Having Christmas, our wedding anniversary, sons birthday, New Years and my husband birthday in barely over a week definitely is a marathon for us. Tonight 6 teenage boys are coming over for a birthday party sleepover so food planning and entertainment are in the works.
The chickens are laying an average of 6 eggs per day now. Hurray! We just have a few more weeks when the other 4 should start laying. There goes our cholesterol level, lol.
The rabbits are doing well. I think they're lovin' the cool temps and are as cute as ever.
My indoor lettuce and spinach are up and growing. I can't wait to harvest some. :)
Last but definitely not least, the garden planning! I've been hard at work figuring out the details of next years veggie garden. I really want to make sure I plant plenty for us and a good deal extra for those who will be in need. Next year will probably be a lean year for a lot of people and I want to see if I can be of help.
I'll post my garden plan soon. I need to make the diagrams for it all first. :)
Have a wonderful weekend!
Needing A Good Laugh?
Even though this isn't about gardening, I thought it was needed during these difficult times. Our family has always laughed their way through tragedies. Note: Don't fall out of your chair in my presence because I will laugh before I make it over to you to help you up. There, I said it..we're all clear on that now - nothing personal.
As our economy goes down in flames, I thought others may need a good laugh too.
As our economy goes down in flames, I thought others may need a good laugh too.
Greening The Desert
This is an absolutely amazing video I found. This is proof of what I've suspected for a while. Go permaculture!
Even though I don't live in the desert, there are areas at the back of my property that the ground stays cracked and dry most of the year. It is nearly impossible to get water back there to start trees or anything. I'm thinking the method in this video is something I will try this coming year.
Just in case you're gourd, I mean bored...
I just finished writing an article for a local newspaper on decorating gourds. With my research I discovered this...
Look at the cool poster I found at The Gourd Reserve
Too cool, eh?
There is enough information/inspiration on their website to keep you occupied for quite a long time.
Look at the cool poster I found at The Gourd Reserve
Too cool, eh?
There is enough information/inspiration on their website to keep you occupied for quite a long time.
Digital Gourd chart © Dan Dunkin 2003
This chart is used courtesy The Gourd Reserve
Garden Blogging 1800's Style
Do you think garden blogging is a new thing? Check this out...
Botanicus offers 579 titles of botanical journals that are beautifully illustrated and charmingly recorded in many different languages.
The images above came from one of my favorite titles, Edwards's Botanical Register
Enjoy!
Bunny Lane
I was concerned for awhile that I was posting too much about my animals. My blog is a gardening blog and I thought it was beginning to turn into a "Look at my Pets!" I would then have to rename my blog to "Noah's Ark" or something.
Well, it's been nearly a month since I've given a rabbit update so here goes..
This is Jack. We so far have figured out that we have 1 boy out of the 4 new bunnies we received. It's so hard to tell ya' know. Jack is a super sweet rabbit. I built him this box to get into in case of rain or wind. Our area for the animals is fairly protected but I'm a worrier and thought the bunnies would be happier if I built them a box inside the cage. (The others are next) Jack likes it, but prefers to spend most of his time sitting on the top. He keeps it clean and sleeps a lot perched up high. Fun Jack...
Here are the three sisters: Smoochie Louise, Jill, and Cotton. They stay in the same hutch preferring to snuggle together and groom one another. The floppy-eared one we know is Smoochie, but the other two..well it's hard to tell. We're thinking about dying their tails or something to differentiate them. One does have a softer coat, so I can tell by petting her that this is Cotton. But, in the scheme of things, I don't think they're all broken up over the fact I can't tell them apart. As long as the food and water keeps coming they're happy.
Trying to keep the new bunnies tame has been our biggest challenge. We try to hold and play with them daily to make sure they are used to it. Bunnies are so skiddish and it doesn't take much to get them into a thumping & scratching fit if they feel insecure. So far they tolerate our lovin'.
