🚀 go-pugleaf

On Mon, 5 Nov 2012 17:32:31 +1100, "Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes>
wrote:

>...now it's spring, what are you all up to?

Watching the weeds in the veggie garden grow! Every bloody time I'm
all set to get stuck into it, something else comes up that has a
higher priority... it'll have to be either later this week or early
next. Gotta get those spuds in soon, with luck all the serious frosts
are behind us now.

>I've been busy in the veg patch, the rose bed and doing garden visits which 
>always inspire me and fire me into action.
>
>We've had 8 huge pine trees removed from between my rose bed and the veg 
>patch so now there will be no further root competition from the blasted 
>things.  It was amazing to watch the men clib the trees to drop them in 
>chunks but in the process they dropped a huge branch on my wonderful old 
>Hills Hoist and it took weeks before they replaced it with a new one.  Of 
>course the new one is crap quality. 

Bugger on the clothesline...

I imagine the soil is fairly acidic where the pien trees were, could
be good for Azelias or Blueberries. 

Speaking of Blueberries and acidic soil, I have several plants
scattered around the gardens but they haven't exactly gone crazy. 
I'm thinking of creating a bed just for blueberries, I have access to
plenty of decades-old sawdust, which they would love to grow in.
I'm making a LOT of blueberry mead these days, so it's something I
should do, as supply of quality berries can be patchy at times.

"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message
> On Mon, 5 Nov 2012 17:32:31 +1100, "Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes>
> wrote:
>
>>...now it's spring, what are you all up to?
>
> Watching the weeds in the veggie garden grow! Every bloody time I'm
> all set to get stuck into it, something else comes up that has a
> higher priority... it'll have to be either later this week or early
> next. Gotta get those spuds in soon, with luck all the serious frosts
> are behind us now.

I know the feeling.  We got stuck in the other day.  I've been faffing round 
for weeks trying to make a mark and Himself did more in 1 day than I've done 
in weeks.  It really emphasisied for me the difference in how men and women 
work.  He really focusses and I (sort of) multi task.  I notice a plant 
needs water as I'm trying to weed near it.  I give it water and then 'cos 
the soil is so soggy I cant' continue to weed there till the next day, but 
while I was getting the water int he watering can, I notice that the area 
under the tank looks like a snake haven and so clear that.  And so it goes 
on. He just does what he set out to do.

I'm sure that when you do get time you'll make huge inroads ina short time.

>>I've been busy in the veg patch, the rose bed and doing garden visits 
>>which
>>always inspire me and fire me into action.
>>
>>We've had 8 huge pine trees removed from between my rose bed and the veg
>>patch so now there will be no further root competition from the blasted
>>things.  It was amazing to watch the men clib the trees to drop them in
>>chunks but in the process they dropped a huge branch on my wonderful old
>>Hills Hoist and it took weeks before they replaced it with a new one.  Of
>>course the new one is crap quality.
>
> Bugger on the clothesline...
>
> I imagine the soil is fairly acidic where the pien trees were, could
> be good for Azelias or Blueberries.

Ah!  Thanks for that tip.  I'd prefer something productive and azaleas don't 
do well here because of our savage frosts.
>
> Speaking of Blueberries and acidic soil, I have several plants
> scattered around the gardens but they haven't exactly gone crazy.
> I'm thinking of creating a bed just for blueberries, I have access to
> plenty of decades-old sawdust, which they would love to grow in.
> I'm making a LOT of blueberry mead these days, so it's something I
> should do, as supply of quality berries can be patchy at times.

So how many blueberry plants do you have?   Are your own plants the ones 
that you make mead form our are they bought in?  In any event, it sounds 
delicious. 

On Tue, 6 Nov 2012 11:09:43 +1100, "Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes>
wrote:

>"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message
>> On Mon, 5 Nov 2012 17:32:31 +1100, "Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>...now it's spring, what are you all up to?
>>
>> Watching the weeds in the veggie garden grow! Every bloody time I'm
>> all set to get stuck into it, something else comes up that has a
>> higher priority... it'll have to be either later this week or early
>> next. Gotta get those spuds in soon, with luck all the serious frosts
>> are behind us now.
>
>I know the feeling.  We got stuck in the other day.  I've been faffing round 
>for weeks trying to make a mark and Himself did more in 1 day than I've done 
>in weeks.  It really emphasisied for me the difference in how men and women 
>work.  He really focusses and I (sort of) multi task.  

LOL. Well, I'm most woman-like then :)
But I've learned (I think)... once the seemingly endless half-finished
projects I have are completed, in future I'll start ONE project and
complete it - then move onto the next... that's what I tell myself
anyway :)

>I notice a plant 
>needs water as I'm trying to weed near it.  I give it water and then 'cos 
>the soil is so soggy I cant' continue to weed there till the next day, but 
>while I was getting the water int he watering can, I notice that the area 
>under the tank looks like a snake haven and so clear that.  And so it goes 
>on. 

Yes, exactly! I do this all the bloody time.

>He just does what he set out to do.

I'm hoping to become more like that...

>I'm sure that when you do get time you'll make huge inroads ina short time.
>
>>>I've been busy in the veg patch, the rose bed and doing garden visits 
>>>which
>>>always inspire me and fire me into action.
>>>
>>>We've had 8 huge pine trees removed from between my rose bed and the veg
>>>patch so now there will be no further root competition from the blasted
>>>things.  It was amazing to watch the men clib the trees to drop them in
>>>chunks but in the process they dropped a huge branch on my wonderful old
>>>Hills Hoist and it took weeks before they replaced it with a new one.  Of
>>>course the new one is crap quality.
>>
>> Bugger on the clothesline...
>>
>> I imagine the soil is fairly acidic where the pien trees were, could
>> be good for Azelias or Blueberries.
>
>Ah!  Thanks for that tip.  I'd prefer something productive and azaleas don't 
>do well here because of our savage frosts.
>>
>> Speaking of Blueberries and acidic soil, I have several plants
>> scattered around the gardens but they haven't exactly gone crazy.
>> I'm thinking of creating a bed just for blueberries, I have access to
>> plenty of decades-old sawdust, which they would love to grow in.
>> I'm making a LOT of blueberry mead these days, so it's something I
>> should do, as supply of quality berries can be patchy at times.
>
>So how many blueberry plants do you have?   Are your own plants the ones 
>that you make mead form our are they bought in?  In any event, it sounds 
>delicious. 


I only have a few blueberry plants at this time, I still buy from a
couple of people most of the time, for the mead at least as it
requires an awful lot of blueberries. One day I'll put a decent patch
in but it's a big job. I'll have to fence the lot with corrugated iron
just to keep the possums out, just for starters.

