2013 Gardening Thread (Read 239 times)

     

    What I meant is that I rarely see them in my immediate neighborhood, and in my yard.  But they are all over the place.  I see them nearby all the time.  For some reason they only come around my immediate neighborhood at night.  And I know that they were in my garden as the stems chewed off of the tomato plants were to high for it to be anything else.  Plus the hoof prints.  Plus the pellets.

     

    It's a shame, with regard to "rural" areas.  When I was a kid...yes, it was YEARS ago, like 40 or 50, we used to drive through Rileslsville, cross the bridge to NJ, go up 519, through Alpha, P-burg, up to Rt. 46, then cross the river back into PA at I-80, and go up 209 to our cabin in the Poconos in Dingman's Ferry.  Nothing is there anymore.  The NPS tore everything down when they were going to build the dam.  Thankfully they didn't build the dam, but, there were farming families that had lived there for 2 or 3 hundred years that had to leave.

     

    Now...it is so built up along that route though.  it's a real shame.  I know people need to live somewhere, but do we really need giant shopping centers on Rt. 22 and I-78, and a QuickShop (or whatever it is) in the center of Alpha?  I mean, really?  Do we need that?

     

    At least the King Cole Grove is still there on Rt. 46.  We would stop there every weekend for ice cream.   I skinned my knee VERY badly on the swings there in the mid-1960s.  I love that place.  (and Hot Dog Johnny's)

    Jeff

       

      What I meant is that I rarely see them in my immediate neighborhood, and in my yard.

       

      Before I put up a fence around my yard (because of my kids, not the deer), people in the neighborhood would always tell me, "we always see them on your yard at night".  I figured they were getting a little snack before, or after, they went to the lake to get a nice drink.

       

      And our plants suffered. Big time.

       

      After I put up the fence, the neighbors would say, "gee, the deer are so bad this year".

       

      Well, yeah...that's because they're not eating MY plants anymore...

      Jeff


      Prince of Fatness

        It's a shame, with regard to "rural" areas.  When I was a kid...yes, it was YEARS ago, like 40 or 50, we used to drive through Rileslsville, cross the bridge to NJ, go up 519, through Alpha, P-burg, up to Rt. 46, then cross the river back into PA at I-80, and go up 209 to our cabin in the Poconos in Dingman's Ferry.  Nothing is there anymore.  The NPS tore everything down when they were going to build the dam.  Thankfully they didn't build the dam, but, there were farming families that had lived there for 2 or 3 hundred years that had to leave.

         

        Now...it is so built up along that route though.  it's a real shame.  I know people need to live somewhere, but do we really need giant shopping centers on Rt. 22 and I-78, and a QuickShop (or whatever it is) in the center of Alpha?  I mean, really?  Do we need that?

         

        At least the King Cole Grove is still there on Rt. 46.  We would stop there every weekend for ice cream.   I skinned my knee VERY badly on the swings there in the mid-1960s.  I love that place.  (and Hot Dog Johnny's)

         

        Dude how often are you through there?  I live just off of 519 near Pburg and grew up in Belvidere.  I am pretty sure that King Coles closed down.  The river flooded them out one too many times.  Hot Dog Johnny's was my high school job.

         

        It is pretty built up compared to when I was growing up, but it is still pretty rural for NJ.  Lots of places within a short drive to run and hike and enjoy the outdoors.

        Not at it at all. 

           

          Dude how often are you through there?  I live just off of 519 near Pburg and grew up in Belvidere.  I am pretty sure that King Coles closed down.  The river flooded them out one too many times.  Hot Dog Johnny's was my high school job.

           

          It is pretty built up compared to when I was growing up, but it is still pretty rural for NJ.  Lots of places within a short drive to run and hike and enjoy the outdoors.

           

           

          Every Wednesday afternoon.  If you want to know specifics, we can PM.

           

          As for King Cole, I know the building is still there.  The last time I drove by was in March (I took a detour) and it looked like it always does in the winter.  Closed up.  They don't open until spring.  Of course, that doesn't mean they're opening this spring...

          Jeff


            It is pretty built up compared to when I was growing up, but it is still pretty rural for NJ.  Lots of places within a short drive to run and hike and enjoy the outdoors.

             

            I nearly killed myself (OK, I'm exaggerating) on the Appalachian Trail in the late 1970s going through there.  We were going south.  We stopped at Delaware Water Gap (the town) and didn't go any further.