Now to our skiddish & huge rabbits...
Miss Janie with the "huge" dewlap is first. Honestly, we don't feed her much! These two rabbits eat far less than the younger rabbits. The poo production is proof of their efficient 10 pound bodies. We have found something that Jane absolutely loves though...DIGGING!! We have a pet corral that we set up to allow the rabbits some time in real grass and dirt. Jane, who normally is still as a statue, turns into this amazing digging machine. She loves eating grass roots, scooping out the dirt, sliding and stretching out her body to smooth the dirt out. She'll literally do this for hours! We put her out there several times per week to get some exercise. (We rotate all of the rabbits out this way too)
Now Tarzan..ya' gotta love him. He runs in circles in his cage at the very site of someone coming to visit him. He's not a snuggler, but you can tell he enjoys human company. Talking to him gets him all stirred up ready to run some more.
This is the rest of the enclosure we built onto the end of the chicken yard. Basically it extends parallel along the west side of our privacy fence. We still plan on covering the top of the area like the chicken yard so we can grow grapes or some other sort of vine over it. It will provide nice shade for those hot 100+ degree days in the summer here.
We lined up the hutches in one long row to maximize roof coverage and protection for the rabbits. A long gutter attached along the backside of the roof is another thing we plan on adding for rainwater catchment.
As you can see, we haven't added the worm bins underneath yet. I decided to wait until spring when I can construct raised boxes for the worms underneath. With cold weather here, I thought the worms would reproduce at a more rapid rate in a warmer environment. I'm trying to get as many red wigglers as I can as fast as I can. The other part of the equation is the fact it may take some effort trying to deter an invasion of fire ants into the worm bins. Elevating them and treating the ground beneath the bins may be our best option.
Until then, we're shoveling rabbit poo into buckets and hauling to the garden. We sprinkle the ground underneath the rabbits when we're finished to "sweeten" the soil and reduce any amount of urine smell.
There ya' have it...Life on Bunny Lane.
Well, it's been nearly a month since I've given a rabbit update so here goes..
This is Jack. We so far have figured out that we have 1 boy out of the 4 new bunnies we received. It's so hard to tell ya' know. Jack is a super sweet rabbit. I built him this box to get into in case of rain or wind. Our area for the animals is fairly protected but I'm a worrier and thought the bunnies would be happier if I built them a box inside the cage. (The others are next) Jack likes it, but prefers to spend most of his time sitting on the top. He keeps it clean and sleeps a lot perched up high. Fun Jack...
Here are the three sisters: Smoochie Louise, Jill, and Cotton. They stay in the same hutch preferring to snuggle together and groom one another. The floppy-eared one we know is Smoochie, but the other two..well it's hard to tell. We're thinking about dying their tails or something to differentiate them. One does have a softer coat, so I can tell by petting her that this is Cotton. But, in the scheme of things, I don't think they're all broken up over the fact I can't tell them apart. As long as the food and water keeps coming they're happy.
Trying to keep the new bunnies tame has been our biggest challenge. We try to hold and play with them daily to make sure they are used to it. Bunnies are so skiddish and it doesn't take much to get them into a thumping & scratching fit if they feel insecure. So far they tolerate our lovin'.
Now to our skiddish & huge rabbits...
Miss Janie with the "huge" dewlap is first. Honestly, we don't feed her much! These two rabbits eat far less than the younger rabbits. The poo production is proof of their efficient 10 pound bodies. We have found something that Jane absolutely loves though...DIGGING!! We have a pet corral that we set up to allow the rabbits some time in real grass and dirt. Jane, who normally is still as a statue, turns into this amazing digging machine. She loves eating grass roots, scooping out the dirt, sliding and stretching out her body to smooth the dirt out. She'll literally do this for hours! We put her out there several times per week to get some exercise. (We rotate all of the rabbits out this way too)
Now Tarzan..ya' gotta love him. He runs in circles in his cage at the very site of someone coming to visit him. He's not a snuggler, but you can tell he enjoys human company. Talking to him gets him all stirred up ready to run some more.
