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Growing / Garden Questions? / Re: Apple Trees- When to expect fruit production?
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on: April 23, 2013, 02:29:07 PM
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The age of apple trees is 'counted' by how long ago you planted it. You could have planted a one year old tree and a four year old tree, after a year they are both considered one year old trees. In other words, if you planted them in the Spring of 2010, they're about 3 years old - no matter how old they actually were when you bought and planted them. Assuming they were grafts (like most apple trees) and not seedlings, they should take around 3-5 years after the time you planted before they'll start to bear fruit.
You also have to consider that fruit trees need cross-pollination. A lot of varieties can be mixed, but some apples need two of the same type of tree to produce fruit. Otherwise you'll just get flowers. I'm not sure which varieties need two of the same tree. There's also the thought that even if it doesn't frost too early for the flowers, the trees might be flowering too early for the bees. If the bees aren't active yet, the trees don't get pollinated unless you do it all by hand.
Aside from all of that - are you fertilizing or anything? Sometimes that can do more harm than good, fertilizer just makes them grow more vegetation and not as much fruit.
Those are just a few things to consider...
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Growing / Everything Else / Re: Rhubarb
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on: April 10, 2013, 03:19:19 PM
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I couldn't tell ya, since it grows like a weed around here... I've seen it in full sun, full shade, and everywhere in between. Then again, I live in a farm town/valley where the soil and weather are awesome and there isn't much that won't grow here, I'm sure that makes it even harder to destroy these "indestructible" plants.
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Growing / Everything Else / Re: Rhubarb
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on: April 09, 2013, 02:59:30 PM
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How do you kill rhubarb, Wayne?! Haha! Although it does grow wild around here, all over the place, so it's probably even more "indestructible" here than when it's planted in a place where it doesn't already grow everywhere. I've only ever destroyed one rhubarb plant, on purpose since my husband and I both hate the stuff. It was no easy task!
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Growing / Everything Else / Re: Rhubarb
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on: April 05, 2013, 02:49:21 PM
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A lot of people around here grow it and I've heard it shouldn't be harvested the first year. Also heard that it's best to take off no more than 1/4 of the stalks at a time when you do start harvesting it. But I'm no expert, I hate rhubarb!
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Hunting (and Pursuit of Game) / General Fishing / Re: Fishing stories
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on: April 04, 2013, 02:41:59 PM
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Great stories! Some sports are individual, some are team sports, and fishing (in my opinion) should be a family sport.
That's a great way to think, and I agree. Two weekends ago I taught my son how to cast with a spin reel, he's almost 5 and he's never had a kids' (push-button) rod, turns out he's great at using a normal fishing rod. I am one proud mama! Here, we have "family fishing day" every year on Father's day. It's just a day where anyone can get out and fish, no license required, no worries about permits to fish the wildlife management areas, etc. I think it's great, probably gets more people into fishing since they can just go try it out without having to buy a license and everything.
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Hunting (and Pursuit of Game) / General Hunting / Re: Spring Hunting
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on: March 25, 2013, 10:48:34 PM
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We didn't always have a spring squirrel season. I guess enough gardeners complained! LOL
I usually never venture out during may without ample tick repellant. Seed ticks around here are not something I'm looking forward to.
Jason
Apparently the ticks are already out here, way earlier than usual. Probably won't be the case everywhere, but watch for them anyway! My friend's daughter is now being tested for lyme disease (that's how I know they're already out). No good.
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Growing / General Gardening Discussion / Re: What veggies do you dislike and love?
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on: March 11, 2013, 04:08:35 PM
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I can't do mushrooms for the texture, but I love the taste. If they're pureed into something (I make a killer mushroom cream sauce) or are the main flavour in a soup broth, etc. I love it. Wayne, people around here pick wild mushrooms a lot but the ones we pick are very recognizable. Mostly morels and chanterelles.
