trudy's Blog

Summer is here!
May 26, 2008 | 11:23 AM PST
Tags: beans , peas , cabbage , strawberries , strawbales , carrots , plums , Mayhaws , Dahlia

We BBQ'd for Memorial Day yesterday because DD an DH would be on the road taking DD back to school.  So my oldest DD an her family came over also.  It was a nice day  for just relaxing an cooking out.  The boys played under the sprinkler for a while an of course we had to ride the 4 wheeler an hunt for huckleberries down the dirt road.  For supper we had BB Chicken on the grill,  cabbage I had frozen from last season (experiment success), carrots (white, orange, an yellow) made a colorful pretty dish sauteed in some olive oil an real butter, throwed a couple leeks in the last couple minutes of cooking.  I've laid off margerine due to the info I found here:       

  http://www.stop-trans-fat.com
/how-is-margarine-made.html>
Along with it my first picking of snap beans an fresh dug new potatoes.  

Today I have planted Jade Beans after pulling the sugar peas, Turtle Beans an Mayflower Beans.  All new to me this year an will be interesting to see how they do an taste.  All from trades so there isn't an abundance of them but enough hopefully to at least taste them to see if I want to save enough seeds for next year to plant more.   I am also working on a spot at the end of the house to plant some Cream 8 peas.  I've been reading an hearing about with the fuel rising in cost that the food is also going to be going up to ridiculous prices.  To the point that the average person won't be able to afford food.   Its early enough in the growing season that there is plenty of time to still plant a lot of stuff.   I dug a lot of my garlic, so pleased with them also.  Usually I have a good harvest but the sizes just aren't all that.  This time they were nice size heads.  I put them in the greenhouse on the wire tables to dry/cure.  I still have some yet to dig that aren't quiet ready yet.

My strawbale garden is doing pretty good,  I'm having to fertilize it weekly cause they really aren't in enough soil to hold nutrients, but they need watering daily for sure.    My red plum tree is loaded with plums this year,  gonna make some good jelly this year.   Also my Santa Rosa Plum tree is loaded for its size.   About a year or two ago a friend of mine an I were talking about her apricot tree an how sickly it looked an wouldn't bear fruit,  the Lichen had taken it over.  She said she hand picked them off an sprayed a fungicide all over it an by the following season it had put on new growth an was loaded with fruit.  I got home after our talk an got to looking at the SR an noticed the lichen was on it an was trying to take it over.   I got busy picking them off an gave it a fungicide treatment an it wasn't to long I started seeing new growth.  Last year it only had 9 plums on it, the year b4 that only 5.  This year it is loaded with delicious, juicy, sweet plums.  No bug holes or marks on them.  I am so pleased I took the time an gave it the extra attention I did as it has well rewarded me for my efforts.

I am discussed with the Mayhaw Trees though.  At $15 a gallon (may be going up to) I really wanted these trees to do right.  That isn't gonna happen as long as there are cedar trees within a mile of them.  Cutting them all down isn't an option.  So I've decide to cut them down an replant some Hybrids that are suppose to be disease resistant an produce larger fruit than the native trees do. 

I have just about finished picking strawberries,  they are now coming in sporatically now.  I have enough to do awhile so I don't mind.  Not that it would do me any good, lol.  I finally acquired a Tree Dahlia an it is growing good.  I had potted it up for awhile til it had some growth on it,  I planted in the front flower bed on Saturday.  I can't wait for it to get mature an bloom.

Well I've bored yawl long enough,  just came in to cool off a bit.  Gonna go try an work on the bed for the peas awhile.   Later, T

Trudy's Hidden Lane
Jan 9, 2008 | 2:35 PM PST
Tags: strawberries , kumquat , jelly , plants , daylillies , veggie seeds , pecans

So far this week I have gotten some more kumquat jelly made, the same kumquat tree from my FIL's tree. Had enough to make a double batch. I like the tartness an sweetness going on at the same time. Got a couple deer processed an in the freezer, DH is workng on the last one today. So at least we should have enough meat (beef replacement, other than steaks) til next seasons hunt.  Been picking up pecans on halves for an elderly gentleman in town,  now just to get them cleaned up an bagged for the freezer.

 I got out to the greenhouse an checked on everything,  looking good.  Watered everything really good, emptied some pots where things had died over the summer.  Will reuse the dirt later.  Cleaned up some trays so I can get some seeds started about the middle of Feb.  Don't want to start some things to early thats for sure. 

Today got some of the strawberry plants that are in the pathways replanted into some of the flowerbeds, only about 25 but theres more to go.  I came home early today from work due to rain,  but it was off an on which in between breaks got those in the ground.  Dug up about 50 daylillies for a coworker that wanted some.  I feel like I got some things done at least.  Now to get rid of this headache I can't shake.  Still want to order some seeds for the veggie garden,  not enough time in the day sometimes. 

