On 21 Jan 2004 17:34:48 -0800, (Mark) wrote:

Heather wrote in message ...
Well, the seed catalogs are coming! It's hard to envision being outside
and puttering around in the garden when it's so cold, but with the
catalogs comes this year's plan. What's everyone doing?

We've got the 6 raised beds, as usual.

One is already full of garlic, 6 or 8 varieties, including Elephant,
Siberian Red, Chesnok, and others. I plan to intercrop some greens in
that bed.

We'll have a bed full o' herbs; another with a mix of eggplant, pole
beans, greens...I will plant what I hope will be a bumper crop of
leeks (I have several friends who are already chomping at the bit for
'em)

We'll probably pass on growing corn this year; it always ends up with
us buying our ears at the farmers' market.

I was thinking that if I ever wanted "normal" corn again, I'd have to
start raising it because the only thing I've found at markets is the
nasty "sweet" stuff that doesn't even taste like corn anymore. I
threw away the last I bought it was so nasty tasting to me! I'd
rather eat field corn than that stuff!

The usual carrots, but a few varied types. Sugar snap peas. Roma
tomatoes. A few types of bell peppers...a few types of warm to hot
peppers...

My lovely wife would like to see some broccoli this year, so that's in
the works. I might try to grow some onions, too.

Almost most-anticipated: my 4 artichoke plants which have been
wintering over under a thick layer of straw mulch. The lowest the
temps have gotten this winter (so far) has been ~15 (F). With the
brevity of the low temps and the mulch, I hope they'll take off this
spring and end up giving us a nice crop by late summer.

is that ~15 mean -15 f?

The MOST anticipated addition to the garden this year is the ducks.
The kids and I are looking forward to getting 4 ducklings this spring
to help keep the bug'n'slug population to a minimum. The wife? --
She's hoping my neighborhood reputation as "that odd guy" won't be
carried over to her by me having a flock of fowl in the middle of our
city. The way I figure it, if they have names, they're not livestock,
right? They're pets.

They legal there? I got muscovy "ducks" when I was keeping such
before the city said nope gotta go. They don't "quack" so much as
make something between a hissing and a hoarse whisper sound, and they
do some silly things. They can't fly, so they kind of walk in V
formations hissing and bobbing. They're so ugly they're cute. They
have raised warty red "combs" around their eyes, and a little crest.
The females are great mothers, and brood up to 20 eggs at a whack. I
had to pull one off a nest she was hiding out in the snow in November
one year. If you're of a mind to do such, they're good meat birds
too, flavor and texture is similar to beef.

Muscovys are not true ducks though, they can and will drown if they
get into a pond or wading pool and can't get out, they are waterfowl,
but they must be able to get out and dry out, so any water you give
them, give them rocks up the side to get out.

ALL ducks are .. umm.... how to put it.. "squirty" and as such are
messy. But they'll chase and catch mosquitoes. They'll trample stuff
with their big ol' feet. Regular ducks are pretty noisy at times, so
if you're trying to hide 'em, keep that in mind. That's one of the
reasons I got muscovys.

One thing to keep in mind, they do need some green area as all will
get sores on their feet if they don't have considerable non-hard dry
areas to walk.
..
I'm hoping to hone my skills so that when the end of the world comes,
I'll be able to provide for me 'n' mine...I've been following other
threads on this N.G....

Mark

P.S. This marks year #2 for my hearty kiwi vines growing along the
back fence (no flowers or fruit yet). Mrs. W. gave me the green light
to plant them there as long as she is allowed to harvest what falls on
her side of the fence...a tradeoff I'm more than willing to accept.

I've been wanting to get some hardy kiwis but I have to put up
sturdier support than the 4 x 4 posts and wire that I have for the
grapes I've been told and read, they need additional posts and wires
when they bear because they're heavier than grapes. I wanted the
pretty male plants that have green white and pink leaves, but the
female vines I heard don't have as much color. I'll check a couple
more things before I decide. What varieties do you have?

P.P.S. The garden shed is done, but I still have to complete the
gutter system so I can water only with collected rainwater. And I
still want to construct a little lean-to greenhouse on the side...not
there yet.

Sounds like you've been busy!! I haven't been able to do any active
gardening or much of anything for years, but I'm hoping that this year
I can at least start some tomatoes and get them in the ground because
I have some other folks here with me who may be of use come summer.

I can only hope!

Good gardening!

Janice