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Across the Fence:  Maven Teatime  |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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farmmommy
True Blue Farmgirl
500 Posts
Kelley
Texas
USA
500 Posts |
 Posted - May 07 2009 : 10:22:40 AM
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| Didn't know that. I haven't met any other men that have the name Sterling, but A friend of mine that I grew up with at rendezvous is also Kelley, and she married a guy named Sterling...so now our rendezvous friends have to be really careful when talking about Sterling and Kelley....lol. Gets really confusing!! |
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deeredawn
True Blue Farmgirl
2306 Posts
Dawn
Cordova
TN
USA
2306 Posts |
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graciegreeneyes
True Blue Farmgirl
3107 Posts
Amy Grace
Rosalia
WA
USA
3107 Posts |
Posted - May 07 2009 : 7:15:09 PM
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Good score Kelley - John has promised to build me a potting shed too, supposedly we have some windows that were taken out of a building he worked on, they just haven't made it home yet. We are busy with other projects (like the aforementioned fallen-down-fence) that take precedence over silly little things like potting sheds though, so it will have to wait. We did find a galvanized metal countertop while we were cleaning out the shed in the back yard though so we're going to try to incorporate that. There are some treasures lurking around here - an oak library table was in the shed when we moved in, now it's my sewing table, not in perfect shape but like Kelley said - free is a good price. There is also a vintage refrigerator in the basement but it's taped shut and I'm afraid to open it.
And yes Teresa Sue, life does feel like a slapstick movie alot here at the Clark homestead:)
Amy Grace
Farmgirl #224
"use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without"
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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farmmommy
True Blue Farmgirl
500 Posts
Kelley
Texas
USA
500 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2009 : 05:39:15 AM
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Morning Maves!
AG-If I had a vintage fridge in my basement taped shut...I'd be all over it!!..lol...Even if it doesn't work, it would be a great place to store potting soils, bone meal, blood meal, rock phosphate and such for your garden..that is if it's seal is still air tight!! ooohhh and that galvanized countertop sounds like the perfect potting table!! I can see your cute liitle potting shed now..all cute, hodge podge, and farmgirly!!!
Alee-Not sure that we will be doing any rendezvous in July, depends on what Sterlings summer vacation time turns into...we are suppossed to be going to Wyoming up to the continental divide to stay at our friends cabin sometime in July or August...that is why I can't make it to BBB...2 trips that far back to back is just not affordable for us this year.
Hey...guess what I did yesterday?? I have been reading about biointensive gardening, and it has really affected me. After I went out and turned a 2 foot by 4 foot area of my garden over to plant some gooseberries, I noticed that the whole area was still holding water 4 hours later!!! No surprise seeing as how we have had 11 inches in 9 days!!! So, Sterling called me at about 5 yesterday and said I needed to make a spot in the garden for some veggie plants he rescued from a local hardware store (even though we start from seed, we cant stand to see veggie plants thrown out)...so, I went and pondered the situation....and found myself pouting and pittying our garden situation..boohoo, i need a bigger plot... boohoo, I wanted to do double dug beds...boohoo....this isn't a garden plot, it's an overgrown weed patch....boohoo..our landlord has the only high spot in the garden....boohoo....we should have built raised beds I'm sure ya'll get the picture! Anyhow...I finally decided "screw it!" I'm gonna do my double dug raised beds anyways..lord knows if we get anymore rain, the plants that haven't been killed by drowning will sure start to.....Ahahahahaha...double dug raised beds is a chore gals!!!! After I finished my tiny little 2 ft by 4 ft bed....my back felt like it was broken!!! Keep in mind how heavy the soil is because it's waterlogged! But....guess what....1 hour after I was done......the walk ways on both sides of the bed were underwater!!!!! No wonder we lost all of our spinach lettuce and peas!!! Poor things really did drown!!! And yes, double dug raised beds are HARD WORK...but I feel so good now knowing that the cabbage plants I put in that bed last night won't die due to drowning!!!! I was so impressed that the water drained out of that area that quickly..well, an hour may not seem that quick....but, i feel like what drained out was all of the excess...trust me, the raised bed was still PLENTY moist!!
We have done raised bed, SFG in the past, out of neccesity, because our soil was so bad, and that worked really well, we loved it! But the soil here is a good sandy loam, which drains quite well....except when you get like 30 inches of rain in 4 months...LOL!
So, long story short....I'm on a mission to do the rest of the garden in biointensive double dug beds!!! This will be interesting!!!! I'm trying to mentally prep myself as I type this to get ready to go back out there and inflict yet more pain on my already bad back!!!! hey..atleast I have a brand new bottle of Advil Liqigels!!!!