Just had to get them
Jun 21, 2007 | 6:14 AM PST
Tags: tomatoes , zukes , cukes , strawberries , grasshoppers , Ga. Thumpers , canning

I got a good check up with the doc yesterday, upped my weight limit to 20 lbs. You know what that means right? I can now do a few things in the yard an garden, may not be much but its better than it was b4. So on my way home yesterday I stopped by the produce stand an bought a case of mators which came from Sloccomb, Al. So I knew they would be good. Sloccomb is known around here for having the best tasting tomatoes. Something to do with the soil there. They had just been picked the afternoon b4, an knowing how I need to replenish my tomatoe supply I figured why not. So today I'm canning those up.

This morning I got the veggie sprinkler going at 7:30 b4 the heat sets in. Ordinarilly I can only water in late evening due to my work hours, but while I'm on leave its nice to be able to water in the mornings. Everyday I have been harvesting a few things like cukes, mators, few staggered strawberries. A couple days ago the zuke plant replacement I noticed was wilting, well something apparently cut it off at the base. So I'm not sure if I want to replace it yet again or just give up on zukes this year.

Late yesterday afternoon after my nap an boredom set in I went out on the porch an decided to prune out some of the dead canes out of my 2 climbers at the entrance. Nothing strinuous, b4 I knew it I had a couple small piles I now need to take to the edge of the woods. But the roses look better! Hiding on a cane was a grown GA. Thumper (Grasshopper), they east everything in site. So far since seeing them in early spring everytime I see one or more I stomp them to death. By doing this I have decreased the numbers I see almost daily. So to grasshopper heaven he went.

Well time to get busy while the mood has hit me, trudy

A few more things done
Jun 13, 2007 | 2:38 AM PST
Tags: Butterbeans , cattle panel , strawberries , Devils Claw , weeds , mystery , vine

Got a few more things done today after I got home yesterday,  DD was trying to finish up moving into there new home they purchased then remodeled.  So proud of her, her first home she got on her own.  They are finally at a point that it won't be long she can plant the plants I've saved for her in pots for her own yard.  I did get the cattle panel arbor up with my newphew in laws help.  Added some manure to the area, worked it in an planted some Willowleaf Pole Butterbeans.  Replanted in spots some of the Sieva BBeans where the others hadn't come up.  I think the Sieva seeds must have gotten old seeing how they are coming up in spots.  They were given to me when our feed store went out of business back before spring.  So if I can just get enough of them to make I'll replant saved seeds next year with fresh seed.  The Willowleaft must be ok, the ones I planted earlier so far are trying to break ground.   I still have some planting area left that needs something in there, but what?  

We had a good storm come thru about 4 yesterday afternoon an everything got a good drink, so afterwards I checked the greenhouse, all was good.  But while there I noticed my Devil's Claw seed pods had gotten blown onto the ground with a few seeds scattered.  I took them an put the in the squash bed (open ground area).  I think those are neat seed pods.  Wicked looking!  If they come up fine, if they don't thats fine to.  I finally took the time to get my last large container done up an planted the last of the comfrey that I almost let die.  Good Lord at the roots on them.  But  they stand a better chance now to survive.  They just look bad for now.  Weeded a few more beds, not that there bad but don't want them to be either.

If the wind isn't up after work today I think I'll do some round up in spots just so it doesn't get out of hand b4 my surgery.  After that I won't be able to pick up anything over 8 lbs for 6 wks.  So better get as much done in the over 8 lb catagory finished up today.    I put up 4 more pvc stakes for mators an got some others retied.  Added a little manure to one of the asparagus containers, just because.the others I had done a few weeks ago responded so well after doing this. I thnk I may have ID'd my mystery vine that came up in the strawberry patch to be cantolope.  May be wrong, but from my (not so good) memory I think thats what it is.  So my trellising may not work without some olf panytyose to use for a sling.  Will see if it ever forms some fruit.  Trudy

Playing catch up
Jun 11, 2007 | 4:03 PM PST
Tags: feed , hogs , chickens , garlic , strawberries , weeding , trellis , butterbeans

It was 103 today, no idea of the heat index. Way to hot to be outside, but gotta do whatcha gotta do. Stopped by the feed store on the way home to get some corn for the hogs an scatch for the chickens an wound up buying a 6 pack of Jubilee Watermelon seedlings an 2 tomatoes, but 1 of them had 2 in the pot so I got 3 total. Like I need more, after 111 tomatoe plants you'd think it'd be enough. But I had some empty spots to fill in one of the mator beds so there ya go. Got them planted an repotted a Rabbiteye Blueberry bush I had bought back in the spring that I just can't seem to get in the ground, but this one was still in the plastic tubing thing, It really needs to develop a better root system b4 going in the ground in this heat. So its in the garden area right next to the faucet so I'll have to trip over it to water. That way I don't overlook it. I also potted up a lemon tree that I had rooted a piece of off a friends lemon tree, so I named it Howells Lemon. It to went into a garden path so it gets watered when I water the garden.

