Helpful ReplyHot!The garden and farm thread

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hot tuna
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Re: The garden thread 2018/03/26 19:32:30 (permalink)
I have only done the smaller brinkman or a grill but really they are just cookers.
I'm thinking with the pork, venison and fish , is like a cold smokehouse. The plans seem simple enough.
I'm not all that versed on preparation and conditions of a cold smoke as a preservative though.
I certainly want to freeze the meat after.

"whats that smell like fish oh baby" .. J. Kaukonen
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hot tuna
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Re: The garden thread 2018/03/27 19:30:26 (permalink)
Almost ready for free Fridays project. The fencing. It's almost a pig pen already so I'll finish her off this weekend.
28' square- 3 sides quanza hut against garage 8Lx6Wx5H . Water on down slope food opposite corner bedding up top.
Hope it works.
post edited by hot tuna - 2018/03/27 20:35:11

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hot tuna
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Re: The garden thread 2018/03/30 17:22:50 (permalink)
While I got all my supplies today , I tried to no avail on the muddy pig pen.
Instead I planted a peach tree, actually 2 for peace. Just got the fencing done so they don't become a stub.
Working on some asparagus and horseradish to finish out my day.
I hope my dancing shoes can hold me up tonight, lol

"whats that smell like fish oh baby" .. J. Kaukonen
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hot tuna
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Re: The garden thread 2018/03/31 15:27:43 (permalink)
The weather was stellar and dried up the mud. After a very late night dancing, I was able to complete my pig house today. Almost ready for those little piggies

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crappiefisher
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Re: The garden thread 2018/03/31 17:45:38 (permalink)
 U r making me feel tired & lazy at the same time  You are a workaholic for sure. Lookin' good, do you have a feed mill near by? I always bought bushels of corn & soy bean & loaded the truck full & off to get made into mash. They would add the extra ingredients for me. The big blue plastic 55 gal. drums with the snap on lids worked great for storage (mold/rat proof) Dumpster diving & grass bagger on mower helped the feed cost down. Have a good surplus of lime on hand or u might change your signature real fast 
 
 They are cute but just can't handle the stink & ain't fair for the neighbors + bought sooo cheap from the farmer, around $100 give or take a couple bucks for a 220 -- 240# pig & could kill on site. The pig pen the following yr. produced the biggest tomato plants I ever had & didn't even plant any there.
 
 Dang gotzs 'bout 20 truck loads ov logs that need cut split & stacked as lookin' out the back window 
 
 Them dang pigs would swallow Pheasnts in 2 gulps so make sure your chickens don't get near the fence.
 
 Keep up the good work & good luck.
 
crappy
 
 How deep is your footer on the shed/barn?? They might root under & create a problem?
post edited by crappiefisher - 2018/03/31 18:01:19
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Fisherlady2
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Re: The garden thread 2018/03/31 19:15:07 (permalink)
hot tuna
The weather was stellar and dried up the mud. After a very late night dancing, I was able to complete my pig house today. Almost ready for those little piggies



 
Looking great, only question I have is the spacing on the floor boards...depending on the piglets size you may need to put hardware cloth or cardboard on the floor for a couple of weeks to prevent them getting hooves caught. 
 
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hot tuna
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Re: The garden thread 2018/03/31 19:30:26 (permalink)
These were some really nice super heavy duty pallets ( from Germany) and the spacing between the slats is 1"
I'm going to get some heavy duty conveyor belting from work and nail it down. They will be fine. I'm also thinking about enclosing 1/2 of the front.
As for the neighbors not liking the smell, no worries, I don't have neighbors.

After I finished that project I was toast. The late night finally caught up with me.
Tomorrow's project is to plant the strawberries and start working on the smokehouse.
Here is the future woodstove for the smokehouse
post edited by hot tuna - 2018/03/31 19:33:52

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BeenThereDoneThat.
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Re: The garden thread 2018/03/31 20:22:44 (permalink)
That church building renovation turns out to be sumpthin ain't to yer liken, move your piggery slightly up wind.    and buy a few more pigs.
 
