Re: ~
~misfit~
> ~misfit~ wrote:
>> Somewhere on teh intarwebs "thing" typed:
>>> its obsolete....the Q6600 I mean....
>>
>> LOL, yeah. It was a very popular CPU for a while there.
>
> It was what I wanted...
>
> :/
>
> Still is actually,
LOL. I considered getting one when I bought my first C2D (E4500). I was
building a Q6600 system for a mate anyway... I still don't *need* one. I've
read a bit and everything seems to confirm what I know anyway, for what I
use my PC for a faster dual is better than a slower quad. (I have my E7300
clocked to 3.5GHz and there's no quad under $1K that would likely do that
speed anyway...)
>> I remember you saying about a projected life-time of 3 years so not
>> making your own machine out of premium parts is the prefered option.
>
> Not so much preferred as thinking of "balanced", the depreciation on
> an old expensive board v a basic? not sure. Also Im not an
> over-clocker so, I dont need really premium hardware to get the last
> gasp.
For shame! <g>
>> (and that it'd
>> cost more?) I still think you can have similarly-specced machine for
>> the same money, with better parts, without having things like "the
>> graphics card is a bit underpowered".
>
> The target to beat is $1399...Im bored, lets see....
>
> Based on pp's pricing
> Case ~ $120 (with no particular name brand PSU).
> CPU ~ $340
> RAM, 4Gb ~ $160
> Motherboard, its a 4~6 sata port job with 4 ram slots so I dont see
> getting a <$120 board. ~ $160 (Gigabyte)
> 8600GT 512Meg.... ~ $110
> 500Sata drive ~ $120
> TV tuner ~
> DVD burner ~ $60
> Wireless card. ~
> Multi card reader ~ $20
>
> plus vista premium ~ $220
>
> Some other keen type to assemble it as I am so past that.
>
> $65
>
> So, $1395
>
> pp also want a credit card margin (circa $40) and I would have to pay
> 13.3% of interest for a year ($120?), I will ignore as I would have to
> pay interest free start up which would add about $70 anyway.
>
> v $1399....
>
> The mark up is not much......
I was thinking another big consideration for building your own was choice.
F'r instance when you mentioned that PC you said the graphics card was a bit
weak. I (perhaps wrongly) took that to mean that, if you bought that
machine, you'd swap out the card. That's a recipe for losing money, having
to flog off an underpowered second-hand card, the market is flooded with
them.
> Another one I saw was a bit more costly....but was a better box, had
> some bits I would like (TV Tuner) and better cooling and could hold 5
> disks and had a Q9300...
>
> TV tuner ~ $94
> Wireless card. ~ $0 (dont want it)
> Q9300 CPU ~ $430 ~ $100 (net)
> External drive docking port $0 (dont want it)
>
> 19inch LCD ~ $280
> Keyboard (wireless) ~ $50
> usb infra Mouse ~ $20
>
> $1395 + $94 + $100 = $1589 v $1999 (just the box)
$410, a not inconsiderable sum.
> $1589 +$70 +$280 = $1939 v $2199 (package)
Hmm, not so great there. Still, $260 is worth having.
> So with bog std parts, I'd save a bit...but not a huge amount.
Yeah, as I mentioned, one of the big pluses is that you can configure to
your specs. However, I'd be inclined to upgrade quality rather than save as
such. That way you're more likely to have a trouble-free computing
experience and you'll have better re-sale value at EOL.
>> Also, if you *do* have a three-year turn around you'll find that if
>> you're selling the 'old' machine you'll get far more for it as
>> quality parts on Trademe than you would for a three-year-old Acer or
>> similar which also allows you to keep some of the parts towards your
>> next build if required.
>
> Looking inside its very standard, so I assume it would be a new PSU
> (maybe) and motherboard, ram and cpu...
>
> Yes the m/board would be worthless but the Ram and CPU would be same
> same.
>> There are always folks looking to replace their POS mobo (for
>> instance) in relatively recent machines with a better, compatable
>> part. [Going OT, newsgroup nazis read no further]
>>
>> Hope the cold clears up soon.
>
> Im better, now she who must be obeyed is working me to death...Ive
> been cleaning all day.
LOL, ain't that the way?
