Gardening / Homesteading

[Foxx]

I would opt for straw myself (au naturalis). Not only does it help to retard weed growth when you have enough of it down (3"'s should be sufficient), it helps your soil retain moisture.

[Jabba The Hutt]

14 hours ago, Foxx said:

I would opt for straw myself (au naturalis). Not only does it help to retard weed growth when you have enough of it down (3"'s should be sufficient), it helps your soil retain moisture.

Always been a fan of thickkkkk woodchip mulch. Turns into black gold soil fairly quickly and retains moisture. Straw doesn't break down like at all.

[Foxx]

21 minutes ago, Jabba The Hutt said:

Always been a fan of thickkkkk woodchip mulch. Turns into black gold soil fairly quickly and retains moisture. Straw doesn't break down like at all.

No, it doesn't. Well, it does but you really have to compost it to get it to do so in any sort of short period. Horse manure seems to help that process.

I utilize mushroom compost here for my small garden. It inhibits the growth of weeds and the plants do astronomically well in it. For instance.. I put more compost in the garden this year for the first time in 3 years. I employ raised beds and use rebar cages exclusively for my tomatoes. My Grape tomatoes grow to about 9 feet tall, up over the top of the cages all the way back down to the ground, and then some. My Beefstakes get close to 7 feet and the Romas are unbelievable. I have never done really well with any variety of Romas until I tried the San Marzano variety. All the others grew maybe 4 feet high. The San Marzanos grow to somewhere around 7 feet. I also love that they are not determinate and that I can harvest as the season goes along instead of having to process tubs of them at once. It is not unusual that I am still harvesting the second week of October. If I leave them go, as long as we don't get close to a freeze, I can get to November, but I will probably pull them before then.

 

With the fresh compost in, my Squash plants last about 3 months as opposed to maybe two without it. Everything in that mushroom compost just grows unbelievably well. I should add that I also supplement with Milorganite.

I didn't recommend the compost in my previous post because I don't know that supplying enough to do 3 acres, would be financially feasible. Straw is cheap and effective.

[Jabba The Hutt]

1 hour ago, Foxx said:

No, it doesn't. Well, it does but you really have to compost it to get it to do so in any sort of short period. Horse manure seems to help that process.

I utilize mushroom compost here for my small garden. It inhibits the growth of weeds and the plants do astronomically well in it. For instance.. I put more compost in the garden this year for the first time in 3 years. I employ raised beds and use rebar cages exclusively for my tomatoes. My Grape tomatoes grow to about 9 feet tall, up over the top of the cages all the way back down to the ground, and then some. My Beefstakes get close to 7 feet and the Romas are unbelievable. I have never done really well with any variety of Romas until I tried the San Marzano variety. All the others grew maybe 4 feet high. The San Marzanos grow to somewhere around 7 feet. I also love that they are not determinate and that I can harvest as the season goes along instead of having to process tubs of them at once. It is not unusual that I am still harvesting the second week of October. If I leave them go, as long as we don't get close to a freeze, I can get to November, but I will probably pull them before then.

 

With the fresh compost in, my Squash plants last about 3 months as opposed to maybe two without it. Everything in that mushroom compost just grows unbelievably well. I should add that I also supplement with Milorganite.

I didn't recommend the compost in my previous post because I don't know that supplying enough to do 3 acres, would be financially feasible. Straw is cheap and effective.

Love shroom compost! From the bounty you have gotten sounds like that'll be a permanent addition for you. Straw is cheap but wood chips are free if you can find a tree trimming service that'll dump them for you. 

[Fansince88]

On 10/12/2023 at 8:42 AM, Foxx said:

Horse manure seems to help that process

Did that years ago. Had to eventually work up that area and plant grass. Issue with horse manure is the seeds in it. Everything they eat is planted in your soil. 

Edited October 14, 2023 by Fansince88

[The Guy In Pants]

Morning everyone. Lost another battle to the developers. It is at least comforting to know that I have so many nearby who are of the same mindset I am. 

 

My concrete pad grading started yesterday for my shop. I have been busy cleaning up around the pond and working on the piles of shit the previous owner just stacked up. Metal, trash and yard debris just piled in where my pastures are going. I have a dumpster being delivered this week. 

 

I bought 120 fence posts and rented a trailer mounted auger last week. I got 30 holes in after fighting with rock etc before I just couldn't go any further myself. Called a friend who knows someone who is going to finish with his skidsteer and rock bit. $6.00 a hole. 

