Deedee Dezso

Ryan Burkitt wrote:

Apparently if you get the soil biology right it should break up the clay for you, but I think you’re on the right track with using organic matter. Have you tried hot compost or Johnson Sue?

I've never heard of Johnson Sue.
If I could just get the volume I need to get 1 of the small fields to have good soil... it's going to take awhile with only 4 breeding does (rabbits) working to produce the manure part of this solution.

Mary Cook wrote:Deedee--where are you? I'm in Roane County. I am also on the ridge, and have clay soil, but my neighbor with a garden 700 feet away, on the highest point, has sandy soil.

Hi Mary- Cabell county nestled between 3 tall radio/TV towers above Huntington.  About the only truly flat ground is under the house or under a giant pile of firewood that is slowly getting used.

My tomatoes have suffered raccoon predation. I'll have to figure out how to keep them out of a corn field!

Bloody butcher is one of the varieties I'd like to grow. However,  I'm in an uphill battle to grow anything. Here's a portion of that story...

Having recently moved to western West Virginia from Southern California has been an eye-opener.  We are located at the top of the hills here, and it seems its all clay just below the surface up top. I've asked a few farmers in the hollars (bottoms) if they are on clay. Nope. I'm jealous but challenged.

In the pursuit of corn growing, I see many only planting a row or possibly 2. I've always been instructed that corn requires block planting; multiple rows close together (plants 6-8 inches and rows 12-18 inches) because it's a wind pollinated plant. With only 1-2 rows, the wind might only pollinate the row "downwind".

I'm working towards growing grain crops on my clay. I'm of the opinion that I need dump truck loads of wood chips, straw, & manure across even just 1 small field to achieve this. I've signed up with chip drop but nothing has come of it. I recently inquired of a hay farmer if the giant round bales I see sitting in the rain are trashed that I might get some for this endeavor. I was told they are still good for use. So I keep my eyes open for bulk materials.
Maybe one day before I die or become too decrepit ill get to grow corn.

Derek Thille wrote:Awesome Deedee!  Your squash plants look a bit thirsty, but they are doing so much better than any of mine this year.

On a completely different note, I passed through WV for the first time a couple weeks ago...we spent a night in Lewisburg before visiting the New River Gorge NP on our way home.  Some lovely countryside through there (and interesting driving on US 60).

My squash always droop like that in the heat. Always have. Its their way of staying cool. They were watered the day before the photo.

US 60 is also known as Midland Trail, and I've been told it has been there longer than we are a country, the wildlife and Native Americans used it long before Europeans arrived. We are located closer to Huntington at the western edge of WV, up in the hills where the roads are very narrow and winding, and opposing traffic likes to drive in my lane, when there is a painted line and especially when there is no line!

I have 3. The first one got tossed together in our first few months in WV. It has hostas, comfrey, heuchara(?)and a few snapdragons this year. It's between 2 red maples in the front yard.

#2 is at the back of the barn and for a 2nd year is hosting hot peppers plus rhubarb.

#3 has its first plants this year. There were large rotting logs along the road in what is becoming the food forest.  We just added the twiggier bits and 2 years of layering on straw, rabbit manure clean outs (so everything that drops into the catch trays, like wasted hay, urine...), wood ashes as they are available,  and topped finally with good dirt. I've planted 4 seeds each of 5 large winter squash across it, along with a few other random garden seeds.  

I spend about 10 minutes each week lately changing the growth direction of many tendrils to keep them off the road. There are perhaps a  dozen fruit set so far and the vines are in conquer mode, reaching over some overgrown weeds and saplings and it looks like they want to go down the hollar!

Lucrecia Anderson wrote:

Anne Miller wrote:
Provide clean water. Put the water in a shallow dish, bowl or birdbath with half-submerged stones for perches.

Next spring I want to add a little pool (ideally with a solar bubbler) to attract dragon flies to the vegetable garden. I watched a video on how dragon flies (and damsels) are awesome pest predators and the water source attracts them. They lay eggs in pools and their aquatic babies eat mosquito larva.

To attract dragon and damsel flies that pond needs to be still, stagnant, and full of food (mosquito larvae) for the young. Clean and clear water is decidedly Not attractive to your target. And don't forget the water plants that your targets like!

paul wheaton wrote:Andres started this thread two years ago and the first post still doesn't have 200 thumbs.  

I thought this would be a pretty fun project.  Maybe we can try to get more thumbs again sometime.

So my question is which deck did I just place an order for? The original or this new version?  After reading Paul's  quoted post, I'm thinking the original.  When I ordered, I believed I would be getting 2 decks of the new version.

Either way, please consider my payment for 2 decks as 2 votes for.... it won't close the gap if 200 is the goal, but I have spent considerably more for these than any regular deck of cards!

Found my answer

Deedee Dezso wrote:$0.5555555556 per hour

I'm thinking this is a "must have". As soon as the social security check arrives!

Well, the price went up before I could purchase it at first release.  Now @ 0.8461538462 cents per hour. Still a bargain. AND it supports my favorite cause of world domination!