The Little Biddy Hen House: Middle TN

I left my December book at work, so here I am with the January book. Got a break from the 20° F weather. Nice 60° F day to day. Rain is predicted for tomorrow.

Went to get mulch but they were closed. Hopefully they are opened on Monday.
Began pulling crab grass - endless chore.
Set out two sets of mulch four pathways -needs to be thicker, but it’s a start.
Much of the mulch from last year is showing signs of decomposition. Good thing I have an unlimited source of free stuff.
Chickens enjoying being out and about. Nice day. Hope they became rewarding be with lots of eggs soon! People at work are waiting.
$47.00 for 3 bales pine shavings and two bags of food.
Need fencing for the garden for next year - chickens and then the addition of new puppies. Yes, new puppies, German Shepherd brothers. Been a long time since we had puppies. Scout came to us as a nearly one year old.
Finally got are bound to buying some permanent tags for my trees. Just in time, too. Some of them have already lost their original tags. I have a map, so I’m pretty sure which one is which. Copper tags that you write on with an old ball point pen. Probably need more.
Can’t find my plant labels. Still unpacking things from Nevada.
I’ve got some inadvertent compost tea. Need to aerate it and have it go aerobic. Probably be good for all my trees.
Happy to have gotten to enjoy this a lovely day, even if I spent most of it sleeping. To go outside and not be bundled up was a pleasure.
Still struggling with waiting to plant seeds in January and February. Could it be a lifelong problem. I’ve be an writing about this affliction for over a decade and hasn’t seemed to have gotten any better.
Put all my tree inventories in two Evernote. Slowly getting my act together. Another lifelong endeavor.

Lessons learned

Making bean packets for each tree was awesome.
Not keeping them weeded meant we didn’t eat a single bean.
Will I really be able to retire at 65? Will we really have the house paid off by then?

How did this entry get here? What are Journal Entries? https://www.thelittlebiddyhenhouse.com/2018/12/combining-blogs.html

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Journal Entry 2016-01-14

Gardening in Middle Tennessee
Lunch [Note: presumably this entry was written during lunch while at work.]

CHICKENS

Ordered feed and waterer for baby chicks last night. "Fancy" chicken tractor costs $350. I know I can cut some costs.

4x10 = 40 sq. ft. Could I make a 4x10 foot brooder that would become the base of my chicken tractor? Or do I need a dedicated brooder anyway?

6x8 brooder for ~25 chicks
4x12 brooder for ~25 chicks
4x10 would be ok for a week or two

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Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Record-keeping has been spotty this year as we have been moving. Hope to catch up on that this weekend. I am happy to see that some of my tomato seeds from 2006 and 2007 have germinated, even if rates are low as expected. If I can get tomatoes off of one or two plants, then I can have fresh seed. I am also pleased that peppers are doing well.

I put seedlings under lights this last few days. They have turned from pale yellow to green. Today will be their first full day in light. Hopefully they are a dark greens you in a day or two.

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Thursday, December 4, 2014

Journal Entry 2014-12-04

Gardening in Middle Tennessee

Cannot believe it is already December! We have seriously begun looking at homes. I really, really want a lot of acres; however, also need extreme Internet, affordable mortgage, and a commute that won’t kill me. So we are looking at a four acre lot in town in a neighborhood. I’ve been playing with the plat map. I could do a lot with this.

[Note 2017-12-07: We bought it in 2015!]

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Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Journal Entry 2014-01-07

Gardening in Middle Tennessee

Hope it warms up soon. I’m feeding the birds. I bet Mr. Cardinal and his lady wish they had migrated this year. Woodpeckers and something with a greenish yellow belly are visiting, also, along with our local squirrel family.

The New Year always brings the desire to start tomato seedlings. Still two months before I should start them! Especially since this might be an extra-long winter.

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Journal Entry 2014-01-07

Gardening in Middle Tennessee

Unusually cold winter - cold vortex, as they are saying on the radio. Extra cold everywhere. In the negatives in Nevada. Down to one degree F this week here in TN. If it doesn't kill the trees, should be a great year for peaches and apples.

DO NOT START TOMATOES!

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Sunday, December 29, 2013

Journal Entry 2013-12-29

Gardening in Middle Tennessee
Sunday
Starts my January Book.

Last week found that my last Farmers Market sweet potato had sprouted - so of course, I couldn't cook it - had to put it in a cup of water.

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Friday, September 13, 2013

Journal Entry 2013-09-13

Gardening in Middle Tennessee.

We are less than 300 feet from a small lake - meaning lots of skeeters - and the wonderous (sic) chirping of thousands of frogs. I have so missed such a chorus. And, of course, I hope all those frogs are eating LOTS of insects!!!

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Sunday, June 2, 2013

Journal Entry 2013-06-02

Gardening in Middle Tennessee

Strawberries, peaches, lettuce, small garlic, and jams from yesterday's farmer's market.
Adding things to my Evernote Farm Files
Not sure when the local farmer planted corn, but it is over a foot high now
First of my Costoluto Genoveses are ripening. Small toms - probably a reaction to the plant almost dying. [2013-06-08 Turned out they were cherry tomatoes that had inter-twined with the Costoluto Genovese. Explains why they were small.]

