Dreaming of Spring Gardening in the Middle of a Wisconsin winter part 2

[jvls1942]

the tractor is a 1955 Oliver Super 55.
I got a call tonight that the oil pressure is fixed and there is good oil pressure.
My wiife and son went to the woods and dug up some nice blackberry plants from a patch we picked for a few years. they planted a row along the driveway. It spread, and the birds helped to get a patch going on the other side of the driveway. when I started making a little wine, I tossed the seeds behind the garage. We have lots of blackberries now. I have given plants to several people . One day my wife picked
one hundred pounds..
the two jugs I started yesterday are perking nicely. they are in front of the patio door. it is kind of cool there, so the fermentation will take a little longer.
.....jiminwisc......

 

[21hens-incharge]

The dogs and barn cats sure have a thick coat of fur this year, to me that says a cold winter.
The guineas have finished molting and look so nice in their shiny new feathers - the poor old guys seem lonely with just the 2 of them. I will have to get some babies to raise next spring to keep them company.

I am ordering 50 strawberry plants for spring delivery. I have been looking for Fort Laramie strawberries for 8 years - but I usually look too late. I finally found a place with then in stock.

We have the fence up around the garden, but don't have fencing on the gates yet. The dang deer have been in the garden all fall cleaning up the stuff I didn't get to yet. I was weeding the strawberry area and found that I actually had a few plants that were thriving. The deer ate them down that night, I took a load of old hay out to much the plants and they were all gone!

We panted an apple tree last spring, it was doing great! I went out to wrap it to protect it from the rabbits and mice and found it broken. The deer used it as a scrape and tore most the branches off before it snapped a foot above the ground. I suppose I should wrap what is left and see if anything grows on it next year.

I added Fort Larimie strawberries last year (2019). They are my new favorite! Nice big berries on long stems is what mine have done. I will lift them very early this spring and add some natural fertilizer (steer manure) to the bed.

I hope to get enough that we can have strawberry shortcake AND make jam. We do a lot of strawberry shortcake around here.

Interesting thing...Strawberries prepped for shortcake put on lemon cake tastes really really good.

 

[jvls1942]

I can make a meal out of strawberry shortcake.
My mom used to make a baking powder biscuit . and sometimes a pound cake. We buy
angel food cakes or the short bread cups. It is all good..
Now you made me hungry. I think I will go up and have a piece of coconut cream pie.
up until this summer there was a pick your own strawberry patch just a half mile from us.
I gave up trying to start my own patch long ago.
the weeks always over ran me..

 

[jvls1942]

Hi all,
today was a take it easy one. I washed out three wine jugs. topped off the two fermenting jugs with warm water. That turned out to be a mistake. the warm water really kicked the yeast in the butt. It went wild. Both of the air locks got pushed off. One jug pushed the air lock in about five minutes. after four times I just left it off and wrapped a towel around the neck of the jug. that will do until it settles down in a day or two..
I looked up a couple of beer recipes. I haven't made beer for over 30 years.. but with all this time on my hands I figure I should give it a try..
.......jiminwisc......

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Some day maybe we will try wine making. It sounds interesting. We did decide to get a bigger patch of blackberries going next year. We will probably put it in where we grew our sweet corn, and critter corn.

 

[CluckerFamily]

Knowing how to make wine is very dangerous for me! I am better off not know and just buying some amazing peach raspberry wine from a friend.

 

[jvls1942]

strange thing is, I don't drink much wine. I just like making it.
to me , getting the juice out of the fruit seems to be the most difficult part.. I just feel
like I have to get every last drop .
when you plant your blackberries, put them in an area that you won't mind if they spread.
because they will spread.
and make narrow rows far apart. use a hedge trimmer to keep the kanes about shoulder high.
all of these things I did not do and am sorry for it...
.......jiminwisc......

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Thanks for the tips. I guess if they get out of hand I can send in the goats to deal with the brambles.

 

[jvls1942]

I think camels would chew on spiney brambles, too.
...jiminwisc.....

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thanks for the tips. I guess if they get out of hand I can send in the goats to deal with the brambles.

This is why I want to get goats. About half my property is blackberry bramble, it keeps me busy all spring and summer constantly cutting it back!