| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - Jan 12 2016 : 6:22:53 PM
Hey farmgirls! I was looking to see if there was any ladies out there 35 and under. Would love to see which farmgirls share the same age range as me. This can be a place for us to come together and converse about what is going on in our lives. Come join me!
Krista |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| nndairy |
Posted - Sep 29 2024 : 6:04:05 PM
Sounds like an exciting adventure Amanda!
~Heather
“I would rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world.” — George Washington
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| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - Sep 25 2024 : 1:23:38 PM
Hi Amanda! It has been awhile since there was a post on this thread. I am happy to see it up again. Your trip sounds amazing! What did you visit when you were in Utah? Which state did you enjoy the most? I went on a long road trip with my family when I was in high school. We drove down the west coast. It was beautiful. But it was a lot of driving for me. I tend to get car sick. Glad to have you back!
Krista |
| msdoolittle |
Posted - Sep 24 2024 : 7:24:58 PM
Hey everyone, I've been out of pocket for so long! Just wanted to pop in and say hello. We were able to take a three week vacation (!) throughout July of this year and I got to see Utah, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming! I've never been to any of those states. It was amazing! (well, maybe not I-70 through Eastern Utah or the trek thru southern Idaho/eastern Oregon, but still...) So many new things to see and experience. We were able to take our (now adult) kids with us since they were in-between school and work. I still can't believe we actually did it. We went to visit friends in Oregon but took the very, very scenic route.
Hope y'all had a great summer and so glad it is now FALL! My absolute favorite season of all. :)
FarmGirl #1390
www.mylittlecountry.blog |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - Aug 04 2023 : 9:02:48 PM
How was everyone's July? I hope you are all having a great summer so far and you all have had some great weather. The last couple of days we have had some rain and then highs have been in the 70's. It has been wonderful. My garden is also doing pretty well, but I did lose one pumpkin plant to the squash bugs. I have been extra careful with my last pumpkin plant so that I can save it from them.
Krista |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - Jun 30 2023 : 4:26:28 PM
Here was our pea picking last night. My boys wanted to count how many we had. We ended up picking 108 peas last night and there will be more ready today! I think I finally have enough to keep up with them lol!
Krista |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - Jun 28 2023 : 2:35:29 PM
I am hoping to get some fruit trees soon. I know they take years before they produce, so the sooner the better. Fingers crossed I will be ready for them next year. And I think because we had such an off spring is why my peas have been doing so well. This is our first week in the 80s which is not normal. I think the cooler temps have helped keep them happy and producing. I have been able to collect 3 zucchini already but I found my first squash bugs in them yesterday. So here starts the never ending battle with those terrible bugs. But nothing else is ready for harvest yet. Really is and off year.
Krista |
| nndairy |
Posted - Jun 27 2023 : 6:52:10 PM
I think that tree was planted over 20 years ago. There was a sweet cherry tree that was taken out in a storm a couple years ago. It was replaced with a baby tree that is like the one you mentioned - shorter than me :) It hasn't produced any fruit yet. There's also an apple tree, a peach tree, and a pear tree. The pear tree has never produced more than a handful of tiny pears. The apple tree does OK if we can get the bugs to stay out of it. A few years ago the peach tree had a gazillion peaches on it. So many that a few limbs broke from being too heavy! It hasn't recovered yet! It will produce a few peaches though. I've since learned that if there are that many blossoms on the tree you should pluck some of them off to prevent the tree from overproducing fruit. It's really hard to keep the bugs and raccoons out of the fruit. And the wind - it seems to do the most damage around here.
I love fresh peas. Those and cucumbers are my favorites! Unfortunately we had such a weird spring the peas didn't do so well. I wasn't sure they were even going to make it. I think I'll pick them tomorrow and we'll probably just get enough for supper and that will be it. I might try planting some again for a fall harvest. We'll have to see how it goes. Had my first yellow squash and zucchini from the garden over the weekend! It seems like everything is just really slow going this year. It's almost July and we're just getting a couple things to eat and haven't canned anything yet.
~Heather
Farmgirl Sister #4701
September 2014 Farmgirl of the Month
"The purpose of life is to enjoy every moment" - Yogi teabag
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| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - Jun 26 2023 : 11:43:08 AM
Wow Heather you have been super busy! And your cherry tree is huge! Our neighbors have one they planted 2 years ago. It is very slow growing and is still shorter than me. I would love to have a cherry tree some day. My peas have come on super heavy right now. I picked 55 last night and will probably have some more ready tonight. Each year I add a little more to the garden and there are so many more peas this year compared to last and it's still not enough to keep up with my kids lol! I think I will have to grow a whole garden box worth next year!
June bug is adorable! Happy late birthday Nathan! I hope he had a great day.
Krista |
| Wanda Sue |
Posted - Jun 25 2023 : 4:44:59 PM
Oh I like June Bug, very cute!
A day hemmed in prayer is less likely to unravel.
