Prep Genrl Weekly Prep Thread: June 6 ~ 12, 2021
- Thread starter ReneeT
- Start date
Ahhh... That's better!! I'm really going to miss coffee in a crisis situation!
I pretty much finished planting - and in too many cases, replanting the front garden yesterday. It just needs one more row of zinnias to be complete; I'm going to try to get those in later this morning if the rain holds off until the boys wake up and need fed. I was worn out by the time I got to bed last night - my morning was taken up with re-tilling the garden, doing 4 loads of laundry, and running to town to pick up the oldest boy who'd been at a sleepover. Once we got home, I hauled the bean trellises and posts out to the garden - Hubby got the posts in the ground last night after he got home from work, but I'm waiting to hang the trellises until I see the beans coming up since the last planting didn't (flooded out). I still need to put in the posts for the tomato cages and get them set, but I want to hoe around them first; then put down some mulch. I'm also waiting another week or two before I plant my sweet corn - they replanted the field corn across the road where it drowned out, and I like to be a week or so behind with my sweet corn so that the field corn and my sweet corn don't tassel at the same time.
I've still got tons of herbs to plant out; ditto sweet potatoes - just not sure where I'm going to put them yet. I did get the potatoes in the raised bed hilled up - I decided to re-till the walking area on the north side of the beds; and used! that soil around the potatoes. I need to add a bit more to the bed, but by the time we got done with the other work, I was done in! Heck, I was so tired I even forgot to take the younger grandson to Dollar General last evening, and I always let him spend a dollar or two there while I get my household items while the Saturday $5 off $25 coupon is in effect. I reckon he may get his chance to go today though; somehow I've managed to run out of baby aspirin
Well, the youngest one has crawled out of bed and is begging for French Toast, so I guess I'd better quit lollygagging and get these two fed so I can head to the garden again! You folks take care out there; stay safe!
I pretty much finished planting - and in too many cases, replanting the front garden yesterday. It just needs one more row of zinnias to be complete; I'm going to try to get those in later this morning if the rain holds off until the boys wake up and need fed. I was worn out by the time I got to bed last night - my morning was taken up with re-tilling the garden, doing 4 loads of laundry, and running to town to pick up the oldest boy who'd been at a sleepover. Once we got home, I hauled the bean trellises and posts out to the garden - Hubby got the posts in the ground last night after he got home from work, but I'm waiting to hang the trellises until I see the beans coming up since the last planting didn't (flooded out). I still need to put in the posts for the tomato cages and get them set, but I want to hoe around them first; then put down some mulch. I'm also waiting another week or two before I plant my sweet corn - they replanted the field corn across the road where it drowned out, and I like to be a week or so behind with my sweet corn so that the field corn and my sweet corn don't tassel at the same time.
I've still got tons of herbs to plant out; ditto sweet potatoes - just not sure where I'm going to put them yet. I did get the potatoes in the raised bed hilled up - I decided to re-till the walking area on the north side of the beds; and used! that soil around the potatoes. I need to add a bit more to the bed, but by the time we got done with the other work, I was done in! Heck, I was so tired I even forgot to take the younger grandson to Dollar General last evening, and I always let him spend a dollar or two there while I get my household items while the Saturday $5 off $25 coupon is in effect. I reckon he may get his chance to go today though; somehow I've managed to run out of baby aspirin
Well, the youngest one has crawled out of bed and is begging for French Toast, so I guess I'd better quit lollygagging and get these two fed so I can head to the garden again! You folks take care out there; stay safe!
I have been feeling better lately. I am not sure why. But I have given up trying to take my thyroid medication, maybe that is it. I have gotten a lot done in the last few days. A couple of things that I had been putting off a long time.
I saw that the local homeschool group was having a book sale. I stopped by on our way to friends house for dinner. I spent $15 on preschool stuff for our daughter to have with the grandson. They also had some catalogs I got for her. I am trying not to say anything, but I hope they choose homeschooling. Our daughter was home schooled till college and her husband was homeschooled part of his schooling. A former coach from a neighboring county was just arrested for videotaping the girls basketball team as they were changing in the locker room. No telling if those pictures were shared over the internet. There are a lot of sick people out in the world.
