What's happening locally? (2)

Sat, 2009-06-20 17:45

Boom Boom

I'm getting heartburn just watching Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives on the Food Network - today it's mostly BBQ in Texas and the Carolinas - baby back ribs, pulled pork, brisket, links, Texas jambalaya, chicken fried steak, Bubba tacos, Uncle Lou's chicken (so spicy it makes your hair stand on edge) honey-dipped fried bologna sandwiches, the whole nine yards. It's insane how much of this food that host Guy Fieri samples - how can do this and not have a heart attack???

Fortunately he also eats a lot of their side dishes such as slaw and mac 'n cheese, and in between BBQ he samples a lot of fish dishes.

And there's a Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives marathon on the Food Network tomorrow! Dear God.

Sat, 2009-06-20 20:20

#3

remind

rainy, and fresh snow on a couple of the higher mountains, and there is still so much to melt yet, not sure if it even will again this year. Glaciers appear to be building up nicely over the last 2 years.

Downtown streets are ripped up and a paving crew coming in, guess they are trying to get it done before tourists start in July.

Just about to make spicey crispy chicken tacos, after spending 2 hours cleaning the fridge, and sterilizing my veggy purchases of today.

Granddaughter has friends over.

No mosquitoes here this year, has been sweet, but noseums are out now. fewer humming birds this year than ever before to, but the robins are everywhere playing hawks with the pine beetles and butterflys. never seen them so fat and big, almost the size of a small crow.

Sat, 2009-06-20 20:23

#4

Pogo

Sunshine came to an end today, but only a few sprinkles. We did our weekly housing stand and tonight the co-op is having a father's day pot-luck. I don't want to start up the stove, so I am making a Greek Salad.

Sat, 2009-06-20 20:28

#5

Boom Boom

Lots of birds at my feeder, still - guess there's nothing the bush for them to eat, although hopefully they're feast on the noseeums. Beautiful owl here last week, and a red-headed woodpecker on a phone pole nearby. Lots of small birds, but the ravens and crows scare them away when they appear. I wish I could keep the ravens and crows away.

Sat, 2009-06-20 20:29

#6

remind

Yum, I made one a few days ago and mixed it with organic rottini noodles, was excellent.

Oh shit i forgot it was fathers day!

What is a housing stand?

Sat, 2009-06-20 21:51

#7

Bookish Agrarian

Trying to hay, but weather very uncooperative. Waiting to get some good use of our new tractor too.

Been a very cool wet summer. Hay is sparse and alfalfa very poor.

Market garden is waaaay behind usual. Had to replant a number of crops in it because the seed rotted waiting for heat.

One of the bridges in town has been ripped up all spring. Means a big detour to get gas, tires fixed, see my Mom and a lot of other things.

Sat, 2009-06-20 22:04

#8

remind

We feed our huge, and I mean huge, raven couple very well, and they keep the crows away, and do not bother the wood peckers, chickadees, robins or hummies.

Sat, 2009-06-20 22:55

#9

Bubbles

We have a small mountain of fleece in our barn after having sheared our sheep today.

It rained and rained, it added up to 24mm sofar. The plants can use it since we had only 3mm the month before. Like Agrarian I want to get haying, but with the ground this wet it might be a while, unless we get some dry winds. Our gardens are mostly doing fine, might have to replant some beans, since many seem to suffer from a wilt of sorts.

The honey bees are a bit fickle this spring, they came through the winter in good shape, and even collected honey, but the queens seem to be restless. Had hoped to get a few new hives going, but the queens keep disappearing. Anyway still time for that.

Too many eggs. The chickens are working overtime producing eggs, just when my customers are going on holiday trips and do less baking. So have been pickling eggs. Any good egg-pickling recepies out there?

Sat, 2009-06-20 23:17

#10

Pogo

remind wrote:

Yum, I made one a few days ago and mixed it with organic rottini noodles, was excellent.

Oh shit i forgot it was fathers day!

What is a housing stand?

