Well folks I know I'm new here but I'm an old pro to gardening and it's that time of year in southeastern Colorado where the plants are done. Just pulled my 4th harvest and have a freezer full of tomatoes and peppers and zucchini and ate well otherwise. It's also time to put pronghorn and deer and other fair game in the freezer. Going to be making salsa, spaghetti sauce, chow chow, and others for the next couple months. Just Wondering who else out there has the canning and self sustaining bug of what used to be frontier life? My family homesteaded here over one hundred years ago and we, well a few of us, still know that if McDonald's and Walmart wasn't there that we would be just fine! Who else feels the same?
DA Garden!
- Thread starter James
- Start date
We would love to garden; my wife keeps planning one. The problem is those fair pronghorn. I have to shove the deer out of the way to get to the mail box. I think I would be feeding all of gods creatures rather than myself.
Sounds like a very bountiful harvest your way!
Sounds like a very bountiful harvest your way!
I need to get some gardening tips from you James!
We have a small garden here in East Tennessee... and plan on expanding it a bit next spring..
but Ive also got a pretty good chunk of land in Southern Colorado with a cabin on it.. that Ive been thinking about planting a few things on..
Not really looking to plant a garden.. we arent out there enough to maintain it..
but I have been looking at the possibility of fruit trees, berry bushes, etc.. that pretty much take care of themselves...
the challenge is figuring out what will work at altitude and will endure the cold/winter... our property is sub-alpine (right at 9100 ft elevation)..
the soil is rich.. the aspens, firs, etc.. are all thriving..
If youre in/around Lamar.. Im guessing youre somewhere between 7500-8000 feet?
any suggesstions?
We have a small garden here in East Tennessee... and plan on expanding it a bit next spring..
but Ive also got a pretty good chunk of land in Southern Colorado with a cabin on it.. that Ive been thinking about planting a few things on..
Not really looking to plant a garden.. we arent out there enough to maintain it..
but I have been looking at the possibility of fruit trees, berry bushes, etc.. that pretty much take care of themselves...
the challenge is figuring out what will work at altitude and will endure the cold/winter... our property is sub-alpine (right at 9100 ft elevation)..
the soil is rich.. the aspens, firs, etc.. are all thriving..
If youre in/around Lamar.. Im guessing youre somewhere between 7500-8000 feet?
any suggesstions?
Hey there mdwest. I'm assuming your cabin is somewhere in the Cuchara area? I lived in Trinidad for a while and know the area well. As far as fruit trees are concerned I think much over 7500 ft elev and they don't survive. I do however know that there are a lot of berry bushes that grow up there so I would think that would be a good idea. The main problem is the growing season is too short for alot of plants up there. Here in Lamar we are only at 3700 ft. Don't take my word as final though, I would talk to some neighbors and see if they know more. Good luck brother!
youre actually really close....
We're about 15 miles east of Ft. Garland.. our property backs up to the Trinchera Ranch if you know where that is..
our closest neighbor is several miles away... kinda hard to ask them lol...
but we've been doing a bit of internet research.. and plan on asking some people a little further down the hill from us to see whats been working for them..
In all honesty we'll probably just be feeding the deer, elk, bears, and bunnies since we wont out there enough to reliably harvest.... but I think it will be fun... (and the thought of luring more deer and elk onto the property is appealing.. the .45-70 is never too far away when out walking on the property... :ccowboy: )....
We're about 15 miles east of Ft. Garland.. our property backs up to the Trinchera Ranch if you know where that is..
our closest neighbor is several miles away... kinda hard to ask them lol...
but we've been doing a bit of internet research.. and plan on asking some people a little further down the hill from us to see whats been working for them..
In all honesty we'll probably just be feeding the deer, elk, bears, and bunnies since we wont out there enough to reliably harvest.... but I think it will be fun... (and the thought of luring more deer and elk onto the property is appealing.. the .45-70 is never too far away when out walking on the property... :ccowboy: )....
I was just thinking, hmmm a brother with a cabin, maybe an elk hunt someday.... lol. I grew up here in eastern CO and have hunted only deer and antelope, someday I'll bag me an elk! Nothing wrong with attracting more animals IMO!!
I could see a combination elk hunt/herf in the future..
tons of dinner on the hoof available in the immediate area... just have to go outside and pick one...
all we would need is some decent leaf and a nice bottle of scotch for the hours after the hunt.. and we would be set..
tons of dinner on the hoof available in the immediate area... just have to go outside and pick one...
all we would need is some decent leaf and a nice bottle of scotch for the hours after the hunt.. and we would be set..