We got the hay field fertilized on Friday. Today we got just over 1/2 inches of rain. Hopefully, that was just enough to get it into the soil. Some people are cutting hay. But the ground has been so wet, don't know how they can get it dry. Last year we already had hay cut by this time. This year is just too wet.
My grapes are actually blooming again after being killed back after the late freeze. That was a pleasant surprise.
My son in law let me know my plantain/jewel weed salve works great on poison ivy. He got in some cutting down a dead tree. He said it cured it right up. I guess I need to make some more. I need to dry more jewlweed to have on hand.
I saw that the local homeschool group was having a book sale. I stopped by on our way to friends house for dinner. I spent $15 on preschool stuff for our daughter to have with the grandson. They also had some catalogs I got for her. I am trying not to say anything, but I hope they choose homeschooling. Our daughter was home schooled till college and her husband was homeschooled part of his schooling. A former coach from a neighboring county was just arrested for videotaping the girls basketball team as they were changing in the locker room. No telling if those pictures were shared over the internet. There are a lot of sick people out in the world.
We got the hay field fertilized on Friday. Today we got just over 1/2 inches of rain. Hopefully, that was just enough to get it into the soil. Some people are cutting hay. But the ground has been so wet, don't know how they can get it dry. Last year we already had hay cut by this time. This year is just too wet.
My grapes are actually blooming again after being killed back after the late freeze. That was a pleasant surprise.
My son in law let me know my plantain/jewel weed salve works great on poison ivy. He got in some cutting down a dead tree. He said it cured it right up. I guess I need to make some more. I need to dry more jewlweed to have on hand.
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SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Rain is coming down in bucketfulls, here, today. Started yesterday afternoon, and hasn't let up. Flood watches and warnings have been issued. We live on a ridge, so we are safe. This is supposed to continue for the next 7 days!
Because of rain fade, my internet keeps going out on me, so it's a hit and miss that I'm here at all, today.
Because of rain fade, my internet keeps going out on me, so it's a hit and miss that I'm here at all, today.
nomifyle
TB Fanatic
All of our rain moved over to you SB, its supposed to be over cast and rain, but the sun is shinning bright.
We went to walmart, I didn't need anything, got more box bottoms, a gallon of vinegar, and a couple of cheap bags of oyster crackers since DH used the last in one jar.
something bit me on my elbow, it itches and the redness has spread. I took a benedryl and I'm off to take a nap.
God is good all the time
Judy
We went to walmart, I didn't need anything, got more box bottoms, a gallon of vinegar, and a couple of cheap bags of oyster crackers since DH used the last in one jar.
something bit me on my elbow, it itches and the redness has spread. I took a benedryl and I'm off to take a nap.
God is good all the time
Judy
Got a bit more gardening done this morning - but now I don't have a clue in the world where I'm going to plant the three giant tomato plants I was gifted at the Farmer's Market on Friday - they may get stuck in a flower bed 'cause I'm just about out of room otherwise until I can get the back garden tilled. I've got some 5 gallon buckets I can put them in temporarily; or maybe I can put them in the leaky water trough I'd been planning to use for the sweet potatoes until I forgot and planted all of those in the raised beds at the north end of the front garden... The littlest grandson was so excited to be allowed to drive the buggy to haul things back and forth for me and was asking me so many questions that I got all discombobulated and clean forgot about what I'd planned to put where 
He was wearing me out so quick I decided to let him drive me all around the farm in the buggy just to get to sit down for a few minutes! Let's just say I considered it a blessing that it started raining while we were on our drive 
I did at least think to put on a surgical glove and stick my hand down in the soil in the raised beds before I planted the sweet potatoes - I thought the composted/composting manure might still be too hot for plants, but it was no hotter than the sun and temperature outside could account for, so I'm hoping they do okay. If they are nothing but vines, I reckon I'll have plenty of greens to eat if not sweet potatoes.