Every week a few of us stand on a busy street corner and hold a sign up for an hour that say "Homes for All". Today was a good day as we had eight people out. The silent protest was started by CALM (Community Activists for Little Mountain) to protest the demolition of the Little Mountain Housing Complex and has spread across the province. Today was also a bad day as we received this news from CALM:

"Yesterday the northern 20% of the complex was fenced off. This section is bordered by 33rd on the north, Ontario Street on the west, Oriole Way (a path within the complex) on the south and a lane on the east. The area includes most of the art that has been placed on the boarded up windows during the past six months. The workers who put up the fence said they expect that the two gaps that will provide vehicle access will be gated by Monday and the area will be locked up. Last week BC Housing sent a letter to the 12 families who still live in the complex, notifying them that BC Housing was applying to the City of Vancouver for a building permit so that hazardous materials could be removed from the structures and a demolition permit so that BC Housing can remove the buildings from the site. CALM's responses 1. We have sent the attached letter to the neighbours of Little Mountain. 2. Tomorrow at our Stand for Housing at Main and 33rd, our signage will be: NO SALE NO PLAN NO DEMOLITION NO OLYMPIC PARKING LOT You are welcome to join us from 1 to 2 pm. 3. We are considering a major action as the demolition proceeds. We hope that you will help us hold a massive demonstration of support for keeping public lands in public hands in order to alleviate the BC crisis in affordable housing. We will keep you informed. A final note: the provincial government has persistently maintained that selling Little Mountain to a developer will bring in a windfall of cash to be spent on affordable housing. If there is actually still a deal with a developer-- and we have our doubts since the developer has placed several of his projects on hold in the past few months-- watch for that windfall to go up in smoke when the government hands down a hard times budget this fall. "

Sat, 2009-06-20 23:33

#11

remind

Thanks pogo, if I was down there I would come out in support.

bubbles, dill pickled eggs are wonderful.

Sun, 2009-06-21 01:17

#12

al-Qa'bong

Mmmm. Pickled eggs.

Back on the farm I'd put up a gallon jar of pickled eggs when I had too many. Sometimes I'd eat six eggs for breakfast.

I wouldn't mind having a few hens here in the city, but I bet the modernistic maroons who run the municipality are completely against the idea.

Sun, 2009-06-21 09:45

#13

remind

When we lived in Nanaimo, we had chickens, exotic ones, and called it an aviary! ;)

We have no chickens currently, even though we have a coop and a hen house. Too many other people have free range chickens and good eggs, so there is no need for us to start keeping them again, as it costs large in hydro and feed to winter just a hand full. But we are looking for banties for next year as our ant problem is getting significant.

Sun, 2009-06-21 09:59

#14

Boom Boom

Rotten day here, had to change a flat tire on my truck at 630 am, then the hydro to the village went out. I'm using my battery-power in my laptop to send this, only good for 2.5 - 3 hours max. Hope the power comes back on soon!

Sun, 2009-06-21 11:26

#15

Pogo

al-Qa'bong wrote:

I wouldn't mind having a few hens here in the city, but I bet the modernistic maroons who run the municipality are completely against the idea.

Unfortunately Arzeenas bid to allow chickens in the city fell on deaf ears.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/richmond_southdelta/richmondreview/news/43180752.html

Portland allows chickens and it is highlighting the inperfect science of sex identification as roosters are not allowed.

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200812/urban-chickens

Sun, 2009-06-21 14:26

#16

al-Qa'bong

We finally had rain today. Apart from a few scattered showers, this is the first significant precipitation we've had since winter.

Sun, 2009-06-21 15:22

#17

remind

Pogo, look into outdoor aviary regulations and get yourself 2-4 exotic chickens, the Polish hippie ones we had did not even squawk/cluck really, and were quieter than other people's noisy outdoor aviaries. That is 2-4 eggs a day, or a dozen to 2 dozen a week, which is more than enough for a family of 4.

Polish Chickens

Sun, 2009-06-21 20:04

#18

Green Grouch

The weather has finally warmed up here in Trawna and our postage stamp raised bed has given the first arugula, chicory, oak leaf lettuce, dill, parsley, thai basil and nasturtium leaves of the season. Everything's still two weeks behind and our last local/ organic CSA share was pretty thin indeed.

