Whatcha Up To???

[wolffman]

Foliar fed the onions with micronutrient yesterday before the rain. I've been using this stuff for years now, learned about it during my stay at TX A&M many years ago. It has overnight effect on the plants... gives them all those nutrients that my soil is probably lacking. I think this 1 gallon jug should last me until all my hair turns gray.

 

[ksk]

I used Malathion in the garden area, mixed at 2 ounces per gallon & then Talstar Pro (Bifenthrin) in & around the yard, mixed at 1 ounce per gallon.

I should mention that I 'pierce' the mounds (as deep as possible) with a piece of rebar & then use the sprayer wand to inject 1-2 gallons of the mixtures into the mound via the holes. The idea is to kill the queen(s).

Great ideal ! [rebar].

 

[ksk]

Unexpected guest showed up yesterday from out of state,so did not burn brush piles.This morning woke up to a strong North wind 15-20.Brush piles will be put off until later.Fruit trees need watered as no measurable rain for several weeks.Also,yesterday was last day of deer season.Fence line neighbor got in a couple of hunts yesterday.

 

[Mr_Yan]

Foliar fed the onions with micronutrient yesterday before the rain. I've been using this stuff for years now, learned about it during my stay at TX A&M many years ago. It has overnight effect on the plants... gives them all those nutrients that my soil is probably lacking. I think this 1 gallon jug should last me until all my hair turns gray.
]

I've been using the General Hydro brand for all my hydroponic playing. I have not used that micro nutrient solution though. I just bought one pound of the MaxiGro powder for my lettuce experiment then will use it for the dutch-bucket experiment I want to try.

 

[wolffman]

Yan, I don't do any hydroponic stuff, but I like the nutrients because everything is immediately available to the plant.

 

[RLwhaler]

-10 F this morning when we woke up. There's a trick where you can throw a cup of boiling water in the air when really cold out and it will fall to the ground as snow. I brought my pressure cooker up to pressure (just some water in it) then took it outside and removed the pressure weight. It failed. Just a giant stream of steam. But the kids thought it was great as they watched from the window. Then I found out that I was locked outside without a jacket and only wearing slippers on my feet.

Went to the local hydroponic store and the big box home stores - bought basic parts for a lettuce raft system. I started 2 spinach, 2 Parris Island lettuce (mom lives near Parris Island), 2 Grand Rapids lettuce (dad and brother live in Grand Rapids), 2 Rocket Arugula.

I actually saw a clip of someone do that cup of water trick. Both my girls are eating that Arugula by the pounds !

 

[w_r_ranch]

Applied the final coat of paint to the new leg-hold traps.

Took Mrs. Ranch back to the eye doctor.

Continued cleaning up the yard for springtime. Also started cleaning the asparagus bed.

 

[Mr_Yan]

Both my girls are eating that Arugula by the pounds !

My 7 year old and 5 year old are becoming salad junkies. It's a fight to get them to eat the sloppy joes (good homemade sauce not canned junk on ground beef) or stew but romaine, cucumber, carrot, and tomatoes disappear.

Second day in a row where we've gotten above freezing.

Noticed a yellow / green puddle under my car Monday. Cardboard under my car last night was clear. Not running, noticeably, any hotter than normal.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Finished cleaning the asparagus bed, fertilized it & then burned the 'trash'.

Seasoned up a rack of ribs that I smoked for supper tonight since it was a beautiful day to be outside (72 degree & sunny).

Watered the garden, asparagus bed & everything in the greenhouse.

 

[Mr_Yan]

The arugula and lettuce I started on Saturday are up and under a light. The spinach is being slow.

Youngest kid has a cold and is wiped out from it.

 

[ksk]

Pruned fruit trees yesterday.Found Alfalfa hay yesterday and will start putting it out for the deer.Most deer hunters have cut off their feeders and the deer are starting to come back to mine.I feed year round as the wife and I love watching them.We had several lite showers this morning ahead of cold front this weekend.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Mrs. Ranch & I had our yearly checkups/blood work done... it looks like we'll probably make it another year!!! Luckily this was scheduled to coincide with our quarterly liquor run so it saved us a special trip.

