Over the fence chat for 4-15-02 thru 4-22-02

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Since it has been a while since anyone started one of these, I thought that I would. So what's happening on the homesteads???

We finished kidding on Sat. when my best milker had quads, 2 does and 2 bucks. I now have 11 on bottle until the 7 buck kids go to the 4-H auction on Sat. It has been a while since I had five does in milk and I am finding my basic chores are really taking a lot of time now.

We are having unseasonably warm weather in Michigan, like suppose to get to the mid 80's tomorrow. Not a good thing for us, since it really increases the potential for serious tornado problems.

I am going to be planting peas, onions, favas and maybe some slaw plants today. Hope everyone has a great week. We have been so busy lately I haven't even turned the computer on some days.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), April 15, 2002

Answers

I'm kinda thinking about starting the tiller, but I think the ground is still a little too wet yet. We've had rain for the last couple of days. Temps have been warm here in Upstate NY too, supposed to be in the 80's tomorrow. I've got three loads of laundry on the line, it's good to be able to hang out clothes again. The daffodils are blooming in the front bed and the wild rose bushes are beginning to bud out.

I finally convinced the Rhode Island Red pullets (they'll be a year old in June) that it was OK to go outside- I actually had to throw them out of the coop for the first few days. Now, they're all over and in the barn where I don't want them! There was a minor skirmish yesterday between the Polish rooster (Panda) and the RIR rooster (Harry Potter) Harry won hands down and there were tiny Panda feathers in the barnyard. I keep them separated but Panda had his three Polish chicken women outside yesterday too and apparently Harry Potter didn't like Panda near his women. Panda's a lover, not a fighter--they're both docile roosters tho.

The goats have been out browsin' and eating weeds, the horses are shedding like crazy, and we have a new kitten named Surprise. We rescued a 6-8 month old kitten last summer and thought she was fixed because she never came into heat, well, she wasn't and had a single kitten under my oldest daughter's bed. The kitten's eyes were open by the time we found her (just shows how often my daughter cleans under her bed!) and she's huge. Kelly will go to be spayed in two weeks, along with the male kitten (Trapper) that some scum bag dropped off sick by the barn in December.

All in all, I'm very happy it's spring even tho the winter was incredibly mild. I hope this finds everyone else well.

Stacy in NY

-- Stacy (KincoraFarm@aol.com), April 15, 2002.


80's? Today? Shucks, it will hit the mid 90's where I am at (deep south Texas), the 80's sound good to me.

Was going to get chicken tractor going this spring, but with newborn daughter making appearance, have put those plans on hold for a bit. Want to be sure that we can devote enough time for that project. We have scaled our garden down for the same reason.

Too bad; the fleas and ticks are something fierce this year. Now I'm afraid to put down tick / flea powder on the lawn because of fear of poisoning the future chickens.

Have a great week people.

-- j.r. guerra in s. tx. (jrguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), April 15, 2002.


j.r. guerra- I'd die in the Texas heat! High 80-90's has me living in the pool. I wear 45 SPF sunblock to handle the sun in NY, I don't think they make a block that would allow me to live in the Southern States.

Stacy- glad I'm in NY

-- Stacy (KincoraFarm@aol.com), April 15, 2002.


we're upper 70's to low 80's here in NE okla. really nice weather- can't wait until the tornado warnings start! 3 of 5 goats have kidded, 2 sets of trips w/2gals and 1boy, and a set of twins, one each. doelings are for sale here. 2 more to kid. not much garden planned-a few tomatoes and peppers. going to summer school, and won't overload myself-it'll do no one any good. chickens galore-2 have hatched out (3 chicks and 1 chick-they hatched out 9 & 11 during the winter) and two more setting. rabbits and cockerells ready to butcher as soon as i have a free sat. gotta love life. have a great day.

-- laura (okgoatgal@hoymail.com), April 15, 2002.

I'm not yet a homesteader, but hope to move in that direction. We raise most of our own vegetables and will be starting with poultry (for food & eggs) and goats (as pets & companions for horses) this year, but currently just have a large yard in an unincorporated area. Still have mortgage, full time jobs off property, etc.. I am relatively new to this forum, but have already learned so much reading posts, had such generous help when I've had questions and enjoyed the forum immensely. I wish I would have found it sooner. Thank you all!

We are having gorgeous weather (no rain or snow for several days now) and it is suddenly warm. One morning last week the air smelled of spring and everything came alive.