If we had to rely on our heritage seed experiments this year we'd be eating no greens; strawberry spinach and North Pole lettuce simply didn't come up tho both are supposedly cold tolerant. Cutworms snipped off the chard seedlings. And our home sown heirloom tomatoes, pole beans and peppers are slower than molasses in January, though the ones that survived are starting to get ahead of whatever is eating the snot out of them. Have been spraying neem soap on aphids galore and getting acquainted with the disgusting propagation methods of the red lily beetle. Just when you think you've seen every "pest" along come three new ones! On the plus side, I've seen at least four kinds of bees in the backyard; last year's wet summer seems to have given them a boost.

We're also constructing a small reservoir fountain out of recyled and garage sale items... be nice to hear the sound of running water on the patio. It'll drown out the sound of bugs chewing.

Mon, 2009-06-22 04:00

#19

Boom Boom

The power which had been off since 630 am Sunday finally came on at 315 am today. I wish Quebec Hydro would join the 21st Century! These power outages are simply unacceptable in this day and age. With nothing else to do because of the power outage, I cut the grass, watered all the gardens, and cleaned out the garage. I have 17 cabbage plants doing well, about 100 radish seeds have sprouted about a half inch above the soil, a strawberry plant is doing well, and other seeds are barely visibly sprouting - it looks like it will be a slow growing season for most of my veggies. The sunflowers which normally are about six inches high by now are barely an inch tall - but there's a lot of them. On the other hand, most of my flowers have really long stems, and there's lots more of them than before, so I'll likely have gorgeous flower gardens soon. And my Hosta shrubs have mysteriously multiplied over the years - I originally planted four, and now I have nine of them. Same with the Marigolds - originally there were eight, now there's about fifteen of them. They're gorgeous plants.

Tue, 2009-06-23 09:01

#20

thanks

Green Grouch, thanks for sharing on your garden situation, it helps to hear that others are stuggling as well.

i finally found the hiding places of the earwigs. in the drooping hollyhock leaves! they sit and eat and get shelter all day, then come out at night to feast on the brassicas. also they were in ground nests.

i'm feeling very exhausted right now, and go out every night as well with a flashlight and the soap. i gave up last year and let them have their way, but then what happens is they multiply exponentially and i don't get beans either. voracious pests.

next they'll be after my echinacea which will Not do.

anyway, today's another roaster and i need to get back out before it gets too hot.

Tue, 2009-06-23 09:06

#21

remind

It froze here last night!!!!!!!!!!

Tue, 2009-06-23 09:31

#22

Refuge

al-Qa'bong wrote:

I wouldn't mind having a few hens here in the city, but I bet the modernistic maroons who run the municipality are completely against the idea.

I am not sure where you are al-Qa'bong but chickens are "illegal" in Toronto. But they are legal in Niagra Falls, Brampton, Guelph, Vicotrial and Surrey, with certain restrictions.

My gardening is going well, the plants are very green and seem happy but I don't have a fruit or vegetable to speak of yet. Only the pepper plant looks like it is growing little buds that might turn into peppers. Being a newbie gardener I don't know if I am doing something wrong or something right but I guess I will see!

edited to add: I stand corrected. Just went out to look after the plants and little green tomatoes have started! Guess I am doing something right!

Tue, 2009-06-23 15:05

#23

Boom Boom

We finally have a dentist this week, after waiting since about January. I lost a huge filling in April, and had it replaced this morning, and have to return Thursday for a check-up, the first I've had in well over a year. I'm still in pain from the dental work this morning, so I've decided to take most of the day off from household work. I had hoped to cut the grass which is quite long, and weed the gardens, but I'm in too much discomfort to do so. Maybe after supper. I hope the blackflies aren't so bad - I know I'll have to wear mosquito netting, regardless.

Sun, 2009-06-28 10:05

#24

Boom Boom

This is the coldest summer I can remember. Only 15C / 58F today (Sunday), windy, and no sun. Our forecast can be seen at:

http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/forecast/city_e.html?qc-125&unit=i .

