Bettacreek - New home? Plus a pic of some of the ladies here
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SSDreamin
Almost Self-Reliant
What kind of vehicle do you drive? It looks cool 
Wish I could get hosta's around here. When I lived here before, I got a whole mess of them, divided them up and landscaped all around my deck with them. Now, nobody has any and the greenhouses are wanting $5 a plant
Where we used to live, the prison one town over had a work detail that did jobs for people (they also tended a large farm). I wondered how they managed it - it was a maximum security facility. I pictured them casing the place or plotting my murder, so I passed
PS - I read your journal a lot, but am usually too lazy to comment, sorry
Wish I could get hosta's around here. When I lived here before, I got a whole mess of them, divided them up and landscaped all around my deck with them. Now, nobody has any and the greenhouses are wanting $5 a plant
Where we used to live, the prison one town over had a work detail that did jobs for people (they also tended a large farm). I wondered how they managed it - it was a maximum security facility. I pictured them casing the place or plotting my murder, so I passed
PS - I read your journal a lot, but am usually too lazy to comment, sorry
Denim Deb
More Precious than Rubies
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Can you post a pic of a live bush, or even part of the downed one? I'm curious to know what it was, plus if I can ID it for you, since your allergic to it, you'll know what kind of bush to avoid in the future.
- Thread starter
- #354
Bettacreek
Almost Self-Reliant
I'll have to get pictures of some of the other bushes. As for the compost, it looks nice, but I was black! George took one look at me and said "well, you look lovely" lol. The shower water was a nice dark brown too. Ah well.
SS, I drive a Suburu Baja. Best car in the world, if you ask me... It fits my personality quite perfectly... Four door, four seats (wouldn't have minded a five seater, but yanno), bed in the back, racks up top... There really isn't anything that this thing can't do! Well, that I WANT it to do anyways. Not much into that big rock mountain climbing crap with vehicles, so I'm not worried about the car not being able to do that, lol.
The inmates here are pretty good. It's a medium security facility, and the guys who come do the yard work and such are all low grade offenders... DUI's and stuff like that. Some of them are really friendly. The guys who did the bush were actually really awesome... Most of them will tell you right off the bat why they're in, because they have pride and don't want you thinking that they're some murdlerer or something, lol. Anyways, they do a really good job around here. They make quick work of the lawn, bushes, etc. They do ALL of the landscaping around here, including trimming trees, getting rid of pesky bushes, whacking the bushes back, lawn work, etc. Just a pretty cool group to be honest. Sorry, I ramble a lot, but I like the way our prison works. Not sure how others work to be honest, but here, they've got forestry, agriculture and livestock, culinary, wood working, etc. It's almost like a vocational school, lol. But they offer the inmates all these skills to put to use after they are released. Of course, lifers and such like that, they don't have as much liberty as the 2 year guys.
ETA: Yesterday while we were at the garden, George came around the back of the garage and told me that behind the garage would be a nice place for the birds. Wind break on both sides where the wind comes from, plus asphalt under them... That should make clean up easier... Just scrape it with a shovel, then hose down the leftovers. Plus, he said "you can build all along the back side", which is a two bay garage, so I'll have a LOT of room to work with. I'm going to do my quail pens and my main flock, so I'll have a lot of room! I'm still going through the planning stages of it, but need to get a move on it. I will have some time, since I only have the duck eggs in the incubator (and quail eggs were just put in there), and they'll be in a brooder for a little while, but I don't want to have to rush around to get a pen built so that I have room. I'm hoping to keep my buttons outside, but we'll see how that works out. I don't know if they'll lay out there or not, because of lawn mowing and such. Of course, they'd have to come in during the cool months, but I'd like to keep them outdoors as long as possible, if possible, without messing up production.
SS, I drive a Suburu Baja. Best car in the world, if you ask me... It fits my personality quite perfectly... Four door, four seats (wouldn't have minded a five seater, but yanno), bed in the back, racks up top... There really isn't anything that this thing can't do! Well, that I WANT it to do anyways. Not much into that big rock mountain climbing crap with vehicles, so I'm not worried about the car not being able to do that, lol.
