Yep, there was... "The plants, each of which should produce no fewer than three potatoes" but that was my misunderstanding when I read Cocoas' post
You'll only get one sw potato per vine
The scuppernongs my brother has are bronze. My Momma makes pear syrup.
these scuppernongs turn bronze too but I like the flavor just before they turn bronze. I end up with some bronze ones too.
I have 4 gallons of wine fermenting---probably end up with 3 gallons when its all done.
Made 14 quarts of scuppernong juice today. 7 jars have some muscadines mixed with them. I like the color that muscadines add to the scuppernong juice. Looks fruity.
I wanted to make more juice today but had other chores to tend to.
Cocoa= what did you do for your chickens? How did it all turn out?
I cooked down and jarred 3 gallons of blueberries last night. This AM I have all these quart jars of blueberry topping to give away for Christmas gifts. I just washed them and dumped them into my big cast iron skillet. As they started to cook down I added sugar to them and stirred it in, then a little bit of cornstarch.
We have lots of wild grapes around here, but they are so tart they make you pucker like a lemon. The leaves work great for pickles, though. I am pickling cukes and green cherry tomatoes this week and a couple pints of jalapenos.
The first time I made anything with blueberries, I learned by accident that they have their own pectin. (in the skin) I thought that was so neat. I ran the blueberries in a food processor to make a natural fruit spread and they turned out jellied. We have a rental trailer next door to our blue berries and the guy who rented this year got out there and cleaned all the underbrush along with the blueberries. He didn't know it was blueberries. WE didn't get many blue berries this year but hoping for next year.
These muscadines are tart too. But the scuppernongs are extra sweet. Wow sweet. It is time for me to put fruit tree fertilizer spikes around the muscadines and scuppernongs. The last time I put fertilizer spikes in the ground was 4 years ago and they still have pretty green leaves. I don't prune them every year either but it is time to prune them this winter.
Nik= i do the same thing for Christmas. I didn't make any blackberry and strawberry preserves this year. The blackberries were dried up due to no rain at the time and the guineas ate all my strawberries....sigh
I will be making scuppernong jelly this week. Hoping to find more pears for pear preserves too.
I am trying something different with the preserves and jellies this year. I can't handle extra sweet jellies, so I am trying the low sugar fruit pectin.
Have fun with all the canning. Nothing more pleasing than to see a counter top full of preserved food at the end of a long hard and hot day over the stove.
Thanks for the article, Pod. I think my issue is fertilizer! Our county at one time produced a third of all sw potatoes grown in the US. I'm so dense, I figured if they grow that well here, they must just stick them in the soil. Duh.
Cricket, my situation might not be exactly the same as yours. I wormed and two rounds of antibiotics seemed to help their respiratory issues, but then they looked like they had pox symptoms. I had to put them all down. That's when we purchased the incubator and I decided not to bring anymore birds on to farm that had touched another's soil. Sorry, I don't remember what antibiotics we used. One was in water, followed by an injectable.
Cricket, I switched to Pomona's Pectin years ago. I make a lot of diabetic jellies/jams for friends and you can use anything from low sugar to no sugar and it will still jell! It appears more costly, but 1 box makes 3-4 runs, not just one like Sure-Jell. Of course, reducing the amount of sugar affects total volume/yield. I made jellied pure wine (not wine-flavored) one year and it was wonderful with crackers and cheese.
http://www.pomonapectin.com/
Thanks for the info on that pectin Darius. I had no idea there was such a thing. May make me more interested in doing some jellies now that we don't eat refined sugar.
I don't eat much sugar of any kind much anymore, except what's in fresh fruit... or when I go on a sugar binge... which luckily isn't often.
Hi, Everyone! It's taken hours for me to get caught up on this thread, so will post more tomorrow. Glad to see most everyone is still here. :)
Wow! Welcome back!
Welcome Back, msrobin!! we all thought you had abandoned us. How're things in Caneyville?
Hey Gal... missed you. Glad to see you post!
HI! Looking forward to a MsRobin report.
Just like in grade school, what did you do on your summer vacation? LOL
hey Robin!!!!! Look forward to hearing about your summer. You must be cleaning up the garden now for fall stuff. Hope you had better luck with the garden than I have had.
I have a hen who is gurgling slightly. guess I will drop some antibiotic into the water if it persists.