>> I'm further crippling myself this weekend
>> putting in a raised bed garden. I'm pushing past my limits,
>> medicated to oblivion, (save some from the not-so-bad times for when
>> I need the extra) but have to do it now if I want to take advantage
>> of a good length growing season and if I want my neighbour's help
>> with the hardest bits. I'm just waiting to see the neighbour poke
>> his head out the door, he went out last night so will be nursing a
>> hang-over. I'll be nursing a worse back for the week. <shrug>
>> Needs to be done if I want to eat anything with my noodles
>> this summer.
>>
>> I wish there was an NZ gardening group where folks could share
>> knowledge / seeds etc..
>
> I know some things....but not much....think you are ahead of me.
>
>> I'm sure a lot more folks are getting into growing as much food
>> as they can, the people at the garden centres / Mitre 10 / The
>> Warehouse say that they can't keep up with demand for vege plants
>> and equipment, that this year's demand is more than double last year.
>
> Yep...
>
>> Planted in last couple weeks:
>>
>> Tomatoes [4 varieties]
>> Lettuce [Mixed, loose-leaf so I can harvest just as much as needed]
>> Silverbeet
>
> yep
Gotta be the easiest to grow vegetable there is IMO.
>> Dwarf green beans
>> Sugar snap peas
>
> snow peas.
Mmmm, yeah, similar. I couldn't find any snow pea seeds. Sugar snaps are a
bit "meatier", more substance than snow peas. Bulk is good. <g>
>> Radish
>> Spring onions
>> Sweetcorn
>> Capsicum
>> Chili
>> Watercress
>>
>> Corinader
>
> Yep x 2
>
>> Parsley
>
> Its wild in my gareden, both types.
>
>> Chives
>> Thyme
>> Oregano
>
> Yep
>
> and rosemerry
I contemplated replacing the rosemary plant that dies a couple years back
However, i hardly used it as it's best (IMO) with meat, specifically lamb /
mutton / goat, none of which I can afford often.
>> Strawberries
>
> Lots, 11 more plants this year, bought 6 5 were from last year's off
> shoots. $2 a plant is too much.
I got 12 plants for $20. One of the dietary advice things I was given said
to eat lots of strawberries as they're high in anti-oxidants and vitamins. I
had to laugh, I wonder who puts these things together. Giving that sort of
nutrition advice to some one on a benefit who hasn't even eaten *one*
strawberry for most of a decade would be funny if it wasn't so sad.
So anyway, I saw the plants and thought "#%*& it, why not?" It's the only
way I'm going to get to eat strawberries.
>> Passionfruit
>
> wondering about these.
Yeah, I love 'em but they're so freaking expensive whenever I see them. As I
recall from childhood they're relatively easy to grow, produce OK if
neglected and, if taken care of by feeding during spring / summer pay you
back in spades by setting a good harvest.
>> Cape Gooseberries
>
> Planned
Another thing that I used to eat as a kid. Now they're twice the price of
strawberries and are being touted as a "superfood"
>> Tamarillo
>
> maybe.
I picked up a young tree at a garage sale and apparently they'll do alright
in a tub if taken care of. Actually, I'm not that keen on the fruit but WTF,
it's (again) high in anti-oxidants and vitamins.
> Looking for a ultima fejaio...also thinking about 3 table olive trees
> on the south fence, would annoy neighbour and not me.
>
> Also 3 ~ 6 blueberry, need to find which sorts quite hardy apparantly.
Yeah. I rent so am loathe to invest too much "in the ground". I planted a
Meyer lemon tree out last year after the half-barrel I had it in fell to
bits. :-(
> Loosing weight isnt bad.
True. I just find it ironic that I'd have liked to have been carrying less
eight when I was younger and "in the market" but always struggled to get it
off and keep it off. (Was even bulimic [before I knew there was a name for
it] for a while and have a scarred oesophagus to prove it.) Now I've found a
radical new diet that really works! Poverty. I've never looked so good (if
you ignore the balding head and white beard). I haven't been this weight
since I was about 15.
> Ive been instructed to loose 10kgs....so now not only is she working
> me to death Im being starved as well!
>
> :/
LOL. Seriously though, good luck with that. I feel better carrying less
weight.
Yeah, I'm down 22kg from 2 years ago to 97kg. I had been around 105 most of
my adult life but since I hurt my back have found it really hard to keep the
weight down due to not being able to excercise much without being in pain.
Too easy to say "Bugger that" and stop excercising. Then I gave up smoking
four years ago and put a bit more on.....
Cheers,
--
Shaun.
DISCLAIMER: If you find a posting or message from me
offensive, inappropriate, or disruptive, please ignore it.
