October 2011 Kiva Loans

Here's who we lent to this month:

Shadi in Palestine

Shadi needed a loan to buy more sheep for his sheep farm.

Soso from Georgia

Soso needed a loan to buy more cows for his dairy farm.

Bug Collection

The girls have always been fascinated with bugs of all kinds.  I have a vast collection of empty jars of all sizes on hand to grab when the girls find something interesting to study. It's also nice for me in that I have a free spider removal service.  They don't like us to kill spiders and bugs found in the house...instead they will collect them and let them go outside. Works for me.

Over the past year, the girls' collection of bugs has increased....dead ones I mean. They would never harm a bug just because they wanted to keep it. These bugs they find already deceased.

This year the cicadas have been good to them, lol. Georgia can tell you anything you ever wanted to know about cicadas. She likes to learn more about the bugs they find.

Katydids creep me out!  The live ones, anyway... 

And yes that is a urine specimen cup on the left, lol.  Whatever works, right? (it has never been used, lol) Old jam jars, peanut butter jars, my tupperware! 

Mark and I are trying to come up with a way for them to display their collection. I was thinking of a shadow box display on the wall, but they need something that will allow them to take them out and examine them whenever they feel the need. Hmmmm....

We'll also need something for their feather collection, rock collection, nest collection, seed collection....

As I am writing this I hear Animal Planet's Most Extreme in the background talking about a bug, lol.

Goldfish Dissection

When one of Olivia's goldfish died she asked if we could dissect it and learn about the insides of a goldfish

Meet poor Brazil...who died on September 21, 2011.

We first used this image to help us identify external anatomy.

Then we used our exacto knife scalpel and removed the layer of scales, skin, and muscle.

We were able to identify the swim bladder, spine and spinal cord, and intestines. 

We removed the intestines and saw where it connected to the esophagus on one end, and the vent on the other.

Here is Brazil without intestines. We can see his heart near the gills.

Olivia was amazed at it all. Very interesting stuff!

We also got a glimpse of the brain, and took a closer look at the gills..but at that point Brazil looked pretty gruesome...so here's a photo of the eye instead....

 She said she wants to dissect a grasshopper, too. Pretty sure I'll need a sharper "scalpel" for that one!

Here's my little scientist....

Fish Shopping

The girls have decided they want an aquarium in their rooms for their birthdays. So we have been doing research into what type of fish they want, what it needs, maintenance schedules, pH, nitrogen cycle, water temperature, etc. We are thinking goldfish for their first fish. Eventually we may get into tropical!

Schools out forever

Article on unschooling I recently read on USA Today...


http://yourlife.usatoday.com/parenting-family/story/2011-09-04/Schools-out-forever-for-unschoolers/50259548/1



Just don't read the comments section below the article if you don't want to be brought down by rigid people who can't think outside the box.  Amazes me how someone can think spending MORE time with your kids and engaging with them on a deeper level, exporing interests and finding resources for them is....::Child Abuse::!!!  Yet sending your kids to the government-run institution and ignoring them most of the day, only to yell at them to do their homework...that is the way we should all do it, right??? Teach them they don't have a say in their own life....anything else is child abuse I guess. I think people with that mentality feel like they have no say in how their own life is run as an adult...and feel the need for everyone to feel how they do. What a sad life to live. Phew....breathe in....breathe out....breathe in....breathe out..... Aaah, better now.

Note to self...

Do not let Olivia eat pretzel rods while on the laptop.  The keys are crunching and there are crumbs everywhere!!

Our First Eggs

I was having a particularly hard day. The roosters are becoming more and more of a problem with their teenage hormone-fueled asinine behavior. They like to target my favorite hen and gang up on her...jumping on her back and tearing into her with their claws and beaks. This morning, when letting the chickens out of the coop for the day, we found our poor Beauty limping around. I thought her foot was broken but upon inspection I found a small cut on her toe. I soaked it in warm water and Epsom salt and cleaned it with hydrogen peroxide and then irrigated with a diluted iodine solution.  Neosporin and bandaged up, I kept her close to me for the day. Made it tough to get much done.  I had the hose close by and had to spray off the gang of roosters that kept trying to get close to her. When Mark got home we rounded the boys up and they went into their fenced in chicken run. We let the girls have some peace and quiet to continue their free-ranging, lol. Well...that is when we found them!!! Our first eggs!!!

Aren't they beautiful?! 

Oh, and the boys' days are numbered.  Nine more days and they are freezer-bound!!



Sapomiel Hybrid Melon 2011

The Sapomiel Hybrid

Ordered seeds from Gurney's for $1.28

Item # 75736

from the catalog...

"Buttery flavor combines with creamy firm texture for a refreshing treat! This Piel de Sapo type melon has both a green to gold rind and high yields of football-shaped fruit. Tolerant to fusarium, powdery mildew and holds well in the field. Approx. 15 seeds per pkt."

Estimated days to maturity: 95

Planted 8 seeds in 8 hills in Bed # 11 on June 8th, 2011. Ended up with six plants.

Attacked by squash vine borer.  Killed almost all the vines after fruit set and growing. Also had extreme heat wave in July with temps reaching 100 on some days...and very dry July and August.

First harvested on August 18th.  The taste reminded me of a pear and cantaloupe. Looked like a white cantaloupe in the inside.



photos taken August 9th



Atlantis Hybrid Broccoli 2011

Atlantis Hybrid

ordered seeds from Gurney's for $1.28.

Item # 80676

from catalog....