Harvested another head of broccoli to accompany our leftover ribs for supper. Also pulled a carrot to check their progress (they' almost ready). Dieter said he likes carrots, LOL!!!

 

[Mr_Yan]

Temp at 6:30 a.m. was 52 F. Today's low will be about 12 F if the forecast is correct - the temp change will correspond to rain turning to freezing rain then to snow.

Just saw that two local school districts are releasing early because of the impending winter death weather. Like we don't get winter weather each year. Maybe there was a zombie platypus sighting near the school.

Got back to my desk at 9 a.m. and had a voice mail from my wife that the kid-hauler wouldn't start. Had to come home from work to address the dead battery.

 

[w_r_ranch]

The cold front blew in late yesterday afternoon & the winds were fierce... they actually blew the wrought aluminum chairs over & the table was up against the house. This furniture has never been moved before by any of the winds here. It's now in the 40s here, however the next 3-5 nights are forecast to be 25-30 degrees so I will have to drain the irrigation system again & turn on the heat lamp in the well house.

Did the weekly shopping.

Since it cold, I'm big pot of Carne Guisada using a 3 1/2 pound sirloin steak. I'll add onions potatoes & carrots to it later. I also plan on making a pot of our version of Spanish rice to go with it.

 

[ksk]

Refiled bird feeders.Turkeys eating everything on the ground,Cleaned out bird houses.Tonights supper: red fish on half shell [brother caught it] on the grill,steamed cauliflower and broccoli and roasted red potatoes.

 

[RLwhaler]

Weather folks are calling for 32 degrees tonight in Cypress, Texas. Went outside to cover the " Admiral's" Dragon fruit trees. Burned some leaves tonight with the kids.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Harvested another head of broccoli & some green onions so Mrs. Ranch could make some of her delicious broccoli salad. There are some cauliflower out there that are ready too!!!

Received the inoculate & the last order of seeds today, so I'm ready for the spring garden.

 

[Mr_Yan]

0 F at 9 a.m.

Went to the grocery store then went and got more dog kibble.

About to start more lettuce seeds for my indoor experiment.

 

[wolffman]

Fertilized the onions again, they are looking pretty good. Need to start cleaning up the garden, potatoes get planted in about a month.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Made bread.

Made a batch of stuff jalapenos to go with the Carne Guisada for supper.

Watered everything in the greenhouse since it will be closed up with the heater & fan running for at least the next 3 days (highs slightly above freezing & lows in the 20s).

 

[w_r_ranch]

Put out 3 rolls of hay for the cattle before the cold front arrives.

Here it comes... It's currently a sunny 63 degrees @ 10:27 hrs. but the next 3 days are going to be nasty.

 

[ksk]

Bought weekly groceries.Brought more firewood to the house and placed where it would be dry Cancelled wife's dental appointment near Houston scheduled at 11am in the morning.

 

[Mike]

They called for 3-8 inches of snow... we got less than an inch. I'm really wanting to try out my snowblower but at this rate it isn't going to happen.

 

[wolffman]

The hummingbirds were spot on as far as the TX winter goes. I trust them over any weatherman. Another round of cold weather headed our way, burning more firewood than I want. I'm about to replenish my wood pile though. I've been doing a little side work for a real nice lady out in the country, and she gives me farm eggs every time I visit. She's going to have duck eggs in the spring. I'm not sure if any of you pastry chefs know what duck eggs are good for (Sam excluded, haha), but they make some of the best recipes you can imagine!

 

[Mr_Yan]

Called for 1-3" of snow Sunday into Monday then another 1" into Tuesday. I just shoveled about 7" of really dry fluffy snow.

Tried a no-knead bread yesterday. The flavor was slightly tangy like a weak sour dough. Went well with the beef barley soup. There was a minor baking fail making this though. Somewhere in the baking process the oven knob was knocked so the 450 F oven was shut off.