Drew and Will are hard at work, putting up Drew’s wood stove, double wall pipe. They put three sections together, as it kind of screws together, and those pieces are heavy when assembled. Of course, the higher they go, the harder it is to carry them up the ladder. Today, Will decided it was much safer to use the big Kubota tractor’s bucket for Drew to stand on rather than try to climb the ladder with the stovepipe. Yes, it IS much safer and easier for them to work with. Will stays in the tractor, monitoring the hydraulic bucket, making a nice platform for Drew to stand on, rather than trying to balance way up there, on a ladder.
With the warmer, sunny weather, they’re hoping to get the entire pipe installed by this weekend, including building the support brackets.
Yesterday, the semi-load of 16-foot red pine logs was delivered. Will and Matt went halves on the load, planning to use them for cutting lumber on their sawmills. Will wants to finish the run-in cow shed in the cow yard and cut siding for Drew’s new abode, where Matt wants to stockpile lumber to build a house.
Today, I’m going through my pepper seeds, as it is time for me to start my pepper plants. The ones I set out last year weren’t quite as large as I would have liked. This year, I’m starting them a little earlier to remedy that. I’m doubling up the jalapeños as we really love the extra Cowboy Candy syrup I’ve canned up. I put it in condiment bottles to squeeze out on a variety of things from meatloaf to baked chicken and pizza, to name a few. Yum! Last year was a bad pepper year for us, due to the crazy weather. I’m hoping for a much better year, this year. Gardeners are always optimistic!
I also want to start some pansies and petunias, which are slow growers but such an addition to the edges of the flower beds and various containers around the place. They are so cheery. — Jackie
Jackie, thanks for this blog about your peppers. I started some in September 2024. Usually, here in far north California, you start your fall garden in mid August. But, I got some red bells started. It took a couple of months, yes, 2 months for two of them to germinate. Don’t know why it took so long. Anyway, my desire was to see how long they could live in my garden. I heard of others who’s bell peppers were living years. Mine are now about a year and a half old, still living in my garden, during this very mild winter. Last picked from in January 2026. Going to let them live as long as they do; just an experiment; and food, too!
Wow, that’s cool. Peppers are really perennials, but we usually grow them as annuals, due to the cold weather many of us experience. In Mexico and South America, many folks keep them going outside for years.
Usually, when peppers take a very long time to germinate, it’s because the soil they’re planted in is cool. They germinate best when the soil is between 70 and 80 degrees F.
Yes, I read that in your new blog entry; that you put yours behind the woodstove for the heat they need to germinate. Something new to learn!
Very odd and dry weather on the high plains this year, warm and dry. Starting peppers now but also starting cabbage early too. If this weather holds we plan on doing the cabbage early then immediately planting back to provider beans. Experimented with that last year and both plantings worked out well. Got the seeds early!
We’re also having crazy weather, as we have only about a foot of snow on the ground. Today, it’s 45 degrees above zero!! Strange, but welcome.
I need to get my peppers started too. Last year was better than the year before when the plants were tiny when I put them out and didn’t catch up to produce much. Last year the bugs were terrible, and I lost a lot of peppers and tomatoes to them. I have my heat mat and grow light set up in the basement and I keep forgetting to turn the light on or to water the seedlings since they are out of sight. Last year they not only survived my mistreatment but flourished and I had strong seedlings to plant in May.
When I saw the picture of Drew standing in the bucket I was reminded of the time when my dh was manager at a TSC and was standing in the bucket to replace letters on the reader board. His assistant manager pulled the wrong lever and dumped the bucket. Dh was left hanging from the sign while his assistant manager got the bucket back where it needed to be. Fortunately, all ended well.
Holy cow, that could have ended badly!! We’re fortunate as Will works his tractor so much, I tell folks he could pick your pocket with that bucket. I sure wouldn’t want to be the tractor operator as I don’t work his tractor at all and even the other ones, I’m not on them enough to be VERY precise.
The weather here in Oregon can’t make up its mind. One week its sunny, warm days, cold nights, next week it rains. This coming week we’re supposed to get a rain/snow mix,we’re hoping so because MT Hood only has 20% of its normal snowfall. Flowers are coming up, wild bees are out and robins are early. Crazy weather for sure.
Wow, that is crazy for sure. We’re in a drought, snow-wise, too and even though less snow is nice to work in, it does not bode well for spring.
Yes, Lois, It’s crazy here in Redding, Calif also. The same weather as your area. Daffodils coming up, orchard trees bloomed, plum, peach, nectarine, almond, and pear. Strange our citrus are not bloomed. Very odd.