If you don't know how to ignore a posting, complain to
me and I will be only too happy to demonstrate... ;-)
~misfit~
"texan....usenet@texas...removethisbit.usacom.." typed:
> On Sun, 21 Sep 2008 11:27:29 +1200, "~misfit~"
> <misfi...@hooya.com.au> wrote: [msge snipped]
>
>> I wish there was an NZ gardening group where folks could share
>> growing as much food as they can, the people at the garden centres /
>> Mitre 10 / The Warehouse say that they can't keep up with demand for
>> vege plants and equipment, that this year's demand is more than
>> double last year.
>
> longest time so don't know how active it is now.
> Let me find the url for ya.
I signed up a couple days ago but it seems pretty dead. I've never been keen
on web forums, I like usenet. I'm crossing this (and my reply to thing) to
nz.rec as it's a pretty-much dead group. Might as well use it for something.
The last time there was a flurry of posts there was a couple years ago when
a few of us talked about Formula 1.
>> Planted in last couple weeks:
>>
>> Tomatoes [4 varieties]
> Good luck - we went straight from a mild winter to summer so tomatoes
> didn't last past June.
> I just got enough to make relish before they karked it. However, I
> have flowers on two cherries I now have growing in pots. We can
> grow toms south facing until the first frost - or like last year,
> well into January [eat your heart out lol].
> Many of my plants were from toms I threw on the ground when I ripped
> out plants earlier this year.
I've always had good luck with tomatoes except last year when I used seed
that I kept from some yummy tomatoes that I bought in the supermarket. They
must have been F1 hybrids or needed specific conditions as the huge, healthy
plants bore so much fruit that most of the lower sprays broke, so I thinned
each spray back to 8 fruit but they all rotted before they ripened.
>> Lettuce [Mixed, loose-leaf so I can harvest just as much as needed]
> Mine went to seed because of the weather.
I'm new to growing a lot of veges (other than the requisite intarwebs
searching) so I'll let you know how mine go. <g>
>> Silverbeet
> Grows all year round here.
Last time I grew it it lasted over 2 years and was still going strong when I
moved.
> Strangely Americans prefer spinach most
> likely because you can buy frozen blocks cheap.
They call it "Swiss Chard" no?
>> Dwarf green beans
>> Sugar snap peas
>> Radish -
> Only grow to mark rows...
I see myself eating a *lot* of salads so am going for as big a variety of
salad veges as I can (within the constraints of my small gardens). I'm quite
partial to the heat of radishes.
>> Spring onions
> at .99c a big bundle, not worth growing!
LOL, oh to have money! ~$2 a 'bunch' here, consisting of 4 - 5 stems. That's
up to 50c each. I only have to grow 60 (already planted out more than that)
and I've saved myself enough money to buy a bottle of whisky. Heh! If
only... Paying the bills always comes first and there's hardly ever money
left after that for a 'second'.
> Do they have Egyptian walking onions in NZ?
No, they passed through though. <g>
WTF are Egyptian walking onions? I guess Google will tell me.
Hehee! Sorta like mutant Tiger-Lillies. No, I've never seen those before.
>> Sweetcorn
> Another cheapy to buy here.
Usually $1 a cob here. Rarely and briefly cheaper, but not much, for a week
or two.
>> Capsicum
> Starting to come away again now it's cooling off.
> Do you grow the coloured ones?
I've only just started with them. Have red "Californian Wonder" seeds in
seed trays right now, was going to buy some punnets of yellow seedlings but,
when I went back for them they'd sold out.
>> Chili
> What kind do you grow?
So far I only have a couple small "Wildfire" plants in and they haven't
borne fruit yet. Most of the things I'm growing I'm either new to or haven't
grown since I helped dad in the garden. I've been looking for some jalapeno
seeds but iut's crazy in NZ at the moment. Everywhere is selling out of veg
seed and plants.
> I only grew jalepenos this year whoops sorry, I have chile tepin
> bushes in the rock garden lol... It's not worth growing many here as
> the supermarket has bins where you can buy it as you want i.e. just a
> few to several kilo.
>
>> Watercress
>>
>> Corinader
> Went to seed!
LOL, it wouldn't be coriander if it didn't. As you so rightly mention below,
it's cilantro until it seeds, then it's called coriander. I should have
written cilantro myself as mine is still in the vegetative stage.
> We use it as cilantro in Mexican cooking/salsas.
>> Parsley
> Just lost my 15 month old plant.
I have curled in, will get flat soon. On a budget. :-) In the past I've
always re-started a new plant (or three) each year.