He was wearing me out so quick I decided to let him drive me all around the farm in the buggy just to get to sit down for a few minutes! Let's just say I considered it a blessing that it started raining while we were on our drive I did at least think to put on a surgical glove and stick my hand down in the soil in the raised beds before I planted the sweet potatoes - I thought the composted/composting manure might still be too hot for plants, but it was no hotter than the sun and temperature outside could account for, so I'm hoping they do okay. If they are nothing but vines, I reckon I'll have plenty of greens to eat if not sweet potatoes.
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
The rain has stopped, at least for awhile. High today is supposed to be 90 with humidity at 70%. More rain and thunderstorms moving back in later this evening. It's too wet out to do anything. Water sloshes under your feet to walk across the yard.
Not a thing planned to do today. No grilling, til all this rain stops, so supper will be tuna noodle salad and oven fries made from the pantry. Don't like heating up the oven, but baked fries are better for us than pan fried.
Not a thing planned to do today. No grilling, til all this rain stops, so supper will be tuna noodle salad and oven fries made from the pantry. Don't like heating up the oven, but baked fries are better for us than pan fried.
WanderLore
Veteran Member
Had some of the boys and a family from ball team out to swim, eat, and practice yesterday. Was a very nice and fun day for all. Not really anything prep related at the moment. Just enjoying the weather and "stuff".
Digger, that jewelweed/plantain salve sounds interesting! Hubby is the only one of us that gets poison ivy, and usually manages to avoid it, but when he does get it, he is miserable. There is jewelweed growing down at the end of our road, but it's going to have to dry up some before I can get to it. May I ask what you use for the base?
aviax2
Veteran Member
SB- I think your rain is heading up my way!
DH is trying to beat the rain in hauling some hay bales from one of the pastures to the barn. The main hayfield really needs to be cut and baled but with the on and off rain I don’t see that happening this week.
He went to TSC yesterday afternoon for some things and came home with 6 chicks. I got them settled into an apple box with sugar water and chick feed and hubby fixed up a heat lamp and they spent the night in the kitchen. He had already gotten our brooder ready and moved them over to the chicken house by the time I got up this morning. They are called ISA brown’s and I have no idea what that means LOL. I’ve had many breeds of chickens through the years but not these. We have a huge chicken house (I use to have several breeds of chickens along with turkeys and guineas) but through the years it’s home to only a few chickens and the rest is divided off for storing wood that doesn’t fit in the woodshed) and I’d really like to have something smaller and closer to our house for a smaller flock, so I’m looking for ideas.
Plans for the week include cleaning and organizing in the pantry. I managed to do some last week so hopefully if I keep plugging away at it, I’ll get it done eventually!
DH is trying to beat the rain in hauling some hay bales from one of the pastures to the barn. The main hayfield really needs to be cut and baled but with the on and off rain I don’t see that happening this week.
He went to TSC yesterday afternoon for some things and came home with 6 chicks. I got them settled into an apple box with sugar water and chick feed and hubby fixed up a heat lamp and they spent the night in the kitchen. He had already gotten our brooder ready and moved them over to the chicken house by the time I got up this morning. They are called ISA brown’s and I have no idea what that means LOL. I’ve had many breeds of chickens through the years but not these. We have a huge chicken house (I use to have several breeds of chickens along with turkeys and guineas) but through the years it’s home to only a few chickens and the rest is divided off for storing wood that doesn’t fit in the woodshed) and I’d really like to have something smaller and closer to our house for a smaller flock, so I’m looking for ideas.
Plans for the week include cleaning and organizing in the pantry. I managed to do some last week so hopefully if I keep plugging away at it, I’ll get it done eventually!
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
I think we're getting all the rain Texas has been getting for the past 2 weeks. I just checked our extended forecast, and there is a greater than 50% chance of rain and thunderstorms all the way through Monday of next week.
Did I mention that we have a huge problem in the South with mold and mildew? These rain showers just cause the humidity to go even higher, once the rain stops. Steam rises. Summer hasn't even arrived, yet. Oh, the joys of living the Southern life, LOL!
