3WdFrwhE3mgCX4RDu6xLbQGFouepOvqv_Fh7zAV5nk-H480qhzBW0PzTfql3o7ka9Yqhu2WudZqEOpB6l9NAHmNroOYNLq7k4zbdATXC_WKhV/s320/photo-749527.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483195120972073474" border="0" /></a></p>lookmanoweedshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04675176129390458848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575708902845203771.post-6016611090878022582010-06-15T20:48:00.004-05:002010-06-15T21:04:12.240-05:00No, I have not given up again<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I just had to go on vacation. Well, I didn't have to. I wanted to.<br /><br />Luckily I have a wonderful sister-in-law who is an expert at garden sitting. It made leaving so much easier knowing my garden was in good hands. She doesn't have any gardening experience, but having an SFG makes gardening easy - water every other day or when the soil feels dry and make sure the electric fence is plugged in. Not much to it, and she followed the instructions to the T.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">When I arrived back from vacation I was thrilled to find my garden in wonderful shape (the rain we got helped too!) with tons of little green tomatoes dotting the vines, sprawling squash and zuke plants, and flourishing seedlings. It was a sight for sore eyes.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here are some pics I took when I got back from vaca:</span><br /></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ukDhwS2OJY6Pp7K9hlj_PsSZF4VckDqP-BXSq9Bzd7USt-4uKVvT3lbuTl1nF6TYrJ2w5LVVlUVyuiVzTDqsRP8vHUYqvTXhUgvUMn-B7BQ7n37xhicA0lyI9WkS-ntq520bc9dtW2za/s1600/IMG_4548.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ukDhwS2OJY6Pp7K9hlj_PsSZF4VckDqP-BXSq9Bzd7USt-4uKVvT3lbuTl1nF6TYrJ2w5LVVlUVyuiVzTDqsRP8vHUYqvTXhUgvUMn-B7BQ7n37xhicA0lyI9WkS-ntq520bc9dtW2za/s320/IMG_4548.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483185132881141314" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sweet Baby Girl cherry tomatoes<br /><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpOjb3o7BjvfBxoX34Gt3zq3IT2h80sti8czREGL8NgZlPfIenEthpErEes0dtzhacXrMRVRhuPweU2Ezgx7rSJYxYfJ9hNNE7LVVjkJiPY1AIWWpvtr-8VneKld7hjrUYi712PE9vGuGF/s1600/IMG_4547.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpOjb3o7BjvfBxoX34Gt3zq3IT2h80sti8czREGL8NgZlPfIenEthpErEes0dtzhacXrMRVRhuPweU2Ezgx7rSJYxYfJ9hNNE7LVVjkJiPY1AIWWpvtr-8VneKld7hjrUYi712PE9vGuGF/s320/IMG_4547.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483185128035566098" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Early Girl tomato</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Kf1wdGDLOk3SRktgxN_OQb8zL8guk9yMPvF_5dnnsbd9kgvaq_QRZ1JL24ZLdQWjQC2Aj8peAmAtVHH4KYGqHZLWbtTNGYq8_N-t-Hc_c-dOehUOUUWpiGwolbweGfv9UzJpbCTD2XXG/s1600/IMG_4546.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Kf1wdGDLOk3SRktgxN_OQb8zL8guk9yMPvF_5dnnsbd9kgvaq_QRZ1JL24ZLdQWjQC2Aj8peAmAtVHH4KYGqHZLWbtTNGYq8_N-t-Hc_c-dOehUOUUWpiGwolbweGfv9UzJpbCTD2XXG/s320/IMG_4546.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483185119146511874" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >Female zuke flower - finally!</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtEZyxkpXWc-NNDiWmk8drSSwLWfxs7wdm4S6Xa8fn9O6OvnqdSvTNQsxqapUraJZUkO22u2WZ2y4nnoqksMdCgMsYdYDJsqwtUKoLncC9PehhvWChNGoSOgUkctdzDHrp4E1yowxH1-b/s1600/IMG_4543.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtEZyxkpXWc-NNDiWmk8drSSwLWfxs7wdm4S6Xa8fn9O6OvnqdSvTNQsxqapUraJZUkO22u2WZ2y4nnoqksMdCgMsYdYDJsqwtUKoLncC9PehhvWChNGoSOgUkctdzDHrp4E1yowxH1-b/s320/IMG_4543.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483185114830974738" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Another female zuke flower</span></span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5R7KyYk61R-ZZDzL36SD9YSfvEHxJr5OkuF76yNJhZNfR0wW7MGJlZsQa2BNDuwxmtYD18m6SxtmjAHdyY5zpojZsedppdgab7TnmmVrhTiMQYQz8oWQkRQw5mbefvnPBIOjehxJfL4wQ/s1600/IMG_4544.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5R7KyYk61R-ZZDzL36SD9YSfvEHxJr5OkuF76yNJhZNfR0wW7MGJlZsQa2BNDuwxmtYD18m6SxtmjAHdyY5zpojZsedppdgab7TnmmVrhTiMQYQz8oWQkRQw5mbefvnPBIOjehxJfL4wQ/s320/IMG_4544.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483185104375049986" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >Fantastic tomato</span><br /></div>lookmanoweedshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04675176129390458848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575708902845203771.post-78607927834635364642010-05-26T07:08:00.006-05:002010-05-26T13:07:10.461-05:00Thank you, sir. Can I have some more please?<span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >We had a great little shower last night, and it was much needed. I was really surprised it rained because the forecast has been absolutely abysmal with no hopes of rain, but this storm blew in seemingly out of nowhere, and liquid gold poured from the heavens. Everything is looking a lot greener this morning, and it's cooler this morning than it has been for about a week. Even better I didn't have to water the garden! I put a little water on the tomato plants yesterday morning, and was going to water the rest of the garden this morning, but now I don't have to. yippee! <br /><br />The garden is really doing well. I can't believe how moist my beds are staying - even in the heat and dry. The heavy dews have subsided in the past few days, but the Mel's Mix is still damp in even the boxes that receive the most sunlight. I'm so impressed with how much the mulch helps retain moisture. I know I've mentioned it before, but considering last year's abysmal "can't-keep-enough-water-on-the-beds" failure I just can't get over what a difference it makes.