We’re always on the lookout for fire, here in the Northwoods. After all, we are in a very dry period and often, city folks burn their trash, have campfires, bonfires, and roast marshmallows with no thought that their fire may take off into the grass and woods. Our friend, Jason, is a firefighter and has been busy with several crews, trying to contain a fire north of us. Sometimes, it’s hard to tell just where the smoke is coming from. After all, who would think that smell of smoke and orange sky would be from fires hundreds of miles northwest of us, in Canada? But we’re always checking the sky to make sure that smell of wood smoke isn’t coming from somewhere much closer to us. It’s part of a preparedness lifestyle; you don’t want to be caught with your pants down, so to speak. So far, so good.
We’ve been really busy, planting, planting, planting. We’re done with pumpkins, squash, melons, and most of our beans and corn. While I’m finishing up the last of the beans, Will’s been busy driving steel fence posts next to our tomato plants in preparation for getting the mulch and tomato cages in place. I’ve got just a few more peppers to set in, then will do several rows of broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage plants in the Main Garden, where we can water easily.
I was surprised this morning when I got up. I always look out on our beaver pond to see if there’s any wildlife there. This morning, there were three swans! Two were adults and one was a grayish yearling. They’ve spent the entire day out there, much to our delight.
Yesterday, when I was driving the ATV over to the Wolf Garden to plant, a fisher ran across the driveway in front of me. It’s the second one I’ve spotted around here. They’re big, black, and have a bushy tail, almost like a wolverine, to whom they’re closely related. Of course, we’re a bit concerned that he/she might come here for a poultry snack. But, as we lock the birds in at night, I really don’t think that’ll happen. In reality, in over 18 years here, we have had very few wildlife problems. We really do enjoy seeing them, however! — Jackie
Seen a couple comments about hundred foot rows in the garden. I live on a mountain; 17 yrs now. Our family says that when the grid goes down they’re going to come here to live with us, because my husband is smart, and a handy guy with heavy equipment, etc. But, I have a hobby garden that can’t feed us, let a lone another person! He says he could use his excavator to make more “benches” for more gardening. I’ve been amending my garden for years to make good soil. I don’t know where we’d get amendments, or bring in soil for a new garden spot. You can’t survive on the side of a mountain. We can’t raise livestock here. I’m hoping we move to usable property. Lord help us.
Yup, we’ve been there; done that. I’ve helped poor soil with chicken coop cleanings, truck loads of manure, hauled in from “down below”, bags of fall leaves from town and the dump, etc., etc. The trick, other than moving to a more usable property is to improve it now, rather than later if tshtf. Then, finding soil amendments may be not only too late but nearly impossible for several reasons; fuel, availability, etc.
Tell your family if they plan on coming to you for shelter, perhaps they might “consider” helping you stock up and prepare NOW.
My husband was the gardener and now is pretty much housebound with a slow deteriorating neurological disorder. I haven’t been able to accept the fact that we don’t have a garden. For the last 4 years I have been trying to accomplish somewhat of a garden. I have 3 of your books, subscribe to BWH AND SELF RELIANCE magazines and always turn to your “ask Jackie” pages. I reference them often. Barring any hail or damaging wind, I should have Provider beans, 3 kinds of peppers, cabbages, a few beets and 5 varieties of tomatoes this year. I had a good amount of radishes and green onions earlier. I owe the inspiration to keep trying to you and the good Lord. I always canned and have bought what I don’t or can’t grow to can. I will be 78 next month and my husband will be 84 this month. Blessings on you.
You’re a shining example of doing what you are able and filling in the gaps wisely.
Thank you.
And back at you, Sheryl! Even though we have six gardens, totaling 5 acres for our seed business and our food, this year I added some large containers in front of the house, just to make it handy to grab some tomatoes, lettuce or peppers for meals. It’s amazing what you can grow this way, with little work. Hey, I’ll be 77 this summer. But my knees are doing so much better!!!
You just can’t fix stupid when it comes to humans and fire. Bad enough when they don’t pay attention to conditions but even worse when they light fires and leave them unattended (so much for our local burn ordinances when it comes to attending, water supply, and proximity to buildings/property lines).
We’ve had some wildfire haze too. While I’m south east of western WI, it wasn’t as bad as MN/WI and we are no where near as dry even though we could use a bit more rain. Garden is doing fine with watering. While not producing as much than we had during our best/bumper year (2013), the strawberries are going strong.
Trying to keep the better half from digging any potatoes – they are starting to flower and I’d like to wait another month before we dig a few. And no garlic scapes yet. I’ll have to remember to jot down when I cut them this year!
Wow, what a difference a few hundred miles makes!!! Our potatoes aren’t even UP yet. But the gardens look great, even though we really, really need rain. The beans and corn are up and the plants all look great.
I saw a Fisher last July a few hundred miles west of you – in the foothills of the Turtle Mountains in North Dakota. It crossed a gravel road about 100 yards in front of me.
Cool!! We usually only see one every couple of years; they are so reclusive.
We live in southeast Ohio and the smoke from Canada has made it here. Weird weather pattern.
Boy, that’s for sure. Crazy weather’s become the norm, I guess. The beavers say we’re in for a dry summer. Boo hoo.