Farm Girl #3677
FGOTM August 2022 |
| nndairy |
Posted - Jun 25 2023 : 1:02:36 PM
That sounds like a perfect plan for the rest of the property LOL!
I've been busy with farm work - getting ready for baling straw is the biggest project right now. We're usually baling around the 4th of July.
Also been working on these:
Not sure how well it will show up, but the cherry tree is LOADED with cherries this year. I've been dehydrating a bunch and I made a pie. If there are any left within reach after the storms go through this evening I'm going to try and get some in the freezer. It's a lot of work to pick them and then pit them. I also need to get to the peas. And of course the rain means more weeds! The work is never done this time of year LOL! But I don't mind too much. I love having food I grew to eat most of the year.
We had another baby Wednesday:
It was also my husbands birthday so he named her. I suggested Summer (since it was the first day of summer) but he wanted June Bug. I think it's cute!
~Heather
Farmgirl Sister #4701
September 2014 Farmgirl of the Month
"The purpose of life is to enjoy every moment" - Yogi teabag
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| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - Jun 23 2023 : 1:26:28 PM
We have been super busy outside again. We have been prepping the ground to lay more concrete. They are coming tomorrow morning. I am super excited. We will finally be connecting our back patio with the tiny bit of concrete that comes out from our back garage. This will be our last big project for the year. Next year we will finish off our sprinklers, lay more grass, and finish up the fire pit. The rest of the property is up in the air lol! We will most likely fence it off and give the cows more space.
What has everyone else been up to?
Krista |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - Jun 02 2023 : 1:05:14 PM
Cindy, I know exactly what you mean. I didn't have much going on for June, but now that it's June all my days are starting to fill up. Both my boys play baseball and have 2 games a week and now my oldest will start having practices too. That itself just filled my month up lol!
Wow Heather, that is a lot of bales. You guys have been busy. Doesn't it seem unfair how quickly weeds will grow, but our regular plants take forever. My weeds are going crazy this year. We do have deer but I have a gate around the garden, so I am not sure how they would get in. So far nothing else has been eaten. Maybe it was a bird just plucking my leaves off.
We are getting some rain today so I will be staying inside. Hopefully I will get a chance to work on some crochet projects.
Krista |
| nndairy |
Posted - Jun 01 2023 : 2:09:57 PM
I love the rocks for the boarder! Do you have deer or rabbits in your area?
I have no idea how it's June already. Time is going by way too fast for me. The garden is in need of weeding but we've been busy making hay:
This is only part of it - I haven't taken any pictures since we got it all home and stacked. We ended up with 356 bales!
~Heather
Farmgirl Sister #4701
September 2014 Farmgirl of the Month
"The purpose of life is to enjoy every moment" - Yogi teabag
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| AussieChick |
Posted - May 31 2023 : 7:27:54 PM
Hi Krista - So glad to hear that your garden is growing. That's what I like most about Spring - the new growth and the splashes of colour that highlight our environment. You guys did a lot of work to your yard and I bet it's nice to see the hard work paying off. Unfortunately, something else is also enjoying a munch on your garden!! Sorry to hear that - I hope you can find out what it is.
Our May has been nice. June is looking to be a busy month. I'm not sure how that happens. We had nothing much on the calendar and then, before we knew it, every weekend is full. So much to squeeze in while the weather is good, I guess. Have a great summer!
Farmgirl #6058
Farmgirl Sister of the Year 2021
"The happiest people don't have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything they have". |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - May 31 2023 : 12:08:12 PM
How has everyone's May been? Are you ready for June?
My garden is all in and growing. Other than a pumpkin and pepper plant. All the leaves are gone but the stem is still there. Something ate my leaves off. And each plant is in a different garden box at opposite ends. I have no clue what did it. We are also down to only 2 more days of school. I am looking forward to the summer break.
Krista |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - May 17 2023 : 4:07:13 PM
Pictures are loading now!!
This is our before picture. Our grass went practically right up to the house and many places were just dead and not that great.
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We also had this huge chunk of dead grass we believe is from the dogs.
This was after we took all the grass and metal lining out.
Our completed rock wall and dirt.
The new sod and stepping stones.
I even stuck a couple extra onions, peppers, tomatoes, and Brussels sprouts in the new dirt lol! We shall see if they grow alright. I'm so happy this project is done!
I'm sorry your lilic jelly wasn't that good. I'm making some rhubarb jam today. Hopefully mine turns out ok. What are you dehydrating?
Krista
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| nndairy |
Posted - May 15 2023 : 2:02:45 PM
It's great to hear you're making such progress Krista! I was super excited today - I plucked the first 2 radishes from the garden! I think I'm done planting as well. The beets and carrots never came up so the were replanted. I also planted a bunch of herb seeds so if they sprout I'm done, if not I may be planting some more seeds.
I made the lilac jelly - it's not as good as the wild violet, but it's alright. I need to get to dehydrating next.
I can't post pictures either - I tried to show you my radishes - so it's not just you Krista.
