Bee~ Journal of then...

[Beekissed]

I must confess I'm having a lot of fun putting together a website about the subjects in my book and it sort of feels like when the SS forum was new and everyone had information to impart, pics to show and skills to discuss. I'm loving the feeling of starting my journal over but for a purpose this time. It won't be the same as having that instant feedback and questions we did on the forum but it's still kind of fun.

This forum has lost a lot of the old flavor and it barely moves in the time of year when it should be hot and rolling...everyone should be planning gardens, expecting baby animals, eggs should be increasing and broodies setting. I miss the lively give and take and the old friends laughing at one another. I hope all the old members are well and thriving out there on the forum that shall not be named and hope you swim back over into these waters now and again just to say "hi".

I can't wait to get the website up and published and then start blogging on whatever comes to mind about living on the cheap and simple things that bring joy. I only hope it inspires or helps someone else.

Just playin' with some pics I need to upload to my website....ignore the show.

 

[Gypsi]

Well Bee, instead of planning a garden, I'm planting mine. Spinach and swiss chard, broccoli and onions are in, had to add potash today, our soil seems to be deficient, I was getting very leafy onions with no bulb again. So I hoe'd a bit while I was at it, to get the weeds out of the way and work the potash in. And my winter swiss chard isn't doing well, I didn't water enough before we started getting rain. So I loosened the soil around the roots and watered today. If the ground is hard, water just runs off. Got a few weeds out.

Last week I planted 2 blueberry bushes, and one pomegranate. I have 2 blackberry bushes to pick a spot for, but for now, I just dug in a couple of inches between my shrubs on the lot, and stuck them in there and watered them. That will get them a bit of freeze protection while I make up my mind.

I also took out a mulberry tree that volunteered a few years ago. I've improved with the chainsaw, and it's improved since I learned to sharpen the blade. Cut it near ground level, drilled a few 3/4 inch holes in the top, and poured table salt in, then covered it with a stone to keep the salt where I put it. I've found this to work on some almost impossible antique rosebushes I needed gone. (gave away cuttings to any foolish person on freecycle who wanted them - while the tiny blooms were beautiful, 10 ft roses 6 ft thick aren't much fun to prune back 3 or 4 times a year.)

I am still having old hen issues. My production reds dutifully lay me one to 2 eggs per week now that they are done moulting. They are old. I am considering getting some young ones - the feed store has chicks - but hopefully they will still have those chicks this weekend after I get through a long day tomorrow and maybe the next. If i get young chicks, except for sentimental reasons, is there any reason not to go ahead and butcher my reds for the stewpot? They aren't going to be tender, but they aren't going to improve with age.

I guess I should have posted this on my journal, but I'm too tired and haven't had dinner yet.

Gypsi

 

[Beekissed]

No! Thanks for posting it here, Gypsi! I didn't know about the salt in the stump thingy to discourage regrowth...where did you learn that? I'll keep that in mind for future reference.

I can't believe you have a garden going already....Texas doesn't seem all that far away on the Atlas but it must be worlds away on the weather, even though we have had one of the most mild winters on record here in WV. The greenery is confused and so are the animals...don't know if it's spring or winter here~but we're waiting for the other shoe to drop and all the buds to die from a hard freeze.

So, how long does it take for pomegranate to mature and fruit? I never knew anyone who grew them before and was wondering what you do with the fruit? Juice, jam, freeze?

I wasn't real pleased with the production breeds I had gotten around 5-6 years ago...they laid like fire for awhile but they started to die off the roost with heart attacks and looking unthrifty, so I culled them all. I don't believe I'll ever get any of those again. I seem to have more luck with the plain old stuff like RIR, White Rocks, NHs, BAs....my flock from 6 years ago is still producing strongly, though they don't live with me anymore. A farmer has them and last I heard from them they were covered over with eggs and didn't know what to do with them all.

The Bat is talking about getting a few layers here on her place, so I may go back to that farmer and see if I can lighten his load by a rooster and a few old hens and then add some new pullets to them from a local guy who is selling NHR pullets. That should get her started in the egg biz and get me back my Toby Roo and a few of my fave old hens.

What breeds were you wanting to replace with this time?

 

[Blackbird]

You rang??

Just here to say hi.. So hi!!

 

[hqueen13]

I also took out a mulberry tree that volunteered a few years ago. I've improved with the chainsaw, and it's improved since I learned to sharpen the blade. Cut it near ground level, drilled a few 3/4 inch holes in the top, and poured table salt in, then covered it with a stone to keep the salt where I put it. I've found this to work on some almost impossible antique rosebushes I needed gone. (gave away cuttings to any foolish person on freecycle who wanted them - while the tiny blooms were beautiful, 10 ft roses 6 ft thick aren't much fun to prune back 3 or 4 times a year.)

OMG! I wonder if that would work or at least abate the growth of the crazy white mullberry trees that we have that are SOOOOOO invasive! I love the trees, they shade the front of the house BEAUTIFULLY in the summer. But they are SOOOOOOOO aggressive!

 

[Beekissed]

You rang??

Just here to say hi.. So hi!!

YES! I rang your bell, BB!!! I miss you, you know! I loved your intelligent and insightful postings and it always thrilled me that one so young had such a grasp on the realities of life. I hope you are doing well....when last I heard, you were living in the big city and going to school? Is that right?

 

[Beekissed]

Gypsi, sure would have liked to have a piece of that rose bush.... LOVE those antique type roses...small, fragrant blooms, can't kill 'em, climbing.

 

[Blackbird]

Had?

And nope! For some reason you can't drive a skid steer or stock shelves in a store without a college degree! And since I was limited to walking I couldn't find any nearby cleaning jobs. No money = no college. I couldn't afford it so I had to drop out. Working on more fulfilling prospects now... GOATS! Not that they're making me any money...

 

[Beekissed]

Still have! How's yer mama, BB?

 

[Dace]

Hey Bee and BB!

Just thought I would pop in and say hello, sounds like you are quite busy!
I am still afloat here in suburbia, dreaming of goats, homemade soap and a wood fire stove. Maybe some day

Hugs to all my old pals!

Dace