Better get started on your Victory garden now!

[pcrowder]

Farmers slash planting due to drought

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28808767/

[snake]

Yupper! I can't be so lazy this year.

[bookwormom]

I am looking at buying a water tank to collect cloud juice off the roof to use in watering the garden. Last year we would have had to starve, two drought years in a row was hard.

[Terri]

A very interesting article.

California tends ti run on a regular cycle of drought and more wet years. So, since usually a few dry years in a row hit, then a few wet years, next year might be dry as well.

Florida usually takes up the slack in fresh produce, which helps a bit though tomato prices will probably stay high.

On the GOOD side, since the economy is poor, I am planning on a healthy sized garden: my seeds are on the shelf and the box of jiffy-7 pots is on the hearth! I like to start things in February!

[pcrowder]

Anyone else getting inundated with seed catalogs? Am hoping tomorrow to start going through them and planning. I just LOVE seed catalogs! ;D ;D ;D

[MNMOM]

Our garden will be even bigger this year. Last year it was flooded and I had to replant, then came the drought and we had to constantly water. Needless to say, some of the veggies didn't do so well. I did have an abundance of string beans, though.

Love it when the seed catalog's come, especially when we're sitting here with record cold temperatures. They sure give me a lift.

[countryjo]

Thanks for the alert......it was on the MSN page today. Every year it seems to be something. So good to have a garden and a well stocked pantry. With prices going up doesn't hurt to buy more things now. We need to learn to eat more of what is in season.
Sure hope my fruit trees bare fruit this year, not sure what happen, may have been to cold. Sure missed the fruit.

[leera]

Countryjo,more than likely your tress didn't bear because of frost late in the spring(depending on where you live),a lot of local orchards here reported as much as a 50% loss in crops,due to late season frost.

I have a ton of seed catalogs,and finally got one that has the blueberries I want.I'm not going to order much this year,as I want to try mainly perrenials this year.

If I had the space though,I would have a HUGE garden.....

[Maranna]

I'm new here, and have been reading thru the forums.

I have two large areas to plant this year. Well large for me, I'm alone. One area is about 25' x 40' and the other is aobut 25; x 25'. The larger one I will plant with vegetables and the other I'll plant in gourds, for my crafting.

My biggest problem is the weeds. I have no way to till, so have to use a shovel and at times the ground is very hard.

I didn't have a garden last year, because my well was out. But this year I'm going to try. The weeds have taken over both garden plots and all of the rest of the property mainly.

I've only gotten the Gurney and the Burpee seed catalogs. I hate Gurney, as their plants die within a week of planting them and their seeds don't grow. My water melons turned out to be the size of baseballs, instead of 8 pound water melons. Four of my six tomato plants died with in a week and the other two only had a few tiny tomatoes, that didn't show up until Nov even though planted in mid April, they were suppose to have been beefsteaks.

A friend sent me tomato tree seeds last fall so will plant them inside the middle of March.

Burpee is too expensive for me, so will buy seeds from WalMart as usual, at least I have pretty good luck with them, just not their plants.

I want to dry my vegetables outside this time. I have two long tables to use. Am looking for drying rack patterns now. Something heavy duty enough to keep the birds out.

I'll plant birdhouse, luffa and dipper gourds to use in crafting projects.

[walls0stone]

I won't buy from wall mart... I'll spend the extra dime and buy from a local store with an owner I know. Get weeder Geese. I have laid out a plan to plant at least 1acre. Water is plumbed out to the plot and I plow it with a 6 bottom. Weekends and evenings are spent weeding and hoe'n the garden with my family. spending $100 on seed and plants

[Maranna]

I live in town, so can't have geese or goats.

Some of the weeds here get over eight feet tall. I think I have every kind of rag week there is too. I'm lucky I was hidden behind the door when God gave out allergies.

We haven't had any rain since the middle of Oct, though I do see we're getting a smattering of something, the dirt looks like it's a bit damp.

I will probably have to buy my seeds from either Dollar General this time or a seed catalog, as I guess there won't be any way to get to WalMart.

By the way, what's a 6 bottom?

[walls0stone]

plow with 6 large plows on it. Can't plant corn with a mantis :) Can't have a Gunnie fowle? you can have chickens in NYC..just not roos' Can't you build a chicken garden? Why not black plastic?

I just tend mine every day. before I get teh paper, I hoe a row or 3. Some Crops have a mountian of old newspapers lay down between the rows, sheet by sheet and then soaked with water.

If you look around at the diff seed catologs, you can tell that most of them come from the same place and little diffrance between burpees and gurnees... Just look at the pictures of people with smiles...you see the same guy holding the same pumpkin in 10 diffrent catologs.

here gardens are nothing new. We used to call it Poverty, now add 25% cost and they call it Organic.

[Maranna]

Lubbock doesn't allow any sort of farm animals, in the city limits. Only dogs and cats. Rabbits are quiet so will see if I can get a few and hide them. Not from people, but from stray dogs and hawks and owls. But things may change with this recession, we'll just have to see.

