Will got so far behind in haying due to all the wet weather we had. Now, he’s working morning to evening, trying to get caught up. (He’s usually done haying in early August. That’s not happening this year. But, despite a few glitches like plugged baler and haybine, it’s getting done. Now, it’s hot and dry. I even have to water the gardens while he’s busy. Wow, after all that rain earlier, who would have thought?
Today I picked all of our big jalapeños and am getting ready to make a big batch of Cowboy Candy. David was here yesterday, and he put in a request for a jar of Cowboy Candy made out of habaneros for his friend Ian, who loves hot pepper stuff. Just in time, as I do have some nice habaneros out in the garden. You can bet I don’t mix them though! We like hot but not habanero hot. Puff, puff, pant, pant, pass the milk! Just a note, if you’re pickling check the acidity of your vinegar. Mine is 5%, as it’s supposed to be, but some folks have told me they bought vinegar, and it was only 4% acidity. You need 5% for safe pickling.
Hondo and Sarge tangled with a wolf yesterday, early in the morning. We let them out and when they came back after barking like mad, Sarge had bite marks on his thigh and Hondo was limping a little. The bite was way too big for it to have been coyotes. Luckily, the bites weren’t serious, and I washed them out well with peroxide. I hope they got in a few licks themselves! It’s the first time in 20 years one of our dogs has tangled with a wolf or even a coyote. We were shocked and a little nervous.
The lilies are starting to bloom now, and wow are they gorgeous! I started out with just three bulbs of each, and they have multiplied nicely. Now I have a nice patch and next spring I’ll divide them and have an even larger bed. I love that about some flowers, like our peonies. I let them go to seed and the seeds scatter about. Now I have five or six young peony plants. Because they’re all planted in a fairly small area, I’m sure they’re hybrids, being crossed with who knows what. So, it’ll be fun to see what the blooms look like.
Gotta go make Cowboy Candy. — Jackie
Thank you as always for your informative blog. So newbie to haying here. How long does it take the grass to get to “haying” stage and is it a certain kind of grass that makes hay or can any kind of grass work?
Beautiful lilies! Will is sure hustling! Nice looking crop now that’s its dryer weather. your peppers are huge! still waiting on my first bloom. Zucchinis are of course doing just fine. have several melons, squashes set but seem so late for them. when you make your cowboy candy, how do you store/save leftover sirup for other recipes? id like to try it this year(if/when my peppers come on) Forgot to comment on What a Good rider Ava is! looks so confident. thankful another youngster is learning to enjoy horsemenship. good Work Ava
With all of the wildfires going on, it’s not too surprising to hear about a woff Jackie. Unfortunately a lot of people will be seeing displaced animals in the future because of them. Here in the west we have way too many fires going on. Glad Will is able to get your having done. I wish you guys could find another apprentice to help you out.
I think this was one of our resident wolves as we have at least two packs in and around our area. I’m so sorry to see you have such bad fires going!! That’s awful.
I’m glad your dogs are ok after that wolf encounter. That’s pretty scary to me. We do have coyotes here and a lot of bobcats but so far no wolves. They have introduced bears to the southern part of the state so I’m sure its just a matter of time before they migrate here. Hay season is going full steam ahead here as well. The hay crop seems to be very abundant and there are bales dotting all the hillsides. I’m glad all is going well for Will and his haying. I hope that continues. I made a batch of your cowboy candy this year for the first time. I had a friend who had made it a couple of years ago and she said it was so hot she couldn’t eat it. I removed most of the seeds from the jalapenos and that was a huge mistake. There was no tingle at all. So, next batch I will make the recipe as printed. Live and learn, lol. Sending prayers for a blessed week.
Yep, we leave the seeds in. I’ve never had it be that hot. Some recipes have less sugar and that makes the peppers hotter.
We live amid all sorts of big predators; wolves, coyotes, black bears, mountain lions, lynx and fishers. But this is the first time our dogs have tangled with one in 20 years. Hopefully, it was a chance encounter, and the dogs will take more care in the future!
