I present to you...an exclusive club in OOME (literally).
Feel free to share your backyard chickens, goats, bees, gardens, etc. We have a few resident experts around here. I recommend @Taethowen for all chicken-related advice.
To fill out:
Plant Hardiness Zone (USDA, Global):
Hemisphere (since we're technically a global community):
Approximate length of growing season (if known):
Livestock Own(ed), and years of experience:
Gardening, with years of experience (please specify whether edible or ornamental gardening):
Other (such as bees, fruit trees, etc.):
Any specialty cases/skills related to the above:
Homesteaders of Middle-earth
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Just to add to this, we are working on putting together a thread in Fangorn for real-life planting and gardening advice...should be launching relatively soon and be a nice supplemENT to this conversation 
Fangorn Forever
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Sage of Khazad-dûm
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I'm growing tomatoes!
Family Stealtharm | Sil's #1 Property | Knowledge of a woman, pride of a dwarf | Khazâd ai-mênu!
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Istari Savant
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Before we moved, we had a nice little herb garden. Cherry tomato plants produced like crazy, and I'm pretty sure we have enough oregano and rosemary to last until the sun goes supernova.
What, she killed them with mathematics. What else could it have been? - Jayne Cobb
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Thain of The Mark
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I AM EAGERLY AWAITING THIS. I check Fangorn for it every day. :smiley8:
@Tari Maybe we could put together a quick questionnaire for reference? That way we kind of know who's good to tag for what, question-wise.
Something like this:
Plant Hardiness Zone (USDA, Global):
Hemisphere (since we're technically a global community):
Approximate length of growing season (if known):
Livestock Own(ed), and years of experience:
Gardening, with years of experience (please specify whether edible or ornamental gardening):
Other (such as bees, fruit trees, etc.):
Any specialty cases/skills related to the above:
I'll post my questionnaire answers separately. XD
Second Marshal of the Mark
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Plant Hardiness Zone (USDA, Global): USDA Zone 7a
Hemisphere (since we're technically a global community): Northern
Approximate length of growing season (if known): aprx. 200 consecutive frost-free days, give or take 10 or so days, but there are certain things we can grow through the winter here.
Livestock Own(ed), and years of experience: Chickens, 7 1/2 years. I have raised from day-old and also incubated eggs (but only one time).
Gardening, with years of experience (please specify whether edible or ornamental gardening): 5ish years trying to grow food of various kinds, if you count all my gardening attempts from childhood. My favorite crops are garlic and tomatoes.
Other (such as bees, fruit trees, etc.): learning and dreaming for more still!
Any specialty cases/skills related to the above: I urban farm/homestead, so I'm completely within city limits. I utilize many components of Back to Eden gardening as well, since I have clay soil and often have drought conditions, but have had to alter my techniques to account for highly invasive Bermuda grass
.
Hemisphere (since we're technically a global community): Northern
Approximate length of growing season (if known): aprx. 200 consecutive frost-free days, give or take 10 or so days, but there are certain things we can grow through the winter here.
Livestock Own(ed), and years of experience: Chickens, 7 1/2 years. I have raised from day-old and also incubated eggs (but only one time).
Gardening, with years of experience (please specify whether edible or ornamental gardening): 5ish years trying to grow food of various kinds, if you count all my gardening attempts from childhood. My favorite crops are garlic and tomatoes.
Other (such as bees, fruit trees, etc.): learning and dreaming for more still!
Any specialty cases/skills related to the above: I urban farm/homestead, so I'm completely within city limits. I utilize many components of Back to Eden gardening as well, since I have clay soil and often have drought conditions, but have had to alter my techniques to account for highly invasive Bermuda grass
.Second Marshal of the Mark
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@Mojo Should we combine? I'm down you taking this all over in Fangy. No need for two spaces. I had no idea it was on the radar. We were just chatting in Discord about it.
@Taethowen I shall add that to the top in the meantime... unless Fangy takes us all away over there.
@Taethowen I shall add that to the top in the meantime... unless Fangy takes us all away over there.
she/her
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I'm cool with combining too, but wasn't sure if the Fangorn thread was going to be JUST garden/plants, and homesteading usually integrates more than that, like livestock, food preservation, etc.