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Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Journal Entry 2013-04-23

Gardening in Middle Tennessee
Neighbor's bearded irises are beginning to bloom. Their daffodils are done. The first born Red Cherry Large Fruited has it's first pea sized tomato forming. The Red Cherry Large Fruited have been, by far, the most vigorous under poor circumstances - planted to early, transplanted to cups too late, left under lights too long, put outdoors before it was really warm enough for tomatoes to thrive... and yet, it thrives.
Lawn needs mowing twice a week when it rains and its warm. Our neighbor has a lawn care business, so does it for us cheap; however, I am seeing a riding lawn mower in my crystal ball...can't wait for my own place. All that grass will make some awesome compost.

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Saturday, January 5, 2013

Journal Entry 2013-01-05

Gardening in Middle Tennessee
12:48 pm Nashville

I am so excited - it looks like I may have found some dirt to play in while I am temporarily landless. Jessica has been visiting and we visited the Oaklands antebellum home. They have a small garden with plants from the Civil War time period. Right up my alley. So looking forward to it, both for the learning and the doing. So many things to research. Their master gardener is Connor Moss.

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Friday, December 7, 2012

Journal Entry 2012-12-07

Gardening in Middle Tennessee

Treasures lost and found. Many things of sentimental and monetary value wer sold half or lost or just tossed along the way as we migrated to what we hope is the Promised Land. Sometimes I mourned them. But still, they are only "things." The important things, for the most part, however, made the treck. And one of my most prize -my seed collection. I wonder, did pioneer women long ago clutched tightly to their packets of seeds, training and praying for land to plant them in? A small handful of bean seeds more precious than gold. So here is a list of my treasures, hauled 2200 miles from the high desert mountains of rural Nevada.

[Note 2018-12-12: The list is extensive. Perhaps someday I will transcribe them here, but it contains several hundred entries.]

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Thursday, November 29, 2012

Journal Entry 2012-11-29

Gardening in Middle Tennessee.
Thursday. Most of the trees have dropped their leaves. The nights are down in the low 30's & high 20's. The days are lovely, crisp, and while the mornings have been drizzly, the afternoons have been clear. Sounding like perfect weather for spinach under row covers. Missing my garden, but enjoying being a corporate girl. Still, this time of year begs me to buy seeds! What if I buy them and don't have a spring or summer garden, either? Lots of bunnies & skunks here. Pretty much have to cage in everything...Oddly, no snails. Probably due to the late afternoon robin invasion. "That's where I come from, I'm an old Tennessean..."

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Friday, November 23, 2012

Journal Entry 2012-11-23

Gardening in Middle Tennessee.
Weather was lovely for Thanksgiving. Today it is grey and drizzly. The grass and weeds are happy.
Birds are eating about 20% of the food in the feeder each day. So far, I have not seen any evidence of squirrels using them - and we have lots of squirrels in our neighborhood. Lots of cottontails, too.
The indoor mint cuttings didn't fare so well, and I am down to only one now. Some of the basils also culled. Still, the rosemary looks good, and at least 3 of the basils are doing well.

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Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Journal Entry 2012-11-13

Gardening in Middle Tennessee.

First Hard Frost 2012

28*F this morning
The autumn leaves have been lovely this week, but the winds have been kicking up and blowing the leaves off of the branches. Of course, the wind is nothing like NV. Loving this weather. Been flirting with frost for a week, and finally got our [first] hard frost today.
Already i am dreaming of planting tomatoes! Stop! No! Not yet! Let us see if we can make it to Feb before starting them. And then what will I do with them? Give them away? Sell them? I don't know, but I can't not grow them.

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Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Journal Entry 2012-09-25

Gardening in Middle Tennessee.
Changing water every day for the basil cuttings. Rosemary outside for morning sun. Time to start October journal. I hope I can get six or seven years [out of each book], I've planned for seven. We'll see how it goes.

[Note from 2018-12-12: I am actually getting 10 or more years out of each book (one book per month)]

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Saturday, September 15, 2012

Journal Entry 2012-09-15

Gardening in Middle Tennessee

Made a good haul from the Farmer's Market this morning. One farmer noted that this was an awesome year for tomatoes.

Carrots - 1 doz at $5 - the most expensive thing, but they are divine. Full sized but as sweet and crisp as baby fingerlings.
Tomatoes - $1/pound - juicy, luscious, perfectly ripe, you can smell them
5 hot peppers - Tabasco style - boxes for canning were $14 - I just wanted 5. the farmer tried to just give them to me - I forced them to take 75cents
2 fat sweet potatoes for baking
One green and one red bell pepper - hardly any ripe ones today - nearly all green. Maybe I didn't get to market early enough
Bag of peaches - looked way better than the last batch. I may eat some fresh.
Bag of spinach and one of red lettuce; one cuke. Salad for lunch on Sunday!

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Saturday, December 12, 2009

Journal Entry 2012-12-09

Gardening in Middle Tennessee
Filled the bird feeder twice this week. Need to buy some chicken scratch two makes in with the sunflower seeds. Will attract different thirds – and be much cheaper, two. I have a lot of seeds that are six years or older. I should do a germination test.

How did this entry get here? What are Journal Entries? https://www.thelittlebiddyhenhouse.com/2018/12/combining-blogs.html