Farm And Garden Chat

[Roberts Creeker]

Coyotes have decimated our sheep and ducks
I'm starting to learn the ups and downs of farming. Losing animals prematurely is a really crappy thing.

Sadly, one of the first lessons you learn as a farmer, there's a lot of things that like nice easy dinners.

My neighbours have Livestock Guardian Dogs and haven't lost anything since they got them. Another friend has a llama with her sheep and with the right llama, she hasn't lost any, after her first llama died, she lost several to bears and cougars. A bear killed one of her replacement llamas. I don't know anyone who's had guardian donkeys so can't comment on how good they would be.

I have my property fenced with 4' field fence and a strand of electric 'hot' wire on the top, it keeps the bears out and slows the coyotes down. Had a huge bobcat kill a chicken a few weeks back, it climbed up the wooden post, hopped onto the roof of the chicken shed and then jumped down through the gill net covering the run, killed the rooster and then must have climbed a different post, they're only 5-6" diameter, and broke through the netting again and took off with it. I saw it in the morning and chased it off, but it came back later on. Chickens in those runs are locked in at the moment, another week and I'll have time to add another 4' of stucco wire to raise the fence up to 8'. You think you have it perfect and then another smarter or more determined animal comes along and proves there's still a way in.

Good luck with finding a solution.

[Roberts Creeker]

Sorry about the pic being sideways!

for those who are interested the West Coast Seeds sale is coming up. Take it from a local, I know it says it starts at 8.30 but they are open and selling around 8.15 or so. I will take pics when I am there and post for those who want to see but can't make it.

decided that while I will get a couple of tomato plants I already have a ridiculous number of seedlings started so will have to be picky this year (which will be torture!) and will focus on cukes, peppers and some more fun stuff like ground cherry and tomatillos

How was the sale? Anything exciting and new?

[Monty]

Finally finished planting the garden today. I’m always too busy to get it done as early as I would like. What I planted

Tomato
-sweet million
-black cherry
-bloody butcher
-sungold
-beefsteak
-early girl

Cucumber (I do some by transplant and some by seed as I often find that the transplants don’t take that well)
-Armenian yard long
-English telegraph
-sweet slice
-patio snacker


Peas
Pole beans
Bush beans
Lettuce
Carrots
Beets
Leeks
Zucchini
Sweet peppers

[Roberts Creeker]

Finally finished planting the garden today. I’m always too busy to get it done as early as I would like. What I planted

Looking tasty Monty! Never heard of Bloody Butcher tomatoes, had to look them up. Do the yard long cukes really get a yard long?

I have tomatoes in my greenhouse, some neat heritage varieties I can't remember the names of unless I look them up, a few flat peas, lots of garlic and potatoes. I'm trying something new with them, planting them in the fall with the garlic and overwintering them under about a foot of horse manure. I noticed that the volunteers last year were ready to harvest earlier, produced way more potatoes and didn't have any wire worm holes so I thought I'd copy it this year, the plants are huge, I'm looking forward to the harvest, I have German Butter and a red skinned yellow potato in there.

Getting the beds dug is on my list but with the dry spell we've had and the 4' tall weeds and grass, it's pretty hard digging...and there are so many other easier things to do.

[Monty]

Looking tasty Monty! Never heard of Bloody Butcher tomatoes, had to look them up. Do the yard long cukes really get a yard long?

I have tomatoes in my greenhouse, some neat heritage varieties I can't remember the names of unless I look them up, a few flat peas, lots of garlic and potatoes. I'm trying something new with them, planting them in the fall with the garlic and overwintering them under about a foot of horse manure. I noticed that the volunteers last year were ready to harvest earlier, produced way more potatoes and didn't have any wire worm holes so I thought I'd copy it this year, the plants are huge, I'm looking forward to the harvest, I have German Butter and a red skinned yellow potato in there.

Getting the beds dug is on my list but with the dry spell we've had and the 4' tall weeds and grass, it's pretty hard digging...and there are so many other easier things to do.