<br /><br />Yesterday morning I went out to take pictures of the garden. My squash is blooming like crazy. I've got tomatoes coming on really well. And everything but the okra is looking really good. I took the pics, came in and showed them off to The Brawn as we ate breakfast, then went to the computer to download them, and they were gone! I tried putting the card back into the camera, and still no pictures from the day. I was so sad. I had taken some really great pictures, and I didn't have time to retake them. I think there's something going on with my card reader. So today I took no chances. I hooked my computer directly up to the camera and downloaded them that way. And voila:</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQObK5FpfsxSE6RprojqER631QimFtr3YO8BBP6sQgRJjw49f_ntQQKmrMNm4Z_AYFPLsF60ATaYtJHzbRWSmZ56xNysI1ttBOyIYGQZw3pAG_eYJ5Z9sJpXFMJtZPlsrG1JhMS8Xq78_F/s1600/IMG_4204.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQObK5FpfsxSE6RprojqER631QimFtr3YO8BBP6sQgRJjw49f_ntQQKmrMNm4Z_AYFPLsF60ATaYtJHzbRWSmZ56xNysI1ttBOyIYGQZw3pAG_eYJ5Z9sJpXFMJtZPlsrG1JhMS8Xq78_F/s320/IMG_4204.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475552985203751826" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Black Cherry and Fooled You seedlings. I lost one Fooled you, and the others look kinda blah, but the tomatoes look good.</span><br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmVdx4O1e_A_oy0nDgEznmiciTR9hRxyN35PzicuoGztjYX6siUOEr8-lK_BgA4sk2nYVCTT3VHrh-qnVAWzn5PWyksCFh8_IGAZja9y00IAmiQOg6kVrgTUEPFCRBkgBDRBRVJtzRChl/s1600/IMG_4202.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmVdx4O1e_A_oy0nDgEznmiciTR9hRxyN35PzicuoGztjYX6siUOEr8-lK_BgA4sk2nYVCTT3VHrh-qnVAWzn5PWyksCFh8_IGAZja9y00IAmiQOg6kVrgTUEPFCRBkgBDRBRVJtzRChl/s320/IMG_4202.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475552962883123074" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >Female squash blossoms. When are they going to open up already??</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8AjusaTPtr99A8TX09DsFvgczmk3t_1CUqNYXp4yJRtyMjjpkwsLr-nUha9mMXmp4L_updxuyYZXxSY68ssAQaLmcMq9Jox0x9If3GlI5b9KO9AUb2lw4rTTIHDCmsBYlzZTSruhYrDao/s1600/IMG_4201.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8AjusaTPtr99A8TX09DsFvgczmk3t_1CUqNYXp4yJRtyMjjpkwsLr-nUha9mMXmp4L_updxuyYZXxSY68ssAQaLmcMq9Jox0x9If3GlI5b9KO9AUb2lw4rTTIHDCmsBYlzZTSruhYrDao/s320/IMG_4201.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475552828279220562" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Eggplants are looking good. I hope that's a bloom about to open up!</span></span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipyODFxMPJz6vA9Q6U4CZfuLrYbaw88zNKtkonjMDDz0kKCYlA9klwCjW_Bo15SP2Jgd0uJ5nNo4QROp5jxAkANxeD270zlycRL34Kfhl2dvKprGRo8jFXzf4UV-rypP9lVsYyWcat4AG5/s1600/IMG_4200.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipyODFxMPJz6vA9Q6U4CZfuLrYbaw88zNKtkonjMDDz0kKCYlA9klwCjW_Bo15SP2Jgd0uJ5nNo4QROp5jxAkANxeD270zlycRL34Kfhl2dvKprGRo8jFXzf4UV-rypP9lVsYyWcat4AG5/s320/IMG_4200.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475552818679499986" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Peekaboo little squash blossom.</span></span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAn6VOqwvW3HbymeiMn9veWaDxX50Mr92QGyWom9XBjqolHsD2SwJqTj12KS94DBgo6QJPZPS5fEZZoX3Drb9Oc00l0Kyrxh7w6jvcAox5Uai_YPYarm9tMdfzZuy-xMAolLdJHEkW0wuX/s1600/IMG_4199.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAn6VOqwvW3HbymeiMn9veWaDxX50Mr92QGyWom9XBjqolHsD2SwJqTj12KS94DBgo6QJPZPS5fEZZoX3Drb9Oc00l0Kyrxh7w6jvcAox5Uai_YPYarm9tMdfzZuy-xMAolLdJHEkW0wuX/s320/IMG_4199.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475552811263085298" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >This guy isn't shy at all. I just hope I have some male flowers left by the time those two chaste girls up there open up.</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj98oj7uhcqWr9olT1rAQ3O9PMd0GUo0zMqKnJH_cySmm-wPqfEMoiEHV0NmB7ODorSsLQaiZUHRAV-mr9T7nD6IOmbueISJXW7w7A797rRSurAlZMbfO5LERJN18wPmb5MX9XuuN0Ee4NO/s1600/IMG_4198.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj98oj7uhcqWr9olT1rAQ3O9PMd0GUo0zMqKnJH_cySmm-wPqfEMoiEHV0NmB7ODorSsLQaiZUHRAV-mr9T7nD6IOmbueISJXW7w7A797rRSurAlZMbfO5LERJN18wPmb5MX9XuuN0Ee4NO/s320/IMG_4198.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475552799027841218" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >Sweet baby girl tomatoes. </span><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeCye02EH18ZpjXr5KYFlHYApIUHE4e9Kt5qQbAoKqHDE8J0ZcKC1loGQt9yHv772oa5YjfyvfMR2spAo3RE1Ys7AELZxSsWM1WW8ahZloKoKhBgK8NZ7FCpLFkIFxg1CkPvs6zQDNCK_G/s1600/IMG_4195.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeCye02EH18ZpjXr5KYFlHYApIUHE4e9Kt5qQbAoKqHDE8J0ZcKC1loGQt9yHv772oa5YjfyvfMR2spAo3RE1Ys7AELZxSsWM1WW8ahZloKoKhBgK8NZ7FCpLFkIFxg1CkPvs6zQDNCK_G/s320/IMG_4195.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475552570436941490" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >The Fantastic is finally blooming and getting fruit</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKVSWolTQIP-r3i7RPicrlmLcUDn_EmGbwjrsGR8qnsKcLtRuNkXrch3QBnfL7uScOOp3DgvjWsmBI7u-eV5UUFOMs7jnZgQpMZ7IScQOMtB0NWFF5h2eoMI1PTcP2jFbdosGNbdwb4JN1/s1600/IMG_4194.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKVSWolTQIP-r3i7RPicrlmLcUDn_EmGbwjrsGR8qnsKcLtRuNkXrch3QBnfL7uScOOp3DgvjWsmBI7u-eV5UUFOMs7jnZgQpMZ7IScQOMtB0NWFF5h2eoMI1PTcP2jFbdosGNbdwb4JN1/s320/IMG_4194.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475552566457351026" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I think this is an Early Girl</span></span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG_yk51sbnu8UxnqAC9kfurwaZJX0mA0BYu69ewz2tGEvzYeKyPOSeFqgtah_UKxeybTjsaPCmzqac2aVxr6rp4qU2X4JTKUoqqKkeGn29nL04NQ_rQqRdP15TfEd-s7BIHVGTZxiIg5PA/s1600/IMG_4193.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG_yk51sbnu8UxnqAC9kfurwaZJX0mA0BYu69ewz2tGEvzYeKyPOSeFqgtah_UKxeybTjsaPCmzqac2aVxr6rp4qU2X4JTKUoqqKkeGn29nL04NQ_rQqRdP15TfEd-s7BIHVGTZxiIg5PA/s320/IMG_4193.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475552559199714562" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >Cherokee Purple is still looking good.</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZbiROi7FVv3UBZv8tNwEj_S0eEh068wgwKGXRmGvLv9u_j7gH6m5ojW-xvP9uO6MEeBa9SxGq1EzBlWVWF475A7WmyzgaAM0s5YSBRISQpA8MMUN4HG_ctnTSanKN-kcCHtNw6bawvzop/s1600/IMG_4192.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZbiROi7FVv3UBZv8tNwEj_S0eEh068wgwKGXRmGvLv9u_j7gH6m5ojW-xvP9uO6MEeBa9SxGq1EzBlWVWF475A7WmyzgaAM0s5YSBRISQpA8MMUN4HG_ctnTSanKN-kcCHtNw6bawvzop/s320/IMG_4192.