A Seed Saver's Garden

[Branching Out]

At times I enjoy composting as much as seed starting. It is kind of addicting to be able to produce a rich black soil amendment right in the backyard. I hope that you can make something work!

 

[Alasgun]

@Alasgun thought I'd pull the machining topic into this thread since I have other posts to make tonight

DH said that is so impressive! By funny coincidence years ago he visited the GE plant in Toronto where they had three of those, he said each were half the size of our house. They had ducting all set up to test them out, and then were going to ship them out to, of all places, Alaska! At least, that what he thinks he remembers it was many years ago. He asked if you also made the drawings for your model?

Just as you mentioned, he told me tonight that he had planned to do just that - go to a machine shop with a drawing & material specification and have them design a new and better crankshaft. That option would not be cheap though, so I hope the break is an individual manufacturing flaw and not a design flaw! Looking at the shaft more closely though he said the diameter reductions down the shaft created a stress riser and that was where the break was, so unfortunately probably a design flaw.

Thanks for the kind words; but there were no drawings for this project. The good Lord gave me the ability to “play by ear” and that has carried me a very long way during my working carear! What i did have were lots of pictures from overhaul reports and a few rudimentary rigging drawings showing the lengths and diameters of both Rotors from which i extrapolated in my mind. Once i had both rotors made it was easy enough to make casings to scale that resembled the job folder pictures.
it’s kind of crude actually. I made sure and put enough little details in there to catch the scrutinous eye’s of some engineers which seemed to work. When our G.E reps would show up they gave it higher marks than the molded GE models!

 

[Alasgun]

Did some thrift store browsing this week and came a cross this book View attachment 61573
I thought of your lovely composting set up @Alasgun and decided I should probably take this book home because I know basically nothing about composting and I'd like to have compost like you do. I've read about 1/4 so far, and have learned quite a bit. The fella who wrote this book took an approach that isn't too hard on beginners like me, which I am appreciating. I don't know how much I can get away with in that the bears complicate things for me, and kitchen waste is therefore almost an impossibility, but I'm hoping I can learn from the book what might be possible for me with the materials I'm able to put in a compost set up.

I’m not familiar with that book but i can tell you, “it’s not as scientific as some purport”. The best advice i can offer would be to get a thermometer and utilize a manure source And By all means, feel free to chat about your project. From the very beginning i’ve viewed you as one of the heavy hitters around here, assuredly helping many along the way. So, if some little thing i do interest you i‘m always willing to share.
Another good read is Jeff Lowenfels “teaming with microbes”. Understanding the microbiological aspect has been my greatest asset thru the years.

 

[heirloomgal]

Now that it’s getting close to freezing, I decided to harvest the garden huckleberries. I think they can take some frost, but I don’t like working with cold hands. I’d rather pick the berries when it isn’t quite so cold.

I'm glad I grew the plants, it was a real learning experience. I didn’t know the berries were so large, and so productive. I assumed the were indistinguishable from wonderberries, but I was wrong. I actually had doubts when I put them in if it was a good use of prime real estate, but no regrets now. The only drawback to them IMO is the plants take up lots of space in an octopus formation, really sprawling.

2 plants, each filled a large container. I tried to weigh each bowl but the scale read EEEE.

Apparently they also put roots down along the stem. This was a surprise.

2 of these sized bowls full, and I gave some branches away. Time for some more compote, maybe this time with a few other berries.

Also did some weights after shelling the last soybeans. Yup, bigger & later plants definitely means higher yields. Musan was a few weeks earlier to mature.

Musan, probably 3-4 plants

Black Panther, probably 3-4 plants

 

[flowerbug]

...
Another good read is Jeff Lowenfels “teaming with microbes”. Understanding the microbiological aspect has been my greatest asset thru the years.

microbiology is one of the subjects that has always facinated me so to have that background for any kind of soil sciences and understanding the foundation (which all gardener stand upon even if they don't know about it) is very helpful.

 

[Zeedman]

Musan, probably 3-4 plants

Very nice looking seed, @heirloomgal . Assuming that is actually "Musan-1" which I have been sharing for several years now, it has a very high protein content - over 50% dry weight. It might be good for tofu, regardless of its color.

"Black Panther" sure looks productive. I don't know anything about that one - what was your source? Is it perhaps the same as just "Panther"?

 

[heirloomgal]

Very nice looking seed, @heirloomgal . Assuming that is actually "Musan-1" which I have been sharing for several years now, it has a very high protein content - over 50% dry weight. It might be good for tofu, regardless of its color.

"Black Panther" sure looks productive. I don't know anything about that one - what was your source? Is it perhaps the same as just "Panther"?

I got the Musan soybeans from Siskiyou, which lists them without the '-1' attached, as does Annapolis Seeds; I would guess though that they're probably the same variety? Especially if there is no Musan 2, or 3. Yes, it was an impressive soy - within a good time frame for maturity, with a really good productivity. Black Panther came from Terre Promise in Quebec, I'm not sure if it's the same as 'Panther' - but if I had to guess I'd say yes. The maturity of it was just like the marbled soybeans I got from you - nearly exactly the same. Plants heights were similar too, very large. The two seem to have quite a bit in common really. I can see how soybean varieties can fall into 'groups'.

 

[heirloomgal]

The last of the last came in today. Harvest is officially done for veggies. It was a shot to the heart to dispose of the pepper plants, because they were fully flowering & fruiting and in great shape. Most were loaded with little peppers. But it'll go below freezing tonight, so have to say goodbye. I'm tempted to bring in a few friends for the chiltepin, it would please my inner squirrel so much, but I'm trying to hold my resolve and not do it - except for the Habanada which didn't mature a fruit yet and I have no seeds left.

Picked off some of the green ones before I tossed them in the chipper pile. I don’t usually eat green ones, so I have no idea what I’ll do with them. Don’t think my neighbour will want them for jelly. Maybe soup stock?

Habanada is so close. Argh!

The Cheiro Roxa is a stunner. SO pink. And huge yields for plants in 10 to 12 inch pots. Very hard to get a good photo of them though, the color is so odd - purple, pink, and peach.

Aji Strawberry. Love this one. It’s late though.

Zavory is wild - utterly habanero in taste and smell but NO heat. Quite a feat the breeders accomplished with this one.

White Hot Finger. Tiny. Prolific. There was so much on the plants.

 

[Pulsegleaner]

Habanada is so close. Argh!


Zavory is wild - utterly habanero in taste and smell but NO heat. Quite a feat the breeders accomplished with this one.View attachment 61630

Now if someone would actually DO Fauxcoto.

 

[heirloomgal]

Now if someone would actually DO Fauxcoto.

I agree!