I'd love to make my own juice for drinking but have no idea how to go about it. I'd love to be able to make cider too but I don't have the freezer room to store it. I will be making room for freezing goat milk for winter. Need to get some more eggs in the freezer too.
I am working on getting Bobbie into the herd but Dusty is mean to her. Dusty is mean to everybody. She is the dominant doe. At times I lock her in the goat ouse so the rest of the herd does not have to worry about her. Bobbie is doing well but she is smaller than the others. She will be on a bottle for 3 weeks more and then she will be weaned with the others. I need to get a weaning pen made. Have to wean the first 2 in a week. The little wether is sold and he will be leaving in a week so that just leaves Blondie. Then I have the other 2 doelings to wean in 3 weeks. The other buckling is sold but I don't know when the guy wants him. He also wants a doe but I have not decided about that yet. I may sell Mollie after I finish milking her. She gives a good anount of milk but her teats are really short.
Thank you, thank you! It's good to be back! Loved reading about everything everyone has been doing.
I finally gave up on the computer in early July. Our wireless internet signal was so poor that it was extremely frustrating to do anything on the computer. Now have new internet service and I'm pretty happy.
Garden is doing great overall. (Anyone need any extra hot peppers or cucumbers? LOL) Ran out of spring and didn't get all of the spring planting done, and am already thinking about where the fall tunnels are going to need to go up. On the 2nd planting of squashes, squash bugs wiped out the first ones. They wrecked havoc on the tomato plants, but I think Al finally got the upper hand. Started putting in fall crops a couple of weeks ago and they are germinated and starting to grow. Al was a tremendous help this summer! The cattle panels I bought last spring for animal shelters (which didn't happen) were installed for trellises for cucumbers and tomatoes. Worked beautifully! Wished I had a few more (or more money to buy a few more) for the pole beans I planted. Sure would have made them easier to pick. Animals are on the agenda for next spring, if I don't get a terrific deal this fall.
CSA is doing well and I've got 9 great members/families. I had a goal of 25 members/families in 5 years, but I think we are going to stop at 12...15 at the most. We already have a waiting list started for next year. More than that and we'd have to hire help and I don't know that I could find anyone reliable around here. We have a lot of member interest in continuing after the summer season ends the end of September. I figure I can keep delivering through November.
Had 2 hens hatch out 6 chicks each (June 9th & July 4th). That's been fun watching the babies and seeing the Mamas teach them how to do things, like roost and take dust baths. As far as I can tell, we only had 1 little rooster in the first bunch and he's already gone. One of my members needed a rooster for her flock.
Al went back to work this week. Money was tight over the summer, but we had a great time. Sure going to miss him. My health is pretty good. Not too many breathing problems.
So folks...that's what I did on my summer vacation. LOL!
Glad to see you MsRobin. Welcome back.
Chickens. I read that most of the US is having problems with chickens breathing, runny noses, gurgling, eye infections , coughing, and death.... caused by a fungus due to high heat, dry air with misting systems to cool them off and general wet weather....
I also read about a new treatment for that. It's not well known yet. Most folks have to order the treatment online.
All these symptoms resemble gapeworms or coryza. But most turn out to be an upper respiratory fungal infection.
Antibiotics won't stop the fungus but it will help the infections that the fungus has caused. Oxine gets rid of the fungus.
I bought some at Smith Poultry online.
http://www.shagbarkbantams.com/page11.htm
http://www.poultrysupplies.com/index_files/Page395.htm
Any idea how long one quart will last? My hen is not gurgling any more. Thanks for the links. It's always good to know such stuff.
no idea how long one qt will last. I have never used it before----but ordered a qt. It hasn't got here yet. Waiting impatiently...
I haven't been eating the chicken eggs lately due to the worming and the antibiotics. yesterday i saw 6 eggs in the hen house but i left them there. This morning there was only 2. I knew there had to be another snake. Son got home from work and hunted it down. It didn't take long to find it. It was HUGE.. chicken snake. I don't know what to do about these snakes. Will be putting more moth balls around the outside of the barn tomorrow. Bunny should have babies by next week. ( if she is pg) And I ordered 25 Ameraucana chicks.
Cricket, good heavens girl, you've got time to take care of chickens and rabbits too on top of everything else? LOL
Cajun, aw, baby goats are so cute! Glad to hear your hen is better, too. I meant to tell you my members loved those long beans that you gave me the seeds for in the spring.
