All posts by Ben

Gardening

Plant Now for Fall Abundance

Summer is still at its peak, but the days are getting shorter and fall is on the way. Are you planning to continue your harvest into autumn this year? If so, now is the time to get planting. There are so many interesting vegetables that thrive when the weather cools!

Source: Planting Vegetables for a Fall Harvest: When, How, and Why | The Old Farmer’s Almanac

It seems counter intuitive to start seeds now, as we’re in the hottest month of the year, but by planting seedlings indoors you’ll be ready to put them out when temperatures begin to cool again.

Our garden tomatoes are pretty much hibernating during the hot part of summer, and even if they revive when cool weather comes, they still won’t be as productive as new plants.

According to the useful book Solar Gardening, here in the southern zone, extra mulching and good shading will help any outdoor plantings.

We recommend seed starting now for fall harvests of tomatoes, peppers, and even summer squash can be tasty and fresh again soon. You’ll thank me later!

 

Real Estate

5 Weird Reality Checks You’ll Get If You Buy a Country Home

This one made me laugh, as good comedy does, there’s a lot of truth in it. Welcome to rural America! You’re in for a few surprises. Click to read. It will be an education for the city folk, and a laugh for us out here in the country.

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Via realtor.com®

City living may have its perks, but combine the congestion and crowds with the threat of the novel coronavirus, and it’s no wonder that many city dwellers these days are fleeing to greener pastures (or thinking about it).

But what is it really like to transition from the hustle and bustle of a city to the more relaxed pace of rural life? As a New Yorker who bought a summer cottage with my husband in upstate New York six years ago,

I’ve come to realize that country life isn’t always so serene. In fact, certain things have happened out yonder that make me very glad that we’ve kept New York City as our main residence.

Source: 5 Weird Reality Checks You’ll Get If You Buy a Country Home | realtor.com®

Prepping

Here’s What 75 Preppers Learned During the Lockdown

The lockdown that recently took place due to the pandemic was like a practice run for a bigger SHTF event. Many of our prepper theories played out and were accurate, while others weren’t as realistic as we thought beforehand. People who weren’t preppers already learned a lot about why they would want to be better prepared in the future, but they weren’t the only ones who learned lessons.

These preppers took a moment to answer questions about the lessons they learned during the lockdown.

What did you learn about preparedness during the lockdown?

Source: Here’s What 75 Preppers Learned During the Lockdown

Click on the link for more interviews, and lots of ideas.

Arizona, History

Hoover Dam Began on This Day

On July 7, 1930, construction of the Hoover Dam begins. Over the next five years, a total of 21,000 men would work ceaselessly to produce what would be the largest dam of its time, as well as one of the largest manmade structures in the world.

Although the dam would take only five years to build, its construction was nearly 30 years in the making. Arthur Powell Davis, an engineer from the Bureau of Reclamation, originally had his vision for the Hoover Dam back in 1902, and his engineering report on the topic became the guiding document when plans were finally made to begin the dam in 1922.

Source: Construction on Hoover Dam Begins – HISTORY

h/t to theburningplatform