The heat wave that has hit the central and eastern US is still with us for another day or so. The temps are near or over 100 the past few days. In the upper 90s and around 100 for the seven previous days. We have turned the AC on. This is not something we normally do. But some of us get a wee bit cranky when we are trying to sleep and can't because we are drowning in our own sweat. All hail modern technology. I really feel for the folks who have been out of power for the last 8 days. Most days I could have probably made it without AC by moving slow and drinking cold drinks and sitting in front of the fan. Subtract the fan and the ice and I would be toast. You folks who have toughed it out are impressive. I, on the other hand, am a pansy. The weather people say that this all starts to break up tonight and tomorrow and we will have a week that is back in the 80s. The prediction is for the low 80s on Tuesday. When I went to the farmer's market on Saturday, everyone was talking about Tuesday in awed tones as if it was a holiday.
I have high hopes that the Canadian cold front that is up to relieve us from the heat may also bring us rain. We have been watering like crazy over the past few weeks. All the wee thunderstorms have missed us and things are dry. Really dry. The ailanthus is starting to wilt. We are lucky that the soil here is good and sucks up water quickly. We can have a lot of impact with our watering as not much rolls off. Still, our water bill will be staggering. Along with the electric bill for the AC.
And of course on top of that, is the vet bill for the cat who is very likely dying. Liver failure. Probably permanent, but possibly temporary. We are treating him as if it is temporary, though I don't hold out much hope. He is lethargic, but doesn't seem to be in pain, so that is good. I'll have my first experience giving subcutaneous fluids today. I suspect it will be a lot messier than we think. But it can't be much worse than trying to get cat food in his mouth with a syringe. I already changed clothes once today.
The garden is doing remarkably well considering the drought. We are getting cukes, tomatillos, a few peppers and summer squashes. Tomatoes have to be coming soon... Cucumber agua fresca is just around the corner.
Ducks hold up to the heat remarkably well. The little ducks are now convinced they are big enough to play with the big ducks. The big ducks have no interest. Sound familiar? Oh, Teh Drama.
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Sunday, July 1, 2012
It has been so long....
So much has happened in the last month +. There is no way to catch up other than a list! (because you know we love a list around here almost as much as Starr Hill Girl.)
1. A week after the snapping turtle got one of the brown ducks, a fox got Aretha. Aretha was one of the original flock and was the only reliable layer left. Our other old girl, Josaphine, lays eggs but they have very thin shells and are often broken. And they go bad quickly since they don't seem to have much coating on them (a waxy stuff that is deposited on the eggs as they are laid so that they don't dehydrate). It was a bummer. We think she got snatched on evening at dusk. We didn't even realize she was gone until the next day. We never found any sign of her, no feathers, no carnage, no nothin'. That is why we think it was a fox.
2. I paid $5 for a small container of homegrown tomatoes at the market. It made me want to go home and fertilize my tomatoes. But I am not sorry I did it. I am just sorry everyone else likes tomatoes as much as I do.
3. I got a call from a friend at work that they were incubating some duck eggs and did we want some more ducks. I consulted with the SB. Why YES, thanks, we would like some more ducks!!
4. We took receipt of three adorable baby ducks. Two runner/khaki crosses and one pure runner. They would adorably follow me around the garden and play in the water while I was hosing down the plants.
5. I dug my potatoes. One of my favorite jobs. I looked into planting fall potatoes. I doubt it will work but giving it a shot.
6. We lost the little runner to what appears to be a snake attack. It was crushingly sad as these little critters are so personable. And I had to tell the folks that gave them to us. It is really hard when this happens as you really feel as if you have just failed miserably. Failed the ducks, failed the family, failed at farming. It always makes me wonder if this is just the way it goes or if we are particularly bad at this. I think the SB is getting PTSD.
7. We still have two very cute ducklings. They are just catching on to the fact that we are not ducks and they are not people. But they are still quite personable and too small to leave alone with the big ducks. So when they are out, they hang out with me in the garden or swim in the creek. They are excellent company.
8. The February flock is starting to lay. Today I got 5 tiny "pullet" eggs. Hal a freakin luja.
9. And finally, at the request of my friend Meghan, to whom I owe the privilege of owning goats (she made it legal in the city), I have started a new blog. We'll be discussing goat ownership in the city. I am sure there will be cross links as clearly, I am not finding a ton of time to write on THIS blog, much less another.
Cheers!
1. A week after the snapping turtle got one of the brown ducks, a fox got Aretha. Aretha was one of the original flock and was the only reliable layer left. Our other old girl, Josaphine, lays eggs but they have very thin shells and are often broken. And they go bad quickly since they don't seem to have much coating on them (a waxy stuff that is deposited on the eggs as they are laid so that they don't dehydrate). It was a bummer. We think she got snatched on evening at dusk. We didn't even realize she was gone until the next day. We never found any sign of her, no feathers, no carnage, no nothin'. That is why we think it was a fox.
2. I paid $5 for a small container of homegrown tomatoes at the market. It made me want to go home and fertilize my tomatoes. But I am not sorry I did it. I am just sorry everyone else likes tomatoes as much as I do.