This is the rest of the enclosure we built onto the end of the chicken yard. Basically it extends parallel along the west side of our privacy fence. We still plan on covering the top of the area like the chicken yard so we can grow grapes or some other sort of vine over it. It will provide nice shade for those hot 100+ degree days in the summer here.
We lined up the hutches in one long row to maximize roof coverage and protection for the rabbits. A long gutter attached along the backside of the roof is another thing we plan on adding for rainwater catchment.
As you can see, we haven't added the worm bins underneath yet. I decided to wait until spring when I can construct raised boxes for the worms underneath. With cold weather here, I thought the worms would reproduce at a more rapid rate in a warmer environment. I'm trying to get as many red wigglers as I can as fast as I can. The other part of the equation is the fact it may take some effort trying to deter an invasion of fire ants into the worm bins. Elevating them and treating the ground beneath the bins may be our best option.
Until then, we're shoveling rabbit poo into buckets and hauling to the garden. We sprinkle the ground underneath the rabbits when we're finished to "sweeten" the soil and reduce any amount of urine smell.
There ya' have it...Life on Bunny Lane.
Consider The Dandelion
Taraxacum officinale F.H. Wigg. - Common DandelionWhy in the world would I consider the dandelion? It's been the bane for many hard working people trying to maintain a pristine lawn. Who likes a plant that produces seed heads that seem to appear overnight, towering high above the grass, after spending hours mowing the lawn? Well, that is what many of us have experienced with this plant/weed in recent history since lawns have become an artform.
My earliest memories as a child of dandelions include the excitement of running from one round puffy seed head to the next, blowing it as far into the wind as I could. How exciting! Well, at least in the eyes of a child. Who hasn't done that? The adults maintaining the lawn were sure to be scorning at this as I was adding to the ongoing battle to stop this seemingly indestructible plant. I can't say that I didn't know it was hated though, because I used to watch the elderly man across the street spend painstaking hours upon hours through the spring hand digging each and every plant out of his lawn, tossing them into the street. (It was a more rural area, so don't freak out thinking he was a horrible neighbor, lol)
Anyway, through those years we had heard stories of how dandelions had been used for some sort of food in one form or the other in times past. Talk of "dandelion wine" is one that stands out in my mind. Who could really imagine such a thing in today's world? We've done everything possible to discredit this plant. Other stories of eating the leaves either in salads or cooked were also mentioned.
While living in a suburban area for so many years, moving back to the country has made me reconsider the dandelion and it's role in years past. I have an opportunity to enjoy some of the plants/weeds that in years past would've been help in hard times - something I could turn to if I needed some sort of food for my family that was free and easily accessed.
Of course with that I need to do my homework, like some basic things we were always warned about, " Have the pets been relieving themselves there?' or "Has anything been sprayed on it?" (Another good reason, in my humble opinion, to leave the lawn alone)
With those questions answered, I then could move on to more research on the plants and here are some things I've found:
- Young leaves can be used as part of a salad. One salad liked by many called,"wilted salad" with cooked bacon, hot drippings and boiled eggs.
- Dandelion is a rich source of vitamins including A, B complex, C & D plus several minerals including iron, potassium and zinc.
- Medicinally it has advantages too. There is documented modern information published by University of Maryland Medical Center
- Dandelion wine is made by using the flowers of this plant. Many recipes are available on the
web.
- All parts of the dandelion have been used in one way or another, including the taproot, which makes it very practical. Purposeful cultivation is shocking news to hear, eh?
- Let's not forget about the bees. Dandelions are a major help in feeding them. They are often known for the beginning of the pollination season for the bees.
