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  • 2ManyGuns

    Revolver's, get one, shoot the snot out of it!
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    Damn, it was hotter than Hades out there today. Planted some beets, the seed potatoes that I ordered earlier in May, which were in stock are no longer available. I am pissed, ordered more than a month ago, and still, nothing has arrived except one DOA plant. I have ordered other seeds, and I have put some of the potatoes I harvested earlier aside to sprout and plant for fall.
     

    2ManyGuns

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    Today I picked enough okra to pickle 3 quarts. In the water bath now at 11:30 am.

    Yesterday 6/25/22

    Growing corn in raised beds is different than growing in the ground, corn needs some type of support. The simplest way I have found is to build a "brace" on each short end of the bed and then run tomato trellis string from end to end between the "rows". This is about 27 inches in height and will help to keep the corn from being damaged by high winds. Built the braces on 2 raised beds.
     

    2ManyGuns

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    Braces for the corn:

    Dent Corn 1.jpg


    The above photo is the last bed of corn, as you can see it is still too short to reach the support "mesh". Braces are constructed from some scrap material I had left from other projects. Dent corn can grow as much as 10-12 feet in height!!!

    Corn 2.jpg


    In the above photo you can see how the corn will grow between the "mesh".

    Corn 2 and Cowpeas.jpg


    In an earlier post, I mentioned planting more purple hull peas for the "fall" garden since these are heat tolerant they are faring well!


    Okra 1.jpg


    In the above photo, you can see how densely I planted okra this year and the result. In the lower portion of the photo is a volunteer purple hull pea intertwined with sweet potato and some of the heat-resistant kale, which is still producing a reasonable amount of green edibles, there is more of the same to the left (not visible), and elsewhere in the garden.
     

    2ManyGuns

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    Today has been another busy day. 7 pints and 2 quarts of pickled okra and 15 pints of purple hull peas. Yesterday was spent working cutting down an oak killed by the last major freeze, this is a complicated cutting due to multiple forks and those leaning towards various structures. Up to this point I have been able to wedge (notch) and direct the fall without ropes. I had to purchase a come-a-long to remove the remaining branches. I am looking forward to finishing, at least getting everything on the ground tomorrow, then I will cut it into usable pieces.
     

    2ManyGuns

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    I am feeling lazy this weekend. I finished dressing and turning in mushroom compost in the last four raised beds to get ready for Fall planting. I also picked some more okra. Tonight I will make fried okra.

    Simple "Batter" Fried Okra
    1lb Okra
    1 cup buttermilk you can use whole or low fat milk, I prefer buttermilk
    1 egg
    1 to 1-1/2 cup(s) corn meal
    Salt
    Pepper if desired

    Take the okra, wash well, cut stem ends off of okra, cut the okra into 3/4 to 1 inch pieces, if you prefer smaller pieces make them a 1/2 inch, be sure to NOT waste the tips, these fry up as well. Place the cut okra into a colander and rinse again, let them drain for a while, place on paper towel and pat dry.


    Place buttermilk and egg into a wide, somewhat shallow bowl and beat together
    Place cornmeal into another bowl, I mix salt and pepper into this cornmeal
    You can salt and pepper after frying if desired

    While you are getting the okra soaked in milk and coated have some cooking oil heating in a skillet, about 1 inch in depth is enough, if you want to deep fry that works also, I don't heat to a specific temperature, when a few drops of water, dropped into the oil sizzles, it is hot enough.

    Place a handful of okra into the milk and egg mixture, let soak, stir them and cover with milk
    Place a few at a time into the cornmeal and coat them well, drop carefully into the hot oil, when golden brown flip the okra, fry until the coating is golden brown and remove, Drain on plate covered with several layers of paper towels.

    Serve!
     

    2ManyGuns

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    This is how your okra should look. Do not fry until your okra get black, if you do they are over cooked, they should still be green.

    Fried Okra.jpg



    Now some of you will think I'm weird for this next one. I have been, for the most part a "waste not, want not" kind of mentality for most of my life, this comes from growing up without a lot of free cash.

    After you finish coating your okra you may still have milk mixture and cornmeal coating left, do not throw away!! Pour your milk into the coating mixture, add 2 to 4 tablespoons of sugar and more cornmeal as needed. This mixture should be thick and moist, but not runny. Drop into your hot oil with a tablespoon, slightly flatten. Fry until it begins to float, carefully flip over and fry another minute or so. The sweet, salty, buttermilk taste is very nice. This makes what I call a flat corn cake. It goes well with a pork roast, fried or roasted chicken. It has a texture somewhat like a hushpuppy, but flat, sweet and salty.


    Cornbread Fritter.jpg
     

    2ManyGuns

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    Today's project, a trellis for my butternut squash. I intend to make another for my cucumbers. I had planted both veggies in my main garden area, but both succumbed to heat and the squash to borers. So I am trying containers and an area with less intense sunlight. As per usual, the trellis is made from recycled lumber, a 2 x 4 ripped down to 5/8 inches screwed together with some 1 1/4" prime guard screws.


    Trellis.jpg
     

    2ManyGuns

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    While I was assembling the first trellis (prototype) I built a simple jig to speed up assembly time. Time to assemble the second trellis was around 10 minutes. I have been toying with the idea of a side hustle, making garden/yard items. I can acquire a large amount of material free to upcycle, keeping my cost mainly to time, screws, glue, paint and some minor consumables such as saw blades. I already have the tools, so why not take a hobby and make some money.

    An unfinished raw pine trellis, could easily sell for $20, with less than $3 in materials, finished, stained with urethane $35+, red wood/cedar $75+ each. Redwood would cost in materials about $135 to build 4, so I would need to sell each for about $75.00, on Etsy, these are going for as much as $125! Those builders use only 3 horizontal pieces where I use 4 to strengthen the trellis and mine would be 80 inches in height vs. 72". The trick is get things ready to go and acquire enough raw material. Oh yeah, the big one I need is more time!!!!!
     
