As the worm churns

Well, worm ranching may not be rocket science but I think I've managed to drown my wrigglers. I've got them new bedding and better drainage so we'll see if they dry out and rev. up. I have 2"x3"x1" plastic bins under the rabbit cages to catch the manure (and urine). I had set one aside for the worms but I didn't have good enough drainage. I think that the cost of converting all these bins to containers with catch buckets would not be cost effective so I'm going to look into finding a place in the ground to make a trench. That way I can water the rabbit manure down and wash out the ammonia so it doesn't burn the worms.

Sadly we lost a bunn last week. It was one of the new Flemish Giant babies - a light gray. He just didn't travel well and didn't recover. We were very sad and gave him a decent burial.

This winter it was as if someone pulled the plug on the economy of this town. Even I was surprised at how it happened overnight. Everyday Mr. Greenjeans is fearful of losing his job. Every week they lay off people both above him and under him.

Today I went to a yard sale at a neighbor's house - they are moving to AK. I picked up a food dehydrator (electric) for $3.00. I guess I've got Mrs. neighbor's attention as she is now looking like a survivalist nut (I taught her well). She wants us to go in on packaged food storage. I like our fresh food storage (I hear Chibi beginning to measure wheat into the mill, now) but I suppose long term packaged stuff has its place. You could bug out with it in its boxes. It's so expensive though!

Our garden land (and house and other land) sold to the neighbor's son just before the bust. He's now looking to sub-divide it for building lots. He hasn't (yet) given us permission to garden this year. I don't know what he's asking for the land. The time is ticking on the season here! I'm going to have to start thinking about raised beds in the lawn.

Boy am I pleased as punch to see a (little) veggie plot going into the White house lawn. I love our president and his family but I think he needs to think outside the box to turn the economy around. Payroll had to tell me I'd gotten my economic stimulus tax break - it's so small it wouldn't take us out to lunch at a fast food place! I am very grateful that we are both employed. We're saving money but we've only too recently been at the end of our financial rope to have much cushion.

Beans Galore

While we were away the neighbors picked and ate all the beans they could. Yesterday we picked about a 1/2 Bu.

Nee: Mom, what are we ever going to do with all these beans?
Me: What do you mean, I always can this many beans.
Nee: Every thrid day?
Me: Oh, I see what you mean

Nee: I think your are trying to feed a village beans and corn.

The photo was taken after giving a good amount to the fellow who helps with irrigation. I call the picture, "Berner with Beans"


The beans magically turned into 35 pints (amount corrected)of Dilly Beans - OK I worked through the night canning.

It is Vacation Time!

Yeah! I am officially on vacation for 10 days!

I have three days at home to can and preserve whatever bounty the garden provides, clean, tie up loose ends and pack for our trip. Not only that but Mr. Greenjeans is on vacation too! (Him to me: don't work me too hard.) I tend to always have more plans than time but it will be good.

Here are some garden shots: Some of the corn
Tomatoes, Peppers, Brussels Sprouts. (Yes, the Tomatoes are caged but they need fences and they were planted a couple of feet apart but have grown together into one big massive tomatoe tangle).

One of the baby Watermelon


Here are some of the projects. The picture was taken before I made pepper jelly and the apricot cobbler. Also not pictured are the fermenting kosher dills.

Raspberry Jam in a Jam Pot my MIL brought to me from England years ago.

A weedy life

Pardon the silence as I try and compete with the weeds in the garden. I keep thinking that if I get on top of the weeds there will be a little break.....

Slather me in butter - I'm toast

Burnt toast that is. This morning I was up checking the email, the rest of the family still asleep (so before 7:00a.m.) when the doorbell rang and there was Mrs. Garden saying the irrigation water was coming and the old fellows were out cleaning the gutters to keep the junk out of the irrigation pipes. We moved on to digging trenches and re-furrowing the ground.

It was the hottest day of the year by 20 degrees. I did have a hat and wore long pants but after 7 hours I am burned to a crip on my arms, face, and neck. By the time I was done, I was out of water, and my head was pounding. I found my way back across the street and took one non-eco friendly long cool shower with an asperin. Now, what were my plans for the day?

The pictures are from planting day:

I'm beat, tired, sore, happy

This is what I've been up to:


We tilled yesterday, put in furrows last night and this morning, and began planting this afternoon and evening. I took a vacation day from work and will continue after work all week. I'll have totals on Friday.

It's cold, cold here. When I went out to furrow this morning it was 55 f. There is talk of getting near freezing tonight. We're not that far north!

Made cheese and bread as well today. Took a loaf of bread over to the garden owners. Chibi was dissapointed we didn't need any wheat ground - we used the last of what they had energetically ground earlier.

A Found Garden Spot!

As I was clearing out the chicken run, I realized there is a wide gap between the two fences. The brush had grown up so tall I hadn't realized it was there before. As I cleared the brush to close the gap, I realized there was an empty flat lot behind us - not a gravel parking lot as I'd assumed. In fact there was a rather large interior lot and all the properties neatly were marked off by parking or fences.



Mr. Greenjeans went to the assessor's office and found the owner's name and called him to see if we could grow a garden. To our pleasant surprise, his response was he wished more people would take the initiative in things like this and he'd be happy to have us use the land that way!!! My next door neighbor and I are now plotting out what we are going to grow and how to clear the land off.

It is just now planting season but we are behind in that we haven't planned or cleared the land. I don't suppose it will be terrifically big this year but I'm already thinking of growing chicken feed. She wants to learn to can with me. This is so cool!

It turns this neighbor is into preparedness! She gave everyone in her family detailed 72 hour kits for Christmas one year. I guess we never really talked about it too much before. Yesterday she had me move my potato barrels down the driveway so they'd catch the sprinkler water that overshot her garden.

It's dark now but I'll be taking pictures of the land as we progress. I had been so sleepy, snuggled in with the latest issue of Mother Earth News until the land owner returned my call. Wooo Hoooo