The inmates here are pretty good. It's a medium security facility, and the guys who come do the yard work and such are all low grade offenders... DUI's and stuff like that. Some of them are really friendly. The guys who did the bush were actually really awesome... Most of them will tell you right off the bat why they're in, because they have pride and don't want you thinking that they're some murdlerer or something, lol. Anyways, they do a really good job around here. They make quick work of the lawn, bushes, etc. They do ALL of the landscaping around here, including trimming trees, getting rid of pesky bushes, whacking the bushes back, lawn work, etc. Just a pretty cool group to be honest. Sorry, I ramble a lot, but I like the way our prison works. Not sure how others work to be honest, but here, they've got forestry, agriculture and livestock, culinary, wood working, etc. It's almost like a vocational school, lol. But they offer the inmates all these skills to put to use after they are released. Of course, lifers and such like that, they don't have as much liberty as the 2 year guys.
ETA: Yesterday while we were at the garden, George came around the back of the garage and told me that behind the garage would be a nice place for the birds. Wind break on both sides where the wind comes from, plus asphalt under them... That should make clean up easier... Just scrape it with a shovel, then hose down the leftovers. Plus, he said "you can build all along the back side", which is a two bay garage, so I'll have a LOT of room to work with. I'm going to do my quail pens and my main flock, so I'll have a lot of room! I'm still going through the planning stages of it, but need to get a move on it. I will have some time, since I only have the duck eggs in the incubator (and quail eggs were just put in there), and they'll be in a brooder for a little while, but I don't want to have to rush around to get a pen built so that I have room. I'm hoping to keep my buttons outside, but we'll see how that works out. I don't know if they'll lay out there or not, because of lawn mowing and such. Of course, they'd have to come in during the cool months, but I'd like to keep them outdoors as long as possible, if possible, without messing up production.
- Thread starter
- #355
Bettacreek
Almost Self-Reliant
Did some calling around, and found mash for $23.95/100lbs. My gosh, have feed prices JUMPED! I used to get 100lbs for $18.50, and that was only two years ago. Ah well, it's cheaper than buying it at TSC, at $15 something for 50lbs. So, I'll be buying some mash soon. I'm also pricing out a pen for the main flock, which will cost me around $90. I'm just putting cheap mesh on the top, to keep birds out, but the sides will be wire. I might try to do something cheaper though, with all wood. I like to have access to the pen itself though, and that's what gets me. If I did something along the lines of a building instead of a pen, it might save me some money, but I want them to have fresh air, without spending a fortune. Last time I had birds, I built a pen, then used a big dog house for shelter. It worked well, but I don't have a big dog house this time around, lol. Maybe just build like a doghouse thing with a roof that has a hatch that I can get into it, then build a small, SHORT pen, maybe 3' in height. I wonder how much of a PITA that would be though. I suppose I could just do like 4' stakes with just walled fencing, no roof, and do the doghouse idea... I plan on ranging them most of the time anyways, so a little pen really isn't that big of a deal. ARRGH! Planning sucks! I'm not imaginative and don't really know what the heck I want yet, and I've GOT to get at least a plan made up so that I can start pricing and get this thing built before anything is out of the brooder.
ETA: (I think it's silly to keep adding new posts each day, hence why I have all of the ETA's) I'm hopfully going to be picking up some royal palm poults today! I was himhawing around because I wasn't exactly sure which breed I wanted... Royal Palms, Hollands, BBW, Midget white. Well, found someone about twenty minutes away with royal palm poults for $5 a pop. They had an incubator for $150, but I've decided that I honestly do NOT need another incubator... One is more than enough for me, and I really shouldn't pull another $150 out for something that I don't need anyways, lol.
ETA: (I think it's silly to keep adding new posts each day, hence why I have all of the ETA's) I'm hopfully going to be picking up some royal palm poults today! I was himhawing around because I wasn't exactly sure which breed I wanted... Royal Palms, Hollands, BBW, Midget white. Well, found someone about twenty minutes away with royal palm poults for $5 a pop. They had an incubator for $150, but I've decided that I honestly do NOT need another incubator... One is more than enough for me, and I really shouldn't pull another $150 out for something that I don't need anyways, lol.
- Thread starter
- #356
Bettacreek
Almost Self-Reliant
I ended up picking up some poults. $5 a pop, which is cheaper than auction prices. I picked up three royal palms, one bronze and a palm/bronze mix. The bronze tom is MASSIVE. He's bigger than the RP and much younger. But, I like the looks of the RP's. I figured one bronze, a mixie and the RP's would be good to give me an idea of what I like of each one, plus a mix. So we'll see. I brought them home, texted the BF that I had baby birds and needed to get a brooder setup when he got home. They were in a box by our space heater until he came home an hour later. After picking everything up, he asked me just what these monster sized chicks were... "turkeys or something?" "Yeah..." *Insert big hug from me to him* and he says "what are you going to do with turkeys, keep them? I said, well, yeah. His response? "Well, I guess we could have a guard dog turkey around", meaning a tom, lol. For now, the brooder is on top of my incubator. That way they won't be dusting up the house (asthma for myself, plus I don't want the boys breathing that in either), but they'll be kept warmer (basement floor was too cold, even with the light). All four of us stood down there for half an hour, watching to make sure they were ok with that setup. I had watched them for about an hour previous to that, because they're on newsprint, and I didn't want any problems with splay leg. They are a few days old though, so they're doing really well on it.
