FREE fertilizer!

Farming, gardening, nature

This is an honest offer. Come to our farm with a bucket or bag and you can have free fertilizer. Many should jump at this offer, at least I hope so.

The free fertilizer is actually chicken manure. It is dry chicken manure, but there is a catch. You have to shovel your own…out of the chicken house.

Some country people would not flinch at this work, especially if they have need of good manure.

Since we only have 8 chickens, the amount in the chicken house has composted over the last six months–I really should clean it out more often. It really doesn’t smell…really.

The chickens do not add too much fresh to the mix. These days they mostly make their deposits around the farmyard, just ask Sunny where. He searches the ‘chicken treats’ out and eats them!

I have used some of the chicken manure in my flower beds, but there’s still a lot left.

Dry chicken manure going into flower bed
My raised bed is a holey water trough.

So if you are in need of a high nitrogen, natural fertilizer contact me. I’ll even give you a bucket to take your share home.

I am not Tom Sawyer trying to get you to paint a fence, but this can be fun. Also, you get to take home homegrown fertilizer for FREE.

Copyright © 2019 Susan Manzke, All rights reserved

Creating art

crafts, nature

I found a way to express myself besides using words. I’m painting again, but not with watercolors. This time I’m using alcohol inks.

Here are four of my paintings. These trees are on 4 by 4 tiles. The glossy surface makes painting with alcohol ink interesting. Sometimes it has a mind of its own and spreads wherever it wants.

There is an upside of this kind of art, if I absolutely hate what I’ve done, I can spray it with alcohol, wash it away, and start with a clean tile. If I’m satisfied, I spray the finished tile with a clear lacker and then it’s set.

These are backed with cork so they can be used as coasters. BTW: I have a few for sale at Sissy’s in Seymour.

I also, have some wild and crazy paintings, but I think I’ll leave those for another time. This is just a sample for a quick blog today.

Return to Fleet Farm

Bob, Odds and ends

The last time Bob and I stopped by the Appleton Fleet Farm was last December. After our visit that day, I noticed swelling in his legs. That meant a different ride, to the Emergency Room at St. Mary’s Hospital, Green Bay.

Today, was the first time the two of us went for a ride to the Appleton Fleet Farm alone–we had stopped at the Green Bay store with Rachel after an oncology appointment, but that doesn’t count. Today we were on our own.

Bob wanted to get a new chain for his small chain saw. It turned out they were out of stock, so he just got a file. When we came home, Bob set about sharpening the dull chain he had.

I was not prepared for this quick trip. My plans for the day included planting canna lilies I had saved last fall. Too bad for my flowers. Bob really wanted to take the trip to ‘his’ store, so we went.

Of course, we couldn’t get out of the store with one item. Other animal treats also came home with us, which pleased Sunny, our dog, and Othello and Cruella our cats.

Still, doing something ordinary like taking a trip to Fleet Farm felt good. It had nothing to do with doctors or medicine and that was a good feeling.

Now I’m going outside and hope to get my tubers planted before Bob comes up with another chore for me–BTW: he’s riding the lawn mower now. He put his saw aside for the time being.

Bob’s favorite store
Photo Rachel took May 16th

Sha-Bock Farm Bed and Breakfast

Family, Farming, pets

When we had grandchildren visiting we decided to take them to a friend’s farm. Sha-Bock Farm Bed and Breakfast is just a few miles away and they happen to have animals that are nowhere to be found on Sunnybook Farm.

Wyatt, Arianna, Serenity, and Eli looked around the farm.

The first animal spotted when we drove into the farmyard was a peacock, but it was too fast for me to get a good photo. Chickens also roam the farmyard. Last year we got a few eggs from the Bock flock to put under our setting hen, so a few of our birds are related.

Next the children got to view the llama and alpacas that live at Sha-Bock Farm.

One large Llama in the back, surrounded by assorted alpaca just days after sheering.
Eli tried getting a closer look.
Jeb Bock said his alpaca haven’t forgiven him yet for their spring hair cuts.
Serenity, Arianna, Wyatt, and Eli enjoyed their visit to Sha-Bock Farm B&B

I think anyone who would like to relax in the country would enjoy their time spent on the Sha-Bock Farm B&B. You never know, you might be faster and get a good photo of their pea fowl. Check them out online at:
http://shabockfarmbb.com/index.html

Squad leader — Chuck Paska

Family, Memories

I grew up hearing stories about WWII from my dad. His stories were always funny and never centered on the horrors that he lived through. Once, as he checked out a building, he turned to see a scraggly man holding a gun standing in his path. He shot. It turned out he had seen his own image in a mirror, which he had then blasted to smithereens.

He never told his daughters how he as a young man had gone through hell and came home again.

On this Memorial Day I honor him for his service.