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475552556188222562" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >Zuke blooms. Still no females though.</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3-_qBw9s9REHVLw9eq0zCmcO2lSaT-pF3ZRKmNaxNIR3fmx-0hFm9nVySGxznEobuf4zmRG5spuTdg-tmq3YeaCV1ocDfRg6JpKeza-WGR2QcUFfsYGL4uR7cV52f7qGFWMHFm-roV8va/s1600/IMG_4191.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3-_qBw9s9REHVLw9eq0zCmcO2lSaT-pF3ZRKmNaxNIR3fmx-0hFm9nVySGxznEobuf4zmRG5spuTdg-tmq3YeaCV1ocDfRg6JpKeza-WGR2QcUFfsYGL4uR7cV52f7qGFWMHFm-roV8va/s320/IMG_4191.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475552549678711314" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And another Zuke off my smallest plant.</span></span><br /></div>lookmanoweedshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04675176129390458848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575708902845203771.post-86534881824072743262010-05-22T08:10:00.002-05:002010-05-22T08:56:54.699-05:00Chickens & SFG?<span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >I've been telling my husband since December that I really want to get a few hens for laying purposes - maybe half a dozen or so. He is an egg eater extraordinaire. I think the man could eat eggs three meals a day, seven days a week. Despite his love for all things eggy, he immediately and emphatically told me no. His dad and stepmom had chickens when he was younger, and that experience has tainted his view of chicken ownership. (He also refuses to own goats or rabbits). I found it very unfair that I had to suffer because of his poor childhood memories of chickens roaming free and pooping on everything, especially given the fact that I don't want free range chickens - just chickens in a large pen. But since he's the brawn behind my brains, I slowly started to accept that I might never own a chicken.<br /><br />Of course, that didn't make me drop the matter altogether. Especially after I got my June/July issue of Organic Gardening with its cover story of Happy Hens. I once again voiced my desire to have a few laying hens. No dice.<br /><br />So I had to call in reinforcements. I told his mom that I'd like to have chickens. She always buys yard eggs for her bed and breakfast, and she is forever extolling the benefits of yard eggs vs store eggs. She also told us about a set up her brother had told her about. A farmer who had chickens built large fenced in area. He set up the chicken coop in the middle of the fenced in area and divided it into two halves. He gave the chickens access to 1/2 of the area, and planted his garden on the other half. The next year, he moved his garden to the other side of the enclosure and turned the chickens loose in the old garden site. The chickens ate the bugs, picked at the weeds, kept the soil scratched up and added fertilizer, so the next year when the farmer again switched the chickens and the garden, the garden was good to go. I thought that was a pretty ingenious idea, but The Brawn was still unimpressed.<br /><br />Last night out of the complete blue, The Brawn told me he'd been looking up chicken setups similar to the one his mom told us about on Google. I almost fell out of bed. I'm not sure what was more shocking - the fact that he was now expressing a willingness to own a few chickens or the fact that he actually Googled it!<br /><br />He had found this website and accompanying picture of their garden set up:</span><p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://selfsufficientsteward.com/?p=208">Gardening “With” Chickens by Self Sufficient Steward</a></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://selfsufficientsteward.com/?p=208"><img src="http://selfsufficientsteward.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/garden-plan-upload.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >I like the fence that's run around this chicken/garden set up. Click on the link above to check out the photo.</span><br /></div><p><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >I found this one:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/silveira44a.html">Save time and energy with the fenced chicken coop/garden By John Silveira </a></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/silveira44a.html"><img src="http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/images/silveira44a.gif" /><br /></a><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:78%;" >I like that the compost pile behind the coop is incorporated into this design.</span></div><p></p><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Now we have a lot of decisions to make. How should we set it up. The two examples above have given us lots of ideas. What kind of chickens should we get? How many should we get. I know I said 6, but now that I've got him on board, maybe I'll add a few more.... How much is it gonna cost to get something like this built.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm also wondering if a setup like this will work for the raised beds of square foot gardening. Yeah, the chickens will probably poop in the boxes, but they're also gonna poop on the ground. Of course, I guess it's not that difficult to scoop up the poop and throw it on the compost pile.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Lots of research to do. I'm giddy with excitement. I think I need to get out more...</span></span>lookmanoweedshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04675176129390458848noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575708902845203771.post-50659656380365709162010-05-22T07:20:00.004-05:002010-05-22T08:08:42.024-05:00Coming along well<span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >I'm very pleased with how my garden is doing, especially given the late start I got this year, and it's not quite been a month since we got everything set up and planted. My tomato plants have lots of blooms on them (except the Fantastic - thus far zilch for flowers??), and my squash and zucchini have gotten quite large. The squash has been a much faster grower than the zucchini, which surprised me, but I've never grown either before so this is a new experience for me. The squash plants are probably 2 feet tall and have spread to about 2 feet wide too - at least the ones that get more sun. The plants that get a little more shade during the day haven't fared quite as well, but they still look healthy and have plenty of blossoms. This morning I spotted three female blossoms on the squash plants. The little blooms already look like itty tiny squashes. How cute is that?