A new journey into homesteading "pic heavy"

[Chic Rustler]

planted the potatoes today. early I know.

look at that soil! much better than the beach sand we started with 4 years ago!

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Oh my. Beautiful soil! I believe the standard rule of thumb is that you can plant spuds 3 weeks before anticipated last frost.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Then, there's this: Potatoes may be planted as soon as the ground can be worked in the early spring, but keep soil temperatures in mind. Potato plants will not begin to grow until the soil temperature has reached 45 degrees F. The soil should be moist, but not water-logged.

From:

How to Grow Potatoes — Seed Savers Exchange Blog​

blog.seedsavers.org

 

[Chic Rustler]

ist year we got a couple late frosts in April. the vines died back a little but it didn't effect them too much. I will cover them if it happens again.

 

[Mini Horses]

The ground soil sure looks good!! You had a really nice garden last year, too. All the hard work is paying off. Good job. Plus you're teaching your kids to be SS! Win-Win!

 

[baymule]

Having that same white sugar sand, I certainly can appreciate all the hard work that has gone into building that beautiful dark, rich soil. Congratulations to you and hoping that you have a bountiful garden this year!

 

[Chic Rustler]

record low temps and winter weather is coming. we are expected to have a low between 0 and -4 Monday and they are saying a coot of snow or more. nothing here in North Texas is ready for that kind of cold. we are going to do the best we can.

a buddy down the road has a small barn. we got it wrapped with plastic and set a couple of heat lamps in it. he keeps his rabbits, quail, and chick brooder in there. he had enough roo. for my rabbits too. its pretty cozy right now but the lows habe only been in the teens so far.

I wired up some heat lamps in the chicken coup at home and wrapped the door in plastic. they have never needed heat before...even in the teens so I'm hoping they will do ok.


my Great Pyrenees is another story. he's stubborn as the day is long. I have an insulated shed so I just moved his dog igloo into it. there's heat lamp that might knock some chill from the air. he's not happy about being locked up but he's gonna have to suck it up.

 

[Chic Rustler]

I'm hoping we don't get as much snow as they say and the roads are clear by next weekend. I have an all day appointment in Austin on the 22nd and if I have to reschedule it will be 3 months or more before I can get back in. this is a career defining moment so I'm hoping for the best!

 

[Lazy Gardener]

We're seeing night time lows hovering below 5*. Can't wait till it warms back up.

 

[baymule]

Same temps here. Haven’t said how much snow, Snowmeggdon is hitting tomorrow, Monday and Wednesday.


You will make your appointment. Supposed to be sunny Friday and Saturday, highs in 50’s Sunday and Monday. Good luck on your appointment, let us know how it goes.

In another few minutes I’ll go out to do chores, bust ice for horses and steer to get a drink. Haul boiling water to unfreeze water buckets for sheep, dogs and chickens. This. Ain’t. Fun. Have 17 lambs, cold doesn’t seem to bother them. I deep bedded the barn, actually a lean to roof off the portable building. There is an 8x8 shelter in it-my first shelter for my first sheep. LOL LOL the lambs go in there and cuddle up. Got one more ewe to lamb, anytime. 1 Great Pyrenees has a hay stuffed doghouse in the back yard and she can run to the back of the sheep barn. 1 Anatolian goes in the barn at night because of bobcats, the other Anatolian is in front pasture and has a snug part of the barn. Male Great Pyrenees and black Lab/Great Dane have the front yard, they have beds on the porch. Horses have their barn, steer has the Pig Palace. I can feed them enough, it’s just hard to keep water for them.

Tree branches are breaking off from the ice, once the snow hits, poor trees are gonna lose lots of limbs.

You are right, we are not set up for this!