>> Chives
> Grows like the proverbial weed here!
Here too once established.
>> Thyme
>> Oregano
> Both in their second season.
> I just let basil seed and grow on the next year.
> Have a rosemary bush now about 4 ft high!
> Keep mint in a large bowl.
Yeah, that's why I haven't got any yet. It's on the list but will be in it's
own container.
>> Strawberries
>> Passionfruit
> The birds just got mine - buggar...
I've never known birds to touch them. Then again, it's been a few years
since I saw any growing.
> no show of any more now as the
> gulf fitillary butterfly caterpillars ate the vines bare. What
> variety of passiflora do you grow?
I have the purple variety. The label doesn;'t give the scientific name.
When I lived on Norfolk Island I used to eat the yellow ones (round, not
"banana passionfruit"), they called them "Hawaiian Passionfruit" and they
were damn delicious! However, I've never seen them here.
>> Cape Gooseberries
>> Tamarillo
>>
> Leeks? Cor I love them - easy to grow!
I've never been an eater of leeks.
> Cukes - was too hot too early and they didn't do anything :-(
Likewise, I don't like cukes.
> The problem here is it gets very hot some years we really don't have
> a spring!
> Caulis are a no-go, cabbage, broccoli, carrots etc are cheaper to buy
> than mess with.
Yeah, well you essentially live in the tropics, in a semi-arid area so it's
no surprise you can't grow 'winter vegetables'. <g>
>> Have hit the Visa for about $350 in plants / materials [and the
>> stash of spare pain meds for near everything]. Some of that will be
>> good for a few years, the raised beds will make it easier on my back
>> to tend / weed them, some of the fruit will last years and I'll let
>> one of each vege plant go to seed so I don't need to keep buying
>> seed / plants. I've built (with help) a mini greenhouse on top of
>> the railing on the back deck so should be able to start my own
>> plants off early next spring.
>
> Some of the best seeds I've gotten have been 10c a pkt out of the
> likes of our local tractor supply store and Walmart!
I've been buying from Trademe a bit, "heirloom seeds", older varieties that
tend to be hardy and set seed that grow true to form.
Oh, I've got some rhubarb seeds in but won't see a harvest from those for a
couple years from what i understand
> The oh bought me a Troybuilt 7hp tiller when I first said I wanted a
> garden...
> The first day using it, we had numerous people from the hood stop and
> ask how much to hire or do their garden - no way... We bought it as
> it was only like US$500 at the time v nearly $90 a day to hire one!
That'd be a roto-tiller? What us folks call a rotary hoe? I used to 'drive'
dad's for him as a lad.
> Each year the garden size has decreased quite a bit as we found
> rapidly what grows and what doesn't v availability in the stores etc.
> Fortunately we have our own water well so cost of watering is not a
> problem.
Yeah, as mentioned, I've not been gardening much (other than toms) in recent
years so a lot of this is new to me and the rest is old. LOL. Hopefully it
works out. I seem to do well growing things, everyone comments on my
houseplants...
> Good luck!
Thanks Cath. Hopefully I'm not leaving too much to luck, except obviously
the weather...
~misfit~
"texan....usenet@texas...removethisbit.usacom.." typed:
> texan....usenet@texas...removethisbit.usacom.. wrote:
>
>> On Sun, 21 Sep 2008 11:27:29 +1200, "~misfit~"
>> <misfi...@hooya.com.au> wrote: [msge snipped]
>>
>>> I wish there was an NZ gardening group where folks could share
>>> knowledge / seeds etc.. I'm sure a lot more folks are getting into
>>> growing as much food as they can, the people at the garden centres
>>> / Mitre 10 / The Warehouse say that they can't keep up with demand
>>> for vege plants and equipment, that this year's demand is more than
>>> double last year.
>>
>> There is a group on Garden Web but I haven't been there for the
>> longest time so don't know how active it is now.
>> Let me find the url for ya.
>>>
>
>
> I haven't time to open the NZ one but have a look at what's there!
Thanks Cath, I found it when I was Googling Cape Gooseberries a few days ago
and am already signed up. Seems pretty dead though.
~misfit~
> ~misfit~ wrote:
> 8><----
>> I live in Pukekohe
>
> um....need to look that up...lol...I did wonder where you were.
Franklin district, immediately south of South Auckland. 20 minute drive into
Manukau.
>> so growing potatoes, onions and a few other things would
>> be folly.
