Slow in posting "sorry"

Guy's sure sorry about being so slow in posting. Some days the news isn't worth talking about.
This has been a very depressing year. It may be my last for planting commercial crops. Yeah, its been a bad growing season. I still have plenty to be thankful for, and believe me I am.
Maybe I am just getting old, I know I get tired easy.
I have been working around the house, doing yard work. I do love growing plants. We have 3.5 acres of yard so there is plenty to do. My wife does most of the mowing, she loves to mow. I think she would fight you for the mower. We do however have a large riding mower.
About 3 weeks ago lighting struck a large pine here in the yard, so had to get it cut. I happen to be standing in the garage watching it rain when the lighting struck. I was about 70' away, the boom and flash scared the heck out of me. I never want to be that close again. Later with yard photos. Bill

Onions

Onions are finished for 2010, what a year so far. We have golf ball and tennis ball size onions.(not good). Oh, they will taste good but not sell good. Most people like a larger onion, me I just like onions. These are very sweet really good for fresh eating. Anyway its over. The onions have been dug and are now curing in the field.
Can you believe with the country flooding we still haven't had any rain. The last storms came right up to us then split and went around. Now that sucks. Even my rain dance didn't work. Maybe next time.

Well, misinformed again.

Well, the weather dude said rain. And I guess it did but not here.

I truly am sorry about all the people getting flooded out. Some of my farmer friends have lost everything. Crops, greenhouses, barns, animals, equipment I mean have lost it all. You and your family's are on our prayer list.

I have always found it strange about the weather. We are still super dry here. Just finished putting out drip tape on our Chile plants. Still waiting on rain, before we plant more Chiles. Our ground is like a dust bowl, if we planted the plants now they would die before we could get water on them. Later Bill

Planting Chiles

Folks this has been one of the strangest springs. It has been really cool and super dry.
Anyway we started planting Chiles yesterday. We planted 3300 plants , but quite because it was so dry. The weather dude says rain coming, so we are holding off a couple of days. We are about 2 weeks late as it is, so a couple more day wont make much difference. I know a lot of y'all are to wet to plant but we are gonna do our rain dance. Might have to do it nude to make it work. (now thats scary)
Onions, well we have started to harvest a few fresh onions. Thats the ones with tops, different from greed onions. We call them spring onions. Sure feels good to be harvesting something. I don't have any photos to post but will get some soon.
Wishing you a great season.

Last freeze

I truly hope our last freeze is over. I have however seen a killing frost on the 15 th of April.

The ground temp is 65-70 ° this is a good thing.

All our fruit trees are bloomed out and looking really good.

I am thinking we might have a bumper crop of blueberries. But we all know what happens sometime when we start thinking own our own.

Our little Chile plants are still in the greenhouse, so they are doing good. They need to be in the ground. But just not ready yet.

The onions are growing finally. They did not respond too well to the snow and cold and lots of rain. I think I might have a photo somewhere I can post. Just a little behind from this time last year. I wish you all a great growing season, Bill

What the Heck

Well I keep saying spring is coming. And I am sure it is, I just don't know when. Can you believe we had snow (AGAIN) only two days ago. Not much but it did snow, and was 34 °
Puts a dampener on my wanting to plant anything. You know you get all excited on the warm sunny days. Then the next morning you are looking for your coat again. Oh Well.
Our baby Chiles in the green house are doing great. I hope we can go to the field with them by April.
On another note we have had mucho rain (that means lots) we will be needing it about June and July. I gets some kinda dry about then. So in thinking about it rain is not a bad thing.
Just was out checking the ground temp. It is now 55° to 60° wont be long now. I am about to plant some red potato's. Man I sure like those, I really didn't buy seed just got some from the store. Any way I am only going to plant a short row here at the house.

Spring has not sprung

Spring is not here yet, but its time to get ready. If you haven't started you seed, better get with it. Its difficult to think about planting when its still freezing each night.

Oh, by the way we did have snow.

Its pretty but I could do with out it.

We have our Chile seed in the greenhouse. Got little plants growing. We are not going to grow as many as we usually do. The market killed us last year along with labor cost. Of course being farmers we always say maybe this year will be better. I guess thats what makes us farmers (because we like it) Not because were getting rich. But hey, Obama gonna take care of us. "In your dreams." Oh Oh got to be careful here don't want to get on my soap box.

Baby plants getting ready, don't they look happy.

Climate Warming, Yeah when?

I am sure a lot of folks are wondering the same thing. The weather dude says we may have some snow coming. We just had a nice rain. Washed up some of the onion plants but nothing so far we can't overcome.

I really feel sorry about all the snow troubles people are having. We don't have that much snow here where we live, but I have been there and done that and don't like it at all.

Photo of me being cold Alaska in 1957.

Here is a photo of our poor little onions.
We are plowing them to dry the soil some. After plowing the wind will dry the soil.
Just received our collard seed, yes, we are going to try collards this year. If they don't sell good at least we will have plenty to eat. I do like greens and collards are the best (my opinion) But you got to have smoked pork jowl and cornbread with them.
Can you tell this is a Southern Blog????

Sweet Onions

The weather finally let up. We got our onions planted. Just in time to. It has turned cold and started to rain. I like a shower just after planting. I think it settles the soil around the plants.
We haven't started the other plants yet (greenhouse) but need to. I am holding off as long as I can. It cost a lot of money to heat a green house. We maybe a little late this year but our funds are kinda short, I know you can relate to that. This last year was a bummer as far as making any money. But there is always another year. That is what makes us farmers. Photos later.

