fuzzi's "Gardens and Chickens...and Goats? Oh My!" Journal and More Thread

[fuzzi]

Got my DS to help clean up the south side of the backyard, so it's easier to mow.

From earlier this month. In the picture you can see three piles of rocks, some too heavy for me to lift. There's also an old clothes pole.

And junk.

I cleared off a pallet that's behind our old shed. It's a deep shade location, so I won't have to be trimming/maintaining it.

After the move.

We don't have rocks naturally here, so I'm in no hurry to discard these.

After rocks and clothes pole were relocated, and I ran the mower over the area, woo!

Alice sees something in the newly cleared area.

Forecast is for rain starting tonight, and continuing during the week, but I watered anyway. Forecasts have a habit of being wrong.

 

[Mini Horses]

Looks good! Rocks...those are landscape accents size

 

[fuzzi]

Looks good! Rocks...those are landscape accents size

Hernia-enducing, too.

Squash is starting to produce.

The green pumpkin-looking squash is an Argentinian variety, seeds bought on impulse. It is called Zapallitto del Tronco, aka Zappallo de Tronco. It's like a firmer, drier zucchini. AND I just discovered that it is resistant to Summer squash pests!

 

[Mini Horses]

Lets see a picture of Zappa cut open, pls. Sounds interesting. Avocado like? Hmmm. Pic & report, chef.

 

[fuzzi]

Lets see a picture of Zappa cut open, pls. Sounds interesting. Avocado like? Hmmm. Pic & report, chef.

I'm planning on blanching/freezing in the morning, will get a picture then.

 

[SageHill]

Nice bunch of rocks!!! I remember living in the midwest a bunch of rocks like that would be a score! Life changes, around here - well a dime a dozen would be a high price
That Zappallo de Tronco squash looks good and sounds really good. Looking forward to what you think (LOL and I've got a couple garden boxes that are about to become available!

 

[fuzzi]

The rain showers paused, and I went outside to check on the flocks and gardens. No early eggs, expect some by afternoon, and one of the Dominiques is screeching intermittently. I think she's going broody.

I picked another Zapallitto (ZDT) squash, but the mower guy called, it's fixed. I'm going to go pick up the mower before the next wave of showers arrives...then I'll freeze the squash.

FYI: the strawberry-rhubarb pie was runny, but delicious. I will NOT hold it overnight before baking, again. And I might "up" the flour a tad.

 

[fuzzi]

Lets see a picture of Zappa cut open, pls. Sounds interesting. Avocado like? Hmmm. Pic & report, chef.

Here you go:

The smaller ZdT didn't show seeds.

All squash is now blanched and in the freezer: two fairly full quart bags of just ZdT, two bags of mixed, including gray zucchini and lemon squash.

I bought some half price stewing beef on Friday, or Saturday. Earlier I dredged & browned it, then placed the meat on top of a thick slice of onion in my little slow cooker, turned to low. Set it and forget it!

And mower guy called, he'd fixed the wheel. He said an "O" ring was the issue. No charge.

Now, what else can I do inside today?

 

[fuzzi]

Blast from the past...my first flock. The photos are from about 1992-1993.

Rooster on the left is the main roo, Ping. Not sure if that's Pong or Red on the right.

I think she was named Clover.

I'm pretty sure this is Miney. She was the sole survivor of a raccoon attack, and the eggs she was brooding became our flock. The original Black Rosecombs were named Eenie, Meeney, Miney, and Moe.

Yes, my children named them all.

Eventually Ron helped me extend the netting over the tin roof, and placed branches up high.

We really enjoyed our chickens for a few years.

 

[farmerjan]

Brings back memories... My dad raised Black Rosecomb bantams, mom had Black Tailed White Japanese bantams, sister had White Leghorn bantams... brothers didn't have any long enough to count... I had SC Light Brown Leghorns and SC Dark Brown Leghorns large fowl to start... after the initial flock of "laying hens" as a 4-Her and some cornish rock crosses for meat... My ex had/has OE Game bantams and some large fowl... I dabbled in some cochin bantams, then some Black Langshan bantams... and the Large Fowl New Hampshires...

Your Rosecombs look nice...