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Garden Gate:  Garden Adventures  |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 06 2010 : 06:12:36 AM
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Hey Suzanne. Can you post a picture of your garden shed? I want one SO bad. I keep talking about it to my hubby. I have a plan in my head of what I want it to looke like. It will have windows in the front with window boxes and a little porch. With leantoos (?) on either side fo equipment to go under. And really pretty colors, like orange and pink and purple and green. I want one bad! I have garden shed envy now!. But really, yours sounds so pretty and nice. I hope you injoy it. My hubby drives a truck and is not home much. So I try not to load him up with too much to do when he's here. Only if he wants to.
It soulnds like you got alot done there. I am going to have to chisel my beets, onions and potatoes out of the rock hard ground. I mean it is HARD! I tried to dig potatoes yesterday and broke the fork. We need rain bad here. Everything's drying up.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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shunger
True Blue Farmgirl
224 Posts
Suzanne
Helena
MT
USA
224 Posts |
Posted - Jul 06 2010 : 06:52:33 AM
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Kris, I'd send you some rain if I could. Usually, we are chiseling things out of the ground. But not this year. I'll try to figure out how to post a picture. My garden shed has a porch and two windows and will have a back door that is wide enough so that the lawn mower can reside there in the winter months. Lean-to's make a great deal of sense to me.
Enjoy your day. Suzanne |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jul 08 2010 : 06:58:52 AM
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We need rain SO MUCH! My goodness, I cannot remember the last time it rained. I think I will wash the car, hang out some clothes and plan a picnic. Maybe even wash the dogs. Who knows, it might work. There are some clouds out there right now.
I watered all my tomatoes, squash, zinnias, grapes and blackberries. I picked a bunch of okra and squask and tomatoes this morning. I also found a tomato with some slugs in it. I have been grinding up egg shells for a long time so I went out there and put them all over the plants. I want tomatoes! I would not have thought as dry as it is that we would have slugs. But I have been watering.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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sue5901
True Blue Farmgirl
122 Posts
Sue
Wellingborough
United Kingdom
122 Posts |
Posted - Jul 08 2010 : 07:45:02 AM
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Well we have harvested our broad beans which were absolutely delicious and the beetroot and shallots are ready as well but gave up on the peas - they grew about 3 inches and stopped. So we have dug them up and planted some swedes.
But we still have no rain - two months now without a drop.
Suzanne your shed sounds lovely - I will paint mine when I finally decide what colour I want to do it.
Sue
Dance like nobody's watching! |
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shunger
True Blue Farmgirl
224 Posts
Suzanne
Helena
MT
USA
224 Posts |
Posted - Jul 08 2010 : 11:21:16 AM
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| Last night we watered our garden and it needed it. The tomatoes finally are seeing some sunshine. Weather is so different -- some places need rain, some need sun. Today, we have sun. I hope to harvest some beet greens tonight. Our broccoli has little heads -- very exciting for us. Suzanne |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jul 08 2010 : 11:27:09 AM
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My daughter just came to pick up Kansas. She said the thermometer at State farm said 102. It really doesn,t feel that hot. In the shade. With the breeze blowing nicely. And we are getting some clouds now. I just washed the car. Who knows. It might help.
Sue, what is a swede? And ya'll haven't had rain for 2 months? Wow. I thought it rained alot over there. I sure hope you get some soon.
Suzanne, I sure wish I could grow boccoli. I have before but it just bolts before I get enough. But the few I have gotten are so good. What do you do with your beet greens?
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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LadyInRed
True Blue Farmgirl
6740 Posts
PeggyAnn
Vancouver
WA
USA
6740 Posts |
Posted - Jul 08 2010 : 2:27:42 PM
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Kris you asked Sue exactly what I was going to. I have never heard of a Swede. Maybe it is something
only from the UK??
I went out this morning and watered my little veggie garden at 7:30 am and I just had to go back and water some plants again because the zucchini and tomato plants were withering from our 100 degree heat. I think we literally went from winter to summer in two days. Remember how I was complaining about the cold and rain for so long? Even our 4th of July here was cold with a few sprinkles here and there. Wow...what a difference a couple of days make.
Stay cool girls. DRINK LOTS OF WATER AND ICED TEA! KEEP HYDRATED!
