What's New at the Homestead.....
Jan. 27th, 2011 09:51 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dalthauserWe recently took another step in our homesteading journey. Adding to our family of fruit trees. We are adding two Jujube trees and another Fig tree.
Jujubes (not the candy) are small fruits. They are also known as Chinese dates, I've never tasted one, but they say they have a flavor like an apple. They are often dried. I chose this because I've never seen them grown and would like something unique. Also, they are supposed to grow very well in our area.
Panache Fig - We already have good luck with figs. I have a Texas Everbearing fig tree that is about 6 1/2 years old now. I enjoy eating them and making jam with them. They require very little attention once they are established. I chose Panache because it is beautiful, and it's supposed to be a good fig for eating fresh.
Received our trees from Trees of Antiquity (not the cheapest supplier out there - but they have a good reputation and offered a variety of fig we had a hard time finding elsewhere).
They all came healthy and with good roots.
We prepared the holes for the trees a couple weeks ahead of time, and we purchased a truck load of compost the morning we planted them. We mixed native dirt to compost at about a 4to1 ratio.
I'm just posting this one because I think my husband is one foxy dude..... (the bandana around his neck is not a fashion accessory - he has a cold, and it's keeping the Vick's vapor rub warm.... haha)
We set the trees on a little "hill" and spread the roots out as much as we could.
We covered them with landscaping fabric and made a temporary fence around them to keep the chickens out. We'll remove the fencing after about 18 months once the root systems are firmly established.
We hope that these trees will provide good shade for the chickens in summer. Since they are deciduous - they won't give shade in the winter, but the days are short then - and it's cool - so it's not as much of an issue.
On a side note - today we also culled two chickens. Marcel taught me how to humanely kill and clean them. It was a bit traumatic I will have to admit, but I am committed to learning to live this homesteading lifestyle. We stewed the chickens to make chicken soup since the birds were rather old.
Jujubes (not the candy) are small fruits. They are also known as Chinese dates, I've never tasted one, but they say they have a flavor like an apple. They are often dried. I chose this because I've never seen them grown and would like something unique. Also, they are supposed to grow very well in our area.
Panache Fig - We already have good luck with figs. I have a Texas Everbearing fig tree that is about 6 1/2 years old now. I enjoy eating them and making jam with them. They require very little attention once they are established. I chose Panache because it is beautiful, and it's supposed to be a good fig for eating fresh.
Received our trees from Trees of Antiquity (not the cheapest supplier out there - but they have a good reputation and offered a variety of fig we had a hard time finding elsewhere).
They all came healthy and with good roots.
We prepared the holes for the trees a couple weeks ahead of time, and we purchased a truck load of compost the morning we planted them. We mixed native dirt to compost at about a 4to1 ratio.
I'm just posting this one because I think my husband is one foxy dude..... (the bandana around his neck is not a fashion accessory - he has a cold, and it's keeping the Vick's vapor rub warm.... haha)
We set the trees on a little "hill" and spread the roots out as much as we could.
We covered them with landscaping fabric and made a temporary fence around them to keep the chickens out. We'll remove the fencing after about 18 months once the root systems are firmly established.
We hope that these trees will provide good shade for the chickens in summer. Since they are deciduous - they won't give shade in the winter, but the days are short then - and it's cool - so it's not as much of an issue.
On a side note - today we also culled two chickens. Marcel taught me how to humanely kill and clean them. It was a bit traumatic I will have to admit, but I am committed to learning to live this homesteading lifestyle. We stewed the chickens to make chicken soup since the birds were rather old.
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no subject
Date: 2011-01-27 05:38 pm (UTC)I'm going to keep my eye out for jujubes - they look interesting. And those figs are gorgeous!
Were the culled chickens some of Delawares?
When you cull chickens, you get the joy of being able to bring in the new generation. As it is now, I am almost at "capacity" and I don't get to see little peeps. I do like the little peeps!
no subject
Date: 2011-01-27 11:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-28 03:35 pm (UTC)I love polka dot guinea feathers!
no subject
Date: 2011-01-28 09:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-27 06:12 pm (UTC)I'm sure that was difficult with the chickens, but you gave them a better life then a factory farm.
no subject
Date: 2011-01-28 11:28 am (UTC)More figs! Yum!
Killing the chickens would have been traumatic. I have done it in the past - grew up on a farm. I just haven't got the heart for it these days, but would if I had to. I hope the soup was delish!
Chicken Fashion
Date: 2011-01-29 03:42 pm (UTC)see more Daily Squee (http://squee.icanhascheezburger.com)
I wonder what your chickens would think about this.
Re: Chicken Fashion
Date: 2011-01-29 06:31 pm (UTC)