<br /><br />I'm also happy that I'm not having to water as much this year. Between the mulch I put on the boxes and setting the boxes on the ground my need to water has been significantly less this year than last. And so far this year has been much drier than last. But we are getting some pretty heavy dew in the mornings so that probably helps too. We had a nice shower on Monday or Tuesday of this week, and when I checked this morning the beds were still pretty moist. I will probably need to water some of them tomorrow. It's either that or I need to break out my best rain dance. I know the rest of my dry yard would welcome a few drops from above.<br /><br />The floating row covers have done a great job keeping insects off my squash and zukes. (Well, except for the millipedes. But technically they're not insects; they're arthropods, and they were probably already in the boxes before I put in my plants. So far they are not bothering the plants, and there don't seem to be as many of them as there were a week or so ago.) I'd read a lot of horror stories about squash bugs, so I'm really glad that I went with the row covers. Of course, since this is the first year I've had squash and zukes, it may prove more challenging to keep them at bay next year.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: verdana;">My real camera has been resurrected, so I'm posting some updated photos of the baby tomatoes from the other day as well as some pics from this morning.</span></span><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdS3ifik90cTT5bPuP8Kg_GKnmrr_9PjSJ72G0uxvZzopt8wcSqZXqY3vJvwtRdRmIdR3yZyeofOFs4W89gv8qImi4prKvZ-3ugKY-hGbgu2Ra2PQxNvnZu0WkvMH1hIeJMjF-bR6X-PI_/s1600/IMG_4167.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdS3ifik90cTT5bPuP8Kg_GKnmrr_9PjSJ72G0uxvZzopt8wcSqZXqY3vJvwtRdRmIdR3yZyeofOFs4W89gv8qImi4prKvZ-3ugKY-hGbgu2Ra2PQxNvnZu0WkvMH1hIeJMjF-bR6X-PI_/s320/IMG_4167.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474076572947996482" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >Dew on the Fantastic tomato plant</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9V2CtBJf_K9Uv9BtSAXPcGadDyIb2iq1ba5iybbP41xP-S4SOdw2RjzETPsv4Gfy0FNjixzghLcSxj9RiEITTB3kR_MwENQv4eQT2LXlI9d_foprVnRZlatoiI47PVgcrWbOFPCVCqSIg/s1600/IMG_4166.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9V2CtBJf_K9Uv9BtSAXPcGadDyIb2iq1ba5iybbP41xP-S4SOdw2RjzETPsv4Gfy0FNjixzghLcSxj9RiEITTB3kR_MwENQv4eQT2LXlI9d_foprVnRZlatoiI47PVgcrWbOFPCVCqSIg/s320/IMG_4166.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474076565901219314" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:78%;" >Lonely little okra. Maybe I'll get around to planting it some more siblings today. I think I said that yesterday...</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3xAi_PVZcbOwvZu-1HJBZcOJPHDa7RhLgSZSnDThmRcdrLQJKxm44x_kJ8UE99a6B84fRo0nFtVA-kVCJCxgi8Bw8_4BiininXjVWWRMpsZhO9EWWFHtbqXHlRgt9ttsu25cUgulLSQ8P/s1600/IMG_4164.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3xAi_PVZcbOwvZu-1HJBZcOJPHDa7RhLgSZSnDThmRcdrLQJKxm44x_kJ8UE99a6B84fRo0nFtVA-kVCJCxgi8Bw8_4BiininXjVWWRMpsZhO9EWWFHtbqXHlRgt9ttsu25cUgulLSQ8P/s320/IMG_4164.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474075558844938226" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:78%;" >Baby early girls</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrTRdznpb3e4r0FXIZhV8RVR0vX0luug-ev12zsjnz6CqT8bRpKI9WLC3T_SLk58LaxhEpO6oOvTdHNXIy44g57BJWDPY89A-fwdg4ugqzWZAlsDkXYFWgt501_4qHf_4bhu8A16EC2v5q/s1600/IMG_4163.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrTRdznpb3e4r0FXIZhV8RVR0vX0luug-ev12zsjnz6CqT8bRpKI9WLC3T_SLk58LaxhEpO6oOvTdHNXIy44g57BJWDPY89A-fwdg4ugqzWZAlsDkXYFWgt501_4qHf_4bhu8A16EC2v5q/s320/IMG_4163.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474075551765166306" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:78%;" >Baby cherokee purple</span><br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGLRq_OKNRyMB3XXc07_rnYFL0ocB1otYIlCZlcm673XZYccGAKku4h1F1qEq0Kf-8hCP0wJEEf_0NU2IclbDT5F31uCq7tI8OfMk_sy6YbmhlDQsZziS4v6jwSB_iMeiCM1vckEvXBHi/s1600/IMG_4169.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGLRq_OKNRyMB3XXc07_rnYFL0ocB1otYIlCZlcm673XZYccGAKku4h1F1qEq0Kf-8hCP0wJEEf_0NU2IclbDT5F31uCq7tI8OfMk_sy6YbmhlDQsZziS4v6jwSB_iMeiCM1vckEvXBHi/s320/IMG_4169.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474075541529303506" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >There are two squash plants in the box. I know I'm insane. Mel says one plant per 3 sq feet, but I wanted more than 2 squash plants, so lets see how this turns out.</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJEZr69WpWVUvSUtZyynw6wvgG-Wv_pEgYCVZcIFLjQVkyLaK7ejnrRzdS5KKPfbz8cExDEgBrByS57orE7FFynghYCoeshONbEtsAn2KB4EtBjbmhyTtfdFe5glqsiCOrlT-NDDfesjuX/s1600/IMG_4172.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJEZr69WpWVUvSUtZyynw6wvgG-Wv_pEgYCVZcIFLjQVkyLaK7ejnrRzdS5KKPfbz8cExDEgBrByS57orE7FFynghYCoeshONbEtsAn2KB4EtBjbmhyTtfdFe5glqsiCOrlT-NDDfesjuX/s320/IMG_4172.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474075531696955938" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Two of my female squash blossoms. Two days ago these looked exactly like all the other soon to be blooms. Can't wait til they open up.</span></span><br /></div>lookmanoweedshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04675176129390458848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575708902845203771.post-40248181917809404932010-05-21T07:32:00.004-05:002010-05-21T07:44:18.476-05:00Two more and yet two more<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Got up this a.m. to a couple of more pepper plants sprouted. Now one four-pack has completely sprouted, but I'm still waiting on 3 cells of the other 4-pack. Not sure what the deal is with that...