"A cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli, Atlantis keeps producing over a long period. Harvest head 60 to 90 days from direct sowing: tender side shoots are produced after. Delicious fresh or in stir-fry. Also ideal for freezing. Approx. 20 seeds per pkt."

Planted 15 seeds in bed # 5 on June 26th. Way too late in season. Nothing came up. We had an extreme heat way in July which probably killed the seeds right in the soil. Want to try again for a fall harvest.

ETA: never planted again...maybe next year

Snow Crown Hybrid Cauliflower 2011

Snow Crown Hybrid Cauliflower

Ordered seeds from Gurney's for $3.39

Item # 68378

From catalog...

"One of the easiest cauliflowers to grow. Vigorous, rapid growth and long harvest. Snow-white, 2 lb, heads are 7-8" across and very flavorful. Approx. 75 seeds per pkt."

Tried planting 20 seeds on June 26th but was perhaps too late. Soil was hot and we had a heat wave with temps up to 100 degrees. None germinated.  Might try for a fall crop.

ETA: never planted again...maybe next year.

Cilantro Coriander 2011

(photo from Gurney's)

From the catalog description:

A favorite for Mexican foods. Use both seeds and leaves. Annual. Approx. 50 seeds per pkt. 45 days.  

Height: 16 inches; flowers 24-30 inchesSpacing: 3-4 inches between plants; 12-24 inches btw rowsDepth: 1/4-1/2 inch Spread: 12 inches Sun/Shade: full sun Germination: 14-21 days Days To Maturity: 45

Comments: Annual/Biennial. Leaves are pungent and used fresh or dried. Foliage is used as Cilantro and Chinese Parsley while the dried seeds are known as Coriander. Foliage has persistent 'hot' flavor. Seeds have a sage/citrus flavor. Attracts bees and other pollinators.

We started this from seed inside. It germinated really well, potted up when it had first true leaves...transplanted to garden. This did wonderful. We tried direct sowing some seeds but they didn't germinate. We loved using the cilantro in salsas and salads. And when it went to seed we collected the seeds. We read that coriander is good for insomnia and anxiety.  Interesting! Some of the seeds that fell before they were collected have become volunteer cilantro. Definitely want to grow this again!

Seeds started May 7, 2011

Transplanted on June 5, 2011

Birdhouse Gourds 2011

Oregano 2011

Oregano

Ordered seeds from Gurney's for $1.79.

Item # 14592

From catalog...

"Strong, pungent, peppery-there's no substitute for this one!Essential for authentic Italian food. Perennial. Zones 4-9. Approx. 250 seeds per pkt."

These are the tiniest seeds I've ever seen!!!!!!!!!!!

They germinated wonderfully...but I didn't have any successfully potted up or transplanted into garden. Tried direct sowing but by then the soil had heated up and we had a heat wave.  Definitely looking forward to this next year.

Sweet Basil 2011

(photo from Gurney's)

From the catalog:

A truly intriguing mix of flavors-- offers subtle hints of mint, cloves, and anise. Extremely popular in salads and vegetable dishes. Annual. Approx. 150 seeds per pkt. 85 days.

Height: 24-30 inches  Spacing: 18 inches between mature plants  Depth: 1/8 inch  Spread: 12 inches  Sun/Shade: full sun to partial shade Germination: 7-10 days  Days To Maturity: 85  Yield: N/A

Fruit: N/A Comments: Annual. One of the most popular cooking herbs. Large, 2 inch, dark green leaves. Spicy fragrance and flavor. Prefers warm areas.

Started seeds inside on April 4th and April 25th

Transplanted on May 20th and June 5th.

The plants on the south side of the tomatoes didn't do as well as the ones on the north side. They received too much direct sun on the south side.

Kept pulling flowers off to continue harvest. Enjoyed these on sandwiches, pizza, salads, and sauces. We let the older plants flower and it attracted a lot of beneficial bugs to the garden. 

our lil baby basil growing inside in early April

basil on April 27th after being potted up

Basil in late August...let it eventually flower and go to seed. Smells so yummy and is pretty, too.

Same basil in mid September. 

This basil was direct sown. This photo was taken September 13th.

I pulled all the remaining basil October 21nd.  The basil shown above had not flowered yet...but I wanted to harvest all the leaves before our frost. The older, flowered basil I pulled and we used to hang around the barn near the chickens' coop.  When we walk by them we are treated to the sweet scent of basil.

Mammoth Gray Stripe Sunflowers 2011

(photo from our garden)

From Gurney's catalog:

Enormous yellow flowers measure 14 in. across and yield a whopper crop of seeds! High oil content makes for great roasted flavor. Grows 9-12 ft. tall. 100 days.

Height: 9 - 12 feet Spacing: 2 - 4 feet Depth: 1 - 1 1/2 inches Spread: 15-24 inches Sun/Shade: Full Sun Germination: 10 - 14 days at 68-86 degrees F Days To Maturity: 100 days Color: Orange - Yellow Foliage: Very rough; to 1 foot long; heart shaped Blooms: July-September

Comments: Will do well in poor soil. Tolerates heat and dry conditions. Average head size is 10-15 inches, but have reached 20 inches. Extremely large heads on 9-12 foot stalks.

We planted these on May 31st and June 8th, 2011. We had to go back and replant the ones that the chickens destroyed!

These came up beautifully! It was fun to watch them grow. They attracted so many beneficial bugs. We had a swarm of bees take up residence in a mulberry tree, and I believe it was our planting of these sunflowers that enticed them to stick around. 

(notice the barn changing color...magic!)

Athena Cantaloupe