J Monroe

I'm sorry I don't, other than masses of field bindweed but there are lots of others. many of them are unfamiliar to me, we don't have them on our property so that's why I'm relatively sure they came with the soil.

Hi, hoping to get some advice from any missoula area readers out there. We live in the bitterroot on the east side. We have very poor alkaline soil and my husband in effort to establish a garden had soil from a nearby defunct dairy hauled in a few years ago. This soil has produced fairly well, although it is also fairly alkaline and I have been trying to amend it. The worst problem though is the horrific weeds that came with the soil. I gave up last year and resorted to landscape sheeting but even that is difficult, weeds come up between the rows faster than anything can sprout. So I am open to any questions but am wondering specifically about two options. First one - what about newspaper or cardboard with a layer of straw around and between the plantings. I am concerned about using straw sprayed with herbicides, does anyone have any local sources for safe straw? The other option I wonder about is a heavy cover crop of something like clover. Where would I find seed locally and when would I plant considering the local climate? Any answers or suggestions would be appreciated, otherwise I am afraid the weeds will defeat me this year. And by the way the garden is fairly large, about 65 X 65 feet and includes a 60 X 20 hoop house, so solutions need to be fairly large scale. Thank you!

One of my hens, a 2yr leghorn, seems to have some sort of a cold or respiratory infection. She was sneezing and seems to have trouble breathing, especially after I chased her around the coop to catch her. She has free range with about 15 other chickens and 15 bourbon reds. I brought home 15 chicks about 3 weeks ago but other than that hasn't been exposed to any other poultry and the chicks are not with her although they do share space in a large shed but in separate coops. I confined her away from all the birds and am giving her tetracyline in her water, she seems fairly perky and is eating and drinking well, still getting excited about a handful of scratch grain. So - does anyone have experience with this type of thing? What are the chances she will get better, and even if she does get better will there be a chance she is a carrier for something that could spread to my other birds? Should I cut my losses and butcher her? Are all upper respiratory type symptoms in chickens caused by viruses? We raise our poultry for meat and eggs and I can't stand the thought of this spreading.

Any ideas why I have gotten tons of blooms on many different types of squash but hardly any produce? The plants also seem stunted. Same garden and varieties as last year, which had great production. I am wondering if overwatering is a possibility?

I don't know if it feasible for you, but what about a herding breed dog? I havethe same situation but my turkeys only come in my yard when I "invite" them in otherwise they just free range over our 11 acres and stay out. If you are going to raise them long term its a possible solution, with the right dog.