3. I got a call from a friend at work that they were incubating some duck eggs and did we want some more ducks. I consulted with the SB. Why YES, thanks, we would like some more ducks!!
4. We took receipt of three adorable baby ducks. Two runner/khaki crosses and one pure runner. They would adorably follow me around the garden and play in the water while I was hosing down the plants.
5. I dug my potatoes. One of my favorite jobs. I looked into planting fall potatoes. I doubt it will work but giving it a shot.
6. We lost the little runner to what appears to be a snake attack. It was crushingly sad as these little critters are so personable. And I had to tell the folks that gave them to us. It is really hard when this happens as you really feel as if you have just failed miserably. Failed the ducks, failed the family, failed at farming. It always makes me wonder if this is just the way it goes or if we are particularly bad at this. I think the SB is getting PTSD.
7. We still have two very cute ducklings. They are just catching on to the fact that we are not ducks and they are not people. But they are still quite personable and too small to leave alone with the big ducks. So when they are out, they hang out with me in the garden or swim in the creek. They are excellent company.
8. The February flock is starting to lay. Today I got 5 tiny "pullet" eggs. Hal a freakin luja.
9. And finally, at the request of my friend Meghan, to whom I owe the privilege of owning goats (she made it legal in the city), I have started a new blog. We'll be discussing goat ownership in the city. I am sure there will be cross links as clearly, I am not finding a ton of time to write on THIS blog, much less another.
Cheers!
Friday, May 25, 2012
It's Wild Freakin' Kingdom Out There
I got the dreaded call at work from the SB. "I have some bad news" Uh oh. We had lost one of the ducks. Apparently to drowning. I have heard that this can happen when the males are mating and push the head of the female into the water. Though the water in the creek isn't really that deep. Plus the SB said he had to pull the duck's bill out of the water, it had gotten stuck somehow.
He called again about half an hour later. There was a unknown factor. The duck had a hole in its bill where something had penetrated. That would be some force to get through a bill. Not simply a snag. The SB also saw some movement in the creek. Some bubbles. We had seen a relatively large water snake in the creek several weeks ago, but it wasn't the nasty sort. We also have turtles.
I was on my way home since the Governor gave us a couple extra hours off. When I got home the SB informed me that we had a pretty big snapping turtle in the creek. We went out and excavated it from the creek and moved it down to the river. The thing was indeed big. Not the largest I have ever seen, but given the size of the creek, it was impressive. And it was big enough to have held a duck's bill underwater for too long. I buried her in the duck graveyard.
He called again about half an hour later. There was a unknown factor. The duck had a hole in its bill where something had penetrated. That would be some force to get through a bill. Not simply a snag. The SB also saw some movement in the creek. Some bubbles. We had seen a relatively large water snake in the creek several weeks ago, but it wasn't the nasty sort. We also have turtles.
I was on my way home since the Governor gave us a couple extra hours off. When I got home the SB informed me that we had a pretty big snapping turtle in the creek. We went out and excavated it from the creek and moved it down to the river. The thing was indeed big. Not the largest I have ever seen, but given the size of the creek, it was impressive. And it was big enough to have held a duck's bill underwater for too long. I buried her in the duck graveyard.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Oh Yeah!
Today, the old and new ducks grazed in proximity to one another. It felt like a GIANT win here at the Urban Farm. The new ducks hung out on the banks while the old ducks swam. It is all very high school around here right now. It is going to get REALLY interesting when the new ducks get to breeding age. There is precious little info out there on integrating duck flocks, so I really have no idea how this will turn out. One flock would be ideal, but I still don't totally believe it is possible.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Tiny Window
This is the tiny window in weather garden etc that is precious. The greens are going great guns, the summer pests haven't set in. The mosquitoes are barely buzzing. The rain is coming regularly. There is much potential and promise. Seeds planted. Trellises constructed. Mowing more or less under control. Flowers blooming, etc, etc.
Oh! Didn't I mention that the SB made trellises for the garden? No? You. Should. See. Them. I feel totally rich. They are simple, rabbit fencing with a bamboo pole woven through the top, hung on some posts. We have two of these panels per bed. We have the trellises around the outside of our 6 main beds, in a U shape. When they grow in there will be a wee garden room springing up around you. In my mind it is green and fruitful.
We'll see what happens when reality sets in.
Oh! Didn't I mention that the SB made trellises for the garden? No? You. Should. See. Them. I feel totally rich. They are simple, rabbit fencing with a bamboo pole woven through the top, hung on some posts. We have two of these panels per bed. We have the trellises around the outside of our 6 main beds, in a U shape. When they grow in there will be a wee garden room springing up around you. In my mind it is green and fruitful.
We'll see what happens when reality sets in.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Success!
Today the little ducks found the water. They spend a good amount of time snorggling in the muddy banks and splashing about. It does my heart good to see ducks in the water.
The first of our strawberries should be ripe tomorrow. Cross your fingers for us that something doesn't get them overnight.
We had soup of chicken stock, lambs quarters, mizuna and noodles this evening. Yum.
The first of our strawberries should be ripe tomorrow. Cross your fingers for us that something doesn't get them overnight.
We had soup of chicken stock, lambs quarters, mizuna and noodles this evening. Yum.
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