Sunday, May 6, 2012

Yet Another Garden/Animal Update!

Wow!!! It seems that this time of year the days seem to rush by and before you know it an entire week has been spent.  I've been spending most mornings out in the garden. I'm trying to catch up with all the weeding that needs to be done, but that is a never ending chore.  I let it go for about a week right after the wreck and am still playing catch up.  For the most part though the garden is looking good and everything seems to be growing fine. Too bad they don't grow as fast as the danged weeds though!  

 Squash, beans, peas, peppers and a couple of tomato plants are showing their blooms.  The amaranth is starting to take off now after a fairly slow start.  I can't wait to see how it works out.  I've never grown it before and am really excited about it. 
Everything planted so far is coming up.  We have been picking lettuce daily and some spinach and Swiss Chard as well.   Now if we can just keep the bugs out.....  I saw my first squash bug yesterday. I hoped somehow they might have forgotten about me this year but I'm afraid that's just not meant to be.  Already the bugs have become a problem.  I've been alternately spraying with the garlic pepper soap and dusting with D.E.  for the past week so I'm hoping that will help some.  Dang bugs ate my turnip greens down n two days to where they look like lace they have so many holes!  This HAS to stop.  LOL!   



We still haven't finished up the last garden area we are planning on using.  This is in the same area that we had the first garden in last year but it's been extended a bit.   There are still two more rows to "hill up" and the drip line to lay.  I keep telling Mars we are running out of time.  Tick tock... tick tock...   I still want to get the watermelon, cantaloupe, more squash and the sweet potato's planted.  What room is left we will plant with beans or field peas to help with the nitrogen in the soil for next year.  This building up of the soil for the future will take time but hopefully in a couple of years we will start seeing the benefits.  

The baby chicks are all doing great.  The first five that hatched are now able to get all the way up to the top branch of the roost at night and are actually starting to look more like chickens than chicks.  The other four are right behind them.  I'm finally starting to get some eggs each day again from the hens.  They all decided to take a break at the same time and stop laying.  Of course that is probably due to the fact that they all decided they liked the chick starter rather than their regular food.  I don't have anything set up to separate the babies from the adults right now so there's no way to "make" the big guys stop eating baby food so I'm thinking the diet change messed with the egg production. Live and learn, right? 


Oh, the picture of the kitty up there?  That's our newest addition to the homestead. Meet Coco... Coco meet my friends!
                 ~~~~~~   Hey ... I'm Just Sayin' ... ~~~~~~~

29 comments:

  1. Glad to see the progress being made. Keep it up.

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  2. Now Coco is just the most adorable dusky coloured little bundle that could fit into the camping chair opening meant to hold a can, glass or bottle. Very cute :)

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    1. LOL Dani, she is already almost to big to fit there anymore. She sure is a ton of fun though.

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  3. Coco looks like a fine little fellow? Gal?

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  4. Coco looks like a fine little fellow? Gal?

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  5. Coco is adorable! Glad to hear your garden is going okay...down here...not so much. Heat is hitting us early this year. I think this summer is going to be a scorcher.

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    1. Girl so far things in the garden are going well. The weather here got real warm real early but still hits the normal temps sometimes. I don't wish another summer like last years on anyone! I don't know how you do it with the heat during "normal" times.... I lived out there for a few months many years ago. You are a trooper! LOL

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  6. Sci, that is just the cutest picture!...Glad to hear your garden is doing well except for the bugs. I am totally surprised the bugs have not attacked here. We had such a mild winter that I thought they would be out in full force but not so yet....You watch...just because I wrote this I will have an army of them by next week!

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    1. Mama Bear I agree about the mild winter and the bugs. I'm afraid the worse is yet to come this year. I'll send killer bug vibes your way to fight the incoming army!

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  7. Sci - it sounds like you guys are doing awesomely in regards to the garden - and hey - i want more pics - bahahah! and that little coco is adorable!!! for me - i've got a plastic wrapped porch filled with little green things just counting down the days until June 1 - woohoo! can't wait to get it all in the ground! i'm growing amaranth this year as well....we'll have to share notes!

    lots of love to you both! your friend,
    kymber

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    1. kymber I know you are just "pacing" around that porch feeling all itchy and stuff!! June will be here before you know it though. I know how frustrating it is to have to wait when so many of us are already starting to pick stuff.

      I've been really interested in the amaranth. I've done a bunch of reading on it and think it could be quite a beneficial addition. People across the world use it as a staple crop. I'm excited to see how they do and to do some experimenting! (I have my notebook at the ready)

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  8. Nothing like eating fresh from the garden! I have fresh tomatoes right off the vine outside my door!

    Cherry tomatoes, but perfect for popping in your mouth when eating a sandwich!

    Heck, I even like them for breakfast!

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    1. Yummmm.... I love tomato's! I saw a flower on one today so hopefully by next month we should see some.

      And tomato's for breakfast??? OMGOSH!!! One of my favorite meals is scrambled eggs, sliced tomato's and toast. Oh... and good hot coffee!

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  9. We had "I HOPE" our last freeze Last night. I've held off putting anything in the ground but this week I will be getting the beds planted. I'll be doing some more Bucket gardening ala Kris at Simply Living.

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    1. Sounds like a good thing you had the patience not to jump the gun! I just love how well using buckets work. There is SO MUCH you can grow in them. Before we moved here I used lots and lots of containers for gardening and had really good luck with it too. Kris is an inspiration for sure!

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  10. Sci, Kittens are so adorable. Great picture of Coco, enjoy the new member of your family.
    It sounds like your chickens are enjoying themselves a little to much, lol. There taking a break from working Sci :-)
    There never seems to be enough time in the day to get everything done that you want for your garden. Where does the time go?
    Have a fabulous Sunday.

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    1. Sandy, I just love kittens. They are so much fun! And funny too. Our MissKitty is now about 5 and well over the cute stage. Now she just kind of looks at me like I'm crazy when I try to get her to play! Silly cat...

      Good news on the chickens though. One of the girls has decided to start laying again, now if the others will just follow her lead!
      I think even if the days were twice as long I'd never catch up around here. It should be a really interesting summer for sure. I've never been involved in working a garden this big!

      I got your email and will be in touch soon. Thanks!!

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  11. Hello Coco, sounds like everything is going great on your Homestead I am happy to hear that. I think everyone is having a hard time with the Bugs in the Garden & now the Grasshoppers are getting worse.

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    1. ccm, so far so good but those bugs have me worried! I heard that your garden is coming along well. The grasshoppers just might be a pretty bad problem as hot as it was down there where you are. Good luck in your Bug War. :-)

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  12. Sounds exciting! Wish I had advice for your chicks but our hens do the same thing. We tried to make a kind of creeper feeder for chicks, but the hens can squeeze through almost anything if there are crumbles involved! Stevie@ruffledfeathersandspilledmilk.com

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  13. Hmmm... an anti-government blog about self reliance and independence with a "donate" button pandering for money. Isn't that a conflict?

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  14. Stevie, it's a new experience for sure but I'm finding that I just LOVE chickens. They are so much fun. And you're right... they can squeeze thru some really small places!

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  15. Anonymous... It's my blog. I figure I can put most anything I want here. If you don't care for it....find another blog

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  16. A narration of your gardening activity in this post. I too sometimes have a thought why plants don't grow as fast as weeds.I hate the way that weeds grow in my garden. they make a mess of my garden. I have hurt my hands many times, in trying remove the weeds from my garden.

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