Just received a picture of a woman standing in her garden with the words..... "Grandma survived the great depression, because her food chain was local and she knew how to do stuff!"
Got a little bored yesterday so I decided to set up a redneck engineered aquaponics set up to grow lettuce. The only thing I had to go to the store for was the expanded clay pellets, $26.
You know you live by a bunch of idiots when it’s 40 degrees last weekend we are supposed to be staying inside with this virus going around but yet there are a bunch of people out walking around and riding motorcycles in t-shirts...
I've got bib lettuce onions and collards in the ground and under the tarp. Beef steaks, early girls, romas, banansweet sweet cherry tomatoes, banana peppers, hot peppers and snap peas are all growing in the windowsill. I'll put the peas out in a few weeks. The other stuff will go in the ground first of May. I only have a small garden box but it produces enough for me and my wife with plenty to give away. I'll also plant some sweet corn and summer squash outside of the garden box. As far as ornamental plants I've got some gang buster hydrangeas and massive hostas I'm going to split this weekend. I also plant a lot of flowers like zenia and milk weed for bees and butterfly's I could give a rip about herbs but keep 2 herb boxes for my wife with basil, rosemary, mint, celantro, and thyme.
I've delayed planting anything else . Room, lack of light and freezing temps have what I did already sad and lanky. Brassicas, onion from seed, garlic and lettuce. I had hoped to have the hoop house done but between rain, the pandemic and waiting on hubbies truck I'm way behind. He was able to get to lumber yard on time yesterday. Now today it's raining. I have to have his help in cutting the post to correct height and because he's a perfectionist will need help attaching the wall board that will hold the cattle panel. It called for a 16' deck board he felt it needed a 16' PT 2x6. twice as heavy. I'm hoping he's willing to help this weekend,weather permitting. Today I start the tomato and peppers. Some will be for in ground and others in hoop house same with cukes and melons. I should have good room seeing it will be 16' x 12' I was goi g to due 36 " walls but now looming at 40 " to give me a bit more hang basket and trell height.
I have a huge groundhog tunnel under one of the monkey cages at the old goat barn. It goes under the barn 15ft from the garden,it may have a family now. Used the monkey cages ( stainless steel primate cages) I was given when I had my grooming business then for kid bedding. The things universities throw away. Looks like I have some small game hunting to do here soon,other than May turkey.
Are you adding fish to that tub? I wish I had electricity across the street. With our wind I'm considering a solar wind bank at goat barn then running the wiring to green house. Hubby now seems to be getting into this. He on his own went on line shopping for greenhouse covers. 12mil thread reinforced green house cover. He worries about the winds they are tough up here especially late summer fall. Lightening storms alone send us to the basement. Strange amount of strikes in this area.
It has five goldfish we've had for three years or so. In getting the house in town ready for market I filled in the garden pond last year and set up a 40 gallon stock tank to hold the fish over until we get into the new place. I'm figuring out I could have waited 2 years. I'll grow some lettuce in that tray and that's about it. Just something to do.
Hubby and I worked on the level marking for the hoop house. Oh boy that was a task. But he was patient with my used materials. Living on a constant slope is..interesting. Lol. Should have a lot done tomorrow but the cover will take time to get in.
I love hubby ...really do...but his perfectionism makes me want to dig my eyes out. WTH!! ITS A SIMPLE HOOP HOUSE! 3/8th of an inch wasn't worth 4 hrs. We are working with old used post I set without concrete.who cares if it's a little off. I built these by my self years ago using a hand saw, short level, hammer ,nails ,screws, a battery drill and measuring tape. Still there and up right.
The hoop house cover arrived today . Fed X put it on the porch. So need to finish frame if weather clears and wait fir a non windy time to set the plastic. Snow coming tomorrow till weekend. Chain saw is stillacting up think clutch finally wore down. I did get the one big maple sectioned, so I can move with tractor. Bad timing so much to finish cutting or sectioning. Hubby says should be an easy fix.
OK this is taking way longer than I EVER wanted. Though hubby has taken an interest and I can't complain about that. I had dug and set the posts. He leveled everything cut the tops off to height and we both set the rails for cattle panals. Set one to get height and decided 2 of 4 I had were too rusty. So waited for a 10% off coupon which came yesterday. Panels will be gotten this weekend. Took pics today of what we have done. 16x12x8ft tall. Also of the raised bed for strawberries I'm putting in then will make one for asparagus. Just got saw fixed again so that should be done this weekend. Then a pic of size of garden area. wss
So we went TSC this morning got 4 panels and my chestnut tree fencing. What an ordeal....lol I haven't seen hubby in public till now. He's always been a germ A phobic but EEGGAADDS it was a tad embarrassing. First he wouldn't leave truck until employees backed up Then they sent this clueless guy ,no gloves and a bandana out who just would not listen Stay the F back came out at one point. The panels were wired up in heavy wire everywhere that hubby cut. Then we loaded them. Meanwhile clueless went to check on fencing and I said I'll get it in a second. Next thing I know he's bear hugging a roll. Brings it closer and hubby notices wrong fence. By this time I've about lost it. OK Stand back while I cut this pallet . Just PLEASE GET BACK! He said you sure you can get that roll? I reached down yanked up the 100 ft roll and said " I'm 62 not weak thanks and walked it over to the truck hubby was securing the panels. He touched my receipt so many times I now can't read it due to the bleachings with my pocket bleaching sprayer. Felt like I was in a Abbott and Costello skit.