I'll let ya'll know this evening how many more I got done through out the day!!!! |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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farmmommy
True Blue Farmgirl
500 Posts
Kelley
Texas
USA
500 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2009 : 2:53:54 PM
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Alee - No, this part of East Texas normally doesn't get this MUCH rain!! I guess "Lucky Me!' Huh?
Anywhooo - WHHHEEEEWW!!!! I hurt...and only got another 10 ft dug and built up!! But, I also planted some of my tomato and cabbage transplants at the end I did yesterday! It's not by back that's hurting today..now it's my arms! Forgot to do those maven stretches and warm ups Dawn emailed me..lol! I could have gotten alot more done....but my "not too bright sometimes" self didn't wear gloves on the last 2 ft of digging.....and "OOUCH!" now I have blisters! So, I'm gonna head back out there and finish transplanting more of my 153,219 heirloom tomato plants....LOL...just kidding.....but after it took so long to transplant the ones I did earlier today, it feels like I have that many more to go. But atleast they'll be happy in their new home, where they can stretch their legs and GROW!!!
Hope none of you other Mavens had a much "physical" activity as I did today! It's nights like these that a big ol' glass of Maven Moonshine would be nice!!! LOL!!!!!! Whatchall wanna bet Ol' QMD has a recipe for some of that stuff hidden somewhere????? LMAO!!!!! And if she don't......................SHE SHOULD!!!!....LOL |
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gspringman
True Blue Farmgirl
387 Posts
Gail
Bonanza
Oregon
USA
387 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2009 : 3:06:04 PM
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I asked for a day to work hard in the dirt and all and finally got weather for wearing shorts! yipppeee. I've been mowing grass, pulling weeds, gardening and had to put up smaller and lower roosts for my bantee and baby chicks. Love being this busy. Hope everyone else has sunshine too. Back to it before the sun goes down. Hot bath and spirits tonight!
Gail
Farmgirl #486
Zone 5
http://grammasladybug.blogspot.com/
Circumstances made us Friends.....Maryjanes made us Sisters |
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RubyJunes
True Blue Farmgirl
246 Posts
June
Greenwich
Ohio
USA
246 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2009 : 4:07:31 PM
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wow, Kelley, sounds like you got lots accomplished, despite not doing your proper FarmGirl exercises and stretches first! LOL!
Maven Moonshine?! Methinks QMD is holding out on us? Perhaps she'll break out the jug o'goodness at Spring Fling? ha! Take it easy, you gotta pace yourself to make it to harvest time for the million tomatoes those 150,000 plants are gonna bear! |
Edited by - RubyJunes on May 08 2009 4:08:17 PM |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2009 : 5:06:31 PM
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Kelley- I almost wish I had as physical day as you did! I am feeling a bit like a bump on a log. Bleh- I need to get up and moving more! This silly head cold is like an energy parasite!
But the good news is- my living room smells like lemon and lavender because of the curing soap on the shelf! Yummy! It's the best and worst kind of torture to see lovely soap on your shelf- but to also know you can't go take a long bath with it! LOL I need to go buy some new cheese cloth to cover it so any dust doesn't get on it.
I hope everyone at the farm fair likes the soap!! :D
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
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farmmommy
True Blue Farmgirl
500 Posts
Kelley
Texas
USA
500 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2009 : 05:28:27 AM
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ooohhh Alee...I just love lemon lavender soap!! I bought a bar a couple of months ago (handmade) but was kinda dissapointed....This is just a personal opinion, but the oil based soaps (olive, almond..etc...) they just melt away so fast! I make lye soap (ok, not for a living, but have made several batches) and the bars seem to last forever compared to oil based ones. The Lemon lavender bar I bought was HUGE!($5) A big Ol' chunky bar, just like I like 'em....and it lasted a whopping 1 1/2 weeks! Then, I bought 2 bars of Olive oil soap at rendezvous from a friend that makes it...Summer Citrus and Deep Moraccan Vanilla ($3 each)....again, huge, honkin' bars...I actually got 2 weeks of use out of them! But....just my opinion! Do you make oil based or lye soap?
