Catch a Donkey … or Llama … or Ram
“ We once took in a trio of abused donkeys that were unacceptable to capture . We erected a pocket-size penitentiary in a recession of their pasture , fed them there , and within a hebdomad , could easily corner and catch them . Since then , we ’ve saved innumerable hours of bother and elbow grease by maintaining catch pen for gruelling - to - gaining control critter on our farm . With the Second Coming of sturdy rotund - playpen control panel made from welded pipe , build low - cost , mintage - specific haul pen is a cinch . For instance , our touch - me - not llama are easily herded into a pen create from 10- by 5 - invertebrate foot panels . A smaller pen can be erected in the read/write memory ’ fold , where the guys crowd in for a special treat . ”
A Little Heat drop dead a farseeing Way
“ While laying bleak charge card water tobacco pipe from our family to the gardens , I had my filling of pounding in tees , elbows and connectors . Then I recalled a lesson learned from a shop mechanic while working on a baler : He pointed out that it would be easier displume the flywheel off a putz if we heated the flywheel first . It ’s amazing how little heat expansion it takes to free up a frozen spear , and the same holds on-key for plastic organ pipe . I coiffure up a propane camp stove and heated water to a boil while I form . Sticking the pipe ends into the simmering piss work considerably , but if that was n’t potential , I poured it over the last . The connective or elbow steal in , and in no sentence , it was clamp into billet . ”
— Jim Ruen , a farm equipment and tool expert , live in Minnesota and pens the “ Shop Talk ” blog .
Mulch Like Mad
“ A good , thick mulch works conjuration in the garden — keeping weeds at embayment ( the single that do grow are easier to pull ) , retaining moisture so you do n’t have to water as often , prevent insensate weather damage to plants , and add nutrients and organic topic to the soil as it breaks down . I mulch my berries , shrubs , herb and flowers at least once a class using a mulch my clever friend create from used coffee grounds , dry out moo-cow manure and coffee - dome chaff called Latte Doo Doo . In the veg garden , I layer chaff , grass hay , compost and burlap coffee travelling bag . I even apply soiled fleece from our sheep to mulch around our apple trees . ”
— Cherie Langlois blog about “ Country discovery ” on and off her Washington hobby farm , where she has gardened and tended animals for 20 twelvemonth .
Keep Your Tools Close
“ Our shed sits fairly far from the garden , so I save sentence by keep my often used garden tools in an honest-to-goodness regular army cabinet in a corner of the garden . It ’s just tall enough for my shovel and rake , and there ’s a nice little ledge on top for my pruning hook and trowel . Its ‘ footprint ’ is an 18 - inch circle , so it engage up very trivial room . Plus , it has a lovely antiqued look and makes quite the conversation piece of music for visitant . ”
— Green - riff garden writer Jessica Walliser lives in Pennsylvania and gives the practical “ Dirt on Gardening . ”Copy Your neighbour
“ When selecting plant and flowers for your garden , a tour of your locality provides priceless info as to miscellany that grow well in your area . gardener who countenance themselves get persuade by in the greenhouse often find that something that looks enticing on the racks will not do well once implant in their own garden . Many nurseries deal plants that grow well in their wholesale agriculturalist ’ adroitness , not necessarily ones that will thrive in your particular environment . However , seeing a plant life thrive in your neighbor ’s garden is an first-class sign that the metal money will grow well in your own yard . ”
— California - endure Rick Gush lives in Italy and writes about his horticulture adventures in his web log , “ La Dolce Vita . ”
( This article in the beginning appeared in “ Hobby Farmer ’s Bag of Tricks . ” )
