Let's Do It Again: The Farm Report 10-10-2024

 Let's Do It Again

The Farm Report
10-10-2024

When last we spoke.... I was talking about everything turning into 'bird's nest' soup. It's been a long hot hard summer out here on the estate. But I'm ready to get back at it. These little barn swallows - living in an actual bird's nest! - make me smile all summer long. I love 'em. Yes, they're messy. But they are so much fun to watch flying and cavorting. Wish I could fly like they do. These little guys were just ready to jump ship and go sailing off when I took this pic. They've all gone south to their winter home now. See you next Spring!

So, there's a lesson here. You can see their mud nest built under the eaves of my shop building. But back a little farther is the nesting tray I built for them last year. Last year, they used it. This year, they wanted a better view, I guess.

Let me whine just a little to get it cleared out of my system. What's been going on in my life? First, the shop AC decided it needed attention. There were mouse houses, leaves and general detritus spread all around the insides of everywhere.

There was cotton wood lint clogging all the heat exchanger veins inside and out. I had to literally tear down the entire sheet metal box that holds the unit. Of course, the engineers had designed it so the little tee-ninney screws that hold the sheet metal on were carefully hidden RIGHT AT THE BOTTOM under a folded lip where you could not see them. The Braille system was the only way to get to them. Of course, I'm an inflexible (I mean physically inflexible, thank you) old man. So since we were in the cold wet rainy season at the time, I was laying in the mud with a screwdriver cussing all engineers who ever were each time I found another hidden screw to take out.

I'm more stubborn than brilliant, so I eventually got it open and cleaned out - AND BACK TOGETHER - just in time for the sudden hot dry seasonal shift. For the record, there were no left over screws, either.

After a hot dirty miserable session fixing the AC, a nice hot shower was certainly anticipated. However, right at that exact same time. The Exact Same Time! My well decided that if the AC could act up and get attention, then the well would try the same trick, too.

New pressure switch and I thought we were good to go. 

It only took two days without any water whatever at the Manor House before we were clean again....

That lasted for about a week or so. Then the well said that it was so much fun to get attention, it did quit again. Yes, two times in two weeks without a drop of water when I turned the faucet. No warning, no signals. All I got was just a well's high and hardy middle finger stuck way up high in the air for me to see and deal with. 

This time, we pulled the entire pump up out of the well. We replaced all the pipes and the pump itself. We also put in new controlling electronic stuff that I don't understand - but need.

And I have water again whenever I want it. For those of you who are 'Townies' and think that since I have my own well and don't have a regular monthly water bill to pay, I have 'free' water.... Let me explain it as my Grandpa used to: Free, like Hell! Well guys don't work cheap. They dropped everything and came running to my rescue like the cavalry surging in on an attack when I called them, which was much appreciated. Still, it ain't free.

"How's your garden?", they ask. Here you go. This pic pretty well sums it up. We went from cold wet to hot dry in the wink of an eye. The crops didn't like it; the weeds thought it was great.

The garden got ragged and I lost interest.

Still and all. A messy garden can be a productive garden. The magazine photographers won't be pestering you for pics, but the garden will still help feed you. Here's my new Digital Electric canner and some green beans for winter.

The 'mater crop was minimal, too. But, we make do with what we have living out here on the edge of civilization.

Juice for chili, plain old drinkin' juice and whatever else will be good when it gets cold.

I even had enough tomato juice to make some pizza sauce. I know, it's a pretty crude setup, but hey, any port in a storm, they say. A spare camera tripod, a 5-gallon paint straining bag and a little scrap rope, and we're draining off all the unwanted 'mater water to get down to the thick pulp we really do want.

From strained pulp into dryer pans to make the pizza sauce even thicker and richer.

135F for about 24 hours seems right.

Thick and rich tomato sauce. It costs about 85 cents a can at the store, but I like to make my own. It can't always be about money.

I like it thick enough to be able to stand a spoon - or spatula - up on its own.

Peppers just love hot and dry!

From the look of her tongue, you'd think Annie had sampled some. I don't think she did, but maybe?!
She's not a big pepper fan.

I got boxes of Big Jim Numex and Jimmy Nardello peppers. They are not the hot ones - just lots of flavor for omelets and whatever next winter.

Ready for the dryer.

This is my homemade dryer for big bulky stuff. I actually made this a long time ago when I was teaching furniture finishing classes. We used it to dry our high quality real hair brushes. Now I dry peppers and sage in it.

Fun, historic and easy. 

I even built in a little thermometer so I can keep track of what's going on inside without opening the door. "If you're lookin' you ain't cookin'" as they say.

These are Numex Anaheim peppers. Again, not much heat but gooooood chili flavor.

I have discovered that if I pressure cook them for just 1 minute, then I can peel them like magic.

Like this easy magic. The 'meat' of the pepper just slips right off the tough outer skin by simply sliding a rubber spatula under it.

Into little jars with a bit of salt and I can 'em up. "Tim, your chili is always so good. What do you do?" I add my own home grown Anaheim chilies to it!

Here's another 'old school' trick I use. I'm lining the tables inside the greenhouse with plain old burlap. I discovered that Walmart sells it in bulk - cheap! It is a wonderful, sustainable fabric that has lots of garden uses.

I put my onions on it to let them cure for a few weeks before their final cleaning and storage.

I put a second 'blanket' of burlap over the top to keep the direct sun off them and to help wick away any unwanted moisture. All told, I put away 45.5 pounds of onions this year. That's fantastic for the season we had!