             

            Still, though, it was awesome, and still also, to this day, I wish I had gone further into PA.  But we just couldn't.  We only did 30 miles.  We had planned on like 50 or 60.

             

            One thing that cracked me up.  We were walking across the I-80 bridge with backpacks and all, tons of facial hair, and some dude crossing the bridge into Jersey, in a station wagon of course, kids all over the place, was leaning out of the car, filming us, probably with his Super 8 camera.  Yes folks, this was before DVD and smartphones.

             

            "Hey look hon, mountain men hiking!"

             

            I mean, I guess that's why they filmed us.  Maybe we popped up on some documentary somewhere.  :-)

            Jeff

               

              I nearly killed myself (OK, I'm exaggerating) on the Appalachian Trail in the late 1970s going through there.  We were going south.  We stopped at Delaware Water Gap (the town) and didn't go any further.

               

              Still, though, it was awesome, and still also, to this day, I wish I had gone further into PA.  But we just couldn't.  We only did 30 miles.  We had planned on like 50 or 60.

               

              One thing that cracked me up.  We were walking across the I-80 bridge with backpacks and all, tons of facial hair, and some dude crossing the bridge into Jersey, in a station wagon of course, kids all over the place, was leaning out of the car, filming us, probably with his Super 8 camera.  Yes folks, this was before DVD and smartphones.

               

              "Hey look hon, mountain men hiking!"

               

              I mean, I guess that's why they filmed us.  Maybe we popped up on some documentary somewhere.  :-)

               

              I was watching a documentary about AT. It said about 300 people try every year but only about 180 complete the whole journey. I am thinking maybe someday i would do it. The west one from canada to mexico may be more interesting. What was the hardest thing when you hiked AT?

              5k - 20:56 (09/12), 7k - 28:40 (11/12), 10k trial - 43:08  (03/13), 42:05 (05/13), FM - 3:09:28 (05/13), HM - 1:28:20 (05/14), Failed 10K trial - 6:10/mi for 4mi (08/14), FM - 3:03 (09/14)

                 

                I was watching a documentary about AT. It said about 300 people try every year but only about 180 complete the whole journey. I am thinking maybe someday i would do it. The west one from canada to mexico may be more interesting. What was the hardest thing when you hiked AT?

                 

                The hardest thing was that I wasn't prepared for it.  I thought I was, but I wasn't.

                 

                Yeah, I walked around my yard for weeks in my new boots (which were, I know now, too tight), I took too much clothing, my pack was too heavy, I wore cotton socks and had blisters on every single toe, and the backs of my ankles.  I could barely walk in the mornings (although it got better as the day wore on).

                 

                I just wasn't prepared.

                 

                Three days, 30 miles.  Pathetic.

                 

                I know now, 35 years later, that I could do 100 miles or so, with training, no problem, but there are so many other things in the way now.  House, job, kids, weight, too much development on the trail, cell phones, money, bills.   This is something that is best done by a younger person with no real commitments.  I had my chance, and while I didn't blow it, I should have pushed further.  it was in 1978, by the way.

                 

                Now that I've said all that, there is no reason an older person couldn't do it.  And when I say older, I mean, 60s, and I know people in my running club in their 70s that could do the entire thing...I'm in my 50s now, and I know I could do it, if I had the time, money, etc.  So, at 60, only a few years away, I could do it.

                Jeff


                Prince of Fatness

                  Lots of potatoes are coming up.  I wanted to plant some other stuff over the weekend but frost was in the forecast (they were right, heavy frost last night).  Potatoes may have got bit a little but they will be fine.  So some tomatoes and flowers go in next weekend.

                   

                  The potatoes did in fact get burnt by the frost but they should bounce back.  This weekend I planted flowers and mulched the beds in the front of the house and will try to get the tomatoes in during the week.

                  Not at it at all. 


                  jules2

                    The weather this side of the pond has improved, we had a very wet Winter followed by a very dry Spring but now we have had both rain and warmth.

                     

                    i have an Asparagus bed about 30 yards long so life is good, plus we have Sorrel, Rhubarb and Perpetual Onion

                     

                    The spuds are up and hopefully the frost we had last Thursday will be the last but there's always a chance of one until early June as we are so far from the sea.