>
> that surprises me....potatoes usually grow anywhere just about...so
> unless its frozen solid or dust dry...
It's totally the opposite. A very large percentage of NZ's total market
gardening is here. I'm not sure of figures for potatoes but I recently heard
90% on NZ's onions are grown here. I'd think potatoes would be similar going
by the sheer number of fields of them I see.
The point I was making is it's like growing coals in newcastle. <g> Spuds
are cheap as chips pretty much all year 'round, same with onions. Other than
the pleasure of eating freshly-dug new potatoes (not to be underestimated)
it would be a poor economic use of my available garden space (and work I can
do) to grow what I can buy extremely cheaply. Better to concentrate on the
more expensive but still easilly grown foodstuffs.
> Now raspberries.... If I wasn't renting I'd be growing a lot more
>> 'permanent' stuff like that.
>
> I'd suggest potting but pots are massively over-priced as well...
You're telling me! That's the reason I planted my Meyer lemon out (I regret
that). I've been looking for one for my tamarillo tree and big pots are in
the $75 range. I'd have to eat a lot of home-grown tamarillos to pay for
that! What I need is to find somewhere I can get a couple 200 litre plastic
drums cheap / free and cut them in half. I really don't care what it looks
like and I don't think the trees will either.
Then I could try stuff like raspberries too.
I mean, I'm not moving in a hurry and the landlord said that, as far as he's
concerned I can stay here 'til I die. However, circumstances can change,
especially with the current / up-coming economic crisis. My landlord is new
to owning a rental and is employed at t'mill (Glenbrook steel mill). In the
latest Franklin News there was a front-page article about speculation that
it could close down (due to the ETS) taking 800 jobs with it. Apparently the
parent company (ironically called BlueScope Steel) is loathe to invest
further, or possibly even continue production. <shrug> It all adds to the
anxiety.
>>> Anything that is over-priced in the shops and we like and is
>>> sprayed...trying to be fairly organic.
>>
>> Yerp, then good reason to stick with older varieties that aren't
>> bred with a strict spray regime in mind. uk.rec.gardening, the only
>> gardening newsgroup I can find thats active, talk about this a lot.
>> As do a few forums I've looked in on. There is a big swing away from
>> packets of seeds and a return to gardeners keeping their own seed /
>> trading seed amongst themselves. You can tell your dad I wouldn't
>> keep seed from hybrids, been there, done that with last years
>> tomatoes. A lot of work for nothing. I've bought a few plants as a
>> head-start this year but I intend to be self-sufficient seeds-wise
>> later on, growing only true-breeding 'heritage' varieties, mainly
>> sourced from other gardeners (and/or trademe).
>
> never thought of trademe for heritage seeds...will mention to my dad.
Yeah, there are lots of them there. In fact I found out by Googling
"heritage seeds". That said, after reading the link Mark posted;
http://www.kingsseeds.co.nz/ I see that either Kings sell on Trademe or
someone is re-selling their seeds as quite a few varieties on there have not
only the same names as Kings but the same verbatim write-up.
I like that the Kings site says if the seeds are F1 hybrids and also says if
they are heritage. Some don't say so they could be new cultivars. In any
case I wouldn't buy with the intent of keeping my own seed if they didn't
state 'heritage'.
Geopelia
"~misfit~" <misfi...@hooya.com.au> wrote in message
news:48d6...@news2.actrix.gen.nz...
> Somewhere on teh intarwebs
> "texan....usenet@texas...removethisbit.usacom.." typed:
>> On Sat, 20 Sep 2008 23:49:55 -0500,
>> texan....usenet@texas...removethisbit.usacom.. wrote:
>>
>>> On Sun, 21 Sep 2008 11:27:29 +1200, "~misfit~"
>>> <misfi...@hooya.com.au> wrote: [msge snipped]
>>>
>>>> I wish there was an NZ gardening group where folks could share
>>>> knowledge / seeds etc.. I'm sure a lot more folks are getting into
>>>> growing as much food as they can, the people at the garden centres
>>>> / Mitre 10 / The Warehouse say that they can't keep up with demand
>>>> for vege plants and equipment, that this year's demand is more than
>>>> double last year.
>>>
>>> There is a group on Garden Web but I haven't been there for the
>>> longest time so don't know how active it is now.
>>> Let me find the url for ya.
>>>>
>>
>> http://www.au.gardenweb.com/forums/
>>
>> I haven't time to open the NZ one but have a look at what's there!