Second Marshal of the Mark
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Plant Hardiness Zone (USDA, Global): 5a
Hemisphere (since we're technically a global community): Northern
Approximate length of growing season (if known): 5 minutes
Last frost date falls around end of May, first around end of September
Livestock Own(ed), and years of experience: Chickens! I've kept a flock for *checks calendar* 6 years now, and raised a lot of chicks from a bunch of different breeds in that timeframe
Gardening, with years of experience (please specify whether edible or ornamental gardening): Edible and ornamental, though ornamental is my passion. Been doing both for about 6 years now too
Other (such as bees, fruit trees, etc.): I've done a fair bit of tender fruit (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries) and am looking to start up at least one beehive and get a mini-orchard planted in the next couple of years, as well as start tapping a few trees for syrup
Any specialty cases/skills related to the above: I am really good at raising chicks from day(ish) old mail orders at this point, know a fair bit about a lot of heritage breeds, and have a handful of different hatcheries I can recommend. I taught myself to slaughter and process roosters and spent hens, so can advise if you want to process for the first time. Additionally, I recently moved into a VERY deer-heavy neighborhood and have been on a really steep learning curve in that regard, so I'm rapidly becoming an expert on deer-repellant gardening Oh, and while we don't have a pond at present, I maintained a pretty decent-sized one in the past, so I love to chat about pond stuff.
Hemisphere (since we're technically a global community): Northern
Approximate length of growing season (if known): 5 minutes
Last frost date falls around end of May, first around end of SeptemberLivestock Own(ed), and years of experience: Chickens! I've kept a flock for *checks calendar* 6 years now, and raised a lot of chicks from a bunch of different breeds in that timeframe
Gardening, with years of experience (please specify whether edible or ornamental gardening): Edible and ornamental, though ornamental is my passion. Been doing both for about 6 years now too
Other (such as bees, fruit trees, etc.): I've done a fair bit of tender fruit (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries) and am looking to start up at least one beehive and get a mini-orchard planted in the next couple of years, as well as start tapping a few trees for syrup
Any specialty cases/skills related to the above: I am really good at raising chicks from day(ish) old mail orders at this point, know a fair bit about a lot of heritage breeds, and have a handful of different hatcheries I can recommend. I taught myself to slaughter and process roosters and spent hens, so can advise if you want to process for the first time. Additionally, I recently moved into a VERY deer-heavy neighborhood and have been on a really steep learning curve in that regard, so I'm rapidly becoming an expert on deer-repellant gardening
Oh, and while we don't have a pond at present, I maintained a pretty decent-sized one in the past, so I love to chat about pond stuff.
Bealdorhaelend
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@Taethowen I agree on all fronts. Not sure if things will combine or not. I'm open to whatever folks want to do. Should I put folks info in the top post?
Would love to learn more about chickens as this is my first year. I've also been trying to grow giant pumpkins for ages, which I know is really difficult in a high-plains desert, but I still enjoy the challenge. So if anyone has been successful with pumpkins in a similar climate, please share!
Plant Hardiness Zone (USDA, Global): 5a, but it's 5b about 100 feet from me technically so, who knows.
Hemisphere (since we're technically a global community): Northern
Approximate length of growing season (if known): May 31-Sept 19 (I use hoop housing to extend the season and we're building cold frames this summer in lieu of having space for a greenhouse.
Livestock Own(ed), and years of experience: Bees - 3 years (bees are considered livestock here), Chickens - 2 weeks
Gardening, with years of experience (please specify whether edible or ornamental gardening): 4 years in this area, 14 years total...and if you count childhood with grandma...loads. I do tons of veggies and tons of flowers.
Other (such as bees, fruit trees, etc.): Bees as stated above.
Any specialty cases/skills related to the above: I'm apparently a good landscaper? I do lots of shade and drought-tolerant plants and I'm your go-to person for flowers in all seasons that support honey bees and native bees. Native bees are even more important in the continental US than honey bees. Ask me all the pollinator questions!
Would love to learn more about chickens as this is my first year. I've also been trying to grow giant pumpkins for ages, which I know is really difficult in a high-plains desert, but I still enjoy the challenge. So if anyone has been successful with pumpkins in a similar climate, please share!
Plant Hardiness Zone (USDA, Global): 5a, but it's 5b about 100 feet from me technically so, who knows.
Hemisphere (since we're technically a global community): Northern
Approximate length of growing season (if known): May 31-Sept 19 (I use hoop housing to extend the season and we're building cold frames this summer in lieu of having space for a greenhouse.
Livestock Own(ed), and years of experience: Bees - 3 years (bees are considered livestock here), Chickens - 2 weeks
Gardening, with years of experience (please specify whether edible or ornamental gardening): 4 years in this area, 14 years total...and if you count childhood with grandma...loads. I do tons of veggies and tons of flowers.
Other (such as bees, fruit trees, etc.): Bees as stated above.
Any specialty cases/skills related to the above: I'm apparently a good landscaper? I do lots of shade and drought-tolerant plants and I'm your go-to person for flowers in all seasons that support honey bees and native bees. Native bees are even more important in the continental US than honey bees. Ask me all the pollinator questions!
she/her
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@Tari I think for now we're probably fine leaving folk's info in the thread. Especially as there's only 3 of us so far, lol.