                     

                    Just off now to do some weeding.Smile

                    Old age is when you move from illegal to prescribed drugs.

                       

                      Dude how often are you through there?  I live just off of 519 near Pburg and grew up in Belvidere.  I am pretty sure that King Coles closed down.  The river flooded them out one too many times.  Hot Dog Johnny's was my high school job.

                       

                      It is pretty built up compared to when I was growing up, but it is still pretty rural for NJ.  Lots of places within a short drive to run and hike and enjoy the outdoors.

                       

                      Took a minor detour today from Alpha up to 46.  I think you're right, the King Cole Grove is no more.  Paint peeling.  The driveways to the parking lot are blocked.  Looking dilapidated.  There were some cars in the back though...maybe the owners live there.

                       

                      Hard to believe the river could get that high.  The swingset where I skinned the hell out of my knee was still there 45 years ago is still there though.  At least some things are constant.

                       

                      I drove by Hot Dog Johnny's.  It was full of people.  At least they're surviving.  Got a dog, turned around, and went down 519, then River Road (29) all the way down to Trenton.

                       

                      Nice drive.

                      Jeff


                      Feeling the growl again

                        Stuff is starting to pop up.  I got all 30 of my grape vines in over the weekend.  My established vines are setting one heck of a crop!  I'm bottling ~100 bottles of wine this weekend to free up my equipment for fall.  I checked my orchard; almost all the trees are setting great crops of fruit...for the first time since I planted it ~6 years ago.  Sadly I neglected to spray my peach trees for leaf curl last fall, and we had the best possible conditions for it to take hold this May.  I will likely lose my crop and can only hope the trees are not permanently damaged.  It can't be controlled once it has set in.

                        "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                         

                        I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                         


                        Prince of Fatness

                          Hard to believe the river could get that high.

                           

                          Not only that but it has gotten high quite a bit the last decade or so.  When the river crested in 2004 people were talking about it being a once in a lifetime event but then it went even higher twice in the next two years.  I think when Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee went through a couple of years ago that was it for King Cole.

                           

                          Historical Crests for Delaware River at Belvidere

                          (1) 30.21 ft on 08/19/1955
                          (2) 28.60 ft on 10/10/1903
                          (3) 27.24 ft on 04/04/2005
                          (4) 27.16 ft on 06/29/2006
                          (5) 25.00 ft on 03/19/1936
                          (6) 24.80 ft on 09/19/2004
                          (7) 22.96 ft on 01/20/1996
                          (8) 22.22 ft on 02/12/1936
                          (9) 21.55 ft on 09/09/2011

                          Not at it at all. 

                            Last Sunday after my marathon, we put some seeds in.

                            Carrot, spinach, parsnip, turnip, gourmet salads, turnip green, pea, sugar snap pea, onion green, pok choi, broccoli

                             

                            Yesterday we had some transplants in:

                            cucumber, zucchini, French bean, celery, egg plant, tomato, kale

                             

                            We still have leeks and asparagus from last year.

                            5k - 20:56 (09/12), 7k - 28:40 (11/12), 10k trial - 43:08  (03/13), 42:05 (05/13), FM - 3:09:28 (05/13), HM - 1:28:20 (05/14), Failed 10K trial - 6:10/mi for 4mi (08/14), FM - 3:03 (09/14)

                            kcam


                              Little bragging here:  My wife made spinach/mushroom stuffed ravioli with basil chiffonade for dinner last night.  Home-made pasta, spinach and basil was from our backyard garden, can't wait till our tomatos start to ripen.  We go on vacation for two weeks starting next week, I think when we get back they should just be ripening!  We also had a wonderful salad of arugula, baby bok choy, baby asian greens, radishes (all from our backyard garden), grilled onions, olives.  So gdm good   She's the best!

                               


                              Feeling the growl again

                                Man does that look tasty.  I always love dishes were everything possible came from the work of my own hands.

                                Little bragging here:  My wife made spinach/mushroom stuffed ravioli with basil chiffonade for dinner last night.  Home-made pasta, spinach and basil was from our backyard garden, can't wait till our tomatos start to ripen.  We go on vacation for two weeks starting next week, I think when we get back they should just be ripening!  We also had a wonderful salad of arugula, baby bok choy, baby asian greens, radishes (all from our backyard garden), grilled onions, olives.  So gdm good   She's the best!

                                 

                                "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                                 

                                I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills