What Homesteading Activity Did You Do Today?

[templeton]

Today is the day to start my lime marmalade - the tree is shedding fruit, but the garden is crying out for attention too.
T

[steev]

Oxbow, so glad to hear you have more than you can deal with easily; there is no better curse than prosperity. Mazeltov! Grow well and be fit.

[12540dumont]

Serious cow and lime envy.

My limes won't be seen again for months.

Took a break from harvesting melons to get the dry beans out of the field. Trying to beat the rain. I wish I had cow to go with beans

[steev]

Rain? You think the forecasts are really going to pan out?

[Joseph Lofthouse]

Of all the activities I have done this summer, the one I am wrapping up today brings with it a deep sense of accomplishment and of satisfaction.

I have often said about myself that I am one of those farmer's that stops at the grocery store on the way home to buy supper after a long day of growing vegetables. I make fun of myself when people ask what my vegetables taste like by saying: "I don't eat vegetables, I just grow them".

As a child, my family grew most of what we ate during a year. So this spring in deference to the "Food prices are soaring: Grow food" thread, I determined that I would preserve more of my own food this summer. Thing like winter squash, and sunroots, and onions have always been easy for me to store and I have done it all along.

This summer I decided to preserve tomato sauces. I am just finishing the last batch for the season. I didn't count exactly, but the batch that is coming out of the water-bath canner in 19 minutes will make about 72 pints of tomato/spaghetti sauce. I feel extremely content about that. The kids are loving it. I feel right with the world again.

It's still not right that I don't have appropriate shelving to store it on, but I can work on that this winter after I get the fields settled down for the winter. A project for next summer has gotta be a root pit.

[12540dumont]

Joseph, I'd love to see what you come up with for a root cellar.

[davida]

Oct 21, 2012 23:09:42 GMT -5 12540dumont said:

Joseph, I'd love to see what you come up with for a root cellar.

Joseph,

Ditto. Please keep up posted on your root cellar designs.

David

[steev]

While I'm not sure, given the topography of the farm, I'm interested in the idea of an earth-sheltered shipping container as a root-cellar. I think one of the half-size ones, doors on the North side, bermed up and covered on the other sides and top might do the job. I'm just not sure I have a place I could sink it enough to serve while still having drainage to keep the floor from flooding. If it were just set on grade, that's a lot of soil to bring from elsewhere; much better to excavate, set it in, and cover with the soil excavated, but the farm is mostly flat as piss on a plate. Drains like a sieve, though; might not be a problem. Hmm.

[ogeechee]

Steev,
I would suggest you put about a foot or so of gravel in your excavated hole then put the container on top of that. This would aid in drainage and might keep the floor from getting wet and rotting. After placing the container you might put some gravel along the sides to also aid in drainage. I live in coastal Georgia and if I excavated a hole for a container it would fill with water! I have a friend more inland than me who did put a container under ground and put a inner second story to give her more storage space. Let us know what you do.

[steev]

I agree with the gravel and given the general drainage characteristics of the property, if I'm careful to avoid the areas of clay, I think you're spot on. I can't imagine what sort of rainstorm it would take to max out such a pad. I should be so lucky to have that much water drop from the sky. My problem usually is more along the lines of keeping the water up where plants can use it, than draining it off. I don't think I'd care if the floor rusted out, as I'd be fine with a gravel floor, I just wouldn't want to have to wade around in the root cellar. Little danger of that, I think.

[circumspice]

I have serious root cellar envy. I would love to have one. If I could find a place on my land that didn't have a layer of limestone slabs in the soil, maybe I could build one. The slabs kind of 'float' in the soil, sometimes at the surface, sometimes much deeper. My soil also has a lot of clay under the topsoil in various locations. (I saw evidence of this when the contractor dug the permeability test trenches for the septic system) My land has a gradual 10 foot slope over about a 300 foot distance, so maybe I could use that to aid in drainage. The run-off drains to a seasonal creek. It would be awesome to have the use of a backhoe for about a week! Talk about the ultimate toy!

[steev]

No kidding! While I'm over "heavy metal poisoning", short dalliences could be very enjoyable.

[circumspice]

Oct 24, 2012 21:05:48 GMT -5 steev said:

No kidding! While I'm over "heavy metal poisoning", short dalliences could be very enjoyable.

Dally indeed! If I had a the use of a backhoe I would at the very least dig a sizable pond on the high side above where I plan to put my orchard. I've also toyed with the idea of installing a drainage field for diverting lavatory water, dishwasher water & washing machine water toward my future orchard location instead of sending it to the septic system. It irritates me having that water, which is suitable for irrigation, just going to waste. My water rates are far too high to irrigate very much.

[gabriel]

Just finished putting a lamb (Katahdin) in the freezer. Had to go out of state to do some work this summer and consequently lost my garden. Thankfully I was able to get the animals taken care of and am now reaping that bounty. Sheep are incredibly productive on pasture alone.

[steev]

Bon appetit!

Sheep are commonly raised where I (try to) farm. I'm thinking hair sheep could be useful on the back ten. I don't want to hassle with wool at all. Lamb is so expensive and I do enjoy it.