My poor Silver Birches have taken a real hammering from the little
bastards. It's so disheartening to see a birch tree grow so well, then
overnight the main stem is snapped clean off about 2 metres from the
top... I melted some lard yesterday and mixed some kero in it. I'm
going to smear it all over the birch tree's trunks in the hope it
deters them.

"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message 
news:v470a8le5a2i2qbtoisvq91r22r0aektml@4ax.com...
> On Tue, 6 Nov 2012 11:09:43 +1100, "Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes>
> wrote:

>>I know the feeling.  We got stuck in the other day.  I've been faffing 
>>round
>>for weeks trying to make a mark and Himself did more in 1 day than I've 
>>done
>>in weeks.  It really emphasisied for me the difference in how men and 
>>women
>>work.  He really focusses and I (sort of) multi task.
>
> LOL. Well, I'm most woman-like then :)

:-))

> But I've learned (I think)... once the seemingly endless half-finished
> projects I have are completed, in future I'll start ONE project and
> complete it - then move onto the next... that's what I tell myself
> anyway :)

LOL.  Betcha don't!
>
>>I notice a plant
>>needs water as I'm trying to weed near it.  I give it water and then 'cos
>>the soil is so soggy I cant' continue to weed there till the next day, but
>>while I was getting the water int he watering can, I notice that the area
>>under the tank looks like a snake haven and so clear that.  And so it goes
>>on.
>
> Yes, exactly! I do this all the bloody time.
>
>>He just does what he set out to do.
>
> I'm hoping to become more like that...
>
>>I'm sure that when you do get time you'll make huge inroads ina short 
>>time.
>>
>>>>I've been busy in the veg patch, the rose bed and doing garden visits
>>>>which
>>>>always inspire me and fire me into action.
>>>>
>>>>We've had 8 huge pine trees removed from between my rose bed and the veg
>>>>patch so now there will be no further root competition from the blasted
>>>>things.  It was amazing to watch the men clib the trees to drop them in
>>>>chunks but in the process they dropped a huge branch on my wonderful old
>>>>Hills Hoist and it took weeks before they replaced it with a new one. 
>>>>Of
>>>>course the new one is crap quality.
>>>
>>> Bugger on the clothesline...
>>>
>>> I imagine the soil is fairly acidic where the pien trees were, could
>>> be good for Azelias or Blueberries.
>>
>>Ah!  Thanks for that tip.  I'd prefer something productive and azaleas 
>>don't
>>do well here because of our savage frosts.
>>>
>>> Speaking of Blueberries and acidic soil, I have several plants
>>> scattered around the gardens but they haven't exactly gone crazy.
>>> I'm thinking of creating a bed just for blueberries, I have access to
>>> plenty of decades-old sawdust, which they would love to grow in.
>>> I'm making a LOT of blueberry mead these days, so it's something I
>>> should do, as supply of quality berries can be patchy at times.
>>
>>So how many blueberry plants do you have?   Are your own plants the ones
>>that you make mead form our are they bought in?  In any event, it sounds
>>delicious.
>
>
> I only have a few blueberry plants at this time, I still buy from a
> couple of people most of the time, for the mead at least as it
> requires an awful lot of blueberries. One day I'll put a decent patch
> in but it's a big job. I'll have to fence the lot with corrugated iron
> just to keep the possums out, just for starters.

That IS a huge job.  We don't have possums (Thank God!) but we have copious 
numbers and varieties of bird and they love our fruit and veg.  Netting is a 
constant chore near harvest time.
>
> My poor Silver Birches have taken a real hammering from the little
> bastards. It's so disheartening to see a birch tree grow so well, then
> overnight the main stem is snapped clean off about 2 metres from the
> top... I melted some lard yesterday and mixed some kero in it. I'm
> going to smear it all over the birch tree's trunks in the hope it
> deters them.

Interesting recipe :-))  Wonder if it'll work?  I'm trying to deter rats 
round my hen house ATM.  I don't want to use poison so it's a watering can 
of water down each hole once a day.  I now know what the expression 'drowned 
rat' means.  I haven't quite managed to drown any yet but they sure hate 
water in their holes and come up looking very saggy and most definitely 'Not 
happy Jan!'.  Bastard things. 

"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message
>>So how many blueberry plants do you have?   Are your own plants the ones
>>that you make mead form our are they bought in?  In any event, it sounds
>>delicious.
>
>
> I only have a few blueberry plants at this time, I still buy from a
> couple of people most of the time, for the mead at least as it
> requires an awful lot of blueberries.

I had meant to ask... How do you make blueberry mead? 

On 12/11/2012 3:27 PM, Farm1 wrote:
> "Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message
> news:v470a8le5a2i2qbtoisvq91r22r0aektml@4ax.com...
>> On Tue, 6 Nov 2012 11:09:43 +1100, "Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes>
>> wrote:
>
>>> I know the feeling.  We got stuck in the other day.  I've been faffing
>>> round
>>> for weeks trying to make a mark and Himself did more in 1 day than I've
>>> done
>>> in weeks.  It really emphasisied for me the difference in how men and
>>> women
>>> work.  He really focusses and I (sort of) multi task.
>>
>> LOL. Well, I'm most woman-like then :)
>
> :-))
>
>> But I've learned (I think)... once the seemingly endless half-finished
>> projects I have are completed, in future I'll start ONE project and
>> complete it - then move onto the next... that's what I tell myself
>> anyway :)
>
> LOL.  Betcha don't!
>>
>>> I notice a plant
>>> needs water as I'm trying to weed near it.  I give it water and then 'cos
>>> the soil is so soggy I cant' continue to weed there till the next day, but
>>> while I was getting the water int he watering can, I notice that the area
>>> under the tank looks like a snake haven and so clear that.  And so it goes
>>> on.
>>
>> Yes, exactly! I do this all the bloody time.
>>
>>> He just does what he set out to do.
>>
>> I'm hoping to become more like that...
>>
>>> I'm sure that when you do get time you'll make huge inroads ina short
>>> time.
>>>
>>>>> I've been busy in the veg patch, the rose bed and doing garden visits
>>>>> which
>>>>> always inspire me and fire me into action.
>>>>>
>>>>> We've had 8 huge pine trees removed from between my rose bed and the veg
>>>>> patch so now there will be no further root competition from the blasted
>>>>> things.  It was amazing to watch the men clib the trees to drop them in
>>>>> chunks but in the process they dropped a huge branch on my wonderful old
>>>>> Hills Hoist and it took weeks before they replaced it with a new one.
>>>>> Of
>>>>> course the new one is crap quality.
>>>>
>>>> Bugger on the clothesline...
>>>>
>>>> I imagine the soil is fairly acidic where the pien trees were, could
>>>> be good for Azelias or Blueberries.
>>>
>>> Ah!  Thanks for that tip.  I'd prefer something productive and azaleas
>>> don't
>>> do well here because of our savage frosts.
>>>>
>>>> Speaking of Blueberries and acidic soil, I have several plants
>>>> scattered around the gardens but they haven't exactly gone crazy.
>>>> I'm thinking of creating a bed just for blueberries, I have access to
>>>> plenty of decades-old sawdust, which they would love to grow in.
>>>> I'm making a LOT of blueberry mead these days, so it's something I
>>>> should do, as supply of quality berries can be patchy at times.
>>>
>>> So how many blueberry plants do you have?   Are your own plants the ones
>>> that you make mead form our are they bought in?  In any event, it sounds
>>> delicious.
>>
>>
>> I only have a few blueberry plants at this time, I still buy from a
>> couple of people most of the time, for the mead at least as it
>> requires an awful lot of blueberries. One day I'll put a decent patch
>> in but it's a big job. I'll have to fence the lot with corrugated iron
>> just to keep the possums out, just for starters.
>
> That IS a huge job.  We don't have possums (Thank God!) but we have copious
> numbers and varieties of bird and they love our fruit and veg.  Netting is a
> constant chore near harvest time.
>>
>> My poor Silver Birches have taken a real hammering from the little
>> bastards. It's so disheartening to see a birch tree grow so well, then
>> overnight the main stem is snapped clean off about 2 metres from the
>> top... I melted some lard yesterday and mixed some kero in it. I'm
>> going to smear it all over the birch tree's trunks in the hope it
>> deters them.
>
> Interesting recipe :-))  Wonder if it'll work?  I'm trying to deter rats
> round my hen house ATM.  I don't want to use poison so it's a watering can
> of water down each hole once a day.  I now know what the expression 'drowned
> rat' means.  I haven't quite managed to drown any yet but they sure hate
> water in their holes and come up looking very saggy and most definitely 'Not
> happy Jan!'.  Bastard things.
>
>
feed the rats some antifreeze down the hole

