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28 Comments

  1. Good morning!
    This is a spectacular article, all parts.
    I just ordered the tool you mentioned above through the link you provided, plus a couple extra things that they have. I like to support small businesses

    Have a Rockin great day!

  2. For those of you that do not have space for gardens, or you don’t know where to start, there is a great elderly gentleman from Oklahoma that has 71 videos on youtube. I will link to the latest one below. He has grown in greenhouses for over fifty years and is dedicating his remaining years to teach as many people his methods that have worked.
    In the ninety’s his electrical bill for one month was over $20,000. At that point he starting figuring out a way to garden in greenhouses without electricity for heat. There is something for everyone in these videos. What he teaches is how to grow in wicking tubs. He also teaches you what to use to build these tubs cheaply, and exactly what to fertilize with. I used his method last year and am expanding this year. Don’t let lack of knowledge intimidate you. I planted tomatoes on Friday in mine. It still is early here by a few weeks but I know I can protect them from late frost if I need to. It works folks. He also sells hoop houses in all kinds of sizes if any of you are interested. In this latest video, he is teaching how to apply plastic to one of the hoop houses.
    https://youtu.be/TWE-wrrCXSA

  3. Hey RKRGRL68 that’s awesome, I know you’re gonna love it. I also have one of his little hand V-hoes that I use for doing all my planting and it’s a handy little tool as well. I use it to dig my furrows for seeding and dig holes for transplanting tomatoes and such.

    https://homesteadiron.com/products/v-hoe-warren-hoe-aggressive-hoe-hand-forged-garden-tool

    If you ever get to any of the Mother Earth News festivals or the Baker Creek Seed festivals, this guy is usually a vendor. He’s quite an interesting guy to talk to.

    Good luck with your garden this year!

    1. St. Funogas,
      Just wanted to let you know that Mr Will Dobkins from Homestead Iron sent out an email to each customer letting us know that over the weekend he has received a massive increase in orders and to please be patient while he crafts each item for everyone’s orders. I think that you should get a SPECIAL “THANK YOU “ for mentioning this business!!

      It makes me feel great that my Order (and obviously lots of others) will help keep a small business busy and prosperous in these dark and uncertain times.

      Rock on

      2. Hey RKRGRL, thanks so much for passing that info along! I too like to support small business, especially ones like this that not only make such high-quality implements, but that use such “old-fashioned” methodologies. It’s really a piece of artwork you get to hold in your hands while you’re getting the weeding and other garden chores done. 🙂

    1. Do you mean Farm Bureau or the local ASCS? ASCS sent out many page questionnaires several years ago that asked far too many detailed questions much like the ones you mentioned. We decided we did not need them and withdrew from programs.

  5. JW ,,,,,we have had the shadow of what you posted hanging over us for some time ,the USDA has sent people out to inspect and record what we have at the ranch. GPS ing grain storage tanks ,barns ,greenhouses ,wells and so on ,,when we ran them off they sent out drones , we were threatened for noncompliance, we in turn stopped almost all farming ,at one time I shipped over 3,000 finished steers a year ,last year not so much only 3,,,,we also farmed over 1,000 ac of ground. Now it grows weeds and woodies ,
    In the book Atlas Shrugged the producers stop producing ,a good read ,,,
    We have over 5,000 sf of commerce greenhouses that sit empty ,
    Thing is we know how to grow and produce food , that is the most important factor in farming and ranching ,all the tools and land are of little value if you don’t know how to do it ,
    Our knowledge is price less ,,,,,,,,,

  7. So glad he’s home. I have a lot of seeds but wanted a certain kind of green beans. I found seeds at our Wall Mart. Yesterday. They were reasonably prices.

  8. Terrific!
    I hope there is no explaining to do of why there is goose down on the jerry cans!
    Welcome back home JWR. I hope two weeks in the cabin isn’t too rough!

  9. St Funogas; Thank you kindly for the informative articles. And regarding the comments provided by JW & Oldhomesteader, as well as anyone else out there in sight of the written word!
    This should be a mighty slap in the face as a wake up call to where this country is ultimately headed. This virus pandemic is just the latest and could very well be the tipping point from which there will be no return. 1776 part II seems to be approaching at breakneck speed now that reliance upon the goobermint is all but receiving stand up ovations.
    Case in point:
    Who enabled corporations and allowed 90% of Pharma products to be mfg. overseas, whether China or elsewhere.
    Who enabled corporations to mfg technology, especially national security required technology in foreign countries, namely China.
    Who enabled corporations to remove basic necessary (for a healthy/stable economy) mfg abilities to foreign countries, China/Mexico etc.
    Who “invents” un-Constitutional agencies filled with unelected, but appointed bureaucrats, in which citizens have no say, to invent regulations and laws which we must follow or be deemed out of compliance or “jail ready”.
    And don’t even get me started on the immigration fiasco that has enveloped the country for the last 40 years.
    There are many other examples to numerous to name. But the correct answer is in one word – “Politicians”
    The very same that you the citizen elected and allowed to violate our Constitution with seemingly every breath they take. And through your apathy and pointing the finger (it’s not my job mentality – goobermint needs to do something) not taking the time to actually learn what is purposely not taught in public indoctrination centers, it has now brought us to this point where we are on the verge of losing ALL our rights, freedoms, liberties, and will be plunged into the depths of tyranny at it’s finest – “Papers Please”, may soon be the norm when walking down the street.
    As this recent pandemic evolves, if you do not currently have enough of everything you need for at least 6 months, it’s to late! The recent hoarding and buying spree of everything by those who haven’t are making it tough for everyone, as there was plenty to go around, unless the hoarding goes ballistic.
    I recently finished 2 novels regarding a very possible scenario and can see very well the possibility of this scenario actually happening here. “Peoples Republic” and Indian Country” by Kurt Schlichter. Fun reads, but unfortunately temporarily unavailable since all the libraries are closed. Maybe Amazon will ship, who knows at this time.

