Things you've done that others may seem as odd

I already know I am a weirdo and content with that.  One of the first things I looked for on this property last year was thistles. They are awesome. Probably stems from my Scottish heritage on my fathers side IDK. My GG grand parents from my grandmas family were the lighthouse keepers on the Isle of Sanda (Dempsey).

Anyway there was non here, disappointment. But! There was a beautiful patch of them from where I was leaving. One of the first things I cut and packed up. Just typing this makes me think "wow you really are weird dude"

They hung in a shed I moved here for a couple months.  I prepared a small area over the water line trench I dug mid November, shook the seeds loose and covered them with a bit of straw and a little sprinkle of water.  What can I say : ) People who don't know me would say "yeah, their prickly like you"  I am so misunderstood. I hope they pop up in the spring, and by the look on GG's faces they liked thistles too.

On the bright side, if you are annoyed by thistles,  you have someone to cuss now....

I don't feel bad I have a friend they look for Moen plants and one year one grew in my pasture I took some leaves off of it and I was trying to dry it I don't know if I did it right but I wasn't really using it so I gave it to my friend and they made a sad that it out of it and then they started selling them in this little storefront they had I bought some from her and I've been using it on this like big bug bite I had her allergic reaction and it helped to go away it's the moment plan and then I told him I saw the moment plant growing on the bike path near where we live. Another thing we used to do is pick grapes and elderberries and we used to pick them on the bike path or different places or blueberries so it's like forge foraging so don't feel bad we all have oddities about each other have a nice day Alicia

Yup, I'm cussing you. Well not really. Thistles are giving me endless headaches at my parents' acreage which is heavy clay soil.

It would be polite if you didn't allow seed to mature and blow into other properties or wild woodlands. They can be quite invasive depending on the conditions.

As for being off-beat, see:  "What did you do to make your neighbors think you are crazy?" https://permies.com/t/157962/neighbors-crazy

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:Yup, I'm cussing you. Well not really. Thistles are giving me endless headaches at my parents' acreage which is heavy clay soil.

It would be polite if you didn't allow seed to mature and blow into other properties or wild woodlands. They can be quite invasive depending on the conditions.

As for being off-beat, see:  "What did you do to make your neighbors think you are crazy?" https://permies.com/t/157962/neighbors-crazy

So sorry to hear of your troubles. What headaches are they actually giving you?

I have never been accused of not being polite before, could you please explain to me why you have anticipated this from me?

I apologized for posting a similar post and it has offended you. If the forum people here see my post as unacceptable you have my permission to delete it.

I truly hope today is going better for you Douglas,

Cheers

Alicia Hilton wrote:I don't feel bad I have a friend they look for Moen plants and one year one grew in my pasture I took some leaves off of it and I was trying to dry it I don't know if I did it right but I wasn't really using it so I gave it to my friend and they made a sad that it out of it and then they started selling them in this little storefront they had I bought some from her and I've been using it on this like big bug bite I had her allergic reaction and it helped to go away it's the moment plan and then I told him I saw the moment plant growing on the bike path near where we live. Another thing we used to do is pick grapes and elderberries and we used to pick them on the bike path or different places or blueberries so it's like forge foraging so don't feel bad we all have oddities about each other have a nice day Alicia

Hi Alicia,

Thank you for your comments, it really made my day!

Bob

I’m sitting here by myself and started chuckling out loud. Wow. A lot of the stuff I do people often find odd. Like…..

…grow (or hunt) all my own food for 1 year, then afterward keep at it , though lessening the ceiling to 90%. .
…wear bright, odd colored clothing (I’m an old lady)
…water down my drinks, be they milk, fruit juice, whatever. Fill glass 1/3, then top off with water.
…cook over a fire outdoors. Yup, I have a propane stove in my kitchen, so I have options other than wood.
…wear men’s shorts (hey, they got real pockets!)
…eat pickle sandwiches
…spend my free time doing community volunteering
…give away much of my excess produce to our local soup kitchen, rather than sell it
…I always have a snap-off bladed box cutter in my pocket. I’ve had to give a number to TSA over the years because I forgot it was there. Luckily I’ve not had a problem when I’m very apologetic and embarrassed.
…I like to add a splash of coffee to my hot chocolate.
…I love snakes. Alas, I had to give up my pet snake when I moved to Hawaii.
…sing and dance in my gardens

Bob Hutton wrote:So sorry to hear of your troubles. What headaches are they actually giving you?

I have never been accused of not being polite before, could you please explain to me why you have anticipated this from me?

I apologized for posting a similar post and it has offended you.

I believe it is I who should apologize -- my post was completely tone-deaf.

My only concern is that you be careful to prevent the spread of this plant. It is not native, and it can be incredibly destructive.

As to the headaches, I have spent many long afternoons over three years trying to do natural controls without success. I could have spent that time elsewhere. This spring, the property owner will spray gick over 5 acres. So I hope that you will understand that this is a sore point for me. Cheers.

A friend just told me of a thing I do that people think is totally odd—-  I’m purposely growing dandelions in my greenhouse.  When I lived on the Eastcoast, dandelions were a weed that everybody spent plenty of effort to get rid of. Now here I am growing them. By forcing them to grow rapidly and luxuriously in a greenhouse, they make excellent greens for a salad. Served with a hot bacon dressing (that wilts the greens). They are really yummy.

Su Ba wrote:A friend just told me of a thing I do that people think is totally odd—-  I’m purposely growing dandelions in my greenhouse.  When I lived on the Eastcoast, dandelions were a weed that everybody spent plenty of effort to get rid of. Now here I am growing them. By forcing them to grow rapidly and luxuriously in a greenhouse, they make excellent greens for a salad. Served with a hot bacon dressing (that wilts the greens). They are really yummy.

Hi Su Ba,

Maybe it's not us that are odd?

I like them too, beautiful flower. When I had a lawn, not too long ago, I would let them flower then mow them down before they went seed. Most of my neighbors didn't kill or pull them except the retired fellow right next door, not a spot of yellow to been seen on his land. He was out everyday inspecting his lawn and pulling anything he didn't think belonged there. I always respected the attention he gave to his property.

As detrimental to the declining bee population as it was,  his choice to remove the dandelions was his to make, we are all individual and have a right to that.
Like dandelions, honey bees and many other pollinators absolutely love thistle. I wonder if they could be used as a prickly barrier for predator's?

I have heard of dandelion salad but have never tried, you have inspired me to do just that. I never noticed any here but no worries, I know how to take care of that

Bob, I eat the tender, lush, young dandelion leaves. Older leaves are not only tough, but very bitter.  Young lush leaves have a bitterness too, but not overwhelming. Wilted with a hot bacon vinegarette, I find the combination enjoyable.