I'm about to brave squash in general again for the first time in 5 years because here in Oklahoma we must battle the dreaded Squash Vine Borer. This year my local urban farming guild said that many people have had good success planting white icicle radishes around their squash to confuse the squash vine borer so I bought some. We'll see how it goes!
Also, my current floof butts, 6 of which are brand new as of today:
There are ten total in there. 4 Speckled Sussex (the biggest ones) and then 2 White Leghorns, 2 Silver Laced English Orpingtons, 1 Silver Laced Chocolate English Orpington, and 1 Chocolate English Orpington. We know there's at least 2 of the Speckled Sussex which are boys, and hoping the majority of the rest are girls. :?
At some point I'll upload pics of my adult flock as well. And our coop.
I'm about to brave squash in general again for the first time in 5 years because here in Oklahoma we must battle the dreaded Squash Vine Borer. This year my local urban farming guild said that many people have had good success planting white icicle radishes around their squash to confuse the squash vine borer so I bought some. We'll see how it goes!
Also, my current floof butts, 6 of which are brand new as of today:
There are ten total in there. 4 Speckled Sussex (the biggest ones) and then 2 White Leghorns, 2 Silver Laced English Orpingtons, 1 Silver Laced Chocolate English Orpington, and 1 Chocolate English Orpington. We know there's at least 2 of the Speckled Sussex which are boys, and hoping the majority of the rest are girls. :?
At some point I'll upload pics of my adult flock as well. And our coop.
Second Marshal of the Mark
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New Soul
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Hardiness zone USDA zone 9
Hemisphere Northern
Growing Season 11 months out of the year, I believe.
Livestock None unless you count earwigs and spiders. I live in a suburb but the neighborhood has lots of chickens, goats and a few horses.
Gardening experience and type I've been growing something or other for 35 years or so. I am an eclectic gardener with some emphasis on native plants. And I love trees. My garden is full and kinda wild looking. I have big hedges which make it it like the Secret Garden. I have Matilija Poppy everywhere. I let it run wild. It grows in 7 foot tall thickets with lots of big fluttering white flowers. I cut paths through them. I have a bunch of Crape Myrtle trees and three big Planetrees with wind bells in them. My suburban lot has 30+ trees. Not a conventional garden but it's soothing to the soul to sit out there and listen to the trees rustle, the Mockingbird's song and the wind bells chime.
Hemisphere Northern
Growing Season 11 months out of the year, I believe.
Livestock None unless you count earwigs and spiders. I live in a suburb but the neighborhood has lots of chickens, goats and a few horses.
Gardening experience and type I've been growing something or other for 35 years or so. I am an eclectic gardener with some emphasis on native plants. And I love trees. My garden is full and kinda wild looking. I have big hedges which make it it like the Secret Garden. I have Matilija Poppy everywhere. I let it run wild. It grows in 7 foot tall thickets with lots of big fluttering white flowers. I cut paths through them. I have a bunch of Crape Myrtle trees and three big Planetrees with wind bells in them. My suburban lot has 30+ trees. Not a conventional garden but it's soothing to the soul to sit out there and listen to the trees rustle, the Mockingbird's song and the wind bells chime.
The Dwarf formerly known as Mahal.
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Esquire of The Mark
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Plant Hardiness Zone (USDA, Global): 7b or 8a (in Norwegian hardiness zones h3/h4)
Hemisphere (since we're technically a global community): northern
Approximate length of growing season (if known): 6 minutes following @Thalionwens definitions
, so mid-/end May to September
Livestock Own(ed), and years of experience: does kids count?
Gardening, with years of experience (please specify whether edible or ornamental gardening): I have been growing herbs and vegetables in my parents garden for as long as I can remember, I graduated to a balcony garden in 2006 and upgraded to town house garden in 2014. So it is not a proper homestead, but it produces quite a lot on the space I am allowed to use by my husband. So I have six pallet frames with various vegetables (this year potatoes, carrots, squash/pumpkin, beets, salad, snap peas, jerusalem artichokes,spinach, tomatoes), red and black currant, rhubarb, various herbs. I also grow some flowers for the bees and because they are pretty. And I am working on transforming a part of the communal area into a flower bed.
Other (such as bees, fruit trees, etc.): we have three chili plants indoor
Any specialty cases/skills related to the above: edible wild plants and mushrooms. Some basic preserving methodes
Hemisphere (since we're technically a global community): northern
Approximate length of growing season (if known): 6 minutes following @Thalionwens definitions
, so mid-/end May to SeptemberLivestock Own(ed), and years of experience: does kids count?
Gardening, with years of experience (please specify whether edible or ornamental gardening): I have been growing herbs and vegetables in my parents garden for as long as I can remember, I graduated to a balcony garden in 2006 and upgraded to town house garden in 2014. So it is not a proper homestead, but it produces quite a lot on the space I am allowed to use by my husband. So I have six pallet frames with various vegetables (this year potatoes, carrots, squash/pumpkin, beets, salad, snap peas, jerusalem artichokes,spinach, tomatoes), red and black currant, rhubarb, various herbs. I also grow some flowers for the bees and because they are pretty. And I am working on transforming a part of the communal area into a flower bed.