Speaking of picking wild things, one of my true loves is huckleberries. Picking them was another big thing I missed out on last year because we were too busy with other things. And we certainly don't buy them, they can sell for $20-30/lb or better here depending on how they do from year to year!
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Growing / General Gardening Discussion / Re: When to start seeds
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on: March 09, 2013, 02:41:56 PM
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If you're on Facebook I highly recommend looking for groups in your area that cover gardening, etc. I'm on a local Homesteading group and it's been of great use to me. Besides discussing gardening and all that goes with it, people really help each-other out a lot with anything and everything, it's nice to see (and to be a part of). When were you supposed to start seeds, according to the calculator? Everybody here starts in February.
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Hunting (and Pursuit of Game) / General Fishing / Re: Fishing stories
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on: March 07, 2013, 03:15:55 AM
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Both of those are good stories! I'm always paranoid about catching a bird, we have a lot of waterfowl here thanks to 17,000 acres of protected wetland and people do catch them on fish hooks. I hope it never happens to me! Fortunately I haven't had much bad luck with fishing. My husband broke two (new) fishing rods last year, but that is to be expected. He breaks everything. 
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Growing / Animal Husbandry / Re: Defensive Rabbits
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on: February 19, 2013, 07:28:55 PM
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You killed a squirrel (which I know is against the law where you're at) and didn't eat it?!?!? I've always been told since I was a kid that if you kill it, you gotta eat it. That made fighting in Desert Storm very difficult for me.
They're red squirrels, tiny scrawny little things, way smaller than grey squirrels. The cat sure likes them though. Nothing goes to waste, at least!
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11
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Growing / Animal Husbandry / Re: Defensive Rabbits
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on: February 19, 2013, 11:43:38 AM
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Kill one and gut it. Then mix the guts with sawdust or straw and spread that all around the garden. They will get the idea pretty quick and not mess with the sick bastard that did that. I was thinking almost the same thing - kill one and leave it for the others to see. I had to start killing squirrels last year because they were moving into our attic. My cat carried them off pretty quick after I killed them, but after the first one they took over a week to come back, after the second one they took even longer, and after the third one they moved on for good.
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Growing / General Gardening Discussion / Re: What veggies do you dislike and love?
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on: February 19, 2013, 11:36:03 AM
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Although I don't "love" lima beans, I do enjoy them. Even the commercially canned type.
I have a confession, I hope this doesn't get me kicked off the forum, but I love soggy, mushy, olive drab canned asparagus and canned peas.
I don't like canned peas (used to) but I love canned asparagus, and spinach. I've always loved pretty much all green veggies, in any form. Fresh, canned, frozen, doesn't really matter. One big exception is frozen brussels sprouts, they're usually tough and stringy.
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Growing / General Gardening Discussion / Re: What veggies do you dislike and love?
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on: February 18, 2013, 12:29:19 PM
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The only food I've ever found I can't tolerate is beans (baked, dry, northern, kidney). I'm ok with green beans and peas and lentils. The rest elicit an immediate gag reflex. Its not the taste its the consistency!
Jason
One time I was at my Godparents' house and we were talking about foods everybody seems to hate, and I said "I LOVE lima beans" and my Godfather looked at me and said "I've heard somebody say that ONE time in my entire life. You are officially the weirdest person I know." Hahah. I can't help it. I've loved them since I was a kid. I do not understand why everybody hates them!
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Eating / Preservation / Re: How to can, or store lard?
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on: February 11, 2013, 12:10:34 AM
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As long as it's properly rendered, you can keep it at room temperature for quite a while. I prefer to freeze it, but I also don't can animal product/anything that requires a pressure canner (yet).
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Growing / General Gardening Discussion / Re: What veggies do you dislike and love?
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on: January 31, 2013, 12:35:32 AM
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I honestly can't think of any veggies that I dislike, raw or cooked. I've loved veggies, much more than fruit, since I was a wee little one. The only thing I can think of that most people (at least people I know) grow but my husband and I both hate... cilantro. I know, I know! Most people love it. I can't stand the stuff. Ick.
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