ETA: I also went through my batch of 90 eggs... I pulled 15, with two being blood rings. I have another eight in there that are "maybes". Some are porous and I am having a hard time seeing into them. I also cracked a third button quail egg (two were cracked in shipping). I don't think the breeder gives his birds enough calcium or something, because I have never had problems with them being paper thin, and it's not just my imagination, because the other breeder's eggs held up to my gentle handling and shipping.
And a pic of the hostas:
ETA: I also went through my batch of 90 eggs... I pulled 15, with two being blood rings. I have another eight in there that are "maybes". Some are porous and I am having a hard time seeing into them. I also cracked a third button quail egg (two were cracked in shipping). I don't think the breeder gives his birds enough calcium or something, because I have never had problems with them being paper thin, and it's not just my imagination, because the other breeder's eggs held up to my gentle handling and shipping.
And a pic of the hostas:
- Thread starter
- #357
Bettacreek
Almost Self-Reliant
So, I've found cheaper plants. Not by much, but still... Plus they're willing to sell at a discount for flats (and they're willing to let me do a variety in each flat, not just one kind). So, Tuesday the rototiller is coming down from the forestry camp (or agriculture? Not entirely sure which part of prison it's coming from), and I'll have my plants in the garden by Wednesday (I figure with the heat, it might take some time to get everything done).
What I have planned:
Plants:
Roma Tomatoes
Tomatoes (I have two sets of two different kinds, forget what they are) They're just for eating, so they're all for the BF
Wax/Banana Peppers
Bell Peppers
Cayenne Peppers (only a few plants, as I just plan to use them for crushed red pepper)
Broccoli
Lettuce (romaine)
Seed (hopefully):
Sugar baby watermelons (only a few plants, unless I can put them somewhere else, they take up a lot of space)
Spinach (it's a little late, but I don't plan to let them grow full size, I like baby spinach)
Loose leaf lettuce
Beans (bush)
Onions (possibility, it might be too late, but the farm store has a bunch of seed onion at a good price, so I need to do some more research)
Hopefully I haven't forgotten anything. I've got to do a little more work with planning before I can figure out exactly how much of each I can put in. Some things may be removed from the list, or reduced in number. I also want to put in a "fall crop" of red beets, since I really missed the ball on it this time.
What I have planned:
Plants:
Roma Tomatoes
Tomatoes (I have two sets of two different kinds, forget what they are) They're just for eating, so they're all for the BF
Wax/Banana Peppers
Bell Peppers
Cayenne Peppers (only a few plants, as I just plan to use them for crushed red pepper)
Broccoli
Lettuce (romaine)
Seed (hopefully):
Sugar baby watermelons (only a few plants, unless I can put them somewhere else, they take up a lot of space)
Spinach (it's a little late, but I don't plan to let them grow full size, I like baby spinach)
Loose leaf lettuce
Beans (bush)
Onions (possibility, it might be too late, but the farm store has a bunch of seed onion at a good price, so I need to do some more research)
Hopefully I haven't forgotten anything. I've got to do a little more work with planning before I can figure out exactly how much of each I can put in. Some things may be removed from the list, or reduced in number. I also want to put in a "fall crop" of red beets, since I really missed the ball on it this time.
SSDreamin
Almost Self-Reliant
Ooooo Love those hosta's! I am so jealous! 
If your broccoli grows well, let me know the secret - I've tried for the last two years to grow it and cauliflower, total bust :/
I put in 96 tomato plants yesterday ( we...ummm...kinda like tomatoes ), plus five different kinds of hot peppers! I am determined to A) hit on a hot sauce recipe DH & DS consider hot enough or B) burn out all our taste buds trying!
