Ducks and rooster hanging around.
Peonies are in bloom.
Puppies are wrestling each other.
Recently in Gardening Category
So, we have an "upper" vegetable garden and a "lower" vegetable garden. The upper garden is close to the house, in the field that is just Southwest of the house. This is the first year for that garden, and the soil is clay. Hard. Rocky. But, it is close enough to easily get water to when needed. I have planted the tomatoes, peppers, herbs, squash, cucumbers and melons in that garden.
The lower garden is too far to get water too, but the soil is incredible. I think it must have been used as a feedlot for the cows that once lived here on our farm.
The soil is rich, dark, crumbly and so easy to weed that I can just brush my hand across it, and the weeds fall out of the soil. This is where I planted my onions, radishes, lettuces and my gourd seeds. There is still plenty of room there to plant more, but I'm not sure how much stamina I have for huge amounts of plants. I cannot get water there easily, however, it is below the level of our big pond, so, we are having a line run from the pond to a new hydrant that will be at the upper end of that garden. It won't have tons of pressure, but I will be able to run a soaker hose when needed using the free pond water!
I got both gardens in very late this year - middle to end of May - but, everything in the lower garden appears to be growing happily. I thinned the onions and radishes last night. Brought a couple of tiny radishes up for John to sample, and he pronounced them "radish-like".
I've been using the thinned onions as I cook, and they are quite "onion-like".
I have a couple of baby tomatoes on the tomato plants, and some baby jalapenos on my pepper plants. But, the upper garden needs a ton of weeding.
My tiller is broken. I can't possible hoe that entire area, so I guess it's time to get the tiller to a repair place in town. Either that, or I'll just mow the weeds with the lawn mower! LOL.
Today, it's back to the old house to work on trimming bushes and trees. I'll bring two of Major's sisters with me, they are wonderful, helping me to organize the stuff inside for a garage sale. I'll take them out to lunch at the Tenpenny down the street, and then come home and probably mow the lawn here.
I better get off my rear and get going!
So many things have been going on here at the Farm at Castle Argghhh! From getting things ready to sell at the Farmer's market to shearing goats to getting Buffy the Coyote Slayer repaired after being Gored by said Angora goats, and planting veggies, late, due to so many Spring rains, I'm tired!
Let's see. Last Friday morning, I was on KMBZ radio in Kansas City for their weekly news round up. I want to thank KMBZ for inviting me to express my goofy viewpoints from time to time - most radio stations would laugh at the thought of a middle-aged lady from Easton Kansas having any political or newsworthy opinions. KMBZ is unique in inviting regular listeners to express their opinions on a popular morning radio show, Kansas City's Morning News with EJ and Ellen - both of whom are really smart, funny and nice people.
Anyway, after I was on the air, I stopped at Kohl's on my way home to return something I had purchased on-line. Even though I had purchased the item several months ago, Kohl's took it back, no questions asked - YAY, Kohl's!
When I finally got home, I put the chickens, ducks and guineas out, checked on the goats, and noticed that Buffy the Coyote Slayer was laying on her side, completely indifferent to me and my offers of food! I looked at her more closely, and found that she had been gored by one of the naughty Angora goats. Now, Buffy has not been behaving terribly nicely to the goats lately, for some reason, she has been stealing their grain, and harassing the two new kids. I suspect one of the mothers of the kids took offense and butted her, and while doing so, pierced her left thigh from the inside out.
So I took Buffy to my vet, Jeanie Hauser. Indeed, the puncture wound I saw was scary. The goat missed Buffy's femoral artery by less than an inch. Antibiotics were given. I got instructions on how to rinse the wound daily with diluted Betadyne, and I brought Buffy home.
So, Buffy is recuperating in the house. She likes the house. I'm afraid that we now have a huge house dog instead of a livestock guardian dog. Sigh. But she is doing well.
Last Saturday morning, I actually arose early enough to get my stuff together and make it on time to the Farmer's Market. (That means leaving the house by 6 am on a Saturday!!! _ ARGGHHH!) I sold all my wares (well, eggs, anyway), and I got home by 9:00 am. Since then, I've been planting vegetable plants and seeds, taking care of chickens, dogs, cats, ducks, horses, etc., and I've been getting more and more tired. (If you recall, I had some kind of illness the past few weeks, that finally seems to be "all better".)
Saturday afternoon, John and I went to our old Outback Steakhouse and had a delightful dinner - they have a yummy new menu. Sunday, we went for a long drive - drove out to Valley Falls, Kansas, and admired the beautiful old Victorian homes in the town.