This past weekend we got all our cold weather crops (onions, spinach, peas, lettuce, swiss chard, radishes, beets, carrots, parsnips, etc.) planted as well as some flowers. I am VERY excited to get back into garden & can't wait for the fresh produce! We have lots of seedlings (tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, melons and squash) growing in the house, but it's still too early to set them out. Need to wait another 3-4 weeks for those and the rest of the direct seed veggies. Can you tell I'm just a bit impatient this year? Even though we had a very mild winter for our area I am glad spring is here!

Hope you all have a great year!

-- Debbie in IL (debbie@fli-soft.com), April 15, 2002.



I moved the lettuce seedlings outside on an overcast day. 2 days later it's in the 80's, windy and sunny so I ran outside and covered the lettuce with newspaper and sealed the edges with soil. All 150 plants. It went much quicker than I though it would once I started just tacking several sheets down with a LITTLE soil, then getting up and using the shovel. I was tempted to put out the hot-weather plants too, until I found out it will be chilly the rest of the week.

-- Terri (hooperterri@prodigy.net), April 16, 2002.

Busy, busy, busy!!! The garden is all tilled and all the spring crops are in except a couple rows of peas. We planted cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, romain and buttercrunch lettuce, kolarabi, turnips, potatoes and onions. Hope to get the rest of the peas in today along with the new strawberry patch. We got 22 fruit trees yesterday and hope to get those in the ground this week. Then come the radishes and beets. Then all the warm weather stuff - beans, tomaotes, peppers, squash, melons. It's looking like a busy summer coming up. :) And I'm finally going to order my chickens today!!! The crazy thing is the increase in business, both for my husband and myself. He does auto body work and restorations and I do computer work. Been twiddling our thumbs most of the winter and now that we need to be in the garden and the new orchard we're both swamped at work. grrrrr..... I won't complain too loudly though because the money will be nice and we both work for ourselves so it's easier to juggle the load. Oh, the best news... we piped water down to the garden from the well Sunday so no more hauling water. It's 500 feet away so this will be a huge help. All downhill so the pressure is great. I never thought I would be so excited by running water! :)

-- Stacey (stacey@lakesideinternet.com), April 16, 2002.

Busy here too. Finished kidding two weeks ago, one had triplets, the other two twins, the last to kid prolapsed and I lost her. I had a vet out who did what she could, doe died 4 hrs. later. I'm bottle feeding all seven kids. I couldn't leave them outside due to the cold and snow. The doghouse type shelters the does have weren't enough to protect them from the 10-12 degree temps. So they are in my big bathroom for now. Waiting for warmer weather to come and stay. Started seeds and have the garden planned out. Two geese have started setting so I'll have some goslings in about a month. Have 15 ducklings(5-Cayugas, 5- Indian Runners, 5-Welsh Harlequin) that are just starting to feather, they'll be ready to go out before long. Have 25 Partridge Rocks coming on the 24th, along with 10 Cornish-X. Mare is due the 1st of June, she's a black-bay Arabian that was crossed with a black and white Paint. I'm anxious to see what she has, but worried about the West Nile Virus. The vet said not to vaccinate her until she foals. I'm on an irrigation canal and we'll have plenty of mosquitos by then. Anyone get different advice? Good spring to all of you.

-- (bearwaoman@Yahoo.com), April 16, 2002.

I'm not busy enough, I cut up tree limbs for my elderly neighbor, all told 7 hours work over 4 days, all with loppers, fixed the mower, finished the flower beds, replanted grass on one side of the house [my dogs decimated 3/4 of my back yard over the winter] finished a 1000 piece puzzle,[my 3rd in about 2 weeks] had the house clean twice [in 2 weeks], replanted the flowers that the neighborhood girls pulled up, and I've told the dogs the shut up some 30 times today.

I sooooo need a bigger yard !!!! be happy and count your blessings >>note to myself<< Type at you later every one.

-- Thumper/inOKC (slrldr@yahoo.com), April 16, 2002.


~ Tizz already to hot 4 me to tend raised-bed garden here in da dez so other interesting activitys are considered. `Chanced` acroos this site just yesterdae & 4 the 1st time in a long time feel pay-n fer herd-n electrons iz worth-it... Tizz good to find such a similar items considered group of 4em posters where questions are asked & common sense `hey this worked fer me` replys are submitted. Also, I am pleased to see such a plethora of `long-suits` on such a wide variety of topics. A question not seen yet involves political parties: Have any others considered the constitution party? It's not recognized in AZ yet. Good things take time, I feel this is a good thing for U.S. All the Best...

-- RE Load (toprivate@notreal.com), April 19, 2002.


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