Lady In Red
http://ladyinredsite.blogspot.com
A "SMILE" Should Be A Woman's First Accessory, Then Her Purse, Shoes, and Bling! ~p.smith |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jul 08 2010 : 2:50:05 PM
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Wow, that's hot for ya'll way out there. It's just plain ole hot all over the world right now. I am SO very thankful for AC! I have been going outside though. It really doesn't feel 102 out there. But I would not want to have to work all day out in it.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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LadyInRed
True Blue Farmgirl
6740 Posts
PeggyAnn
Vancouver
WA
USA
6740 Posts |
Posted - Jul 08 2010 : 3:41:35 PM
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Kris...I know what you mean, I go outside get HOT and come back in to my AC and
Praise God for it! Last night I took my walk at 8:30 in the evening and it was
still 90 degrees out and my little Bella dog thought her momma was NUTS for dragging
her along with me. I need to remember to take a bottle of water for her...because I
usually walk about 1 1/2 miles. Poor thing couldn't get to her water bowl fast enough
when we got back home.
blessings,
~peg
Lady In Red
http://ladyinredsite.blogspot.com
A "SMILE" Should Be A Woman's First Accessory, Then Her Purse, Shoes, and Bling! ~p.smith |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Jul 08 2010 : 7:18:55 PM
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hey peggyann i know what you mean about hot. i am below you in bend oregon high desert. hot 95 102 poor animals and veggies. kris i thought you got rain all summer? is this different this year for you too. my garden is so hot and dry too. i am irrigating but i hate going out to even move hose. the garden shed sounds wonderful to me too. with window boxes and a rocker in front in the shade with a mister like teresa has for her animals in the barn. my pigs are so hot. they have shade and mud but its just plain hot. supposed to cool a little next week. happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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sue5901
True Blue Farmgirl
122 Posts
Sue
Wellingborough
United Kingdom
122 Posts |
Posted - Jul 08 2010 : 10:46:14 PM
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Hi
I had to go on Wiki to look up what a swede was - cos its just a swede here and a really old- fashioned vegetable. But apparently it is a type of turnip. Wiki says it is called the Swedish or yellow turnip in North America. It is a yellowy orange round root vegetable about the size of a grapefruit. We have it boiled, mashed and use it a lot in stews and meat pies etc.
Turnips to us are smaller - about the size of a small apple and purple on the outside and white on the inside - we use them very similarly.
It doesn't rain in England as much as many people think. At this time of year we would expect it to rain maybe once a week or so as I live in the dryest part of the country - and going for a month without rain is common. And we are prepared for not having much rain with reserviors and aquaflows so we are not fairing too bad. In the North West - the Lake District they are the wettest part of England and would expect rain 3 or 4 times a week all year round and they have had no rain since January and are really struggling up there.
But we don't have it as hot as you do!!!! Its in the 80's here and we are moaning about that!!!
Dance like nobody's watching! |
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LadyInRed
True Blue Farmgirl
6740 Posts
PeggyAnn
Vancouver
WA
USA
6740 Posts |
Posted - Jul 08 2010 : 11:32:58 PM
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Sherrye...I am very familiar with Bend, I had an Aunt, Uncle and Cousins that lived there But even most
of the cousins have died off. In my family longevity isn't the norm. You guys are usually dryer and hotter than we are here. And as I recall you get a lot of snow usually in the winter too, don't you? I much prefer rain over snow. We get just about the right amount of snow here each year about a week. Just enough to enjoy the beauty of it but not get tired of it. I like being able to go to the Mountains if I want snow. I was raised in Libby, Mt and Spokane and I have had years of snow and cold. The last 25 yrs I have been here in Western WA and I like the milder climate.
Sue...thanks for telling us what a Swede is. It sounds like just a large version of the purple/white rutabaga that we have here. We use it in stews mostly. Do you have Parsnips? Look like a white carrot and mildly sweet? Those are great in stews too.
To me the 80's is perfect summer weather!!! Just Right!
blessings,
~peggy
Lady In Red
http://ladyinredsite.blogspot.com
A "SMILE" Should Be A Woman's First Accessory, Then Her Purse, Shoes, and Bling! ~p.smith |
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sue5901
True Blue Farmgirl
122 Posts
Sue
Wellingborough
United Kingdom
122 Posts |
Posted - Jul 09 2010 : 07:55:28 AM
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Peggy - Parsnips are really popular here - we always have roast parsnips with Xmas dinner - its more traditional than the Turkey. We often have parsnip soup as well - normally made spicy - and curried parsnip are standard fare in vegetarian resturants.
I did plant some parsnip but something eat them as soon as they came up so we gave up for this year on those.
I googled rutabaga and that is what we call turnips. And yes swedes are similar but larger and yellow/orange ( and not as nice if I'm honest!!!)