Yesterday morning, I went out to check on the goats, chickens, etc., and I noticed that one goat, Belle, was nowhere to be seen - ends up that once again, she managed to get herself stuck in a locust tree. I hate thorns! I spent about 45 minutes cutting the branches away from her. Then, I decided that I ought to just shear her, as she was overdue. It took me about 5 hours to shear her by myself!
Today, I got Leah, Jesse and Annah Combs to come out and help me shear Morgan La Fey and Horus. We did it. I'm pooped. And now, I need to go out and plant about 15 tomato plants, assorted herbs and vegetables and some - .... WATERMELON!!! YAY!
But I find myself falling asleep inside here, even as I try to finish this post. So, damn. I'm tired!
Let's see. Last Friday morning, I was on KMBZ radio in Kansas City for their weekly news round up. I want to thank KMBZ for inviting me to express my goofy viewpoints from time to time - most radio stations would laugh at the thought of a middle-aged lady from Easton Kansas having any political or newsworthy opinions. KMBZ is unique in inviting regular listeners to express their opinions on a popular morning radio show, Kansas City's Morning News with EJ and Ellen - both of whom are really smart, funny and nice people.
Anyway, after I was on the air, I stopped at Kohl's on my way home to return something I had purchased on-line. Even though I had purchased the item several months ago, Kohl's took it back, no questions asked - YAY, Kohl's!
When I finally got home, I put the chickens, ducks and guineas out, checked on the goats, and noticed that Buffy the Coyote Slayer was laying on her side, completely indifferent to me and my offers of food! I looked at her more closely, and found that she had been gored by one of the naughty Angora goats. Now, Buffy has not been behaving terribly nicely to the goats lately, for some reason, she has been stealing their grain, and harassing the two new kids. I suspect one of the mothers of the kids took offense and butted her, and while doing so, pierced her left thigh from the inside out.
So I took Buffy to my vet, Jeanie Hauser. Indeed, the puncture wound I saw was scary. The goat missed Buffy's femoral artery by less than an inch. Antibiotics were given. I got instructions on how to rinse the wound daily with diluted Betadyne, and I brought Buffy home.
So, Buffy is recuperating in the house. She likes the house. I'm afraid that we now have a huge house dog instead of a livestock guardian dog. Sigh. But she is doing well.
Last Saturday morning, I actually arose early enough to get my stuff together and make it on time to the Farmer's Market. (That means leaving the house by 6 am on a Saturday!!! _ ARGGHHH!) I sold all my wares (well, eggs, anyway), and I got home by 9:00 am. Since then, I've been planting vegetable plants and seeds, taking care of chickens, dogs, cats, ducks, horses, etc., and I've been getting more and more tired. (If you recall, I had some kind of illness the past few weeks, that finally seems to be "all better".)
Saturday afternoon, John and I went to our old Outback Steakhouse and had a delightful dinner - they have a yummy new menu. Sunday, we went for a long drive - drove out to Valley Falls, Kansas, and admired the beautiful old Victorian homes in the town.
Yesterday morning, I went out to check on the goats, chickens, etc., and I noticed that one goat, Belle, was nowhere to be seen - ends up that once again, she managed to get herself stuck in a locust tree. I hate thorns! I spent about 45 minutes cutting the branches away from her. Then, I decided that I ought to just shear her, as she was overdue. It took me about 5 hours to shear her by myself!
Today, I got Leah, Jesse and Annah Combs to come out and help me shear Morgan La Fey and Horus. We did it. I'm pooped. And now, I need to go out and plant about 15 tomato plants, assorted herbs and vegetables and some - .... WATERMELON!!! YAY!
But I find myself falling asleep inside here, even as I try to finish this post. So, damn. I'm tired!
It always takes me much longer to plant things than I estimate. Things get in the way, like goats being in the wrong pen, or Reggie the Peacock puts on a show for Veronica, the Peahen, and I lose precious time watching her ignore him.
Or Sven, the new kitten, distracts me because Merriwether is teaching him how to pounce and fight. Sometimes, I lose an hour or two just picking burrs and ticks off of Gunner's coat. We use Frontline, but the ticks still get on him. I can't tell you how many dead ticks I have removed from that dog's hide!! So, I guess the stuff works, in that it kills the ticks. I want it to keep the ticks from jumping on him!