While weeding I noticed the garlic bed had bout finished up an needed dug up, so I took the time to get them dug an in the shade so they can dry. A few are left that aren't quiet ready yet. But most of them were. Now to figure out what to put in that kinda large area. I thought about putting up a cattle panel an arch it for a walk thru trellis, then plant some more pole butterbeans. Even then I'll still have some room left over. Decisions!

After reading the blog about the strawberries, can't remeber the username I got to noticing how the strawberry patch that I just this spring put some runners in now has runners everywhere. So I may need this fall to plant them somewhere or give them away. I may put at least some in with some of the flower beds. But I don't want no 300 of them, lol. Thats way to many for me.  I'm trying to get things done/somewhat caught up b4 Wednesday, cause Thursday I'll be out of commission for awhile due to surgery an recovery. But the plus is I'll be home an in the cool a/c.

I can't seem to figure out how to post pics to a blog yet, wish there was a simple "attach photo" button to click on in here to simplify things. I'm not that computer smart to start with, lol. trudy

Storm on its way
Apr 14, 2007 | 5:25 PM PST
Tags: Black eye susan , Phillipine Violet , Mexican Flame Vines , Spanish Flags , Morning Glorys , Borage , Oakleaf Hydrangeas , Hollyhocks , roses , strawberries , pie filling , storm , chicks

Its been gonna storm all week, but has been missin us.  Staying north,  I didn't want it to be bad weather but just get some of the rain off of it.  So every afternoon when I'd get home from work I get to planting.   Same today,  I did get a lot planted,  more hollyhocks, black eye susans, Phillipine Violets, Mexican Flame vines, Spanish Flags,  Morning Glory trees, Oakleaf Hydrangeas, White Obedient Plant,  Morning Glory bush (questinable as to whether they make it here), Borage,  some lillies I couldn't never seem to get planted also got done today.  Finished up planting the last of the potatoes I've not been able to find the time to plant.  I've not been that good at growing them, so I'll be interesting to see what they do being planted so late.  The other afternoon when it was suppose to rain I got my Lady Banks rose and Lavaglut rose planted.

Friday I picked another bucket of strawberries,  think  I'll put it up as a pie filling this time.  My baby chicks are doing well,  out growing there large box thats for sure.   Had planned to put them outside today, but DH says to wait til after next Wed., cuz its suppose to be back down in the 40's at night til Wed.   I was gonna C & P the bloom list, but this site won't let me.


Well its lightening a good bit now, so its getting closer.  A tornado has already been spotted in Ala north of us.  trudy

Last nights frost
Apr 8, 2007 | 9:12 AM PST
Tags: frost , veggies , brugs , lantanas , mexican sage , freeze , strawberries , canning

Didn't seem to hurt much, I had covered the tender things in the veggie garden but the lantanas, brugs, mexican sage and things like that did get bit. I hope they will be ok seeing how it didn't freeze, only frost last night. Tonight is suppose to be frost as well, hopefully this will be the end of it. Ordinarily I would be uncovering things come late morning, but tomorrow I'll be at work when its time to uncover, so I hope things don't "cook" waiting on me to get off work. I tried to transfer some of the entries from my journal over here without luck. Don't know what I'm not doing right, Ole well I'll figure it out sooner or later.

Friday I stopped by a "Pick your own Strawberry Farm" and picked a bucket of berries, they had all but 4 rows covered in preparation for the upcoming cold week end. Figured it was best to get them then just in case the cold ruined them. I had previously dryed them or made jelly but have plenty of that already to do us awhile and wanted to do something different. So I decided to make some of the strawberry glaze that we like putting on cheesecake that I would normally buy at the grocery store. I just can't see buying something I can make myself. And at least I'd know whats in it. I found a recipe online an tweaked it a little for my taste and it turned out great. The true test is how it will hold up for long term storage, don't think it'll be a problem, will see. Here is the recipe:

Strawberry

Glaze

4 c. pureed strawberries

4 c. granulated sugar

8 TBS Lemon Juice

20 drops red food coloring

6 TBS Corn Starch

Wash an hull berries, in a blender liquidfy berries til smooth, I strained the juice to remove the seeds. Put all ingredients into a non stick pot, be sure not to overcook. Once bubbly and as thick as u want it ladle into steriized jars, top with sterile lids. Water Bath 8 oz jars for 10 min., Pint jars for 15-20 min.

trudy