Jen, if you and Hubby get a tractor, you will love it as much as he does. The Smaller tractors are around 25 horse power, about the same as a riding mower. Most small tractors are sold with a hydrostatic drive, which is a breeze to use. The front end loader will take a few times to get use to, but they are great for carrying compost, supplies, and firewood. I even use mine to lift the riding mower so I can work on the bottom side of it.

Megan I would do cole crops and cover immediately with agribon. That’s what I have to do. Jen I am a little jealous. Please do plant fruit trees. You won’t regret it. Pecans would be good , cash crop

I was going to say cover cole crops, too, but check regularly that something wasn't in the soil.

I think some kind of tractor may be necessary for 5 acres. Discuss tilling with Bruce. Soil should be similar. It may need amendments tilled in to begin with.

Nancy, have you looked at nolo bait for grasshoppers? You want to do that early.

Monday. My days are messed up. Thought it was Sunday.

Have a good week, stay healthy.

I went to get my heart monitor installed this morning and stopped by the Farmers Co-op on the way home. I doubt that they have ordered spring inventory yet because they were out of a lot of items. I bought 3 bags of pro mix, one bag each of 46-0-0 and 10-20-10. The fertilizers were not my first choice, but I did want something to give the plants a little boost, especially in the wildlife garden. I will try to work compost into the soil, but if you have 2 or 3 acres you need a lot of compost. I have no idea what the supply chain will be like around planting time.

This year I am covering entire garden. I should have enough row cover and I will get insect netting if needed. It won’t be the prettiest but it will produce.
I am trying to fashion greenhouse out of what I have here. Except for plastic I think I can do a little one. I have space heater to keep it warm. I am planting winter sowing and some starts in the greenhouse.

Yes, like Kim's idea on the agribon. Which reminds me. THIS year I vow to grow cabbages without caterpillars. It's something Garry and I both like, so I'll plant lots. Here and at the school.

I have two things to get done today. Get my list of shrubs, and finish my seed spreadsheet. Oops 3-5 things. Washed hair, washed bed sheets, got shrubs list updated. . . not seeds yet. Then sidetracked. Needing to continue on job for friend. Rats. I guess the updated seeds spreadsheet will be waiting.

We have to go do BA tomorrow for Garry's 2nd carotid artery appt. Maybe I can get spreadsheet done in the morning. And will work on getting the shrubs/trees list completed. If any of you want, go ahead and start the "Native Shrubs and Understory Trees" thread. Otherwise, I'll get it up in a day or two.

Kim, sure hoping something good happens for you, soon! You need gardening place! And a fun job? Take care, everyone.

So here's the Google map shot of the property. The red line is our property lines. Yellow is the dog yard. The green line just behind the house is where I plan to put the garden, the building behind that is our storage shed. There's another huge building to the right that's really too big for what we need. Plus it doesn't have electric or windows and it just has dirt floor. Cliff's buddy wants it, so if we can come to an agreement on cost the plan is to sell it to him. Then get me a garden shed with electric & water so I have a dedicated place for seed starting. Everything to the north & east of the house is what looks like hayfield. Plenty of space for trees where they'll be out of power lines, and not a threat to our house or the neighbor on the west.

This is a closer pic of the garden area. At some point I'll get it fenced but at least this year it's open. The shed is 30ft wide, and from the shed to the fence is probably 60ft. So more room than I've ever had for gardening. Right now I'm playing around with layouts, trying to decide how big to make them.

Start small vs over-commiting yourself (imo).

Lol yep. Best advice Dawn ever gave me., & it's served me well. It's really tempting to just dig up the whole area & go crazy, but I know that will be a mistake in the end.

Jen, I agree with Danny, start small, but allow a lot of room to grow, especially if you get a tractor. Cliff will want to just go out and play on the tractor. The easiest and most fun things to do on a tractor are make a garden, mow, and work on the drive way. If you have a drainage problem, a tractor can be used for that also.

I think my fuel bill went up just looking at your picture, I can feel the wind in my face and smell diesel smoke. The wind is a little cold but I think I will have to just go out and fire up the small Kubota, there is always something to do with a tractor. I just may need to go down to the creek and get a bucket of gravel for the driveway.

