What is going on today 2017?

Nice ride Speed!!
I find my fuel economy not really an issue because of the time savings from the ZT. My mower has a 28 Kaw on it and at full throttle it will burn some gas. If I control my speed and account for wheel slide, the mower will handle a 45 slope side ways, besides that’s what the rollbar’s for!

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Piling the straw up in the potato bed, after a good soak with the hose. Put the tomato cages up.

Saw that the birds are indeed after the cherries sticking outside the net - also a dead bird in the yard. Don’t think it was one of my pretty useless cats, but if so, good for her

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It would be nice on the garden bed, yes. But I needed to cover spaces between beds from weeds. I did used it, will see.

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Thanks Anne. I have used cardboard before and it does suppress the grasses/weeds here for two years more or less. The problems I face with it are: in large areas it tends to restrict/divert water from the planting (we don’t get a lot of summer rain and often not in big doses). Not a big issue if this is a 2’ square you’re covering, but with 6x6’ areas or bigger around trees it can cause problems. Second problem is it tends to blow away in our winter winds (they are strong and persistent).

No real ideal solution. The woven plastic weed fabric works well, but eventually roots work their way into it making it near to impossible to remove. Cardboard works well for a while but I need to weight it down well, and replace it. Just chips has some effect, but the grasses and weeds come thru by fall for me.

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Todays report: Was out looking at the apples today as I always do but I was looking closer than normal at the small amount of bug damage that I have. I saw several moths fly out and not knowing one moth from the other decided to spray 1 more time. As I was spraying I saw 2 live plum curculio, Glad that I sprayed.

I figure that if I saw 2 then there are probably hundreds.

I was hoping that my first 2 sprays had got them. Obviously not.

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A new roof going up on our storage building means a a rare high view of bluberries & raspberries…with pears & apples off in the distance.

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That is incredibly beautiful and a lovely view, maybe you should put a deck up there. LOL

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A sight to make the heart rejoice!

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I got a squirrel trapped inside the net over my cherry tree, meant for the birds. I took a couple of wacks at it with the hoe, but it managed to find the space where it got in and took off.

wondering if this will make it net-shy for the future.

Can’t adjust the net now w/o ripping off most of the fruit.

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Do you get sufficient pollination from the area bees, or do you pay to have bee’s brought in during bloom time?

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Nice view and layout. What kind of rasps and bloobs do you have and how would you rate the flavor and production of the various varieties?

BTW, how are your new peach trees doing, as well as the established ones? Going to have many fruit this year?

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We have a large honey bee operation right next door…Swan’s Honey: http://swanshoney.com/

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Thats a sweet deal for you! I watched a documentary about bee’s and it showed Wyman’s blueberry orchard in Maine paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to have bee’s brought in for bloom. It evidently improves production so much that it justifies the investment.

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Unusual year. I have pears and apples that are about 3" and blooms on Arkansas Black and Liberty.

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We planted just one type of raspberry…Killarney. Love the color, consistency & flavor of this berry!

Blueberries from early to late…Northland, Patriot, Bluecrop, Jersey, Elliott

Best producers: Northland, Patriot & Elliott
Best taste: Bluecrop & Elliott

Peaches are having a rough time after horrible peach leaf curl last season. I will probably lose a few mature trees. The new plantings are aslo struggling so far…was a wet & cold spring until recently. We will have peaches however! Reliance looks like it will have a good crop.

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No copper spray?

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I do have to say that it is the bumble bees that do most of the pollination of our blueberries. I have seen more honey bees on them this season though.

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We sprayed Kocide 3000 last fall but could not get in the orchard this spring due to late snow melt and bad weather.

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Oohhhh! That is the problem. I only sprayed mine twice this past early spring and that is all they needed, the leaves are perfect. Did you use a sticker? It really helps. Too much rain has prevented my spray schedule this summer! More rain tomorrow! :tired_face:

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Good to hear about Killarney, we just got one of those plants from Indiana Berry, along with four other varieties.

We also have Patriot and Bluecrop, planted in April. They are doing very well so far, but the plot they’re in is naturally acidic (pH = 5.0). We also have a Nelson and Blueray bush. All from IB as well.

Is your place a PYO? Are the bloobs ready to pick yet? We are going to visit a local orchard soon as their blueberries are about ready.

Sorry to hear about your peach trees, we’ve had a very wet and cool spring as well, and our few trees are also struggling.

Not to be too nosy, but do y’all have a website or Facebook page?

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