Other (such as bees, fruit trees, etc.): we have three chili plants indoor
Any specialty cases/skills related to the above: edible wild plants and mushrooms. Some basic preserving methodes
Hælend of Meduseld
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@Dis your lot sounds absolutely serene and I want to come and see it. My yard has 1 (still baby) fruit tree in the backyard, and 2 trees in the front yard, and its so sad.
@Amadhrill I'm slowly learning from the local wildcrafting/foraging group in my area and it's such a WONDERFUL skill to have! I let my yard go 'wild' early each spring so I can see what's popping up and give all the wild things a chance to re-seed.
@Amadhrill I'm slowly learning from the local wildcrafting/foraging group in my area and it's such a WONDERFUL skill to have! I let my yard go 'wild' early each spring so I can see what's popping up and give all the wild things a chance to re-seed.
Second Marshal of the Mark
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I'm killing all my plants.. 
One of them had mold *sigh* I'm going to be needing that thread in Fangorn! 
One of them had mold *sigh* I'm going to be needing that thread in Fangorn! Minion at heart; but the horsie icons are too cute!
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IDES! OMG! *squeaks and glomps* Welcome back! :D
Also, here is Fangorn's Glade of Growing, which is the gardening thread. Hopefully we can help you figure out the dying plants stuff!
Also, here is Fangorn's Glade of Growing, which is the gardening thread. Hopefully we can help you figure out the dying plants stuff!
Second Marshal of the Mark
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A possum somehow got into our coop and just ... fell asleep? I went to check the laying box and found this little possum just curled up with the eggs. Didn't seem to bother the chickens at all.
In the deeps of Time, amidst the Innumerable Stars
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@Androthelm aww! People around these here parts (aka Oklahoma) tend to give possums a bad rap when it comes to chickens, but I've had some wildlife experts say it's very rare for opossums to attack and kill living things (except snakes). They're scavengers mostly, which makes me wonder if opossums are often blamed for other creatures kills.
Second Marshal of the Mark
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I've had possums kill several chickens and they are...not good at it. They just horribly maim them by chewing on their faces. Would take a fox or hawk over a possum in my coop any day! You were lucky, @Androthelm! Although I think they do have to be a certain size before they'll try to tackle a full-grown hen.
Bealdorhaelend
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@Taethowen That's interesting -- I'm in Tennessee and we definitely hear rumors about them being threats too, that's certainly what I knew growing up.
@Thalionwen I suspect that's what happened! We'd had signs of something digging around the edges of the coop a few nights ago where it looked like whatever it was hit the mesh floor and gave up. I'm hoping it was just this guy -- since you're right, I think, that it was too small to really take on a hen.
@Thalionwen I suspect that's what happened! We'd had signs of something digging around the edges of the coop a few nights ago where it looked like whatever it was hit the mesh floor and gave up. I'm hoping it was just this guy -- since you're right, I think, that it was too small to really take on a hen.
In the deeps of Time, amidst the Innumerable Stars
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Ok! Long-awaited chicken coop pictures from me!
Basic stats:
Coop is 4' x 5', not including nest boxes, which are accessible from the outside
The outer wall of the coop opens up completely for cleaning
2 4' roosting bars
3 nest boxes
The enclosure is roughly 11' x 12'. The main support comes from 4" x 4" posts in each corner which are cemented in. The enclosure/coop has held up to a near miss (less than 1/2 mile) from a tornado, as well as several intense straight-line wind incidents (like yesterday, where we had 40+ mile an hour wind gusts for about 18 hours straight.)
We also had an incident with stray dogs trying to break into the coop to get our chickens, and we didn't lose any of them because the coop was stronger. This is one reason why I will *always* advocate using hardware cloth (1/2" grid or smaller) over any other type of fencing/metal barrier.
The roof slope on the enclosure is 2:1, to allow proper drainage/slippage for snow or ice. Our prevailing winds come from the west, so the low end of the roof faces into them.
However, we made some mistakes with the roof and it does leak a little bit in heavy rain, and birds are able to get into the enclosure under the roof. :oops:
There's also a few other things I would do differently now if/when we build a new coop, but that's another story/post, lol.
In the final picture is my current adult flock. The white hen (a White Leghorn) is Polly--she is EIGHT YEARS OLD and still my best layer, the black chickens are Black Australorps (Curly, and the rooster is Jon Snow), and the black and white one is Cora, a Dominique I adopted from my best friend when she decided to take a break from chicken-keeping for a while.