We’ve kicked into overdrive around here. I’m trying to get gardens watered while Will hays. It’s gotten very dry! Our weeds are horrible this year. I think they liked all the rain. But we keep at it. Won’t get them all, but the veggies are doing well, for the most part.
We don’t let our cats out at all at night as we have too many “visitors” that would like them for a midnight snack. I once had a cat carried off by a Great Horned Owl, so I learned a painful lesson.
Our other 4.5 acres still stinks of dead cicadas. The rain and humidity are not helping with the “aroma” but looking on the bright side, the nutrients are nicely soaking into the ground. It is amazing how many more turkey chicks we have this year. Don’t think the cicadas made an iota of difference in the deer population. But squirrels, raccoons, and other mammals benefited too. We have too many raccoons but then again, perhaps more prey for coyotes and eagles.
I have noted that it is the “generic” type brands of vinegar that is 4%. Thankyou for reminding all of us to look when we can.
There are also some various brands that have adopted this practice. Usually store brands. What a cheat that is!!!
Maybe you should plant some wolf bane around your place? Don’t know if it works but I’ve always heard that, lol. Unless, of course, it’s a nuisance plant.
Don’t think wolf bane (monk’s hood), would help. It’s a beautiful flower but is very toxic to people and pets. Wolves too, I guess. I wouldn’t want to poison them as we do love our wolf neighbors. Maybe our dogs have learned not to attack them? I hope so!
We have to go outside with our dogs at night because of coyotes. My brothers beagle chased one who attacked him.$1,800 worth of stitches! My beagles chase everything. Haying in the heat and humidity is hard work! Will must.be pooped when he comes in! You two make me feel lazy 😊
Yes, Will definitely is pooped when he comes in. Especially if he’s had breakdowns like plugged equipment.
Wolves and coyotes will sure attack dogs. That’s why we don’t let our dogs or cats roam outside all night. Everyone comes in, only going out early in the morning to potty. Evidently, the dogs heard the wolves and tore off down the driveway….too far from the house!
I do so enjoy your blog. It’s like going to the post office and finding a letter. May God bless the haying efforts and hope your dogs recover nicely.
We do too, Sheryl. Sarge is on antibiotics to guard against infection from the bites. I’m so happy you enjoy the blogs. Hearing from readers is like hearing from family.
I’m sure you know, but be careful the cats are nowhere near the lilies as they are horribly toxic to them, especially the pollen.
Yes, unfortunately, cats can get in trouble eating leaves or flowers, even the pollen of lilies. Fortunately, our lilies are, for the most part, in the backyard, where the cats seldom go. And the lilies are very tall, keeping the flowers way out of kitty reach. Thanks for bringing this up to warn others!!
Andele Senorita Jackie. And now you know why tequila goes so well with spicy food!
Glad los perros are okay – my late tortie cat tangled with a coyote. She lived to tell the tale though her tail was never quite the same (and her ability to jump was gone). It appeared she went up a tree, coyote grabbed her tail. I suspect she slashed the coyote’s face which saved her life. She pretty much became an indoor cat though in her last couple of years, she’d go out, during the day and hang out on the deck. The two dumps, in which I’ve invested *mucho dinero* are inside only cats. One occasionally will make a jail break – just ask me about doing the army crawl under my deck BAREFOOT IN THE POURING RAIN to haul his posterior back into the house. But ya gotta love them.
I’ve lost track of the number of hay cuttings in my area. I know at least two and forecast (for what it is worth at times) should allow at least another cutting.
My zuke/squash are in overdrive – like you said, too much rain isn’t good. All things considered, the weeds weren’t too bad in the annual garden and asparagus patch. Got them done this past weekend. Should get the strawberry patch weeded this weekend – it also doesn’t look too bad. The grass, however, has been on overdrive. As has the woods – I think the cicadas are most of the reason – lots of holes, lots of exoskeletons and lots of dead cicadas. If only they’d have fed on the invasive trees.
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