Did I mention that we have a huge problem in the South with mold and mildew? These rain showers just cause the humidity to go even higher, once the rain stops. Steam rises. Summer hasn't even arrived, yet. Oh, the joys of living the Southern life, LOL!
Marseydoats
Veteran Member
I think ISA Brown is just another name for a Cinnamon Queen chicken. I loved my Cinnamon Queens, they laid year round and were really hardy birds. They do have a tendency to get egg bound. One of mine laid one egg a week until she was 12, and she lived to be 14. They were really friendly chickens and had individual personalities. They would all run to the edge of the coop when I got home from work to see me. I miss them and wish I hadn't been talked into getting Buffs, because mine are mean and broody.
nomifyle
TB Fanatic
Looking at the radar and it looks like we will be getting more rain coming from Texas. The sun is shinning right now and its 88 degrees.
DH's helper came in to cool off and helped me pick up the cans that were everywhere from the collapsed shelf. One of the shelves from another shelving unit was bowing so I took some of the weight off it. It helped.
something bit me on my elbow and now I'm getting blisters in the area. My ankle that also got bit is swollen and tight. Benedryl does help, but I don't like to take too much Benedryl. If the two areas are still problematic when DH goes back to the VA to get the stitches out of his fingers I may go to urgent care to get a prednaxone shot, which always helps when I have a skin issue going. These things play a huge part in my not being an outside person. I'm a magnet for something to bit me.
God is good all the time
Judy
DH's helper came in to cool off and helped me pick up the cans that were everywhere from the collapsed shelf. One of the shelves from another shelving unit was bowing so I took some of the weight off it. It helped.
something bit me on my elbow and now I'm getting blisters in the area. My ankle that also got bit is swollen and tight. Benedryl does help, but I don't like to take too much Benedryl. If the two areas are still problematic when DH goes back to the VA to get the stitches out of his fingers I may go to urgent care to get a prednaxone shot, which always helps when I have a skin issue going. These things play a huge part in my not being an outside person. I'm a magnet for something to bit me.
God is good all the time
Judy
Anyone working on the woodpile yet? We are in a bit of a garden lull. Everything planted and harvest is just beginning with berries and squash. We are rethinking where the wood pile will go and just the whole process to be a bit more efficient. we are picking 25 pounds of yellow squash and zucchini every other day! So the canner is going. Sharing with who ever wants/needs it.
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Cary works on our wood pile year around. He has a trailer load of firewood that needs to be unloaded, split, and stacked sitting out at our wood shed right now. DS is clearing his backyard of old oak trees. He is cutting down the trees, and cutting them into firewood size for our wood heater, and stacking them. Cary will go to his house, later in the Fall to bring all of that to our house. It will then be unloaded, split, and stacked. Cary doesn't mind working in the heat or cold, so he just does a bit of work on it year around as he feels like it. We try to keep at least 3 years ahead on firewood.
aviax2
Veteran Member
Marseydoats- Thanks for the info about the chicks.
Judy- There is a Benadryl gel that hubby uses for itchy bites, especially tick bites, maybe you could try that for some relief. I know what you mean about being a magnet, I can be outside in the dead of winter and anything within a 100 mile radius will bite me and my youngest DD.
philkar- That’s a lot of squash! DH is mostly done with firewood for the time being, just cleaning up any trees or limbs down on fences or at the edge of our pastures. Too many rattlers, copperheads and variety of ticks to be in the woods much now.
Judy- There is a Benadryl gel that hubby uses for itchy bites, especially tick bites, maybe you could try that for some relief. I know what you mean about being a magnet, I can be outside in the dead of winter and anything within a 100 mile radius will bite me and my youngest DD.
philkar- That’s a lot of squash! DH is mostly done with firewood for the time being, just cleaning up any trees or limbs down on fences or at the edge of our pastures. Too many rattlers, copperheads and variety of ticks to be in the woods much now.
I have had ISA's. It is true that they lay daily!
