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Post by brittonfaith on Mar 11, 2012 9:09:26 GMT 12.75
;D ;D ;D That is super!! Now I know you have problems loading up pictures, but I gotta ask you a favor. Can you take some pics of the inside joineries - especially the corners? I gotta get me a greenhouse set up and this sure looks more practical than the 2 liter pop bottle method and, might be cheaper than sorting through hundreds of used casement windows at the ReUse farm then trying to get them all home in one piece. Still debating though about setting up a high hoop house. Just don't know if it can withstand the hellacious winds we sometimes get up in this hill.
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Post by Toby Benoit on Mar 12, 2012 5:37:15 GMT 12.75
Nice Bill!!!
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Post by gsoflittledove on Mar 13, 2012 3:10:01 GMT 12.75
Here is one. I put a extra leg suport between the regular leg suports. this makes for more roundess will take mor pictures for later Bill Attachments:
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Post by gsoflittledove on Mar 13, 2012 3:52:03 GMT 12.75
Faith here is a couple more. I also have another I can and cook under. Attachments:
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Post by brittonfaith on Mar 13, 2012 16:20:46 GMT 12.75
Thanks for all the pics. Gives me something to work with. Would be nice if I can cabbage up a couple trampoline frames around here.
Now.....Anybody ever try the Topsy Turvy strawberry planters? What'd you think of the results? I've seen tons of the mater planters in use, but not the berry ones. I found a couple in a clearance cart and decided since I already had the plants, I'd give it a try. At least they'll be up off the ground so the chickens can't eat all the strawberries.
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Post by Toby Benoit on Mar 13, 2012 17:56:54 GMT 12.75
I know a few folks with the t'mater ones Faith, but not the berries. I do know a guy in Brookesville with hydroponic system setup that grows a ton of strawberries in his shed. He's bought the system off a sheriff's auction...apparently it was used for pot back in the day, lol. Came with grow lights and the whole schlameal... I have often thought about trying hydroponics myself...he gets a lot of fruit on his plants.
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Post by brittonfaith on Mar 17, 2012 16:56:29 GMT 12.75
While I am gonna give this topsy thing a try, I've just never been to keen on hydroponics. We had a neighbor near us put in one of those systems for maters back in the 80's. Personally, I don't think any of the stuff grown that way has near the flavor as ground grown. And if it ain't got the flavor, I just figure it ain't got the good nutrients in it either.
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Post by brittonfaith on Mar 19, 2012 8:50:16 GMT 12.75
Speaking of strawberries, in the past week I bought and froze 30 lbs of California strawberries from Aldi and, while doing some newspaper archive research came across an interesting article. Barnesville, OH (where we lived before making our way here) at one time was the strawberry capitol of the world. The 1873 article I found stated that "over 15,000 BUSHELS of strawberries were shipped from the depot" and that "over 5,000 BUSHELS were sold for local home use". I can't even find any reference material that converts pounds or quarts of strawberries to bushels. My 90 yr old gardening mentor, Helen, is the granddaughter of one of those old-time strawberry growers and remembers the tail end of Barnesville boom years. I used to be a picker in her field as a kid. She said most of the berries were shipped to Boston, New York, and Philadelphia. This was back before tractor-trailers, the interstate system, and modern refrigeration. The berry patches were about 3 miles from the depot. Long lines of horsedrawn wagons would line the patch waiting to load up. Berries were picked within one day of being at peak ripeness. (The ripest berries that wouldn't stand shipment were the ones sold locally.) They'd take the berries to the depot while laborers continued to pick in the patch. The berries were unloaded at the depot, loaded onto rail cars and iced down. This process continued until dark, when the train pulled out on it's way to the east coast. By morning, the berries were in the market place, and by that night homemakers, housewives, servants, and restaurant workers had most of them turned into jam, preserves, pie or eaten by a litter of kids. SOOO If we have advanced SOOOO much in our growing, transportation, and distribution methods, why am I buying berries picked a week before they were anywhere near harvest ready, having to let them sit on my kitchen table for 3 days before they are ripe enough to use, losing 1 pound for every 10 pounds I buy to rot, and not once tasting a berry that tastes like a real strawberry? ??