Basic stats:
Coop is 4' x 5', not including nest boxes, which are accessible from the outside
The outer wall of the coop opens up completely for cleaning
2 4' roosting bars
3 nest boxes
The enclosure is roughly 11' x 12'. The main support comes from 4" x 4" posts in each corner which are cemented in. The enclosure/coop has held up to a near miss (less than 1/2 mile) from a tornado, as well as several intense straight-line wind incidents (like yesterday, where we had 40+ mile an hour wind gusts for about 18 hours straight.)
We also had an incident with stray dogs trying to break into the coop to get our chickens, and we didn't lose any of them because the coop was stronger. This is one reason why I will *always* advocate using hardware cloth (1/2" grid or smaller) over any other type of fencing/metal barrier.
The roof slope on the enclosure is 2:1, to allow proper drainage/slippage for snow or ice. Our prevailing winds come from the west, so the low end of the roof faces into them.
However, we made some mistakes with the roof and it does leak a little bit in heavy rain, and birds are able to get into the enclosure under the roof. :oops:
There's also a few other things I would do differently now if/when we build a new coop, but that's another story/post, lol.
In the final picture is my current adult flock. The white hen (a White Leghorn) is Polly--she is EIGHT YEARS OLD and still my best layer, the black chickens are Black Australorps (Curly, and the rooster is Jon Snow), and the black and white one is Cora, a Dominique I adopted from my best friend when she decided to take a break from chicken-keeping for a while.
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YAY! Catching up on your coop @Taethowen. I've been getting all things homestead-ish done this week. Trying to get as much done around the yard before it gets blazing hot out and it feels nearly impossible to want to be out all day. We had to, unfortunately, put chicken wire up on our coop/run when we built it because there was no hardware cloth to be found online or in-person and we had no idea when/if we'd be able to get ahold of some. Thankfully a ton just arrived from Amazon yesterday and now I get to do the impossible task of switching it all out. Also the beekeeper in me is so excited to see a lawn full of clover!
Here are a few pictures of our brand new coop, still unused, but we should be able to get our flock outside in a few weeks! Also throwing in the fire pit I built earlier this week.
Here are a few pictures of our brand new coop, still unused, but we should be able to get our flock outside in a few weeks! Also throwing in the fire pit I built earlier this week.
she/her
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@Tari Lovely coop AND firepit! Is the tire under the coop for their dustbathing area?
A firepit is on our to-do list for this summer/fall hopefully!
A firepit is on our to-do list for this summer/fall hopefully!
Second Marshal of the Mark
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@Taethowen It is intended for that, though I have no idea if it’s a good idea. Haha. The fire pit was easy. I ordered the kit online at Lowe’s and then went and picked it up.
she/her
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I always feel bad for the bees when I mow the clover blossoms off...
“… Wise but unlearned, writing no books but singing many songs…”
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@Wamba_the_Fool they come back though!
she/her
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@Tari Good thing, too.
Want to hear something funny? I try to nudge the honeybees out of the way when I'm mowing. Can't bear to hurt the little guys. Worry that they're angry that I'm interrupting their meal. Don't blame 'em; can you imagine some jerk trying to shorten your table by a few inches right when you have the fork to your mouth?
Don't tell the wife. (Although she probably already knows, heh.)
Want to hear something funny? I try to nudge the honeybees out of the way when I'm mowing. Can't bear to hurt the little guys. Worry that they're angry that I'm interrupting their meal. Don't blame 'em; can you imagine some jerk trying to shorten your table by a few inches right when you have the fork to your mouth?
Don't tell the wife. (Although she probably already knows, heh.)
“… Wise but unlearned, writing no books but singing many songs…”
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Thain of The Mark
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@Wamba_the_Fool When I mow, I wait for the honeybees to move out of the mower path. It's probably why mowing takes me twice as long as it does my hubby.
Second Marshal of the Mark
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Hi all!
Plant Hardiness Zone (USDA, Global): USDA zone 6a or 6b
Hemisphere (since we're technically a global community): Northern
Approximate length of growing season (if known): mid-May to October
Livestock Own(ed), and years of experience: None, but we'd like to someday in the near future!
Gardening, with years of experience (please specify whether edible or ornamental gardening): about 5 years, mostly edible (herbs, peppers, tomatoes, looking to branch out)
Other (such as bees, fruit trees, etc.): None
Any specialty cases/skills related to the above: I don't have personal experience in this yet, but my grandfather is a forester and I would really love to develop my skills and knowledge in this area in the future. I love the woods. I'm also interested in getting better at composting, especially vermicomposting, which could cut down even more on our food waste. To me it's like a fun game. I do make our own stocks from meat and veggie scraps and have learned in the past couple years to make our own lard and tallow. I enjoy cooking and baking from scratch.