Marseydoats
Veteran Member
Judy, have you tried a baking soda paste on your bites? That's what I use, then soak in salt water, and apply Ivarest and a bandage to keep me from scratching at night. I know everybody is different in how they react to bug bites.
Hope you feel better!
John Deere Girl
Veteran Member
You may want to buy some jewel weed soap.
WanderLore
Veteran Member
Judy, I keep a small bottle of apple cider vinegar on hand nearby. Dose the bites heavy. Stops sting, itch, swelling etc usually less than a minute.
Activated charcoal paste rubbed on should help too.
On occasion I have made my own which is just the charcoal from hardwood burnt up. It is sold in store too.
Activated charcoal paste rubbed on should help too.
On occasion I have made my own which is just the charcoal from hardwood burnt up. It is sold in store too.
WanderLore
Veteran Member
My Amish lady friend had a brown recluse bite. She went to ER and they keep her in hospital a week. Nothing helped and she contracted msra and staph.
She went home, made a paste with moldy homemade bread. Put it on several times a day. It healed in a week with no necrosis.
6 months later I took her to billing office she had 2 huge quilts to settle her bill. They didn't accept them. But the ER docs did when she was first there. Her hubby made them each a harvest table and they wrote her bill off.
She went home, made a paste with moldy homemade bread. Put it on several times a day. It healed in a week with no necrosis.
6 months later I took her to billing office she had 2 huge quilts to settle her bill. They didn't accept them. But the ER docs did when she was first there. Her hubby made them each a harvest table and they wrote her bill off.
I used to live near the Amish. Learned so much from them. So I have a canning question. As per note above I have squash galore which I share and sell at local farmer's market but I also have plans to preserve some. I have canned them per pressure canner in the past but that limits my options in using the squash. I recently have read numerous articles about hot water bath for zucchini and yellow squash with vinegar and sugar added to increased acidity. Has anyone tried that? results? Does it keep well? TIA!!
I would lean toward freezing (I coat mine with egg, then cornmeal and flour - then straight from freezer to skillet for fried squash) or dehydrating (for also fried squash or shredded for bread - can freeze shredded too for bread). Just -- once you add vinegar and sugar, what would you use it for?
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
We have a huge heavy line of rain and thunderstorms on our door step this morning. I'll probably be without internet most of the morning. Rain fade is a PITB.
The rain is destroying all my beautiful roses. Cary went out, and picked me a nice bouquet of them, before the next round gets here. They have the house smelling so good. I walked out of the bathroom, after showering, and was surprised by them setting on the dining table. He is so thoughtful!
Nothing going on, today, but tomorrow morning, we head out to Alabama to bring Mom back home from her sisters. It'll be an all day trip. We'll have a nice visit, and my aunt wants to take us out for lunch. We'll have to drop Mom off at her house, and help get her unpacked and settled in, before starting for home.
Yeah, it supposed to be storming and raining tomorrow, too.
The rain is destroying all my beautiful roses. Cary went out, and picked me a nice bouquet of them, before the next round gets here. They have the house smelling so good. I walked out of the bathroom, after showering, and was surprised by them setting on the dining table. He is so thoughtful!
Nothing going on, today, but tomorrow morning, we head out to Alabama to bring Mom back home from her sisters. It'll be an all day trip. We'll have a nice visit, and my aunt wants to take us out for lunch. We'll have to drop Mom off at her house, and help get her unpacked and settled in, before starting for home.
Yeah, it supposed to be storming and raining tomorrow, too.
Marseydoats
Veteran Member
I've gotten almost all my tomatoes transferred to planters. I hunted thru the wrecked greenhouse and found enough planters to hold them. The chickens and I should be happy if they ever start producing.
I had thought that all the peach preserves from our trees were long gone, but I cleaned out the refrigerator and there was a whole jar that had gotten shoved in the back. Unfortunately, they had set up like concrete. I was afraid I was going to have to throw the jar out, but one kettle of boiling water cleaned it out and the chickens were happy with the treat.