>
> Thanks Cath, I found it when I was Googling Cape Gooseberries a few days
> ago and am already signed up. Seems pretty dead though.
>
> Cheers,
> --
> Shaun.
>
Here I am, but the posts only go back two days on nz.rec
Two good newsletters to subscribe to:
www.yates.co.nz/garden-club/join
www.garden-nz.co.nz/join
I grew Siberian tomatoes the last two years. Small size, but very nice. If
they can grow in Siberia they should do well here.
This year I'm growing Siberian, Big Beef, Whopper, acid free from saved
seed, and some seed I saved from a nice tomato but can't remember what it
was.
They are now at the four leaf stage and ready to be pricked out into trays.
A lot of odd plants come up from seeds in the compost.
I have to clear off all the weeds before I can grow much, I'm behind with
the weather as the ground has been too wet.
So far I have rhubarb, globe artichokes, potatoes, broad beans and silver
beet coming along. The rhubarb and artichokes have been in for thirty years,
they just keep going from new shoots.
Geopelia
North Shore, Auckland.
~misfit~
> "~misfit~" <misfi...@hooya.com.au> wrote in message
> news:48d6...@news2.actrix.gen.nz...
>> Somewhere on teh intarwebs
>> "texan....usenet@texas...removethisbit.usacom.." typed:
>>> On Sat, 20 Sep 2008 23:49:55 -0500,
>>> texan....usenet@texas...removethisbit.usacom.. wrote:
>>>
>>>> On Sun, 21 Sep 2008 11:27:29 +1200, "~misfit~"
>>>> <misfi...@hooya.com.au> wrote: [msge snipped]
>>>>
>>>>> I wish there was an NZ gardening group where folks could share
>>>>> knowledge / seeds etc.. I'm sure a lot more folks are getting into
>>>>> growing as much food as they can, the people at the garden centres
>>>>> / Mitre 10 / The Warehouse say that they can't keep up with demand
>>>>> for vege plants and equipment, that this year's demand is more
>>>>> than double last year.
>>>>
>>>> There is a group on Garden Web but I haven't been there for the
>>>> longest time so don't know how active it is now.
>>>> Let me find the url for ya.
>>>>>
>>>
>>> http://www.au.gardenweb.com/forums/
>>>
>>> I haven't time to open the NZ one but have a look at what's there!
>>
>> Thanks Cath, I found it when I was Googling Cape Gooseberries a few
>> days ago and am already signed up. Seems pretty dead though.
>
Hi Geo! :-) Yes, there have only been these four posts to this group in the
last 6 months or so, that's why I thought it mught be a good place to talk
abotu gardening, nobody's home. <g>
> Two good newsletters to subscribe to:
>
> www.yates.co.nz/garden-club/join
> www.garden-nz.co.nz/join
Ok, thanks for that.
> I grew Siberian tomatoes the last two years. Small size, but very
> nice. If they can grow in Siberia they should do well here.
> This year I'm growing Siberian, Big Beef, Whopper, acid free from
> saved seed, and some seed I saved from a nice tomato but can't
> remember what it was.
I'm growing Moneymaker and Sweet 100 from plants I bought and have just
planted seed of San Marzano and Black Cherry.
I saved some seed from some tomatoes last year that I really liked but made
the mistake of only growing those and no other vareities. They grew big
plants and the fruit didn't set right. A lot of (for me) hard work for
nothing. I'll not make that mistake again, I'll always grow a few varieties
now.
> They are now at the four leaf stage and ready to be pricked out into
> trays. A lot of odd plants come up from seeds in the compost.
Yeah, when I was a nipper I used to grow a lot of plants like that. However,
they were all established varieties and bred true. These days so many are F1
hybrids which have extremely variable seeds.
Hehee! When we lived on a farm there always used to be tomato plants growing
where the outflow from the septic tank came out in the paddock. I was always
getting my plants from there. (I think our 'grey' water went into the tank
as well, so there's a good chance the seeds were simply washed off the
cutting board.)
> I have to clear off all the weeds before I can grow much, I'm behind
> with the weather as the ground has been too wet.
I've had a three-week flurry of activity getting everything going. I can
slow down a bit now, I have the hard work done, and hope my back settles,
it's been bad of late. All my beds are prepared, seedlings coming through,
young plants out... Looking good, fingers crossed. :-)
> So far I have rhubarb, globe artichokes, potatoes, broad beans and
> silver beet coming along. The rhubarb and artichokes have been in for
> thirty years, they just keep going from new shoots.
