Texas Spring/Summer Thread

[bindian]

I had ferrets when I was younger and they'd probably would do it! Last time I saw a wild ferret was in 1993, they where running around the dam rocks at lake Proctor in Comanche county. Dont know where they came from, but everyone out fishing that year where talking about it.

Dennis,
You sure they were not weasels? Only native ferrets are Black Footed Ferrets and they are only in the wild in AZ, in a managed habitat. Zoos across the country have breeding programs. One ferret family needs 100 acres of prairie dogs to survive. But we all know where the prairie dogs have gone.
hugs, Brandi

 

[jinman]

I got my 3rd planting of okra in the ground yesterday and my wife planted her herbs. We wanted to get it done before the rain. . . HA! That's a laugh. What rain?:confused3: I'll be eating sugar snap peas out of the garden in another week.They are growing almost too fast for me to keep up with them by stringing trellis string. Everything has taken a sudden spurt of growth with the warm temperatures (90 F again yesterday). I hope my trellis netting comes in quickly because my tomatoes are growing 2-3 inches per day. My garden planting is complete. Now, all I have to do is keep it watered and give it something to grow on. COME ON RAIN!

 

[bindian]

Rain drops starting to fall harder and faster here. Distant thunder. I love a good storm during sleepy time.
hugs, Brandi

 

[houstonscott]

Got a trace last night in Oglesby, just enough to water lawns.


HS

 

[Bird]

I got somewhere between 0.01" and 0.02" before it cleared off and the sun came out.

 

[farmgirl19]

Sure hope we get that rain. Here is what I found in the garden when I was watering last night. (Can't count on the rain, so have to water.)

 

[Western]

Bird, you did better than me, I think I lost moisture!:laughing: After watching the computer models on the weather last night, I felt sure we would get something. They said the DFW is at half the normal rainfall for the year.

Brandi, I bet your right! Couldn't get very close to them (40-50 yards), or they'd jump in the rip-rap. The corps of engineers folks at the park check in station said they where ferrets that where likely let loose.

 

[jinman]

Sure hope we get that rain. Here is what I found in the garden when I was watering last night. (Can't count on the rain, so have to water.)

Very nice, Farmgirl19!:thumbsup: That's the way my squash could have looked if I didn't have a huge hail storm and two hard freezes. I would say you are a full two weeks ahead of me on the squash and three on the zucchini. Have you seen bees visiting your garden? Do you help your squash with pollination? I help the little boy blooms get together with the girl blooms to ensure a good yield.

I went to the garden this morning and took some pictures.

Two okra rows I planted yesterday


Baby blackeyed peas


Bush Blue Lake Beans


The sign of Zorro (aka, Zucchini)


Yellow Straight-Neck Squash


Herbs: Basil, Parsley, Thyme


****** Melon(foreground) Cucumbers (background)


Onions


Sugar Snap Peas


Tomatoes & closeups of Sugar Sweet Cherry and Better Boy


Of course, I can't seem to get any help on watering, but so far nothing seems to be suffering except me from all the work. That's what ibuprophen is for.

 

[Bird]

Sure hope we get that rain. Here is what I found in the garden when I was watering last night. (Can't count on the rain, so have to water.)

I like yellow squash by itself, and I like zucchini by itself, but then they're even better together.

 

[farmgirl19]

jinman: I think my yellow squash is only about a week ahead of yours. Mine looked like yours last week, and temps have made it grow like crazy!

I have lots of bees, butterflies and even the occasional hummingbird will get into the squash, for pollinating. Haven't had to "help" to boy and girl blooms get together. I will if I think it's needed though. Yours is bigger than mine! (Garden, that is!) I can imagine you'd need ibuprofen at night. I wake up every muscle in my body with the hoe, each Spring. I'm not sure I could manage a lot more space, but am thinking about trying to add a little more to it next year. Do you grow a Fall garden too?

Bird: I am amazed at how many ways one can cook zucchini and yellow squash. From grilled, to casseroles, to breads, etc., and all is good!

 

[Western]

Farmgirl, You are 3 weeks ahead of me!! Looks like we'll be eat'n at your house

Jim, I like those rows!! Big enough to drive the ATV through!!! The ****** melons look great, mine are waaayy behind yours.

