Squash Bug Trap

Squash Bug Trap & Frost in June - Back to the Homestead

We are moving along. The bean and pea seeds that I replanted in the bare spots of the rows are starting to come back. I took your advice and held off on watering them for a while but nature keeps interfering with my plans (not complaining at all). It's strange how some plants need more water than others. They are greening up a bit but I am still keeping an eye on them.

This video has a kaleidoscope of topics: Frost, Green Beans, Rain, Wind, Squash Bugs, Duckweed and...well...there's got to be a topic or two that I could squeeze in there. We had a big storm come through the area and blew...well...like it blows in Idaho. There sure is no shortage of wind here in the potato state.

You'll see in this video:

1. Wind on the Homestead
2. Duckweed Update
3. Building a Squash Bug Trap
4. Frost in June

I have another experiment that I am going to try. Stink bugs and squash bugs look so much alike to me. I know they share some similarities. According to http://bugguide.net/node/view/182:

The stink bug's classification is as follows:

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Hemiptera (True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies)

Suborder Heteroptera (True Bugs)

Superfamily Pentatomoidea

Family Pentatomidae (Stink Bugs)

The squash bug's classification is as follows:

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Hemiptera (True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies)

Suborder Heteroptera (True Bugs)

Superfamily Coreoidea

Family Coreidae (Leaf-footed Bugs)

Subfamily Coreinae

Tribe Coreini

Genus Anasa (Squash Bugs)

They follow the same classification all the way down to the Suborder. They are "True Bugs." Nope, and I don't know if there is a "fake bug" out there. Anyway, it makes sense that they will follow some sort of pattern that are similar. Hopefully they both like a bright light at night.

In this week's video, I demonstrate setting up the squash bug trap. I will check it every day until I start getting some bugs in the trap (or not) and let you know how it turns out on subsequent videos.

Here's a link to the video where I got the idea: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKc5acECuQk

Lastly, I have a video I uploaded called, "Video Response to Strong Points during SHTF or DHTO - Back to the Homestead." I was tagged in a video and posted my response...



Enjoy!

Duckweed Experiment Update

Duckweed Experiment Update



We are two days into the duckweed experiment and we ran into a slight problem. The air stone that we are using to aerate the water was producing bubbles at a rate that resulted in a slight current being formed by the bubbles outward motion on the surface of the water.

Duckweed likes a still surface to grow on and with the bubbles pushing the duckweed toward the outer edges of the duckweed bed, I knew that its growth may be hampered.

By taking an old, plastic bucket and cutting off the bottom, I was able to "catch" the bubbles and isolate the frothing into a confined area. With the now still surface being maintained, the duckweed has spread out and appears to be doing very well.

I wanted to take a quick second and post an update if there are any homesteaders out there that are thinking about following in my footsteps and making a duckweed bed.

This weekend I hope to post a video on a Black Solider Fly harvester and using PVC to water tomatoes and other plants. Have a great rest of the week.

Growing Duckweed and Harvesting the Lawn

Growing Duckweed and Harvesting the Lawn

Harvesting the Grass

Many homesteaders, preppers and folks like me keep a lawn. Yes, we get out with our gas-guzzling, noise-making, lawn mower and cut our grass as we attempt to "emulated aristocratic society with our own small, rural and semi-rural homesteads." Well, I think that's a bunch of hooey! I don't mow my lawn; I harvest my grass. There are many, many uses for the grass we harvest from our non-agricultural areas of our homesteads. Here's what I use my harvested grass for:

1. Thatch for weed control
2. Chicken Food
3. Composting
4. Worm bedding
5. Seedling padding
6. Moisture Control
7. Chicken bedding

Our lawns also keep much of our homesteads in reserve. What I mean is: if we did not have grass growing on the areas we did not grow our vegetables on, weeds would gladly take over. Additionally, the growing grass keeps the soil's ego system in check. It maintains moisture and is home for worms, good bacteria and fungi. Don't let these die-hard preppers and homesteaders tell you that a lawn is a worthless bunch of grass that we waste time and money in growing. Just tell them that you are growing grass just like you'd grow duckweed, bamboo, roses or any other plant. Tell them, "I don't mow my lawn; I harvest my grass."

Growing Duckweed

This week I started growing duckweed. I don't have any idea if it will work. You see, I am not using fish in my duckweed tank; I am using cow poop! Yes, you read that right...COW Poo Poo! (excuse the boldness). Here's what I am trying to do: I want to see if I can create a sustainable method of growing duckweed as to be able to have greens to feed my chickens well into the winter and to supplement their summer diet. Here's a little bit of information about duckweed:

1. Contains 15-25% protein in a natural environment and 15-45% when cultured under ideal conditions.
2. Duckweed is a feed for fish, poultry, livestock.
3. Duckweed grows on 10% the area needed for soyabeans, and 20% that of corn. Because it has such low fibre, the whole plant can be used, unlike other crops where only a small part of the plant can be eaten.
4. By absorbing nutrients, Duckweed also has potential as a natural water purifier, converting waste water and sewage into pure water and edible Duckweed with little resulting sludge.
5. Spread on our gardens as a natural fertilizer.

6. Duckweed contains more protein than soybeans.

Now, let's consider two things when we are growing duckweed on our homestead:

1. Stink from the water it is being grown in.

2. Mosquitoes

Here's my solution for the smell that may be generated:

Use a small fish aquarium pump with an air stone to oxygenate the water your duckweed is growing in. This will kill off the anaerobic bacteria (the smelly stuff) and build up the aerobic bacteria (the earthy-smelling stuff). The drawback is the bubbles may create a current and duckweed likes a water surface that is still.

Here's my solution to the mosquitoes:

BT or Bacillus thuringiensis. This is cool gift that the Good Lord has given us homesteaders. Bacillus thuringiensis is a bacteria...a natural bacteria...that will kill bugs that we don't want but will not harm us, animals, fish, or the good bugs that eat the bad bugs. I am even thinking about growing BT in my compost tea (a show for next week...maybe).

About the Garden

This is the time of year where I anxiously wait for the seeds to break ground. I am having trouble with these 2 and 3 year old soaker hoses and am wanting to CHANGE EVERYTHING!

Here's some links to more information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grass

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacillus_thuringiensis

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemnoideae

http://www.naturia.per.sg/buloh/plants/duckweed.htm

http://www.mobot.org/jwcross/duckweed/practical_duckweed.htm

http://www.ehow.com/facts_5300474_uses-duckweed.html