If your broccoli grows well, let me know the secret - I've tried for the last two years to grow it and cauliflower, total bust :/
I put in 96 tomato plants yesterday ( we...ummm...kinda like tomatoes
), plus five different kinds of hot peppers! I am determined to A) hit on a hot sauce recipe DH & DS consider hot enough or B) burn out all our taste buds trying! - Thread starter
- #359
Bettacreek
Almost Self-Reliant
LOL! I want to do a decent amount of roma tomatoes so I can can them up. I figure to do a few jars of crushed tomato, chunk tomato and just tomato sauce. I like chunky stuff for chili, and sauce for, well, everything. I figure I can pop some paste and other seasonings in to make pizza sauce as well. We don't eat any fresh tomatoes, but the BF does. The boys will eat grape tomatoes, but I haven't seen any of them yet (only large planters for an arm and a leg). The peppers I figure I can make crushed red pepper, canned peppers in ketchup sauce and frozen or canned slices. Not sure how well canned would work, so I'm banking on freezing for stuff like stir-fry, hot sausage sammiches, etc. (PS. I do know how to spell sandwiches, I just like "sammiches" better, but say it correctly... I'm not a complete backwoods redneck, lol).
I have no idea how the broccoli will do to be honest. I've never done it. Most people seem to get tiny little heads, not the massive heads you can get at the grocery store. I won't do too many of the broccoli, because if it comes to a flop, I can always continue purchasing dollar bags of frozen. If it does well, I'll do more in the fall. Onions, I really only need a few. I'd like to get some chives, but I'd rather wild harvest some instead of buying them. They're really good on french fries, lol.
As for the turkeys, we have one that stands out from the rest... The little mix. It's the one that stays closest to us when we take them outside to forage. VERY friendly little bird. I'm hoping to god that it's a little hen. I've tried vent sexing, but they're just too small for me to figure it out yet. I think the ducks were between 1-2 months when I vent sexed them very easily, so I figure I'll just try once a week and see if I can find any peters in the group. If the little mix turns out to be a boy, I truely hope it turns mean before butcher time, otherwise, I'll have to figure out another pen, to keep mixies away from pure, because at this point already, I am attached to this little poult.
I have no idea how the broccoli will do to be honest. I've never done it. Most people seem to get tiny little heads, not the massive heads you can get at the grocery store. I won't do too many of the broccoli, because if it comes to a flop, I can always continue purchasing dollar bags of frozen. If it does well, I'll do more in the fall. Onions, I really only need a few. I'd like to get some chives, but I'd rather wild harvest some instead of buying them. They're really good on french fries, lol.
As for the turkeys, we have one that stands out from the rest... The little mix. It's the one that stays closest to us when we take them outside to forage. VERY friendly little bird. I'm hoping to god that it's a little hen. I've tried vent sexing, but they're just too small for me to figure it out yet. I think the ducks were between 1-2 months when I vent sexed them very easily, so I figure I'll just try once a week and see if I can find any peters in the group. If the little mix turns out to be a boy, I truely hope it turns mean before butcher time, otherwise, I'll have to figure out another pen, to keep mixies away from pure, because at this point already, I am attached to this little poult.
- Thread starter
- #360
Bettacreek
Almost Self-Reliant
So, I'm thinking that I have my garden planned out...
4 rows Banana Peppers 12" apart
4 rows Roma tomatoes 18" apart
2 rows green beans (bush) 4" apart
1 row lettuce 12" apart
1 row Bell peppers 12" apart
1/2 row Spinach 4" apart
1/2 row onions 4" apart
I also plan to plant a sugarbaby plant or two in there somewhere (probably taking up part of the onion portion of the row.
I might also move some of the rows closer together (the ones that can handle rows being 18" instead of 24" and add some extras or something.
One other really cool thing... Talon (my 4 year old) washed ALL of the dinner dishes tonight, by himself! I watched, because I expected to have to spot clean them, but he did a really good job. Apparently, he got my OCD for making sure that dishes are perfectly clean.
4 rows Banana Peppers 12" apart
4 rows Roma tomatoes 18" apart
2 rows green beans (bush) 4" apart
1 row lettuce 12" apart
1 row Bell peppers 12" apart
1/2 row Spinach 4" apart
1/2 row onions 4" apart
I also plan to plant a sugarbaby plant or two in there somewhere (probably taking up part of the onion portion of the row.
I might also move some of the rows closer together (the ones that can handle rows being 18" instead of 24" and add some extras or something.
One other really cool thing... Talon (my 4 year old) washed ALL of the dinner dishes tonight, by himself! I watched, because I expected to have to spot clean them, but he did a really good job. Apparently, he got my OCD for making sure that dishes are perfectly clean.
