I need to re-introduce myself. I have been posting as Dianne in Mass for several months but recently my e-mail outfit decided to start charging me $20 per month for the previliage so I decided to hook up to DH's mediaone connection for no additional charge.

I'm deeply saddened to read all the hoopla Re: Gladys and Walt. Seems we kinda all jumped to conclusions in a way that wasn't particularly flattering. I'm hoping we can get back to regular forum issues because I miss hearing about what everyone is doing, how the critters are and whos growing what.

In that vane I'll tell you my chickens are doing just okay (lazy critters!). I finally have little green marbles that hopefully will someday be transformed into delicious tomatoes. Corn was knee-high by the 4th of July, and everything else seems to be holding it's own. Just put my third load of wash on the line and am getting ready to dry sage so all's right in my little corner of the world.

How's it going with you?

Wishing you enough and thanks for reading.

-- Trevilians (aka Dianne in Mass) (Trevilians@mediaone.net), July 14, 2001

Answers

Hi Dianne!

Thanks for your nice tone! Things are good here. Our tomatoes are green, some will ripen soon. Our peppers are producing this year. A real accomplishment for me; last year the grasshoppers really did a number on them. We have tomatoes at the right time this year, in previous years they didn't come till the end of August, a real problem with our short growing season. I must have not been pruning correctly or not fertilizing enough (I use fish emulsion). My husband and I are talking about creating two more square foot gardens on a large lawn area...so we can grow more and rotate and take one out of service during a season so we don't completely deplete the soil (even though we compost). I had considered a huge row garden but I'm so anal about weeds that I think it would drive me crazy. (one of the things I love about SFG is that the garden looks so nice and there's very little weeding). Now I'm going to finish revising a short story of mine, bake some bread, help my husband split our wood, (almost done for the season, thank goodness), maybe sew. It's a rainy day but we need it, has been very very dry. I LOVE homesteading, if that is what we do. Someday soon we'll make the jump to chickens but I have hesitations, and that's the subject of another thread.

thanks for posting.

-- Cathy in MN (catcrazy@somewhere.com), July 14, 2001.

Hi Dianne and Cathy (I'm in MN too): Really enjoyed reading about your progress - I don't have green tomatoes yet; but blooms. Canned 4 pints of pickled beets last nite (my first) and put English peas in the freezer yesterday also. Picked wild raspberries this am - and really was blessed - I'm not just talking about the berries I got! I fell down (stumbled on a little rise in the ground), got up and wondered why the mosquitos had suddenly gotten so loud - looked around and there were 8-10 bumble bees right where I had fallen! Didn't wait around to see if there were more. I can't believe I didn't get stung cuz I don't move THAT fast; but sure was thankful I didn't. I do have small tomatillos - never raised or even tasted those before, except in salsa verde; so looking forward to that. Finally got the rest of my fryers in the freezer and the 2 gilts are due to farrow in the next 5 weeks or so. The hens are laying and the clover around us smells sweeter than roses. Yep, life is pretty good here too! Wish we had some of that rain, we keep thinking we will get some; sure had plenty early in the summer. Bye all for now - hope all enjoy a sweet day of rest tomorrow. Cynthia

-- Cynthia Speer (farmsteader@gvtel.com), July 14, 2001.

Hi! We live in Colorado and have been living in our strawbale house now for 2 years but still working on finishing projects. I was so blessed today to have delivered to my garage a beautiful double oven, 10 burner, Garland gas range! Came out of an older church and I got it for 200.00!!!!! It will be super for canning and I have a small baking business so the double ovens are a true blessing. We just planted raspberries this year, but have already been enjoying a handful every other day. I really enjoy reading about your routines and daily goals. God bless your hard work! Pam in Colorado

-- Pam Harsh (harshhaus@aol.com), July 14, 2001.

What a neat thread. Diane, didn't realize that trevilians was you! I don't have any ripe tomatoes yet either, but going out and checking every day. Can't hardly wait. The other stuff in the garden is good, but ahhhhh, the tomatoes. So far, have had just enough rain and not too high temps. The green peppers aren't growing well though. Maybe not hot enough? Has anyone heard or noticed, that when tomatoes do good, the peppers don't? Or the other way around? Last year I had peppers galore and the tomatoes were so-so. Mmmmmmm, I'll have to ponder on that one. Pam, I am so jealous! The stove sounds like a dream. When i was canning peaches the other day, I would have given anything to have had more burners. Enjoy your new stove, sounds like a beauty!

-- Annie (mistletoe@kconline.com), July 15, 2001.

Welcome back Dianne in Mass aka Trevilians....

The weather around here has been rather cool and dry the past few days. Even when we got some rain and was humid for a day, it was cool and dry afterwards. The tomatoes won't ripen if it is not hot enough. We have lots of Beefsteaks getting big but no pink yet.

Our peppers are doing fine. Parsley is not as robust as last year's. We dried bunches of lavender a few weeks ago and now have a big ziploc bag of lavender flowers that I can't decide what to do with. I'm so afraid they'll just get used up and be gone that I just let them set there. :} I've got dried parsley from last year but I suppose I could throw it out and make fresh stuff.

Ground hogs have discovered that we grow yummy things in our yard. And can you believe it....we found we have friends that don't mind if we catch them in a hav-a-hart trap and release them on their property!

My "Red, orange, white, and yellow" flowerbed is lookin good right now with the orangey/red daylillies and the daisies blooming. When they are done, the red impatiens, orange cosmos, and coleus will take over.

Y'all have a great week.

-- LBD, Maryland (lavenderbluedilly@hotmail.com), July 15, 2001.