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I also discovered that there were TWO more tomato sprouts awaiting me in the vermiculite. I seriously don't remember putting 8 seeds in there. But maybe I did. I know I had a pretty low germination rate the last time I tried to start tomato seeds, so I must've overcompensated a wee bit. Especially considering I only have ONE spot left in the garden for another tomato plant. So I'm faced with a dilemma. Give the extras away to folks who don't mind having to wait til July to get any cherry tomatoes or have Charlie build me another box for the extra tomato plants. The problem with option two is that there's not really any extra room inside the fence. I guess I'll have to go with option one.</span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8PBtmzmif_3HBlY2WmcmJMKNOCww9GRhe5qupqmDj_Bds1QxbbJng24BCyBbMovHW57ee7Dl_0BoVYmfKThw-UOku31KTjOVlrua6qrM-n5AHoyNHWLS7GACWMud02MmPZXD0ehMHItt6/s1600/IMG_4168.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8PBtmzmif_3HBlY2WmcmJMKNOCww9GRhe5qupqmDj_Bds1QxbbJng24BCyBbMovHW57ee7Dl_0BoVYmfKThw-UOku31KTjOVlrua6qrM-n5AHoyNHWLS7GACWMud02MmPZXD0ehMHItt6/s320/IMG_4168.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473703006309463986" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >My little sprouts</span><br /></div>lookmanoweedshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04675176129390458848noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575708902845203771.post-48498927550261270172010-05-19T19:46:00.007-05:002010-05-20T17:45:12.961-05:00It won't be long now<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">As I was checking on my pepper plants in the entertainment center this morning, I noticed that another tomato had sprouted out of the vermiculite. I honestly didn't know I put 6 tomato seeds in that container, but I guess I did. That or we have our very own immaculate conception...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">After my discovery I had to go out to the garden and get some more soil to put my new sprout in. As I came back from retrieving the Mel's Mix from an empty square I glanced at my tomato plants. To my shock again I noticed a little bitty baby Cherokee Purple. I got so excited about that discovery, that I wasn't paying attention to where I was going, and I</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> got tangled up in the electric fence. I almost busted it, and that would not have been pretty! But at least the ground is soft because of the rain.<br /><br />As I mentioned earlier this week 2 of my jalapeno seeds have sprouted. They are in different 4-packs, so I snipped those cells loose from the other ones and placed them in the sunny windowsill where I have my sprouted tomato seeds. So far all my little sprouts are looking pretty good. I think this is the best I've done with seeds I started myself. When I checked the jalapeno seeds last night I noticed one more little sprout is just pushing up through the soil. I'll give it a couple days to get a little taller then place it in the window too.<br /><br />So far no more okra plants, so I will probably reseed them tomorrow.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Please excuse the blurriness of the following pictures. The batteries in my real camera died, so I had to resort to using the camera on my phone.</span><br /><br /></span></span><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM2PhTPeSnWSDdbwUTA2QhARfw01AdY6JJ-PtuMCbET2drtO5p0bKBAw1J3xxgah_Y0yFam0RC6RCxkdywrjhN73uhNiDbG2Puf1S2Ks5LJnCUhKkmeLBthyphenhyphenMavK8548_TYllkIc5PICLo/s1600/photo-731007.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM2PhTPeSnWSDdbwUTA2QhARfw01AdY6JJ-PtuMCbET2drtO5p0bKBAw1J3xxgah_Y0yFam0RC6RCxkdywrjhN73uhNiDbG2Puf1S2Ks5LJnCUhKkmeLBthyphenhyphenMavK8548_TYllkIc5PICLo/s320/photo-731007.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473309749583519634" border="0" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><span style="font-size:78%;">Black Cherry Tomato seedlings</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFMMEU4Y9xDFlfBSeGfnexTvmRxFynoTtoSm-ctlWtEiKWtjmrFIZk-RL5Xyjr0Meajabzkol3iqoOym-kEhCTzdonGkkp3FCBj92V9CTQID3ThaBNlALhJIb6ejoEsWIkQTAq7B1cRkv/s1600/photo-714785.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFMMEU4Y9xDFlfBSeGfnexTvmRxFynoTtoSm-ctlWtEiKWtjmrFIZk-RL5Xyjr0Meajabzkol3iqoOym-kEhCTzdonGkkp3FCBj92V9CTQID3ThaBNlALhJIb6ejoEsWIkQTAq7B1cRkv/s320/photo-714785.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473309673332049602" border="0" /></a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Fooled You jalapeno seedling</span><br /><br /></span></span><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-sZxJfFvUU_81y5wkJr9sWE0cEETZuhICpnoQ2M7z601OuzS1b00I7cSPZJ1iU_t3M2FQrvNoi29z722ggzJcxMQwSM8qyU69119Wp04gPmAHKJ-Kiq8IoPx2JFs3qOtn-vUhqgaSaRtz/s1600/photo-799087.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-sZxJfFvUU_81y5wkJr9sWE0cEETZuhICpnoQ2M7z601OuzS1b00I7cSPZJ1iU_t3M2FQrvNoi29z722ggzJcxMQwSM8qyU69119Wp04gPmAHKJ-Kiq8IoPx2JFs3qOtn-vUhqgaSaRtz/s320/photo-799087.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473309611592121170" border="0" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><span style="font-size:78%;">Early Girl baby tomato</span></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_Y2EPQS1ZVdzBvyEoPeZFWCWsEyp0L8G19idHGO7auSaDqhMJUMTl8vittVm2fn-FPTozO8EDLG2PwenZe34nyPgG-N1Mxp_bSKKI-AOzkrxIe01-hspiskP_2QfvjBAKvTdNxJYl2mX/s1600/photo-791651.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_Y2EPQS1ZVdzBvyEoPeZFWCWsEyp0L8G19idHGO7auSaDqhMJUMTl8vittVm2fn-FPTozO8EDLG2PwenZe34nyPgG-N1Mxp_bSKKI-AOzkrxIe01-hspiskP_2QfvjBAKvTdNxJYl2mX/s320/photo-791651.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473309145407968978" border="0" /></a></p><span style="font-size:78%;">Cherokee Purple baby tomato - looks like it's split. hmmm</span><br /><br /><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIBYBxJlT3nHPVP1ElCiZUN4NmDUAwe3-vMTqMUCLMqZ1hggkjdSBEkh4-6AZTtGDD6hqKUIhgzSIkdKHe7gkZ24N5q2Ckag2L6DBxfEHRZY93uK888CywDfolutlBamvZpA5WMSVefNbr/s1600/photo-746601.