Ducks4you 2021 Ragtag Thread

flowerbug

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as for _Dirt_ what is the next part of the title of the book? ;) he's reiterating to point out the common result of poor farming practices and one we see in our own country here too. i.e. the erosion of civilizations...
 

ducks4you

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Growing a Revolution: Bringing the Soil Back to Life
https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393356090
I also received a copy of his book, The Hidden Half of Nature:
For those who DON'T know, the fiberglass blades of wind turbines are TOTALLY NON recyclable. Owners need permission from specific LANDFILLS who will take them when they are discarded. And, they have to be chopped up into pieces.
Hardly good for our environment.
Makes me want to tell truck manufacturers to start making them out of steel again, inSTEAD of fiberglass.
 

flowerbug

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...
For those who DON'T know, the fiberglass blades of wind turbines are TOTALLY NON recyclable. Owners need permission from specific LANDFILLS who will take them when they are discarded. And, they have to be chopped up into pieces.
Hardly good for our environment.
Makes me want to tell truck manufacturers to start making them out of steel again, inSTEAD of fiberglass.

seem to be a lot of efforts in that regard, so your information is out of date or changing.



i get it that some people hate them.
 

ducks4you

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seem to be a lot of efforts in that regard, so your information is out of date or changing.



i get it that some people hate them.
ONLY those who have to live next to them.
 

ducks4you

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I want to send a warning to all of you--this is probably gonna be aNOTHER year where newbies think that they can grow their own food.
Supplies will be LOW if you wait!
Get your seeds EARLY, if you need to buy. I am ordering mine this weekend, except for the cheap ones that seem to grow well, like turnips and lettuce.
 

Zeedman

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I want to send a warning to all of you--this is probably gonna be aNOTHER year where newbies think that they can grow their own food.
Supplies will be LOW if you wait!
Get your seeds EARLY, if you need to buy. I am ordering mine this weekend, except for the cheap ones that seem to grow well, like turnips and lettuce.
I completely & enthusiastically agree.

On Wednesday (two days ago) I called SSE to renew my membership, and to place an order. I tried to order a pea that I've been wanting, but was told it was out of stock. The operator expressed surprise, said that she had just placed an order earlier in the day that went through - which may have been the last one. :thShe said they are taking so many orders now that they are about 2 weeks behind. I suspect that other seed sellers are just as busy, and that stocks will be depleted very quickly. Some of the more popular varieties may soon be out of stock industry-wide.

As I seem to remember posting recently, I don't think this situation is temporary. Given all of the uncertainty about the future, many people are sensing food insecurity, and turning to gardening for the first time. As with all new gardeners, some will tire of it, or become frustrated & give up. But IMO, growing food symbolizes more than just a hobby now, so I believe a larger than usual percentage will commit to gardening long-term. This will be the 2nd consecutive year of vastly increased demand for vegetable seed... I hope the seed companies (and seed growers) see the writing on the wall, and expand their capabilities to accommodate that demand.

I should mention that the demand - and shortages - will likely extend into tools, seed starting supplies, and garden power equipment as well. If you need any of those, it may be wise to make your purchase early. In mid-summer of last year, I was looking for a small self-propelled rear-tine tiller to make weeding large areas less physically demanding (because DW & I are a little less youthful :old). It should have been relatively easy to find one, I'd often seen some available locally late in the season... but last year, nothing. Searches for used equipment were similarly fruitless. I've already started looking, and am considering ordering one to ensure it is there when needed.
 

ducks4you

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Just spent several hundred $'s on seeds and bulbs. I KNOW that every year I dump that much buying from box stores. Went a little looney ordering like 8 types of tomato seeds from High Mowing, but I really liked that the better seed companies work to sell disease resistant varieties. Tomato seeds, properly stored, can sprout decades later. I know. I did it. Would that I had been a better seed babysitter...
Garlic on top of the fridge is sprouting. Fun to watch this in a clear container, the roots come first, then the stem. About 1/2 of about 50 of them have sprouted. They are grocery store garlic, no harm no loss. I ordered 1/2 pound of Italian late garlic from Jung, as a back up.
Started to straighten up my setup downstairs bc it's a mess. DD wants me to start up tomatoes in the "fuel room," where we used to fill fuel oil tanks for the boiler (until we converted it to natural gas.) I can close the door there and keep the "plant assassin kittens" from the plants.
Gotta be creative. Lost the old card table that I used to use, BUT, I have extra LED flourescents, a set of old, wooden saw horses and plenty of plywood. DD's have taken most of their stored stuff out of there. I should have the tomato setup ready by Valentine's Day, if not sooner. I used to get tomato seedlings to start under an old flourescent.
For this setup I WILL use heat pads.
 

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