If ya ain't thought of it already, talk to the grocery, deli, convenient  stores and ask for their slightly used produce etc.  'cept that becomes a PITA pickin that stuff up.

Give a man a fish and you will feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you will feed him for a life time. ~Anne Isabella Thackeray Ritchie (1837–1919)~
 
 
 
  Old fisherman never die; we just smell that way. 
 
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Clint S
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Re: The garden thread 2018/03/31 22:25:46 (permalink)
Our ground here is too frozen to plant yet, most the snow is gone though. Finished up the sap today, but the digital thermometer broke so the final boiling is put off

The gods do not deduct from man's allotted span the hours spent in fishing.  ~Babylonian Proverb

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crappiefisher
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Re: The garden thread 2018/04/01 00:01:13 (permalink)

 
 The lumber on that is worth some serious bucks.
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crappiefisher
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Re: The garden thread 2018/04/01 00:03:24 (permalink)

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hot tuna
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Re: The garden thread 2018/04/01 08:23:35 (permalink)
Up and at em' early today.
Well they been working on the brown church for 2 years and that's about as far as they got. The word is , it's supposed to be relocated because of historical but I'm not thinking that's going to happen none to soon. The same 2 guys started the White church across the street about a month ago and are just trying to stabilize it from collapsing.
Essentially , they got 2 projects going and I haven't seen them around for a few weeks so it may be many years before I have concerns of a front neighbor.
 
As for the farm and garden,
Pigs -  They are pretty expensive to buy on the hoof around here, a piglet is about $100 each or a full grown slaughter pig is about  $300. Im the kinda guy who will try anything at least once so we shall see how the first time goes. I already got people asking me to raise and slaughter for them , not really what I want to do . A co worker has done pigs for about 7 years. He did the feed them anything and everything once and said they tasted horrible. I'm going to use caution on what I feed them.
Fruit Trees - I have 4 apple trees and just put in 2 full size peach trees . I'm looking to put in 2 pear trees next along with the strawberry patch. Next year I may do some raspberries and black berries.
I love canning and my wife likes making jam so I want my storage look like Clint's on steroids , lol.
Veggies - Tomatoes , tomatoes , tomatoes !! Nothing like homegrown tomato sauce. I think we had 17 quarts last year and that's not enough so I'm going to try and double my tomato yield this season. Also going to try cabbage in containers for the first time , anyone have any success at that ?
The other usual's are pole beans, bush beans, podded peas, spinach (already been eating some) , LOTS of pickling cukes, squash, carrots( mine never seem to produce ) , head lettuce, garlic and LOTS of peppers.  Next season I'd like to try potatoes & turnips I need to find the space , our soil is terrible = heavy clay, I've tried adding peat and sand but it hasn't worked well so I stick with the raised bed method and input good soil in them.
The green house will be an over the summer project to where I can try to get the late and second yield crops in there. I'm also going to try a cold frame as suggested here.
 
As that Crappie guy said, it's a lot of work and I'm a workaholic. I can not just sit still. I don't watch TV nor spend much time on the internet, except now, lol.. I need projects, fishing and hunting to keep my heart beating..

"whats that smell like fish oh baby" .. J. Kaukonen
#72
Clint S
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Re: The garden thread 2018/04/01 08:50:12 (permalink)
Around here price for piglet is $65 but we have lots of Amish.  Grown ones are about $1.50 a pound give or take.  We feed table scraps and hog mash and honestly the more sour and rotten the food is the more they like it.  In the summer weeds from the garden and grass clips too. We have lucked out and have access to a truckload of bread products every month. Doughnuts, cakes, muffins, bread ect. I pick through it and then the pig and chickens eat good for the next few weeks. We are trying to decide about what fruit trees.    Be careful with blackberries as they are weeds and will over run an area quick. You can do taters in tires or crates and keep adding up to cover the stalk. You can also grow them in hay bales , but this requires daily watering and fertilizer to be added. I could grow more, but my wife wants nothing to do with the canning  or growing so there is only so much a guy can do. She will eat it though. Carrots like sand and it is hit or miss for me.  one year none, one year 50#. We get more cabbage than we can eat and it does not store well from the ground. Try planting some early and some late stuff to stagger its harvest

