[wyandotte]

Hail, high winds... tomatoes got a bit beat up but I think stuff survived.

Oh dear! I am so sorry. I am glad that at least some of your plants survived.

I garden, too, and as they say, "it's always something". For me, it was the appearance of a huge woodchuck. Never had one before on our land. The bugger tore out and ate most of the peas, beans, Italian swiss chard, flowers, etc. I did some reseeding (as well as babying and protection of what shards were left.) LOL. So very grateful woodchucks don't like squash plants. Anyway, after efforts to discourage him/it/her, it seems to be gone. Maybe.

 

[maryb]

Last woodchuck in my garden met its end... crossbow...

 

[wyandotte]

Last woodchuck in my garden met its end... crossbow...

Did you do the deed yourself? I could never kill an animal; I can't step on an ant! But slugs, now we're talking mass murder on my part and with much enjoyment.

 

[mike9]

So very grateful woodchucks don't like squash plants. Anyway, after efforts to discourage him/it/her, it seems to be gone. Maybe.

Unless it's dead I doubt it's gone. I use butternut squash to bait them then terminate.

 

[wyandotte]

@mike9. "Terminate" with extreme prejudice? LOL. You could be right about him showing up again. He was gone for a week and then, yes, lo & behold, who's that giant land beaver I see? Anyway, I made the bottom of the fence less accessible with small grid wire. We shall see!

Do you put the squash into a trap or what. Or just place your bait outside the entrance to their hidey hole and sit there with a shotgun?

 

[mike9]

I put wire a chunk to the trip plate in a large Havahart, close one end then when I trap one I dispatch it and take it up to feed coyotes with. A bit of advice - you have to close the trap at night and reset the next day otherwise you could end up with a skunk in there and now you have a different problem. Trust me on this one . . . .

 

[maryb]

Did you do the deed yourself? I could never kill an animal; I can't step on an ant! But slugs, now we're talking mass murder on my part and with much enjoyment.

Yes, I hunt... so shooting a wood chuck that was destabilizing one of my shed foundations and destroying the garden wasn't hard.

 

[wyandotte]

@maryb. Gee, that is amazing to hear that a woodchuck could affect a foundation. "Our" woodchuck is holed up under our chicken house and the structure appears to be all right. I tried pretty hard to block his entry hole, but, well, you know how determined they are.

 

[mike9]

Woodchucks undermine a lot of stuff. I hunt also so to me they are just another predator - a veggie predator. A lot of folks like us have chickens so foxes, coyotes, and a few that I won't mention are on the hit list.

 

[butzy]

I had to google "woodchunck"
We don't have them

 

[kronin323]

How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

 

[drirene]

It's a veggiechuck.

We had a groundhog that was creating havoc. I think a kitty cat finally got to him. Either that or the poison I threw down the holes.

 

[eastshores]

Okay made some garlic scape miso butter.

Dang! I just started looking through the thread and thought.. hmm I have a ton of chives and I'm grilling some steak tomorrow.. maybe I'll make a compound butter. This looks much better!

 

[rick alan]

@millionsknives July 3rd, I couldn't score any real hard shells, surprised to get some that were not real soft.

 

[koukouvagia]

This one is simple enough for a first entry since I just arrived in Krete.

Greek salad in all its glory. Tomatoes from a friend's garden. The purslane, onion, peppers, olives, and even olive oil are from our own gardens.

 

[millionsknives]

@millionsknives July 3rd, I couldn't score any real hard shells, surprised to get some that were not real soft.

I was surprised to get hard shells and on sale too. Usually when I split them this time of year it is easy. These needed the big cleaver.

I'll be smoking locally sourced woodchuck from the garden next.

 

[millionsknives]

My contributions to a cookout. We have ginger and scallion in the garden. Baby bok choy from a local farm. Fish from my adventures on plum island and Portsmouth nh.

surf cast setup:

33" Big striped bass i had to cut it in half. Smaller black bass still a good size. Technically black bass is really a grouper but let's not argue ichthyology.. Ginger, scallion, soy, sesame oil. Hardwood lump wood fire 350F-375F. Pull just under 145F IT. Black bass out first 30ish min. probably around 40 for the striper.

Char siu ribs. Ginger in the glaze w red bean curd and honey. Smoked 4 hours on Pit Barrel Cooker that ran way hot.

Chilled bok choy salad with woodear mushroom. Chili oil, rice wine vinegar, sugar, dark soy. Pairs with char siu see?

Watermelon keg with corn moonshine. Blended strained tapped.

Held everything in a cambro, did nothing but serve at the party.

 

[salty dog]

View attachment 65315 This one is simple enough for a first entry since I just arrived in Krete.

Greek salad in all its glory. Tomatoes from a friend's garden. The purslane, onion, peppers, olives, and even olive oil are from our own gardens.

Nice to see purslane isn't tossed as a weed everywhere and tossed in salads instead. Purslane comes up all over my garden and it's a welcome addition to my salads.

 

[wyandotte]

@millionsknives. That watermelon with the faucet is quite impressive.

@salty dog. Try as I might, I can't develop a taste for wild purslane. I know it's good for you (omega 3's, I think) but somehow
that slimy-ness rubs me the wrong way. A shame, because there's a fair bit in my garden. They are a pretty groundcover, tho, and so I leave them to develop little yellow flowers.

 

[millionsknives]

@wyandotte look up watermelon keg kit. It's $13-14 off amazon and includes the exact size coring tool for the tap.