    Last edited:

    2ManyGuns

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    So after returning from Austin, Moms' lung tumors have shrunken to the point focused radiation therapy is now taking place, I planted potatoes! I cut the seed potatoes earlier in the week to give them time to heal, and with the small daily showers, the beds are moist but not wet, about 110 planted. I had to rush, another storm is coming in now, tomorrow I plan to top with about 2 inches of compost to protect from this awful heat we have been having.
     

    2ManyGuns

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    8:30 AM, potato beds are composted! I checked a few of the sweet potatoes and they have some tubers that are about the diameter of a tennis ball, maybe a bit larger. This was a random check. I need to get seeds planted in trays with broccoli, cauliflower, kohl rabbi and I think I will try to start some sweet peas for transplanting as well. I need to check my seed stores for cabbage and other cool weather greens.
     

    2ManyGuns

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    It has been a long while since I have posted anything here. To many things going on with my parents health issues. So, around Presidents Day I planted my potatoes, red lasoda (75 holes), Yukon Gold (45 holes ), and I had some russets (13 holes ) from the store that had sprouted. Some of the potatoes are already 4 inches in height.

    3/13/23 Since last year I was successful in transplanting volunteer purple hull peas, I did that today, about 20.

    Yesterday 3/15/23, I made a trip to TSC, since I have not had time to grow plants from seeds, to buy a few plants. I am reducing the quantity of plants due to time constraints. I bought 3 cherry and 4 vining tomatoes, I interspersed a dozen marigold plants around the tomatoes, 2 habanero, 2 sweet banana and 1 bell pepper plants. I also purchased 3 blueberry and 2 fig tree. I planted this all yesterday, plus some yellow squash and spinach seeds. Once the tomatoes get about 12 to 14 inches in height, I will plant bush beans around them, this will produce nitrogen that the tomatoes should utilize for growth.
     

    2ManyGuns

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    I had reserved some red seed potatoes when I planted, just in case we had a late freeze. Today I planted those last 40+ seed potatoes and corn and transplanted more cowpeas. I also pruned my tomato plants, larger trimmed pieces I poked into some pots to root, TSC did not have many in stock when I bought them. I think tomorrow I will plant some cucumbers.
     

    leVieux

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    I don't remember if it applies to bread but when baking - recipes call for certain amounts that should not be fiddled with - especially true for cakes, pastries and things like brownies. Even changing the size of a pan can sometimes greatly change the end product. Bread though could be a different story but it is almost certain that baking time will change if you divide the amount for two loaves into that for three loaves. Anyway, congrats on your first effort, came out looking excellent and bet it tasted likewise.
    <>

    The old saying is: ‘’Cooking is ART, Baking is SCIENCE; this explains why Germans are excellent bakers, but can’t cook !’’

    Lucky Me, Grannie was half-Cajun / half-German !

    .
     

    2ManyGuns

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    So some updated garden photos for your enjoyment.

    Those infamous "wandering onions" and russet potatoes. The potatoes had started getting eyes, I had 3 store bought potatoes that
    that I cut into 13 pieces and all of them came up!

    Wandering Onions and Russet Potatoes.jpg



    This is 2 beds of Yukon Gold potatoes, They seem to be doing well, when checking under 1 plant I found quarter size potatoes.

    2 beds of Yukon Gold.jpg


    A couple of habanero peppers and some cherry tomatoes.

    Cherry Tomatoes and Habanero.jpg


    3 raised beds of red potatoes, 1st planting.


    3 Beds of Red Potatoes 1st Planting.jpg


    My small yellow squash and another cherry tomato. I have inoculated the squash with BT for borers.
    I have also transplanted some cowpeas into this bed.
    Yellow Squash.jpg


    I have not gone planting crazy this year!
     

    2ManyGuns

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    Today was potato day for the first planting, which was around Presidents Day. The red potatoes had the best harvest I have ever had, many the approximate size of a softball, I only damaged 2 with my fork as I was digging them up, about 125 lbs . The russets performed well, with many nice baking size, for only 13 plants, I harvested about 25 lbs, and about 45 lbs of yukon gold. I am very happy with this!! There are about 40 reds left that were planted in late April, and these are blooming.
     

    gll

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    Today was potato day for the first planting, which was around Presidents Day. The red potatoes had the best harvest I have ever had, many the approximate size of a softball, I only damaged 2 with my fork as I was digging them up, about 125 lbs . The russets performed well, with many nice baking size, for only 13 plants, I harvested about 25 lbs, and about 45 lbs of yukon gold. I am very happy with this!! There are about 40 reds left that were planted in late April, and these are blooming.
    Will you plant again now, or wait for the fall?

    I've planted some potatoes this year for the first time, some in a bathtub and some in the ground, but they weren't planted until the beginning of April.

    I planted sweet potatoes for the first time last June in a shady corner and they did good... Planted again this year, and some more in another bathtub. Plants all look good.

    I was surprised at how long the sweet potatoes stored, compared to store bought, and it made me think those you buy are already quite old...
     

    2ManyGuns

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    Will you plant again now, or wait for the fall?

    I've planted some potatoes this year for the first time, some in a bathtub and some in the ground, but they weren't planted until the beginning of April.

    I planted sweet potatoes for the first time last June in a shady corner and they did good... Planted again this year, and some more in another bathtub. Plants all look good.

    I was surprised at how long the sweet potatoes stored, compared to store bought, and it made me think those you buy are already quite old...

    I will probably plant again at the end of August. Some of what I harvested will be seed for the fall.
     
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