Sue
Dance like nobody's watching! |
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Lida
True Blue Farmgirl
157 Posts
Lida
Rochester
NY
USA
157 Posts |
Posted - Jul 09 2010 : 12:56:55 PM
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Yeah! It is raining! Hopefully the rain will cool off the air temperature. It has been in the 90s the past 4 days. The weather is supposed to be more temperate this weekend so I will make some Swiss chard soup with chard from the garden.
I spent last week tending my garden that is at my mother's house, 4 hours away from me. The plants that didn't get eaten by something are doing well. Only 1 of the heirloom winter squashes is still there. All of the butternut squashes are gone. The tomato plants are a lot smaller than the tomato plants at my home garden. The green peppers, potatoes, zucchini and raspberry bushes are fine. While there I planted chard seeds and broccoli sets. There is zucchni that should be ready for harvest this weekend, but I can't get back there again until next weekend to harvest them. They should be great for stuffed zucchini by then!
Happy gardening!
Lida
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LadyInRed
True Blue Farmgirl
6740 Posts
PeggyAnn
Vancouver
WA
USA
6740 Posts |
Posted - Jul 09 2010 : 12:58:18 PM
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Sue it is so nice having you on here...I always learn so much.
Isn't it fun to make good friends from all over the World? That
is one great aspect of the Information/Computer Age we live in.
I love it!
How is every one doing after the fire at your allotments? Did many
gardens get totally burnt out?
Hope you are still having that perfect 80 degree weather.
Happy Friday!!!
Hugs,
~peggy
Lady In Red
http://ladyinredsite.blogspot.com
A "SMILE" Should Be A Woman's First Accessory, Then Her Purse, Shoes, and Bling! ~p.smith |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jul 09 2010 : 2:55:30 PM
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It rained here too!!!! Just awhile ago I heard thunder then rain hitting the side of the house. It was so fantastic to see it. I know everything outside is happy right now. My heifer Roxie stood out in it for a little while. She hasn't seen rain in a month at least. So this was really nice. Only lasted about 10 minutes but I hope it helped.
I'm glad you got rain up there in NY. It's been awful hot up there lately. And you will have to share that chard soup recipe. It sounds good. I made stuffed zuccini a few weeks ago. I made zuc bread and muffing last night but only used 2 little ones so far. I think I am going to just grate a bunch and freeze it for later to make more. We like zuc bread. It sounds like you are a busy lady, Lida. Lots of traveling.
I hate to say this, but I am not a turnip or rutabega lover. I have never liked them. I love turnip greens though. Just never could eat all those ubderground things. Or parsnips either. I like beets. But those other things have a spicy taste to me and I'm not much into spicey stuff. I know they are really good for you though. So ya'll go on ahead and eat those things all ya want!
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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sue5901
True Blue Farmgirl
122 Posts
Sue
Wellingborough
United Kingdom
122 Posts |
Posted - Jul 09 2010 : 3:08:19 PM
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Hi Peggy - I really do love it on here but sometimes I have never felt sooooo English - one of the comments I read today was asking if people stop to let Turtles cross the road?? Turtles crossing the road!!!! Just the idea of that is so strange to me!!
All the clearing up after the fire has been done now - it looked worse than it was for a few people, only one couple lost a lot apart from the people who caused the fire - who lost everything. Apparently the Insurance we pay for in the rent will cover the losses of tools and equipment - but not the crops. Everyone is helping out the victims to get them started again but I'm afraid noone has much sympathy for the people who caused it - and they may even get prosecuted for reckless endangerment. It has caused a slight bad atmosphere at the moment but I'm sure that will pass in time.
Sue
Dance like nobody's watching! |
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shunger
True Blue Farmgirl
224 Posts
Suzanne
Helena
MT
USA
224 Posts |
Posted - Jul 09 2010 : 5:06:31 PM
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Glad to hear that some of the fire losses will be covered.
We ate beet greens last night -- straight from the garden. The beets tasted like sugar they were so sweet -- tiny but flavorful. And the greens were very good. My husband had not heard of cooking beet greens. It's a great way to use up the greens that one has thinned from the garden. suzanne |
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LadyInRed
True Blue Farmgirl
6740 Posts
PeggyAnn
Vancouver
WA
USA
6740 Posts |
Posted - Jul 09 2010 : 11:07:39 PM
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Ok...I am not a big fan of cooked greens of any kind. I ate them growing up but can't say
that I ever really acquired a liking for them. I love beets, minus the greens, love raw spinach
but not cooked Spinach (I'll leave that for Popeye!) Sue you may not know who Popeye is and here
I go again dating myself. I love greens fresh, crisp and raw...but not cooked, mushy and stringy.
