# Its getting Close!



## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

I've been busy goofing off. LOL But I have been adding on to my bird chores. Got 30 day old chickens & about 300 Bob Whites & hatched 50 more Bob's today.
The garden is a work in progress. Hoping to plant manana. I don't do a big fall garden. Enough for me & the birds. But I'll have plenty of space for onions.
I always plant onions in Dec. But I think I might plant in Nov. this year. I'm gonna do some reds this year. I didn't do any last year & missed them in my salads.
Everybody got there fall gardens in yet ?


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## Sugars Pop (Jul 10, 2008)

How old are your quail when you deiced it's time for some eaters?

Neighbor at the lake's grandfather is raising quail now, not sure the breed, but they say they are big like blues etc,. Brought some to grill the other day and they looked like a little dove. Told him to let them get bigger and he said the old man kills them at 6 weeks.


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Depends on the breed. Coturnix 6 to 8 weeks. Bob Whites about 12 weeks. Getting big Bob Whites really depends on the breed of them & a good strain. I have wisconsin giants, there about 16 oz a bird. 2 birds will fill me up.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Rubberback said:


> .....Everybody got there fall gardens in yet ?


My garden never rests. It always has something growing in it.


I have a bumper cover crop of peas (over waist high) waiting to be turned back into the soil before frost.
My annual race with first frost for tomatoes is going strong and as usual I expect frost to be the winner, although I do have a good bunch of green tomatoes on the vines.
Harvesting okra now every third day instead of every day....and will soon let the plants go to seed.
Peppers have started their annual fall production surge
Have about 2 dozen plants each of cabbage, broc, and kale in the ground
Intend to add a couple dozen Brussels sprouts plants to the mix... just haven't found any quality plants yet
Will soon plant carrots, radishes, and turnips and get my walking onions going again.
I'm still eating 1015 onions from the spring crop as well as red potatoes. The 1015's will soon run out as my losses were higher in storage this year than in years past (too much rain in spring) and also we just ate more of them. Still have plenty of red potatoes.

On the bird front, I'm down to 1 chicken and 3 guineas. Need to get some more in "inventory". No quail...sure wish I could get some established and would pay good money to do so...but alas it seems a lost cause.

Best calf crop I've ever had this year will soon be going to market; Deer are fat and sassy; hogs are overtaking the place...but intend to have some great sausage this winter. Heard some turkeys last week...and that was promising.

That's my report for Meadowlark Ranch....oh, the annual meadowlarks return hasn't happened but should start seeing them filter in any day now.


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## Rubberback (Sep 9, 2008)

Lark, when it gets hot I mean hot. I give up on the garden. My hats off to you for gardening through out the brutal summer heat. I had a great spring garden & ate, canned & sold my share.
My main focus is raising birds. I spend a few hours a day or more caring for them. Just so happens the summers are the hardest times on birds.They wear a down jacket 24/7 & don't like the heat.
Birds love the cold & it makes caring for them so much easier. Which is good so I can spend some time hunting & enjoying nature.
I do enjoy a fall garden though. Plus, I need to be prepared for planting my onions. Onions are my favorite. I love big fat sweet dripping with juice onions.
I saved up 2 compost bins full of poop & other natural compost for the gardens.


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## peckerwood (Jun 9, 2012)

My okra is pettering out,but peppers are in high gear.TamDew melons are finally ripening and are extra sweet.Planted 4 rows of Whippoorwill peas that are waist high but no blooms yet.Like Meadowlark,it looks like I'll have a wheel barrel full of green tomatoes at 1st frost.


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## Dick Hanks (Aug 16, 2007)

Meadowlark Quote: That's my report for Meadowlark Ranch....oh, the annual meadowlarks return hasn't happened but should start seeing them filter in any day now.

Our area is mostly too wooded to get Meadowlarks, but we do see some occasionally when driving through farm and pasture country near by. I think that they may migrate about the same time as the Flickers, which we do get more of in our area. The Flickers are just starting to come through our area now. Lots of them. 

We have had a lot of grasshoppers this year, so the Larks may be staying a little longer to enjoy the feast. Also, it looks like we will be frost free to the end of the month as well. The last of the Hummers are packing their little bags and heading out though.

Normally, we have had frost by now. All of this extra frost free time has really helped the pumpkins and melons finish up. It's been a good year. Will start turning under some of the garden next week. 

Bow hunting for deer opens here tomorrow. I think that I will wait a week or 2 for cooler weather. Maybe do a little Ruffed Grouse hunting instead. Wild turkeys are getting way too established in our area. 15 years ago, we had none. They are hard on the Grouse population. Wish that they never made it this far north. Up here, they are an invasive species..... like your wild hogs.


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## peckerwood (Jun 9, 2012)

Man I've always wanted to hunt grouse!!!


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Dick Hanks said:


> .... Wild turkeys are getting way too established in our area. 15 years ago, we had none. They are hard on the Grouse population. Wish that they never made it this far north. Up here, they are an invasive species..... like your wild hogs.


 Now that is a really, really interesting observation!!


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## jm423 (Sep 18, 2011)

Dick, maybe you need to import some of our wild hogs--they cause wholesale depredation on turkey nests (among a lot of other things!). You are talking about frosts, we still have some near 100 F days ahead, and it will not rain in my area. Even watering my sweet taters.


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## The Driver. (May 20, 2004)

Meadowlark said:


> My garden never rests. It always has something growing in it.
> 
> Okra, eggplant and peppers are producing well. Still have my tomatoes from spring and are in great shape. Had a great batch of purple hull peas and second batch is blooming. When they play out I will go back in and plant snow peas. Fall corn is doing well and will go back with spinach and mustard greens. My zucchini, yellow neck and scallop squash are coming on strong. Broccoli and brussel sprouts are popping up. Going to replant my cabbage. I like to wait till Thanksgiving to plant my onions and carrots.


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## kyle2601 (Oct 23, 2008)

After moving to Anderson back at the end of July and always having a garden we finally got our fall garden planted about the 2nd week of September. I am going to try and beat the frost and get a late batch of okra in hopefully along with the usual winter crops. I didn't even think about corn, wish I had. 
We happened across a lady getting rid of her quail up in Bedias so I went and bought all 12 Texas A&M's Plus 10 Bobwhites plus they came with a parting gift of 10 Rhode Island red and 2 buff Orpington chickens and 4 Dumb turkeys. These birds are keeping me on my toes. I have eggs hatching now, have more cooking and gathering everyday. I just went and bought another individual out of his quail and added 30 more A&M's on Saturday so I am getting knee deep in quail. Going to hate seeing my electric bill next month with two big incubators, 1 hatcher plus the brooder running 24/7. Going to be posting pics soon as I progress. Randy, I am going to try and come see you soon when I get a minute to poke my head up from all my honey do's.


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