Re: new with work Q's// CHALLIS

[Guest guest]

HI CHALLIS,

JUST A REMARK OR 2. You wrote:

Each year we get a little better (our organic plot thriving more as time passes) and hopefully next year we'll have something figured out to keep those birds out. They robbed us of our early sprouting corn and sweet peas, then waited for the melons and pumpkins to grow. lol

What have you tryed for the bird problem? How big is your garden? Do you have a compost pile?

The bright strips of rags and the pie plates work great for the birds when the wind is blowing and I do not know if it works or not but I have heard of placing a radio or tape recorder in the middle of the garden with talking not music. but one of the best I know of is streching out cheese cloth over the garden plot at least until the seedlings have a good start. If you have an open compost be careful in the spring because garder snakes will make a nest for giving birth in them because of the heat. They left us alone as long as we did not use the mulch and we would give them their time in there and then we did not see them again.

Which reminds me rubber snakes help with the birds too. I do not know but would a bird feeder or two not too far from the garden help?

ok the advice colum is now closed for a while.

HAPPINESS AND BUTTERFLIESLYNN

Re: new with work Q's

Hi Kate,

It's nice to meet you. )

I'm Challis... not yet dxed. I know something is going on and figure MS is a good place to start looking for answers. My Mother has MS. In fact, when she's back online and onlist, I think the two of you may have a few things in common. ) She's on her way to Alaska now, from her "homestead" in Arizona, which at last sold. They'll be Homesteading in Alaska as well. (My brother and his family are along for the adventure).

I don't know that my Mother would be able to weed or harvest, though she stayed active enough with milking goats and whatnot, until each found new homes before the move. She actually found that helpful with the stiffness in her hands.

Me? My hands/arms don't weed. They haven't for years. I've managed on nice wet-ground days to grab me a few weeds and yank them out. It isn't my usual though. I love to garden, and the last of my garden harvest was plucked by us last week. Okay, the crows finished off some of my beautiful pumpkins and watermelons themselves. <g> Each year we get a little better (our organic plot thriving more as time passes) and hopefully next year we'll have something figured out to keep those birds out. They robbed us of our early sprouting corn and sweet peas, then waited for the melons and pumpkins to grow. lol Just realizing I do have a few radishes and turnips waiting for me. Hmmm... I know where I'm heading in a few minutes. lol

I've not yet begun my canning, though promise I will almost every week. LOL My Mother is a canner and has passed along supplies and encouragement. )

Would raised beds help, if they were raised enough?

I'm already looking forward to your website up and running! )

Challis

thanks for having me in the group.i am new to the dx (7-04) and fixated with trying to learn how to do things - primarily harvest and weed. i have had luck with the first but am thinking i will never be able to take care of the garden again. i cannot get low enough. i had a scooter on loan for a while (was that ever wonderful!) but still not low enough to the ground.i'm figuring out how to can with fair success. we are farmsteaders and rely largely on what we grow and raise.also, i am a self employed artist - mostly fiber art at this time. we were working on our new website when i crashed in july. haven't gotten back to that yet. my poor husband is embroiled in rebuilding stairs, putting a tranny into a mini van so i can drive again (not my standard transmission 1973 honda, my beloved "Jake")anyway, i am inventing new ways to do things - this is a primary focus now - keeps my anger at bay, and i'm too busy to snivvel.kate

[Guest guest]

Hi Lynn,

Thanks for the suggestions! )

Cheesecloth... neat idea! We'd been offered and old screen room (like for picnicking) and turned it down for lack of poles. Then later I thought how perfect that screen would be for the garden! Ah well. lol Anything we do come up with will need to be secured well, as our daily winds up here come spring are something to be reckoned with. lol We laugh about the kids greatest chore being walking the property to the north and east, gathering our belongings for the winds to take again the next day. LOL

The garden is about 30' x 40'.

I've not had luck with the shiny or metal stuff, but I intend to keep giving it a go. The first year, I used old can lids, fastened to posts here and there. Worked until it didn't. <g> So did the "scarecrow". LOL I need to start stocking up on those pie tins.

Our first success was putting up the old pallets around the garden. That helped a lot with our winds and some plants had a chance. The chicken wire was a must for some of our critters who weren't fooled by field fencing. The rabbits burrowed under the fence this year, but that's getting better. I figure we'll improve at least one thing each year until we've got it all down. lol

Bright strips of rag. I need to make a list of things suggested and things I cannot ever remember despite my best intentions! LOL

A friend used old CDs to tie about her fruit trees. From all the junkmail CDs, I have a good collection of those. lol She didn't have any luck. I still have my collection though, if I ever want to use it. lol

I'm thinking those rubber snakes might be worth a try... and we've talked of fake wooden kitties and/or owls. <g>

Maybe one day I'll just put a bit of everything out there. We'll either scare off critters of any sort, or we'll be the talk of the town! LMHO

Those crows are something else. They just don't seem to mind much, even taunting our dogs as they steal their food! LOL

Challis

HI CHALLIS,

JUST A REMARK OR 2. You wrote:

Each year we get a little better (our organic plot thriving more as time passes) and hopefully next year we'll have something figured out to keep those birds out. They robbed us of our early sprouting corn and sweet peas, then waited for the melons and pumpkins to grow. lol

What have you tryed for the bird problem? How big is your garden? Do you have a compost pile?