I haven’t grown that “yard long” variety before but I hope they are similar to the “painted serpent” kind of grown before. They are both Armenian cucumbers but I think they are actually technically a melon. I picked the painted serpent type at 18-24”, so not fully mature, but they were absolutely delicious. Crisp and juicy. Not bitter at all. Really good.

[Roberts Creeker]

I haven’t grown that “yard long” variety before but I hope they are similar to the “painted serpent” kind of grown before. They are both Armenian cucumbers but I think they are actually technically a melon. I picked the painted serpent type at 18-24”, so not fully mature, but they were absolutely delicious. Crisp and juicy. Not bitter at all. Really good.

Had to look up Painted Serpent also, some of them really do look like snakes when they grow curled up. They sound good, I might have to try some.

[Monty]

Been away for 5 days. The garden sure seems to grow quickly when you aren’t looking at it every day. First cucumbers are about ready. Tomatoes are starting to ripen. Looks like a bunch of Zucchini grew when I was away. Green peppers are getting big and plump. And the green beans are starting to get buds so it won’t be long until we are picking them. Weather looks pretty good for the garden over the next week. Warm
But not too hot and plenty of sunshine

[Roberts Creeker]

Now that winter is over it's gardening time. What's you're favourite seed catalogues?

This is beautiful, lots of glossy, shiny pictures. i managed to download the pdf onto my tablet but can't find the link anymore: https://www.rareseeds.com/ I'm going to try peanuts this year, a friend did and actually harvested a few.

Here's another nice one, their carrot rainbow is inspiring: https://halifaxseed.ca/catalogue/

[Zone8]

Now that winter is over it's gardening time. What's you're favourite seed catalogues?

This is beautiful, lots of glossy, shiny pictures. i managed to download the pdf onto my tablet but can't find the link anymore: https://www.rareseeds.com/ I'm going to try peanuts this year, a friend did and actually harvested a few.

Here's another nice one, their carrot rainbow is inspiring: https://halifaxseed.ca/catalogue/

Oooh thanks for sharing! I usually just look at westcoast seed catalogue. I'll have to check out the others you mentioned, that will get me in the mood for gardening!!

[moonshadow0825]

Now that winter is over it's gardening time. What's you're favourite seed catalogues?

This is beautiful, lots of glossy, shiny pictures. i managed to download the pdf onto my tablet but can't find the link anymore: https://www.rareseeds.com/ I'm going to try peanuts this year, a friend did and actually harvested a few.

Here's another nice one, their carrot rainbow is inspiring: https://halifaxseed.ca/catalogue/

I ordered from rare seeds last year, a black cosmo, only 3 seeds came in the package and then one of the pets dug up the corner where I planted the seedlings so never got to see it

they do have some really neat stuff though, think i'll have to look at that and the new link you posted, thanks!

[Monty]

Now that winter is over it's gardening time. What's you're favourite seed catalogues?

This is beautiful, lots of glossy, shiny pictures. i managed to download the pdf onto my tablet but can't find the link anymore: https://www.rareseeds.com/ I'm going to try peanuts this year, a friend did and actually harvested a few.

Here's another nice one, their carrot rainbow is inspiring: https://halifaxseed.ca/catalogue/

I’ve only ever ordered from stokes. Huge selection.

[stuffradio]

I mostly order from West Coast Seeds even though they're more expensive I think.

[Roberts Creeker]

I ordered from rare seeds last year, a black cosmo, only 3 seeds came in the package and then one of the pets dug up the corner where I planted the seedlings so never got to see it

they do have some really neat stuff though, think i'll have to look at that and the new link you posted, thanks!

Yes, their packages are often smaller than the more common places but their catalogue is eye candy and while it's fun to consider all the different varieties, I usually go with the usual

[Roberts Creeker]

I mostly order from West Coast Seeds even though they're more expensive I think.

Not more than Baker/Rare seeds if you look at # of seeds + exchange but maybe more than Stokes. I figure they're more local and have varieties that grow well here...could be totally wrong though.

[Hound]

Now that winter is over it's gardening time. What's you're favourite seed catalogues?

Looking at those pages I found this:
https://www.rareseeds.com/store/herbs/p ... so-perilla
I want to grow this! Mmm Japanese themed foods!