-- 









X-No-Archive: Yes

"atec77" <"atec77 "@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> On 12/11/2012 3:27 PM, Farm1 wrote:

>> happy Jan!'.  Bastard things.
>>
>>
> feed the rats some antifreeze down the hole

How do I do that?  Do I put it on something foodlike so they eat it or just 
straight antifreeze poured down? 

On 13/11/2012 5:12 PM, Farm1 wrote:
> "atec77" <"atec77 "@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> On 12/11/2012 3:27 PM, Farm1 wrote:
>
>>> happy Jan!'.  Bastard things.
>>>
>>>
>> feed the rats some antifreeze down the hole
>
> How do I do that?  Do I put it on something foodlike so they eat it or just
> straight antifreeze poured down?
>
>
antifreeze seems to have attractive properties to animals , cats like it 
a lot and will lap a saucer full

-- 









X-No-Archive: Yes

On Mon, 12 Nov 2012 08:54:40 +1100,  Jeßus <none@all.org> wrote:
  
> My poor Silver Birches have taken a real hammering from the little
> bastards. It's so disheartening to see a birch tree grow so well, then
> overnight the main stem is snapped clean off about 2 metres from the
> top... I melted some lard yesterday and mixed some kero in it. I'm
> going to smear it all over the birch tree's trunks in the hope it
> deters them.

Ratsak one shot embedded in peanut butter works a treat.  Just make sure no pets are
around.

"atec77" <"atec77 "@hotmail.com> wrote in message 
news:k7ssfv$lci$1@dont-email.me...
> On 13/11/2012 5:12 PM, Farm1 wrote:
>> "atec77" <"atec77 "@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>>> On 12/11/2012 3:27 PM, Farm1 wrote:
>>
>>>> happy Jan!'.  Bastard things.
>>>>
>>>>
>>> feed the rats some antifreeze down the hole
>>
>> How do I do that?  Do I put it on something foodlike so they eat it or 
>> just
>> straight antifreeze poured down?
>>
>>
> antifreeze seems to have attractive properties to animals , cats like it a 
> lot and will lap a saucer full

Presumably with fatal results? 

On 14/11/2012 5:20 PM, Farm1 wrote:
> "atec77" <"atec77 "@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:k7ssfv$lci$1@dont-email.me...
>> On 13/11/2012 5:12 PM, Farm1 wrote:
>>> "atec77" <"atec77 "@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>>>> On 12/11/2012 3:27 PM, Farm1 wrote:
>>>
>>>>> happy Jan!'.  Bastard things.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>> feed the rats some antifreeze down the hole
>>>
>>> How do I do that?  Do I put it on something foodlike so they eat it or
>>> just
>>> straight antifreeze poured down?
>>>
>>>
>> antifreeze seems to have attractive properties to animals , cats like it a
>> lot and will lap a saucer full
>
> Presumably with fatal results?
>
>
Painfully so , but then it's to late

-- 









X-No-Archive: Yes

On Tue, 13 Nov 2012 22:10:53 +1100, rainman@mailinator.com wrote:

>On Mon, 12 Nov 2012 08:54:40 +1100,  Je�us <none@all.org> wrote:
>  
>> My poor Silver Birches have taken a real hammering from the little
>> bastards. It's so disheartening to see a birch tree grow so well, then
>> overnight the main stem is snapped clean off about 2 metres from the
>> top... I melted some lard yesterday and mixed some kero in it. I'm
>> going to smear it all over the birch tree's trunks in the hope it
>> deters them.
>
>Ratsak one shot embedded in peanut butter works a treat.  Just make sure no pets are
>around.

That's the problem - I have poultry, dog and cats around, so poisons
are too risky. The dog loves to bail them up but doesn't go further
unfortunately.

A friend has a Jack Russell/Foxy cross and he's just amazingly
efficient at dispatching possums. I was in his ute (the friend's, not
the dog's!) one day and just as we pulled up at his house the dog was
out the window and had a possum just before it could climb a tree.
I need one of those!

On Tue, 13 Nov 2012 22:10:53 +1100, rainman@mailinator.com wrote:

>On Mon, 12 Nov 2012 08:54:40 +1100,  Je�us <none@all.org> wrote:
>  
>> My poor Silver Birches have taken a real hammering from the little
>> bastards. It's so disheartening to see a birch tree grow so well, then
>> overnight the main stem is snapped clean off about 2 metres from the
>> top... I melted some lard yesterday and mixed some kero in it. I'm
>> going to smear it all over the birch tree's trunks in the hope it
>> deters them.
>
>Ratsak one shot embedded in peanut butter works a treat.  Just make sure no pets are
>around.

That's the problem - I have poultry, dog and cats around, so poisons
are too risky. The dog loves to bail them up but doesn't go further
unfortunately.

A friend has a Jack Russell/Foxy cross and he's just amazingly
efficient at dispatching possums. I was in his ute (the friend's, not
the dog's!) one day and just as we pulled up at his house the dog was
out the window and had a possum just before it could climb a tree.
I need one of those!

On Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:27:41 +1100, "Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes>
wrote:

>"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message 
>news:v470a8le5a2i2qbtoisvq91r22r0aektml@4ax.com...
>> My poor Silver Birches have taken a real hammering from the little
>> bastards. It's so disheartening to see a birch tree grow so well, then
>> overnight the main stem is snapped clean off about 2 metres from the
>> top... I melted some lard yesterday and mixed some kero in it. I'm
>> going to smear it all over the birch tree's trunks in the hope it
>> deters them.
>
>Interesting recipe :-))  Wonder if it'll work?  I'm trying to deter rats 
>round my hen house ATM.  I don't want to use poison so it's a watering can 
>of water down each hole once a day.  I now know what the expression 'drowned 
>rat' means.  I haven't quite managed to drown any yet but they sure hate 
>water in their holes and come up looking very saggy and most definitely 'Not 
>happy Jan!'.  Bastard things. 

Yeah, I can't any kind of plastic around the chook pen as the rats eat
it... I've had a few rats and mice drown themselves in the water
bucket, which is great. I use rat traps with peanut butter, caged off
so only rats and mice can access it.

On Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:41:55 +1100, "Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes>
wrote:

>"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message
>>>So how many blueberry plants do you have?   Are your own plants the ones
>>>that you make mead form our are they bought in?  In any event, it sounds
>>>delicious.
>>
>>
>> I only have a few blueberry plants at this time, I still buy from a
>> couple of people most of the time, for the mead at least as it
>> requires an awful lot of blueberries.
>
>I had meant to ask... How do you make blueberry mead? 

I'll go get my little blue recipe book if/when the cat gets off my
lap...

But basically you need blueberries, honey, yeast, water and some yeast
nutrient if you want it to ferment out as much as possible (meaning
quite dry and high in alcohol). I use a LOT of blueberries and honey,
which means its not all that cheap to make but I get the result I
want.

Note that different honeys produce very different results in terms of
flavour and clarity. Brewing mead is a longer process than say beer -
an absolute minimum of two months before it'll be drinkable... but two
years is generally the ideal.

And watch out... it's one of those drinks that hit you much stronger
than the alcohol content would suggest...

On 15/11/12 07:18, Je�us wrote:

> That's the problem - I have poultry, dog and cats around, so poisons
> are too risky. The dog loves to bail them up but doesn't go further
> unfortunately.

We have a cat that chases the cabbage white butterflies to the wife's 
please then displeasure as the silly then then liftsd is paws to let 
them fly away.


> A friend has a Jack Russell/Foxy cross and he's just amazingly
> efficient at dispatching possums.

Those dogs were bred for suck work.

"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message 
news:6ru7a8hjad0c8pguomm0akuv9mkt3j85je@4ax.com...
> On Tue, 13 Nov 2012 22:10:53 +1100, rainman@mailinator.com wrote:
>
>>On Mon, 12 Nov 2012 08:54:40 +1100,  Je�us <none@all.org> wrote:
>>
>>> My poor Silver Birches have taken a real hammering from the little
>>> bastards. It's so disheartening to see a birch tree grow so well, then
>>> overnight the main stem is snapped clean off about 2 metres from the
>>> top... I melted some lard yesterday and mixed some kero in it. I'm
>>> going to smear it all over the birch tree's trunks in the hope it
>>> deters them.
>>
>>Ratsak one shot embedded in peanut butter works a treat.  Just make sure 
>>no pets are
>>around.
>
> That's the problem - I have poultry, dog and cats around, so poisons
> are too risky. The dog loves to bail them up but doesn't go further
> unfortunately.
>
> A friend has a Jack Russell/Foxy cross and he's just amazingly
> efficient at dispatching possums. I was in his ute (the friend's, not
> the dog's!)

As a former (multiple) JR owner, I have to tell you that the ute does indeed 
belong to the dog, it just lets your friend drive it.  Ask your friend if 
this is so, I'm sure the reponse will be in the affirmative.

one day and just as we pulled up at his house the dog was
> out the window and had a possum just before it could climb a tree.
> I need one of those!

Brilliant little dogs, but if you do get one, be aware that Phillip Adams 
calls them disposable dogs - he and his wife Patrice Newell have them on 
their biodynamic farm up close to Scone and they need replacing frequently. 
Ours didn't get replaced so frequently, but they did end up being $5,000 
dogs after multiple life saving trips to the vet's.  We couldnt' stand the 
thought of losing the little blokes as they were such great mates. 

"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message 
news:rov7a8dko8s19sbjmgjp713rs9141nb3it@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:27:41 +1100, "Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes>
> wrote:
>
>>"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message
>>news:v470a8le5a2i2qbtoisvq91r22r0aektml@4ax.com...
>>> My poor Silver Birches have taken a real hammering from the little
>>> bastards. It's so disheartening to see a birch tree grow so well, then
>>> overnight the main stem is snapped clean off about 2 metres from the
>>> top... I melted some lard yesterday and mixed some kero in it. I'm
>>> going to smear it all over the birch tree's trunks in the hope it
>>> deters them.
>>
>>Interesting recipe :-))  Wonder if it'll work?  I'm trying to deter rats
>>round my hen house ATM.  I don't want to use poison so it's a watering can
>>of water down each hole once a day.  I now know what the expression 
>>'drowned
>>rat' means.  I haven't quite managed to drown any yet but they sure hate
>>water in their holes and come up looking very saggy and most definitely 
>>'Not
>>happy Jan!'.  Bastard things.
>
> Yeah, I can't any kind of plastic around the chook pen as the rats eat
> it... I've had a few rats and mice drown themselves in the water
> bucket, which is great. I use rat traps with peanut butter, caged off
> so only rats and mice can access it.

One of the old Earth Gardens or Grass Roots mags (whichever one it is that 
has Jackie French writing for it) had a great 5 gallon bucket rat/mouse trap 
made by Kackie's husband.  The rats/mice climbed up a rampy/laddery thing on 
the side of the bucket and when they went to get the bait, they were 
effectively walking the plank and dropped into water for a very long 
swimming lesson.  I've been meaning to hunt out the article for weeks so if 
I find it, I'll put the details in here so you can get it on interlibrary 
loan.

I too can't use poison but I am sure tempted.  I have no objection to them 
being drowned. 