Now, here's my disclaimer :) Dandelion has its place in our food supply, but has a few things you should consider before eating too much at a time. First of all, it's a diuretic! Common names in the past have been given to it such as: dent de lion "lion's tooth" (refers to leaves), pissenlit & pissabeds refer to the diuretic properties of dandelions so obviously "urinate in bed" is not a stretch to interpret from that. Soffione & pusteblume refer to the blowing flower part of the dandelion.
Do your homework and maybe consider other food sources for your family.... Our forefathers did!
My earliest memories as a child of dandelions include the excitement of running from one round puffy seed head to the next, blowing it as far into the wind as I could. How exciting! Well, at least in the eyes of a child. Who hasn't done that? The adults maintaining the lawn were sure to be scorning at this as I was adding to the ongoing battle to stop this seemingly indestructible plant. I can't say that I didn't know it was hated though, because I used to watch the elderly man across the street spend painstaking hours upon hours through the spring hand digging each and every plant out of his lawn, tossing them into the street. (It was a more rural area, so don't freak out thinking he was a horrible neighbor, lol)
Anyway, through those years we had heard stories of how dandelions had been used for some sort of food in one form or the other in times past. Talk of "dandelion wine" is one that stands out in my mind. Who could really imagine such a thing in today's world? We've done everything possible to discredit this plant. Other stories of eating the leaves either in salads or cooked were also mentioned.
While living in a suburban area for so many years, moving back to the country has made me reconsider the dandelion and it's role in years past. I have an opportunity to enjoy some of the plants/weeds that in years past would've been help in hard times - something I could turn to if I needed some sort of food for my family that was free and easily accessed.
Of course with that I need to do my homework, like some basic things we were always warned about, " Have the pets been relieving themselves there?' or "Has anything been sprayed on it?" (Another good reason, in my humble opinion, to leave the lawn alone)
With those questions answered, I then could move on to more research on the plants and here are some things I've found:
- Young leaves can be used as part of a salad. One salad liked by many called,"wilted salad" with cooked bacon, hot drippings and boiled eggs.
- Dandelion is a rich source of vitamins including A, B complex, C & D plus several minerals including iron, potassium and zinc.
- Medicinally it has advantages too. There is documented modern information published by University of Maryland Medical Center
- Dandelion wine is made by using the flowers of this plant. Many recipes are available on the
web.
- All parts of the dandelion have been used in one way or another, including the taproot, which makes it very practical. Purposeful cultivation is shocking news to hear, eh?
- Let's not forget about the bees. Dandelions are a major help in feeding them. They are often known for the beginning of the pollination season for the bees.
Now, here's my disclaimer :) Dandelion has its place in our food supply, but has a few things you should consider before eating too much at a time. First of all, it's a diuretic! Common names in the past have been given to it such as: dent de lion "lion's tooth" (refers to leaves), pissenlit & pissabeds refer to the diuretic properties of dandelions so obviously "urinate in bed" is not a stretch to interpret from that. Soffione & pusteblume refer to the blowing flower part of the dandelion.
Do your homework and maybe consider other food sources for your family.... Our forefathers did!
Veggie Gardening Indoors
In the pursuit of practical gardening for myself, I came across a post on Red State Green about growing some cool weather vegetables indoors. With reducing our thermostats into the 60's, this is an ideal temperature to grow lettuces, spinach, Swiss chard etc. indoors. A cooler spare room would work too, as long as it doesn't get too cold. Imagine not only having my "itch" to garden scratched, but provide some food for my family in the process! ....I'm looking through my seed collection already for what I can grow. Yum!
An advantage to growing these indoors is that I'm not battling pests. (unless I count some of the larger 4 legged ones that I call pets)
Lighting will really be my only big challenge trying to grow these. A south facing window with plenty of sun should do the trick, otherwise additional lighting may be needed. I have a full spectrum light, that my family calls my "happy light" that I plan on using. (I have some seasonal depression issues sometimes, so this light cheers me up when I use it, hence the name) Otherwise any fluorescent light will work. (We have plenty of those lights now that we're trying to conserve energy.)
