Clear and Cold

2011 has been pretty wonky so far.

My cat, Courdoroy, got super messed up when something got it on the bottom chin, it festered, her face got huge, and now its better, but here bottom jaw is hairless.

I think one buff orpington got way too cold last week and could barely walk and had its feathers all fluffed up and just looked crazy (crazier than normal). It wouldn't roost at night and just slept in the corner. I'm pretty sure that chicken has disappeared, but right before it did, a barred rock joined it on the floor and wouldn't put any weight on its left leg. It was eating and drinking, but getting pretty beat up by the other chx so I brought it inside in a dog crate. It laid down on the good leg and to my knowledge never got up again. It was alert for three or four days, but wouldn't eat or drink so I killed a couple nights ago. Killing hens is so much harder than rooster or broilers. Kind of scarring, especially because I have no idea what happened to it. I tried to look under the feathers, but I didn't dunk it in hot water and pluck it because I wasn't going to eat it. I probably could have, but I was sketched out that it might have had an infection.

I spent almost $1500 for a new tie rod end, steering rack, and a radiator/heater core flush for my truck. $1500 and still no heat in the ride. Damn!

Mecury in retrograde? Well, its clear and crisp and gorgeous today. I needed it! Clearing a road and cutting firewood all week (red oak) and taking down black walnuts and dead apple trees. Nice to clear vines multiflora rose and such this time of year when its not quite as overwhelming.

Geraniums came up and look nice. I swear, even though they're not even an inch tall, they make the room smell good already.

Some of the green onions I planted that were packed in '08 are coming up! The others are just popping.

The arum I planted is not up yet, even though some of the seeds were sprouted when I planted them from being in room temperature, moist vermiculite for a few weeks.

My fringetree seeds aren't up yet either. I'm afraid both might have dried out in the flats, even though I put plastic on top.

Still waiting for the begonia and lisianthus. I bet they'll both take a couple of weeks to come up. Keeping my fingers crossed.

In good news, the ladies are laying eggs like gangbusters and I sold enough of the lamb to at least cover the cost of processing from Little David's. The customers seem to be happy.

Gettin' ready to sheet mulch my perennials and lay the COF (complete organic fetilizer) and compost on the annual garden.

Happy that some of the snow finally melted and I can see the ground. Stoked to be working outside doing something other than shoveling snow. What a January!

Peace

Coop

Margo and Lisa come to visit

Hangin' out with Margo and Lisa, who spent last season working for Charleston Farm, was super fun! It gave me all kinds of insight on the fine tuning of growing that I really only learn from other growers. Subtle ways we do things differently.

I just put in my seed order for the year. I am trying a local open pollinated organic seed company here in Asheville called Sow True Seeds. I also ordered from Johnny's and Fedco. Bummed that I won't get the Evergreen Hardy White Green Onions in time. I started eight flats of that seed from two years ago, but I don't have very high hopes. I'm in the midst of rearranging my propagation area to make maintenance easier, but as soon as I get that squared away I'll be planting geraniums and begonias. Last year, the geraniums were the best ornamental flower I had with petunias a close second. Check back for pictures of my growing space.

Here's my veggie seed list:

Fedco

Mustard Chinese Thick-Stem OG, Mustard Red Giant OG, Lettuce Green Ice OG, Lettuce Green Deer Tongue OG, Lettuce Royal Oakleaf OG, Lettuce Slobolt OG, Lettuce Tom Thumb, Lettuce Buttercrunch, Lettuce Wunder von Stuttgart, Lettuce Jericho OG, Lettuce Parris Island Cos, Lettuce Anuenue OG, Lettuce Summertime, Zucchini Jackpot, Zucchini Costata Romanesca OG, Patty Pan Benning's Green Tint, Cucumber Marketmore 76, Cucumber General Lee, Tomatillo Verde Puebla OG, Bell Pepper Purple Beauty, Bell Pepper Feherozon, OG Bell Pepper King of the North, Tomato Peacevine OG, Tomato Old German OG, Leek King Richard OG, Leek Bleu de Solaize, NZ Spinach, Okra Red Burgundy OG

Johnny's

Green Onion Evergreen Hardy White, Green Onion White Spear, Green Onion Nabechan, Cilantro Caribe, Chard Brightlights, Zucchini Cashflow, Dill Fernleaf, Squash Superpik, Squash Yellow Crookneck, Rosemary, Shiso, Cayenne Joe's Long, Tomato Mountain Magic, Leek Tadorna

Sow True

Arugula, Slow Bolt Mizuna, Organic Beet Chioggia, Cabbage Early Jersey Wakefield, Cabbage Perfection Savoy, Cabbage Red Acre, Broccoli Green Sprouting Calabres,e Carrot Red Core Chantennay, Cauliflower Self Blanch, Cilantro Slow Bolt, Dill Green Sleeves, Organic Eggplant Black Beauty OG, Lettuce Buttercrunch, Lettuce Green Oakleaf, Mustard Old Fashioned, Radish Daikon, Japanese Minowase, Appalachian Greens Mix, Turnip Purple Top Globe, Organic

Definitely dreamin' of Spring...

Coop