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Post by 12540dumont on Oct 21, 2013 18:23:21 GMT -5
Well at least he wasn't a Sheila.
Which if Steev typed it would be *heil*
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Post by 12540dumont on Oct 21, 2013 18:16:27 GMT -5
I am not the best farmer. But, I will say that I am an conscientious farmer. That said, I have no subsidies. I have had many losses over the years: 1. weather 2. varmints 3. stupidity 4. cheating employees (see number 3) 5. theft (see number 3) 6. broken equipment (see number 3) 7. poor plant selection, poor timing of planting or harvesting. (again see number 3) No one has paid me for any of these. And it's been a long learning experience. It's a sorry business for sure. Subsidies are expensive to Governments directing resources away from other legitimate priorities. WE have all seen subsidies that cause environmental degradation - exploitation of resources, pollution, loss of landscape, misuse and overuse of supplies - which, as well as its fundamental damage, acts as a further brake on economies. Subsidies tend to benefit the few at the expense of the many, and the rich at the expense of the poor and undermine the pressure on businesses to become more efficient. And then some folks think they are "entitled to them". Joseph, I haven't made any money either But I eat well!
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Post by 12540dumont on Oct 17, 2013 18:47:41 GMT -5
I ended up getting a Komo mill. It grinds flint, but only if I put it through the CS Bell first. It does flour corn very easily.
I'm still wearing my ear muffs though. The safety inspector (aka Leo), said it's too loud to operate without them. What? I can't hear you, I have my ear muffs on.
It did not poof all over the kitchen...yeah!
It was fast!
I still had to sift out some of the tough guys and set them aside for polenta (oh, poor me! Yummy).
And best of all, when I told the folks at Pleasant Grain that I wanted a Duett....they told me they had this one (not a Duett) in stock at 25% off. So, I quickly spent the money before any bill came in. I don't know how they "know", but every time I get just a few dollars ahead, some unsuspected bill comes in like a broken hot water heater, a dog with an ear infection, or ?
Of course, then I got home, and truck was towed. My wonderful son had left it in a "no parking zone" (but only for a minute). The world is full of people waiting to profit from those who parked in a No Parking Zone for just a minute. (Gee that's why it says No Parking). Well that set me back$$. I had to go bail it out of car jail. Now he won't be driving the truck anymore, unless he can come up with the $$ to pay me back.
Darn good thing I bought the mill, or it would have been another year before I could have purchased it!
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Post by 12540dumont on Oct 17, 2013 18:31:58 GMT -5
I met this really neat woman from Sicily. So, I offered her some of my Italian produce. And bless her heart, she brought over 5 pounds of cheese to thank me! Turns out she's a cheese importer. Now that's what I call a homestead bingo winner! I give away hundreds of pounds of produce a year...finally a winner! But I'm going to have to make some really good bread to go with. And for the finale? One of my CSA people brought over 5 pounds of faro and low and behold....the grain grinder finally came. Yes, my mill. I still have to crack the flint corn by hand before grinding it, but I ground 10 pounds in about 30 minutes! Tomorrow I'm going to shuck Dar's beautiful Cherokee Flour Corn. Then, I'll put it through the mill and get on to baking.
MJC, I'm loving this good cheese so much, I'm thinking about doing a monthly batch! You've inspired me.
Castanea...are you out there? My chestnuts look great!
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Post by 12540dumont on Oct 17, 2013 18:14:13 GMT -5
Those "A"s would have to come from Canada....
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Post by 12540dumont on Oct 17, 2013 18:12:58 GMT -5
I must say, this year I had a Cosmo/Sioux cross from Oxbow that one of the chef's in town just loved. And Ox, I owe you....the chef gave me and Leo a FREE dinner for bringing him 2 trays of cherries every week for 6 weeks. This was really a great producer!
Dar's piennolo del vesuvio was a lip smacking wonder. I've had them on the counter since July and am using them in my nightly cooking. I let the chef try them, but wouldn't give him any.