"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message 
news:6pv7a8h7573h1egg99su6aalna5e5qcd3l@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:41:55 +1100, "Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes>
> wrote:
>
>>"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message
>>>>So how many blueberry plants do you have?   Are your own plants the ones
>>>>that you make mead form our are they bought in?  In any event, it sounds
>>>>delicious.
>>>
>>>
>>> I only have a few blueberry plants at this time, I still buy from a
>>> couple of people most of the time, for the mead at least as it
>>> requires an awful lot of blueberries.
>>
>>I had meant to ask... How do you make blueberry mead?
>
> I'll go get my little blue recipe book if/when the cat gets off my
> lap...
>
> But basically you need blueberries, honey, yeast, water and some yeast
> nutrient if you want it to ferment out as much as possible (meaning
> quite dry and high in alcohol). I use a LOT of blueberries and honey,
> which means its not all that cheap to make but I get the result I
> want.
>
> Note that different honeys produce very different results in terms of
> flavour and clarity. Brewing mead is a longer process than say beer -
> an absolute minimum of two months before it'll be drinkable... but two
> years is generally the ideal.
>
> And watch out... it's one of those drinks that hit you much stronger
> than the alcohol content would suggest...

:-)) Is it done in a standard fermenter and twice fermented? 

"Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes> wrote in message 
news:k77mi6$jkp$2@dont-email.me...
> ...now it's spring, what are you all up to?
>
> I've been busy in the veg patch, the rose bed and doing garden visits 
> which always inspire me and fire me into action.
>
> We've had 8 huge pine trees removed from between my rose bed and the veg 
> patch so now there will be no further root competition from the blasted 
> things.  It was amazing to watch the men clib the trees to drop them in 
> chunks but in the process they dropped a huge branch on my wonderful old 
> Hills Hoist and it took weeks before they replaced it with a new one.  Of 
> course the new one is crap quality.
>

Here in the West I have about four decent weekends in which to accomplish 
everything, in my case too early and the hayfever gets to me and too late 
and the heat makes it very uncomfortable.  I have been out and about planted 
a dozen tomatoes from cherries to beef steak first time this year I have 
planted out capsicums and chillies and I have a plot of spuds from some 
volunteers in the pantry and a couple of rows of beetroots.

My question is, I buy packets of seeds and read the backs for planting 
instructions and I can't help but notice that no matter where one lives in 
Australia the seeds get planted at the same time of year.  Now living in 
Perth I am reliably informed that our weather is warmer and drier than 
Melbourne, for example and nowhere near as tropical as FNQ.  I suspect the 
little packets are lying to me and I don't think I have enough seasons left 
in me for trial and error.  Can anybody recommend a book/publication aimed 
at the Perth region?

Mike
 

"Bloke Down The Pub" <cabling@xxxx.iinet.net.au> wrote in message

> Here in the West I have about four decent weekends in which to accomplish 
> everything, in my case too early and the hayfever gets to me and too late 
> and the heat makes it very uncomfortable.

LOL.  Not an super early riser then?  I knew some people who lived in a hot 
place and they did their work at the crack of dawn inthe summer and had a 
snooze or read from about 10 am to almost dusk.

I have been out and about planted
> a dozen tomatoes from cherries to beef steak first time this year I have 
> planted out capsicums and chillies and I have a plot of spuds from some 
> volunteers in the pantry and a couple of rows of beetroots.

Nice collection.  It's too early yet for me to put in capsicums but 
soonish...
>
> My question is, I buy packets of seeds and read the backs for planting 
> instructions and I can't help but notice that no matter where one lives in 
> Australia the seeds get planted at the same time of year.  Now living in 
> Perth I am reliably informed that our weather is warmer and drier than 
> Melbourne, for example and nowhere near as tropical as FNQ.  I suspect the 
> little packets are lying to me and I don't think I have enough seasons 
> left in me for trial and error.  Can anybody recommend a book/publication 
> aimed at the Perth region?

Smart assumption on your part about the porkies from the seed companies.

Are the following any help to you?:
http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/vegieguide/
http://humusbeings.blogspot.com.au/2008/10/vegetable-planting-guide-for-fremantle.html
http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/objtwr/imported_assets/content/hort/veg/cp/veggie_sm_web.pdf

On Wed, 14 Nov 2012 22:14:33 +1000, atec77 <"atec77 "@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>On 14/11/2012 5:20 PM, Farm1 wrote:
>> "atec77" <"atec77 "@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:k7ssfv$lci$1@dont-email.me...
>>> On 13/11/2012 5:12 PM, Farm1 wrote:
>>>> "atec77" <"atec77 "@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>>>>> On 12/11/2012 3:27 PM, Farm1 wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>> happy Jan!'.  Bastard things.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>> feed the rats some antifreeze down the hole
>>>>
>>>> How do I do that?  Do I put it on something foodlike so they eat it or
>>>> just
>>>> straight antifreeze poured down?
>>>>
>>>>
>>> antifreeze seems to have attractive properties to animals , cats like it a
>>> lot and will lap a saucer full
>>
>> Presumably with fatal results?
>>
>>
>Painfully so , but then it's to late

Why am I not surprised that you'd find this an acceptable method Baz.

On Thu, 15 Nov 2012 16:36:33 +1100, "Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes>
wrote:

>"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message 
>news:rov7a8dko8s19sbjmgjp713rs9141nb3it@4ax.com...
>> On Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:27:41 +1100, "Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message
>>>news:v470a8le5a2i2qbtoisvq91r22r0aektml@4ax.com...
>>>> My poor Silver Birches have taken a real hammering from the little
>>>> bastards. It's so disheartening to see a birch tree grow so well, then
>>>> overnight the main stem is snapped clean off about 2 metres from the
>>>> top... I melted some lard yesterday and mixed some kero in it. I'm
>>>> going to smear it all over the birch tree's trunks in the hope it
>>>> deters them.
>>>
>>>Interesting recipe :-))  Wonder if it'll work?  I'm trying to deter rats
>>>round my hen house ATM.  I don't want to use poison so it's a watering can
>>>of water down each hole once a day.  I now know what the expression 
>>>'drowned
>>>rat' means.  I haven't quite managed to drown any yet but they sure hate
>>>water in their holes and come up looking very saggy and most definitely 
>>>'Not
>>>happy Jan!'.  Bastard things.
>>
>> Yeah, I can't any kind of plastic around the chook pen as the rats eat
>> it... I've had a few rats and mice drown themselves in the water
>> bucket, which is great. I use rat traps with peanut butter, caged off
>> so only rats and mice can access it.
>
>One of the old Earth Gardens or Grass Roots mags (whichever one it is that 
>has Jackie French writing for it) had a great 5 gallon bucket rat/mouse trap 
>made by Kackie's husband.  The rats/mice climbed up a rampy/laddery thing on 
>the side of the bucket and when they went to get the bait, they were 
>effectively walking the plank and dropped into water for a very long 
>swimming lesson.  I've been meaning to hunt out the article for weeks so if 
>I find it, I'll put the details in here so you can get it on interlibrary 
>loan.
>
>I too can't use poison but I am sure tempted.  I have no objection to them 
>being drowned. 

Sorry for missing the rest of this thread until now...

Drowning is one of the better ways IMO and don't have a problem with
it. I've found quite a few mice and rats who've drowned themselves in
buckets of water every now and then. If you do find those details, I'd
be interested in having a look, cheers.

