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IceFire's Farm and Garden

137K views 682 replies 33 participants last post by  IceFire 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I know it's early, but starting off the 2015 garden thread. The pics come in as "thumbnail" images, so just click on them to see them full-sized.

First off is the chickens who are currently laying eggs. 1 Buff Orpington, 2 Silver-laced Wyandottes, and 2 Barred Plymouth Rocks.
Chicken Bird Rooster Fowl Galliformes


Here are SOME of the eggs they have recently laid. I currently have about 4 dozen eggs in the refrigerator, and still have to collect today's batch.
Egg Egg Food Ingredient


Next are the juvenile Rhode Island Reds. They should start laying in late May/early June. In the meantime, they all give me plenty of poop to put in the composter!
Chicken Vertebrate Bird Beak Galliformes


The rabbits also provide plenty of poop. I can (and do) put their poop directly into the garden beds.
Cage Chicken coop Kennel Dog crate Agriculture


I moved my baby tilapia indoors for the winter, and they have really grown! Once it warms up, they will be moved outside for the aquaponics system. They are a little hard to see, because of the sun coming in from behind, but you can get the idea.
Aquarium Organism Freshwater aquarium Fish Feeder fish


Now for the garden itself. The artichokes don't really die down for the winter here, they just kind of "sit", and wait for Spring to do the main growing.
Wall Land lot Property Soil Fence


I used the last of my goat manure and added some rabbit poop to "top off" one of the beds, then planted carrot seed...just before we got a steady 3 days of rain. Hopefully, they'll start sprouting soon.
Soil Tree Compost Fence Garden


The fennel and celery didn't mind the few freezes we had, so are still growing.
Soil Grass Tree Compost Plant


The remainder of the garden beds are waiting for me to start planting, although there are some Swiss Chard and beet plants growing here and there.
Property Land lot House Yard Home


That's the end of January/early February garden.

That's
 
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#6 ·
Husband, daughter, and I replace the roof on the greenhouses. The plastic covers had torn with the wind and sun, so we got clear corrugated panels and re-roofed them. (the greenhouses are set up end-to-end to form one longer greenhouse, and that's where I have the aquaponics system set up.

Speaking of the aquaponics system, I've been working on getting the last of the leaks sealed up so that I can get it running. Also moved the biggest of the baby tilapia into the main aquaponics tank.

Also went through my seed starting setups and got the soil ready. Got one of them planted with Swiss Chard to transplant into the garden later.

In addition to the almond tree blooming, the plum, nectarine, and apple trees are blooming now, as well.
 
#7 ·
One of the benefits of living down south-the longer growing season! My yard is still snow-covered and sub-zero. I do have my seedling table set up though.

Ah artichokes! I moved my four strongest plants inside last fall. Two have died, the other two are looking fairly healthy. I don't want to keep transplanting them so I'm thinking to find a spot that's relatively protected and put them there. I'll have to cover them over bigtime to overwinter them and they still may die but I can try. Hopefully I'll actually get to eat some fresh ones first. :D:
 
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#8 ·
Went to de-poop the coops today, and discovered that the Rhode Island Reds have now started to lay! I wasn't expecting them to start laying until May/June, as they are only about 4 1/2 months old. There were 4 "peewee"-sized eggs in the next box. As soon as I had cleaned out the coop and put in new chopped straw, one of them was up in the box to lay another egg.

My new seed-starting planters arrived today, so got them set up and planted several varieties of tomato and pepper seeds. Also have Swiss chard and celery planted.

The lettuce seeds in the aquaponics system have started to sprout, and I have onions, spinach and peas coming up in the garden.
 
#10 ·
That chicken run is NICE! I'm looking at their catalog but I don't see a price list anywhere. Do you have to contact them to get prices?
I found the run at our local ranch store. Didn't know the manufacturer had a catalogue. Don't know what the price difference would be getting it direct from the manufacturer rather than from the store.

I cant wait to see pics of your aquaponics setup! Definitely something on my list to build someday!
I'll have to get a picture of it. Right now some of the seeds are just starting to sprout, so there's not a whole lot to see. I still have a few minor leaky spots, but I just but buckets underneath to catch the drips, then pour the water into the next bed.
 
#11 ·
OK, I FINALLY got a picture of my aquaponics setup.
Tree House Wood Shed Roof


The tank is a 150-gallon Rubbermaid stock tank, where I am raising tilapia. From the main tank, the water goes in succession to the three grow beds. From the third grow bed, the water goes through a pipe located under the beds, down into a sump made of a 55-gallon plastic barrel laid on it's side and dug partially into the ground. From the barrel, water is pumped back up to the stock tank using a pond pump, and is returned to the tank via a spray bar.

The greenhouse with the aquaponics setup also has my seed starting rack.
Food Cuisine Street food Grilling Finger food


I had to divide the wire run for the chickens in half, because the "big girls" kept chasing and pecking the "little girls.
Chicken Cage Galliformes Rooster Chicken coop
Wire fencing Chain-link fencing Mesh Net Cage


Even though the dividers only come partway up, it's enough to keep them separated.

The almond and apple trees now have "baby" almonds and apples on them
Plant Tree Flower Branch Bird
Plant Flower Tree Woody plant Flowering plant


and the cherry Tree Plant Chain-link fencing Wire fencing Fence


nectarine Tree Plant Woody plant Canoe birch Land lot


and peach trees Tree Woody plant Plant Spring Sky
are blooming.

The onion sets that I planted are growing, and the Chard is ready for me to start cutting.
Plant Flower Soil Garden Herb
 
#14 ·
Got the pineapple top planted, and today, went around taking stock on the fruit trees. Have baby plums, nectarines, cherries (first year of blooming for the nectarine and cherry trees), almonds, apples, and peaches. As I walked around the yard, I smelled a wonderful scent...the orange and mandarin trees are LOADED with blossoms! The olive tree is also loaded, so as long as the wind doesn't blow everything off (like it did last year) and the bugs and birds can be kept off, it should be a really good harvest of fruit.
 
#16 ·
Got a bit more done in the garden today.

Put up some trellis supports for cucumbers, squash, and beans today that I can plant other things under.
Cage Soil Chicken coop Agriculture


Transplanted in some baby cucumber plants, and also planted bean seeds.
Compost Wood Plant Fence Straw


There are baby artichokes on my plants now
Flower Plant Freezing Leaf Cynara


Seedlings in the greenhouse are coming along, and should be ready to transplant out soon.
Greenhouse Plant Table Herb Backyard
 
#21 ·
Today I planted the mulberry tree that I got a couple of days ago.
Plant Flower Soil Tree Leaf vegetable


I've been picking Boysenberries
Plant Flower Tree Woody plant Shrub


and Blackberries
Flower Plant Flowering plant Shrub Herb

for the last several days.

Today I also picked the first of the Blueberries.
Plant Flower Leaf Tree Woody plant


The apples are getting bigger
Plant Tree Vegetation Flower Woody plant


and I've been harvesting artichokes
Zoo Net Plant Animal shelter Recreation

for a couple of weeks now.

There are baby grapes on the vines
Plant Flower Leaf Flowering plant Tree


and the plums
Tree Plant Flower Woody plant Flowering plant

actually did NOT get blown off by the wind like they did last year.

We will have nectarines for the first time this year.
Tree Plant Woody plant Real estate Plane


The green beans are have started to sprout and grow, as well.
Plant Soil Grass Herb


The "salsa garden" is also coming along...tomatoes, cilantro, onions, and jalapenos together in one bed.
Soil Plant Fence Tree Garden
 
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