We've not done much more than dabble in edible gardening yet, but I'd really like to expand my knowledge and skills. We had planned for a bigger garden this year but then we found out we were having a baby in the middle of summer, so it didn't seem like a good time to try a bunch of new things at once. I've been trying to persuade @Mojo for years on chickens but so far he's not going for it. I would not say no to some positive peer pressure. :smiley10:
Plant Hardiness Zone (USDA, Global): USDA zone 6a or 6b
Hemisphere (since we're technically a global community): Northern
Approximate length of growing season (if known): mid-May to October
Livestock Own(ed), and years of experience: None, but we'd like to someday in the near future!
Gardening, with years of experience (please specify whether edible or ornamental gardening): about 5 years, mostly edible (herbs, peppers, tomatoes, looking to branch out)
Other (such as bees, fruit trees, etc.): None
Any specialty cases/skills related to the above: I don't have personal experience in this yet, but my grandfather is a forester and I would really love to develop my skills and knowledge in this area in the future. I love the woods. I'm also interested in getting better at composting, especially vermicomposting, which could cut down even more on our food waste. To me it's like a fun game. I do make our own stocks from meat and veggie scraps and have learned in the past couple years to make our own lard and tallow. I enjoy cooking and baking from scratch.
We've not done much more than dabble in edible gardening yet, but I'd really like to expand my knowledge and skills. We had planned for a bigger garden this year but then we found out we were having a baby in the middle of summer, so it didn't seem like a good time to try a bunch of new things at once.
I've been trying to persuade @Mojo for years on chickens but so far he's not going for it. I would not say no to some positive peer pressure. :smiley10:- Points: 2 582
Thain of The Mark
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Hi Mrs. Mojo (@MistressofJesters)! We hear a lot about you (only lovely things) in the Plaza Discord! We're working on converting him to chicken-keeping. ;)
If you don't know your USDA zone for sure, you can punch your zip code in here and it will tell you: https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/
I want to try vermicomposting as well, but my husband has uh... some issues with worms in the house, so that might be the hard-and-fast 'no' I have to put up with in exchange for all the other things I want to do, lol.
Lard/tallow rendering has been on my homestead bucket list for a while, but I haven't tracked down a source for the fat yet. So jealous!
If you don't know your USDA zone for sure, you can punch your zip code in here and it will tell you: https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/
I want to try vermicomposting as well, but my husband has uh... some issues with worms in the house, so that might be the hard-and-fast 'no' I have to put up with in exchange for all the other things I want to do, lol.
Lard/tallow rendering has been on my homestead bucket list for a while, but I haven't tracked down a source for the fat yet. So jealous!
Second Marshal of the Mark
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Hasty Ent
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Thank you so much! :smiley8:Taethowen wrote: ↑Sat Jun 13, 2020 9:39 pm Hi Mrs. Mojo (@MistressofJesters)! We hear a lot about you (only lovely things) in the Plaza Discord! We're working on converting him to chicken-keeping. ;)
If you don't know your USDA zone for sure, you can punch your zip code in here and it will tell you: https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/
I want to try vermicomposting as well, but my husband has uh... some issues with worms in the house, so that might be the hard-and-fast 'no' I have to put up with in exchange for all the other things I want to do, lol.
Lard/tallow rendering has been on my homestead bucket list for a while, but I haven't tracked down a source for the fat yet. So jealous!
I hadn't noticed the zip code (my estimation for our state map put us right on the border), but by zip code we're 6b.
We have a mudroom-type area where we could put a worm bin, so they'd be warm enough but not really "in the house."
We really lucked out with our source for fat - we buy pork and beef in bulk from a local farm and they throw in organs, bones, and fat for free if you request them. I grew up eating pretty much ground beef and chicken breast so it's been an adventure learning all the different cuts and their uses.
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Thain of The Mark
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I need to learn how to do organ meats. We'll probably be butchering chickens this fall (too many roos from my initial batch of chicks this spring >_>) and I want to utilize as much of them as I can.
We grew up eating a lot of ground turkey in my family. I don't eat it at all anymore now. It's just nasty, lol. But we couldn't afford beef often, so I'm trying to learn more about cooking different cuts of that now. Hoping to invest in a quarter or half a cow this fall/winter. If I can find anyone who's still selling them.
We grew up eating a lot of ground turkey in my family. I don't eat it at all anymore now. It's just nasty, lol. But we couldn't afford beef often, so I'm trying to learn more about cooking different cuts of that now. Hoping to invest in a quarter or half a cow this fall/winter. If I can find anyone who's still selling them.
Second Marshal of the Mark
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Hasty Ent
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I don't know much about chicken organs (the furthest I go is using the giblets to make broth when I buy a whole chicken at the store), but the best way I've found for beef liver and heart is to grind it up (you can even use a food processor for this) and mix with ground beef. It masks the stronger flavor, which is helpful with our kids who can Be Suspicious, but was also helpful for we adults who weren't used to the flavor yet either. I usually end up using those blends for something like chili or enchiladas which have a lot of flavor.
