Whatcha Up To???

[w_r_ranch]

Still too wet...

Chainsawed up a tree that fell on the fence during the recent storms. Then did another one that was going to fall on the road to the barn & started burning the stumps out. Both will be split for firewood.

 

[Mike]

Pulled a few carrots this afternoon. At least they are looking good.

 

[Slowngreen]

Only thing left in my garden is spaghetti squash, have maybe 20 of them. Had one for dinner last night. Its already froze here once, so maybe I should bring them all in? Really bummed on how the garden did this year. Next year I will be ready!!!

 

[w_r_ranch]

Its already froze here once, so maybe I should bring them all in?

If they have turned a pale yellow, YES!!!!

 

[w_r_ranch]

Rained again today... 1.5".

 

[w_r_ranch]

Still too wet to finish the stonework so I guess I'll have to find other things to work on (forecast is calling for more rain (40-60%) for the next 4 days here).

Replaced the primer bulb & fuel lines on the Stihl pole pruner. I really hate this ethanol gasoline, but I can't justify paying $33/gal for the Stihl 100% gasoline w/premix... That is just insane!!!

 

[w_r_ranch]

Still raining here (very gentle)... 0.4" overnight.

Went to pickup the PL-500 mortar adhesive but it never arrived... 30 miles for nothing. GRRRR.

 

[ErnieCopp]

We took a few days off and drove up the Coast as far as Monterey, to get some cool weather and fresh seafood. Found some of both, and thrn drove through the Salinas Valley on the return trip.

That valley is kept very cool by the cold breezes blowing in from the sea, and is where a lot of cool weather crops like Spinach, Lettuce and the Cole plants are grown.

All big factory farms, with acres and acres of perfectly straight rows of vegetable that are all precisely the same size, shape, and color. they really have mastered the way to grow perfect crops.

Then after that nice cool vacation we returned to terribly hot weather, 96 was thhe hottest hear but even hotter is a lot of other places not too far away.

Dried the last of my figs, but the hot weather the past week had withered them down to about half dry.


Ernie

 

[w_r_ranch]

Rained another 0.8" overnight. It's either 'feast or famine' here when it comes to rain, LOL!!!

I think I'll start cutting my fall seed potatoes & get them coated with powdered sulfur today so they'll be ready for planting sometime next week.

 

[ErnieCopp]

I would be glad to trade our constant famine for some of your Feast and Famine.

This last hot spell is scorching leaves like a blow torch.

Ernie

 

[w_r_ranch]

Cut the grass & started reforming the rows in the garden (potatoes will be going in this week).

 

[Mr_Yan]

I'm starting to really clean up the vines growing up the trellises at home and cut things back.

The watermelons, cucumbers, and summer squash are done producing so have been cut out and chopped up awaiting being mixed into the compost pile. Tomatoes are slowing down but still producing though the flavor is that of a tomato after being in the fridge as we're dropping into the upper forties most nights.

Mostly I spent this weekend shooting molding up in my front entry (base, shoe, and case I had done the crown a few weeks ago) as well as caulking and filling it. That and my wife's in-laws were in town - but hey my dad was the one that taught me how to cut and cope crown molding and shoot in moldings in general.Over the next week I will paint the room and call it done. This is the entry I gutted about 6 years ago and put in the oak floor a month ago.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Started shredding around deer feeders/stands down in the woods since I'm 'work stop' on the asparagus bed pending deliveries...

 

[ErnieCopp]

I have not been doing much in the Garden, lately, but was out filling one of the bird feeders with oil seed, doing some spot watering as the tall fescue lawn does not like this hot weather, and then picked the final figs from the favorite tree. I have two Black Mission Fig tres, but they are totally different. One has huge figs, and the other has figs about one third the size and three times as sweet. I leave the last ones on the tree to partly dry and shrivel before harvesting and they are just as good as candy. Of course that tree is under bird netting since the birds like candy, too. I picked a couple of quarts of them today, and the few remaining will be picked and eaten at the tree.

