TXIKI SAYS NO
TXIKI decided not to go with the herd when I moved the cows on the West Side into the pigs paddock, yesterday. She kept walking to the gate then turning tail and rushing back to the safety of the barn. All day she stayed on the other side, eschewing the fresh new albeit short grass and keeping her own company.
They have not been moved there because there us any good feed over there but because today and across this weekend we will take the tractor into the barn and give it a good clean up.
By Monday there will be another great big pile of compost.
I miss Lady Astor when I work with her slow moving son.
The warmth is taking its time in coming. This morning I am still wrapped in a shawl as I write.
Last night I turned the piglets heat lamp off for good. They have taken to sleeping in their little house away from the extra heat now. So they will not mind. The ducklings still have their own light and the chicks have heat from a heating mat under the floor of their tub and their remaining heating table above. I always thought chicks grew fast until I had ducks!
With the temperatures still so cool I feel that I am getting ahead of the weeds in the asparagus. The stalks themselves are growing but not fast and as yet not plentiful. As soon as I can see where the gaps are I will begin to replant and resow to keep the stand lush. Though planting asparagus is a real investment in the future – it takes years for an asparagus plant to mature. Though if it is well managed it will produce for years. Decades.
The same applies to rhubarb though I do not have the same weed problem.
I hope you have a lovely day.
Love celi
WEATHER: We may get a little rain tonight which will be good for the asparagus and the sown fields.
Friday 04/27 10% / 0 in
Sunny to partly cloudy. High near 65F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.
Friday Night 04/27 50% / 0.04 in
Rain showers this evening with clearing overnight. Low 36F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Sun
5:56 AM 7:45 PM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous, 93% visible 5:23 PM 5:01 AM
38 Comments on “TXIKI SAYS NO”
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thekitchensgarden 
I have gaps in my asparagus that need to be filled but I can’t figure out a way to make sure they don’t get picked for a couple years while they mature. Will be interesting to see what you do.
Anything smaller than my little finger I do not pick anyway. But I was thinking of labeling. But labels never last the winter. Do you have any ideas?
I recall seeing the suggestion somewhere of using the “cut-offs” from custom-made window blinds for plant tags… Just need to find a source, lol: )
Totally UV and weather resistant, and – being off-cuts/ waste are very inexpensive – maybe even free!: )
I like the idea below of using the pipe around the new crowns!
I read somewhere today, 3 years to first harvest and then ongoing up to 20 yrs! Do you add on to the end of the bed or plug the holes? Laura
I will plug the holes- actually they are big gaps!
Just wait till those ducks discover your asparagus….chomp chomp..lovrrly grub xxx
To chew or to eschew? That was Txiki’s question. Wonder why she hung back on such a pretty day when everyone else chose to go chew the new green grass?
That is so funny!! I don’t know why she was feeling stubborn
I didn’t know that about rhubarb. The plants we have always had have been there so long, so I have never needed to plant it. Good to know.
Ha ha – you can’t get a Basque to do something they don’t want to do – that must apply to little cows too!
She still has not gone through either – preferring her own country I suppose.
Very independently minded!
I need to look in my photo archives and send you the photo of the rhubarb plants I found in Maine. They are at least 6 foot wide. Huge plants and they were about 10 years old. It was fall and the stalks were so red. Was it Lady A’s bobby that you had the horns burned off of? Did they grow back? and the image of the two heifers with their head down, I know they are whispering about some thing….. maybe how Txiki had not obeyed you….. and how naughty she is.
10 years old and 6 foot wide! That would be great. The winters keep mine in check. J wonder what variety that was – wish you could send me a root!
If I ever get back to Maine – and find the farm – I will try! It was on the road out to the apple farm where we got the good homemade cinnamon sugar donuts and picked apples for a homemade pie. (I’m drooling again…. Why does your blog do that to me?)
That does sound like heaven though!
Don’t know why, but I was thinking about Lady Astor, and Daisy, and you all not having to milk this summer before I even checked for your blog this morning. And thinking of Our John, and you, and the animals on the farmy not having milk this year as well. And I know that you did try Lamancha goats, and that the kids were too wild and crazy to deal with along with all the other animals too. But, once the kids are a bit older they tame right down, and after kidding give the best milk ever. And the baby goats can be so easily sold. And milking is soooo easy, with virtually no udder problems. Just a thought! 🙂 xo
It is not so bad to have no milk. I will breed Aunty and Tia this summer and we will have milk next year!
This morning I love seeing all the cattle!! Beauties!!!
They are rather lovely!
Gorgeous cows!
Yes!!
Do you start your asparagus in the greenhouse before planting out, Celi? Any possibility that we might find a maintenance primer here in the future? (Hint, hint; ) Such lovely cattle you have!
I will be direct sowing the seed – asparagus grows well from seed.
Ah, thanks! Have bought started plants years ago. (But ditch-picking is also easily done as well; ) What’s your soil composition like there Celi?
Oh, Ceci! You gave me the giggles this morning! I wondered why on earth you were moving the tractor into the barn to give it a good c leaning! Visions of a great, muddy tractor with a squeaky seat that needs oiling came to mind. Hose down the tractor in the barn? Only after three readings did I understand that you meant use the tractor to clean the barn! Txiki was being cantankerous and whiney it seems and just a bit slow to catch up with the rest of the train. She has a cattle car all her own, the little dumpling! Lawzy, I’m off to a good start this morning!
I thought you meant you would clean the tractor too! That’s how much I know about farming🙄
I have used 4 inch sections of 4 or 5 inch white poly pipe offcuts (sewer pipe size) to surround new asparagus crowns and protect them. It lasts quite well and can be used again and again, if that helps?
This sounds like a winner. Thanks! 😀
good luck!
I think I would feel more at peace if I could see cows every day. I love the way they lie and ponder some distant horizon.
Also they arrange themselves so beautifully – like cats. Do you think ?
Yes, I noticed that.
I planted asparagus roots the first summer I lived here, that was in 1988 and the patch is still going strong! There were several rhubarb plants scattered around, I relocated all of them to one spot and they, too, are still going strong – probably 6 or 8 feet across and at least 4 feet high at their peak. We had a couple of pretty warm sunny days and you could almost see the rhubarb grow but so far not a asparagus stalk in sight. I find the rhubarb much easier to keep weed free than the asparagus too.
Oh my! I wish my rhubarb was that big. Both these crops love to get old- the older the better.
Asparagus, how wonderful. I wanted to plant some in Spain in the house we rented before building our Cortijo until Big Man told me how long we’d have to wait until we could enjoy it!