(Also a holdover from our early marriage days when I was less interested in homesteading and more interested in extreme couponing and frugal living, when every bit of meat was stretched with beans or rice or both.)
(Also a holdover from our early marriage days when I was less interested in homesteading and more interested in extreme couponing and frugal living, when every bit of meat was stretched with beans or rice or both.)
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Healer of Imladris
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@Taethowen Living alone I'm a bit haphazard with my food and recipes, but I have eaten a lot of weird chicken bits. Japanese yakitori style cooking uses a lot of chicken hearts/gizzards/liver/etc. I haven't used this particular recipe, but it looks pretty reasonable, and could be used for any cut of meat, really. You could probably use substitutes for everything but the soy sauce too and it would work just fine.
https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/201 ... ecipe.html
Mum also adds weird chicken bits to curry and chili regularly. I don't think you'd have to treat them much differently than any other meat to use for those sorts of stew dishes. Personally, I just throw them in stir fry because I'm lazy. They're not too strongly flavored I think, easier to work with than beef or pork. Just have to keep them, especially gizzards, from getting too tough.
https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/201 ... ecipe.html
Mum also adds weird chicken bits to curry and chili regularly. I don't think you'd have to treat them much differently than any other meat to use for those sorts of stew dishes. Personally, I just throw them in stir fry because I'm lazy. They're not too strongly flavored I think, easier to work with than beef or pork. Just have to keep them, especially gizzards, from getting too tough.
Top-class Canine Alter Ego Associate of Aerlinn Mordagnir
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New Soul
Posts: 119
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@MistressofJesters ! We do hear so much about you on Discord (all good things of course). I'd love to hear more about making your own stocks. Mr. Tari fancies himself an amateur chef, and I may be a hobbit, but I am no kitchen person.
she/her
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Doorwarden of The Mark
Posts: 134
Joined: Sat May 23, 2020 2:45 am
Plant Hardiness Zone (USDA, Global): 4a, though I always thought we were 3
Hemisphere (since we're technically a global community): Northern
Approximate length of growing season (if known): Ha, mere months some years, but usually May - September
Livestock Own(ed), and years of experience: We currently have none, though we used to raise beef show cattle, Simmental cow/calf, and Lowlines, as well as horses, pigs and a variety of 4-H critters (bunnies, sheep, & grandkids had goats)
Gardening, with years of experience (please specify whether edible or ornamental gardening): oh a very many decades of experience, mostly vegetable and annual flowers in the beginning but now enjoy perennials and far less veggies now. We have an asparagus bed, raspberries, rhubarb and a baby Praire Fire crabapple tree I’m excited about. We live by a lake now, so am on a steep learning curve with very sandy soil after all my life gardening with nice black fertile soil.
Other (such as bees, fruit trees, etc.): We used to have the most fantastic apple trees on our former home, I miss them terribly.
Any specialty cases/skills related to the above: We are a couple months now into a pretty severe drought this year, which seems worse living on a sand pit. I water my flowers and little garden about 3 hours every third day, but may have to do more as this deepens. It’s hard to watch our neighboring farmers’ crops struggle, on top of rotten commodity prices and years of negative farm income. So it seems petty to complain that my now dormant lawn looks like a desert (my grandkids told me that just yesterday!)
I’ve had almost zero experience with raising chickens, but it’s sure a thriving culture around here as with many other places. @Taethowen, your chicken set-up is fascinating!
Hemisphere (since we're technically a global community): Northern
Approximate length of growing season (if known): Ha, mere months some years, but usually May - September
Livestock Own(ed), and years of experience: We currently have none, though we used to raise beef show cattle, Simmental cow/calf, and Lowlines, as well as horses, pigs and a variety of 4-H critters (bunnies, sheep, & grandkids had goats)
Gardening, with years of experience (please specify whether edible or ornamental gardening): oh a very many decades of experience, mostly vegetable and annual flowers in the beginning but now enjoy perennials and far less veggies now. We have an asparagus bed, raspberries, rhubarb and a baby Praire Fire crabapple tree I’m excited about. We live by a lake now, so am on a steep learning curve with very sandy soil after all my life gardening with nice black fertile soil.
Other (such as bees, fruit trees, etc.): We used to have the most fantastic apple trees on our former home, I miss them terribly.
Any specialty cases/skills related to the above: We are a couple months now into a pretty severe drought this year, which seems worse living on a sand pit. I water my flowers and little garden about 3 hours every third day, but may have to do more as this deepens. It’s hard to watch our neighboring farmers’ crops struggle, on top of rotten commodity prices and years of negative farm income. So it seems petty to complain that my now dormant lawn looks like a desert (my grandkids told me that just yesterday!)