Garden Gal has some great information on what to grow and how to grow it. So now all I have to do is go gather my supplies!
Just a note.. growing veggies that need pollinating, will all have to be done by hand. Tomato plants just need a good shaking every few days to mimic wind for pollination and warmer temps too.
Woohoo! Off I go...
He Knows No Winter....
Carolina Jessamine blooming in December on my fenceHe Knows No Winter
He knows no winter, he who loves the soil,
For, stormy days, when he is free from toil,
He plans his summer crops, selects his seeds
From bright-paged catalogues for garden needs.
When looking out upon frost-silvered fields,
He visualizes autumn's golden yields;
He sees in snow and sleet and icy rain
Precious moisture for his early grain;
He hears spring-heralds in the storm's ' turmoil
He knows no winter, he who loves the soil.
-SUDIE STUART HAGER
He knows no winter, he who loves the soil,
For, stormy days, when he is free from toil,
He plans his summer crops, selects his seeds
From bright-paged catalogues for garden needs.
When looking out upon frost-silvered fields,
He visualizes autumn's golden yields;
He sees in snow and sleet and icy rain
Precious moisture for his early grain;
He hears spring-heralds in the storm's ' turmoil
He knows no winter, he who loves the soil.
-SUDIE STUART HAGER
Bee Ready!
You should always be careful what you ask for because you just may get it! Well, that is what has happened to me over this past week. My wonderful parents came to Texas for a visit and with them came this most amazing bee hive! They built it themselves and did an amazing job. I'm so blessed to be the proud owner of a Kenya Top Bar Hive
I had planned to build one of these myself very soon, so I can't tell you what a welcome surprise this was. My Dad suggests that I cover the lid with either copper or flashing to waterproof it. I also am planning on adding legs to the bottom, similar to sawhorse legs.
A feature I hadn't thought of in the planning of this hive is the shape of the top bars where bees attach their combs. Many of the top bar hives have a single strip down the middle of the bar that causes the bees to work with the 90 degree angle, filling it in as it builds the comb downward. The triangle shape of this one allows the bee to go along a more natural line.
Another feature is that it has a top entrance. The purpose of that is to let moisture out and it cuts down on condensation. In the winter, evidently this can be a problem. I also have my own thoughts about our conditions in Texas dealing with heat and fire ants. The top entrance just seems to make better sense.
This particular hive is 48" long. With several trials of hives both shorter and longer, this seems to be the most effective. Too large and it doesn't get used as well, too small and you have swarming issues from overcrowding.
Now I can confidently place my order for bees in January. I just need to add a bit of equipment that includes a hat/veil, hive tool, smoker and gloves. I'm really looking forward to my bee adventures in the spring!
I had planned to build one of these myself very soon, so I can't tell you what a welcome surprise this was. My Dad suggests that I cover the lid with either copper or flashing to waterproof it. I also am planning on adding legs to the bottom, similar to sawhorse legs.
A feature I hadn't thought of in the planning of this hive is the shape of the top bars where bees attach their combs. Many of the top bar hives have a single strip down the middle of the bar that causes the bees to work with the 90 degree angle, filling it in as it builds the comb downward. The triangle shape of this one allows the bee to go along a more natural line.
Another feature is that it has a top entrance. The purpose of that is to let moisture out and it cuts down on condensation. In the winter, evidently this can be a problem. I also have my own thoughts about our conditions in Texas dealing with heat and fire ants. The top entrance just seems to make better sense.
This particular hive is 48" long. With several trials of hives both shorter and longer, this seems to be the most effective. Too large and it doesn't get used as well, too small and you have swarming issues from overcrowding.
Now I can confidently place my order for bees in January. I just need to add a bit of equipment that includes a hat/veil, hive tool, smoker and gloves. I'm really looking forward to my bee adventures in the spring!
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