Garden on Corliss Homestead Journal

I hope this post isn't too 'fan-girly' or comes off as awkward because I am so truly excited for what I have received in the mail today. I have been recently adding reviews to the Permie Seed and Nursery about my experiences with several vendors and have made a point to try new businesses. I have finally received my seeds that I have ordered from the Experimental Farm Network

I have the upmost respect and appreciation for Mr. Joseph Lofthouse and what he has accomplished in the realm of landrace crops. I appreciate the numerous threads and conversations found on Permies that he has participated in as well as other sites such as his own at https://lofthouse.com/. I'm embarrassed to say that I have not purchased his book yet but it is on my list of must reads.

With all of that said, I finally have received my Lofthouse Dry Bush Beans! I'm so excited to try and develop a landrace variety for my area and having this genetic potential to be able to work with. I have struggled to find a variety that suits my specific local climate needs and it was almost light a lightswitch went off when I fell down the landrace rabbit hole. I don't HAVE to rely on large global seed producers but rather I can rely on myself AND have a better 'product' with a little work.

I am also excited because I received several packages of Sepp Holzer Siberian Rye that I still have to better plan out how I am going to grow and where.

A lot of potential came in the mail and I'm all here for it.

It is kind of crazy that a simple streetside tree can have so much history with a human life.

Growing up, this tree was the spot to go if an emergency happened in the house. My parents always told me they would find me if I went there. I sat in the shade of it when the abandoned warehouse down the road caught on fire and firemen battled the blaze for hours. It was a background fixture to many events around the house.

A few years ago, the village was informed of some damage to the tree and they had a company come over and prune it up. A woodpecker had taken an interest in this tree this year and exposed a lot of internal rot. The village made a decision and had the whole thing brought down. I am now left with a stump and a few stories. I think I am going to take the chance and inoculate the stump with oyster spawn and perhaps it will provide years of sustenance and beauty.

Utilizing a broom, I wanted to take a better look at the stump that was left.

Kind of neat. no?

The stories this tree must of had...

That was some tree Timothy! It does look like the whole trunk was rotten at the core, so it was the right thing to take it out. I remember well the big old oak that we used to wait near for the bus to school, and the willows by the stream ditch that my friend and I used to climb and make dens in. They become friends and part of your life memories. As long as new trees are planted, the loss of one tree at the end of it's life is just part of the cycle. Hugs.

Nancy Reading wrote:As long as new trees are planted, the loss of one tree at the end of it's life is just part of the cycle.

I'm planning on trying to find the best fit for a roadside tree. I have to research what resists salt/roadside debris the best as well as something that might be a touch on the smaller side.  There is plenty of room up a few feet to plant into that is void of any underground obstructions.

Thank you for your words! :)

My contractor neighbor and I have been talking about my chickens, and we both get a kick out of them.

Previously, I had mentioned that I had a feeling that one of my hens, her name is Pepper, was actually a rooster. Even with other people saying I had a hen it didn't go away. We spoke about it and then I thought nothing of it.

Yesterday, I got a phone call at work not even an hour into my shift. The neighbor's wife was outside and heard somebody yelling for help past my property towards an embankment that goes down towards the river. It is very steep in sections and very well could trap someone. She starts panicking and yells back that she would get help and she rushes to assumedly call 911. She runs into her husband, explains what is going on, and he goes out to investigate because he is a volunteer fireman for the area.

Guys... It was Pepper making half demon half chicken noises in the morning celebrating the rise of the sun.

I'm mortified, the neighbors are in stitches, and Pepper is growing into his role.

Everything is fine at the end of the day.

Maybe Pepper is a girl rooster, not a boy rooster. r ranson explains it in this post. Time will tell. Let us know when you find out for sure.

Joylynn Hardesty wrote:Maybe Pepper is a girl rooster, not a boy rooster. r ranson explains it in this post. Time will tell. Let us know when you find out for sure.

That is a thing!?

Ohh boy, when I think I know something the world sure has a way to surprise you. Thank you for that information! I never would of imagined.

It might not be the optimal time, and these might not be the most optimal species of trees, and the mycelium choices might not be the best type for the application but I had a lot of fun!

The big ole rotting maple I set up to inoculate with gold oysters which I know with prior experience to be a rather aggressive mycelium. It is my hope that it might be able to compete with any wild fungi already in the stump or in the very least speed up the decomposition time.

I have five Siberian elm stumps that were just sitting around so I decided to try a few other types of mushrooms on them.

I'm hoping for mushrooms, but my heart won't be broken if they don't take. Any progression of rot would be appreciate as far as I care at the end of the day.

All I can do now is try to have some patience

I have to appreciate Permies for giving me a push towards doing things that I have not tried before.

Rendering tallow has been such a great addition to my kitchen. I previously have used large quantities of butter in my cooking with the only alternatives generally being vegetable oil or olive oil from time to time. Tallow has been a great addition for filling a niche of a higher smoke point cast iron fry pan grease. Butter is now used moreso for baking, toast, or added to specific recipes. I find my cast iron's finish has benefited from this conversion but that might just be casual bias.

This was my second round rendering and I managed to get a lighter color product than the first round. I am just about finished with that first batch of tallow so the timing is great. I was going to apply for BB credit but I am still shy of the full quart of oil being rendered. I have more lard in the freezer so in a few weeks time maybe we will readdress that.