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIBYBxJlT3nHPVP1ElCiZUN4NmDUAwe3-vMTqMUCLMqZ1hggkjdSBEkh4-6AZTtGDD6hqKUIhgzSIkdKHe7gkZ24N5q2Ckag2L6DBxfEHRZY93uK888CywDfolutlBamvZpA5WMSVefNbr/s320/photo-746601.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473309380787291906" border="0" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><span style="font-size:78%;">Lots o' soon to be squash blossoms</span><br /></p><br /></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /><br /></span>lookmanoweedshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04675176129390458848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575708902845203771.post-70158750258135024872010-05-17T21:11:00.002-05:002010-05-17T21:39:13.203-05:00What a difference a little heat makes<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Well, less than 48 hours after my epiphany, 5 of my tomato seeds have sprouted, and one jalapeno seedling is peeking through the Mel's Mix. Yeehaw! We may be in business after all. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Tonight we are getting some much needed rain. Not sure what our rainfall has been year-to-date, but I can only assume we're down for the year. It's been very, very dry, and today it got up in the 90's for the highs. The rain has cooled things off temporarily, but it probably won't stay that way for long.</span><br /><br /><br /></span>lookmanoweedshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04675176129390458848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575708902845203771.post-70803650119649985232010-05-15T10:22:00.004-05:002010-05-15T10:39:00.326-05:00They're back. I guess they never left.<span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >I just thought I'd gotten rid of the little worm things, but I checked today, and they're back. Not in as high numbers, but they're still out there in my garden, and I still don't know what they are or what I need to do about them. Anyone out there know??<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center; font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9lCd3m4kuP7S3etdrMU6w9NaxiInE21IUv_7e7uyd0Ew7WfEDowqp_1VE8iUaxTpQHvJp5bhSRfVXNcHk79HvU3f0aMRqTvOoahUWcIsNQbZDk2WpNmqyGhiIv2ewdwg8uThUZdvBkSaY/s1600/IMG_4159.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9lCd3m4kuP7S3etdrMU6w9NaxiInE21IUv_7e7uyd0Ew7WfEDowqp_1VE8iUaxTpQHvJp5bhSRfVXNcHk79HvU3f0aMRqTvOoahUWcIsNQbZDk2WpNmqyGhiIv2ewdwg8uThUZdvBkSaY/s320/IMG_4159.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471518126898784514" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">What are they??</span><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><br />My tomato plants are all starting to bud out, and so are the squash and zucchini. Still nothing from the eggplant though. Maybe they take a little longer to put off buds. I can't remember when my eggplant started blooming last year, but that was a different variety, and I got a much earlier start.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphenWcvCvNUgmIhqERxyjxeGkqKhvB5pBoTSx3enwqjUntiNOm5WhUR7PbIDqMzKsgB7w4TyHYs_9zvv9qtdj_tYiYBLW3ihdSaJZVkWZEQy4zdwcKdyo-4nn-qv_6g5wu4p8UJIgsKzIn3/s1600/IMG_4156.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphenWcvCvNUgmIhqERxyjxeGkqKhvB5pBoTSx3enwqjUntiNOm5WhUR7PbIDqMzKsgB7w4TyHYs_9zvv9qtdj_tYiYBLW3ihdSaJZVkWZEQy4zdwcKdyo-4nn-qv_6g5wu4p8UJIgsKzIn3/s320/IMG_4156.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471518146972181762" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Blooming Cherokee Purple. At least I hope it is. But it could turn out to be a Green Zebra. It wasn't labeled so it's a crap shoot. Who knows I may like green tomatoes, but how do you know when they're ready to be picked??</span></span><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><br /></span><div style="text-align: center; font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7G2kyg5YDlNNKXQR8gdZX2JignIwIZ1F5QHduwYkljBQG91AV9H84mQSoGdVn9Ob3FOl-Isv-hlqzQk0hTmvDDkAgO5vUlYSclptLxLhlFdN6a-AxojtUNAxtGFNw-eNoMDCa32wDbaq_/s1600/IMG_4162.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7G2kyg5YDlNNKXQR8gdZX2JignIwIZ1F5QHduwYkljBQG91AV9H84mQSoGdVn9Ob3FOl-Isv-hlqzQk0hTmvDDkAgO5vUlYSclptLxLhlFdN6a-AxojtUNAxtGFNw-eNoMDCa32wDbaq_/s320/IMG_4162.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471518142916645842" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Zuke covered in blooms. Can't wait to try out that zucchini lasagna recipe I found.</span><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><br />Speaking of starting on Tuesday I attempted to start some Black Cherry tomato seeds as well as some Fooled You jalapeno seeds. So far I've got bupkus on the tomatoes and jalapenos, but my dad told me peppers take a long time to sprout. The tomatoes should be up by now I would think. Part of my problem is deciding where I put them to germinate. We keep our house pretty cool, and though it's warm during the day outside at night it's still getting down in the upper 60's. I've read to put them on top of the fridge, but our fridge is cold. <br /><br />Wait! I just had an epiphany! I'll put them in our entertainment center. It's always warm in there. I think I did that last year. I really need to go back and read some of my old blog posts. That's the whole reason I started this blog - so I could remember what I did each year and learn from my mistakes and my victories. <br /><br />I also planted 8 okra seeds I saved from last year's neglected plants. I was pleased as punch when I went out to the garden this morning and saw that one had sprouted!! It's my first sprout from my own saved seed. How awesome is that?! Not sure how the germination rate is going to be, I just picked the old okra, put them in a ziploc bag, set them on the kitchen countertop and forgot about them til this week. We'll see.