 

Been working with the USDA on getting my farm number; docs sent in the mail to me yesterday. Officially a farm with the USDA. Working with a local office for their high tunnel initiative so I can get some assistance with my greenhouse. Below is my outlined farm plan layout for the crops. As far as profitable animals; we aren't sure yet. Meat or pet? Right? I mean, there is good money in some things and some that take specific types of people to market to. So, we really don't know yet. My wife is smitten with the mini highland cows. 

 

Had a hilarious dream last night. I went to bed after reading news on Twitter. Had a dream that the government had crashed a plane into a new barn I had just erected on our property. Well they showed up to clean it up and offered to rebuild to equal value. They built a small lean to with no walls and put a sink in it. Inflation was that high. So I argued that they destroyed my 2 story 20x20 barn and I only got the lean to and they said it was all they were going to do. Typical &#%$ing government. 

 

 

 

[RochesterRob]

On 10/31/2023 at 5:46 AM, The Guy In Pants said:

Morning everyone. Lost another battle to the developers. It is at least comforting to know that I have so many nearby who are of the same mindset I am. 

 

My concrete pad grading started yesterday for my shop. I have been busy cleaning up around the pond and working on the piles of shit the previous owner just stacked up. Metal, trash and yard debris just piled in where my pastures are going. I have a dumpster being delivered this week. 

 

I bought 120 fence posts and rented a trailer mounted auger last week. I got 30 holes in after fighting with rock etc before I just couldn't go any further myself. Called a friend who knows someone who is going to finish with his skidsteer and rock bit. $6.00 a hole. 

 

Been working with the USDA on getting my farm number; docs sent in the mail to me yesterday. Officially a farm with the USDA. Working with a local office for their high tunnel initiative so I can get some assistance with my greenhouse. Below is my outlined farm plan layout for the crops. As far as profitable animals; we aren't sure yet. Meat or pet? Right? I mean, there is good money in some things and some that take specific types of people to market to. So, we really don't know yet. My wife is smitten with the mini highland cows. 

 

Had a hilarious dream last night. I went to bed after reading news on Twitter. Had a dream that the government had crashed a plane into a new barn I had just erected on our property. Well they showed up to clean it up and offered to rebuild to equal value. They built a small lean to with no walls and put a sink in it. Inflation was that high. So I argued that they destroyed my 2 story 20x20 barn and I only got the lean to and they said it was all they were going to do. Typical &#%$ing government. 

 

 

 

  A word of caution regarding USDA.  Once you start taking program money you have to play by all their rules.  Wetlands, cleaning navigatable waterways (creeks which are listed on a map), etc..  They readily use an eye in the sky to insure compliance.  Failure to comply may include restoring areas to their previous state, repay program money, and place fines.  Not trying to scare you as they are generally good folks but just check with them as you make changes to avoid winding up on someone's chit list.  You will also find out how many nosy neighbors you have in short order.  

[The Guy In Pants]

14 hours ago, RochesterRob said:

  A word of caution regarding USDA.  Once you start taking program money you have to play by all their rules.  Wetlands, cleaning navigatable waterways (creeks which are listed on a map), etc..  They readily use an eye in the sky to insure compliance.  Failure to comply may include restoring areas to their previous state, repay program money, and place fines.  Not trying to scare you as they are generally good folks but just check with them as you make changes to avoid winding up on someone's chit list.  You will also find out how many nosy neighbors you have in short order.  

 

Well shit lol. I knew a little about them; they are the government after all. Nothing on the property as far as wetlands or creeks. I do have a man made pond. I just want the high tunnel initiative. It's the only thing I'm interested in. I did get our farm number yesterday. 

 

 

The letter mentioned "claimed shares are commensurate and at risk". I have a general idea what they're referencing.

Edited November 3, 2023 by The Guy In Pants

[The Guy In Pants]

Last week renters called. Said water line underground was leaking. Rented a trencher because I knew the line was 40 years old and my wife's father had been planning on replacing it anyway. Got their after work Friday and trenched the 300 and something feet from junction point to house. Installed the new line and fittings. About 7pm turned the water on. The water was pouring out of the old line still and the uncle had no water. Come to find out they told me the wrong lines. The lines that went under the uncles house loops around and goes to ours. The line that goes toward ours loops back up the hill and into her uncles house. Turned the water back off and redid the lines correctly. Come to find out; wasn't even my line that was leaking. Then they said the pump wasn't working in the well house. 5 of them up there with flashlights at 9pm trying to figure it out why the pump wasn't working.