Cold weather, windy, very little sun, lots of blackflies (which I'm allergic to, and for which I must use mosquito netting when in the garden) and occasional rain for the next week. I'm about ready to give up on the veggie garden - all I can see after almost one month are radishes, cabbage, and weeds. I'm really disappointed, because I spent three days doing nothing but pulling up weeds prior to planting my veggie seeds.

Sun, 2009-06-28 12:07

#25

Refuge

Boom Boom wrote:
I'm about ready to give up on the veggie garden - all I can see after almost one month are radishes, cabbage and weeds

Yeah, as a new gardener I thought I was doing something wrong - my fruit and veggie plants are doing great but not bearing anything edible. I was talking with a friend of mine who is an experienced gardener today. He said the same thing about his garden, so it makes me feel better that it isn't just me but I have no idea what fruit (or veggies) will come to bear for my garden idea this year.

Sun, 2009-06-28 12:51

#26

Boom Boom

If we don't have hot, sunny weather in July and August, my garden is kaput. I'm not sure I will have the desire to try again next year. although I shouldn't whine so much - my garden last summer was quite good - about 100 nice carrots, 50 heads of lettuce, 30 small tomatoes, lots of turnips and beets. My herbs didn't grow last year, so I'm hoping for a nice harvest this year - but they definitely need more sun and heat. They include cilantro, basil, mint.

Sun, 2009-06-28 13:01

#27

Refuge

Boom Boom wrote:

If we don't have hot, sunny weather in July and August, my garden is kaput. I'm not sure I will have the desire to try again next year. although I shouldn't whine so much - my garden last summer was quite good - about 100 nice carrots, 50 heads of lettuce, 30 small tomatoes, lots of turnips and beets. My herbs didn't grow last year, so I'm hoping for a nice harvest this year - but they definitely need more sun and heat. They include cilantro, basil, mint.

Well being a new gardener I don't know what I need but I know I need something. Here's hoping for hot weather!

Sun, 2009-06-28 13:07

#28

Boom Boom

Warm weather and a bright sun are a gardener's best friend, at least that has been my experience. I'd also add good soil, and access to sufficient water to keep everything from drying out. I don't know how to deal with weeds other than pulling them out - I absolutely refuse to use chemical weed killers.

Sun, 2009-06-28 13:23

#29

Refuge

Boom Boom wrote:

Warm weather and a bright sun are a gardener's best friend, at least that has been my experience. I'd also add good soil, and access to sufficient water to keep everything from drying out. I don't know how to deal with weeds other than pulling them out - I absolutely refuse to use chemical weed killers.

Yeah, me too. Except that If they aren't bugging my plants I like to leave them be, if they stay small to each their own but when they start to outgrow my plants I say alright, your ego is getting a little big, time to come out! My potted plants have no issues with weeds but the other ones have a few but non of them are giving me anything yet.

Sun, 2009-06-28 13:29

#30

ElizaQ

Refuge wrote:

Boom Boom wrote:
I'm about ready to give up on the veggie garden - all I can see after almost one month are radishes, cabbage and weeds

Yeah, as a new gardener I thought I was doing something wrong - my fruit and veggie plants are doing great but not bearing anything edible. I was talking with a friend of mine who is an experienced gardener today. He said the same thing about his garden, so it makes me feel better that it isn't just me but I have no idea what fruit (or veggies) will come to bear for my garden idea this year.

Yeah this year is SLOW. I can understand why you'd think you were doing something wrong. I generally know what I'm doing and I've been wondering if I might be doing something wrong.

Sun, 2009-06-28 14:04

#31

remind

OMG, it is raining so hard, my struggling veggies and until now thriving tomatoes are getting pounded down.

Sun, 2009-06-28 14:12

#32

Boom Boom

Strane weather for us, usually the end of June is warm and dry - this year, anything but.

Tue, 2009-07-21 02:27

#33

al-Qa'bong

There are about five Merlin Falcons living in the conifers facing my back yard. They fly from tree to tree, centred on the one with their nest, and squawk a lot. The other day they were really howling, so I checked them with binoculars and saw one holding a dead bird in its beak.