Lately, the ticks have been using Gunner for a ride into the house, where they look for better eats - John. Poor guy is removing ticks almost daily. I'm so tick-paranoid, that I'm constantly checking to see if anything is crawling on me.
I think the guineas and chickens are doing a pretty good job getting ticks in the yard, but with nearly 80 acres, there is a lot of land they are not covering. That, of course, is where Gunner wants to go explore.
Oddly, Buffy has never had a tick. Neither have the goats.
Anyway, this is distracting me from the task at hand, so I should get off the damn internet and out into the garden. I have baby cayenne peppers to plant, black beans, white beans, green beans and peas to get out and in the ground.
I also have some beautiful basil I started from seed - it looks wonderful. I'm debating whether to plant it in my upper garden near the house, or down in my lower garden, where the chickens don't go. I do not want them devouring my basil!!
So, everyone have a lovely day. I'll be back when the rain starts. Need to make some eggless pasta to sell at the Farmer's market tomorrow.
Or Sven, the new kitten, distracts me because Merriwether is teaching him how to pounce and fight. Sometimes, I lose an hour or two just picking burrs and ticks off of Gunner's coat. We use Frontline, but the ticks still get on him. I can't tell you how many dead ticks I have removed from that dog's hide!! So, I guess the stuff works, in that it kills the ticks. I want it to keep the ticks from jumping on him!
Lately, the ticks have been using Gunner for a ride into the house, where they look for better eats - John. Poor guy is removing ticks almost daily. I'm so tick-paranoid, that I'm constantly checking to see if anything is crawling on me.
I think the guineas and chickens are doing a pretty good job getting ticks in the yard, but with nearly 80 acres, there is a lot of land they are not covering. That, of course, is where Gunner wants to go explore.
Oddly, Buffy has never had a tick. Neither have the goats.
Anyway, this is distracting me from the task at hand, so I should get off the damn internet and out into the garden. I have baby cayenne peppers to plant, black beans, white beans, green beans and peas to get out and in the ground.
I also have some beautiful basil I started from seed - it looks wonderful. I'm debating whether to plant it in my upper garden near the house, or down in my lower garden, where the chickens don't go. I do not want them devouring my basil!!
So, everyone have a lovely day. I'll be back when the rain starts. Need to make some eggless pasta to sell at the Farmer's market tomorrow.
Yesterday, John treated me to a lovely Mother's Day. We went to see Star Treck, in the VIP section of the Phoenix Theatre at the Legends in Kansas City, Kansas. I love the VIP section. It's very pricey, but you have to be over 21, the seats are humongous, leather easy chairs and you can order drinks and food from the very nice usher/waitpersons there. It's quite posh.
And it was even better because the movie was really good! Now, don't let physics get in your way with this one, just sit back and enjoy it. It may be a prequal, but it leaves room for plenty of sequels of its own.
We did not go out to eat, because I got the stupid headache and fever that seem to be associated with whatever it is I am taking antibiotics for. At least no more fever! YAY! So we came home, and I was in bed by 5:00 pm, and John made me an ice cream sundae for dinner. :)
The weather this morning is lovely. My headache is barely there - just in the background - so I hope to get about 1,000 onion sets planted this morning. When I'm done with that (after, of course, I feed, water and care for the birds, goats, horses and Buffy), I'm going to get my really nifty disc cultivator that attaches to our Polaris Ranger and disc the heck out of the nice garden area that John prepped for me yesterday. It was plowed in the winter, and John has spent a couple of days knocking the dirt off the high points and leveling it all with the landscape box on the tractor. Now, I just need to cultivate it a bit deeper, and I should be able to do that with the disc tongue set at a steeper slope.
Then, if I have time, I'll plant, plant plant some more. Seeds. Lot's of beans, peas, etc.
I also have a lot of plants to set out. Brussels sprouts for John. He loves his Brussels sprouts, he do! Cantaloupe, cayenne peppers, other stuff.
It's such a gorgeous spring morning, so bright and full of promise for a good day of working with the land, that you can't help but to thank the Good Lord for such a wonderful life.
I have moved all the chicks out to the Keetergarten, after making it more chick safe by adding a second layer of 1" poultry netting to the inside of the pen. So the garage is slowly getting back to normal, at least for the moment.
The guineas have started laying - willy nilly - here, there and anywhere I find a guinea egg. I'm going to incubate them all again this year, once I have about 30 eggs or so. I think I'll incubate some of the duck eggs, too. I'd like more ducks, but they cost over $5 each at the feed stores as ducklings!
