The leaves are coming in fast now on all the trees that aren't real hardwoods anyway. The oaks, Walnuts, Hickory, Mulberry and Locust all have buds but no leaves yet. Another few weeks and the Bees will be all over the Honey Locust and Swarms should be starting soon.
I don't think I have ever seen a swarm before the BoxElder trees leaf out so I been using that as my official marker the last few years.
I finished up the Grape run this afternoon. Well actually I have one more step that consists of covering the bed with a few inches of wood chip mulch but the new grape plants are in place. I tell ya grape plants are expensive and much harder to find around here than I anticipated. The only place I saw them for sale was Lowes as a matter of fact.
We also got the Onions, Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes planted today. This is my first time attempting to grow Sweet Potatoes and I am not even sure why I am doing it because I am not all that fond of them but I saw a tray for sale and couldn't resist.
They are predicting rain for the next three days now. Of course that means I know what I am going to be doing on Wednesday now.... You guessed it mowing once again.
We had another ewe pop this afternoon. Another pair of twins, one ram and one ewe this time. I think that brings are total up to 21 now with three more ewes ready to deliver soon. We did have to turn one of the quintuplets into a bottle baby though. His mom just didn't bond with him and wouldn't let him nurse. Only one out of 21 is a pretty good record though.
Keep Prepping Everyone!!!
I don't like sweet potatoes. We ate a lot of them when I was a kid because they were cheap. Same reason I don't like oatmeal and cereal. But in a pinch, they are excellent food in terms of nutritional value. I planned to have a big garden this spring, got all motivated by everyone's blogs. But I haven't done anything yet, except help my wife set up her herb garden in the glass room build on the side of our house.
ReplyDeleteHarry - I am hot and cold on them myself. I have had some from time to time that were good but not so good I had to have more. I figure I should get as much growing each year as I can handle and try new varieties. Ya never know when it might pay off.
DeletePP,
ReplyDeleteYou could actually take sweet potatoes and make some pies. With the right spices, it actually tastes pretty good and very similar to pumpkin pie.
It's good to have some rain to help the fields, and gardens however, enough with the darn grass. Who wants to have to cut the grass more than once a week .....right??
Congrats on the new babies!!! 21 is a great record :-)
Sandy - Ya mowing grass is such a waste of my time but the alternative is either let the snakes come right up to the house or not have fruit trees cause if I let the animals graze em they will eat the trees.
DeleteI am way behind you garden wise. With the rain letting up, maybe next week the soil will be easier not to get stuck in
ReplyDeleteI know the bees will be happier. Time to start putting out the swarm traps here too. A couple of new calves, we could use some sheep.
MV - Oh I am not that far into the garden really. Just a few items planted but most of the stuff I need help setting up is out now. The relative lack of rain this year has given me more time to get stuff done.
DeleteGlad to hear your animal efforts are so successful ! Great job.
ReplyDeleteJoV - Thanks!!!
DeleteWe bake sweet potatoes just like a potato and they come out better than the canned ones that we used to have to eat as kids.
ReplyDeleteSf - Like I said it is good to try new stuff. I plan on seeing how they turn out. Who knows we add them to our menu :)
DeleteRemind me to show Paul this post....we've only got EIGHT kids running around and you're up to 21 and not even finished.
ReplyDeleteAs for the sweet potatoes, how are you planting them? In rows? In dirt? I've been meaning to ask Paul to rip a line in the "dirt" with the dozer, then plant the slips and then cover them with wasted hay and compost.