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Comment by Ragnarok on August 7, 2014 at 6:18am

They were right your grand parents and imagine now that in the 'civilized' west we now arrest people for for feeding the homeless and poor.

Tennessee looks like a good state lost of untouched forests, rivers, lakes, fields according to wiki about 6 mill residents and its almost 3 times the size of where i live and theres about 5.5 million people here. Most be so nice.

I was out walking around the lake here to go get cooled off since we had like 3-4 weeks of tropical days here (nice at beginning then just pure hell) So i walk among the trees and scrubs to find myself face to face (about 10ft) with a very big and beautiful fox and you could see he was exhausted as well from all the heat. I also encountered a very funny territorial red squirrel who was trying to scare me off (never seen that behaviour before). Later that day i saw a big healthy hare as well and all was in broad daylight.

Glad to hear that your youngest is interested in the 'old ways'. Lets hope even more will join as our food system gets more and more freaky.

I believe if more city kids got out on a farm for just 3 months they would never want to go back living the way they did. 

We are going to get some heavy rainfalls (i hope) from Bertha she is about to have crossed the atlantic ocean they also promise some heavy thunderstorms but as long hail doesnt come with it then bring it on Thor. 

Would love having space for different poultry and rabbits for that matter (only thing i hate is the killing part and will never get use to it) But im such a meat freak :-) 

havent made cheese either only butter havent tried honeybutter.

Get well soon.!!!

 

Comment by Anthony Kimbrough on August 7, 2014 at 12:28am

Thanks but that is how I was raised. We didn't have a lot of money but we always had food. My grand parents said nobody should ever watch someone be hungry or in need if they can do anything about it.

  I live in east Tn. The mountains in the background are the Smoky Mountains. I've grow soft in my old age, we take a calf to the slaughter house every 2 years and have it butchered. (Depends on how much we give away, sometimes 1 every year). I don't know how to make dairy products like cheese and stuff. I can make butter though, we usually buy it unless we want honey butter then I make butter from scratch.

  Last year it washed us out here, this year it has dried us out. I meant to pick today but had to run errands on mom's estate we have in probate still and then fix the fence, cows got out today. The people cleaning the yard in an empty house of the people moving in crossed the fence between the poles and mashed it down... so out go a few of the cows.  

After 2 cancers (still have 1) and a heart attack I am mostly teaching the youngest of 3 daughters (only 1 interested in it) what little I know. She will be 22 next week and a fast learner, especially with hatching poultry (I use to have a hatchery) and the animals. She will be moving (so she says) this winter/spring out on her own but it is up from us in one of the houses we have empty, so she will still be here. She is into old trucks so maybe we can do some of that this winter too. She has helped me on old cars and this past week on the dump truck. Mostly though I have taught her and the other two like I was taught in their actions. 

  I love the garden and animals, and you are correct, it is my escape and therapy. The youngest one is Hard of Hearing (legally deaf), so it is her peace too. She has a big heart too. She wants to milk goats and a cow, something I had my share of growing up, lol.

Comment by Ragnarok on August 6, 2014 at 2:18am

Its always hard when family and loved ones are sick or going through bad times. But at least you have a lot to take care of and to get your mind off things once in awhile. 

Really great that you care for family and neighbors. Not many really stick together nowadays.

Judging by the vegetation id say youre living up north. 

Do you also make your own meat products, cheese et cetera.?

Looks beautiful with the mountains in the background. We dont have mountains here in this country.....were flat as a pancake more or less.

Comment by Anthony Kimbrough on August 6, 2014 at 1:15am

You can't see the whole pond but this is the small one you saw in the other picture. My daughter's ducks and Geese have taken it over these days, plus wild ones that visit.

Comment by Anthony Kimbrough on August 6, 2014 at 1:07am

Yep, I have 2 Fig trees that are suppose to be winter hardy, but we take them in the sunroom each winter just in case. My wife like Palms and I like Banana plants so we bring the fig trees in too.

  There is a small pond there but it has no actual source other than rainwater. I originally made it back when I was going to get Swans but the animal pound had another use after bringing me 21 Canadian Geese to take care of and nurse back to health they taken from a guy. This property has 2 creeks and 2 small ponds on it, more waterfowl or the Llama wades in and cools off. We keep a drinking tank for the Donkeys, sheep, and goats to drink from, that water gets stale. We have 30 acres where the cows are that has 3 ponds, 1 run off & wet weather spring fed (med size), 1 small pond spring fed, and 1 massive pond spring & run off fed. The run off one is dry now and the other 2 are low, not much rain here either. Last 2 days I turned on the waterers in the gadren for about 4 hours each day. Our Cukes are done for the year and Squash down to a crawl, biggest thing now is the Banana Melons. I haven't had one ripen yet but have some small ones hanging. My father-in-law hasn't had one yet and I think this may be his last year. He has had several strokes over the last few years and bed ridden for a few years now. The last 3 months have been his worse and I seriously doubt he will remember eating it the same day he does, thing is, he will smile while he eats it. I probably won't see it but my mother-in-law will tell me about it. We have a neighbor too that isn't doing well and I think maybe tomorrow cut them some Okra and get 1/2 bushel ready plus some tomatoes. 

  As soon as everything stops bearing we start on building the ground for the next year. I try and remember to put back at least more than I take, more if I can.

 

Comment by Ragnarok on August 5, 2014 at 3:31am

Its looks like a nice fertile patch you got there.! Is that a fig tree i see in front of the picture and you have a pond or a lake? (in the background)

It really hasn't rained here over about a month (under 4mm rain) but luckely a big thunder storm came here yesterday with lots of badly needed rain. It has been a hard job and long nights keeping everything alive with minimum resources. 

Comment by Anthony Kimbrough on August 5, 2014 at 2:13am

Not sure if you can see it but this is our grapes and where Megan put her Gords. I cleaned out the wild Blackberries from it. We have about 1/2 mile of road and then more up in the cattle field of blackberries we leave for people to come and pick. It use to be friends and neighbors but this year people I didn't know, which is ok too.

Comment by Anthony Kimbrough on August 5, 2014 at 2:04am

Thanks Daniel, I broadcast Epson Salts on the ground and it kills the snails. Megan (youngest daughter) had in mind doing like the picture you put up in the area I usually grow Tomatoes. She ended up not following through, but in all fairness between losing mom and helping me with all that stuff plus my surgery, she was wearing a bit thin. We have grapes that grow up on a net that covers the whole area. That girl loves Gords. My wife made a bunch more Salsa tonight. I call it Devil's Spit, lol. I watered the garden for the first time in weeks for about 4 hours today so what is in there will do well.   

Comment by Ragnarok on August 4, 2014 at 8:02am

Was thinking of doing these projects next year just on a much smaller scale since i have very limited space,

Comment by Ragnarok on August 4, 2014 at 7:55am

Haha thanks Tara and Anthony :-) HUGE bell peppers and looks like tasty tomatoes there...Really nice to see how many who is getting into growing their own food. My bell peppers and chilis got eaten by snails and slugs as very young plants unfortunately. Im guessing in a week or two the first tomatoes has ripened.

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