I'm also going to incubate some eggs from Darling, our very smart little bitty chicken, just to see if what she has learned about staying safe from predators is passed along to her chicks.
I'm pretty excited about a new farm implement John bought me for Mother's Day! It is a disc cultivator that goes behind our Polaris Ranger. We found it at Feldmans Farm and Home in Bonner Springs, Kansas, several hundred dollars less than the exact same model at Northern Tool Supply, TSC and Orschleins.
I can use it to cultivate the area I want to be my garden area - much easier than using the damn Sears overly-expensive and unreliable tiller that is only one year old and will not work! If this disk cultivator works, I'm selling the damn tiller!
I'm sitting around waiting for the rain to stop, so I can go outside safely (there is lightening close enough that I don't want to be a target) and feed the goats, horses, chickens, Buffy and get the trash out!
Hopefully, I'll be able to make it to the Farmers Market tomorrow. I'm on antibiotics and I'm not contagious, so if I have enough energy, I'll be at the Leavenworth Farmers Market tomorrow morning - bright and early! (ugh!)
Well, the sky is looking better. I'm off to check the chickens!
The guineas have started laying - willy nilly - here, there and anywhere I find a guinea egg. I'm going to incubate them all again this year, once I have about 30 eggs or so. I think I'll incubate some of the duck eggs, too. I'd like more ducks, but they cost over $5 each at the feed stores as ducklings!
I'm also going to incubate some eggs from Darling, our very smart little bitty chicken, just to see if what she has learned about staying safe from predators is passed along to her chicks.
I'm pretty excited about a new farm implement John bought me for Mother's Day! It is a disc cultivator that goes behind our Polaris Ranger. We found it at Feldmans Farm and Home in Bonner Springs, Kansas, several hundred dollars less than the exact same model at Northern Tool Supply, TSC and Orschleins.
I can use it to cultivate the area I want to be my garden area - much easier than using the damn Sears overly-expensive and unreliable tiller that is only one year old and will not work! If this disk cultivator works, I'm selling the damn tiller!
I'm sitting around waiting for the rain to stop, so I can go outside safely (there is lightening close enough that I don't want to be a target) and feed the goats, horses, chickens, Buffy and get the trash out!
Hopefully, I'll be able to make it to the Farmers Market tomorrow. I'm on antibiotics and I'm not contagious, so if I have enough energy, I'll be at the Leavenworth Farmers Market tomorrow morning - bright and early! (ugh!)
Well, the sky is looking better. I'm off to check the chickens!
I didn't get to go to the Farmers' Market today. I am sick, durn it! Some kind of flu-like thing. Fever, aches, more aches, headaches, and worst of all, my gluteous maximus aches like the dickens!
Sigh. I have so many things to do in the Spring. I have plants that need to be put out. I did get about 6 tomato plantes planted in my haybales last week, and they seem to have taken root just fine.
I have some cantaloupe plants that I started from seed that really, really, really need to be put out today or tomorrow.
Oh, and cayenne peppers - I have about 30 of those plants. I love cayenne peppers - I can dry them and turn them into chili ristras and sell them at market.
Mrs. Duck laid an egg today - she must be back in the laying mode.
We named the peafowl - our peacock is Reggie and our peahen is Veronica. He has been dancing around here for days now, and she makes a huge thing out of pointedly ignoring his amourous advances. Very funny. Sometimes, he starts to dance around one of the guinea fowl or the chickens, and they just look might confused when that happens! I suspect that Reggie and Veronica are getting it on at night, maybe. They go off into the trees across the road and Reggie makes a lot of huge, noisey peacock calls. It sounds like we live in a zoo!
Well, look. I've managed to write three blog posts in a row! Maybe I can start again with all this stuff and stay with it!
Sigh. I have so many things to do in the Spring. I have plants that need to be put out. I did get about 6 tomato plantes planted in my haybales last week, and they seem to have taken root just fine.
I have some cantaloupe plants that I started from seed that really, really, really need to be put out today or tomorrow.
Oh, and cayenne peppers - I have about 30 of those plants. I love cayenne peppers - I can dry them and turn them into chili ristras and sell them at market.
Mrs. Duck laid an egg today - she must be back in the laying mode.
We named the peafowl - our peacock is Reggie and our peahen is Veronica. He has been dancing around here for days now, and she makes a huge thing out of pointedly ignoring his amourous advances. Very funny. Sometimes, he starts to dance around one of the guinea fowl or the chickens, and they just look might confused when that happens! I suspect that Reggie and Veronica are getting it on at night, maybe. They go off into the trees across the road and Reggie makes a lot of huge, noisey peacock calls. It sounds like we live in a zoo!
