You know, I planned on planting my first pepper seeds last Friday. Well, that didn’t happen. I’ll tell you why. We’ve been having a spell of very cold weather, with the daytime temperature reaching only single digits and nights going down to -30 F. We keep the house nice and toasty all day and evening. But late at night, the fire often goes low or out and the house gets pretty chilly. Like down to 50 degrees. We don’t mind it so much but pepper seeds, trying to germinate, do. They often rot instead of germinating. And, as we’re off grid, using heat mats under the flats doesn’t reliably work. So, I’m waiting. Not happily, but waiting until the temperatures moderate, as they’re forecast to do by the end of the week. Better to wait instead of having unreliable germination. Or none!
I want to thank all of you for your thoughts and prayers as our son, Javid, slowly passes from this earth. He is still steadily failing and it’s so hard on us. I wanted to go visit him this past Sunday but was trying to come down with something. Sore throat, achy body and stuffed up nose. Fortunately, it seems to be leaving me without getting worse.
The supply chain seems to be getting worse, without COVID. We usually get our seed packet envelopes in a week’s time at most. Lately, we’ve not gotten them after several weeks! So, we had to go back to buying plain envelopes from Uline and stamping them with our contact information and packed-by date. Poor Will! He stamps them and I fill them. Keeps us out of trouble though!
The enemy dogs, Hondo and Sarge, are doing okay with separating them. Sarge is shut in his crate, his “house” while Hondo runs around, free. Then Hondo goes in the bathroom so Sarge can have his turn at freedom. We got the E-collar. Now I just have to learn to use it. (I’m tech-challenged!) For now, we are okay with what we’re doing — it’s habit now. But I will learn the E-collar and we’ll start our training. Sarge won’t be a fan! We can’t get him neutered until the end of March so we have to do what we can until then. No, we don’t neuter our male dogs, as we have no neighbors and have never had this issue before. Our female dogs and cats are always neutered as we don’t want to add to the over-population of critters on this planet.
This weekend we cleaned out the stovepipe in the living room and Will installed a new damper. Dampers are not made in the US anymore and they usually warp or burn out in a year’s time. Ours was not functioning well and when Will pulled it out, it was broken in several places! Yes, we burn a hot fire every morning to keep creosote from forming in the stovepipe (there was absolutely none in there), as we burn pine, spruce, and fir, along with poplar. The kitchen range’s pipe had a little soot in it but no creosote either. We were pleased. With temps diving down to the -30 F mark, we like to keep both stoves toasty.
— Jackie
-15 below this morning here in Eastern Nebraska, with 50 above forcasted by Monday! This weather roller coaster is crazy. Trying to keep livestock (and us!) healthy is a challenge. But not as much as getting mail…we’re having a lot of trouble with it here too. I got my seed order from you already and am looking forward to starting some next week.
With a prayer for Javid, all of you and all affected by these weather extremes,
Vicki
+Makeshift warmth for pepper seed sprouting:
You and Will have probably brainstormed a thousand ideas for off-grid heat for pepper seeds. Here is another one that might work:
Japanese hot water bottles (yutanpo) hold just under 3 qts of extremely hot water which, in my years of experience, will stay pretty hot most of the night and still be fairly warm in the morning. Yutanpo (available on amazon) are roughly 10”x 3 ¾” thick, popped into a flannel bag to prevent burns, and slipped under the blankets to keep feet toasty. (Bring water to just under boiling and then fill yutanpo.)
Since the pepper seeds have to be kept just as toasty only until they sprout, perhaps a large wooden frame could be built, with sides high enough to accomodate a few yutanpo, covered by a quilt, then the pepper flats placed on top. Make sure the frame is high enough to fit yutanpo, pepper pots, and quilts with about two inches to spare on top; minimize air space to keep that heat in. Set a flat piece of cardboard on top, then cover the whole affair with another quilt; keep in the warmest room of the house.
Like you, we germinate peppers only a few feet away from our woodstove AND use a heat mat. Depending on the variety of pepper and whether the seeds are just being downright ornery, ours seem to germinate somewhere between five days (a record) and never. (Once, after about 20 days with no-show, I was just getting ready to start all over when a tiny white loop appeared above the surface. The little sneaks.)
Good luck, and prayers coming your way.
Sad to hear about Javid. His and your life was blessed by your adoption. I pray for no more pain or sorrow. Cold here low -12. Lots of necessities we use are no longer made in the USA. My onions have sprouted (indoors) and I will start peppers today. The woodpile for heating continues to shrink. My chickens don’t like the cold but the cows seem unaffected. We have 3 new calves/fortunately all healthy. My you be given peace for both your physical and emotional heartache.
Continued prayers for you as Javid finishes his time here on earth. I pray for peace and comfort for him. I hope you can plant seeds soon. There is something soothing about that process. Looks like you and Will have quite a system for getting seeds out. You are a super team! Sending prayers for a blessed week.
Thank you David. That’s a good idea. I’ll pass it on to Will, for a project in his “spare” time. Ha ha!!
Sorry to hear about Javid, it’s always hard when family members you are close to pass away. Dealt with my mom last year, though she had dementia and it was relief for us and her, I know she was unhappy. Prayers for you.
Neutering should help Sarge and you guys too. Most dogs calm down since hormones kind of get crazy at times!
That’s for sure. We’re hoping that’ll help. I’m sorry to hear about your mom. I took care of Mom and Dad until they passed and it’s so very hard. But I know they’re looking down on what we’re doing and are happy.
Dear Jackie,
I will keep saying prayers for Javid and all of you. We had a snow last night and the temp this morning was 19 but with wind chill, weatherman said feels like 9. It is going to be in single digits at night all the way to Saturday. This is not normal for southern middle Tennessee. A few days ago, I got my Amarillis inside to force bloom and hoping the house will not get too cold at night to hurt it. On a brighter note, I feed the birds. So much so, that my husband said he was going to claim them on his Income Tax as dependents. I keep a journal, and I know for a fact that I have 5 pair of Cardinals and saw 4 pair on feeder at 8:15 this morning. I counted 12 Red winged blackbirds at one time this morning and had 14 Doves on feeder and ground also. I have two or three Pine Warblers that look like green parakeets, lots of Black-eyed Juncos, and tons of Sparrows, Wrens, had one Blue Jay and yesterday I saw a Carolina Wren. She is reddish brown. So, we are snowed in; but my birds are fed, and we are certainly enjoying watching them feed. Hope this long drink of water about birds will cheer you up.
You are so lucky! Our bird population lately is pretty slim. We have a few nuthatches, chickadees, blue jays and woodpeckers, along with tons of starlings, which I wish we DIDN’T have. They’re so dirty in the buildings. Poop everywhere!
We’re so grateful for your prayers and those of other Backwoods Home family. Thank you.
I’m so sorry about Javid and we’ll be praying for him as he goes home to Jesus! No pain or tears in Heaven! We live about an hour south of you and have had the same brutal weather! But we’re looking forward to Spring. We also heat with wood do we’ve been cozy! Hang in there guys!!!
Thank you, Pam, for your prayers. He won’t be in a wheelchair much longer. That’s a blessing right there.
Yep, the weather’s been pretty nasty for quite a while now. I’ll be glad to see thirties ABOVE for a change.
My deepest sympathy to you and the family.
I suggest that you make your own damper. You likely have better steel around and it shouldn’t be a great challenge. You may need to do it soon anyway, get a head start. 😎
David