Farm and Garden

[sgtsandman]

I’m way behind on everything I wanted to do this year and pretty much think I’m going to have to write this year off as far as actually growing anything. I did manage to get sone soil in the sections I want to grow herbs in. I just need tone more bag to top that off.

The retaining wall for the garden itself has been at full stop. I hope to get that done this summer and get the bed ready for next year.

Meanwhile, I’ve hust been keeping everything weeded so it’s less of a headache later.

 

[Blmpkn]

I’m way behind on everything I wanted to do this year and pretty much think I’m going to have to write this year off as far as actually growing anything. I did manage to get sone soil in the sections I want to grow herbs in. I just need tone more bag to top that off.

The retaining wall for the garden itself has been at full stop. I hope to get that done this summer and get the bed ready for next year.

Meanwhile, I’ve hust been keeping everything weeded so it’s less of a headache later.

While not any at all aesthetically pleasing... a tarp or something laid over the garden plot *should* keep weeds from popping up.

 

[sgtsandman]

While not any at all aesthetically pleasing... a tarp or something laid over the garden plot *should* keep weeds from popping up.

The only reason I'm not doing that now is that I'm being optimistic that I will get the rest of the retaining wall built before long. I would also like to install some scorched boards (I believe it's called shugi ban) on the down hill side to keep the soil from washing through the retaining wall block. I have some garden fabric that I'm incorporating into the wall build that will mitigate most of that but the boards will hold up to the digging and tilling of the dirt better long term than the fabric ever will. As long as I stay on top of the weeds in the dirt mound, it shouldn't be too bad.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Picked the first zucchini today. I typically let them get bigger... but this plant is way behind the size of the other. They put their energy into the fruit and less into the foliage. We will see if this let's it catch up to the bigger plant.

Chocolate cherries...

Sunset sugar...

I also have this bush/tree that hangs over the fence. It has thousands of berries on it. I googled and it's a Mulberry. I ate two... very sweet... I'll wait and see if I get sick before I get more. But if I don’t... I'm making Mullberry pie and some jam

 

[RobbieD]

I ate two... very sweet... I'll wait and see if I get sick before I get more.

Maybe should have eaten just one. Just in case . . . can I have your Bronco II?


Your garden is really looking good. So far, I've gotten banana peppers, and today we'll get our first bell peppers and first cucumber. We've had much more rain than normal here lately.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Ya know... my garden is ahead of normal I think. It's only been in the ground for about 5 weeks.

Sounds like yours is doing well too... but we've had very little rain so far.

As for the Bronco II... this guy says you'll have to beat him in a cage match.

 

[97RangerXLT]

My garden so far. The single strawberry was pretty good. Planted mine late this year, so it is still pretty small. Need to weed it.

AJ

 

[scotts90ranger]

Lindsey picked her potatoes last night, the ants ate the plant last year but apparently there was enough to grow new plants this year... so far about 2 handfuls of potatoes... there's still one plant left from the looks of it... it's enough for a small side for dinner one night

The part of the yard I worked up, I just weeded then went over it with the riding mower pulling two side by side pallets, if I were smart I would plant some grass seed and water but that sounds like work... we'll see...

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Well, a few of the apple trees had blossoms and a couple apples started, then the deer came by and trimmed them all but three tiny apples the size of a quarter on one tree. Our peach tree has at least three peaches going well. Garden is still pretty small but I saw a small pepper started on one. Hopefully the rain we’ve been getting will perk that all up. I never got to making a garden of my own this year.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Saturday I decided to mow my back area and the swamp area with the tractor since the brush hog was still on... I'd already mowed the back flat area (~1.5 acre) this year so that wasn't too bad, second and third high range, then I noticed the pond was dry so I mowed a good portion of that which moved to the 6' tall reed canary in the wetland area, I'm about a month later than normal since I was working on the transmission and it was pretty dry, the tractor tires stayed dry and I didn't even get stuck! Got close a couple times though so I stopped before it was an issue...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Well we had to get sheep, me being me am thinking... we gonna need hay this winter. First cutting was a joke, hay prices are stupid right now.

So I look around and get to thinking if I mow/bale a couple barn lots and my water way I could probably get some hay. Maybe not enough but it would help.

So I drags my old #5 out of the weeds.





I get it up by the garage, get the sickle to move, check the chain, grease everything... but the pitman apparatus has the bluetooth thing going on.







Its been resting awhile...



But don't let that bother you, the driveline balance is dead on.



So ok, that works great now.

