We Are Deep In the Heart of Texas

Nomadic seasons of farming adventures with nature thrown in to include; a pinch of family, snippets of friends, counting our blessings, paying IT forward, home school, and the spicy things I decide to rant about.















Saturday, February 27, 2010

Hubby is home, Our order is made

       Today, after hubby gets back from shopping for his tools and equipment.  He is building me 3 garden boxes.  I can't wait - home raised tomatoes!  Has anyone else noticed Burger King has posted a sign about a shortage of that fruit?  I also plan on putting in some crooked neck squash and replant my herb garden.  

       Raised beds means less chance of surpising a diamondback, copperhead or, coral (yes we have those here).  His first three will be built 2 (W) by 8 (L) to get the hang of it, we will put chicken wire on the bottom for drainage, for lighter construction and, to keep out moles and ground hogs.  Later will will have to enclose them to keep out racoons -- they are some mighty thieves I tell you!

       Also, I have ordered 20 each replacement pullets of Buff Orphington and Americanas.  I have also pre-ordered 30 pearl keats.  I can tell spring is right around the corner; trees are producing buds and birds have returned to our yard.  Mrs. Parker is out of the rabbit business but has numbers of those who are selling rabbits.  I guess we will have to bite the bullet and just pay for them from a private dealer. 

      I really hope he finds the mini-tractor he wants.  Personally, I just want him to make a decision as to size and model - buy it.  We will always have need for such a tool and it would make gardening and yard upkeep so much easier.  Yes, I can drive a tractor.  (ANYTHING HE CAN DO I CAN DO BETTER--- right---LMFBOH!)

    What I also have to do soon, it find a grape seller and order 4 to 6 muscadine vine starters. I was told by the local nursery that variety will not survive here but, I had one doing extremely well until the 7 frosts we had the last 5 weeks. I just bet, If I kept them inside until they are two year vines and had a better established root system; out of the 6 -- I could manage at least 2 for reproduction and vine establishment. (SORRY I DIGRESS)

     Thanks Mrs. Sharkie for sending a bottle of muscadine wine.  I am so green with envy.  And I can't wait til dinner time to pop the cork.  And the boys loved the chocolate chip cookies, dang you are a great baker.  Zephyr has the little stuffed bear you sent sitting atop the candy easter eggs. LOL I love it, he is hatching gummy bears he said.

     Guess what?  Yesterday I actually line dried 5 loads of laundry.  Now Kelley says she hates the feel of cardboard clothes.  Let me tell you, I wash with a downey ball of vinegar and one of fabric softner - then dry.  If our pants or towels get stiff due to no breeze, I just pop them in the dryer on air dry with a old shoe or two.   I have manually calculated it costs our home electric bill .89 cents for each load of laundry I dry inside.  So after a $400 January bill, I am back to using the line as much as possible since I wash minimum of two loads a day. If I have to dry inside, I will wait until after 9 p.m. when the night time rate drops.

Problem solved.......... I am cheap! (frugal)

Okay, off to finish our spring ordering for gardening and animal husbandry

4 comments:

Jen said...

Sounds fabulous! I love having a garden again. Although I'm not completely incharge of it. I do enjoy the upkeep and the harvest. I know that plans are being made to also have raised planters and a larger variety of delicious veg. I'm interested to see if the strawberry patch will rejuvinate itself. Your grape idea makes sense, good luck with it.

Tali said...

How fun! I wish I could start on my garden. Maybe by next year I can get a greenhouse so I can start before June 1st. I still haven't been able to get tomatoes to grow out here because of the 24 hour sunlight, but I heard if plant them in a pot and bring them in at night they have a better chance. We'll see what happens. You'll have to post pics when everything starts growing! :)

Nekkid Chicken said...

Jen, I was convinced to garden when I read on how much filler is added to jarred pasta sauce. Couple that with tomatoes already at $1.79 here for store variety. I am going to grow a variety of my own. If you want a wonderful seed seller on eBay, super reasonable. (heirloom/heritage) seeds then check out grocoseeds. For really hard to find seeds, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.

I have never tried to grow strawberry from seed but, who knows, they have to start that way to begin with. LOL

Nekkid Chicken said...

Tali,

I would think you are correct with the 'rest cycle' for maters. Are you building a green house there? Heck, you are talking to a woman who grew veggies & herbs in a kiddie pool on base to sidestep their crazy regulations. LOL