Hey guys! How the heck are ya? I hope this finds everyone doin A-OK!
Well, like I stated last post, I’m bitin at the bit to get this “garden thing” kicked off.
My tomato seeds I planted last week just jumped up last night! The day before, not a sign of a dern tomato, walked in the greenhouse bout noon, looked down and said, “YES!”
The little mutha’s were everywhere!
Just as my luck would have it, the weather’s gonna change…tomorrow?? Around 40 in Tampa through Sunday, with high around 60. This means probably some 30’s here at our place.
Deb, I’m sure, is goin… “You’ll NEVER learn, will ya? Always jumpin the gun!”
My answer now is just the same as it always was back to her…when her back was turned, AND she was out of earshot!
Nope!
And…
YEP!
What can I say??
We started a compost pile a few days back. Actually, not really a compost pile, but literally just some home-made planting soil.
Not only do I “not learn from past mistakes,” and always, “jump the gun,” as my better half used to exclaim, but…I’m a cheapskate, too!
I mean, why buy the dern stuff? We’ll just make our own!
I gotta admit…it’s lookin good already, if I do say so myself. You guys who don’t know me all that well will soon see that I’ll do that pretty often too, which is…DO say so myself! LOL!
I talked about it a little already, but we’re takin cow manure from the pasture and layin it out in a row about 10-12 feet wide, and maybe 40-50 long.
We started off choppin it up with shovels to break it down some. Well…I had Dale doin that originally.
Once I finished up what I’d been doin, I went around there to give Dale a hand in the choppin “goins on.” Bout 10 minutes later, and bout all the choppin I saw I’d wanted to do, a light bulb came on.
I got to thinkin on that 9 wheel traffic roller in the barn. We’re in the pavin business, and Red’s been sealcoating, so, I thought I’d just grab that roller, and bust me up some cow manure!
Worked like a charm, I’m here to tell ya!
Dale was like… “You Da Man!”
I was quick to point out though, that flattery would get him nowhere…at least in regard to Friday’s paycheck!
I believe I’d stated earlier that…I’m a cheapskate, and as soon as I’d explained to Dale that this bright idea of mine had made HIS job SO much easier, I felt it only right…that HE buy the diesel, FOR the roller!
Jus kiddin guys. Honestly, I’m not that bad, but him buyin bout HALF the diesel oughta be bout right, wouldn’t ya say?? LOL!
Just gotta figure out what to tell Red when he sees cow manure ALL over his roller tires???
Not sure just yet what I’ll say, but you CAN bet…Dale will have a BIG part to play in it! LOL!
After we roll the manure, we the take hay and scatter it all over the top of the row, then come behind this with oak leaves. I then take the tiller and stir this all up, and honestly, after 3-4 passes, this stuff IS…
Lookin good! REAL good actually!
Tomorrow we’ll repeat the process once more, to double our quantity. This should insure our having enough to set all our seeds out and plants as well, with this as their starter.
Once I get ready to set out seeds and plants, we’ll then add some regular soil, then some good topsoil, and then, turn this in good to stir everything up together.
I WAS going to use some slow release fertilizer as an additive too, BUT now, I’ll be using something else instead.
Reading through “The Old Farmer’s 2013 Almanac,” I came across something pretty interestin… it states that instead of adding slow release fertilizer, as an example, instead, you can use… “RABBIT FEED!”
YEP, I’ll say it again…RABBIT FEED!
Here’s why…
First off let me say this…
Couple years back, I had some corn on the west end of our garden, out front. This corn was about 1 foot shorter than the rest of the corn, and the discrepancy was increasing. It was obvious the soil this corn was in wasn’t quite as good as what the other was in.
A good friend from Canada (Kunoichi?? Hope I spelled it right!), commented, “Hey Dub, put some grass clippings in,” and I did. The nitrogen from the grass clippings caused this corn to catch the other…I was amazed.
Well, once I got over the initial shock of using rabbit feed as a fertilizer substitute, and I read a little further…it clicked.
Rabbit feed is compressed alfalfa meal pellets, which are nitrogen and phosphorus rich.
I thought, you know, this might work, so, I’m gonna try it and see. I’ll keep you guys informed, unless some of you have already tried this, and if so, let us in on what you’ve found, please?
Alfalfa it seems, also contains large quantities of a hormone called triacontanol, which stimulates cell division and growth in ALL plants.
It also has high quantities of arsenic, which if ya didn’t already know……
NOT REALLY, I’m jerkin your chain about the arsenic! LOL!
They recommend 1 to 2 cups of rabbit feed to cover 16 square feet of garden bed.
So, I’m in, and gonna give it a shot!
That’s what we’re up to so far, so let’s try out a little humor for a change.
Man, I love to laugh, and just here recently, this is coming back into my life once more. Good night…I’ve sure missed it! It feels GOOD to laugh again!
This comes from my Aunt Ann…and is in prayer form.
In church, while reverently preparing for the service, I heard a sweet
little old lady, sitting next to me in the pew, quietly whispering a
prayer. It was so sweet and sincere that I just had to share it with
you.
She said,
Dear Lord, this has been a tough two or three years …you have taken
my favorite actor Patrick Swayze, my favorite musician Michael
Jackson, my favorite salesman Billy Mays, my favorite actress
Elizabeth Taylor, my favorite singer Whitney Houston, and, now, my
favorite announcer Dick Clark.
I just wanted you to know that my favorite politician…
is Barack Obama.
Amen.
Well…
I THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY!
A closing thought to ponder…
“Are you disappointed with society today? If you are, I challenge you to take the first step. I challenge you…to look at yourself.” Rev. Billy Graham
I have to admit that after reading this, I found it actually right on the money in my regard. The first place I needed to start “doing something about the world we live in today,” WAS…right inside my own home!
You guys have a great day, and God Bless you and yours!
Be sure to keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart!
Dub AND Deb
Okay, I’m going to have to pick up some rabbit feed for my balcony garden, since I’ve got no access to grass clippings.
What a great idea!
Not that we can even think about planting anything up here for a few more months. I have time to plan! *L*
Oh, and thanks to your inspiration, we’ve picked up a juicer recently. The kids love it! I can barely keep enough fruits and veggies in the house anymore, ’cause every time I turn around, they’re trying out some new combination.
Now, if I can just get my hubby to start drinking juices, too. He’s become and awefully picky eater in his old age! 
Well this answers my question on what you are doing with the green house. Listening to Glen Beck on Blaze channel 212 with Direct TV. They are discussing “common core” in our schools. If this doesn’t scare you head off your shoulders……..nothing will. Pray for anyone that has children in public schools.
They must get up and fight.