They "upgraded" us to 60% chance tonight, but I will water today any way, like you guy's, I cant depend on rain right now:irked:. How am I supposed to grow moles if I dont water At least I'm ahead of y'all in that department:thumbsup:

 

[farmgirl19]

I'll water tonight too, Western. Won't have time to do it in the morninjg before work, if it doesn't rain, and I am not willing to lose the garden yet, after all we have been through to get them growing and producing! I hope to be adding squash to the grill in a week! My okra is only about 2-3 inches tall, and the stuff I planted last week is barely breaking the surface.

Might make for a chance to plan a get together NEXT year for grilling bounty from the garden. We aren't *that* far apart! Good food, good ffriends, and some cold beer? Hmmmm....... might have to think abot doing something like that.

 

[Bird]

I don't know if it's a difference in the time, a difference in the part of the country, or what, but when I was a kid, we always grew the yellow squash, but never any zucchini. But we also always had the white squash and I still love that white squash, sliced, dipped in beaten egg, then in flour (or a flour/cornmeal mixture) and fried. One year, down in Navarro County, I only bought seed for the yellow squash and zucchini, I thought, but somehow a white squash seed had gotten in with the yellow and I had one plant that produced the white squash.

 

[farmgirl19]

Bird: You are looking for the white patty pan squash. When I order seeds each year, I have to get a packet or two of that for some friends, as well. He makes a beer batter to cook his in, but otherwise, recipe is similar to yours. If you want some seed next year, let me know about the middle of January, when I get antsy and begin putting my seed order together, and I'll get you a packet or two of seeds.

 

[jinman]

Bird, I have three hills of spaghetti squash this year too. My wife is not super crazy about it, but it can be used as a low-cal pasta with spaghetti sauce. One year I grew the white scalloped squash (called patty pans) and it is super grilled. You can slice it into thick slices and add a little olive oil and spice to your taste. Grill it until it is tender and begins to brown a bit. YUM! My daughter introduced me to sliced squash and zucchini chips to dip in ranch dip or other. It's great that way and easy to fix.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

My bush green beans are looking a bit better (since the frost bite or whatever) and are producing. I got to eat my first meal of green beans cooked with fresh chopped onion. I planted my rows about 2 to 3 feet apart so I can run the tiller down between the plants. Since my carrots did not do well, I replanted a row of black eyed peas. Not sure why perfectly normal people call them "Cowpeas"... Must be a California thing.

The corn seed I bought at our Ace hardware (per Don's recommendation) has come up fine and is already about 8" tall. I put cages around my 7 tomato plants. It seems my tomatoes are not doing that well. Maybe they are just now kicking in gear. I started them in those "pucks" you buy that grow when you water them. They seemed so fragile when I transplanted them.

I usually get okra volunteers from the previous year but so far not this year.

 

[farmgirl19]

jinman: Care to share the zucchini and yellow squash "chip" recipe? Thanks!

 

[Bird]

farmgirl, thanks for the offer, but I've quit growing a garden and just buy them at the farmers market.

Jim, I'm not that fond of the spaghetti squash myself. It's not bad, but more trouble than it's worth to me.

Kyle, I'm not sure when blackeyed peas were first called cowpeas, or vice versa, but I remember lots of stories my parents told about their time in Baltimore when I was a baby. One of the stories was about not being able to find blackeyed peas in 1941-43. And someone told them the feed store sold them as "cowpeas" for cattle feed. Dad said he went to the feed store and they had the dried ones in hundred pound sacks, but agreed to open a sack and sell him 5 pounds.

Incidentally, when I went to the Traffic Institute at Northwestern University for the 1971-72 school year, we could not find any kind of blackeyed peas in any of the grocery stores, so when we came home for Christmas, we bought a case of canned ones to take back with us.

 

[farmgirl19]

I think it all goes back to the "Civil" War days. (Like any war is civil.) Also, where we get the Black-eyed Peas for luck on January 1 tradition. If anyone needs a reminder of that, let me know, and I'll post here. But since the Yanks thought those peas were to feed cattle, I figure that is why some call them "Cowpeas". Good thing they didn't know how wonderful and nutritious they can be!

 

[jinman]

jinman: Care to share the zucchini and yellow squash "chip" recipe? Thanks!

HA! Even I can do this one from memory. Just wash the zucchini or squash and slice them into rounds about 1/4" thick. Dip into ranch dip and enjoy! If your zucs have tough skins, you can peel them first. Use young yellow squash no larger than 1-3/4" diameter. Those are the most tender and have undeveloped seeds. Refrigerate before slicing for a nice crisp texture. No cooking needed, just a healthy raw veggie snack. They are great served with young banana peppers, cherry tomatoes, and sugar snap peas. I can eat myself silly on that stuff.