Good Morning - 2023

[Killerbunny]

@TomK I'll be interested to hear how they work out as a friend will be looking in spring.

[Jaye]

I've heard good things about the Azures from Frey's. Apparently they are quite hardy. I didn't know they were early layers, but now I do - thanks Tom!

[KimChick]

Good morning.
Last night I put 9 chicken eggs into Lockdown - 3rd time with incubating this year. A few weeks ago, a raccoon killed 23 of our young birds - barnyard mix and Rustic Rangers. The new outside Fort Knoxed pen wasn't Fort Knoxed quite enough. When hatched, they will join the guinea keets that were not allowed to stay with the adults. Again, it was just too wet for these sub-Saharan birds. DH was guinea attacked for his troubles in taking them away.

[KimChick]

7 of the 9 eggs hatched successfully. The 2 that didn't never pipped. The chicks are now in the brooder with the keets. All are getting along famously.

[chicken]

Good morning! I am deciding on which chicken breeds I will buy in the spring. Due to old age and a hawk attack I am down to 3 orpington hens. Is there a nice breed that would blend well with my breed? I was looking at rhodebar, scarlet

[Bayvistafarm]

Good morning! Its a sunny day, and a good one for this tractor rally/plough thing the guys do, this is the 3rd one. Everyone with an old plow, or an antique tractor, brings them, for fun, looks... and then Heather barbeques hamburgs and hotdogs for donation... and after expenses, the money usually goes to the Lions club.. who looked after Gary with lots of supplies when he broke his femur a couple/3 years back.

I got my onions out of the ground, and now they are drying on an old pen panel, lol. After they cure down a few more days, or before its supposed to rain again, I will bring them to the basement. I lost a lot to splitting/rotting... because of SO much rain, but I hope the ones I have on here, are ok. I STILL have onions from last year, that are hard, and haven't sprouted yet. Wished I'd had a mind to keep the 3 storage types separate, to see which ones they were, lol.

I have been doing lots of canning... there are SO many apples, the trees branches are breaking, snd surprisingly enough, not very many worms!! I just cut around the ones that do, and have made lots of applesauce. Probably 37----500 ml jars... and its so good!! Made with 4 different apples, the one pictured here is my golden delicious, not ready yet... but sweet enough, and I like tart apples. I also have Mac's, spartan, and Mutzu in there.

I've done more tomato's down....I like to add spices and cook them down a bit more depending on where they are going, 2 batches of Jalapeno cowboy candy, nine days, lots of pickled beans, and lots in the freezer and sliced dills, and whole. Plants shut down again, before I was really done, wanted to do more, but the blight or whatever got to them.

Dave took a picture of Liddy, the cat I got from a cat rescue about 4 years ago. Shes so pretty. Too bad shes got an attitude, lol.

I noticed this chrysalis yesterday afternoon before bus.... maybe is will hatch today. Times marching on for these guys!

Well, I just cleaned my house, in case a few close friends would rather use my bathroom, rather than the port a potty... I know my daughter in law will want to use the house to nurse the baby, while they are here.

My female pea I have had around here forever, has disappeared. I put the new one I got in with the male, and let her out. Both have been outside during the day most of the summer. I see NO evidence of a predator attack... she doesn't wander far.... I'm thinking maybe shes beside the barn, in the dense weeds on eggs?? I only saw 1 egg last year from here... thinking shes a dud, lol. But, haven't see hide nor hair of her, coming up and eating/drinking... but I'm not living up there in the farmhouse, to look out the window anymore.

Well, hope all have a great weekend.... I'll go outside periodically today, but the apples on the mac tree I see are falling already, and I want to either make pies for the freezer today, or freeze apples for crisps or pies for later. Be a real shame to NOT use them up, because they are beauties, and plenty!!

Happy Birthday Ross!! Hope its a great weekend for you, and you get spoiled tons!

[Killerbunny]

Oh goodness you make me feel lazy! Great to hear the Lions helped you guys out. How is the Bus situation? Ottawa is a disaster by all accounts. @ross Happy Birthday

[Ontario Chick]

Same here :)
We also have incredible amount of apples on every tree, some almost no leaves just apples, looks very odd
,
The Macs are largest ever on this tree I planted 30 years ago, and like @Bayvistafarm said no worms at all,
while last year even the Wolf river had worms.

[labradors]

Same here. We have wild apple trees, as well as a Courtland and a Liberty. Have to pick up piles of apples every day because one of our dogs gorges on them. I currently have two composters full.

[Killerbunny]

@labradors juice press!! Cider???