The gods do not deduct from man's allotted span the hours spent in fishing.  ~Babylonian Proverb

#73
hot tuna
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Re: The garden thread 2018/04/01 10:33:45 (permalink)
It started raining and my drive to play in the mud is just not there .
Nice tips Clint. I'm figuring on 6-10 heads of cabbage. Not to worried about black berries, I got some place for them along the back woodline. We both enjoy canning so I do get help there , not so much on the maintaining of the garden though. That's pretty much all me.i may have screwed up yesterday. It was bright and sunny so I moved a bunch of plants outside for the day. The tomato plants are not very happy right now. Hoping the indoor green room makes them so again.
As said, it's gloomy weather so I might as well do some much needed cleaning of the man cave with the woodstove cranking.

Off topic:
Anyone interested, can listen or download the show we danced to Friday night.
Local pub, local musicians. There were 123 paying people not counting the walk ins. I can't remember a crowd that size in a very long time there. Must be spring fever. Don't think there wasn't 1 person not dancing.
https://archive.org/details/wheel2018-03-30.pub
post edited by hot tuna - 2018/04/01 10:50:21

"whats that smell like fish oh baby" .. J. Kaukonen
#74
BeenThereDoneThat.
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Re: The garden thread 2018/04/01 11:31:54 (permalink)
Good Grief... after reading the pages you guys post.... I need a nap. lol.


Tuna, as for the clay, if you ever get time enough, research Gypsum as a soil conditioner. May take time but you might not need those MuckBoots in the rainy season.

Give a man a fish and you will feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you will feed him for a life time. ~Anne Isabella Thackeray Ritchie (1837–1919)~
 
 
 
  Old fisherman never die; we just smell that way. 
 
#75
hot tuna
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Re: The garden thread 2018/04/01 12:09:55 (permalink)
The sun broke out and so did I. Painted the pig house. Pulled the cover back across the pool which blew off for some reason only last night. Got a sump pump in there now to drain some off.

As far a gypsum, funny you say that. I have access to all gyp and lime I could ever need in all our lifetimes put together. It's a key ingredient to making cement, which is what I do for a JOB , ugh.
I got rid of the rototiller years ago. Maybe if this thing progresses, I may go back to 1again but I'm liking the ease of raised beds and crates.
Shortly the house will be filled with family and craziness. I'm going to bring in another load of wood so I can be comfortable away from it all in the man cave.
Thank gosh for such a loving wife 😀

"whats that smell like fish oh baby" .. J. Kaukonen
#76
outdoorperson
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Re: The garden thread 2018/04/01 12:21:20 (permalink)
For your strawberry plants try these varieties, Charlotte-this is a everbearing type,sweet fruit from june till fall.Also try Mara Des Bois, another everbearing type bears fruit from early summer  through summer. I've had very good luck with these varieties, I brought the plants and the grow tub tower, fertilizer from Gurney's seed and nursery co.for $37.00 There ph# is 513-354-1492.
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hot tuna
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Re: The garden thread 2018/04/01 13:13:31 (permalink)
outdoorperson
For your strawberry plants try these varieties, Charlotte-this is a everbearing type,sweet fruit from june till fall.Also try Mara Des Bois, another everbearing type bears fruit from early summer  through summer. I've had very good luck with these varieties, I brought the plants and the grow tub tower, fertilizer from Gurney's seed and nursery co.for $37.00 There ph# is 513-354-1492.


Thanks for the response outdoors,
I've purchased from gurney in the past. No complaints and good service.
However, my strawberry plants have already been bought locally a few weeks ago just waiting to plant. I'm doing 2 circular rows ( 24) of Ozark beauty and 1 (12) patch of earlyglow. The cooperative extension recommends there here.

Can't you all tell I'm bored and spending to much time inside...
Pig house was painted front recycled leftover stuff I had.
As for them digging. That white stuff is old ceramic molds, plaster. I smashed with a sledge hammer. The garage foundation is 4 feet deep block. I used the molds for fill and if they try digging into that, they will not like it.