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Post by brittonfaith on Mar 24, 2012 12:11:35 GMT 12.75
Strawberries in the topsy deal are doing so-so. Some are thriving. Others look dead as as doornail. Finding that this thing needs watered at least twice daily. What a pain. Built a couple of raised beds for a starter garden. Eventually plan to have enough of them connected so I can remove all the framework and have one big garden area. I set out 12 Jersey Knight aparagus last week. This morning, set out 12 brussel sprouts, 4 flat dutch cabbage, and 4 mega-cabbage with mesclun, romain, and buttercrunch lettuce planted between them. Came inside to hang new window blinds. Looked outside and the hens had stripped the leaves off all of them. New growth in centers are still fine though. Chicken wire goes up tomorrow. Gonna take a cattle panel and set it up right along side the bed for some snow peas tomorrow. 6 delicious tomato and 7 jumbo type bell pepper plants are waiting for next weeks cold snap to pass before they go outside. Might have to make another raised bed for them. Suppose to get down to freezing Monday night. Peach tree babies are leafed out. Neighbor asked me if I realized how many peaches could potentially come from 12 trees. That's gonna be my "pension" someday. Cherry trees that were set out about two weeks ago are starting to show some budding. Japanese plum tree went bloom crazy last week. Still looking for a Stanley Plum.
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Post by gsoflittledove on Mar 25, 2012 16:36:46 GMT 12.75
Put out 36 tomato plants day befor yesterday, have 45 squash plante and 40 cucumber plants ready to go in th ground. 6 eggplants 6dill and 12 sage plants,
Got me a mantis tiller sure is nice
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Post by brittonfaith on Mar 25, 2012 17:35:20 GMT 12.75
Someday! Yes someday I'll have enough space ready for that many plants. As invasive as it is, I sure would like to get a peppermint bed started. Can't find plants or seeds anywhere around here. Only spearmint. Love me some peppermint tea or peppermint roasts in the winter.
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Post by gsoflittledove on Apr 3, 2012 1:21:51 GMT 12.75
The BUGS ore out. have dusted mators twice and the rest once. Its mainly the striped tator bug. also got 3 cut worms My garden getting smaller running out of room. Phil them morning glories are steal giving me a pain in the butt. now them running tomatoes didn't come back. the walking onions ate great, I keep them in my Redneck tire planter, and the fresh green tops are great for salads or cooking. Mellon and mush millions planted, 3, 50 ft rows pole snap beans 6, 50ft rows corn a 100 ft row of zipper Cream, purple hull, elite, and lady creams, speckle butter beans and a row of okra. I noticed a nice ripe matter in the green house went back in 10 minnets later and that wife of myne was just finishing it off
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Post by Paws on Apr 3, 2012 2:36:10 GMT 12.75
The BUGS ore out. have dusted mators twice and the rest once. Its mainly the striped tator bug. also got 3 cut worms My garden getting smaller running out of room. Phil them morning glories are steal giving me a pain in the butt. now them running tomatoes didn't come back. the walking onions ate great, I keep them in my Redneck tire planter, and the fresh green tops are great for salads or cooking. Mellon and mush millions planted, 3, 50 ft rows pole snap beans 6, 50ft rows corn a 100 ft row of zipper Cream, purple hull, elite, and lady creams, speckle butter beans and a row of okra. I noticed a nice ripe matter in the green house went back in 10 minnets later and that wife of myne was just finishing it off ;D You made my day! LOL! I can just see that grin on your face turn upside down as she gave her last little belch leaving nothing but a couple seeds in a crimson puddle on a salad plate. Man you have a great variety of stuff there. You must have well worked soil. Those butter beans go way way back. Where did you find them? I have wild garlic and wild onion out by the driveway; a lot of it and gather it about this time of year, e4specially the tops and freeze it up and use it like chives. I need to check the asparagus beds and see if they are doing anything. Still have hope of a garden this year. Haven't turned a spade yet but do have more done now than last year at this time. Might be gettin' over my mad with the wife. Sure would make life more pleasant.