I’ve had almost zero experience with raising chickens, but it’s sure a thriving culture around here as with many other places. @Taethowen, your chicken set-up is fascinating!
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Hasty Ent
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri Jun 12, 2020 6:14 pm
Sure! There's a lot of different ways to do it, but this is ours and I'm very happy with it:
I save all bones and meat trimmings in a container in the freezer, and then in another container I save vegetable scraps (pretty much anything you can think of, usually mine has a lot of onion, carrot, garlic, and peppers). The stock tastes best (and is healthiest for you) if the bones are already cooked before you make it, because more of the nutrients will come out. I also get free large beef bones from our order, which I will roast in the oven first. When I have a substantial amount (enough to loosely fill our crock pot) I'll put the bones and meat and veggie scraps in and then fill with water most of the way. I also add salt, then cook all day (or overnight), then strain using clean cloths (paper towels would also work) into glass jars for freezing (making sure not to overfill). Some people like to do a second batch using the same scraps again, which I sometimes do if I have the time and space. IMO the second batch doesn't seem "weaker" than the first. After cooling in the jars the fat will go to the top, and you can choose to scrape it off or leave it (I usually leave it unless there's a lot. And some people choose to save the fat if they scrape it off - there's traditional foods from a lot of cultures that use various animal fats.)
For chicken stock, I use the whole carcass of a roasted chicken, plus whatever bones and scraps from other chicken meals we've had. I don't go nuts picking over the meat to get the bones super clean; having a little bit of meat helps with flavor.
I have a friend who trained as a chef, and she is pickier about what meat she uses and proportions of things; which is totally fine, but for our purposes I'm thrilled to be making something useful and tasty from literal garbage.
I don't really precisely measure any of it and it's always turned out fine.I use beef and chicken stock the most, but I've also used this method for lamb and pork stock, which can be really nice for gravies or for some soups.
I hope this is helpful!
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New Soul
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This is a brilliant thread (I've mostly lurked), and I just wanted to pop in and say hello!
I'm a farm kid at heart-- grew up on an organic dairy farm, milked about 90-100 head, and had chickens as well. (and a smattering of cats, dogs, and occasional goats), but since I went to school and went into work as a performer I've been mostly in the city without access to space for livestock or even gardens.
I worked with the chickens on the farm, we sold eggs, and helped butcher/pluck them, but the chickens were mainly my sister's gig on the egg business side, and it's been years since I've worked with chickens. My siblings and I used to sneak the baby chicks inside to play with... hahaha talk about poop clean up. Mum was not so happy about this. XD
I just moved an hour north of the city now, and we have a house with a yard (which is amazing to have again), and the couple who owned it previously lived here for 19 years and did amazing gardening work. Besides all the gorgeous flowers, we have asparagus, rhubarb, strawberries, and a huge patch of raspberries in the back. We recently bought some lettuce as well, but the rest was already there and thriving thanks to all of their work.
I'm grateful to still have connections to the farm I grew up on (which my parents just sold about a year ago), so I can purchase beef through them and have access to organic meat from our (well, no longer) herd.
I'm a farm kid at heart-- grew up on an organic dairy farm, milked about 90-100 head, and had chickens as well. (and a smattering of cats, dogs, and occasional goats), but since I went to school and went into work as a performer I've been mostly in the city without access to space for livestock or even gardens.
I worked with the chickens on the farm, we sold eggs, and helped butcher/pluck them, but the chickens were mainly my sister's gig on the egg business side, and it's been years since I've worked with chickens. My siblings and I used to sneak the baby chicks inside to play with... hahaha talk about poop clean up. Mum was not so happy about this. XD
I just moved an hour north of the city now, and we have a house with a yard (which is amazing to have again), and the couple who owned it previously lived here for 19 years and did amazing gardening work. Besides all the gorgeous flowers, we have asparagus, rhubarb, strawberries, and a huge patch of raspberries in the back. We recently bought some lettuce as well, but the rest was already there and thriving thanks to all of their work.
I'm grateful to still have connections to the farm I grew up on (which my parents just sold about a year ago), so I can purchase beef through them and have access to organic meat from our (well, no longer) herd.
they/he/mischief
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Black Númenórean
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Homesteaders, you seem like people who might have answers to this question. Radish greens? Eat them? If so, how?
Evil is a lifestyle | she/her
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Thain of The Mark
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@Moriel Yes, radish greens are edible. They tend to be prickly when raw, but you can use them for pesto and cooked greens and such.
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@MistressofJesters Next time we have a roast chicken I'm doing this.
@Moriel Depends on how many bugs have gotten to mine. My greens always look like shire, but the radishes underneath are perfection.
@Moriel Depends on how many bugs have gotten to mine. My greens always look like shire, but the radishes underneath are perfection.
she/her