Tue, 2009-07-21 08:23

#34

Refuge

Well I am finally getting vegetably looking things on my plants. Even 5 whole snap peas, mmmm delicious (the first ever that I have ever grown myself from ground to mouth! At least the plants look green.

Tue, 2009-07-21 08:32

#35

jrose

The Fruit Tree Project just launched for the season in my neighbourhood, as seen on rabbleTV: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g83Y0iPIC88

Sat, 2009-07-25 12:17

#36

al-Qa'bong

As we were driving past Kandahar yesterday evening we saw rows of dark columns of something hovering over the fields. At first I thought they were moisture or dust or something, but as we kept driving we ran into some along the road. They were pillars of tiny flies. I'd seen them in balls before, but this was unusual. The pillars were about eight feet from the surface and six feet high. the really weird thing about them was that they were aligned in rows - all along the edge of the blacktop in some cases, but in lines wherever they were.

As we continued up to Dafoe I looked over into one of the Ducks Unlimited sloughs along the road and saw about 25-30 geese swimming along...in single file!

Sat, 2009-08-29 20:33

#37

Boom Boom

A disappointing year for my veggie garden - very cold, wet summer, not enough sun. However, the flower gardens have been fantastic. Go figure.

Sat, 2009-08-29 20:36

#38

Boom Boom

Veggies that are doing well here: lettuce, beets, radishes, cabbage, swiss chard, spinach. Veggies that aren't doing well this year: rutabaga, carrots, onions, and most herbs except coriander. No mint or basil at all.

Sat, 2009-08-29 21:27

#39

Tommy_Paine

I can't think of anything urban that hasn't done well this year. Plants that have struggled in the past have grown phenomenally.

Lot'sa wasps though, which I don't mind-- except for my sworn blood enemies the yellow jackets.

I tasted a few ripe grapes from the wild vines in the back yard. Pretty sour, mostly seed, but actually kinda juicy. I was day dreaming about cutting a few bunches and putting them through a blender, straining them and see what I get.

Out in the woods, wildlife abounds. People are seeing coyotes everywhere now. Saw a young one myself a couple of weeks ago around the Westminister Ponds area, which while pretty woodsy, is still almost entirely surrounded by houses.

A pair of oak seedlings I potted are struggling. I corrected mistakes I made in the past, tried a few new things, still I don't think they'll make it.

Still trying to get my brother to come over and see if he wants some trees that are growing in places I can't let them mature.

A nice straight ash about six feet tall. A walnut about the same. A good number of elms varying from seedling to five footers. Might start asking co workers who live in the nieghborhood if they want them.

Sat, 2009-08-29 21:55

#40

Green Grouch

Our TO tomatoes are finally coming on strong and the beans continue.. chard is going crazy.

Just finished Niagara yellow plum and peach jam with non-Niagara sugar and vanilla; it joins the ginger lime peach-plum sauce and apricot jam . Peaches are in the freezer and so is apricot sauce. Gonna pick tame blueberries tomorrow and hope to put up pickles. Just had a perfect peach and sweet corn. The fridge is over flowing with our organic CSA haul. Life is good and we are very lucky.

Sun, 2009-08-30 14:46

#41

Boom Boom

I've decided that next spring I'm buying one of those small Mantis tillers, I really need to do something with my soil. This summer I weeded all my gardens by hand - that was a lot of work! - then tilled also by hand with a shovel and hoe. No more. I'll be 60 in a few weeks, I have arthritis, and other medical issues, some of them serious.

Sun, 2009-08-30 15:29

#42

remind

Our garden is great this year. It seems we finally got our soil in the correct space. So next year we are going to be able to plant more than this year, as we held back because our root veggies were stunting and not etable in other years.

The cukes did not do well though.

The tomatoes are fantastic, but they are all cherry tomatoes for the most part. I gave away several seedlings, which I thought were mixed between beef steak and cherry, but apparently, I gave away almost the beef steak, which is a serious bummer, as I wanted enough to can.

The brussel sprouts are mind moggling in their hugeness.

Going to make and can horse radish next week.

Air quality is poor.