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center; font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihM1g0vwK1px7YBysmvS0nHeKM0ZslxtLJwzpFjTNTqElPM-jdRD-jEoCXOS3LcOWnYk87yv0ZM-mHqx8DvXmzs-emyFEjh1VDt4BBbp58iczfY4h5BnSzM2vbHkYXNNVx2qA1OF5jZlz5/s1600/IMG_4161.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihM1g0vwK1px7YBysmvS0nHeKM0ZslxtLJwzpFjTNTqElPM-jdRD-jEoCXOS3LcOWnYk87yv0ZM-mHqx8DvXmzs-emyFEjh1VDt4BBbp58iczfY4h5BnSzM2vbHkYXNNVx2qA1OF5jZlz5/s320/IMG_4161.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471518132327312306" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Baby okra. Will it soon be joined by its siblings?</span><br /></span></div>lookmanoweedshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04675176129390458848noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575708902845203771.post-56242033223138255782010-05-14T07:13:00.002-05:002010-05-14T07:18:38.589-05:00Apparently it's not the card; it's the card reader<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Was finally able to download the pics off my camera. Guess my card reader is on the fritz...</span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVYnixVXrj_yjc4D4af_VUhw1MHaVfkIFsIlAiF-ETwibYU4dzHbaGqJ7GMilFI-j-_-e9yr5sGQ3HXmlQi_YoT8erxAVQEKOXhl-c5EDECUroZ_PL5gFgM0oTdAffEbfex2agNtsTvsSU/s1600/IMG_4151.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVYnixVXrj_yjc4D4af_VUhw1MHaVfkIFsIlAiF-ETwibYU4dzHbaGqJ7GMilFI-j-_-e9yr5sGQ3HXmlQi_YoT8erxAVQEKOXhl-c5EDECUroZ_PL5gFgM0oTdAffEbfex2agNtsTvsSU/s320/IMG_4151.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471098242924561730" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">The culprit - the only worm I could find after I got home from work and took pics, and this one was dead. Hopefully the problem had been squashed. (Sorry for the bad pun. I couldn't resist)</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0imFvwFV7f3PQJ-8sZWPF145O3zA3ZM801U8-PFlztFXltOsIFL1iW9mzAGbOKFRU4KYmjafWlSRx0k-qPwcn0pqn9XN5DrZpKBWaqfUcZZvKtSg8HX9O_fYKcR3JOIapMMdMFOjLFui9/s1600/IMG_4149.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0imFvwFV7f3PQJ-8sZWPF145O3zA3ZM801U8-PFlztFXltOsIFL1iW9mzAGbOKFRU4KYmjafWlSRx0k-qPwcn0pqn9XN5DrZpKBWaqfUcZZvKtSg8HX9O_fYKcR3JOIapMMdMFOjLFui9/s320/IMG_4149.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471098235440926050" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Withered part of plant. Not sure if the worms caused the damage or careless humans did it when watering....</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-nCmjAhFU-sE9Zq5akEgFrc7y1P_pmqBIPqKwbW4sepU2yMAnel3ljg8pg5wDKFNStOrFZV3CBS8UHs0VddaWadt-hY6JZ2HvOU71nWLzzEasjMql0TWvXSmI8KY6LXlKZtSD1wIphVQ/s1600/IMG_4150.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-nCmjAhFU-sE9Zq5akEgFrc7y1P_pmqBIPqKwbW4sepU2yMAnel3ljg8pg5wDKFNStOrFZV3CBS8UHs0VddaWadt-hY6JZ2HvOU71nWLzzEasjMql0TWvXSmI8KY6LXlKZtSD1wIphVQ/s320/IMG_4150.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471098241049372466" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Little blooms on the squash. yippee!</span></span><br /></div>lookmanoweedshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04675176129390458848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575708902845203771.post-57543590884691983822010-05-14T06:57:00.003-05:002010-05-14T07:19:00.371-05:00As the worm turns<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So I think I mentioned that I bought some floating row covers to protect my squash and zucchini from insects. Imagine my dismay when I went out to the garden Wednesday morning to discover my squash plants infested with a bunch of worms!! They were little tiny tan colored worms - at least a hundred of them all over the plants and in the dirt. So I started picking them out and squishing/tossing them on the ground and stomping. They were not soft and squishy worms. They were kinda hard like a millipede. I'm still trying to figure out what they were. I took a picture, but apparently my brand new sd card has decided to go kaput. argh!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I also found a lot of little black eggs all over the plants, so I wiped those off as best I could. So far I haven't seen any more of the little worms, but I'm trying to be more vigilant. I found a few of the worms and eggs on the zukes, but apparently these worms have more of an appetite for crookneck squash.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">On the bright side my squash and zukes have pretty well doubled in size, and it appears they have a few little buds on them. Can't wait til they start flowering - and even better - til the fruit starts ripening.</span></span>lookmanoweedshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04675176129390458848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575708902845203771.post-58951867018407750652010-05-03T20:11:00.007-05:002010-05-03T21:02:01.244-05:00The coast is clear<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Well, it's been about a week and no more mysterious holes have been dug in my garden boxes. Perhaps whatever burrowed in there last week got a taste of 110 volts on his/her way out, and decided not to come back. Whatever the reason, I'm just happy that the electric fence is working - so far.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Made a call over to Lufkin Farm Nursery on Thursday, and, sadly, they had not received any Fooled You pepper plants, and the lady who answered the phone informed me they wouldn't be getting any more this season. :( Once I recovered from my sadness of hearing that bad news, I ordered some Fooled You seeds from <a href="http://www.peppergal.com/">Peppergal.com</a>. The reviews over at Dave's Garden Watchdog were positive, so I'm looking forward to receiving the seeds some time this week. According to what I learned it takes about 60 days before the plants start producing, so at best, I'll have some peppers in mid-July. I guess that's not too bad, and we have such a long growing season I should be able to keep harvesting them til late fall. But I am disappointed I won't have any peppers sooner. Guess that's what I get for waiting too late to get started gardening. Yet another reason to get an early start next year!