I was going to put them in the fridge and eat as they were but decided they might mildew before i could get them eaten, so will dry for a few hours to discourage any fungi that might be on them and then freeze some and eat the others as fast as possible.

Some Japanese Persimmons is about all the deciduous fruit i have left, and they will not be ripe for another month or more.

I have some huge Pecan trees just out side my west property line, and they are setting a second crop of pecans, green but full size now. First time that has happened since i have lived here but do not know enough about Pecan trees to know if that is normal or not.

Ernie

 

[w_r_ranch]

The 'tail wheel' hub on the shredder broke, so I had to go a few towns to the west of us to get a replacement. I then replaced it & continued shredding after greasing all the fittings on the shredder, the tractor, the Gator & the garden tractor (I figured I would do everything since I was already a greasy mess).

The PL-500 mortar adhesive that I had on order (for the asparagus bed stone work) arrived at the store so I will pick it up in the morning & work on that tomorrow.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Picked up the PL-500 mortar adhesive this morning & got back to work on the asparagus bed... got 2 more courses up. It's just about ready for the cap rock & the weed block liner. I don't know when that will happen as we have a high probability of rain the next 3 days (80%, 50% & 60%). I'm also still waiting on the rock delivery...

On a plus note, I ordered 10 kilos of 'Caputo 00' from Naples,Italy & it's suppose to be here tonight!!! I'm going to try making homemade spaghetti like my grandma used to make.

 

[w_r_ranch]

I continued reforming the rows in preparation for planting... Then planted the fall potatoes.

 

[Mr_Yan]

Cleaned up some more of my inground bed at the community garden and harvested some greens from my raised bed at the community garden. The collards were COVERED with powdery mildew or something similar. There was powder flaking off the leafs when you shook them.

 

[w_r_ranch]

It was showering this morning so I burned the largest brush pile. It stopped around 1000 hrs so I went back to shredding the hunting areas (almost done & then I'll shred the pastures here).

We have a large area of rain heading our way per the radar, it's about 45 minutes away.

Update: what a beautiful & gentle rain!!!

 

[Mike]

Seems like when it rains it rains non-stop and when it doesn't then we get nothing for weeks and that's what we're at now. No rain for some time now.

Watered the remaining carrots and tomatoes as well as my still thriving peppers this morning then cut the grass this afternoon.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Yesterday I finished shredding the hunting areas (in the woods) & started shredding here at the house. I was making good progress until one of the U-joints broke, now I have to spend a day fixing that...

Today I plan on continuing on the garden rows as it really close to planting time. Then I decided to start planting... Got 42 brussels sprouts & 72 kohlrabi in before my back said stop.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Today I ordered 25 male 'Jersey Knight' aparagus crowns (3 yr old) from a specialty farm, so I will cut/install the wall liner/cap rock & order the soil mix.

 

[Mr_Yan]

I bought a pole saw to trim my trees. This maple is getting way too close to my house. I trimmed some of it back over the weekend with pruning shears while standing on my roof.

Anyway I was standing in line at farm and fleet thinking "I'm buying a medieval infantry weapon, I wonder if the state of Illinois regulates them yet. Will I get carded and need a background check?" This Fiskars tree saw is not that far off of a poleax.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Watered everything (garden, trees, flowerbeds, pots & baskets) as soon as the sun came up.

Then picked the last of the jalapenos before pulling the plants out so I could finish the last row of the fall garden. Mrs. Ranch was 'pressed into duty' prepping them for relish & is not happy about it (this will keep her busy for a while, LOL!!!). I'm sure I'll pay for this somewhere down the road...

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While she got started on the peppers, I finished up the Asparagus bed & installed the hose bib. Now I just need the soil mix & the rock (supposedly they are working on a big job right now)...

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[ErnieCopp]

Sam, That is a damn fancy asparagus bed. I am not going to show you a picture of mine.
Ernie