Lieven's Tear Drop was another tomato that wowed the chef...and no wonder, tastes like wine, lovely teardrop shape, and the flavor - put a Black Cherry and a Sungold in your mouth at the same time and you've got it!
I love the crosses you guys come up with.
I had a really great tomato season (it's October and they're still growing!)
Many thanks to all of you! Especially you Dar...
Best wishes on your growing season! May all your maters be lovely.
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Post by 12540dumont on Oct 17, 2013 18:01:16 GMT -5
Joseph, that type of strat worked well for me as well. I had some cactus seed (Saguaro) in a pot in the sprout house for 6 months. Nothing! It had been both in the fridge and freezer, finally I threw the pot into the recycle soil bucket disgusted and 6 weeks later I had a saguaro sprout!
I've been trying this technique for all kinds of things.
I wish you the very best regarding the TGS!
Your garlic was the absolute best I have ever grown. I still get e-mails from my CSA customers asking if there's anymore!
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Post by 12540dumont on Oct 15, 2013 12:10:09 GMT -5
Yes, I too have seeds everywhere. I did manage to get the seeds off the kitchen table, because we need the space to process apples.
The canning since June has been relentless.
I have brought in all the squash and dry beans. I may get one more round of dry beans if this weather holds.
We have had no rain so it's very very very dry and I wish it would rain so I could stay inside and thoroughly clean my house....down to the last crevice. The summer spiders have sent festoons of webs in each corner of the living room. But the weather is glorious and I need to be out out out.
I did not get a fall garden planted. And the spring one is in much debate. Like Joseph, I may be down to a small plot. It's difficult to plan at this time, and so I will fill my fridge with seeds.
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Post by 12540dumont on Oct 2, 2013 14:54:35 GMT -5
I plant my beans in rows and separate them by forests of corn. So that the bees have to go up and over the corn to get to the next type of bean. I also surround runners with phaseolus vulgaris, because these two can't cross. You can also surround them with limas. HOWEVER, on my farm, the lunatus does not bloom at the same time as the coccineus.
My runners bloom from early spring right through to fall. Even with these precautions, I have seen some crossing. You will know if you get colored beans in your canellinis or white beans in your Sunset that you surely have a cross.
Crossed do not always turn up in the seed coats the first year. So, keep an eye on them.
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Post by 12540dumont on Oct 2, 2013 14:49:28 GMT -5
Minnie, just don't let folks rough them up at the market. I hate digging sweets. OMG, what a tangled, heavy sweaty job. Confusticate all gophers.
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Post by 12540dumont on Oct 2, 2013 14:42:33 GMT -5
Go Beans! Go Melons! Go Bunkie!
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Post by 12540dumont on Sept 30, 2013 17:28:40 GMT -5
Joseph, thanks for the articles. Bisek Gardens in Minnesota developed a Baby Blue and a Pink Bo Peep Popcorn. I often thought of getting it out of GRIN. But I still haven't grown Dar's Pennsylvania Butter Popccorn. I have been so wrapped up in polenta and flour corn. Actually in order to do more flour and polenta corn, I'm thinking of skipping sweet corn! Now isn't that an odd thought?
Dar, I haven't ground the Cherokee White yet, it's still drying down. That's one BIG corn. But I did dry and shuck the Florianni. The first batch of it was ground yesterday and we ARE have polenta for with dinner!
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Post by 12540dumont on Sept 30, 2013 17:09:27 GMT -5
I've grown Oaxacan several times (I think I sent Joseph a quart of it!). I also never had a red ear, of course I only had a population of 200. Dar, is the red ear necessary for diversity or is it something that migrated into it?
I like Oaxacan for making Chicos or green corn tamales. I wasn't that wild about it as a "sweet corn". However, it was the first last and only corn mice ever got into on the farm.
Steev, mount up and put on your uniform. My neighbors have a sign posted advertising peacooks. It hurts to drive by it.
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Post by 12540dumont on Sept 30, 2013 16:43:17 GMT -5
That's great Ferdzy. Glad you go at least one good melon!
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Post by 12540dumont on Sept 28, 2013 13:08:01 GMT -5
Billw, don't forget to let us know how they did.
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