Joined: Dec 27, 2004 Posts: 12051 Location: zombie horde wonderland
Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 10:05 am Post subject:
I feel for you oowolf. And it's a good reminder to us not to put all our eggs in one basket - or all our plants in one garden. Diversity is the key to survival. My main garden is in a place that gets washed out during floods, because that's where the deep soil is. I learned the hard way I have to keep that garden heavily mulched or risk losing all the good soil I worked to improve over the years.
oowolf,
Sorry to hear about your beans and the flood. We've had difficulties this year that have really made me worried as well. As you say, we can still go to the store, but I too take my garden and animals seriously. Our problem has been the oft mentioned drought. We've been watering so much - no rain to speak of for at least the last 6 weeks. It's made me all the more worried that we don't have any rain catchment system in place yet. Thats a big goal - which of course won't help us this year, but could be vital in the future.
If there's one bright side to problems such as your flash flooding and our drought, it's that it is happening now - reminding us of things we need to be better prepared for in the future - while we still have some time to do the preparations.
Kathy
Have you considered getting a donkey to guard your flocks??? Donkey's hate coyotes and dogs and go after them. They are cheaper to feed than dogs and don't wander off, lol. If you installed a fence and nice tiny donkey barn/stall around your chicken coop/run, then your birds would be protected. Just a thought! Go online and look up guard donkeys (I'm not kidding, lol, it's for real!). Someday I'll have a jenny (small or large standard, not mini or large)!
Joined: Oct 04, 2004 Posts: 5143 Location: Oklahoma
Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 6:21 pm Post subject:
madison wrote:
Have you considered getting a donkey to guard your flocks???
Yes, thanks, that is the plan. However we have not constructed the fence yet, and money is a problem (as is time). I had a donkey in OK for awhile and I loved him! Not all donkeys will go after canines, though, so if you buy one for this purpose you should test him with a dog first. We talked about guard animals on another thread in here somewhere, and a couple of people mentioned llamas as well as dogs and donkeys. I have noticed that many people in this part of TX use donkeys to guard their goats, too.
I got a pair of meat rabbits and associated stuff yesterday. I will probably get a second doe this week. The next big step will be to install a fence, which we *hope* to start on this week. Once we have the fence installed we can get started looking for a donkey and a couple of dairy goats.
Joined: Jul 15, 2004 Posts: 43 Location: New Zealand
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2005 1:09 am Post subject:
Just reading through all the postings... so sorry to hear about your garden and hard work, oowolf.
I wish I could have all you guys at the winter school! you all have so much precious knowledge.
Well the Karamea winterschool workshops are growing (to be held in August), recently added workshops include:
- ropework and knots workshop
- hinaki-making (an eel trap)
- hinaki setting and collecting, and smoking your eel
- soup-making the old-fashioned-way (onion, tomato, seafood (made with locally caught fish) and vegetable soup)
Something odd has just happened- I've noticed that doing a Google search of "karamea summer school' or 'karamea winter school' no longer brings up a listing of my website- funny , as the listings used to pop up at the top of the list. ***Edit- It's all going again***
Joined: Feb 26, 2005 Posts: 107 Location: By the river
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2005 4:49 am Post subject:
oowolf, I'm sorry about your garden. My main garden in the field is in a river's flood plain, the first year I planted I lost nearly everything just from the soil being soggy from a wet spring. The neighbors tell me that about every 5 years the ground is really wet down there, and about every 15 years the river floods the field. I am only glad my house sits up high, it is the only house on this stretch of the road that has never flooded. This is my trade off for having incredible gardening soil.
My husband and I built rabbit hutches yesterday. It looks really good, but the materials for building the cages were outrageous, so we bought one ready made. I guess next week we'll buy the other cages and supplies, then start looking for a trio.
Joined: Apr 03, 2004 Posts: 6375 Location: My Grandkids' Farm
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2005 7:43 am Post subject:
Yes I’m feeling the water problems as well – though not as bad as you oowolf, my sympathies.
In 2000 a study of 277 cities concluded that the fairly large city about 45 miles from us has the most variable weather in the US; hail to 5”, tornadoes to F3 (though in our location only one tornado every 6 years), rain over 2” per hour, winds to 90mph, snow to 30”, ice storms…
No wonder the land is cheap here!
