[Ag-eq] Apple harvest

Mon Aug 24 16:41:54 UTC 2015

Oh yeah, I use the stick markers, too.  Every spring, I round up all the
sticks I can find and leave them by the gardens, ready to mark seeds.
Tracy

> I like to buy small plants or start my own in cups and then set them out
> in the
> garden.  I find it a lot easier to keep track of the plants and weeds this
> way.
>  I have also put craft sticks by each seed so I will know where they are.
> Once
> the plants get a few inches tall I remove the sticks.
>
> Nella
>
>
> Quoting Tracy Carcione via Ag-eq <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>:
>
>> Hi Danielle.
>> I'm answering your question about garden mapping.
>> I'm totally blind.
>> I like the square-foot method, as opposed to the row method, because the
>> square-foot method uses less space, and I don't have a lot, just a
>> roughly
>> 90X30 foot backyard, with a few trees in it.
>> I have a raised bed, some containers, and 3 flat garden spaces.  I put
>> edging around all those spaces.  The edging sticks up a bit, so I can
>> tell
>> where it is.  Sometimes, especially when I first put in my beds, I put a
>> fence around them, too, until I got used to where they are.  I also am
>> trying to maintain a few inches of clear space around the beds, to cut
>> down on weeding, by putting a thick layer of mulch. It not only cuts
>> down
>> on weeding, but tells me I'm coming up to a bed.
>> Over the years, I've learned what my garden plants feel like, and what
>> my
>> usual weeds feel like.  If I'm not sure, I wait a bit before pulling
>> something, until it becomes more identifiable.  Also, I'm planting a
>> number of the same things fairly close together, so, if there are a few
>> that look the same close to each other, I bet they are crop and not
>> weed,
>> until they grow a bit and I can be sure.
>> Really, I think being a blind gardener is very simple, at least in my
>> smallish space.  Though I need more time, so I can go out and weed,
>> water,
>> etc.  Gotta figure out when I can retire!
>> Tracy
>>
>> > Wow that's cool. I don't know how yall do it. Can yall see some? One
>> > thing about farm animals and such I would not like stepping in manure,
>> > and how do you keep things sanitary? What about breeding and welping?
>> > Do you require assistance with the birthings? I am assuming you all
>> > were expected to help out on your family farms which is why you all
>> > are so comfortable. We had a dairy farm here when I was very little
>> > and most I did was maybe go in the barn and pasture amoung the animals
>> > I was taught how to pick and shuck corn, and pick oranges, Kumquats,
>> > figs, and tangerines, but that is all. Oh yeah, I was taught by my
>> > father how to tell if fruit was ripe. I enjoyed the fruits of my Daddy
>> > and uncles and my Pop's labor. As for your gardens how do you map out
>> > plots and rows?
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > On 8/23/15, Zach Mason via Ag-eq <ag-eq at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> >> Could you explain what GMO free meat is?
>> >>
>> >> Zac
>> >>
>> >> -----Original Message-----
>> >> From: Ag-eq [mailto:ag-eq-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Nella
>> Foster
>> >> via
>> >> Ag-eq
>> >> Sent: Sunday, August 23, 2015 1:17 PM
>> >> To: Agricultural and Equestrean Division List
>> >> Cc: nfoster at extremezone.com
>> >> Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] Apple harvest
>> >>
>> >> Tracy:
>> >>
>> >> I plan on keeping the young doe goats asuming they are healthy and
>> grow
>> >> well.
>> >> My dose have all kidded easily and are good milkers, so hope their
>> >> daughters
>> >> will be the same.  Two of the dose are getting older so can probably
>> >> only
>> >> breed them one more time.
>> >>
>> >> I will casterate the young bucks and they will go to someone's table.
>> >> I've
>> >> made contact with a couple of butchers in the area that specialize in
>> >> grass
>> >> fed and GMO free meats.  I plan on following their guidelines so they
>> >> will
>> >> buy the kids I don't want.  This is hard for me, but I cannot keep
>> all
>> >> of
>> >> them.  I could sell any unwanted doelings as milk goats since they
>> come
>> >> from
>> >> good milking lines.
>> >>
>> >> I will be selling milk; we are allowed to sell raw milk here as long
>> as
>> >> it's
>> >> picked up from the farm.  There are a few regulations you have to
>> meet
>> >> to
>> >> sell the milk, that is why I'm building the milk barn.  I've met a
>> >> family
>> >> that live a few miles away that are selling fresh Jersey milk and
>> they
>> >> cannot keep up with the demand.  Unfortunately I'm not allowed to
>> sell
>> >> cheese, only the milk.
>> >> I can sell the goat milk soap since it's not being eaten.
>> >>
>> >> Nella
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Quoting Tracy Carcione via Ag-eq <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>:
>> >>
>> >>> Hi Nella.
>> >>> Chocolate sounds very nice!
>> >>> What will you do with the kids?  Will your herd get bigger and
>> bigger,
>> >>> or will your neighbors be eating roast kid?
>> >>> Tracy
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> -----Original Message-----
>> >>> From: Ag-eq [mailto:ag-eq-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Nella
>> >>> Foster via Ag-eq
>> >>> Sent: Saturday, August 22, 2015 9:30 PM
>> >>> To: Agricultural and Equestrean Division List
>> >>> Cc: nfoster at extremezone.com
>> >>> Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] Apple harvest
>> >>>
>> >>> Tracy:
>> >>>
>> >>> I recently got a dehydrator and so far have only dried some peppers
>> >>> and herbs.
>> >>>
>> >>> The buck goats can get aggressive, but this little guy has been