~Heather
Farmgirl Sister #4701
September 2014 Farmgirl of the Month
"The purpose of life is to enjoy every moment" - Yogi teabag
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| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - May 15 2023 : 12:53:48 PM
I still can't get any pictures to load, but I have reached out for help so hopefully I can figure it out soon. We are all done with the side of the house and have now moved on to the back. We need to put down some more cement, so we are prepping the ground.
On a very exciting note, my garden will all be in tonight! Once my son gets home from school we will be going out to finish planting everything. I could not be any more excited. It feels like I have waited forever for this day lol!
I hope everything is going great for you guys and your weather has been wonderful.
Krista |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - May 12 2023 : 11:29:09 AM
We are about half way done with the side of our house. I tried uploading pictures but I keep getting an error. I will have to share them later. I am loving how it's turning out. I look at the large flower garden now and wish we would have put it in to start with lol! This is how we learn right?
Krista |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - May 10 2023 : 2:25:20 PM
We were really dry last year. I think this year will be better though. But the main spot I am talking about gets a lot of heat from the sun hitting our house. We think the grass is just too close to the house so we are cutting it away. Everywhere else grows just fine. I will have to take some pictures of our progress and show you all what we do!
Krista |
| nndairy |
Posted - May 08 2023 : 5:56:49 PM
LOL! I'm just learning as I go. I've always been interested in herbs and natural ways of doing things and I'm finally able to start trying some of it for myself. I have lots of books and lots of ideas just not enough time. My mom is a big lilac fan and got me a lilac bush shortly after we got married. It was damaged when the big tree fell on the corner of our house last year so it doesn't have very many blossoms this time. Sometimes it's covered in them and I can smell it all the way across the yard! Mine is lavender colored. I'd love to get a pink one sometime. Are you really dry where you live? Is that why your grass died? Unless it's sprayed with chemicals grass doesn't die around here LOL! It will go dormant sometimes in late summer if we get a drought but it usually takes off again when some rain comes in the fall.
~Heather
Farmgirl Sister #4701
September 2014 Farmgirl of the Month
"The purpose of life is to enjoy every moment" - Yogi teabag
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| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - May 08 2023 : 1:36:06 PM
Amanda, Thank you for the book idea. We talked about the yard and need to get some grass in place before we plant the fruit trees, so those will wait until next year. We have another chunk of grass that died so we are thinking about ripping that out and putting the shade tree in. There are so many different things you can do with your yards that sometimes it feels overwhelming. I am not very good with landscaping lol.
Heather, I need to come live with you for a summer so you can teach me your unconventional ways! I love the smell of lilacs. I had completely forgotten about them. I had a neighbor when I was growing up that had them all over her yard. I can still smell them lol! I may put some of those in the new plant/flower garden we are making this week. Let me know how the jelly tastes.
Krista |
| nndairy |
Posted - May 07 2023 : 11:14:46 AM
That sounds like an amazing way to grow fruit Amanda! I'll have to write down that book.
If you make a decoction (strong tea) of the apple blossoms it's supposed to help with weepy rashes such as poison ivy. Since I haven't figured out what the poison plants look like and end up getting it every year when I'm picking berries in the woods, I thought it would be a good thing to try LOL! I'll let you know later this summer how it works :)
My lilacs are starting to bloom so I'll be trying some lilac jelly in the next couple days! It's supposed to taste like grape jelly.
~Heather
Farmgirl Sister #4701
September 2014 Farmgirl of the Month
"The purpose of life is to enjoy every moment" - Yogi teabag
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| msdoolittle |
Posted - May 07 2023 : 10:38:44 AM
Krista,
There is a book called "Grow a Little Fruit Tree"...it is mind-blowing. Everyone needs it! Last year, we planted a lot of fruit trees, all with the idea of pruning them to stay no taller than 6-7 feet (or less). Summer pruning is key to keeping them manageable and small. And you can plant standard trees and keep them this way! Think of it (kinda) like having a bonsai in your orchard. Anyway, can't recommend that enough. Then you can plant lots of trees...I have found that fruit can be soooo hard; esp. fruit trees. You will find out about pests and problems you never even knew about. Ha! But you WILL find fruit that works for you. Here, it's figs, muscadines, and pears. You just can't kill 'em, which is perfect for me. Oh also, fruit trees do better with cross-pollination, so you will have to research what varieties do best in your area and also which ones cross-pollinate each other. The small tree method lady even plants trees 18 inches (!!!) apart and grows them as you would a single tree, in that you prune out any branching that goes to the center. I did this with a couple of apple trees this spring. So far, so good.
We just found out this week that the random 9 degree weather in addition to last year's drought pretty much wiped out a gorgeous crepe myrtle we've had since moving in. It is trying to make new growth at the trunk, though. Geez with this weather! Oh well.
I hope you are able to get your seeds up and going soon!!!
FarmGirl #1390
www.mylittlecountry.blog |
| MaryJanesNiece |
Posted - May 05 2023 : 3:32:32 PM
I got my 5th garden box put together and ready to go. Other than it still needs some rebar to hold the sides. I am getting so excited to get my garden in!
Krista |
