Gardening

[MeToo!]

...You want to talk about wild animals in your yard? We sure have them. Rabbits and deer are the biggest problem. The deer have decided that they just love my Swiss chard. They come for lunch every day. But I grow a big garden anyway.

Sorry about your Swiss chard. I always grow a version called "Bietina" AKA "Italian Swiss Chard". AKA "Perpetual Spinach" (even though it is not a spinach). 3 different names for the same thing.

I took this photo this morning from the house. They were real close. That is my fenced garden in the background. It is standard practice for a doe and young fawn to show up at this time of year. I guess they know that if they hang around the house the wolves & coyotes might stay away:



I'd love to see photos of your garden, Cricket & Spoula.

[spoula]

Sorry about your Swiss chard. I always grow a version called "Bietina" AKA "Italian Swiss Chard". AKA "Perpetual Spinach" (even though it is not a spinach). 3 different names for the same thing.

I took this photo this morning from the house. They were real close. That is my fenced garden in the background. It is standard practice for a doe and young fawn to show up at this time of year. I guess they know that if they hang around the house the wolves & coyotes might stay away:



I'd love to see photos of your garden, Cricket & Spoula.

Just beautiful so serene thanks for sharing mother and baby.
Spoula

[Cricket]

Oh, what a great picture of the doe and fawn! Aren't they beautiful? I feed the deer in the winter, and have done so for over 25 years. They all know me, and aren't afraid of me. I just love them but not in summer when they come for lunch. Well this year I've outsmarted them. I've also planted some Swiss chard in the dog yard in pots. We have a huge dog yard. They haven't spotted them yet. I don't know how to post pictures on here yet. It is so nice talking to you two.

[MeToo!]

Thanks to the two of you. Cricket, you need a fence. A good, tall one. But I guess you know that. I am constantly repairing mine, it is such a mess of different types of plastic and wire fencing, and posts. If you have the $$$, it is not a bad idea to hire professionals who'll make you a wonderful fence with a nice gate. However, we are not in that financial category...so that is why mine is such a mulligans' stew.

I feed the deer a bit in the winter, too. They (experts) say not to, though.

[Cricket]

We can't afford a fence to keep the deer put, I wish we could. At least around the garden. We have an acre of land. The dog yard is fenced in, but I'm sure if they wanted to, they could jump it. We aren't suppose to feed the deer either, but most people do in my area. It keeps them from eating your bushes. But there is a couple from the city who moved out here, and she called the cops on me. So I have to sneak out there in the middle of the night to put out something, and apples as a treat.

[MeToo!]

But there is a couple from the city who moved out here, and she called the cops on me.

What a neighbour you've got. They are the kind who call the rural municipality office (like a county in the USA) because there is a skunk in their yard. LOL LOL LOL Their properties look like they belong in a high class city suburb, all manicured etc. etc. They stick out like a sore thumb, around here, anyway! More LOLs.

[Cricket]

Yes, they are "city folk". Don't like any animals in their yard. What did they expect being surrounded by forest preserves? I wish they would move out again. They called the cops on our other neighbors for different things. We all hate them! They belong in the city. We all like nature here, and the animals are part of it. By the way, I can my tomatoes each year, so we have them all winter. Started doing it with my Mom, and have done it ever since. Dry my herbs too. Do you?

[MeToo!]

@Cricket.

... Dry my herbs too. Do you?

If the herbs do well (which they don't, always) I dry some. Like lovage, parsley and basil. Nice to have them in a jar in the winter when you want them! They are much tastier than the stuff that comes in little bottles for $7.00.

I am sorry it took me a long time to reply. I spend much time outdoors and all too much indoors, too. What's the score on your garden? Hope the dogs haven't gotten into your Swiss chard. LOL.

I saw a second doe a few times in our yard, this one with a pair of fawns. They KNOW there's no hunting allowed within so many yards of a house. Every year there's at least one doe with twins. What the hey...

I'd like to see photos if you have learned how to post them. The moderator will help you, as Spoula advised. Me, I don't have to learn a thing, I have a son who is the tech-minded one in our household. I can't even operate the huge old digital camera given to us; it's prolly one of the first ever manufactured. It came with a manual an inch thick and that isn't even the entire info needed. I am chomping to have him take photos of my garden, such as it is. So many things can - and do - go wrong. Gardening/agriculture/cultivation are unnatural, they're a cultural innovation and not meant to exist, if we want to get prissy about it.

Saw my first snake last week. I am glad they are there to keep the fieldmice down, but I hate running into them anyway. Hope to hear from you all about your gardening efforts.

Well, it is good and hot here; together with my endless watering, things are at last picking up! Including plantain and various other "weeds".

[Cricket]

Hi, it is good to hear from you again. It's the same here, constantly watering. We had a little rain yesterday, but not enough.

How do you dry your herbs? I only dry mint and parsley. I have bee balm, and they say you can make tea from it, but I haven't tried that yet. I dry my herbs in the microwave. You have to be careful not to burn them though. Doing it in the microwave retains the color. And ye, it's so much better than what you can buy in the store.

I haven't tried to post any pictures on here yet.

My garden is doing fine. I have been picking cucumbers and we are enjoying them. I see I have some tomatoes that are starting to get red. I can't wait to have some. Last year someone came and took all of our tomatoes while we were out adopting our new dog. They even took the green ones! It's never happened before, and I've had a garden every year of my life. Who would be so low to do that?

It is super hot here, and the humidity is sky high. They say it will be that way this week and next. How can you enjoy summer with weather like that? How is it up there? It's 90 degrees here. I live 30 miles due south of Chicago.

Haven't seen any deer lately, but I've seen where thy have eaten some hostas and some bushes. Thankfully they haven't touched the garden. Haven't seen any snakes either.

I would love to see Canada. I hear it's so beautiful up there. And the fishing is great. I can't wait for the winter Olympics too.

Do you think we could become friends? And maybe e-mail each other? I would like that.

[spoula]

[QUOTE=MeToo!;199169]@Cricket.

... Dry my herbs too. Do you?

Hey y'all
I do not have a garden but I do have some Thyme, sage,oregano and rosemary that we planted and we dry. My husband cuts it and lays it on newspaper. When dry we put it in those little jars that we got before we started drying our own. These herbs are stronger then the ones you buy or the fresh ones but they make anything taste better when used.
My current problem with critters are that I have voles. They have made my yard look like a war join. Can't get rid of them.

Spoula