>> >>> handled since birth and I continue to spend time with him.  He is
>> very
>> >>> friendly and will follow me around like a puppy.  I think he will be
>> >>> o.k. as long as I keep handling him and don't let him get away with
>> >>> bad behavior.  I've met several bucks that are friendly and the
>> people
>> >>> were petting them and spending time with them.  I've seen a couple
>> >>> that were aggressive, but they were just out in a pasture and didn't
>> >>> have
>> >> a lot of human interaction.
>> >>>
>> >>> The worse thing about a buck goat is how stinky they get.  so far
>> >>> Chocolate isn't very smelly because he is still young.  They get
>> more
>> >>> smelly when they reach adulthood.  His name is Chocolate, which fits
>> >>> right into my heard, the girls all have candy names.
>> >>>
>> >>> I purchased Chocolate from a nice Amish family.  All their animals
>> >>> were so healthy and friendly.  He is registered and their herd has
>> >>> been tested for certain diseases, which is what I wanted to find.
>> >>> They even called to make sure he is doing o.k. and didn't get to
>> >>> stressed by the move.  I've kept their contact info so that we can
>> do
>> >> business again.
>> >>>
>> >>> I think they had to call from a neighbors, they don't use phones.
>> >>> When I called I spoke to the neighbor; it was strange, but all
>> worked
>> >>> out.
>> >>>
>> >>> Nella
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> Quoting Tracy Carcione via Ag-eq <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>:
>> >>>
>> >>> > Hi Nella.
>> >>> > My apples are Golden Delicious, sweet/tart, the way I like them.
>> >>> > I'd forgotten about drying, and I have a dehydrator.  I'll have to
>> >>> try
>> >> it.
>> >>> > This morning, I separated the apples into "use today" and "will
>> keep
>> >>> > a
>> >>> bit".
>> >>> > After lunch, applesauce!  And maybe more.
>> >>> >
>> >>> > Your barn sounds great! And your buck sounds cute.  Do male goats
>> >>> > get aggressive, when they reach maturity?
>> >>> > Tracy
>> >>> >
>> >>> >
>> >>> > -----Original Message-----
>> >>> > From: Ag-eq [mailto:ag-eq-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Nella
>> >>> > Foster via Ag-eq
>> >>> > Sent: Friday, August 21, 2015 5:00 PM
>> >>> > To: Agricultural and Equestrean Division List
>> >>> > Cc: nfoster at extremezone.com
>> >>> > Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] Apple harvest
>> >>> >
>> >>> > Tracy:
>> >>> >
>> >>> > What kind of apples?
>> >>> >
>> >>> > I'm so jealous, love fresh apples.
>> >>> >
>> >>> > Wonder how long until my little trees start bearing fruit?
>> >>> >
>> >>> > Do you ever dry them?
>> >>> >
>> >>> > I'm still getting tomatoes, peppers, squash and cucumbers.
>> >>> >
>> >>> > I bought a little buck goat and put out with my doe goats.  He's
>> >>> > kind of young, so don't know if he is old enough to do his job
>> yet!
>> >>> > He is very cute, will grow up to be a handsome boy.  He and 2 of
>> my
>> >>> > dose have genes for spots, so hoping I get some spotted babies.
>> >>> >
>> >>> > I'm turning my shop building into a milk barn.  The guys are
>> working
>> >>> > on it right now.  There will be a room to store hay, a room for
>> >>> > milking and a room to put the goats when they kid and to keep the
>> >>> > really young kids out of the weather.
>> >>> > It is going to make milking so much easier.  There is a pen on one
>> >>> > side where I will bring the girls, then I can take them into the
>> >>> > milk room to milk and put them out a door on the other side.
>> >>> >
>> >>> > I finally have goat proof fencing around the whole pasture, so the
>> >>> > goats and Cruiser can all be together.  Hopefully by next spring I
>> >>> > will have more fences up to divide the pasture so I can rotate the
>> >>> > animals around.  They graze it more even that way.
>> >>> >
>> >>> > What is everyone else up to?
>> >>> >
>> >>> > Nella
>> >>> >
>> >>> >
>> >>> >
>> >>> >
>> >>> > Quoting Tracy Carcione via Ag-eq <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>:
>> >>> >
>> >>> > > The apple harvest is starting to roll in.  Literally, since I'm
>> >>> > > picking them up off the ground and often finding them by
>> >>> > > accidentally kicking them.  My young retriever is also good at
>> >>> > > finding apples.  He has a soft mouth, and can pick them up
>> without
>> >>> > > a scratch, but I'm trying to teach him not to pick up
>> >>> > > miscellaneous things
>> >>> off the ground.
>> >>> > >
>> >>> > > Yesterday, I took a medium-size bucket and filled it to the top.
>> >>> > > I'll have to sort them this weekend, green or ripe. Then I'll
>> >>> > > start making
>> >>> > applesauce.
>> >>> > > I've also found a pandowdy recipe that sounds yummy.  Applesauce
>> >>> > > is the easiest though, since all I have to do is boil the apples
>> >>> > > 10-15 minutes, then run them through the whatchamacallit that
>> >>> > > squeezes out the good stuff and leaves the seeds and skins in
>> the
>> >>> > > pot.
>> >> Yumaroo!
>> >>> > >
>> >>> > > They're little apples, 2-3 inches across, so it will take quite
>> a
>> >>> > > few to make a pie.  But it could be worth it.
>> >>> > >
>> >>> > > And then there's just plain eating them.  Or wrapping some up to
>> >>> > > store for later.
>> >>> > >
>> >>> > > Tracy
>> >>> > >
>> >>> > >
>> >>> > >
>> >>> > > _______________________________________________
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>> >>> > > zo
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>> >>> > >
>> >>> >
>> >>> >
>> >>> >
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>> >
>> >
>> > --
>> > Danielle
>> >
>> > Email: singingmywayin at gmail.com
>> >
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