I meant to come back and edit that above comment, but since I didn't (lol), here's another.

My great aunt used to garden in about 3 raised beds of something like 12x6 each. It was simply amazing what she would harvest and can each year from those areas.

So, conceivably you can get a great and bountiful harvest from not that much space. Leaving you much less work clearing and caring for it. I suppose that probably takes planning on crop sowing, harvest, replanting, etc. But I've ALWAYS found that careful planning is better than just going crazy. :)

So...make plans, figure out how much space you need for your goals and remember you can expand next year if you find you want more.

When the Cows come home, or when Moni plants her trees... LOL

I planted an Arkansas Black apple tree, and a grape vine... (to lazy now to look up what kind).

Yes, that meant, dig up Bermuda grass first.. in my case. All done, planted, and watered... and I am done too. LOL

Moni

I love Arkansas Blacks, they're very late to ripen and keep well and flavorful.

I'm giving up and scheduling a dr visit, Moni. Because I relapsed yesterday..again.

Danny, maybe I could go to the dr. for you, they like me. I had an appointment last Wed., one today, and two this coming Thursday.

Yes, yes, yes...make a plan and stick (somewhat) to it. Sadly, I just can't seem to follow through with that. Every year I have grand intentions, and, well, y'all have seen my seed horde.

Realistically, I know I can clear out one, maybe two, 4x8 beds by spring. I also have the circle bed in front that needs to be cleared of landscape rocks (Cliff's first project once we get a tractor). That I plan to just toss out a bunch of flowers and see what grows this year, then next year plant with intention. So knowing realistically I have those 2 beds, plus my bucket brigade, I know what I ought to plant for this year. But it's still fun dreaming of having some huge mammoth garden to grow everything I never had room to grow.

Good Grief Danny... yes, go to the doctor. If I don't feel better, cough less by Wednesday I will do the same.

Moni

Wow! I'm updating spreadsheet this morning and ran into a bunch of native plant seeds. Glad to be doing it--I quick have to get them thrown in the freezer! AAGH. I'm going to include them with the Bushes, though I'll keep the bushes separate.

I just lost the entire post ! Oh my gosh. Don't have time to redo it now. I'll have to do it later. But I can put a starter list of the shrubs and plants, at least.

Is your freezer full Nancy ? (*lol*).

Hahaha, not even, Dbarron. I am downsizing with veggies this year, if not with $$ spent in ordering native shrubs. I will be spending maybe 1/10 of what I usually spend. I simply don't need more stuff. I have finally come to grips with what we can actually eat. And with regard to flower beds, they're full of perennials and self seeders. AND if someone can tell me how to destroy Bermuda, then perhaps I can enlarge beds, but that doesn't seem likely. Only tomato I'm ordering is Egg Yolk. Not ordering any peppers. And I have 19 varieties of each on my spreadsheet. But won't grow more than 2-4 varieties.

GDW and I went to Broken Arrow today for his appointment with heart surgeon. We really like this doc, and he said GDW could wait for 1-2 years before considering carotid artery surgery on right side (had surger on the left side 3 mos ago). I so appreciated Rick's threads on potatoes and onions--good stuff--and thank you.

You know...I find myself feeling like I should be buying things, and enjoying looking, but not buying anything.

I think it's because I already have it all (lol) that will tolerate my conditions. Since I just have the most abyssmal conditions for most vegetables, they're out. Oh, I found my favorite liatris got holed (hollow) by slugs this year, so that's my reward for trying to harbor more dry loving plants on mounds. They still get predated on by the herbaceous predators.

The mole hills this winter (argh)...well I suppose I'm providing native habitat for moles.

I continually find posts higher up, that were not there the day before. This is so WEIRD.

Today is my alternate exercise day... aka, dig up more Bermuda grass, and whack away some more on the stumps from the bushes I cut down to the ground. Looks like it will be a perfect day for that. ;)

Moni

Yes, Moni, I gave up, I am not going to reread the whole column to see if I missed something. Ridiculous ;)

Moni, you must be a very special person to have so much Bermuda grass. It seems as I don't have as much Bermuda since I quit using raised beds, maybe because it is easier to get in and dig it out, and easier it get a tiller in and bust everything up to make it easier to dig everything out, including rocks.