The bright strips of rags and the pie plates work great for the birds when the wind is blowing and I do not know if it works or not but I have heard of placing a radio or tape recorder in the middle of the garden with talking not music. but one of the best I know of is streching out cheese cloth over the garden plot at least until the seedlings have a good start. If you have an open compost be careful in the spring because garder snakes will make a nest for giving birth in them because of the heat. They left us alone as long as we did not use the mulch and we would give them their time in there and then we did not see them again.

Which reminds me rubber snakes help with the birds too. I do not know but would a bird feeder or two not too far from the garden help?

ok the advice colum is now closed for a while.

HAPPINESS AND BUTTERFLIESLYNN

[Guest guest]

Hi Challis,

I am glad that you liked the ideas and good luck. I got another idea when reading what you wrote about the wooden owl. What about one that is motion sensitive .

Well Patience is on the messenger so I will go talk to her.

HAPPINESS AND BUTTERFLIESLYNN

Re: new with work Q's// CHALLIS

Hi Lynn,

Thanks for the suggestions! )

Cheesecloth... neat idea! We'd been offered and old screen room (like for picnicking) and turned it down for lack of poles. Then later I thought how perfect that screen would be for the garden! Ah well. lol Anything we do come up with will need to be secured well, as our daily winds up here come spring are something to be reckoned with. lol We laugh about the kids greatest chore being walking the property to the north and east, gathering our belongings for the winds to take again the next day. LOL

The garden is about 30' x 40'.

I've not had luck with the shiny or metal stuff, but I intend to keep giving it a go. The first year, I used old can lids, fastened to posts here and there. Worked until it didn't. <g> So did the "scarecrow". LOL I need to start stocking up on those pie tins.

Our first success was putting up the old pallets around the garden. That helped a lot with our winds and some plants had a chance. The chicken wire was a must for some of our critters who weren't fooled by field fencing. The rabbits burrowed under the fence this year, but that's getting better. I figure we'll improve at least one thing each year until we've got it all down. lol

Bright strips of rag. I need to make a list of things suggested and things I cannot ever remember despite my best intentions! LOL

A friend used old CDs to tie about her fruit trees. From all the junkmail CDs, I have a good collection of those. lol She didn't have any luck. I still have my collection though, if I ever want to use it. lol

I'm thinking those rubber snakes might be worth a try... and we've talked of fake wooden kitties and/or owls. <g>

Maybe one day I'll just put a bit of everything out there. We'll either scare off critters of any sort, or we'll be the talk of the town! LMHO

Those crows are something else. They just don't seem to mind much, even taunting our dogs as they steal their food! LOL

Challis

HI CHALLIS,

JUST A REMARK OR 2. You wrote:

Each year we get a little better (our organic plot thriving more as time passes) and hopefully next year we'll have something figured out to keep those birds out. They robbed us of our early sprouting corn and sweet peas, then waited for the melons and pumpkins to grow. lol

What have you tryed for the bird problem? How big is your garden? Do you have a compost pile?

The bright strips of rags and the pie plates work great for the birds when the wind is blowing and I do not know if it works or not but I have heard of placing a radio or tape recorder in the middle of the garden with talking not music. but one of the best I know of is streching out cheese cloth over the garden plot at least until the seedlings have a good start. If you have an open compost be careful in the spring because garder snakes will make a nest for giving birth in them because of the heat. They left us alone as long as we did not use the mulch and we would give them their time in there and then we did not see them again.

Which reminds me rubber snakes help with the birds too. I do not know but would a bird feeder or two not too far from the garden help?

ok the advice colum is now closed for a while.

HAPPINESS AND BUTTERFLIESLYNN

[Guest guest]

Patience. You know I'm still looking for Patience, myself. Sister Clarity, too. And yours just shows up in messenger. Do you pay extra? )

Hugs,

Challis

Hi Challis,

I am glad that you liked the ideas and good luck. I got another idea when reading what you wrote about the wooden owl. What about one that is motion sensitive .

Well Patience is on the messenger so I will go talk to her.

HAPPINESS AND BUTTERFLIESLYNN