I have a batch that I need to remill...I think I'm gonna make them Lemon & Orange!!! Have you ever combined those scents? There is something about lemon and orange EO, that when ombined, has the sweetest, cleanest, happiest scent!! I just love it! Yep...that's what I'm gonna do! I'll just have to make time in my busy weekend schedule to do it!!..LOL
OK maves!!! I HURT this AM!!! Yesterday it was my arms...this AM, my arms & shoulders!!!...yet the pain is sooo gratifying!!!! I got about a dozen more tomato plants planted last night after posting....then potted a beautiful Knockout rose bush that I scored from Lowes reg $19.98 on clearance for $3...yep....had to buy 2 at that price!!!!! They had tons of 'em...garden center manager marked em down that low because they had a huge shipment of more coming in the next AM!!! Talk about being in the right place at the right time!!! Then...my Tennessee Ostritch Fern that i had in a pot that I thought I killed over the winter....came back!!! Except I had planted the other Knockout Rose in that pot!!! Shame on me for being imaptient!! Needless to say..I had to VERY carefully dig the baby ferns out from underneath the rose to transplant them into a different pot! But..it worked!! Then..I planted 2 more pots...1 with a canna, some sun coleus and verbena, and the other with a canna, verbena and sweet potato vine...Then planted a clematis that I also snagged on clearance for $2..reg $5...(it's a Miss Bateman(white)) in a huge planter that already has a pink Mandevilla vine growing up a 6ft tall garden obelisk and purple chrome wave petunias cascading over the sides. Those silly petunias are now 4 years old!!! Can ya'll believe that??? And they stay green all winter!! They get so long every summer (and absolutely STAY covered with blooms!) that I have to give them a haircut twice each summer!!! Anyhow..I'm just babling now...and I need to get outside...I have 3 more planters to design and fill, a bunch a zinnia seed to plant, and yet MORE tomatoes to transplant!!! And It's 7:30am....am running behind this morn!!....LOL |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2009 : 07:20:04 AM
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Hi Kelley- I guess I am confused about what you mean by oil or lye soaps? I make soaps by using Lye and combining it with oil?
My bars tend to last a long time- especially if they don't sit in water. My dad has one that he only uses for hand washing that has lasted a long time- like over a year- but it was one of those huge honking bars to begin with - I think that one was 6 ounces.
Do you use lard or tallow instead of veg oils? There are a lot of things that you can do with Veg oils to make a nice hard bar of soap. A lot of people like high superfatting ratios to give extra moisturization, but that means the bar is used up quicker.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
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graciegreeneyes
True Blue Farmgirl
3107 Posts
Amy Grace
Rosalia
WA
USA
3107 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2009 : 8:44:27 PM
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Wow Kelley - double digging alone!! My husband and I have been doing the beds together - he does the shovel work, then I use the spading fork to loosen - he stands by to hold my hand if I lose my balance. I did half of one bed (3 by 10) by myself and decided that doing it alone would only be an efficient use of my time if I didn't have a job - I'm just a slow shoveler and I can never get the shovel down far enough to make it worth while.
Speaking of "fabulous finds" around the house we found a whole patio today!! Seriously - we could tell there had been a patio, some random pieces of cement scattered sort of uniformly in the back yard, well I started pulling on weeds, lo and behold it was pretty much intact under years worth of weeds and grass, John got started clearing it off with a square headed shovel and couldn't stop till he was done, so now we have a patio, for free no less!!
We got the chicken condo finished - it also includes a table on top for my plant starts, and the lights hung overhead for the starts, we also set fence posts and poured concrete in them, and finished digging the potato bed. Good day all the way around and only two 60 mile round trips to the hardware store - good thing we weren't doing any plumbing, would have been four trips:)
Night ladies!!
Amy Grace
Farmgirl #224
"use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without"
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Annika
True Blue Farmgirl
5602 Posts
Annika
USA
5602 Posts |
Posted - May 10 2009 : 09:43:17 AM
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Happy Mother's Day to all of you Maven moms !
Annika
Farmgirl & sister #13
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graciegreeneyes
True Blue Farmgirl
3107 Posts
Amy Grace
Rosalia
WA
USA
3107 Posts |
Posted - May 10 2009 : 10:56:41 AM
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Thanks Annika - and good to hear you!!
Teresa Sue - if you read this today, do you need any potatoes? Just planted and I have extra of La Ratte and Red Gold, both from SSE - they are ripe for planting or I would offer them to someone else but TS is closest and could therefore get them quicker:)
Back to the out of doors.....
Amy Grace
Farmgirl #224
"use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without"
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Contrary Wife
True Blue Farmgirl
2164 Posts
Teresa Sue
Tekoa
WA
USA
2164 Posts |
Posted - May 10 2009 : 3:13:19 PM
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I'll email you AG.
Teresa Sue
Farmgirl Sister #316
Planting Zone 4
"Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly." The Dalai Lama |
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farmmommy
True Blue Farmgirl
500 Posts
Kelley
Texas
USA
500 Posts |
Posted - May 11 2009 : 07:08:31 AM
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Morning Mavens!!
