I’ve been gone from the blogosphere for a long time. With preparations for a long trip, the trip, preparations for the fair and the fair, I’ve been hopping. Here are a few pictures from the 4h fair.
My daughter showing Josh. She won Fifth place for Showmanship (her first show). Josh won First place for Quality in the Feeder Class for Market Goat. He was 2 lbs. shy of making weight so that he was shown in the feeder class. The judge thought he looked good enough to be auctioned even though he didn’t make weight.
My 9 yr old showing her Black Silkie to the judge.
She won Second in Showmanship and Grand Champion Reserve for Quality.
My two younger children watching the livestock auction.
9 yr old auctioning Josh.
This post is linked to Saturday on the Farm at Linda’s Lunacy.
Henny Penny, August 6th 2010 |
Posted in chickens, goats, homesteading
A pathetic cutting from 4 plants. The sudden hot weather caused 3 of my 4 plants to try and bolt.
Now that’s a little better.
The little florets are off the 3 plants I first harvested a couple weeks ago.
Henny Penny, July 12th 2010 |
Posted in gardening, homesteading
Click for larger pictures.
Potato Patch
Pumpkin and Winter Squash
Corn
Onion and Garlic with Parsnip on the edges
Onions
More Onions and Chard
Lettuce and radishes and lettuce sprouts.
I had planted some really old spinach that never came up so I reseeded with lettuce.
Carrots
Peppers
Tomatoes
Cabbage
Zucchini and Cucumbers
Cole Crops
Kidney Beans
Black Eyed Peas
This was originally Snap Peas, but only a few came up. So I replanted Beans and Cucumbers.
This post is linked to Tuesday’s Garden Party.
Henny Penny, June 29th 2010 |
Posted in gardening, homesteading
I want to share with you something that has made my life so much better.
It’s called a halter.
Growing up in town and moving to the country, I find that I know very little about much of anything. And any rudimentary knowledge is hard bought.
I love the halter.
This post is linked to Saturday on the Farm.
Henny Penny, June 26th 2010 |
Posted in goats, homesteading
Here is a picture of my extra large leaf spinach. This is where my spinach went to seed last year. I’m letting it grow so I can collect the seed. This areas is currently the kitty restroom.
The spinach is regular spinach, it’s just amazingly large. The plants have done so well I’m hoping to plant next years seed in the fall.
I put this cloth over my corn. I haven’t had a good corn turnout since my first year at this house. I think the reason is birds. I have many many birds in my garden and more than enough worms to share. But I wont share my corn! I saw some people use chicken wire. But I already had this cloth and it’s easier to set up. When I worked in an organic market garden we called the cloth remay, but that isn’t what it was called when I ordered it. The cloth lets the light and water through and also warms the soil.
Here is some that my children planted in their garden. I had to space the staples every foot to hold up in heavy winds.
Here are some of the Cole crops I planted last week. I picked off most of the outside leaves and placed a cut worm collar around each plant. The cut worm collar is a piece of newspaper 2 inches by 3 inches wrapped around each plant. By the time the newspaper breaks down the stem is big enough that cut worms don’t bother it. My mom always used cut pieces on aluminum cans. I planted my cabbage and kale 3, 2, 3 in a wide row and everything else 2, 1, 2.
The strawberries are starting to look really nice.
See more gardening posts at An Oregon Cottage’s Tuesday Garden Party
Henny Penny, June 9th 2010 |
Posted in gardening, homesteading
I finally got up the nerve to attempt to tame the apple tree. It had never been pruned before. When we first moved in the apple tree was not producing at all. I didn’t know what to do, so I just thinned the branches. The following year we had apples.
As I studied the branches this spring I got a little nervous, what I was about to do was drastic. So I had my gardening expert friend to take a look. She agreed with me.
Yikes! I hope it works.
Oh Dickie!
Henny Penny, June 2nd 2010 |
Posted in fruit trees, gardening, homesteading
The ducks are getting big. They are easily 4 times the size of the Turkeys which I got at the same time. I think they are competitive with the Cornish Cross, but I have not yet looked up the feed to meat ratio.
I think the white one may be a drake, but I’m not sure what drake behavior looks like.
The ducks can not tolerate being separated, even for a few minutes. It’s very traumatic. And they do not under any circumstances socialize with chickens.
One of the cherry bushes I planted last year has 5 buds. It’s so small, I’m surprised it has any.
I planted both Black Currants and Jostaberries last year. I’m guessing this is a Jostaberry flower but I’m not sure.
And this would be Black Currant if my original guess was correct.
See more Saturday on the Farm at Linda’s Lunacy
Henny Penny, May 29th 2010 |
Posted in gardening, homesteading, poultry
An updated picture of my starts. The empty pots are seeds I planted later.
Here are the plants I bought at the store waiting to get planted.
Henny Penny, May 25th 2010 |
Posted in gardening, homesteading
I finally made it to cleaning out the barn, well, halfway cleaned. Boy was it deep! I didn’t get the barn cleaned out for some time due to ongoing health problems. I can’t wait to have this job finnished!
Henny Penny, May 11th 2010 |
Posted in goats, homesteading