On Thu, 15 Nov 2012 16:38:15 +1100, "Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes>
wrote:

>"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message 
>news:6pv7a8h7573h1egg99su6aalna5e5qcd3l@4ax.com...
>> On Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:41:55 +1100, "Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message
>>>>>So how many blueberry plants do you have?   Are your own plants the ones
>>>>>that you make mead form our are they bought in?  In any event, it sounds
>>>>>delicious.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I only have a few blueberry plants at this time, I still buy from a
>>>> couple of people most of the time, for the mead at least as it
>>>> requires an awful lot of blueberries.
>>>
>>>I had meant to ask... How do you make blueberry mead?
>>
>> I'll go get my little blue recipe book if/when the cat gets off my
>> lap...
>>
>> But basically you need blueberries, honey, yeast, water and some yeast
>> nutrient if you want it to ferment out as much as possible (meaning
>> quite dry and high in alcohol). I use a LOT of blueberries and honey,
>> which means its not all that cheap to make but I get the result I
>> want.
>>
>> Note that different honeys produce very different results in terms of
>> flavour and clarity. Brewing mead is a longer process than say beer -
>> an absolute minimum of two months before it'll be drinkable... but two
>> years is generally the ideal.
>>
>> And watch out... it's one of those drinks that hit you much stronger
>> than the alcohol content would suggest...
>
>:-)) Is it done in a standard fermenter and twice fermented? 

I've used both standard fermenter drums and glass carboys... it's a
bit more work to clean the carboys out due to the narrow neck but I'm
not too keen on storing mead even in a food-grade plastic drum for
months or years.

On Thu, 15 Nov 2012 11:16:11 +1100, terryc
<newsninespam-spam@woa.com.au> wrote:

>On 15/11/12 07:18, Je�us wrote:
>
>> That's the problem - I have poultry, dog and cats around, so poisons
>> are too risky. The dog loves to bail them up but doesn't go further
>> unfortunately.
>
>We have a cat that chases the cabbage white butterflies to the wife's 
>please then displeasure as the silly then then liftsd is paws to let 
>them fly away.

Funny you mention cabbage moths... we've had hardly any of those this
year. Hmm... odd. I reckon I've seen less than half a dozen of them
this spring/summer, yay!

>> A friend has a Jack Russell/Foxy cross and he's just amazingly
>> efficient at dispatching possums.
>
>Those dogs were bred for suck work.

:)

On Thu, 15 Nov 2012 16:31:15 +1100, "Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes>
wrote:

>"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message 
>news:6ru7a8hjad0c8pguomm0akuv9mkt3j85je@4ax.com...
>> On Tue, 13 Nov 2012 22:10:53 +1100, rainman@mailinator.com wrote:
>>
>>>On Mon, 12 Nov 2012 08:54:40 +1100,  Je�us <none@all.org> wrote:
>>>
>>>> My poor Silver Birches have taken a real hammering from the little
>>>> bastards. It's so disheartening to see a birch tree grow so well, then
>>>> overnight the main stem is snapped clean off about 2 metres from the
>>>> top... I melted some lard yesterday and mixed some kero in it. I'm
>>>> going to smear it all over the birch tree's trunks in the hope it
>>>> deters them.
>>>
>>>Ratsak one shot embedded in peanut butter works a treat.  Just make sure 
>>>no pets are
>>>around.
>>
>> That's the problem - I have poultry, dog and cats around, so poisons
>> are too risky. The dog loves to bail them up but doesn't go further
>> unfortunately.
>>
>> A friend has a Jack Russell/Foxy cross and he's just amazingly
>> efficient at dispatching possums. I was in his ute (the friend's, not
>> the dog's!)
>
>As a former (multiple) JR owner, I have to tell you that the ute does indeed 
>belong to the dog, it just lets your friend drive it.  Ask your friend if 
>this is so, I'm sure the reponse will be in the affirmative.

I reckon so :)

>one day and just as we pulled up at his house the dog was
>> out the window and had a possum just before it could climb a tree.
>> I need one of those!
>
>Brilliant little dogs, but if you do get one, be aware that Phillip Adams 
>calls them disposable dogs - he and his wife Patrice Newell have them on 
>their biodynamic farm up close to Scone and they need replacing frequently. 

Yes, they've had a few dramas with it going missing (although I don't
think the dog would agree with that)... minor injuries etc.

>Ours didn't get replaced so frequently, but they did end up being $5,000 
>dogs after multiple life saving trips to the vet's.  We couldnt' stand the 
>thought of losing the little blokes as they were such great mates. 

I understand. I wouldn't hesitate to do the same with my two girls (my
cats). Never thought I'd get so attached... but there you go. They're
like family members as far as I am concerned. Winnie, my
Staffy/pitbull cross is in the same category now, she's about 2.5 y/o.

On Tue, 20 Nov 2012 18:16:08 +0800, "Bloke Down The Pub"
<cabling@xxxx.iinet.net.au> wrote:


>Here in the West I have about four decent weekends in which to accomplish 
>everything, in my case too early and the hayfever gets to me and too late 
>and the heat makes it very uncomfortable. 

Oh boy, I know all about that. 
I moved to my current abode about 4.5 years ago, no dramas until this
time last year... I got hayfever really bad and I just couldnt face
doing much work outdoors... the veggie patch in particular suffered as
a result. Got the hayfever yet again this year, so far not as bad as
last year and I can still do work around the property most of the
time. Getting some tests done at the moment so it'll be interesting to
see what the culprit is in my case.


> I have been out and about planted 
>a dozen tomatoes from cherries to beef steak first time this year I have 
>planted out capsicums and chillies and I have a plot of spuds from some 
>volunteers in the pantry and a couple of rows of beetroots.
>
>My question is, I buy packets of seeds and read the backs for planting 
>instructions and I can't help but notice that no matter where one lives in 
>Australia the seeds get planted at the same time of year.  

Yes, it's a load of bollocks :)

On Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:18:06 +1100, "Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes>
wrote:

>"Bloke Down The Pub" <cabling@xxxx.iinet.net.au> wrote in message
>
>> Here in the West I have about four decent weekends in which to accomplish 
>> everything, in my case too early and the hayfever gets to me and too late 
>> and the heat makes it very uncomfortable.
>
>LOL.  Not an super early riser then?  I knew some people who lived in a hot 
>place and they did their work at the crack of dawn inthe summer and had a 
>snooze or read from about 10 am to almost dusk.


I do that here in Tassie, the sun here is quite harsh even when low
temperatures... I've done most of the outside work today already :)

I'll go back out around 4PM this arvo and get the beds for the spuds
ready. Shouldn't get any more frosts now... but you never know.
It's been known to frost here through summer, and has even snowed on
Xmas day. But that's extremely rare of course.

