Think It'll Rain? The Farm Report 05-31-2019

Think It'll Rain?
The Farm Report 05-31-2019

So, I looked out the window the other morning on my way to make the coffee and this is what I saw! Think it'll be raining soon?  

You Bet! And, Noah, it rained and it rained and it rained some more. Reports vary, of course, but so far I think we've had over 10-inches of rain in May. I had over 5-inches from this one downpour alone. And yes, that is Walnut Creek flooding again down there. So far this year, it has been out 3 times. My mother says 5 times in one season is the record. I think we should make this the June Calendar Picture.

 Water front property the 'Army Corp of Engineer's way.' It is a long story, but God is not the only one in charge of these waters anymore. Well, ultimately, but the Army says they are in charge of it for now - and they kinda are. They announced yesterday that they will be increasing their release  of water from the Missouri River Dams up north to 75,000 cubic feet of water per SECOND. Remember 'Plumber's Rule #1: Water runs downhill.' I am downhill....

Next day, the flood waters had pretty much drained away. Now, we're considering whether to replant in corn or rice.... 'Taint funny McGee.' 

The rains are making the flowers grow. The mock orange and Joyce's pink weigelas are beautiful right now. 

Now that's what I'm talkin' about. The long cold deep snowy winter sheltered the strawberries. They didn't even know they got cold. I've never had a more beautiful strawberry patch. Homemade Strawberry ice cream can't be too far away! 

These are Earliglow. You can tell by the labels I've learned how to transfer to wooden lathe. I have 'bird scare' tape all over the place. It is just Mylar foil with 'sparklies' on it. It seems to be keeping them off. If it doesn't, then I'll be showing you the real reason for my naming stakes and rails. This is my Dad's invention. He put these over his strawberries to make just perfect ideal landing strips for his most disdained nemisis: Baltimore Orioles. They love strawberries! To keep them away, Dad would put sticky 'Tanglefoot' wax on top of the rails to make the birds feet sticky and keep them from coming back. It doesn't take much, just a touch. He said when he saw birds flying around with straw stuck to their feet, he knew he had put on too much - or maybe he said that was when he had it about right. I don't remember. Save the Berries! 

'I'm Melting!' The fall composting project didn't get off to the fast start I wanted because the winter came roaring in way sooner than I expected. But, wet hay eventually rots, and that big round bail is rotting nicely into compost. I'll have the netting off in a few days and then I'll use old Emmie, the 1947 Farmall M and a front end loader to fluff it up and make it into the compost gold we had intended. 

After all that gardening, and a nice hot shower one night, O.J. decided he needed to have another security lay-down with me. After the last couple of free rides he got for doing this to me (remember, he isn't giving me love connections here, he is clawing in for a hold-down) I said to myself, 'He's a slow learner.' Then I realized that one of us was a slow learner, but it might not necessarily be him! Why did I let this happen - again? 

Well, as if on cue, he remembered something and tucked in his claws. I allowed a nice catnap. 

The next day at lunch break, he hopped up into 'his' place again and - Surprise! - remembered his lessons a second time. Maybe a cat can be trained after all. I may be kidding myself, too.  

F-Troop is now outside and on their own for all day and all night. The girls have a while before they graduate from the boot camp training barracks and move on up to the senior squad housing. During the initial chick-protection stages, the box on the right end is what I used to wheel them into the shop in at night. It was their little 'chicken camper,' the perfect home away from home.

Aha! We had a near miss! See them little feathers out there on the ground? Well they tell a little story I didn't get to see. I would pay money to see it though. Guess where the stupid peeps decided to crowd up together and sleep on their very first night out? Yep. Right in the one and only open corner in the whole training barracks. What should happen? Rocky Raccoon reached through the chicken wire and tried to grab a handful of chicken. All he got was feathers though. I can just see the movie in my mind. Not having luck pulling an actual chicken through the wire, he reached up with his nose or his other hand to get a better pull and... . And see that yellow wire? That is a very high voltage Raccoon Taser surrounding their perimeter. When whatever part of Rocky touched that, ZAP! and I'll bet there was a high pitched 'Yipe!' Chicken saved, new reinforcement inside (I have added a second layer of screen wire inside), all is well.

A new go at the Michigan State University carrot project. I found an MSU extension website handout a couple of years ago showing how they used oats as a nurse crop to help get onion seeds established in a field operation. I thought, 'Why not?' So I started using the same nurse crop idea with carrots. Carrots are really hard for me to get started. The oats protect the little carrots from wind, bugs, drought, and mice. Once the carrots are up, they are tough and can make it on their own. Oats are easy to kill out, so once the carrots are on their way, I'll kill out the oats. How? Well, selective herbicides are an option, but really, just mowing off the oats works as well.  Oats do not like to be cut or mowed; carrots don't mind it. So if you see me out in the garden with the weed whacker, I'm just taking care of the carrots. Really. 

Up in the greenhouse, we're still full. The wet weather has really made it hard to set things out. So, the red salvia is still in plug trays.

The marigolds are holding their own in soil blocks. 

The parsley has finally given in and has started to sprout. 

The sweet potato has begun sending out new slips. 

And my re-planting of celery has started - again. I have learned how to make a 'false bottom wicking pot' out of just about any container that will hold water. See the tube at the back? The 'bobber' is an upside down throw-away lab pipette. I have it marked to tell me where the false bottom is. The part underneath it is a water pool and there is a wick going from the bottom of the water up into the soil. It makes a procrastinator's dream. I fill the bottom of the pot through the tube, and then I don't have to remember to go water everything all the time.  

'Jerico' is the name of this romaine type lettuce. It is in a wicking pot, too.

The basil needs transplanting, but the aroma it gives off is sooo good. Homemade tomato sauce is on my agenda for later on this summer. Chef Pasquale over on Youtube can show you how to make it. He's a hoot if you've never seen him. Orsara Recipes is his channel. 

'Getting the cows ready to go out and graze on flooded pasture' was the caption on this photo I lifted from the internet. It isn't mine, but it is so perfect for my wet flooded surroundings I couldn't help myself! It is funny, of course, but it is serious, too. The floods this spring have taken the lives of lots and lots of innocent animals who couldn't escape. We need to think of them, too. They didn't ask the Army Corp of Engineers for all this water, either. So - on that cheery note, I'll sign off until the next time. All is well at Oakdale Farm.