    On another note, Welcome back Mr. Rawles, I trust your travels were successful.

    1. We just took down JW’s post. JW: if you get VERIFIED information, then please post that, when you get it.

      To everyone: Please do not post any unsubstantiated rumors in the Comments.

      Lily

  11. Row covers. Get row covers. Both the ones that have (home expedient) weighted edges and just float over the newly seeded crop, and the ones with fiberglass rods you poke into the soil an bend over to poke the other end into soil

    Row covers protect from frost, increase heat retention in early spring for more favorable growing conditions, reduce moisture loss, stop lots of insect damage.

  13. Hollis and Nancy’s Homestead

    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPVn9bDOp3DfMMKjPrEsIOw
    Early videos show their gardening on a suburban lot, including container gardening. Later ones on their 15 acre homestead. Some might find their info helpful.

    Ruth Stout’s Garden
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNU8IJzRHZk&t=628s
    I’m helping my daughter establish a garden on her new property. My daughter’s goal is  also to ‘shop’ in her garden. First year was an utter failure due to hard pack soil, no visible worms, and a jungle of unmanageable weeds. The following year we used the Ruth Stout method, but first we buttered the earth with compost laden with worms, then covered it thickly with hay. We did minimal weeding and watering.The result was a jungle of useful plant growth. Last fall we expanded the size of the garden in the same manner, and topped off the older area with fresh hay. Seedlings started, many from saved seeds, and we look forward to what this year’s garden brings.

  16. Just got an email from Will at Homestead Iron, saying his tools will be back ordered due to incredible demand. I replied to him that an article from Survival blog, and sent him a link, was the reason for the incredible demand. Be safe,

  17. I, too, use oak leaves for mulch. One problem, slugs love to live under them then come out at night and ruin many crops. After years of experimenting, very labor intensive, I discovered a lazy approach: old boards laid near the mulch, sometimes on top. The slugs shelter under the board. First morning chore is relocate slugs, still on the board, to a roof or other sunny and dry spot. Dehydrated slugs.

    The sawdust and leaves could draw nitrogen from the soil in the breaking down process. Urine to the rescue. This is also the time of year, before plants are in to use urine on the compost bin if most of it is leaves, straw, or other carbon material. Then, after harvest, urine with carbon material helps the compost stay hot into winter. This year mine was still hot and melting snow well into the late days of December.

    Carry on in grace

    1. Has anyone heard of using beer to attract slugs and kill them? I think my grandpa used to put beer in shallow containers, and the slugs would crawl into them, attracted by the smell, and then drown in it?? Does this ring a bell? I was a little thing when I used to watch him garden. I haven’t used it myself. We have slugs but they haven’t been a huge problem, yet.

      He also used to carry around a little can with a quarter inch of gasoline, and would pick the potato bugs off of the leaves of the potato plants and pop them into the jar. This was 48 years or so ago…

      Up to this point, we’ve also have not had potato bugs.

      Goodnight Ya’all

      Blessings,

      Lily

      1. I actually saw a scientific paper many decades ago testing all kinds of different beers and near beer. They were measured against Budweiser and measured in “Bud units.” The paper was a riot, but serious at the same time. Near beer was found to be the most effective. If I recall correctly, slugs had no taste whatsoever for premium beers.

        1. Interesting!

          Funny that the slugs had no taste for premium beers, but, then, I am in their camp.

          Beer and any other form of alcohol just can’t make it past my tongue. Ick! 😉

          Actually, I only drink water, and once in awhile, fruit juice, and even more rarely, a mild tea, Rooibois or mint.

          Let it be said, I’m not against others having a drink or two of their favorite beverage in moderation.

          Thank You St. Funogas for your excellent gardening article. I too, enjoyed reading it and gleaned helpful ideas.

          May you have a blessed and healthy day,

          Lily

      2. I have personally picked potato bugs and larvae and put them in the can of gas or oil. Fun, fun, fun. Yes a shallow dish of beer will draw and kill slugs.

  18. My grandfather also put out beer for the slugs. I seem to remember positive results the next morning. Don’t remember the gasoline, doesn’t mean they didn’t use it and keep it from us young ones, though. Good luck.

  19. I used beer for many years. Sigh. Like St. Funogas, I am beyond thrifty and the cost bothered me. So, I went to my local liquor store on a monday and asked if they had any kegs from weekend parties with beer still in them. I could usually come home with a gallon of less-than-premium beer and all the money in my pocket. Good deal.

    However, checking all the traps meant a lot of bending over for this injured back (since rehabilitated–another story) and rain would wash the beer out of the shallow container, usually a jar lid.

    Thus, I went with old planks. Less bending over…sometimes as many as a dozen slugs on the board. Time saved from going to the liquor store. Rain was an advantage, in that the slugs used the moisture to get over to the boards. Efficient. And…still free.

    Carry on with grace.

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