I have a rake, not much to it, ground drive four bar IH. Just needs a little grease and put in gear. I use it to rake leaves once in awhile to make it easier for Amanda to stuff the big pumpkin bags so I am not to worried about it other than I have to drive thru my "hayfield" to get to it.

But the baling situation...

Enter the almighty 1952 Allis Chalmers Roto-Baler



Got it home, got it moved over to a tractor and started dinking with it tonight. Greased 3 grease zerks per square foot of baler. The thing is just plastered with them. Oiled some things, backed the brake off since it has been sitting. Got the PTO shaft latch to work. Checked the oil in the gear boxes (in terms of oil in the gear boxes, I don't see oil in the gearboxes) So I need to get oil for those and I might see if the thing will run. At least it isn't like a 71 year old rube goldberg contraption or anything...



[URL='https://flic.kr/p/2oMmN15']

 

[Uncle Gump]

And so it begins...

That zucchini is gonna get sliced... olive oil... garlic salt... then introduced to Mr Weber tonight.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Here's a couple pics of the area I mowed the other day, conveniently I did it when I did since it's 93F outside right now and supposed to go up by 6pm then back down, similar for tomorrow night... First is a pic of me getting through the reed canary on the first pass, second is a pic from upstairs bedroom window, I started off mowing the area past the red Mountaineer and white boom truck then the pond and lower area to the left side of the pic, there's more past where the pic stops that you can't see from the bedroom window... shortly after the first picture I went in the house and had the wife apply some mosquito spray on me, about a billion bites...

 

[racsan]

The old #5 jd mower is a good unit to have, dad’s working one has the 7’ bar, he has a couple of parts mowers with the 5’ bar. Needs to get a “B” for it, the “A” is a thirsty beast. I mowed today and saved part of the yard for my allis to do, its not seen much use since we got the zero turn, Brenda loves it, I prefer my “old iron” but she loves it enough that I just have to do the ditches and trim with the lawn deere. Im just waiting for when its wet and she sticks it. lol.
I finally got some progress in on my new chicken house, still need to build one last wall then its time for a roof. I scored a couple of windows at yard sales for cheap so I already have those framed. The roof is going to be a delima. I prefer metal but moneywise it looks like asphalt shingles are cheaper. I know im going to take a beating when it comes to the wood siding sheets so I may just do shingles for now, can always throw sheet metal over top of it later. The 2x4’s for all 5 walls was $200-ish, its looking like the roof will be twice that. I really thought before I started this Id be about $1500. Guess not. lol. reg pine 16’ 2x4’s are $6+ a board,treated ones are $12-ish. I think the base/deck im in at $500/$600. (but everything there is treated) for the walls Im just using treated boards for the bottom board that sits on the deck. Really wanted to finish the walls today but have reached my limits. Need to price my sliding door hardware, I may end up just going with one and have the entry doors as a conventional swing stlye, but Im keeping a big sliding door for the north side, will be worth it when its time to clean the coop and down the road when it might house mowers instead of chickens. Egg prices have really dropped at stores so I dont know that my idea of going commercial will pan out. Great to know since I will soon have 10-egg layers instead of 5. The newest batch I got back in march should be about ready to start laying.

 

[sgtsandman]

Well we had to get sheep, me being me am thinking... we gonna need hay this winter. First cutting was a joke, hay prices are stupid right now.

So I look around and get to thinking if I mow/bale a couple barn lots and my water way I could probably get some hay. Maybe not enough but it would help.

So I drags my old #5 out of the weeds.





I get it up by the garage, get the sickle to move, check the chain, grease everything... but the pitman apparatus has the bluetooth thing going on.







Its been resting awhile...



But don't let that bother you, the driveline balance is dead on.



So ok, that works great now.

I have a rake, not much to it, ground drive four bar IH. Just needs a little grease and put in gear. I use it to rake leaves once in awhile to make it easier for Amanda to stuff the big pumpkin bags so I am not to worried about it other than I have to drive thru my "hayfield" to get to it.

But the baling situation...

Enter the almighty 1952 Allis Chalmers Roto-Baler



Got it home, got it moved over to a tractor and started dinking with it tonight. Greased 3 grease zerks per square foot of baler. The thing is just plastered with them. Oiled some things, backed the brake off since it has been sitting. Got the PTO shaft latch to work. Checked the oil in the gear boxes (in terms of oil in the gear boxes, I don't see oil in the gearboxes) So I need to get oil for those and I might see if the thing will run. At least it isn't like a 71 year old rube goldberg contraption or anything...


[URL='https://flic.kr/p/2oMmN15']

Is there a hay bailer out there that isn't a Rube Goldberg contraption?