MC`s Forest Adventure

[ftwendy]

Off topic, but here goes...

Mark or anybody else up there: have you heard of Dragonbreath from Arcata? It was had once around these parts in 99-00, and still has a place in some people's top 5.

Any info would be a real help. Cheers, ftw

 

[markscastle]

Friend just happened to talk about having Dragonbreath in his garden this year. Never tried it myself though.I`ll ask him more about it next time I`m over there.

 

[ftwendy]

Thanks MC!

 

[markscastle]

Got two new deep cycle batteries and a solar kit for the trailer. The solar kit is a Thunderbolt Magnum,4 amp, 45 watt solar kit. Hope to be able to cut my fuel bill down on the generator. Let you all know how that turns out.

 

[fishwhistle]

Mark ive had one on my RV for years,it will take dead batteries to full every day for you,i have a different situation but normally well run our 12 volt way down overnite(heater fan is the biggest culprit) and the panel will bring it up in a few hours in sunny weather.If you have not already done it try getting two 6 volt golf cart batteries and hooking them up in series to get 12 volts is HUGE,I cant say that enough,it makes that big of a difference to power and longevity of batteries and its cheaper than buying deep cycle 12s every year or two,the sixes will last longer,hold charge better and do it with less maintenance.

 

[markscastle]

Well I`ve got 4 deep cycle 12v batteries so for now I was going to hook all up togeather (Not in series) and have 12 volts with more staying power. I agree the heater fan is the main power draw on my system also!

 

[fishwhistle]

Use the deep cycle 12s til they give out then replace with two six volt golf cart batteries in series.There is a book called 'the 12 volt bible for RVs',you can get it at barnes and knoble or amazon and its a great reference piece for tweaking your 12v system for max performance.If you cant find it let me know and ill send you mine ive read it already.
I go to the sierras camping and fishing alot and its cold at night so my heater fan used to drain my batts DEAD overnite by dawn,with the 6vs i can probably go five days before their dead,LOL.My father inlaw used to run his whole house in baja with solar panels and 6 golf cart batteries with an inverter and a gennie when he needed it for big stuff like a washing machine.All of his appliances were propane including the servel refrigerators.

 

[markscastle]

Been using my oven for heat for two years,doesn`t work well when it`s real cold. I had a new fan put on the heater but it just runs the batteries down so fast!!! also they cleaned out the air ducts when the put the fan in but the exhaust port got full of suet, I used a small brush and pushed out as much as I could with the vacuum set to blow air but it still isn`t all that cleaned out. It sends out smoke when it runs.

 

[markscastle]

 

[Zonkerly]

Took me a few seconds to notice that two people are in the photo, lol !!

 

[markscastle]

I started work on the frames for my 40 ft. above ground beds. Decided to make um in 8 ft. modular beds rather than making one 40 ft. long row. It takes 40, 8 foot boards to make one row. Got one done and the boards for the next cut before the storm. I`ll take some pics and post em after the storm.All of this seems to be taking way to long and now we are getting a good soaking and that is slowing things down more. I want them all done and filled with soil so I can get them full of soil and get to working on the water. I just want to be ready for planting ASAP! I need to be working on my seeded bud also! Spring is on the way!

 

[markscastle]

Today I had to repair the water line from the creek. Bear chewed through the line in a dozen places. I got a float valve and pieces for the tank to except a nose for the water to exit to put in soon as I can clear an area up the line and place the 275 gal water tank. Should make getting water much faster this year.

I also planted tomatoes ,onions ,bell peppers, and bezel today.

Tomorrow I will work on the frames and get ready for a dump run on tues. I`ll also have to be getting ready for a storm which is going to delay way to much needed work again! If it is going to rain I`ll make use of the indoor time to do some de-seeding. I`ve had a lot of interest in some of the seed strains I have and really could use the money towards fixing up my property.

I may be getting some money as a result of actions of the Federal Banking Regulators, Office of the Comptroller of Currency, and the Federal Reserve Board for a settlement in an enforcement action against the lender of my foreclosed property. I got a letter saying I am eligible. They didn`t say when or how much but it could be between "hundreds of Dollars and $125,000.00 " Anything would help defray the loss of nearly $200,000.00 but no amount of money can replace the personal loss of the home my family lived in for 28 years! All I can do is move on with the little patch of forest property I now own out right!

 

[markscastle]

It`s been raining so haven`t got much more work done outside. I spent Easter Sunday at a friends and had a feast of Black Forrest ham, stuffing, potatoes, green bean casserole and lots of side dishes. Got an other good taste of some of my friends Guerrero Kush. It is some bomb stuff! Then he turned me on to one of his Guerrero mother plants just ready to take cuttings from. I had a good day until I got home and found I lost the key to my RV somewhere. Went back and spent the night on a couch. I found my key on the ground way up the road where I`d stopped to lock the hubs on my 4 x 4 the night before.
Tomorrow I`m headed to my son`s house to put an alternator in his car and do some stocking up on fuel and supplies. Really wish it would dry up soon as I need to transplant some small volunteer plants from last years seed grow that popped up late last Winter through the snow. They sure are hardy little ladies!

 

[markscastle]

Oh forgot to tell you all the Guerrero is also sometimes called LUM but I have know idea why or what it stands for. It looks a lot like Tahoe OG in veg. I need to find more out about this strain!

 

[markscastle]

Got my son working on trimming some of the last of the seedless flowers from last year`s grow and soon as he`s done with that he can start in on the seeded bud. He`s not working so he can use the money and I could use the help. As it`s raining I might just start on some of the seeded bud myself

. My daughter is having a bad time as well .Her and two of my Grandson`s just got a 30 and 3 day notis on the apartment. I`m thinking of trading my Honda Shadow for a larger trailer and using this one as a gest house, storage, and to dry bud in. Thinking until the property is more accessible I might go in with the kids on renting a house in the valley and moving there in the late Fall after harvest until early Spring time in my RV. Maybe we could have a few acres and raze some beef there.

 

[markscastle]

Day didn`t go as planned. I woke up with a head ach so did light duty. Repotted a few volunteer plants. Didn`t even finish that. I do feel better though so who knows maybe tomorrow will be more productive.

 

[markscastle]

Oh I saw North Korea facebook site has had 15,000 hits! What a joke I have twice that many hits right here at the Farm!

 

[markscastle]

Dam the local weather report is showing lite rain this afternoon into morning with winds up to 50mph,but the National Weather report is saying unsettled weather with snow down to 3500 ft. by morning and as much as 1.5 inches! I have tomatoes, peppers, onions , an other stuff in the ground already and have maybe 30 volunteers in 5 gal pots sitting out. I don`t have anything to cover um up with! I was just about to start my seeds also! I guess I can still do that inside the RV but it doesn`t have that much extra space. Dam I hope the local guys are right this time!

 

[markscastle]

OK I lied ,there are 60 volunteers and got the last of them potted in 5 gal pots. It` dark outside and some hail coming down ,windy and cold. I`m not to worried about the volunteers as they all popped up under the snow and have made it through hard frost and two snow storms already. More worried about my veggies. I have an other abscess/tooth ach so I did what I could...Let it storm! I can`t get anymore done now anyway!

 

[markscastle]

Here`s just how behind I am!