I was a little concerned about doing all of the harvesting, washing vegetables and packing up the boxes by myself, but it went well. I started yesterday and spent an hour at a time in the garden, harvesting a specific item and weeding the row, then coming in for an hour and washing and packaging said vegetables. Our weather monitor showed 100* yesterday and 97* today. Sure glad this week is over!
So glad they liked the beans. We love them. Did they grow well for you?
Cajun, They grew pretty well. I think I included them in deliveries 5 or 6 weeks. My members really liked them.
Darius, Hope you are doing okay with the weather. I went to your blog from the cheese thread to check out your cheese cave. Pretty cool, BTW! I didn't read all of the posts that I missed yet, but I found you ACV post and am going to make some of the one made with apple cores. I happen to have everything I need here. :)
I'm having a little trouble getting a routine established since Al left last weekend, because he did so much to help me with the garden and took care of the chickens and the garden pond and did all the mowing and weedeating...good thing yard work is almost done for the summer. LOL
yes, on top of building a house, gardening, playing with table top gardens, greenhouse tomatoes, lawn, fish pond, I also deal with the chickens and their coops and the snakes, the rabbits, the goat, the grandchildren, the child that is still at home and going to school. Plus regular household chores...laundry, cooking, cleaning. And And And dogs and A cat. Fleas, ticks, worms, baths, etc..... and an 81 year old grandfather. And and and and 4 rental properties.
I am normally running around doing chores and ignoring chores like a chicken with it's head cut off=====so to speak.
I am never bored. All the chores don't get completed. Sometimes I work on a chore just enough to get by with it.
On top of all that, I always find time to play Farmville on Facebook. Believe it or not. Jan, Feb. Mar, and April are the worst months of the year for me cause I also have to sow and germinate over 20,000 seed for the greenhouse and transplant and tend to all of those. I always feel like I am going completely mad during those months. And 90% of the time, I do it all alone not counting the house building. Hubby is my hero.
I was rounding up some Keets today. Normally they end of dieing or get eaten. I found two all alone and brought them in the house......I found another one and the mama guinea insisted that I go away........she was trying her best to flog me. I left her alone with her baby. Except for the two. I hate to take her babies but===they normally die anyway. Poor birdies.
Cricket, yeah, I know that (doing just enough sometimes to get by). Then there comes a point where you can't stand the status of something and then you dive in and do a more thorough job. I haven't been using my on-going "to do" list notebook and felt scatter-brained all summer. Glad you were able to rescue the two babies.
hello
wow yoiu all have been so busy!
i understand about routines. still trying to get in my groove of things
DH went back to china, school started for kids
new projects on the horizon for end of summer and begging of fall. a lot of plants to get in ground.
hey but i learn't how to drive that tractor of ours finely !! Woohooo.
darius how is the cheese coming along ? it always looks so good the pics you post . yum
Hi Cricket how does your garden grow ? seems you have a full scheduale
well off and watering ....
Missed you here, Sue. Come back and chat with us more often!
Darius, how's your weather been? Did the wind and rain make it that far inland to your place?
I tried to find more indepth instructions for making vinegar with apple cores and ran across a mention of making it with watermelon and sugar. I'm pretty interested in making several kinds. Found some organic AC vinegar with "mother"...whew, almost $6 a quart! Funny thing is, I don't even use vinegar that often. LOL
I finally went and visited a place called Caneyville Gardens with some friends last week after all these years here. I thought it was a nursery with just plants and such, but come to find out it was an Amish store and they also carry lots of bulk spices/herbs, some organic foods and a bunch of utensils and canning supplies, etc. Love it! And it will now be added to my Tuesday morning trip to fetch many gallons of spring water and pick whatever fruit is available from my organic fruit farmer friend.
Sue, how you've been? You been MIA all summer. too? LOL
Hey, great find, Robin!!
I started several kinds of fruit wines last year, intending to ultimately convert the alcohol to acetic acid. Most are still awaiting my attention. Peach, raspberry, elderberry and plum, mostly. I think I ended up with about 25 gallon jugs!
I use Bragg's ACV almost every day. Right now I'm drinking 2 tsp. in half a cup of water twice a day for arthritis in my finger joints. BTW, I added a tablespoon or two of it to the water over the apple chunks I'm fermenting for ACV.
