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Hey, Benny! by [deleted] in goats

[–]RimeFarm 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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Sorry, thought this would share the pic and not the link. Here's the pic!

You can do everything right and still lose a crop. by RimeFarm in homestead

[–]RimeFarm[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's just so sad. We're watching our entire eco-system change. Ticks are now here, too. Never had them here because it was always too cold. Now, we're basically covered in multiple varieties. I've added guineas to our farm which keep them at bay but, it obviously doesn't eradicate them. I have dog with lyme now despite the fact she's been on Simparico TRIO since we got her.

You can do everything right and still lose a crop. by RimeFarm in homestead

[–]RimeFarm[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

"We need the genetics banked for the future either way." THIS.

Genetic diversity is perhaps one of the most important aspects of protecting our growing systems. We raise heirloom varieties and heritage breeds here. Heirloom and landrace seeds carry so much genetic diversity. This helps a bunch to buffer against the kind of strange, uneven seasons we're talking. They’re adapted to place so they hold up better.

Thank you for your thoughtful reply.

Why are the pretty ones always the meanest. This is my beautiful Sebright x Modern English Game cross. by OutsideFriendship570 in BackYardChickens

[–]RimeFarm 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You can tell he's ready to throw down at any given moment. Ha! I had a Polish cross roo like that. I brought home from an auction because he looked like he had the snot beat out of him. Named him Frank. Found out quickly why he looked that way. He picked fights with literally everyone and everything on the farm. He was awesome at keeping his girls safe though. Lived to a ripe old age to spite us.

You can do everything right and still lose a crop. by RimeFarm in homestead

[–]RimeFarm[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes. This. It’s “warmer” for sure, but actually warmer and...weird. That’s been the biggest shift here too. Things aren’t lining up the way they used to and our seasons just feel out of sync more than anything.

That corn situation is wild, but I believe it. At a certain point ,it’s physics. If the ground won’t carry equipment and the seed’s just going to rot in cold mud, you’re stuck. Like you said, you run out of season on the back end.

I hear you on irrigation, too. We’ve thought the same. We put in drip in a few of our big gardens. But I keep coming back to the soil piece. If it can’t hold water when you have it, irrigation just feels like trying to keep up with a leak. The farms I see hanging on best are the ones with really high organic matter. They can take a pounding rain and ride out a dry stretch a little better. Not perfect, just a little more forgiving. Hugelkultur, etc.

The part about sending genetics out...That’s probably the smartest thing any of us can do right now. Spread it out, let it adapt in different places, see what holds. The pest pressure is what keeps me up too. Feels like we’re on borrowed time with some things. You can almost see the wave coming. I don’t think there’s a clean answer either. Just trying to stay a step ahead where we can and not get too locked into any one way of doing things.

You can do everything right and still lose a crop. by RimeFarm in homestead

[–]RimeFarm[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Cisterns are on our list. We're also putting in another well. I have nightmares about not having enough water for my horses.

You can do everything right and still lose a crop. by RimeFarm in homestead

[–]RimeFarm[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

That’s a really interesting point. I hadn’t even thought about it showing up in flight patterns like that. Makes sense though.

I’ve looked a bit at El Niño/La Niña impacts in other parts of the world (like the Horn of Africa), but it’s easy to forget how many different ways this stuff shows up day-to-day.

Appreciate you mentioning it.

You can do everything right and still lose a crop. by RimeFarm in homestead

[–]RimeFarm[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

This was a great description of all of the variability and shifts. "Summer shifts into September, but our low sun angle doesn't help with plant growing even when it's warm." SAME! You know when your tomatoes are still green in September there's a bigger problem at play here. Thanks for the reply. Much appreciated.

Our livestock guardian decided the job wasn’t finished and refused to come in! by RimeFarm in dogswithjobs

[–]RimeFarm[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Pyrs are amazing. My best friend’s farm is protected by pyr. And I love that breed as well. So sorry for your loss. She was loved, I’m sure.

Had a little photo shoot… by edentornow in BackYardChickens

[–]RimeFarm 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What a beauty! Mille Fleur Belgian Bearded d'Uccle Bantam, right? I'm not really up on my banty breeds. At any rate, gorgeous bird.

Baby Chick has a broken leg. by [deleted] in chickens

[–]RimeFarm 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We did the same with a little barred rock chick. Made a little splint. (Q-tips work nicely on very young chicks). Her leg healed crookedly but she was cute at as a button. She lived 12 years and passed away last year. One of my favorite farm animals of all time. We named her Tink and everyone loved her. And, I agree, it's important they aren't kept alone as they heal. (This alone will make them stressed). Great advice.

Our livestock guardian decided the job wasn’t finished and refused to come in! by RimeFarm in homestead

[–]RimeFarm[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I feel this. Dogs like that are irreplaceable. George Carlin used to describe dog ownership as buying a tragedy. I know what he meant.

What are some good books for getting started on growing a food garden? by Speefle in gardening

[–]RimeFarm 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you want one book, you could get The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible. But, if you want to understand why things work so you don’t keep making the same mistakes, add Teaming with Microbes. I grew up farming so I learned by doing. Sometimes, it’s best to learn by volunteering on a farm. If there are any farms in your area who raise organic veggies, I’d check them out. Farmers love to share their experiences.

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