The longest droughts on record are in the upper 20-day range though the humidity helps - luckily as the temps rise so do the chances of rain.
I haven’t calculated our total roof area but I would think we have lots and all on the highest points on the property I need some storage as well since the pond is quite removed from the best garden spots and pretty shallow to boot.
A neighbor works for a well driller and I have been talking to him about putting a second pump down the well to work off a windmill we have. The problem is that reliable water here is waaay down there – 400’+, the mill needs lots of work and the location isn’t the best due to buildings, trees. I’m not sure how feasible it is.
All the more reason to raise food you can store and raise LOTS! _________________ Make a plan and work it:
Joined: Dec 04, 2004 Posts: 2337 Location: perpetual state of exhaustion
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2005 11:46 am Post subject:
my condolences on your garden. It must totally suck to see that much work wash away. I've been worried about that here with how much rain we've had. but then I am sure my garden is no where near the size yours is.
You are just planting your beans now? when is your first winter frost usually?
Joined: Nov 09, 2004 Posts: 1227 Location: Big Rock Candy Mountain
Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2005 2:17 pm Post subject:
It wasn't THAT big a loss, although beans are my main protein crop. I still have time to plant more. I have beans coming up all over- just not where they were planted. Not like a plague of 'hoppers, or crushing hail, or pillaging Huns--but a reminder that successful that subsistence agriculture requires considerable foresight.
Buffalo-Bird-Woman always kept 2 years worth of seeds. Imagine having your whole crop wiped out and having to survive for a year on foraging--that's why I have planted large areas of Burdock and Jerusalem Artichoke--something to fall back on.
Keep a journal so your gardening knowledge is not lost---so much has already been lost.
Joined: Dec 27, 2004 Posts: 12051 Location: zombie horde wonderland
Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2005 5:51 pm Post subject:
I'm starting seeds for the Fall garden, which seems weird because I'm still setting out transplants of warm weather vegetables. But I've never gardened this intensively before, trying to have something going in all the time. I try to plant some kind of seed every day, and most days I spend an hour or more transplanting.
I also put up wire for another circle garden.
Now that we've hit the hot dry time of year, I'm having trouble with pillbugs eating some of my transplants. I've noticed they'll usually only eat plants that are injured, stressed, weakened in some way. I think if I had more weeds or wet vegetable refuse to mulch with, they would eat that instead of the plants. They've systematically devastated my beans from the beginning, even before it got very dry, and I'm not sure why. Maybe they just love beans!
Joined: Dec 27, 2004 Posts: 12051 Location: zombie horde wonderland
Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2005 5:00 pm Post subject:
I've been learning how to cook in my solar oven. Today I made brownies, they turned out excellently! Tomorrow I plan to make lasagne. It's great to be able to cook without standing over a hot stove or heating up the kitchen with the regular oven.
Solar ovens are fun! I like to put potatoes in and bake them all day - they store up a lot of heat and get very tender. I've done cakes, etc., but never attempted something like lasagna - I hope everything will be delicious.
* * *
I have been in a bit of a rut lately, so I broke out of it by buying some water containers from the camping section at Walmart. I also bought some light sticks, and some water purification tablets.
Joined: Oct 04, 2004 Posts: 5143 Location: Oklahoma
Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2005 8:12 pm Post subject:
Today I bought the Ball Blue Book of preserving and a few more lids and jars. I also ordered a mangle (a mechanical clothes wringer) so we can dry our laundry more efficiently. I found a "garage" one at Harbor Freight for $50; the official ones from Lehman's and such are over $175. I'm sure I could make one cheaper, but it was worth the $50 since I'm so busy right now.
My husband got most of the rafters up on the house yesterday. Next we get to put the roof on (plywood sheathing, felt and Galvalume). Seems like it's taking forever, but we only moved up here 2 months ago! I can't wait to move out there.
Oh, today my husband built a ramp for my handicapped mom's rental house - she's moving out of Houston next week!!! I am so happy she will be near us and out of Houston. She was planning to stay until December, but we found the perfect house for her to rent so she expedited her plans.
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, as the listings used to pop up at the top of the list. ***Edit- It's all going again***
Tomorrow I plan to make lasagne. It's great to be able to cook without standing over a hot stove or heating up the kitchen with the regular oven.
I am so happy she will be near us and out of Houston. She was planning to stay until December, but we found the perfect house for her to rent so she expedited her plans.