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#78
crappiefisher
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Re: The garden thread 2018/04/01 14:05:05 (permalink)
https://www.indexmundi.com/commodities/?commodity=pork
 
Yea it is up about 10 cents a # since last time I bout one from the farmer. Got rid of my 2 comercial Hobart Grinders, Had a U.S slicer made before Elec. that thing was so kool with a big wheel crank & sold the Globe slicer also. Maybe get back into hunting soon. Miss every yr. on new yrs. day we would get around 100 lbs. of pork loins .99 cents a lb. and take all the deer trimmings from the season & grind for burger/hotsticks/bolona & sausage. Don't miss being a butcher though.
 
Put 8' x 6.5" T&G oak planks for flooring last week at camp in the man cave 14' x 24'. Was a garage then Amish turned it into a Midwife room. Pretty cool with barn beams & a large stone hearth & chimney. Wish I had my Hearthstone 1 soapstone up there at 100,000 btu 28" logs but the Defaint Vermont Castings 75,000 BTU will do for now. Have a Hearthstone 2 I'm taking to my sons place he bought 10 min. away from our camp.
 
 Gonna go load the wagon with roofing slate from out back, was gonna cut with a grinder but think the wet saw will work with less mess. Making into (look like real stone) for walls & foundations beautiful colors, save from our 200 yr. house when raised the roof.
 
 I could go for a 1 lb. chocalate rabbit 'bout now  Hey BTDT I got a new snow cone machine!!
#79
crappiefisher
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Re: The garden thread 2018/04/01 14:22:19 (permalink)
 Miss the Berkel not near as good cond. as this but was fun..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOin3ENc1lU
 
crappy
 
The one Hobart grinder I had had two grinders, with one out the side, guess so you wouldn't have to clean going from beef to pork. Those things are beasts.
 
post edited by crappiefisher - 2018/04/01 14:31:33
#80
hot tuna
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Re: The garden thread 2018/04/01 14:52:59 (permalink)
That thing looks awesome but 2 shinny.
I may have a line on a commercial slicer now thanks for your tips.
My crappy cook stove which was salvaged from a camper a logger used is serving the man cave purpose the last 4 years. I've had it 80 plus degrees out here in the 16×60' cave, it's all of that today but it's scary to leave unattended.
I do have a not being used100,000 btu wood furnace in my basement but way to overkill in here. My goal by fall is an airtight basic stove that i will feel comfortable running 24/7.
Presently my only heat source for the last 5 years is pellet stove in house and cook stove in man cave.
post edited by hot tuna - 2018/04/01 18:39:36

"whats that smell like fish oh baby" .. J. Kaukonen
#81
BeenThereDoneThat.
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Re: The garden thread 2018/04/01 22:09:00 (permalink)
Crappy looking at the forecast this coming week, I might only need the syrup to make snowcones. My favorite flavor is 7 & 7 of which I may have several..... a day!!!

I'm thinking pellet stove, if I don't move , for my basement for next winter. Pros and cons along with do's and don'ts will be appreciated.

Give a man a fish and you will feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you will feed him for a life time. ~Anne Isabella Thackeray Ritchie (1837–1919)~
 
 
 
  Old fisherman never die; we just smell that way. 
 
#82
hot tuna
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Re: The garden thread 2018/04/03 17:12:33 (permalink)
I've had a pellet stove in my 1 house for 30 years. It's a Whitfield, made by Lennox. It's a 40,000 btu manual ignition , 40 lb hopper and have only replaced 1 part ( convection fan ) in that time. It still goes strong today.
My other house I got a Lowe's Enfield 40,000 btu , auto ignition and 80 lb hopper 6 years ago. I had to replace a bearing in the convection fan the second year and it needs a new one again.

Pros:
They are pretty simple to repair and operate.
I like the automatic temp and ignition as it uses less pellets. Having a bigger hopper means I load it every 2-3 days instead of every day in cold weather. The things put out some good heat and basically heats my now 2,500 square foot house all by itself, and i keep it 70 plus.