Got my seed order and books today! Yipppeeee! Now its officially garden planning time. Thank you for the autographs and each one is special since its from you. What a glorious day today! I think we reached 46 degrees and all the snow became mashed potatoes.
Today, we’re having 45 degrees. What a treat, even though we’re kind of waiting for the next shoe to drop. This is VERY unusual!! I’m glad your books and seeds made it to you okay. : )
Beautiful home! David building. Drew is fortunate to be able to finish up and reside. Will is a Very smart resourceful man. Pepper starting! Oh I just finished the onions, artichoke,herbs – some sprouts already! Thought I’d take a few days off of seeding peppers. But if YOU Are gues I better get cracking. 2nd batch of PeU soil finished up yesterday- just in time! Enjoy your writing so much. Thanks
Hey Mary, we’ve had so many seed orders (a good thing), I haven’t yet got to the peppers. Maybe tomorrow…. Happy that you’re seeing some sprouting seeds!!
Good afternoon. Jackie,
So glad Will and drew are getting the stove pipe up with the Kubota.
Without question it’s much safer and easier to use the tractor.
It’s been warming up here too. I hear of coming rain and snow as well as cooler temps
but so hopeful warmer weather stays around and Spring is much earlier.
With this warmer weather it inspires me to spend more time on my garden
plan for this year. Last year’s weather was so weird and the chemical spraying
has brought me to think more on how I will grow this year and protect soil
and plants even more.
I’m going to be ordering my seeds from you very soon.
Do I still send to you, Jackie or do I send order to the Lynn and Jesse or will
the transition not take place until August?
I understand you and Will making the change but it has to be a hard decision.
Thanks for all you two do.
We won’t be transferring the seed business over to Lynn and Jesse until August, our slowest sales month, to make it easier, all the way around.
The weather’s been crazy and we can only hope to work around it. I hope you don’t have any chemical spray drift this year!!!
Thanks Jackie.
Makes good sense wait until August.
Will you still be growing and Lynn and Jesse will just do the seeds for you?
I’m looking forward to ordering as soon as my check comes.
I do pray the chemical spray will slow down. Seems like those nice criss cross patterns in the sky have continued even through winter.
I just simply trust in the Lord’s continued goodness for my food I grow.
Have a wonderful remainder of the day.
Yup the bucket trick always works better and is much safer and faster since you can take more up at one time.
Yes, especially when they were putting the stovepipe up in lengths of three pieces each. They were heavy. Too heavy to be carrying up a ladder!
I love all your ideas!! Yes the bucket idea is much better for work like that. My late husband did many things that way. That is a cute house even not finished!!!
It’s going to be very nice when it is finished. Hopefully, Will and Drew can get the board and batten siding cut and up this summer.
A gardener has to be optimistic – it goes with the territory. Otherwise there would be no gardeners or farmers left.
We’re having what one of our weather prognosticators calls false spring – it will be almost 60 on Monday. Some snow left on the ground but I doubt much will be left after Monday.
Good call on the Kubota bucket. Not only safer but far less wear and tear on knees and feet. Future Drew will thank Grandpa Will. I’m glad the house will soon be a home. I still miss my grandpa, he’s been gone for almost 14 years now. I’m glad my kiddos got to know him. His work ethic, gardening skills, and love of animals lives on in me.
You’re so right; gardeners and farmers do need to be optimistic, or they would not be doing it. I’ll bet you do miss your grandpa. I never got to know mine. My mom’s father and mother lived in Canada, and I only met them once, when I was three, so I don’t even remember them. Dad’s father passed away at an early age, so I never met him, either. Memories are sweet.
When you said, no gardeners or farmers left, it made me think of the following controversy. Personally, I’m glad the BLM rethought their agreement to let American Prairie use BLM leased land for raising wild bison. They were purchasing so many farms and ranches; needing upward of 5,000 sq miles; 3.2 million acres to return bison to their preAmerica condition of living. They had no goal, whatsoever, to harvest for food; but were taking cattle land, meant for food. So, it was a great re think. A win for our food industry.
I agree with you. I love bison (hey, I’m old and still call them buffalo), but today isn’t centuries ago when they could run wild without human interference. Today, there are roads, fences and PEOPLE everywhere. It just wouldn’t work. Ranchers need and depend on that land to raise cattle that end up on supermarket shelves. It was a nice dream but totally unrealistic.