"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message 
news:s0skb8lp5e82gjt20i25179t43n24ma1cr@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 15 Nov 2012 16:36:33 +1100, "Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes>
> wrote:
>
>>"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message
>>news:rov7a8dko8s19sbjmgjp713rs9141nb3it@4ax.com...
>>> On Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:27:41 +1100, "Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>>"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message
>>>>news:v470a8le5a2i2qbtoisvq91r22r0aektml@4ax.com...
>>>>> My poor Silver Birches have taken a real hammering from the little
>>>>> bastards. It's so disheartening to see a birch tree grow so well, then
>>>>> overnight the main stem is snapped clean off about 2 metres from the
>>>>> top... I melted some lard yesterday and mixed some kero in it. I'm
>>>>> going to smear it all over the birch tree's trunks in the hope it
>>>>> deters them.
>>>>
>>>>Interesting recipe :-))  Wonder if it'll work?  I'm trying to deter rats
>>>>round my hen house ATM.  I don't want to use poison so it's a watering 
>>>>can
>>>>of water down each hole once a day.  I now know what the expression
>>>>'drowned
>>>>rat' means.  I haven't quite managed to drown any yet but they sure hate
>>>>water in their holes and come up looking very saggy and most definitely
>>>>'Not
>>>>happy Jan!'.  Bastard things.
>>>
>>> Yeah, I can't any kind of plastic around the chook pen as the rats eat
>>> it... I've had a few rats and mice drown themselves in the water
>>> bucket, which is great. I use rat traps with peanut butter, caged off
>>> so only rats and mice can access it.
>>
>>One of the old Earth Gardens or Grass Roots mags (whichever one it is that
>>has Jackie French writing for it) had a great 5 gallon bucket rat/mouse 
>>trap
>>made by Kackie's husband.  The rats/mice climbed up a rampy/laddery thing 
>>on
>>the side of the bucket and when they went to get the bait, they were
>>effectively walking the plank and dropped into water for a very long
>>swimming lesson.  I've been meaning to hunt out the article for weeks so 
>>if
>>I find it, I'll put the details in here so you can get it on interlibrary
>>loan.
>>
>>I too can't use poison but I am sure tempted.  I have no objection to them
>>being drowned.
>
> Sorry for missing the rest of this thread until now...
>
> Drowning is one of the better ways IMO and don't have a problem with
> it. I've found quite a few mice and rats who've drowned themselves in
> buckets of water every now and then. If you do find those details, I'd
> be interested in having a look, cheers.

I'll see if I can dig out the issue and let you know which one it's in. 
I've been meaning to go back over my collection anyway as a very early one 
has an article on how to make a hat using woven bulrushes and our creek is 
full of prime rushes right now.  A nice job to do would be reviewing all the 
material over the non TV watching period that is the Xmas season. 

"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message 
news:p6skb8h8hp6km7tnuhbme07totk2eh8p8t@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 15 Nov 2012 16:38:15 +1100, "Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes>
> wrote:
>
>>"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message
>>news:6pv7a8h7573h1egg99su6aalna5e5qcd3l@4ax.com...
>>> On Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:41:55 +1100, "Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>>"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message
>>>>>>So how many blueberry plants do you have?   Are your own plants the 
>>>>>>ones
>>>>>>that you make mead form our are they bought in?  In any event, it 
>>>>>>sounds
>>>>>>delicious.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> I only have a few blueberry plants at this time, I still buy from a
>>>>> couple of people most of the time, for the mead at least as it
>>>>> requires an awful lot of blueberries.
>>>>
>>>>I had meant to ask... How do you make blueberry mead?
>>>
>>> I'll go get my little blue recipe book if/when the cat gets off my
>>> lap...
>>>
>>> But basically you need blueberries, honey, yeast, water and some yeast
>>> nutrient if you want it to ferment out as much as possible (meaning
>>> quite dry and high in alcohol). I use a LOT of blueberries and honey,
>>> which means its not all that cheap to make but I get the result I
>>> want.
>>>
>>> Note that different honeys produce very different results in terms of
>>> flavour and clarity. Brewing mead is a longer process than say beer -
>>> an absolute minimum of two months before it'll be drinkable... but two
>>> years is generally the ideal.
>>>
>>> And watch out... it's one of those drinks that hit you much stronger
>>> than the alcohol content would suggest...
>>
>>:-)) Is it done in a standard fermenter and twice fermented?
>
> I've used both standard fermenter drums and glass carboys... it's a
> bit more work to clean the carboys out due to the narrow neck but I'm
> not too keen on storing mead even in a food-grade plastic drum for
> months or years.

I can understand that.  I have a very nice collection of carboys and a 
similarly nice collection of really, really big bottle brushes that can 
clean the whole inside of those carboys. 

"Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes> wrote in message 
news:k9hcmb$5bb$2@dont-email.me...
> "Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message 
> news:s0skb8lp5e82gjt20i25179t43n24ma1cr@4ax.com...
>> On Thu, 15 Nov 2012 16:36:33 +1100, "Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message
>>>news:rov7a8dko8s19sbjmgjp713rs9141nb3it@4ax.com...
>>>> On Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:27:41 +1100, "Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message
>>>>>news:v470a8le5a2i2qbtoisvq91r22r0aektml@4ax.com...
>>>>>> My poor Silver Birches have taken a real hammering from the little
>>>>>> bastards. It's so disheartening to see a birch tree grow so well, 
>>>>>> then
>>>>>> overnight the main stem is snapped clean off about 2 metres from the
>>>>>> top... I melted some lard yesterday and mixed some kero in it. I'm
>>>>>> going to smear it all over the birch tree's trunks in the hope it
>>>>>> deters them.
>>>>>
>>>>>Interesting recipe :-))  Wonder if it'll work?  I'm trying to deter 
>>>>>rats
>>>>>round my hen house ATM.  I don't want to use poison so it's a watering 
>>>>>can
>>>>>of water down each hole once a day.  I now know what the expression
>>>>>'drowned
>>>>>rat' means.  I haven't quite managed to drown any yet but they sure 
>>>>>hate
>>>>>water in their holes and come up looking very saggy and most definitely
>>>>>'Not
>>>>>happy Jan!'.  Bastard things.
>>>>
>>>> Yeah, I can't any kind of plastic around the chook pen as the rats eat
>>>> it... I've had a few rats and mice drown themselves in the water
>>>> bucket, which is great. I use rat traps with peanut butter, caged off
>>>> so only rats and mice can access it.
>>>
>>>One of the old Earth Gardens or Grass Roots mags (whichever one it is 
>>>that
>>>has Jackie French writing for it) had a great 5 gallon bucket rat/mouse 
>>>trap
>>>made by Kackie's husband.  The rats/mice climbed up a rampy/laddery thing 
>>>on
>>>the side of the bucket and when they went to get the bait, they were
>>>effectively walking the plank and dropped into water for a very long
>>>swimming lesson.  I've been meaning to hunt out the article for weeks so 
>>>if
>>>I find it, I'll put the details in here so you can get it on interlibrary
>>>loan.
>>>
>>>I too can't use poison but I am sure tempted.  I have no objection to 
>>>them
>>>being drowned.
>>
>> Sorry for missing the rest of this thread until now...
>>
>> Drowning is one of the better ways IMO and don't have a problem with
>> it. I've found quite a few mice and rats who've drowned themselves in
>> buckets of water every now and then. If you do find those details, I'd
>> be interested in having a look, cheers.
>
> I'll see if I can dig out the issue and let you know which one it's in. 
> I've been meaning to go back over my collection anyway as a very early one 
> has an article on how to make a hat using woven bulrushes and our creek is 
> full of prime rushes right now.  A nice job to do would be reviewing all 
> the material over the non TV watching period that is the Xmas season.
>