I've ordered some rhubarb seed, apparently it'll be two years until I can
harvest any. I need to find a local who has a patch who will let me have a
couple 'chunks' of theirs if I want some sooner. (When I used to have a
clump it didn't hurt it to take bits from the sides, in fact it seemed to
rejuvenate it.)
Other than the tomatoes I have sweetcorn, sping onions, silverbeet, lettuce,
dwarf french beans and sugar snap peas in the ground. Oh, and I noticed
today that my first couple rows of radishes are just breaking the soil. By
the time they're ready I'll have lots of lettuce and will be able to start
eating lots of salad! I can't wait, regular fresh veges have been a bit
beyond my budget for while now.
~misfit~
[snip]
> Two good newsletters to subscribe to:
>
> www.yates.co.nz/garden-club/join
> www.garden-nz.co.nz/join
Thanks, I've joined both and entered lots of competitions. :-)
thing
8><---
>
> Gotta be the easiest to grow vegetable there is IMO.
Seems that way, Parsley has to be the easiet herb its gone wild in our
garden, I just wander out with a knife when I want some...If corriander
only did that (one of our favs).
regards
Thing
David
> Hehee! When we lived on a farm there always used to be tomato plants growing
> where the outflow from the septic tank came out in the paddock. I was always
> getting my plants from there. (I think our 'grey' water went into the tank
> as well, so there's a good chance the seeds were simply washed off the
> cutting board.)
I think you will find that a lot of seeds grow well
when they have been passed through the gut.
-D.
Geopelia
"David" <dafy...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:85f149bc-7072-408f...@p10g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
-D.
Many seeds have evolved for that, so animals can disperse the seed at a
distance, with a bit of manure, too.
Chillies are interesting. They would be destroyed in a mammal's gut, but
pass quickly through a bird's.
But chillies are hot, and mammals avoid them (except humans!).
Birds lack the nociceptors that detect the heat, so can eat them.
Red canaries used to be fed chilli pepper to improve their colour.
Geopelia
Roger Dewhurst
My father used to know someone who was in the habit of buying dried
sewage from the local sewage farm. When it rained tomato plants would
appear all over the heap.
R
A _L_ P
>
> I've ordered some rhubarb seed, apparently it'll be two years until I can
> harvest any. I need to find a local who has a patch who will let me have a
> couple 'chunks' of theirs if I want some sooner. (When I used to have a
> clump it didn't hurt it to take bits from the sides, in fact it seemed to
> rejuvenate it.)
>
Haven't you joined freecycle? Down here the local group has had azalea
plants, big, need digging our; red currant plants, and strawberries in
the last week or so. Plus toys, furniture......
Freecycle is a Yahoo group - check it out. It is about giving away
stuff one doesn't want, to other people who want it - v
environmentally-friendly and encouraging good feelings & generosity.
A L P
A _L_ P
Many many years ago before I had a trailer (probably didn't even have a
car, can't remember) they used to sell clean dry sewage in Dunedin. It
wasn't popular, I believe. People are funny about "poo" - by the time
it's been treated and dried it's a resource that should be treasured.
A L P
~misfit~
Somewhere on teh intarwebs "thing" typed:
> ~misfit~ wrote:
>> Silverbeet
>>
>> Gotta be the easiest to grow vegetable there is IMO.
>
> Seems that way, Parsley has to be the easiet herb its gone wild in our
> garden, I just wander out with a knife when I want some...If
> corriander only did that (one of our favs).
Yeah. I'm re-learning and so far the corriander / cilantro is growing
neck-and-neck with the parsley. If anything the parslet's yellowing a bit.
As to silverbeet, I bought one of those Dominion Times-wrapped bundles of
silverbeet seedlings from P'n S a couple weeks ago, guaranteed nine plants.
I selected the four best and planted them into one end of a big planter I
made, (they'll be good until the "Bright Lights" vari-coloured silverbeet
seeds I've orderd arrives and are grown a bit and ready to plant out.) I
re-wrapped the rest and stood them in a dish of water, offering them to the
neighbours as I saw them.
Well, a couple weeks passed and nobody wanted them so I planted the
remainder out into a bit of garden that will take the cape gooseberries when
they're ready, figured I'll grow them a bit, then eat them as tender young
things, maybe with lettuce and some of my watercress as salad. There were
another 20 plants in there! I carefully seperated each one. I take it as a
challenge to grow *every* plant when I buy seedings, even when they're in
six-cell pots and there are up to three plants in each cell..
