Another week gone in the slow plod towards spring.

Weather here is back to seasonal temps at least but the precip is still falling as rain instead of snow. Did get a very wet snow yesterday that just did cover the gound but it turned to rain. Had to go out and clear the light snow covering off the TV dish. It was more water than snow but still cut off the signal.

Did I dow anything in the past week? Well, I did start carrying a few armfuls of wood in from the woodshed, that is about it. Don't really need to carry it from there as I still have a few weeks supply left on the porch but what the hey, it's something to do.

Jan: Great fun ahead for you with the incubator. Yes it is best not to follow tomatoes with potatoes or vice versa on the same ground. They are both members of the same family, nightshade IIRC. I am debating making potatoes my crop this year. Been several years since I did. I have let most of my garden go back to grass, raise a few tomatoes (mostly unsuccessfully) each year and that's about it.

Have a very bad case of cabin fever. Even debated hitting the wood patch to clean up fire piles the last clear day but knew it would be too wet/muddy.

Harry K

I looked up rotation for potatoes and my (Garden Bible) by Edward Smith said do not follow with tomatoes. But it did not say you could not plant Potatoes where tomatoes have been. It also said tomatoes and potatoes were friendly companions. Meaning they can be planted in the say area not in the say row.
I hope this helps.Teresa

potatoes and tomatoes are from the same family Solanacae and they share some of the same diseases and bugs, so it is best to not grow tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and eggplant (aubergine) after one another.

helen

Our weather has also gone back to almost winter again, lower 30Fs. The last couple weeks were pretty nice, mid 30F to mid 40Fs. Very unseasonal. Slogging thru the mucky ground was very tiring. This last couple days have gotten some frost back in the ground. At least we stop sinking at the hard layer under the 2" of mud! Trenches are kind of deep in the farm lane from daily spreading in the field.

I raked some leaves to put on my perennial beds. The wind had swirled the leaves away and peony buds were peeking at me. Nice to know they are healthy!

Got some limb trimming done also. Winter IS supposed to be best for cutting limbs, no sap to leak or bugs to invade. Evidently my tree didn't know that, leaked sap all down the side. It must have warmed up in our unseasonal weather. Limb had to come off, rubbing another one. I also took out a poor doing tree. At least 10yrs old, still only 5ft tall. Had made and lost 3 other leader branches over time. I just was tired of no reward from it. After cutting, the stub showed tree was only hanging on with 1/4" edge under one side under the bark, a very poor plant. Cut several summer sprouted trees that were in poor locations.
The bigger tree had to have the lower circle of limbs cut off. They had drooped down so far they were always in your face as you walked by, gave too much shade to the garden on the one side. Really opened up the area, I like it much better. That limb cutting was hard! Hand saw just was at very awkward angles to get each limb cut. Gave the little dog lots of sticks to chew up now.

I got in some horse riding. Trying to keep fit riding to show our 2 sale horses to potential buyers. I am pretty out of practice. All lookers so far, no buyers. Interesting to ride the young horse, he moves just like my daughter's 4-H horse, very FORWARD. Trainer is doing very well with him after about 45 good rides. Also doing lots of other stuff with him. The trainer's barn is like a circus, 3-4 things going on all at once. He doesn't seem to care, just keeps doing his job. I LOVE IT!!
The horse at home seems to like going riding, practicing in the ring, comes right over to get caught. Maybe he is bored, not much excitement in the pasture! We are moving better together now, with more riding practice.

Husband finished his workshop roof. The metal roof looks VERY nice. Had a little more fussing than he figured to fit everything together at the roof peaks, but came out well. He got the forge smokestack tied down so he won't have wind problems trying to blow it off. Sure a relief to have it finished. Now to just get some shop time to play out there.
The baby horse is going for short walks with me, seems very accepting of all the new stuff he sees. Not real upset with anything.