I've got the car loaded up to run all my errands tomorrow. Like Sherree, we've been having rain and thunderstorms every day. The humidity is terrible and we definitely don't need anymore rain for awhile.
I had thought that all the peach preserves from our trees were long gone, but I cleaned out the refrigerator and there was a whole jar that had gotten shoved in the back. Unfortunately, they had set up like concrete. I was afraid I was going to have to throw the jar out, but one kettle of boiling water cleaned it out and the chickens were happy with the treat.
I've got the car loaded up to run all my errands tomorrow. Like Sherree, we've been having rain and thunderstorms every day. The humidity is terrible and we definitely don't need anymore rain for awhile.
NO! At least... not unless you are essentially making squash pickles...
I'd either dehydrate or freeze them.
Summerthyme
Old Gray Mare
TB Fanatic
Still pissed at having to toss my flour due to bug infestation. Picked up 25 lb of all purpose and stored it after I got it home in glass containers with airtight seals. No Plastic.
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
That line of rain and thunderstorms that I mentioned, earlier, has come to a standstill. It is dumping a huge amount of rain over the same area. It is still inching towards us, but hopefully, most of the rain and storms will be used up by the time it gets here. The humidity out is outrageous right now. 91%, and it's not even raining.
Summer time in the South. The same ole story. Heat and humidity.
Marseydoats, I'd love some peach preserves. Not going to happen here this year. All my peach blossoms were frozen by a late freeze. Apples, too. No apple jelly for Cary, either. Figs aren't going to produce anything, so no fig perserves. I guess I'll have to stock up at the grocery store.
Summer time in the South. The same ole story. Heat and humidity.
Marseydoats, I'd love some peach preserves. Not going to happen here this year. All my peach blossoms were frozen by a late freeze. Apples, too. No apple jelly for Cary, either. Figs aren't going to produce anything, so no fig perserves. I guess I'll have to stock up at the grocery store.
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
We just got a tornado emergency alert on our weather radio and cell phones for our immediate area. Doppler indicated tornado!
SouthernBreeze
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Well, that was a close call. It just clipped the northern edge of our small community. Don't know if any damage was done, but will find out on our 5 pm local news broadcast. All is good here.
nomifyle
TB Fanatic
I truly dislike training rain, which makes it continue in the same area. I didn't think we were going to get rain today, but we did, off and on.
Recently I saw a new product on amazon. Chef Boyardee Overstuffed sausage ravioli. I like ravioli somewhat, I can eat it straight from the can unheated. I ordered a 12 pak of it from amazon, and then ordered another one before the first one came. they came yesterday and I opened a can and tasted it. It was decent and filling, so I'm happy with my purchase. I think DH would have to be really hungry to eat any, but I like it.
Took Dh's truck to the repair shop today because the a/c is not working properly. He puts freon in it and it might last a few hours. But at 4.88 a can at walmart that can add up. The mechanic put two cans in plus some dye. I'll take it back Thursday for them to make a determination.
Tomorrow DH gets the stitches out of his fingers, its been two weeks and two days since his accident. The fingers look a lot better, and the swelling has gone way down. Prayerfully he can use them sooner rather than later.
God is good all the time
Judy
Recently I saw a new product on amazon. Chef Boyardee Overstuffed sausage ravioli. I like ravioli somewhat, I can eat it straight from the can unheated. I ordered a 12 pak of it from amazon, and then ordered another one before the first one came. they came yesterday and I opened a can and tasted it. It was decent and filling, so I'm happy with my purchase. I think DH would have to be really hungry to eat any, but I like it.
Took Dh's truck to the repair shop today because the a/c is not working properly. He puts freon in it and it might last a few hours. But at 4.88 a can at walmart that can add up. The mechanic put two cans in plus some dye. I'll take it back Thursday for them to make a determination.
Tomorrow DH gets the stitches out of his fingers, its been two weeks and two days since his accident. The fingers look a lot better, and the swelling has gone way down. Prayerfully he can use them sooner rather than later.
God is good all the time
Judy