Madge was just saying that there may be a shortage of potatoes ( must have seen it on TV), that comes just when I said I wont be growing any.

Moni the appearing posts seems to happen often. I think it’s a key word that throws the post into outer space.

Today I am starting winter sowing. I did it years ago and it seems like the only viable option here. Any tips?

Plant extras

Make sure you seal the container

Leave caps off or punch holes (depending on the container you use)

Water well

Check periodically to make sure they have enough water. Our biggest hurdle is making sure they don't dry out or broil once warmer weather comes.

Been out doing some wintersowing myself. We went to buy a tractor today so I took the rest of the day off. Got home & planted a few seeds, cleared up some of the fence we took down, and debating about what my next steps should be. Lots to do & I keep thinking "but THIS needs to be my priority, no THAT needs to be the next thing..."

Jennifer make a list... do it on your phone... that way, you can move something up or down easier. :)

Moni

Group onion order is canceled. There are not enough people to make it a decent price. My trip is pending.

Jen thanks for that great info. Do you think I could use 2 gallon buckets with clear plastic on top? I am limited on jugs but I have several buckets.

Larry imagine a city lot, with nothing but Bermuda in the front and in the back yard.

2016 when I made the offer:

today:

from the other end

today:

There is absolutely NO Bermuda grass in the areas I worked. NONE. I am increasing by about a square yard at the time. There are two layers of Bermuda... on right on top, and another about 4 to 8 inches below. Apparently one of the previous owners had a load of soil added at one point. Yipeee, more B to dig out.

Moni

Moni (being an idiot...an annoying idiot), it's a lot less green now. I see you took out your Bradford pear (yay)!

Yay more veggies Moni

Danny the trunk is still there. The tree was an eyesore, the trunk is too... but I don't have the means to cut it down more.

Kim, yep, VEGGIES! :)

Moni

I took mine out with an electric chainsaw (was going to say crosscut saw, but I remembered that was incorrect). I figure mine was smaller trunked than yours though...mine was just something that came up in the fencerow and got about 25 foot maybe?

Kim, I have used just about everything imaginable for wintersowing. If it will hold a couple inches of dirt & still have a couple inches for growing, I'll try it. Especially if I can get it free (I'm too cheap to buy when I have plenty of free solutions). So yes, 2L will work.

Moni, you have a very pretty place, I can see you take pride in it.

An electric chainsaw was a good investment for me. I cleared quite a bit of land with them, but it made my surgeon and physical therapist unhappy. They told me I was using my artificial shoulder too hard, so I finished the area I was working on and hired a couple of men with a bulldozer and excavator to do the rest of the clearing, I now wish I had followed the doctor's advice from the beginning. I have a gas powered chainsaw, but if you dont use them often they get hard to start.

I had to cut down a Cleveland pair tree and I am still trying to get rid of the sprouts that come up every where.

The Bermuda is a real problem. When I had raised beds the Bermuda would get down deep in the corners and under landscape timbers. I would use a water hose to make the soil very soft, and reach down deep and pull the roots out, that is a messy job, and you still can't get everything and the grass just comes back after a while.

Larry her place is adorable. She takes very good care of everything inside and out. Is fun to watch her take over an area little by little. She is more persistent than bermuda

I dont remember if I have showed you the piles of course hay ( Johnson Grass I think ) that I have piled for mulch or compost, but the first pile you see is compost, the second pile is pretty nice old hay that I will pile some of the compost on to speed it the composting, then the next 3 piles are the Johnson grass.

This is a picture of the critters I have in the pasture. The black cow next to me is the wild cow that the owner could not catch. The white face calf is this years calf of the black cow. They were both eating out of my hand a few minutes ago, but the cow's tongue was so rough it was about to take the hide off my hand so I dumped the feed on the ground to save my hand.

Larry I have heard that the tongue is like 50 grit sandpaper

Moni--such a great job on the Bermuda. I can't even imagine getting it out of here. I so hope some amazing person comes up with an option--and this is one more testament of the stupidity of other persons in bringing invasive species to us, after convincing us the invasive species are a magic potion. Here's a though I just had. Paying 10 or more people who are hard workers, $15.00/hr to dig it up. Probably only cost $500-$1000. . . It would be so worth it. Hmmmm. I really don't think I could do this-- could I???