Well, look. I've managed to write three blog posts in a row! Maybe I can start again with all this stuff and stay with it!
And that means, it is time to start some seeds for my garden. Last year, I honestly did an awful job of seed starting. I started too many of some seeds (fennel, for example) and not enough of others (Rosemary!) I had all kinds of fennel growing last year, but no idea what to do with it - how do I sell it - the roots? the seed heads? the flowers? Argghhh. So I left them in the ground. It was a kinda odd crop for a Farmers Market in Kansas anyway.
I had absolutely no success with my rosemary last year - unacceptable. I love rosemary. It is a wonderful herb. My hope is that I can get enough started and potted that I can sell the rosemary plants at the market in May. I have to get a live plant license from the State of Kansas, but because I make next to no money on live plants, the good State gives the license free. I just have to print out the form, fill it out and mail it in to Topeka. If I can get a bunch of herbs started and growing nicely, I think I can get a much better retun on my effort by selling the plants than by selling the herbs seperately. And no one else does that at the Market. It might also be a way to sell my uglier pots - turn them into herb containers, and they suddenly look nicely organic!!
I'm still working on selling stuff on Ebay - I will go over to the old house today and gather up a bunch of my frog collection to sell today.
And I have to go to the Post Office and mail a couple of things that were sold on EBay, also.
And of course, must take care of all the critters. Should be nice today - up to maybe 55 degrees!
I had absolutely no success with my rosemary last year - unacceptable. I love rosemary. It is a wonderful herb. My hope is that I can get enough started and potted that I can sell the rosemary plants at the market in May. I have to get a live plant license from the State of Kansas, but because I make next to no money on live plants, the good State gives the license free. I just have to print out the form, fill it out and mail it in to Topeka. If I can get a bunch of herbs started and growing nicely, I think I can get a much better retun on my effort by selling the plants than by selling the herbs seperately. And no one else does that at the Market. It might also be a way to sell my uglier pots - turn them into herb containers, and they suddenly look nicely organic!!
I'm still working on selling stuff on Ebay - I will go over to the old house today and gather up a bunch of my frog collection to sell today.
And I have to go to the Post Office and mail a couple of things that were sold on EBay, also.
And of course, must take care of all the critters. Should be nice today - up to maybe 55 degrees!
I just got my copy of the Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds catalog yesterday. My, it is the most beautiful seed catalog I have ever seen!
Baker Creek has all kinds of rare and heirloom seeds (I guess that is a big d'uh), and I bought seeds from them last year. Now, last year, I failed miserable with much of my gardening plans, but this year, I'm going to be much more efficient and successful. Of course, it's not hard to be successful when the only previous attemps at gardening have been FAILURE - LOL! I like to buy from this seed company because they are closer and in the same growing zone that we are in.
I really want to grow some beans for freezing and drying. Last year, I had an epic fail when it came to beans. I think I ended up with one bean pod all summer long.
I will be completely relocating my growing things. Last year, my garden was quite a ways from the house, and it was very easy to kinda forget about weeding, etc.
In the Spring - the garden is going in on part of the field to the West of the house. Close enough that I can drag a garden hose over there for watering if needed, and close enough that I will be able to see from our bedroom window that I need to get my ass out there to weed!!
I better make my picks for my seeds and order fast, before the best stuff is all gone!!
Baker Creek has all kinds of rare and heirloom seeds (I guess that is a big d'uh), and I bought seeds from them last year. Now, last year, I failed miserable with much of my gardening plans, but this year, I'm going to be much more efficient and successful. Of course, it's not hard to be successful when the only previous attemps at gardening have been FAILURE - LOL! I like to buy from this seed company because they are closer and in the same growing zone that we are in.
I really want to grow some beans for freezing and drying. Last year, I had an epic fail when it came to beans. I think I ended up with one bean pod all summer long.
I will be completely relocating my growing things. Last year, my garden was quite a ways from the house, and it was very easy to kinda forget about weeding, etc.
In the Spring - the garden is going in on part of the field to the West of the house. Close enough that I can drag a garden hose over there for watering if needed, and close enough that I will be able to see from our bedroom window that I need to get my ass out there to weed!!
I better make my picks for my seeds and order fast, before the best stuff is all gone!!