I know all you southern farmgirls think I'm crazy...I know, I had a Southern Grandma raised on a
plantation: but she also loved cow-brains, cow-tongue, head-cheese and lots of liver too but not
this kid! :+)
Isn't it funny how each part of our country people have different food likes and dislikes? I am sure
we have things up here in the Pacific Northwest that you girls would NOT touch with a ten-foot pole either.
LOL
Blessings,
~peggy
Lady In Red
http://ladyinredsite.blogspot.com
A "SMILE" Should Be A Woman's First Accessory, Then Her Purse, Shoes, and Bling! ~p.smith |
Edited by - LadyInRed on Jul 09 2010 11:09:43 PM |
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dutchy
True Blue Farmgirl
4427 Posts
4427 Posts |
Posted - Jul 10 2010 : 02:11:35 AM
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I have been pondering a few ideas :)
I am thinking about a fabric "roof" on my patio. It is shaded in the morning but very sunny and HOT in the afternoon. SOOO I have been thinking about doing the following:
I will ( try to) attach some hooks in my shed and my neighbours shed (the back of that shed is facing me) and attach a fabric roof to the hooks with wire of some sort :) THEN I will hang curtains I will make of an old comforter cover and attach it to the "roof" with buttons and make a sort of canopy (??) Don't have any idea if it works what I have in my head lol. I am looking for ideas now on the net so maybe I will see something that JUMPS at me and finish it soon. Keep you posted haha
A LITTLE bit like the picture on the far RIGHT!! Without the side curtains because that is where the sheds are :)
Hugs from Marian/Dutchy, a farmgirl from the Netherlands :)
My personal blog:
http://just-me-a-dutch-girl.blogspot.com/
Almost daily updates on me and mine :)
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Edited by - dutchy on Jul 10 2010 02:16:00 AM |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Jul 10 2010 : 07:15:57 AM
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sounds like a good idea to me. there is a web site too where they sell old billboard canvas. sometimes they have flowers or writing on one side. you can spray paint the advertising side or not. i have a friend who used one in pasture to shelter goats. it was a giant pizza. i suggest you use grommets on the part that will hang. the fabric holds up better in wind with grommets. they are cheap and only use a hammer to put in. i love a cozy shaded porch on a hot day. happy days sherrye the canvas is very cheap and comes in different sizes.
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jul 10 2010 : 08:26:19 AM
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Marian, that sounds like a great idea. It looks so pretty and refrehing with the curtains blowing in the breeze. A perfect place to go drink a nice cold glass of tea and read a good book. You need a nice big hammock too! I have no idea how you would do something like that. I never get it to work like it does in my head either! Just give it a try and see what you come up with. And post pictures too. I would love to see it.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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shunger
True Blue Farmgirl
224 Posts
Suzanne
Helena
MT
USA
224 Posts |
Posted - Jul 10 2010 : 11:31:32 AM
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| Mulched my garden today with newspapers and old grass. It looks nice -- sort of different but nice. I hope to have fewer weeds and to keep water in the soil longer than usual in the heat. Yes, a few weeks ago we were wet, wet, and cold. Now we are hot and dry. It's always a challenge. But the laundry dries nicely -- any day that starts with time spent hanging laundry on the line in the sun is a good day. Suzanne |
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LadyInRed
True Blue Farmgirl
6740 Posts
PeggyAnn
Vancouver
WA
USA
6740 Posts |
Posted - Jul 10 2010 : 1:39:34 PM
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Dutchy...I love the curtain idea. Lovely fabric blowing in the breeze while you
enjoy a cool drink and a comfy lounger. Sounds Wonderfully indulging!
Blessings,
~peggy
Lady In Red
http://ladyinredsite.blogspot.com
A "SMILE" Should Be A Woman's First Accessory, Then Her Purse, Shoes, and Bling! ~p.smith |
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shunger
True Blue Farmgirl
224 Posts
Suzanne
Helena
MT
USA
224 Posts |
Posted - Jul 10 2010 : 8:56:19 PM
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The curtains on the patio sound lovely. The wind here is so strong that we have made outside the outside table of concrete and paving blocks. Anything else would end up in the neighbor's yard.
When I was a child in Maine, I would take a soft old wool blanket and wrap up in it on the porch and absorb the warm sunshine. It was cozy, and even though you are trying to provide shade from the sun -- your idea gives the same feel to it. Good luck. Suzanne |
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Garden Gate: Garden Adventures |
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Garden Adventures
