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  1. DrakeMaiden

    Natural childbirth any tips for the pain?

    When I was pregnant with my son a few years ago, I read in a book about a woman who was not looking forward to having her next child after having a marathon labor and ending up in the hospital with all of the interventions (she had planned on a homebirth). She said that for her second birth...
  2. DrakeMaiden

    birds have developed a taste for eggs

    Oooh, I like that. However, when you have an egg eater, you don't typically want to waste any more eggs. But I suppose a store-bought egg would be more easily sacrificed.
  3. DrakeMaiden

    Leggy Eggplant and Pepper seedling question

    You are welcome! Thankfully, I remembered the name of the type of stem that easily grows new roots and that got me the answer. I'm glad I could help! :) Good luck with those eggplants!
  4. DrakeMaiden

    Leggy Eggplant and Pepper seedling question

    Apparently, the answer is no. Eggplants don't have adventitious roots . I would get them outside or under better lighting as soon as possible.
  5. DrakeMaiden

    Help- Family is sick of the same 10 things for supper

    I know how you feel. I have always enjoyed cooking and making elaborate meals, but I have really had to simplify since having a child. I only recently was able to get out of the once-a-week spaghetti & garlic bread rut that we were in since our son was born. Here are the relatively quick and...
  6. DrakeMaiden

    Transplanting with flower buds/fruits?

    I think you will do fine with 8" of loosened soil. Tomatoes and peppers and eggplants are not so fussy about transplanting and it is best to move them into more soil once they get pot bound, regardless of their stage of flowering or fruiting. It is always best to transplant at the end of the...
  7. DrakeMaiden

    How long do seeds last

    Congratulations on the baby! Good plan to wait until next year to grow the garden. Your best bet is to put the seeds in a mason jar (with a lid), with a small desiccant packet (take one from a pill bottle), and put them in the fridge until you are ready to use them. Many seeds will last a few...
  8. DrakeMaiden

    Sourdough???

    Sourdough doesn't like to grow on bleached flour. It is best to use unbleached white flour.
  9. DrakeMaiden

    Our fight against the blight (tomatoes & potatoes)

    FYI (not sure if this is relevant to your case or not), but it is a good idea to make your own compost and to avoid the commercial stuff, if you can. You don't know what went into the commercial stuff (lots of people's yard waste). I heard that in university extension studies they found that...
  10. DrakeMaiden

    Will someone teach me about food spoilage?

    Usually when you culture a food you will start it with a starter or you will have some description of how it should look/smell/taste once the proper bacteria takes hold. If it smells or looks off you should be able to tell. You could also taste a very small amount to see if it makes you feel...
  11. DrakeMaiden

    Switched Back to Well Water

    Is this the same guy that came to hook it back up? Hard to say, but I would think he would have said something at the time he came last. You might try another company. See if someone you know recommends one.
  12. DrakeMaiden

    Switched Back to Well Water

    It might be that the pump is old and needs to be replaced. Possibly also the above ground pressurized storage tank for the water needs replacement. A well drilling company should be able to tell you how much water is in the well, if you are concerned about that, and also they should be able...
  13. DrakeMaiden

    How do you get the labels off of your jars??

    Also, to remove residual glue (from labels) you can make a paste of cooking oil and dish soap and scrub for a while. If it is stubborn, add a little baking soda. That usually works for me and all of those ingredients are within reach in the kitchen. :)
  14. DrakeMaiden

    How do you get the labels off of your jars??

    You can erase permanent sharpie writing from glass and from metal and probably from ceramic, but I would want to test it first, with plain old rubbing alcohol. :) I'm not sure what the Tatler lids are made of, but that might help you. I also label my canned goods with a pen on the metal lid...
  15. DrakeMaiden

    Aged Horse Manure

    I would get some of the fresh stuff too and stockpile that for future years. Make a big pile and cover it with a tarp and then let it sit at least several months before using. As long as you have it covered the nutrients won't leach out. I'm not sure how the guy stored the older stuff, so I...
  16. DrakeMaiden

    Using Livestock panels for Toddlers' play yard

    If you can afford it, I'd do it. We bought our property because it was completely fenced, even though it wasn't a perfect fence. It was valuable to us to have it. So, in a way it is an investment that might help when/if you ever have to sell.
  17. DrakeMaiden

    Chickens as waste management tools

    Interesting story. Thank you for linking it here, ORChick. :) I have noted that it is wonderful to have chickens when you also have a toddler in the house. If my son is picky about what I serve him, I can give the wasted food to the chickens and not feel the guilt I would feel about tossing...
  18. DrakeMaiden

    Tomatoes from seed?

    Another trick for growing tomatoes in the PNW is when you plant them out, surround them with tomato cages wrapped in bubble wrap (with the top open). This is the next best thing to growing them in a greenhouse. Other than that, from all I have heard and from personal experience, cherry...
  19. DrakeMaiden

    Using Livestock panels for Toddlers' play yard

    I read that a good starter sandbox would be just a plastic storage container (w/ lid) filled with sand. See if your kid likes it or not before getting a larger sandbox. We have cats, so any open soil or sand is fair game. :P
  20. DrakeMaiden

    Using Livestock panels for Toddlers' play yard

    Well, I am in the same boat with my son. I get about 2 hours during his nap and that is about all the time I get to myself every darn day. He goes to bed late and often gets up fairly early. My house is a disaster because I spend those 2 hours outside in the garden just about every day for my...
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