Amy Smith: Simple designs that could save millions of childrens' lives

New Year is on its way

Looks like the New Year is upon us. Wasn't it wonderful to celebrate Christ Birthday. I am not sure if I am ready or not for the New Year. (coming anyway) Been cold and wet, some ice but not as cold as where some of you folks are located. When its cold sure is hard thinking about planting any thing. Its been so wet we haven't even got our onions planted yet. Just can't get into the fields. I haven't bought the onion plants yet either. I am sure happy about that, I hate to hold them very long after they are dug. I did have a few special Chile plants, planted in pots. I brought these inside where its warm, they are still making Chiles. I enjoy fresh peppers with my meal. And its super nice to see something growing.
It sure would be nice to hear what other growers are planting. I am always on the look out for new Chiles to grow. Dang, I don't even have a nice photo to post. Later, ChileFarmer

December 7th 1941

The attack on Pearl Harbor is most likely not remembered by most readers . I know I was very young when it happen. I remember being scared, listing to the old folks talk about the bombs and the ships that had been sunk, and all the men and women that had died. I am also scared today for our great country, America wakeup pay attention to whats happening to our country.
Do not forget who we are and what we stand for.
A lot of men and women have paid with there lives for the freedom we have, lets not lose it.

It can happen It did happen December 7th 1941. This is Gods country, a Christian nation. I don't care what Obama says.

Giving Thanks

It's that special time of year again. Time to give thanks for all our blessings over the past year. Yeah, I know we have had some rough times. Seems like America and the world are in quite an upheaval. But I am still grateful to be living in the greatest country in the world. Lets just hope they don't change it. I Really don't want to go there.

I do take time each day just to say "Thank You Lord For This Day and All My Blessings"
I find the photo posted below to be very fitting for "Thanksgiving" hope you do also. Bill

The name of this photo is Grace, it has quite a story that goes with it. You might want to read about it.

Citrus Fruit

Cool weather in Texas always brings Rio Grand Valley Citrus Fruit. Although we live in the Eastern part of the state. Valley citrus vendors begin to start showing up on the road sides. I love road side vendors. One never knows what you might find, Could be vegetables, fruit, sausage or Bar-B-Que, or some home made baked goods. And most of the time some really great deals.

With the economy the way it is I think we will see more and more roadside sales.

Anyway this is citrus season in Texas. Here is a photo of one of the vendors

Roadside vending is not something new here is a vendor from long ago. I love this photo.

I forgot to tell you that we have an orange tree, its small but sure has made the oranges this year. It is a Satsuma orange. They are easy peel and very sweet.

Thanks

How do you say thank you when written in a post, and convey your true feelings?

Thanks to all the veterans that have served to keep us safe and free.

And thanks to all that continue to serve for the same reason. I am very grateful. Bill

Fall is Here

Ounce again fall is here in East Texas. I always have mixed feelings this time of year. Good feeling is that, some relief from the Texas heat. And what crops we had are harvested. The bad feeling, or maybe I should say sad feelings. Trees are going dormant, no more green. But they too have had a hard year (being dry and all) Now it is a time of rest. The flowers will all die back waiting on spring. Lots of the birds have also left for winter.

And I hate cold weather. The fruit trees need some cold so they will produce next year. I guess there is some good comes from being cold. Up to a point anyway. We have some bad ice storms some years (not good). The pine trees suffer the most, they collect so much ice it brakes off the limbs. More rain coming tomorrow. I can tell you for sure though any day I can get up will be a blessed day.

After this boring post maybe I should post a nice fall photo.

Fall Has Arrived

Rain, Rain and more Rain

Where the heck was all this water when we needed it. You know back in the summer when it was so dry. Central Texas was about to dry up completely. Us here in the Eastern part of the state got dry but not like other parts of the state.

Anyway it has been raining for about two weeks now (Eastern Part) over 6" so far and more coming, maybe it will store some water for summer. Our farm pond is full, bet the fish like that. I was afraid that it might dry up. It didn't, I was super pleased because of the fish. My Grand Kids like fishing in the pond, so do I. OK, so for now don't do any more rain dances on our behalf. But I may be calling on Y'all later so keep in practice. ChileFarmer

The Farm Pond

Well another growing season bites the dust.

Yep, its over. I am happy and sad at the same time. Now that makes no since at all does it?
This has been the worst growing season we have ever had. Nothing worked out like it was supposed to. But as Farmers we always say well maybe next year. Maybe deer season will perk thinks up, at least the deer should be good and fat. They have been eating our crops all year. Now its payback time.My grandson says "Pawpaw" you aren't going to shoot Bambi are you, Nope, but his daddy and mama are up for grabs. Time for some back strap and deer sausage.
Later Y'all

Shell Beans

Some things just happen, And we just managed to catch a nice shower. Sure hope we can do it again soon.
Planted beans today. It will be pushing it for them to make before frost. They should mature about mid November. But nothing planted nothing to harvest. But with the raising cost of seed it does require some thought. 50 pounds of bean seed right now $165.00 ($1.65 pound) They are cheaper than that at the market. (Maybe that is where I need to buy my seed.) Thats up $20.00 per 50 pounds from spring price.
Anyway they are in the ground and the ground is damp. They should be up in a few days. I may even have some photos to post. And maybe the deer wont find them, Oh well, I like deer meat.

Texas Is a very Big State

I chose the Title because what happens in one place may not be happening in another at all.

Y'all, it is super dry in my area, and not too far from us the rain has been in the 3"-4" range. We have been wanting to plant some fall beans but without a shower it isn't gonna happen.

The Habanero Chiles are doing OK, we have managed to keep them watered, the deer are loving that. They are eating them like candy. I told the guys, when we harvest a deer this fall, it wont have to be seasoned with all the Chiles they have been eating. Anyway praying for rain, our country and our troops.

Habanero Chiles.