Yesterday was mine! Our big refrigerator died, Crystal, our sweet donkey died, my computer died, Will’s big tractor, with him in it, rolled down the hill and into the garden fence and the cows got into the Wolf Garden when I was in there dusting potatoes for potato bugs. I felt like going to bed and pulling the covers over my head. (I chased cows on the golf cart and on foot and finally had to come home to get Will and the dogs while they walked about, eating corn, beans, and carrot tops.)

Here are some of the potatoes I’ve been dusting. They’re blooming and growing bigger every day, after being hilled three times.

But Will and the dogs got the cows out of the garden before any major damage was done and today, I took the computer to Tech Bytes in Eveleth, Minnesota and Justin got it fixed in about two minutes! Neither Will nor the tractor was hurt. So, today is looking a lot better. I know everyone has those days but boy, did I feel smacked yesterday!

The tomatoes are looking great and we even have a few ripe ones.

Our super-hot-for-us weather has let up and today it’s sunny and only 70 degrees F, with a nice breeze. I’ve got to go out to the Wolf Garden and check the potato bug situation. And you can bet I’ll be sure to close the gate! Those darned cows came running up out of the woods and right into the garden. They must have been watching! Overall, the gardens look good. We’ve even got a few ripe tomatoes! The onions are starting to bulb up and the Costata Romanesco summer squash bushes have squash on them. I can’t wait to fry up a few of those soon!

The beans and onions received liquid manure tea and are looking better already.

— Jackie

25 COMMENTS

  1. relief Will an tractor no damage! cows ALWAYS know when a fence is down or a gate a jar. murphys law. so sad about the little donkey. im sure you miss her. it sure seems like you all got Everything at once. pray the days go much better your way!

    • Thank you so much Mary. Things are looking a lot better. But you’re right, I’ll miss Crystal forever.

  3. Dang, when it rains it pours! So sorry to hear about your donkey. It is hard to lose animals, especially ones you have had a long time. I’m glad no one was hurt during the cow episode. They certainly must have been just waiting for the chance to get in your garden and eat all the delicious food they could. I think they have a special kind of radar, lol. Is your fridge repairable or is it completely done? I certainly hope things are improving for you now. Sending prayers for a blessed week.

    • I’ll swear those darned cows were down in the woods, lying in wait for me to get to the far end of the potato row, then charged up and into the garden!!
      I think the fridge can be fixed but am just waiting for magic-Will to have time to check it out. Can’t afford a new one right now.
      Thank you for your prayers!!

  4. I’m glad nobody was hurt too!! I feel for you Rose. Our corn is having a tough time. We just went to the North Garden and all we planted has not come up. The soil is mostly clay and with the torrential rains, then dry conditions, it has set up like checkered concrete. Luckily, I have always canned all the corn I could every year, so we won’t be lacking
    Some years are fantastic; others not so hot. That’s just life!

  5. I’m glad you all are un hurt . I hope you didn’t hurt your self chasing cows and are to stubborn to admit it!

    • I’ll admit my knees are a LITTLE sore from the chasing. Dogs are faster than me!! I learned my lesson though. Always close the gate. Always!

    • Will’s manure tea comes right from the cows. He dumped a tractor bucket of rotted manure without any hay in it, into the plastic bin, then added water. About 2/3 water and 1/3 manure. That got plenty mixed around, bouncing over the rocks in our driveway for half a mile, then he gave it a stir with the shovel just before dipping it out.
      For smaller amounts, just fill a burlap sack about half full of manure. If it has straw in it or is not composted, let it sit in a household tote of water for about two days then swish it around and pull it out. Instant manure tea to use on your plants.

  7. For heavens sake! Sorry all that happened. Glad Will is alright. That’s a day you don’t forget. We’ve not had any rain at all for over 6 weeks. I’m wondering if it’s the 1930s all over again. For the Midwest and upper Rockies area that was when the highest temperature records were set. Roughly a hundred years ago is when the temperature rose and the drought with the Dust Bowl started. Weather runs in cycles and I think that is what we’re seeing. Tonight I have to water plants, our lone crabapple tree is looking stressed. Normally we get enough rain for it to be fine. But I realized I have not watered it at all. Poor thing. Hope things get better for you and Will.

    • Thanks Cat. Gee, I know what you mean about no rain. Two years ago we had the same deal and boy was it tough. You’re right, it seems like weather runs in cycles; too wet or too dry. I do feel lucky that Will didn’t get hurt or run over our friend, Heather, who was weeding melons on the other side of the fence!! We finally got the oven working again. It was the ignitor, and I bought a new one for less than $30 and now I can bake again. I was beside myself not being able too. Yes, I can fire up the wood stove and bake on that but when it’s 90 degrees outside, I sure hate to do that!! Now I’m thinking pies, cookies, rolls and bread. Yea!!

    • Wow, that really does sound like a rough day.

      Glad to hear no lasting damage to humans, tractor or garden.

      I bet you were glad to sit down after that and I hope the next few days have been far less eventful!

  8. Oh, my! All that packed into one day! You know we all (and the Almighty) are right there with you, rooting for you, through thick and thin.

    • Thanks so much Ruth!! Knowing that really helps. Today is much better. No cows in the garden, the tractor is fixed and nobody got hurt. I’ve even got my broken-down oven working again. Praise God!!! You don’t know how much you bake until you don’t have anything but the wood range and it’s hot outside.

  9. Ah, I feel your pain. Homesteading seems to have more than it’s share of heart breaking days. Glad Will, the tractor and the computer are okay. Sorry for the loss of Crystal. Are you able to get another refrigerator? So much at once! God bless you and help you!

    • Yep, homesteading is not all baby animals and beautiful gardens for sure. And we’re just like everyone else; we have our bad spells along with the good. I think the fridge can be fixed. We think it just has a circuit board that locked down due to a power fluctuation. Will just has to get enough time to pull it out and see what he can do. I printed out directions from the internet. Hope that works!! At least we have another fridge and a couple of freezers.

  10. Maybe you got all the trouble out of the way in one day…my garden just up and died with our 115 degree weather…no rain just heat..I guess in a couple of months I will start over..glad no one was hurt..

    • Thank you Mary. Not as strong as I used to be, for sure. But I have God as our gardening and life partner so that gets me by days like yesterday.

  12. Oh Jackie!
    I’m so glad to hear Will is not hurt! My stomach lurched as I read he rolled in the tractor!
    When it rains it pours, that’s for sure! You guys are so Strong and resilient. Yaaay
    Your garden looks fantastic, no wonder the cows want in there lol.
    Glad all is relatively well.

    • Gee Toni, I didn’t mean to scare you. The tractor rolled down the hill, not over and over. Things sure look better today. Some days are just like that but, boy, do you ever wonder when it’ll quit.
      But the last time I said, “Now what’s next?”, our son, David, came down with flesh eating bacteria. (He recovered completely after a big surgery, thankfully.) I sure don’t say that anymore!!

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