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Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Other Things.

My sister took these pix of Pria this morning.  I was struck by the strong resemblance to her camel relatives.  Luckily, not actually struck.  Hoosier had been quite a spitter.  I think it was out of self-preservation, as he was much shorter and the sheep were always in his business and in his feeder.  Pria is much larger and therefore isn't as bothered by the pesky sheep.  I have only witnessed one spitting incident and it was when Linden decided to try and climb the fence to reach her feeder.  Sheep seem to be oblivious to llama spit.  I am not - it's nasty.


She is also suffering from 'rain hair'.  As are we all.  Another strong storm came through yesterday in the late afternoon, with high winds, black skies and a downpour.  There was even some hail.  Apparently, this is our new 'normal'.  Every weather change is ushered in in an extreme way.  Whoopdeedodah.  They are also forecasting the same for today, before we segue into some more normal normal weather for this time of year.  Just in time for the actual summer.

I hope to have garden pix for you later this week.  I broke down and bought a garden tool - an amazingly difficult choice, as I have always and only used hand-me-down tools or tools picked up for a dollar or less at yard sales.  But extreme times call for extreme measures.  I got a stirrup hoe and I LOVE IT.  So well worth the money.

A 2013 Garden List:

Kale (two types)
Swiss Chard (two types)
Beets (three types)
Beans (I lost count)
Snow Peas (yellow ones - because I like the flowers)
Tomatoes (don't ask)
Cukes (two types)
Basil (pallid)
Japanese Eggplant (I am a glutton for punishment)
Peppers (lost count)
Radishes (the kind stuck in that tape stuff)
Onions (don't ask - but it's over the top)
Shallots
Garlic (scapes appearing!)
Potatoes (five types - from my favorite potato people: Wood Prairie)
Sweet Potatoes (just cuz I can)
Zucchini (of course)
Yellow Squash (ditto)
Sweet Meat (looking iffy)
Fairytale Pumpkins (ditto)
Pumpkin (forgot the type - little ones - is that specific enough?  Orange little ones?)
Lettuce (various and sundry)
Jerusalem Artichokes (in case the potates are puny)
Horseradish (doing alarmingly well)

In other words, enough of a garden - if everything comes up - to feed a family of sixteen.  Oh, if only the dogs liked vegetables...

10 comments:

hoosier girl said...

What a list! I'm afraid my potatoes are going to be puny this year-we've had so much rain. Never tried Jerusalem Artichokes, hmmmm.

Susan said...

HG - Well, I've never grown Jerusalem Artichokes and the only warning I got was to plant them somewhere away from my garden and not to harvest them until after they flower. So we'll see!

Tombstone Livestock said...

What no carrots on your list of plants in the garden??? Critters would eat the carrots if you don't like them, LOL.

That is a lot of garden.

Susan said...

TL - I have never been able to grow carrots successfully :( And I LOVE carrots. I think next year I will try those little French ones that look suspiciously like orange radishes. Last year, out of three sowings, I got six very puny carrots.

Lynda said...

Is a stirrup hoe the same as a Hula Hoe? I've been gardening for years and this spring bought a Hula Hoe...OMG! Where have you been my whole life! Seriously I could kick myself in the butt ...BEST GARDEN TOOL EVER (except for my hands)!

Tombstone Livestock said...

I had good luck with carrots 2 years ago, I built a raised bed out of concrete blocks, filled with manure and put large layer of potting soil on top. Only problem was carrots never made it to the house, I would wash them off while watering and eat them.

Susan said...

Lynda - Yes, they are one in the same. Aren't they wonderful? I have been using mine all over the garden - I can't believe how fast they are. And I still use my hands - if only to scoop up the weeds the hoe loosened.

Susan said...

TL - Maybe I will try creating a new bed just for carrots. Most of my beds are filled with llama beans. Maybe I just need to use a thicker layer of loose soil on top.

Mama Pea said...

I love to see other people's list of what they grow in their garden. Almost as much as I love seeing PICTURES (ahem) of other people's gardens!

ALERT: I planted Jerusalem Artichokes four years ago. Last year we finally admitted we didn't like them so I dug out all the tubers I could find and then tilled the daylights out of the bed. Then we used the bed for making compost all last year. We never saw any evidence of the Jerusalem Artichokes so this year I planted onions in that bed. Can you guess what is coming up among the onions very, very prolifically? Yup. And it's driving me nuts trying to get them out without killing the onions! You have been warned . . . !

Susan said...

I love lists. I'm making one now of veggies I can plant late June/July in the new garden. I pretty much think of nothing else because it is so enjoyable.