BTW, I added a tablespoon or two of it to the water over the apple chunks I'm fermenting for ACV.
Gotta love the Amish way of living.
ACV stinks to = and back. I used some on my scalp(diluted) and I didn't think that aroma would ever go away. Put some in the chicken water too.
taynors Sue? how does my garden grow.......kinda dry at the moment. It hasn't rained in about two weeks....I don't have much growing right now anyway. Been cleaning out the beds getting it ready for Fall crops. I have carrots coming up everywhere in the Table Top Gardens.
The rabbit is gonna have babies any day now. Between Tuesday and Thursday.. She has gotten extra plump in the past several days.. I been making her a new cage that will keep the snakes out.
I'm down to making a door for it.
Robin, I only made the wine first so I'd be sure and have enough alcohol to convert to vinegar. With the "quick" methods, it's always iffy to know if you actually ferment enough alcohol to get a decent strength vinegar.
Cricket, I don't find the smell of ACV offensive, just vinegary. Are you sure yours hadn't molded beyond usability?
What kind of bunnies do you have Cricket ? we have mini rex and Netherland dwarf. need to get our ND a girlfriend :)
this year i m plating grapes... i have 4 varietys one is a seedless Suffolk Red ?
a Concord and some others i can't recall at moment ... typical me... fergets about everything i do before lunch LOL
i love ACV... the smell, taste everything about its. just love it. Its good for gout too. DH drinks it for his .
may try my hand at saurkraut this year too. got my buckets all ready
Robyn great find on the store stuff.
found some large canners at a salvation army only 8.00 each ! and some great old pots and kettles ! they are aluminum and from Wear Ever. and guess where they are made !!!??? ......... wait for it .......... USA !! HA. :) got a a bunch of them. all .50 each hehehehe.... love salvation army..
Sue, don't use aluminum pots and pans with acid things like tomatoes, sauerkraut, etc. !!
I thought all Wear-Ever was stainless steel?
darius= I just cant stand vinegar. I bought the braggs ACV at the health store. It looks good. I knew I needed it and the chickens needed it even if I can't stand the smell of it. One other aroma that I do not like and that's Vanilla. (barf) I'm just a weirdo.
what kind of rabbits do I have?= I think they are white New Zealand . I actually forgot , so I am guessing now. I wanted to raise them for meat, but I might have a problem with that after petting them every day. Sigh. I thought I was tougher than this.
Make pets of your breeders. They will be easier to handle. Be kind and humane to the litters but don't pet them. Then they are simply product.
Cajun, great advice!
Sterilizing my jars for vinegar and yogurt, and fixing to whip up my yogurt. Found a couple of recipes for frozen yogurt that I'm going to try later this week. Starting vinegar this evening.
Started putting up the hoops for the tunnels in the garden to prolong the harvest. We're already getting in the upper 50's at night. Egads, where did the summer go?
Where did summer go? It settled down here: 104 at the moment and something like the 46th consecutive day of 100+ degree temperatures. I'll try to send some up if you like.
I'm taking a break and ya'll are wearing me out with talk of your projects.lol
Need the break, exciting morning. Trees have taken out the fence line on the west pasture. Move all the cattle to the other side. My cows broke out in the excitement of the move. One of the beefers got stuck in the mud, took 6 people and a tractor, three hours to dig her out! The rope broke once, slicing our friends hand open. Then while out in the pasture, noticed a wet area, where it shouldn't be wet! Dh is out fixing the leak, then we're back to put a hot wire around the area where the cow sank.
Summer can leave for all I care! This drought is getting old, but our saving grace was cooler temps and overcast. If it had been 108, we might've just shot the cow.
If this was a 'normal' year, those cows would be under water.
Gads Lyn, what a "cow mess"!!! Sounds like the fence fix isn't too hard, though.
I'm starting to cut down summer flower debris, making a new compost pile closer to where I need it. Gettin' too worn-out to wheelbarrow compost up the hill!
Robin, I bought some heavy duty row cover several weeks ago (can't remember now if I bought 25' or 50'). I only need maybe 15' or so plus enough for the ends, for what I will want to cover this year, since a fall crop was an after-thought, plus using row covers is new to me. How apart do you space your hoops? I have some old 1/2" pvc pipe in the barn, hoping it's not too brittle to use... for this year anyway. Do you run a piece down the center of the hoops too?
