Lorihadams-- hi guys...been busy!

[lorihadams]

Oh, and my EE decided to jump over the pasture fence and is now missing and presumed dead. No more green eggs

I'm so gonna get big fat brahmas that won't jump the fence.

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

I would really miss my green eggs too. Especially since my kid really loves them so much.

Happy belated birthday from me too.

 

[Denim Deb]

Sorry to hear about your EE. I love my green eggs too.

 

[keljonma]

Oh, and my EE decided to jump over the pasture fence and is now missing and presumed dead. No more green eggs

I'm so gonna get big fat brahmas that won't jump the fence.

Sorry to hear about your EE. :/

Jersey Giants are good for staying put!

 

[lorihadams]

So today Wednesday....it is supposed to be 96 degrees today. I am going out in a bit to mow the pastures and then we are heading to the pool. I would have done it earlier when I did my morning chores but we got a shower last night and the grass is still wet. I went to my BF's house yesterday and spent 4 hours going through her DD's clothes and came home with a huge bag of clothes and shoes for Maddie! She is trying everything on as we speak.

The good news is that we should be done with the electrical and plumbing this weekend!!!! I am sooooo excited! I figured up the total we have spent so far and we are right at $16500 for everything. We only have about $1000 or so left to pay for so should be under budget enough that I can put the deck with a gate on the front of the milk room and fence in a chute from the pasture to the front door and no more leashes! I'll also have my frost free spigot right at the barn so I can water all the animals much easier now.

The bad news is that our contractor has still not come to put up the trim boards around the garage door. THIS is exactly why I didn't want to pay him the last check until this piddly little stuff was done. Seriously, it would take about 30-45 minutes to do. It will take longer to measure and cut the pieces that it will to actually put them on. Now hubby has called the courthouse to see what he needs to do about filing charges against him if he doesn't come finish the work by the end of the week. GREAT.

I got the barn cleaned up some and I need to check the garden out, I think I'm gonna plant some more stuff....when do I plant brassicas for a fall harvest? Also can I plant spinach this late in the year or will it just bolt in the heat? What about chard and beets and turnips cause mine that I planted in April/May didn't do squat, they didn't even come up.

 

[keljonma]

Hey, Lori, have you checked out thredUP? I am using it to get rid of some old children's clothes, books and toys.

http://www.thredup.com/gan_new?clickid=0004a64dc4d8bafe0a2ab481edf30d14


If you can provide the brassicas, spinach, chard, beets a place where they can get some shade in the hottest part of the day, they might do well. Container gardening might work for you better, if you don't have such a place in the garden beds.

TR and I used to wait until the tomatoes were tall/bushy enough to provide shade and plant the chard and greens next to them and they did very well in the shade of the tomatoes.

 

[Javamama]

Lori.
Here's a handy chart I use for planting - just pick your region and choose a month to see what to plant and how to plant it http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/What-To-Plant-Now.aspx

 

[lorihadams]

Cool, I tried planting the spinach in the shadow of the tomatoes and I may just go out there and replant it....like I have had to do with every-stinkin-thing else.

The problem with our garden spaces is that they get full afternoon sun so shading them is an issue but we just don't have any other options unless we plant stuff right up agains the back porch which is currently all dug up for the electric lines. :/

I am thinking of adding some sand to our soil in the boxes cause it seems really heavy and I may add some pearlite (sp?) to fluff it up a bit for next year. We are definitely gonna have to work with this soil some. I am trying to figure out what I'm gonna plant in the corn/melon patch over the winter to help with the soil cause it is working out great as a place to grow those veggies.

 

[keljonma]

I am thinking of adding some sand to our soil in the boxes cause it seems really heavy and I may add some pearlite (sp?) to fluff it up a bit for next year. We are definitely gonna have to work with this soil some. I am trying to figure out what I'm gonna plant in the corn/melon patch over the winter to help with the soil cause it is working out great as a place to grow those veggies.

TR and I usually plant buckwheat in the summer and then till it under in the spring. But last year, we planted it in the spring. The honeybees covered the flowers, and some of our honey had tones of buckwheat in it. We tilled it into the soil late last autumn.

Another good green manure is clover.

 

[keljonma]

The problem with our garden spaces is that they get full afternoon sun so shading them is an issue but we just don't have any other options unless we plant stuff right up agains the back porch which is currently all dug up for the electric lines. :/

A small hoop with landscaping/shade cover would work. My sil used old hoops from her croquet set.