Summary
I know there are several weeks missing in the weekly thoughts, however this time of year it really is too busy to write, it seems I work and sleep. However this week I will be posting lots, mainly updates on all the projects going on. The bad news has been that both the transmission in my truck and my tractor started acting up.
When Transmissions Fail
About a week and half back my tractor started making a funny noise almost like it isn’t in a gear, you know that grinding sound? This was not to be resolved and I needed to tow it into the dealer, fortunately it still has 2 months left on its 5 year warranty. The day before I was to tow the tractor in my truck’s transmission died, well it seemed like it was locked in either first gear or neutral and would go in and out on its own accord. So I took the truck to the dealer, turns out it was just a hose inside the transmission cooler that broke and $800.00 later all was back in order. So I loaded up the tractor and took it in. The tractor dealer speculates that it is the clutch linkage at the flywheel, which isn’t covered by the warranty, and won’t be able to look at it for two weeks! It is their busy season. So more on that in a couple of weeks.
Mushroom Project Update
The mushrooms are planted into the drilled out holes in the logs and covered in Soy Wax (so its not giant bird poop). Now I water the logs and wait for some sign it is growing. The project is detailed here. And here is what the logs look like as they lean against an old dead tree.
And the gardens are growing
The gardens both inside the greenhouse and outside are growing well. This week several vegetables that we had all but given up on showed their heads, this includes cherry tomatoes and carrots! It took over a month for the carrots to grow out and suddenly they are there! This is great news since we thought we might have bad seeds. The lettuce is delicious! Here is a picture of the inside of one of the greenhouses and one of the outside gardens.
While difficult to see in the picture in the forefront you see the potato plants, top left is Spanish onion and green pepper, to the right is zucchini, tomato plants, cucumbers and many others. Still early in the season but all is well so far.
Potatoes in a Bucket
Last week I told you about a simple way to grow potatoes in bucket. That article is here . Now all that is left to do is water and wait until the plant dies. That is likely about two more months. Here is a picture of the progress.
Splitting Wood
Winter is coming! It is hard to believe but in just 4 to 5 short months the need for heat will return! Last week I mentioned about getting in the seven bush cords of wood and now the splitting has started. Here is the link to that article. I’m trying to process three to four trees a day and that should get it done within a month or so. We built a storage area using an old discarded fence and a few pallets on the ground. A few simple screws and a tarp over it when filled and it should be a fine storage.
Planting has started for the 2nd Crop
Originally Published: 2020-05-31
The nice thing about greenhouses is the gardening season is extended. So by starting some vegetables early June and now, we can get a second crop. Since the first crop was planted mid-April it should be ready to harvest late July or Early August. The theory is that we should then be able to plant vegetables that have been growing for two months in pots and they should be ready end of October which is too late for outdoor growing but not in a greenhouse. Well, that is the theory. Today I transplanted some seedlings into bigger pots that should give them plenty of room for a couple of months of root growth. These will be grown in a small outdoor greenhouse to keep the animals at bay.
And America Protests
America is at a point that will change the next 50 years, they have hit a boiling point and have no middle ground to work towards. Years ago the political parties were opposed by “how”. For example a “bridge” needed to built everyone agreed on it, the question was how to finance it. Debt, toll or taxes that was the disagreement. Unfortunately today, if one party says we need something the other party disagrees simply to disagree and we spin helplessly around.
So the economy is destroyed, the political system doesn’t work and everyone is worried about a virus that the CDC has now admitted isn’t nearly as bad as they believed. It is a shame that we have reached a point, where “run in circles and panic” is the only thing that gets done. Truly a tragedy, and the question persists, un-payable government debt, no jobs, a destroyed economy, an environment where no one gets along, no trust left, food shortages, America is burning and now where do we go? What happens next? I don’t have the answers but growing food sounds like a good idea.
Take care and stay safe.