Cons:
Do NOT buy cheap pellets !! If you do with the automatic ignition stove, you run the risk of an explosion. The pellets do not burn completely to ash and clog the fire grate. When it tries to re ignite, it creates a tremendous amount gasses in the air tight fire box and all that pressure from a non ignition has to go somewhere. TRUST me I know. When the cap on the exhaust pipe is laying in the driveway, the house is full of smoke and sparks are shooting out if the stove, it's not a good thing. I never had , nor do with the manual stove which either is on or off. I ONLY use dry creek all hardwood pellets, ONLY !!
Second con is having a place to store your pellets. Buy them early , like August because they only produce a set amount for the season. I buy 3 ton @ $249 A ton for each stove and my supplier stores them for me. I can keep a ton at a time in the man cave.
Third:
It's a messy soot when you clean them. With dry creek, I clean it once a week when running 24/7. With junk pellets, you must clean daily.
Other than that, I highly recommended a pellet stove and if mine crap out , which should be never because repairing is simple, id get another in a heart beat.
Ps. Do not use a shop vac to clean. It will clog the filter with the fine ash instantly and blow black soot out the vac exhaust. Use a standard bag type vacuum

In other news, SCORE :
Stainless bird bath is in the house . Now to figure out what I will put it's use to .
post edited by hot tuna - 2018/04/03 17:24:55

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#83
bigbear2012
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Re: The garden thread 2018/04/04 08:47:29 (permalink)
I constructed 2, 4X8 raised beds.  Filled them with good size rocks for the first 5 inches, then a layer of leaves and chicken poop, top soil for the last 5 inches.  All set

wishin i was fishin
#84
BeenThereDoneThat.
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Re: The garden thread 2018/04/04 16:34:38 (permalink)
HT I appreciate the help with the pellet stove and heads up on the quality of the pellets. I've been researching the internet and everything read so far, points to the pellets as being the major problem with most major brand pellet burners. Also appreciate your time commenting on the maintenance and repair of the heating units.

Regardless of staying at my present location or downsizing to a new place, a pellet stove will be on order. My present home has the air intake and the roof framed for the exhaust as the previous own did have a burner but for reasons unknown, had it removed.

I'm thinking, should I remain here, (a ranch style log home) the install to be in the basement to supplement my heat pump when the OATs begin hovering into the low teens. Otherwise, the electric heat coils kick in and it's bye bye $$$. So I think the purchase will be cost effective.

Thanks again for taking the time.

Give a man a fish and you will feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you will feed him for a life time. ~Anne Isabella Thackeray Ritchie (1837–1919)~
 
 
 
  Old fisherman never die; we just smell that way. 
 
#85
hot tuna
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Re: The garden thread 2018/04/07 19:38:39 (permalink)
Tufff day at the house . Volunteered to do a brake job that turned into an all day project.
The only thing i accomplished on the farm and garden was to cut this crate in half i scored yesterday. I will be putting the 2 piglets in them for the ride home tomorrow.
Also scored a front door for the barrel stove smokehouse.

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#86
Fisherlady2
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Re: The garden thread 2018/04/08 08:22:06 (permalink)
HT,  the crate looks great! Good scores! 
 
 
#87
Clint S
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Re: The garden thread 2018/04/08 09:20:58 (permalink)
My wife can get free burlap bags so I will be trying those for weed control this year. Just rake them up and burn in the fall I hope

The gods do not deduct from man's allotted span the hours spent in fishing.  ~Babylonian Proverb

#88
hot tuna
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Re: The garden thread 2018/04/08 09:57:59 (permalink)
That's cool Clint, I can think of many uses for burlap. Sacks for veggie storage, deer blind and as you said, weed bed.
WTF. It was 20 degrees this morning and froze the ground. I have some digging to do today as well as fencing. Piggies come home at 1 pm. Lots to do yet.
I still have these strawberries to do ..
Was working on stuff until 11 pm yesterday , need more time in a day . Guess I'll sleep when I'm dead.
Gotta run.... check back later. Hope everyone is springing for spring.
Do the DANCE Jack !!!!

"whats that smell like fish oh baby" .. J. Kaukonen
#89
pafisher
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Re: The garden thread 2018/04/08 11:06:29 (permalink)
How's that Rich,hope it works 'cause along with everyone else I'm sick of winter.
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