DD, 13yr old, had the last two days off school, closed Monday, icy roads today kept the students home. Newspaper said 19 accidents before 9AM! It improved as the morning went on, temps warmed up to melt ice. She got some sewing practice in, made a pair of pajama pants. I just was available for answers, she did all the work. She did a little modifying, added patch pockets. Came out pretty well!! Got in some extra studying for 4-H, have a horse knowledge competition coming in Feb. Weather is still iffy, may be off on Wed also.

Thanks all for the information on the potatoes and tomatoes. I was thinking that I had read they should not be planted in rotation but was not sure. I have another bed that I can plant the potatoes in. Really would like to have the backyard tilled and a larger garden put in. But DH doesn't agree with that one. He says the raised beds are enough. LOL.

Nice to read the activities being carried on by everyone. Haven't posted in a while - felt that there wasn't too much to contribute.
Several television newstations are running stories on the drought and how the lack of water is effecting the cattlemen. Interviewed several farmers who were selling portions of their herds. Reporter says that buyers are from the 'North' with the quote being, 'The Grass is Greener up North'.!. My remark, grass - what's that!! Peoples water tanks are drying up, some are having to use city water for stock, others are selling. Our local feed store is traveling to Kansas to buy hay, they have been twice so far. People are counting their hay supply and praying they have enough to last until - -
My small flock of chickens have begun to lay again. First year of having chickens so, daylight theory was proven true.
Feeding the birds is a joy again, although, I have a problem with the squirrels.
Have been digging in the flower beds and preparing them for the spring plantings. Have heard comments of people preparing their garden areas and seen a few spots tilled. Onion sets are ready to be in the ground, temperatures are really mild, todays expected high - suppose to be in the upper 70's, with high wind gusts. The weather people have a graphic being used now that reflects 'fire danger' areas.
All take care and enjoy the week,
Roxann

Years ago I saw an ad for plants that grew tomatoes on top and potatoes on the bottom. Not sure how either crop turned out. I just recall the ad.

We have been SO busy. Monday the contractor came out to pour the concrete for the tack room floor. since he had to buy so much concrete, we poured a step and a sidewalk.

The barn cats danced on the fresh concrete, so they spent the night in the cage. The guy refinished the wet cement, and the rest of the project was uneventful.

It rained that night, Snowed Tuesday night, and today they came to put in the fine gravel for the rest of the barn. 15 ton of it, to bring the barn above grade. So, we have a 12x12 cement floor and we have a level graded surface to walk on. And the doors are no longer a foot above the ground. Just a few inches.

Horse experts get really touchy about what the proper flooring for a horse barn is. But we were pretty desparate to get the barn back to grade. This stuff is almost as fine as sand and is supposed to PACK like cement. Here's hoping!

The herd themselves are in good spirits, the old gelding was crow hopping around this afternoon, more playful than I've ever seen him. They are currently a muddy mess, but they clean up to a high gloss when I get the time.

Attitudes changed from half-wild to meek as mice on the lead rope when we changed pastures today.

The first week of stabling was awful! They refused to go in stalls, refused to come out of stall. Stomped my feet, bit my arm, shoved me into a wall. Couldn't get halters on or off. Wouldn't come when called.

I'm pleased how they have responded to even this little bit of handling. Everyone is responding to their names and basic commands, "come" "stand" "whoa" "give face" (for haltering) "stay" (so I can lead one at a time) and "get in". I haven't gotten nipped, run over or stepped on in two weeks.

Take care and stay warm!
Kitty

Miss Kitty, glad to hear your horses are behaving better! We call the daily moving them around, "the laying on of the Hands". Seems like if you just touch them daily, they get and stay much more civilized! I hate to think how silly ours would be in pasture only or run-in sheds, never led around. We designed our barn so horses must be led in or out, with halters on. Makes a huge difference.

Congrats on your concrete!! Sure makes life easier, I hate wading in mud, fighting with the doors. Stonedust should be your next goal. Dry gates, no slipping hooves, walking areas are wonderful!