Jackie, love your blog. I also have followed you for years. Here in southern middle TN we finally got some much-needed rain. It always seems to rain in the Amish country near us but that doesn’t help our farmers! So today we got a big rain, and we are so thankful for it. I have been busy shelling green English peas and yesterday I worked on 26 lbs. of cucumbers for bread and butter pickles. I literally have “green thumbs” from the green peas. I plan on canning new potatoes next week. I think our corn will be ready by the fourth of July. Summer is always so busy;but come winter, we really enjoy all our canned goods from farm fresh produce.
Boy, isn’t that the truth? I’m hoping to can honeyberry jam and honeyberries this afternoon. Our main crops won’t be ready until probably August, but we keep on keeping everything going, including ourselves!!! Ha ha
Here in South Western Wi we have had a continuous haze due to Canadian wildfires. In the last 30 days only 1/10 to 2/10th of rain. The crops are beginning to signs of drought stress-corn with parched leaves or curled. My garden is surviving only by carrying many many buckets of water. Second crop hay looks nonexistent. I’m hoping to get enough vegetables for us. Fortunately we have a supply canned. I’m not sure when the “officials” declare a drought but we’re heading in that direction.
We’re looking at drought here, too. Last night we had a sprinkle; only enough to barely keep the dust down. The beavers say dry summer. Yuck! I trust their forecast more than the “experts”.
Wield year so far. Most gardeners on the local Facebook forum agree that we are at least three weeks late! I had 33F at 4AM when I put heat in the hoop houses and green house! Don’t know if we ended up with frost as I went back to bed. The potato ground dried up enough that I got in 550 feet last week but we have had no rain so they are pretty dry despite three, four hundred gal loads of drip water. My hoop houses and the green house are planted but the house garden still had standing water on it so I can’t plant peas and later plantings of cole crops and beets and carrots. I have some of everything but the peas in the hoop houses. If I were to plant the peas next to the potatoes I would loose them all to the moose again! Like I said, a weird year so far!
Spell checker goof wield was supposed to be weird meaning strange! Also cole means cabbage broccoli etc since the spell checker doesn’t like the word!
Got ya!! I hate spell check! It thinks it’s so smart, but sure isn’t. We’re pretty much in drought here and some of the nights have been 38 degrees, so we’re kind of nervous with 5 acres planted and no way to protect it if it frosts. Whew!!
You are such an inspiration!
Thank you for sharing your wisdom and wonderful experiences with us!
I enjoy visiting with all my BHM blog family!!
Hi Jackie- what an incredibly beautiful Iris! Yes- wildfire smoke- our only paved highway out ( servicing 3 communities)has been cut off with a wildfire. Although it’s under control now, the road is closed for at least another couple of weeks due to rocks and debris caused by trees being uprooted and destabilizing the cliff above the highway. Could be weeks before two lane traffic is back in operation. The only way out is via a very long and unsafe logging road currently.
I have my grab and go bag and totes on the ready but my poor little old car with no AC would be a stretch on that dusty back road – especially in this heat!
Lesson is: be prepared, be sensible and stay safe! Just so glad I’m not commuting to work or have a medical condition requiring treatment in a bigger city. Anyway, the wild fire season is unbelievable in Canada so early in the season. If this weather continues it’ll be a nerve racking summer! Just hope this fire will be the impetus needed for a secondary paved route out for our communities!
Wow, you sure have your trial, right now. We’re fortunate in no fires close to us. Yet. We sure do watch for smokes though. It’s hard to see, due to the constant haze from the northern fires. We stay prepared and pray like crazy.
OHHH!! That Iris!! What a stunner!!
Here in Ely we are on watch for fire as well. We had a small one two weeks ago and they put it out lickety split. It helps that we have so many fire crews here ready to go. Jackie, You and Will are such an inspiration. You give us a true sense of what it takes to truly feed yourselves. I love all of the wisdom of days past. Spent last weekend going through old letters between my great grandmother and her sister. People had to know what to do or they would die. I’m wishing I had captured all of the water that came off of my roofs this spring as snow after snow after snow melted. Bless you and I pray that your knees will have peace as you work so hard to provide for others.
The fire season hasn’t started yet on the other side of the state as it was a very snowy winter and rainy spring. Once all of the green grass dries out there will be fuel for years. I did see an unusual wildflower when I was driving through Washoe Valley- possibly a cleome which I have never seen there in the 25 years I have been here.
Amazing, Nancy, that in many places, rain-capture is illegal. The state claims all precipitation as in their watershed.
We really enjoy our beds of flowers. The iris are just getting bigger and more gorgeous every day. New ones pop open and wow us. Now, the peonies are starting in. I always try to keep something blooming all spring, summer and fall. Just to inspire us. It’s pretty dry here, so I do have to water the flowers once a week and pray for rain.
18 years! How much you’ve accomplished, and how much you’ve inspired. I’ve followed your writing in Backwoods Home magazine from the beginning through many ups and downs. You could have a best selling book, easily!
Keep on keeping on! And thanks for sharing.
We just keep on keeping on as best we can. I’m amazed at all we’ve gotten done, although I look at the rag-tag goat barn right across from the house, that David (14) and I put together out of mostly junk lumber from the dump, seeing how tired it looks and wishing it could be replaced with something prettier. Oh well, maybe next year?
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