Alee----ohh...lye and oil? How come Mes didn't think of that?...lol....I have just alsways made with lye and tallow, then remilled after curing to add scents and pour into molds...your combo sounds good. I just know that when I use the "all oil" soaps..with no "animal by products" they melt so much quicker...besides...animals were put on this earth for us to use...and I was raised to use ALL of the animal!!! Not to just waist and discard what parts weren't pleasing to the taste buds! Anyhow...subject I could get going on but ya'll don't want me too!...lol
Amy Grace - yes..by myself! I am now wondering "what the **** was I thinking???"..lol. It is VERY hard work....but I got about another 4 ft section done that was only 2 ft wide....then Saturday started a 4 ft wide section that will be about 15ft long. But only got about 3 ft long dug....since yesterday was mothers day, I gave myself a break and didn't dig...now it's raining again this am....so it will all be even heavier to dig by this afternoon! i may have to wait til tommorow or wednesday. But, atleast my blisters didn't puff up and pop...I think the secret was going back out to the garden and planting a bunch of veggies without gloves on!!!! My hands were covered in dirt for a good hour, and I swear it actually made my blisters receed!!!! So cool that you found a patio!!!!!
Well, we built a new chicken coop out of 100% recycled material!!! We used a bunch of those 6 ft by 4ft wood framed screen panels that Sterling brought home from the job he's on. When we get the nesting boxes and roost completed, I'll have to post a pick on here, the roof of the nesting boxes is an old pocket door, and the roosting bars are 2 by 2's rescued from a school demo job...practically brand new lumber that was going to be thrown in a dumpster and hauled to a lanfill!!! Well, for that matter, the old windows and screens...all 140 of each were also going to be thrown in a dumpster and taken to a landfill also...grrr! what are people thinking??? Anyhow..hope all you mavens had a great mothers day!! Alee, hope that you are feeling better!!! TTYL! |
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deeredawn
True Blue Farmgirl
2306 Posts
Dawn
Cordova
TN
USA
2306 Posts |
Posted - May 11 2009 : 07:19:16 AM
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I need an idea of who's coming in for SF and when as my stupid job is not giving me any extra time off THURSDAY OR FRIDAY. (RICKENRACKEN FRICKLE FRACKEN -CARTOON CUSSING)
Sorry for the caps, I hit it by accident and oh well...... everyone has been soooo busy lately. Yesterday I planted the herb garden and cleaned, and i do mean CLEANED out the barn. Wowzers, it looks so big and spacious now without the disk in there.
Okay, SUE, LORA, RENE, SANDRA, please let me know your approx arrival times.
Dawn #279
MJ's Heirloom Mavens-QMD
http://harvestthymefarm.etsy.com
http://harvestthyme.blogspot.com
~live big, ride hard, and shoot straight~ |
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RubyJunes
True Blue Farmgirl
246 Posts
June
Greenwich
Ohio
USA
246 Posts |
Posted - May 11 2009 : 07:38:05 AM
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If you need me to be the airport shuttle, I'll do my best! :-) Well, if you need me for ANYthing, for that matter...
June |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - May 11 2009 : 07:47:55 AM
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Kelley- I agree with your view point! Love lard and tallow soaps. They are super nice. And you can still add coloring and scents and trace just like all veg oil (and lye) soaps- or at least I have never had a problem with it. I have just found that a lot of people don't like the idea of animal by products in the soap so I make my lye soap with all veg oils as they seem to sell better. I do use a lot of Coconut oil to harden them and castor oil to give back some moisturizing that coconut can steal away from your skin. It is for sure a balancing act!
I do love using lard to make laundry soap. It works great and is so cheap! It really lowers the cost of my laundry detergent. I love my homemade alternative to Fels Naptha soap. It has ammonia and borax in it and when after you grate it- it self crumbles into a fine powder. I love it!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
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deeredawn
True Blue Farmgirl
2306 Posts
Dawn
Cordova
TN
USA
2306 Posts |
Posted - May 11 2009 : 08:14:10 AM
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ohhhh Alee, I NEED some a that!
June, your on! me thinks I will need a shuttle! ahhh the "joys" of a job..... if I didn't have child support.... I wouldn't be here. 2 more years. 2 more years. 2 more years,,,,, 2 more..........
Dawn #279
MJ's Heirloom Mavens-QMD
http://harvestthymefarm.etsy.com
http://harvestthyme.blogspot.com
~live big, ride hard, and shoot straight~ |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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RubyJunes
True Blue Farmgirl
246 Posts
June
Greenwich
Ohio
USA
246 Posts |
Posted - May 11 2009 : 09:36:06 AM
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Alee--your laundry soap sounds wonderful! I might need some, too!
Dawn--Keep me posted on what ya need me to be doin besides baking stuff. I just found out I need to work at the kids' school that Thursday till 2:15, but other than that I'm free.
June |
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deeredawn
True Blue Farmgirl
2306 Posts
Dawn
Cordova
TN
USA
2306 Posts |
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Across the Fence: Maven Teatime |
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Maven Teatime