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Post by brittonfaith on Apr 3, 2012 15:49:25 GMT 12.75
Asparagus us starting to peak through the dirt. Lettuce is looking good, and the cabbage and brussels are taking off. Got onions, beets, peas and carrots added to the plots today.
Have a ton of stuff still on the kitchen table and window sills to plant but need to get some more plots built. Tried calling Tow Path to see what their price is on topsoil. I'm sure it would be cheaper than shelling out $95/yard for bagged dirt. Either the phone number listed in the yellow pages and online has been given to somebody else or they have a peculiar answering machine message and haven't called back. Might end up making a trip to ask in person tomorrow. One of the fellas in the neighborhood has a landscape business and said their topsoil is the absolute best for gardening.
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Post by Paws on Apr 3, 2012 22:10:33 GMT 12.75
Asparagus us starting to peak through the dirt. Lettuce is looking good, and the cabbage and brussels are taking off. Got onions, beets, peas and carrots added to the plots today. Have a ton of stuff still on the kitchen table and window sills to plant but need to get some more plots built. Tried calling Tow Path to see what their price is on topsoil. I'm sure it would be cheaper than shelling out $95/yard for bagged dirt. Either the phone number listed in the yellow pages and online has been given to somebody else or they have a peculiar answering machine message and haven't called back. Might end up making a trip to ask in person tomorrow. One of the fellas in the neighborhood has a landscape business and said their topsoil is the absolute best for gardening. Hmmmm..... Ya think I could sell this place a yard at a time?
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Post by Toby Benoit on Apr 4, 2012 5:42:42 GMT 12.75
Great to hear the garden is taking off for ya Faith! We ain't got nuttin' planted nor any plans on putting anything in the ground this year. It's sad...
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Post by brittonfaith on Apr 4, 2012 8:41:43 GMT 12.75
I went throught that sorta spell the past couple years. Was just sick and disgusted with trying to get anything growing around here. Am finally getting myself adjusted to a new growing zone and what it takes to get things thriving here. Did get ahold of Tow Path today. WOW!!! Shoulda called them when I first started this project. $18/yard for shredded topsoil. $16 for regular topsoil. Think I'll price sand and gravel when I go get the dirt. My next project is gonna be a paver stone back patio and front entry/porch extension. Our li'l ol truck's gonna see some heavy duty workouts.
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Post by brittonfaith on Apr 4, 2012 14:05:14 GMT 12.75
I'll probably kick myself in the butt in the morning. Took Lana and the baby for a little outing this evening. Ended up at a produce auction down in WV and bought myself some more work. Came home with 5 bundles of super healthy strawberry plants for $15. Tracked down the consignor who told me they are "thinnings" from his patch and each bundle should have 35 plants. (Yep. I I am proud momma of 175 plants.) He couldn't recall the variety, but they produce a very large, solid berry with real good flavor. If I wanted more, he could provide about 2500 tonight - already bundled and ready to go. Just stop by the farm. Thanks, but no. These will keep me busy the rest of the week.
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Post by Toby Benoit on Apr 4, 2012 20:09:48 GMT 12.75
Strawberries... YUMM!!! They're in down here and sweet as can be. Dad bought a few flats not to long ago and we ate 'em in only a caouple a days, lol.
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Post by brittonfaith on Apr 11, 2012 16:31:09 GMT 12.75
For future reference.....a 36-ft raised bed 2-ft wide and 6-inches deep PLUS an 8-ft square veggie bed 8-inches deep requires 3 TONS of topsoil. Given the maximum cargo rating of a Ford F150, That's 3 trips to the quarry (or 2 if you load like I do - just add an extra 15 lbs air to the rear tires before you leave Wellston and don't drive above 40mph all the way home.)
I think next time I'll just have them deliver a 12-ton dump truck load. Gonna end up using it anyways once I get a bunch of berry runners and have to set up more rows.
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