What are you think 2017 to 2020

[MaskedOne]

What are you think 2017 to 2020

destination thread

[kalynraye]

Re: Whatcha thinking about now? (v2)

Dog sitting. We've currently got my bosses pup while the are away on vacation. He's a treat, he gets my two old men moving and a shaking.

I had to rehome one of my chickens this past weekend. She I mean he started crowing last Wednesday. My little silkie rooster had the tiniest crows ever! But he was relentless once he started. Luckily him and his best hen went to live at my friends farm with her flock. I could have just sent him but decided since they were kind enough to give him a good home and spoil him rotten I could part with a hen that would be laying soon as well and help pay his room and board.

I got my first zucchini out of the garden with the promise of more of them and squash. Cucumbers and okra might be quick to follow, and my proudest accomplishment is my two corn stalks I planted! I've got like 2 ears of corn!! Next year I'll add another 4x8 bed and add carrots, cabbages, and broccoli to it. My asparagus should be old enough to start cutting next year but I'll wait and see.

[Hawkfeathers]

Re: Whatcha thinking about now? (v2)

Worldwide Organization for Organic Farming - it's an organization that sources volunteer farmers in different countries, they do labour for you, in exchange for room and board (and periodically a small stipend). I haven't done it in a decade, but it used to be super popular amongst young, hippie-type travelers who want to experience the world, but cheaply and on a local scale.

I had mixed experiences doing it in India, but I would do it again elsewhere. If you remember Bjorn at all, she did it for YEARS. She just bummed around the US living farm to farm - sometimes staying at some places for six months or so.

Thanks! That sounds really cool.

[Yazichestvo]

https://narts.sylvanmigdal.com/?date=20171021

[volcaniclastic]

Re: Whatcha thinking about now? (v2)

What's WOOFing? (I'm picturing dogs picking vegetables...) I had a couple of lovely tomatoes growing in pots on my deck a few years ago, but the squirrels got them.

Worldwide Organization for Organic Farming - it's an organization that sources volunteer farmers in different countries, they do labour for you, in exchange for room and board (and periodically a small stipend). I haven't done it in a decade, but it used to be super popular amongst young, hippie-type travelers who want to experience the world, but cheaply and on a local scale.

I had mixed experiences doing it in India, but I would do it again elsewhere. If you remember Bjorn at all, she did it for YEARS. She just bummed around the US living farm to farm - sometimes staying at some places for six months or so.

[Hawkfeathers]

Re: Whatcha thinking about now? (v2)

What's WOOFing? (I'm picturing dogs picking vegetables...) I had a couple of lovely tomatoes growing in pots on my deck a few years ago, but the squirrels got them.

[volcaniclastic]

Re: Whatcha thinking about now? (v2)

I couldn't, in good conscience, take on workers at the rate which we could afford to pay for them. It'll be just the wife and I, our four children..and a friend whom I've conned to work in exchange for food and lodging - who was also let loose from his position serving people and communities on supplemental programs. We've been getting alot of our contacts from him the past few weeks.

We've also opened the gates and put a sign up. If you can pick it, you can have it. That goes from lettuce all the way to trout.

Even after that, we still have a few hundred hours of labor in removing the crop and residue and weeds - we have no choice, we have to do it, otherwise we'll see rampant disease and the value we've built for years will be completely wiped out.

- - - Updated - - -

-It's bad enough that I'm considering relocating to the high desert in wyoming, where water conservation programs are still being funded by necessity.

(to me, the idea of not having many more tons of tomatoes than you can sell is twilight zone shit - I'm a floridian by upbringing)

I was under the impression WOOF'ing was on a volunteer basis in exchange for room and board. I WOOF'ed in India when I was younger, and I certainly didn't get paid.

I'm sorry your farm is doing so poorly, though. I've gardened before on a large scale, but I'm sure it doesn't compare to running a farm. I had a whole batch of cauliflower get mealworms once - really ticked me off because I couldn't salvage them, and I had to toss the whole lot.

[Rhythm]

Re: Whatcha thinking about now? (v2)

I couldn't, in good conscience, take on workers at the rate which we could afford to pay for them. It'll be just the wife and I, our four children..and a friend whom I've conned to work in exchange for food and lodging - who was also let loose from his position serving people and communities on supplemental programs. We've been getting alot of our contacts from him the past few weeks.

We've also opened the gates and put a sign up. If you can pick it, you can have it. That goes from lettuce all the way to trout.

Even after that, we still have a few hundred hours of labor in removing the crop and residue and weeds - we have no choice, we have to do it, otherwise we'll see rampant disease and the value we've built for years will be completely wiped out.

- - - Updated - - -

-It's bad enough that I'm considering relocating to the high desert in wyoming, where water conservation programs are still being funded by necessity.

(to me, the idea of not having many more tons of tomatoes than you can sell is twilight zone shit - I'm a floridian by upbringing)

[volcaniclastic]

Re: Whatcha thinking about now? (v2)

Can you find any woofers to work on your farm? That might alleviate some of the pressure.

Sorry to hear you've been laid off. And sorry to hear about your desperate marinara situation, hah. I'm from northern canada, and the idea that I could grow enough tomatoes to can is kinda mind boggling to me. They grow here, but they're better in a greenhouse, and they're just so much maintenance.

[Rhythm]

Re: Whatcha thinking about now? (v2)

Speaking of beans...I've been planting, and I totally screwed it up, lol. My squash and beans germinated, but none of my tomatoes managed to come up, nor did the transplants I have behind them germinate. Climate change strikes again. When I bought this property I could get three crops of indeterminate tomatoes every growing season. That was ten years ago. The past three years there has only been opportunity for one, and that window is shrinking. I now have a 9 day window between full maturity and first frost, and I'm in the US southeastern region.

There are shorter season crops, shorter season cultivars of tomatoes - but they have lower yields and higher input requirements. I worry for the future of affordable jars of marinara.

-and, also, I've been officially let loose..and all of our project data has been scrapped, as has our project due to budget cuts. We were only informed -after- we'd already made the cap[ital investment and put it into the ground. Great state of mind right now.

The wife has already started to find food banks capable of receiving fresh produce and we appear to be starting up a year where our farm will have to lay off all paid employees and dump it's productivity to charity. This would (and has) crushed many of the few remaining small farms here and across the nation.

[Hawkfeathers]

Re: Whatcha thinking about now? (v2)

Holy hills of beans...

Is that a new pagan thing? I don't think I got the memo on that...

Why yes, it's for the vegetarians among us!

[B. de Corbin]

Re: Whatcha thinking about now? (v2)

I'm thinking that today is Suzi Quatro's birthday. She's 70. SEVENTY. How the holy hill of beans did that happen? Time is supersonic lately.

Holy hills of beans...

Is that a new pagan thing? I don't think I got the memo on that...

[Hawkfeathers]

Re: Whatcha thinking about now? (v2)

I'm thinking that today is Suzi Quatro's birthday. She's 70. SEVENTY. How the holy hill of beans did that happen? Time is supersonic lately.

[Rhythm]

Re: Whatcha thinking about now? (v2)

Thinking about how much that was unthinkable the last time I posted is now a reality. Rough times, been busy.

[kalynraye]

Re: Whatcha thinking about now? (v2)

I found two morels today! Currently frying them in olive oil and garlic. A tiny, victorious forage.

I am beyond jealous!!! I love morels.

- - - Updated - - -

The boy is currently in Texas at Papa and Nana's summer camp. From the texts and phone call I have received he is having an absolute blast. I myself have slept in 2 days in a row and did lots of yard work and tree trimming this afternoon. I might even clean m house while hes still at my Dad's house.