I also live on old commercial property, but there aren't that many businesses around, and they're all small. I'm the only one who lives here all week long. My Dad's business has been closed since Sept. of 02.

I'd like to have a couple of dozen chicken for eggs and meat and droppings and a dozen or so rabbits for meat and the droppings for composting and for worm beds.

[pcrowder]

Lubbock doesn't allow any sort of farm animals, in the city limits. Only dogs and cats. *
I'd like to have a couple of dozen chicken for eggs and meat and droppings and a dozen or so rabbits for meat and the droppings for composting and for worm beds.

do you have children? If so, have them join 4H...I lived in the city, and we weren't allowed to have anything either, but since the kids were in 4H, the city looked the other way, as it was their 4H project to raise the small animals. Also, most cities won't say anything if you don't have any roosters. Banty hens don't make any noise, they are really easy to "hide", and don't eat much at all. Just make sure they're hens and not roosters before you put them where the neighbors can hear them!

[walls0stone]

You will see fewer of these laws enforced as time goes by. Many towns had it out for woodstoves. Leave eggs on the right door steps and look at what changes.

If you want to Hide Chickens, go to Backyard Chickens website and look at what they have.. garbage can coops and stuff that looks like anything other than a hen house.

[bassntrout]

Pcrowder--

Good post.

Just goes to show you, at the end of the day, you can only depend upon yourself . . .

I love gardening-- the exercise, the reward, the satisfaction . . .

I am getting ready to start some of my seeds

P.S.: Bookwormom-- I love your expression, "cloud juice" ;)

[Terri]

AAAAND, the other shoe drops!

California has drought, but Florida has frosted. Potatos, green beans, and tomatos were hit.

Of course they will re-seed, but, I expect vegetable prices will go up, now. Most of our vegetables are grown in California and Florida!

[Catalpa]

here gardens are nothing new. *We used to call it Poverty, now add 25% cost and they call it Organic. *

ROFL! So true.

My problem isn't lack of land, it's lack of time. I work a lot of hours in the summer, and it's tough to take care of a garden. At least until I sell this place and move; my at-home time always goes into fixing the place up to sell. I usually plant ten tomato plants or so, can't ever get enough tomatoes. Any other produce I want I can get at the Amish veggie stand down the road. That way I'm still getting high quality local stuff to can and dry until the day I have time to grow all of it myself.

[walls0stone]

Catalpa.
I'm glad you opened that up. *Here is what I do and it's NOT a CSA farm. *It's called..Be friendly.

My folks and I are close...and friendly. *My friends are actualy friends and close at hand. *But Hey, we are all busy SO. *in the summers, at the end of every few days..Dad would come down and spend some time in the garden, weed'n or picking stuff..or whatever. * No money changes hands..no rules...plans or some goals, but no contracts. *That makes it all very complicated. *It's just friendly, it's Kind..it kills a few birds with one stone.

First, I get time with these people that is quality time and productive...rather than watching a movie or whatever.

Second, I put food on the tables of the people I love, nurishment to the bodys of my friends children....

and lastly, I don't worry about the weeds so much becouse many hands make lite work.

Perhaps you have tons of land, but the other fellow in your life has more time... well, no worries. come on over now and then and do this or that. * You'd be shocked how this comes round to help you later when the snow is up to your neck and the other fellow has a plow.

[teach]

Better stock up on fertilizer. The cost has really gone up and Ibelieve it may get scarce because so much of it is produced overseas.

[DM]

Better stock up on fertilizer. The cost has really gone up and Ibelieve it may get scarce because so much of it is produced overseas.

Don't worry, i am stocked up, and there's plenty more where i get mine... :)

http://www.fototime.com/8180EC5212D79AB/standard.jpg

DM

[pcrowder]

Yeah, as long as my cows, horses, mules, poultry and pigs keep giving me the "gift that keeps on giving", I'll be set!

[pcrowder]

Oh by the way, teach - Welcome! ;D

[walls0stone]

I read about chicken Gardens long ago..and I think that is the way to go. Our hay field borders a small hen house were they dump the litter. that hay is twice as thick as the other. Some years it's so think you must slow down.

Now If you look on Crag's List or BYC you can find many free Roosters..and old hens are common. Why not pen up some less than valuable birds up on your garden plot when your not growing. They till the soil, eat weed seed and make stuf grow. If you loose a bird, no biggy. they were free. If you eat one, it wasn't a good egg bird.

[swedishfish]

I think we will see more and more of this in the coming years. Can't fight it, so plant a big ole garden and learn to can. As to fertilizer, I cant say thats a good idea IMO. One more thing to be dependent on.. composting.. thats the rub. This book is the bible on art form that is composting. http://product.half.ebay.com/_W0QQcpidZ728475QQprZ527962

[Maranna]

pcrowder, I have children, but tbut my youngest is almost 32 lol. But most of my family lives in San Antonio.

I'm figuring the city will start looking the other way soon, but I'll just have to wait and see.