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">After reading more about the garden pests that are harmful to squash and zucchini, I learned about the dreaded Squash Bug. It seems the squash bug is a fairly hearty bug that sucks the lifeblood out of squash plants. They don't have many natural predators, and I'm trying to garden as organically as possible (within reason and within the confines of my limited patience), so I decided to order a floating row cover to keep the bugs off my plants altogether. I only have 4 crookneck and 4 zucchini plants. The loss of one plant could prove devastating to our potential yield.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">My row cover came in today, so I got to spend a little time in the garden cutting it up and putting it over the squash and zucchini. I ordered a 118" X 50' row cover, and just cut out what I thought I'd need to cover each box and allow for plant growth. I tucked the excess cover down between the interior of the box and the Mel's mix. It's probably gonna be a real pain to water the plants from now on, but if I can prevent squash bugs, I guess the extra effort is worth it.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">While I was in the garden I also went ahead and mulched the tomatoes and eggplants with pine bark mulch to help with moisture control. I would have mulched the squash too, but I ran out of mulch. However, while I was putting up my tools, I did notice another bag under the barn. Guess I have a little project for tomorrow. Of course, that means untucking the row cover, and spreading the mulch around, then retucking the cover. Maybe the row cover will help with moisture control, and I won't need the mulch???</span><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyh0qZsoXcY0uIKQ1SpcpaVLsZqXKq2rpgp6O6MSHkXnxTFKZ_FxuripBpbaKgqo-mwNhdGY8g0zjVfPcRvCPRjOe7TQsWfKs9vTvEOZRyv7mHHVxw6B-nD_1Ifex8mfKW2Mw4_ieUBEFR/s1600/IMG_4115.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyh0qZsoXcY0uIKQ1SpcpaVLsZqXKq2rpgp6O6MSHkXnxTFKZ_FxuripBpbaKgqo-mwNhdGY8g0zjVfPcRvCPRjOe7TQsWfKs9vTvEOZRyv7mHHVxw6B-nD_1Ifex8mfKW2Mw4_ieUBEFR/s320/IMG_4115.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467220883715417346" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Covered zucchini - the row cover is very thin and gauzy<br /></span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0w6HOXVwRsUl60xRRPnJuvAlOHVNqgMn7qFffuiFA3pW1NEG8krrUsQk7_vW8ktzT_bgNhr0Bd2BFQg39jMZlcHnAftLknqkkoeJ2-NVxDWVVZ7mM58dO0WrBsNaxU6a0xGmTZEP0H3C/s1600/IMG_4114.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0w6HOXVwRsUl60xRRPnJuvAlOHVNqgMn7qFffuiFA3pW1NEG8krrUsQk7_vW8ktzT_bgNhr0Bd2BFQg39jMZlcHnAftLknqkkoeJ2-NVxDWVVZ7mM58dO0WrBsNaxU6a0xGmTZEP0H3C/s320/IMG_4114.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467220875617507970" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">I think that's a squash under there</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCkKjdb7VZmJY0HxwEU7aiFnssvAqSy8v9cFQ5vBQ9wNeLjjCAuIyCMSguANLoaHnQDcgxhrFILlKZ48u-Y0CTVOe2Fb9abOi8vuMhsTp46Vglu12JSMTX1UNMpSCaUVcLwUYNUyfl-oLu/s1600/IMG_4113.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCkKjdb7VZmJY0HxwEU7aiFnssvAqSy8v9cFQ5vBQ9wNeLjjCAuIyCMSguANLoaHnQDcgxhrFILlKZ48u-Y0CTVOe2Fb9abOi8vuMhsTp46Vglu12JSMTX1UNMpSCaUVcLwUYNUyfl-oLu/s320/IMG_4113.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467220866566901090" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">The mulched maters and eggplants</span></span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7it6Tg8j8nc5RPXtsEfvyw0aeUoh7Ufpakqo2lglPlr7u0y7Px42IztY0n3bhTC92I1r8Ku_mjX-coA29dZCpMch2QQrcjScEd6v-coeNP9ev93YwnYYohYdj61GQK1BEvU-qGUZgFCnN/s1600/IMG_4111.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7it6Tg8j8nc5RPXtsEfvyw0aeUoh7Ufpakqo2lglPlr7u0y7Px42IztY0n3bhTC92I1r8Ku_mjX-coA29dZCpMch2QQrcjScEd6v-coeNP9ev93YwnYYohYdj61GQK1BEvU-qGUZgFCnN/s320/IMG_4111.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467220860986250946" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:78%;" >More mulched maters<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGbOYwydY4Ud8j9zzCreqj1hAZ-lfilcVW8ZilczMdBkuMJ49spjDTdr76eq0P2fbQsONlbdSl6nYrh4kANTbbR4-WBMnBG3gmwzsKc3Hy-rjpiXowtd1BFMBD4wFhPNBkYPyfAFueX7tm/s1600/IMG_4108.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGbOYwydY4Ud8j9zzCreqj1hAZ-lfilcVW8ZilczMdBkuMJ49spjDTdr76eq0P2fbQsONlbdSl6nYrh4kANTbbR4-WBMnBG3gmwzsKc3Hy-rjpiXowtd1BFMBD4wFhPNBkYPyfAFueX7tm/s320/IMG_4108.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467220889757257586" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">The cover Charlie built for the electric fence to keep out the rain (when we get it) </span><br /></div>lookmanoweedshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04675176129390458848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575708902845203771.post-35006558506927245402010-04-28T18:36:00.003-05:002010-04-28T18:44:54.378-05:00Curses! Foiled again!Something got in the garden - either last night or today and dug in one of my boxes with the electric fence on!!! Thankfully it didn't dig up any of my newly rehomed veggies, but I'm really steamed that we spent all that time trying to keep them at bay and they still got in. I don't know how it got in. Our wire is only about 2 inches off the ground with about 1.5 inches between the first and second string. I'm gonna give it another day and check for unwanted activity in the a.m. before I leave for work and tomorrow when I get home. If the dirt's disturbed in the morning it's gotta be an armadillo, coon (do they dig???), or possum. If it's disturbed tomorrow evening it's probably a squirrel. I guess tomorrow if we still see sign we'll run another string or two of wire, and maybe rearrange the current strands to put them closer together. If that doesn't work - Hello, cow/horse hot wire charger with a constant stream of electricity coursing through you.lookmanoweedshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04675176129390458848noreply@blogger.com0