 

I finally went us there and asked the kid what the voltage was; he said 120. I told him that was wrong and it needed to be 240. He argued with me for 5 minutes and finally I took the meter and showed them. Pump has power. I told them there is a pressure switch in the system that determines when the pump comes on. The older uncle argued that there was not. He knew because he has been there 30 years and had the new pump put in. I explained again that pressure will determine when the pump comes on and instructed them to open the valve on the tank. The uncles insisted that would do nothing but waste water. I opened the valve, the pressure dropped and the pump started. I closed the valve, walked the lines and checked for leaks. Told them I would be back in the AM to cover everything up. Aggravating as hell. 

 

Working on pond clean up this fall on top of all the other projects. It's coming nicely. The banks you see all grown up have been cut back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 7, 2023 by The Guy In Pants

[Ann]

[Uncle Joe]

The news says there's a blueberry shortage.

Me, checks freezer, "that's too bad".

Edited November 9, 2023 by Uncle Joe

[B-Man]

1 hour ago, Uncle Joe said:

The news says there's a blueberry shortage.

Me, checks freezer, "that's too bad".

 

 

Have one whole shelf in the Cellar freezer full of blueberries.

 

 

[Foxx]

12 hours ago, Uncle Joe said:

The news says there's a blueberry shortage.

Me, checks freezer, "that's too bad".

I thought the huckleberry was a PNW staple?

[Uncle Joe]

58 minutes ago, Foxx said:

I thought the huckleberry was a PNW staple?

Huckleberries are in the mountains if you want to make an outing for berries. Also the bears like them as well. I had a plant at the coast. Unfortunately I transplanted it in the sun before I knew what I had.

Marionberry is also a berry the Willamette Valley is known for. 

[Fansince88]

13 hours ago, Uncle Joe said:

Huckleberries are in the mountains if you want to make an outing for berries. Also the bears like them as well. I had a plant at the coast. Unfortunately I transplanted it in the sun before I knew what I had.

Marionberry is also a berry the Willamette Valley is known for. 

I pick wild raspberries here with the 44 on the side. Quite a few bears on the cameras. A coworker was in the center of a patch and had a sleeping bear stand up about 6 feet from him. A bit of a hairy situation for a moment. That bear was scared!

[The Guy In Pants]

Of all of the projects i have going on, fencing is the one I am starting to despise the most. Saturday I picked up a Graco Magnum X5 airless sprayer. Have a lot of fence to paint. Used it Sunday for about 120 wooden fence posts. Took some times to come up with a good process but once I got going it only took about 6 hours. I think having to turn the boards is what made it so long; I wanted to use some kind of vertical set up but just went with it. Never used a sprayer before but I am hooked. I don't like painting but this made it much easier. 

 

We are going to be using black Centaur flex fencing in conjunction with 5' no climb horse wire fencing. I'm torn about whether I am going to concrete every post or just the corners and a few in line. Really want this to last until I'm dead and don't have to worry about it anymore lol. After the episode last Saturday about 3am; that may be closer than I think 🤣

[The Guy In Pants]

Pasture fences coming along. Rain came in earlier than I wanted but it’s been a good day. 7000 pounds of concrete on the trailer in 50 pound bags.

Edited December 9, 2023 by The Guy In Pants

[Fansince88]

Well, the snow still being gracious to us this year. Got the rafters up on my sons place yesterday. My other son, the Josh Allen lookalike, designed a great tool to get the rafters up the high wall

 I built his design of course. Cool night shot

 

Edited December 12, 2023 by Fansince88

[Foxx]

2 hours ago, Fansince88 said:

Well, the snow still being gracious to us this year. Got the rafters up on my sons place yesterday. My other son, the Josh Allen lookalike, designed a great tool to get the rafters up the high wall

 I built his design of course. Cool night shot

 

Yep, cool night photo.

When I built my mom's horse barn, I built all the trusses myself (made sure to check with the building inspector that he would accept wooden gussets beforehand), and didn't do too badly. Only had to move one leg out of 32 trusses. Had my buddy come out with his boom truck and we lifted them with that. Sure as heck helped and saved the old back.

Glad the weather is cooperating.

[Fansince88]

1 hour ago, Foxx said:

Yep, cool night photo.

When I built my mom's horse barn, I built all the trusses myself (made sure to check with the building inspector that he would accept wooden gussets beforehand), and didn't do too badly. Only had to move one leg out of 32 trusses. Had my buddy come out with his boom truck and we lifted them with that. Sure as heck helped and saved the old back.

Glad the weather is cooperating.

If I can figure out how to share a video here my youngest sons mind saved the day. We tried to rent a lift but that fell through. With a double 2 block pully system and hinge point we got the trusses on the wall.