Sun, 2009-08-30 19:02

#43

remind

At first I thought you meant fire wood was more expensive. Then I see you meant oil.

I was just out swede sawing limbs off of some trees we fell a while back. And then moved the branches to the fire pile waiting for the fall and burning allowed. Got the ones off the front yard a few weeks back they were covering my wild blue berries. Swede sawed them all to length too. The other downed trees will have to wait until it is less hot to get cut into lengths. Freaking high 30's out there right now.

Sun, 2009-08-30 20:19

#44

Boom Boom

Oops - I'll go back and correct my post.

Sun, 2009-08-30 20:21

#45

Boom Boom

I've been moving firewood all weekend from its location in the bush to dry over the summer, to the side of my woodshed, still not finished moving it all, and still have to stock it all in the woodshed after I get it all moved. The blackflies are awful. It's almost (but not quite) enough to get me to convert my furnace from wood to more expensive oil. Maybe after we get a road to Natashquan (maybe in three years) and we have access to somewhat cheaper oil (pick it up ourselves in our trucks rather than pay expensive frieght on the supply ship - it becomes very expensive when shipped). Firewood is very labour intensive, and even though oil is more expensive, it's by far less of a hassle. My house is already partially heated by electric, that will continue even with a conversion of the furnace to oil. I spend about $600 every winter on firewood. Oil will be at least double that much, but with no hassle.

Sun, 2009-08-30 20:44

#46

remind

We do not pay, as of yet, for our wood. Still have enough around us that is standing dead or close to it. Then there is a whack load that is free, fallen and bucked right now along the hydro lines.

Sun, 2009-08-30 20:51

#47

Boom Boom

I'm unable to get into the bush and cut sufficient firewood on my own, so that's why I pay someone to do it for me. Almost everyone here cuts their own firewood for free, except those of us (like myself) disabled by one thing oor another.

Quebec Hydro just cut a swath of trees to prevent interference with their lines, and local folks are helping themselves. I don't have an ATV, trailer, or chain saw , all of which one needs to get in and bring it all out.

The Municipality has passed a bylaw that forbids cutting of trees within its boundaries, which means the only access to firewood is in the winter by skidoo to a standing forest about 30 km from our village. Quebec Hydro was exempt for this rule on the grounds of safety of the hydro lines.

Sun, 2009-08-30 20:58

#48

Tommy_Paine

But the wee trees need the dead wood.

Kidding.

In London, the city designates weeks where you can put out green stuff, and they'll collect it and deliver it to a private company who will compost it and sell it back to you for about six bucks a bag.

Frequently, there are large enough pieces of branches or trees that are suitable for burning. I've often wondered if an enterprising person could take advantage of that. And of course there are two or three times a year when a storm will provide a bonanza of wood.

We have small backyard fires once and a while here. So far, what falls from the trees is enough to keep us in good supply, that and clean scrap wood from various sources. Last time, Snarfy the Wonder Girl and I took turns reading from "Lord of the Rings" by the fireside.

Sun, 2009-08-30 21:54

#49

remind

No wee trees that are pine are going to be allowed to grow on our property. We use the ash to mix with manure and other compost to build bigger gardens.

We have been busy planting assorted other tree and shrub species for hedges and shade.

Plus the wild blue berries, cranberries and saskatoons, in the yard, are growing in leaps and bounds since all the pine are pretty much gone, which is a huge bonus, no driving all over to pick enough. And next year there will be way more, and sadly we may move.

Tue, 2009-09-08 17:53

#50

Boom Boom

Finally got an answer to a question I've been asking for many years: there was an annuncement on the radio today about a public meeting regarding the road construction in Kegaska. After two hours with no announcements made, I finally went up to the Minister of Transport for Quebec and asked him directly: when will the road be completed between Kegaska and Natashquan? Answer: in three years. Geez, I'll be 63 by then.

Tue, 2009-09-08 21:32

#51

remind

Not to make light of the 3 year delay, nor your turning 63, but at least it will be done before you actually get to be a senior.

We continue to lay cement sidewalks and there was fresh snow on the mountains this am.

What's happening locally? (2)

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