The ABC link was perfect for what I wanted, and as I suspected it appears I 
can plant anything at any time and have some form of success.

I am not a particularly early riser and as we have no daylight saving in the 
West and the boss still expects me to appear at work every day the mid-day 
snooze is out, at least while he is watching.

I did a quick google search for the rat/mouse trap and found 
http://www.ehow.com/how_6653960_make-multi_catch-rat-trap.html also a whole 
heap of youtube videos on how to build them  my search term was "5 gallon 
rat trap" and once again an evening was spent absorbing youtube info.

Mike

On Mon, 3 Dec 2012 16:19:19 +1100, "Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes>
wrote:

>"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message 
>news:p6skb8h8hp6km7tnuhbme07totk2eh8p8t@4ax.com...
>> On Thu, 15 Nov 2012 16:38:15 +1100, "Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message
>>>news:6pv7a8h7573h1egg99su6aalna5e5qcd3l@4ax.com...
>>>> On Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:41:55 +1100, "Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message
>>>>>>>So how many blueberry plants do you have?   Are your own plants the 
>>>>>>>ones
>>>>>>>that you make mead form our are they bought in?  In any event, it 
>>>>>>>sounds
>>>>>>>delicious.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I only have a few blueberry plants at this time, I still buy from a
>>>>>> couple of people most of the time, for the mead at least as it
>>>>>> requires an awful lot of blueberries.
>>>>>
>>>>>I had meant to ask... How do you make blueberry mead?
>>>>
>>>> I'll go get my little blue recipe book if/when the cat gets off my
>>>> lap...
>>>>
>>>> But basically you need blueberries, honey, yeast, water and some yeast
>>>> nutrient if you want it to ferment out as much as possible (meaning
>>>> quite dry and high in alcohol). I use a LOT of blueberries and honey,
>>>> which means its not all that cheap to make but I get the result I
>>>> want.
>>>>
>>>> Note that different honeys produce very different results in terms of
>>>> flavour and clarity. Brewing mead is a longer process than say beer -
>>>> an absolute minimum of two months before it'll be drinkable... but two
>>>> years is generally the ideal.
>>>>
>>>> And watch out... it's one of those drinks that hit you much stronger
>>>> than the alcohol content would suggest...
>>>
>>>:-)) Is it done in a standard fermenter and twice fermented?
>>
>> I've used both standard fermenter drums and glass carboys... it's a
>> bit more work to clean the carboys out due to the narrow neck but I'm
>> not too keen on storing mead even in a food-grade plastic drum for
>> months or years.
>
>I can understand that.  I have a very nice collection of carboys and a 
>similarly nice collection of really, really big bottle brushes that can 
>clean the whole inside of those carboys. 

Another few weeks we'll be swimming in cherries... so the next batch
will be cherry mead. Should be interesting :)

On Mon, 3 Dec 2012 16:17:58 +1100, "Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes>
wrote:

>"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message 
>news:s0skb8lp5e82gjt20i25179t43n24ma1cr@4ax.com...
>> On Thu, 15 Nov 2012 16:36:33 +1100, "Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message
>>>news:rov7a8dko8s19sbjmgjp713rs9141nb3it@4ax.com...
>>>> On Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:27:41 +1100, "Farm1" <Here@there.sometimes>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>"Je�us" <none@all.org> wrote in message
>>>>>news:v470a8le5a2i2qbtoisvq91r22r0aektml@4ax.com...
>>>>>> My poor Silver Birches have taken a real hammering from the little
>>>>>> bastards. It's so disheartening to see a birch tree grow so well, then
>>>>>> overnight the main stem is snapped clean off about 2 metres from the
>>>>>> top... I melted some lard yesterday and mixed some kero in it. I'm
>>>>>> going to smear it all over the birch tree's trunks in the hope it
>>>>>> deters them.
>>>>>
>>>>>Interesting recipe :-))  Wonder if it'll work?  I'm trying to deter rats
>>>>>round my hen house ATM.  I don't want to use poison so it's a watering 
>>>>>can
>>>>>of water down each hole once a day.  I now know what the expression
>>>>>'drowned
>>>>>rat' means.  I haven't quite managed to drown any yet but they sure hate
>>>>>water in their holes and come up looking very saggy and most definitely
>>>>>'Not
>>>>>happy Jan!'.  Bastard things.
>>>>
>>>> Yeah, I can't any kind of plastic around the chook pen as the rats eat
>>>> it... I've had a few rats and mice drown themselves in the water
>>>> bucket, which is great. I use rat traps with peanut butter, caged off
>>>> so only rats and mice can access it.
>>>
>>>One of the old Earth Gardens or Grass Roots mags (whichever one it is that
>>>has Jackie French writing for it) had a great 5 gallon bucket rat/mouse 
>>>trap
>>>made by Kackie's husband.  The rats/mice climbed up a rampy/laddery thing 
>>>on
>>>the side of the bucket and when they went to get the bait, they were
>>>effectively walking the plank and dropped into water for a very long
>>>swimming lesson.  I've been meaning to hunt out the article for weeks so 
>>>if
>>>I find it, I'll put the details in here so you can get it on interlibrary
>>>loan.
>>>
>>>I too can't use poison but I am sure tempted.  I have no objection to them
>>>being drowned.
>>
>> Sorry for missing the rest of this thread until now...
>>
>> Drowning is one of the better ways IMO and don't have a problem with
>> it. I've found quite a few mice and rats who've drowned themselves in
>> buckets of water every now and then. If you do find those details, I'd
>> be interested in having a look, cheers.
>
>I'll see if I can dig out the issue and let you know which one it's in. 
>I've been meaning to go back over my collection anyway as a very early one 
>has an article on how to make a hat using woven bulrushes and our creek is 
>full of prime rushes right now.  A nice job to do would be reviewing all the 
>material over the non TV watching period that is the Xmas season. 

Sounds like a plan, and thanks.