Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[frustratedearthmother]

Not sure what all is going to happen today, but I've got some plans at least. DS borrowed the tractor on Friday and will be bringing it back at some point today. When he's here we're going to run the electric fence across another section. We've done the section in front of the neighbors property which keeps Cowboy in the pasture as a whole. The section we run today will keep him from coming up to the yard and the other pens - basically keeping him in the big pasture. We will have to cross 3 gates - which is why DS will be helping. I haven't mastered gate - haven't even tried yet.

This change will be to keep Cowboy away from the girls. I predict that the girls will be coming into heat shortly. I can only hope that Macho Man (cowboy) will respect the fence for the duration. If not - it will be weeks of misery for all of us.

As soon as I find some clothes (yes, I'm in my robe with a cup of coffee at the scandalous time of 9:40!) I'm going to go out to the garage where I have my seed starting area and actually put seeds into the pots. Fingers crossed that we have a good result. I usually get a great start from the tomato plants and beautiful growth and production - it's just that those stoopid stinkin' stink bugs get all the benefit. I'm counting on our hard freezes to have decimated them! Hopefully... If not - drastic action will be taken!

 

[sumi]

for success with the seeds and hard luck for the bugs!

How is DH's eyes and vision now?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

DH has a follow-up eye appointment this afternoon. His vision has improved in some areas... he's not experiencing double vision anymore like he did for a few days. But, he says he feels like he's looking through a frozen windshield. Not much clarity there. And, he's supposed to go back to work next week.

I got some tomato seeds planted yesterday and noticed as I was planting them that they weren't the seeds I thought I had ordered. I use Tomato Fest for my tomato seeds and I love the variety they offer. I thought I had ordered a hot/humid collection of seeds, but it looks like I ended up with a different collection. That's ok, I'm fine with experimenting. I've got 60 seeds in the dirt and I've got room for 12 more because I need to get some Cherokee Purple seeds. I would have sworn I had some but couldn't find 'em in my seed drawer. I checked wally world and they didn't have them so I guess I need to get busy and get some ordered. Peppers and eggplant are next on the list to get started. I'm probably biting off more than I can chew but I want a HUGE garden this year... I'm counting on it being a less buggy year because of the weather. One can hope, right?

We went to my son's house for the Super Bowl. It was a chance to spend time with my son and his wife and that hasn't happened in awhile. Well, they've come and helped me with the electric fencing, but this was purely family time. I would rather have had our home-town team playing, but eh... We went for the social aspect and ended up really enjoying the game! It was a nail biter right down to the finish.

My son had also come over earlier in the day to return the tractor. While he was there he moved a round bale into the bucks area since they had totally decimated the one they had. He's braver on the tractor than I am, lol. He went through some pretty deep mud and made new ruts that will have to be dealt with later - but there was no other choice. We, mostly meaning he, finished off the last (hopefully) leg of the electric fence. I saw Cowboy go to his regular place to exit the pasture and enter the yard. He stood up on his back legs and inspected the hotwire, but never touched it. He dropped down and walked away. Clearly he's experienced the "bite" previously and decided to not even try it again. YAY!!!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Yay for family time! Even though I'm bitter about the game.

Hope the appointment is helpful, and he can see in time to go to work!

Planting a big garden-go you!

 

[Mini Horses]

I'm probably biting off more than I can chew but I want a HUGE garden this year...

ME, TOO !

Let's see, the way I want things to go, I'll need to quit work for others and hire a few to help here. Ain't gonna happen!! We probably BOTH need to get a grip on ourselves. My chickens love any extra & imperfects.

I can see some weeds in my future and I will consider it a "natural garden area".... since it obviously isn't gonna be MY fault they grew. If I can walk thru & pick some veggies, I'm going to call it a success. HOPING to can this year. I do not like frozen green beans--too dry. Love to see jars of canned food.

Jury still out on raising some broilers. Certain butchering these extra roos in next couple weeks will help me decide.
I WILL salvage all the broodies I can and set eggs.

 

[NH Homesteader]

I told DH I want to do about 8-10 meat birds. Call me spoiled but sometimes I want to pull chicken breasts out of the freezer and not have to cook a whole chicken!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Let's see, the way I want things to go, I'll need to quit work for others and hire a few to help here. Ain't gonna happen!! We probably BOTH need to get a grip on ourselves.

You're right! But, aren't all gardeners eternal optimists anyway, lol! I plan on using my extra hay to mulch heavily this year. I had hay last year that had been sprayed so I wasn't able to use it - and then all the rain we had just killed everything anyway. I'm going to build bigger hills/rows this year to hopefully stave that problem off. And, I'll utilize my big tubs for certain things too. That helps if we have too much water...which is almost a given. I'd actually like a dry summer... I can add water, but I sure can't take it away very easily.

Even though I'm bitter about the game.

It definitely was a tough game but exciting even for a 'fair weather fan' like me. I wasn't especially rooting for either team...I was rooting to win on the football pot I was on, lol. Didn't happen...

I'm not really going to concentrate on chickens this year. I'll let whatever happens with the birds happen...if they wanna hatch some chicks I'm ok with that...but I want to concentrate on quail this year. When my son bought his house there was a huge, long set of rabbit pens that were left there. I think they're in good enough shape that I could re-purpose them in to quail pens. They were built as one huge unit that will be terrible to try to move. They'll have to be cut in pieces to get them on a trailer...and DS's trailer (actually MY trailer on permanent loan to DS) is 18 feet long! I want to try to get that done if it EVER dries up. I think we're supposed to have rain on and off all week...GRRRRR!

I did manage to check a bunch of goat eye membranes and just about every one I checked looked nice and pink. That makes me happy! I've trying hard to get everybody on track and healthy after basically giving nothing but bare bones minimal care for nearly 5 months.

Next on the agenda, I've got to figure out a way to get Conan moved out of the house. No real rush though because it's much easier to feed him when he's close. I really should have gotten him a companion, but we're enjoying his goofy self and he's totally bonded to both DH and me. It's probably going to be a giant challenge to ever get him to figure out that he's a goat, lol. I know, I know - need pics!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Finished up ordering some garden seeds. I couldn't find my Cherokee Purple seeds that I thought I had...guess I used 'em up. I've got some on the way now, along with a few other things that I just had to try. I'm going to try growing spaghetti squash...don't know why I've never tried it before. Trying another winter squash called Palav Kadu Squash along with some Napa cabbage. I love Kimchee so I always try to grow a few heads of Napa cabbage. Also got some more Rattlesnake beans and some Thai Purple Yard long beans that are just awesome! Decided to try Cherokee Trail of Tears beans too. Hoping that after these next two weeks that are forecasted to be WET that things will dry up a little or I won't be planting anything....grrrrr!

Heck, I'm not even sure WHERE I'm planting this year. I think I'm gonna spread things out in several places and see what happens. Maybe put corn and okra in the back area where the pigs were earlier....maybe the beans up in the front of that section and the tomatoes up closer to the house so I can keep a good eye on them. Then, I'm thinking that the vining things, especially the winter squashes that will take a long time and a lot of space can go behind the barn. Going BIG this year for whatever silly reason that I think I need to... Just felt like I've slacked the last couple years in the garden.

I'm going to have to make some tough decisions in the livestock area. I hate herd reduction - and I suck at it, lol. But, it still needs to be done. However, it will wait until we get some dry weather. I won't have folks come out to look at goats and have to slop through the mud.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Aw downsizing is hard! How many are you looking to get down to?

Yay big garden plans!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Ideally, I'd like to get to under 20. But, I don't even know how many I have right now. Too scared to do a head count, lol.