And now we're back around to Fall and time to clean up the garden and put everything away for the winter. I've had a miserable summer weather-wise. But it hasn't been anything like the folks who have been trying to survive the hurricanes in Florida. How can I be anything else but optimistic and tell you that, in spite of it all, All is Well at Oakdale Farm. Thanks for letting me have a summer break. Cheers until next time!

BIRD'S NEST SOUP! The Farm Report 07122024

 BIRD'S NEST SOUP!

The Farm Report

07122024

BIRD'S NEST SOUP! Hey everybody, I'm alive and well, but this is what I've been dealing with non-stop out here at Oakdale Farm. All that crap wrapped around my tiller shaft is left over twine from big round bale wraps that were left behind in the composted manure I used. It's out now, new seals are in, and I'm back in business.

BUT, I need a break. This is kinda the best picture for me to use to show how my nerves and my attitude are doing. I've been dealing with lazy air conditioners, mice in the dash of my car, the well has been out twice so far (fixed today permanently, we hope!) ... and other stuff. So I've decided to take some time off from writing the Farm Report for a little while. I'll be back at it when the summer cools off, and my attitude cools down, too. Cheers!

All's Right With The World: The Farm Report 04302024

 All's Right With The World

The Farm Report 04302024

Got Roses! Yep, April in Iowa and we've got roses. The roses wintered over pretty well (not 100%) in the grow bags and they started blooming on the benches of the greenhouse. Yay!

The Asian Almonds bloomed their little branches off - for a couple of days. In my country, they always bloom just when the weather takes a foul turn. Beautiful but fleeting. Some other things in life are like that, too. Enjoy it while you can.

Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) This is a sneaky weed and proof you shouldn't try to trick Mama Nature. Henbit is what they call a 'winter annual' weed. It is in the mint family. I think it is pretty. Not sure everybody else does though. Why tricky? Well, it blooms in the no-till fields really early in the late winter. It sets seeds fast. Then it drops the seeds and laughs while all the herbicide guys drive by. After harvest, and the farmers start thinking about going to Florida for the winter, the seeds sprout and the little plants get a good foot hold for - wait for it - next spring's flower crop and self-reseeding!

Short version: Henbit blooms reseeds itself and ducks before it gets shot!

Annie has been helping with the spring turkey hunters up in the timber.

It's a special sport.

Patience pays off. These are blossoms I saw in the timber floor. They are bloodwort or (Sanguinaria canadensis). I planted their roots a long time ago. It is an herbal remedy, and a traditional source of organic dye stuffs. It makes a red dye.

You've seen this before. Henry came out from his long winter's nap to plow the potato rows for me.

I had enough spuds left over to plant two long rows. I mostly plant Kennebec's. This time, I also planted a few Yukon Gold's.

Here is the bottom view of my 1922 Planet Jr. wheel hoe with hilling shovels. I use this to cover and hill up my plants in the garden. Ancient but unbeatable. Easy as pushing a grocery cart in the store.

Upright and ready to use.

You just walk down the row and the Planet Jr. knows what to do. I like to just cover my new potatoes in the beginning so they will get warm and take off. Then, I keep adding a little more to top them off. Eventually, Henry Ford will come in with the big hilling discs to finish off the season.

We had -22F temperatures this winter. That's the actual number, not some phony 'feels like' trick. It was COLD! And, my freeze-proof storage area wasn't. Cleanup on Aisle 6! Ever been around rotting potatoes? Yuck! A good hosing off and we're good as new.

You wouldn't know if I didn't tell you.  The dahlia tubers were stored in the same place as the spuds. They froze, too. Another (less stinky) mess to dump.

Walmart to the rescue. Thank goodness I wasn't saving expensive dahlias. Wally's are mostly $5 for two or three starts.

I like to pot 'em up and give them an early start in the greenhouse. I'll put them out in the garden near the end of May. Dahlias like hot weather.

I am totally hooked on growing roses in bags. They love it, I love it, and the results prove themselves. These will go outside any time now.

Tiffany. Usually one of the nicest fragrant roses. I have noticed that the cold weather roses don't have the full fragrance.

Junkyard Tomcats find a nice place in an old Cadillac to sleep. My potted roses have to fight it out in ugly surroundings, too.

Beautiful!

I've been worried my strawberries weren't coming along fast enough. Then, this morning, when I looked in on them Presto! I've got strawberries.

A little success is dangerous. I've turned the lock on Bibb lettuce. Now, I'm branching out. This is plain old Iceberg Lettuce.

Romain in a pan.

And everything else. Our winter/spring has been such a roller coaster ride, things aren't as neat and pretty as I'd like. We're thick and growing though!

Miss Kitty made an appearance in my office a few days ago. She is friendly, but bashful.

She also has little tiny fish hooks in her feet. Annie would like to play, but Annie knows that Miss Kitty is quicker than old O.J. - and she slaps.

"Tim, why would you think I would be screwing with the dog? I'm innocent!"

Annie ain't quite so sure.

Here Annie, I'll be your friend. (Maybe) Annie's ears always tell the true story. She's wary - for good reason.

With a cat, it's always on their terms.

Annie has been hunting rabbits outside, too. It's funny and fun. The little tiny baby rabbits haven't even had time to read the book yet, but they know what to do. From my park bench, I see the bigger picture. The little rabbits Annie is looking for have already run for safety out the back side of these bushes. Annie has just as much fun hunting them though. Maybe it is the same with Turkeys? Ah well....

Cheers from the whole crew out here at Oakdale Farm