I am ready to tear my hair out. I am not winter sowing, I am not buying seeds. I have been wrestling with friggin Microsoft Word and/or printer mess-ups the past two days--probably at least 6 hours. Danny, maybe you can answer this. I have Office 365 and a Dell. I also have a Macbook Air, and I put Office 365 on it. But a friend sent me a book. And I don't know if it was my friend's settings, or Mac/Dell incompatibilities. But it is so haywire. That's what I've been wrestling with.

By the way, Danny. . . have your heard back from medical clinic? How are you feeling? I'm crazy busy, but love seeing y'all's posts. XOXO

Nancy, the problem is.. not everyone will be persistent in getting EVERY little bit of Bermuda out, like I do.

I know, I am getting it all. I do not want to go back and dig out more, because one stupid little piece was left, and it spread before I found it.

Danny here is one for you from June last year. :)

That's greener ;)

Nancy, install Linux on them all.

As for the clinic, yes I sent an email (to their address for appts), they sent back, call us (*what I did not want to do*, because speaking means coughing). I called, I got hung up after 25 minutes, I called again, they said no appts left open today, and they don't book in advance, call back tomorrow :(

Moni' that is a very pretty picture. When I lived in Ft. Smith I had a pretty house and lawn. Moving back to the country after living in town for 40 years seems different. I am not able to work like I use to, plus, I have so much more to take care of.

I agree that Bermuda has to be taken out completely. When my back is against the wall I turn to glyphosate. I don't like using it in the garden, but do use it around the edge of the garden if it looks like I am loosing the battle, I use it along the fence every year.

Has anyone of y'all bought any tearless onions, Sunonions I think they are called? I just heard of them today.

Jen, it's called butt first. But first I have to do this, but first I have to do that...that's what Ron says when he's wandering around the house.

Larry, I thought Johnson grass gave cattle the runs.

Moni, could you rent a chainsaw?

ok Danny, I'm in the hospital with Covid and some major infection. Daughter has walking pneumonia. Youngest son has Covid. Keep trying. Meanwhile drink kombucha. Don't shake the bottle like Ron did. (I read good gut bacteria was good for Covid.) I really hope you don't have it. I'm feeling much better after antibiotics and steroids and fluids. But son was told to continue musinex and tylenol. Not given any thing else. So now his girlfriend is exposed. It never stops. I don't go places. Though we did go look at mattresses and one guy was strange. We thought he was having a senior moment, but that was what I was like this morning. Could not think. Wonder when that was? A week ago, 2 weeks? I keep trying to figure out why I got sick and Ron didn't. He's the one that shops.

anyway, bye for now.

PS Danny, snow tomorrow.

Amy, I am sorry for the tough times you are having, I hope things get better quickly.

I think Johnson grass can be a problem in the fall. This Johnson grass shown Is just a scrap clean up job that the renter did somewhere, its too large for the cattle to eat, that is why you see so much of it piled up. I think that this is the last year I will rent the pasture out, I don't like to see the land or cattle abused.

Kim, I forgot to mention anything about the cow tongue sand paper, but I think you are right, it does feel about like 50 grit sand paper.

Oh, gosh, Amy... I hope you get to get out of the hospital as fast as possible... I don't think, a hospital is the safest place at the moment.

Moni

Not sure this will work, but cow's tongues. https://fb.watch/aygjMxsDjp/ credit cow scan Edna kearney, their Christmas card. Ireland

Snow in about an hour here...it's fallen from 50 at 11:30 to 36 at 2:52 am. I was tired and laid down (and stayed down) at 4 pm...decided didn't matter with being snowed in (possibly) and cold and weekend, when I slept or waked.

Yeah, I decided I should be happy that I didn't get into a germy clinic, however, I do have a televisit scheduled Thursday. May just stay with that vs contact with sick people.

Someone call Santa and tell him Christmas is here (again).

I agree with Jasper, just stick tongue out at weather.