Oh, I ended up waving the plastic at Bunnings and buying a wheelbarrow.
:-( It's an $80 Chinese copy of a $189 NZ contractors barrow, complete with
concrete pouring spout in the moulded tray. There was one barrow cheaper
(and three dearer), $45 for a smaller barrow with a pressed 'steel' tray (I
hesitate to use that word, it felt more like recycled watties cans). It
didn't look like it would last a season.
I tell ya, this wheelbarrow feels 'temporary'. The plastic tray is
scratching up heaps already despite my taking care. The pourer moulded into
the tray is a joke, I've had it 3/4 full of soil and that felt border-line
for what it would carry without collapsing. I'm sure it wouldn't handle a
load of concrete.
Anyway, being the financially-challenged but resourceful person that I am
I've done what I can to ensure the (relative) longevity of said barrow.
Pre-assembly I sprayed the inside (through the bolt-holes and ends) of the
handles / frame with fishoilene and rolled it about to try to completely
coat the inside. When I was bolting the tray down, as I tightened the bolts
I could see the heads sinking into the plastic of the tray and figured
they'd pull through pretty quickly soo... I dismantled it again and fitted
some big galv washers under the bolt heads. (All the while hoping the
neighbour wouldn't find an excuse to go out, it was Saturday and he was
waiting to help me move some earth..)
I had to find a compromise between tight and too tight with the bolts, the
tubular frame started crushing when I was tightening the bolts down as much
as I thought they needed. :-(
A necessary third 'modification' reared it's head while I was using the
barrow. The axle is attached to the frame by sliding into some (paper-thin)
box section steel on each side of the wheel and, with every bump or change
of loading, it rattled like an epileptic, suited-up medieval knight having a
grand mal seizure in a tin bath. After I had availed myself of the proffered
help I dismantled the thing once again and, with judicious use of hot water,
a file and some grease managed to sweat some 19mm diameter PVC tube over the
ends of the axle, then, after removing burrs from the box section and
applying grease, force the now-sheathed axle ends into the box section. It's
quieter to use now and (slightly) more rigid.
I figure that as long as I hose it down after use and keep it in the shed it
may last a while. $80 seemed a lot for a flimsy barrow until I had to get a
watering can. After wasting gas going to Mitre 10, Bunnings, Payless Plastic
and The Warehouse the cheapest I found for a basic blow-moulded plastic
watering can was $17!!! It made the barrow seem like a veritable bargain!
~misfit~
> news:85f149bc-7072-408f...@p10g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
> On Sep 23, 12:40 am, "~misfit~" <misfit6...@hooya.com.au> wrote:
>
>> Hehee! When we lived on a farm there always used to be tomato plants
>> growing
>> where the outflow from the septic tank came out in the paddock. I was
>> always
>> getting my plants from there. (I think our 'grey' water went into
>> the tank as well, so there's a good chance the seeds were simply
>> washed off the cutting board.)
>
>> I think you will find that a lot of seeds grow well
>> when they have been passed through the gut.
>
> a distance, with a bit of manure, too.
>
> Chillies are interesting. They would be destroyed in a mammal's gut,
> but pass quickly through a bird's.
> But chillies are hot, and mammals avoid them (except humans!).
>
> Birds lack the nociceptors that detect the heat, so can eat them.
> Red canaries used to be fed chilli pepper to improve their colour.
That's interesting Geo, I didn't know that, thanks.
In fact I've just obtained <cough> a doco on plants called "The Seedy Side
of Life" and, in the blurb it says [in part]:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Similar examples can be found throughout nature, from fig-eating bats that
become unwitting cargo planes for fig seeds, to squirrels and woodpeckers
that unknowingly help oak trees spread their acorns. THE SEEDY SIDE OF
PLANTS even includes the remarkable tale of an African melon that grows a
gourd-shaped bladder of water deep underground. In the dry season, aardvarks
sniff out the watery melons, digging deep to quench their thirst. In the
process, however, the thirsty aardvarks also sip up a few pit-like seeds,
which they later deposit inside fertilizing manure. It's hard to say who
gets the better end of the deal: the melon or the mammal.
Evolutionary accidents may explain how other types of seeds developed, too.
On the island of Mauritius, for instance, there once were trees that dropped
their tasty fruits full of seeds to the ground. Then, a new bird arrived on
the island. It loved the fruits, but the tree's seeds couldn't survive the
trip through the bird's stomach. As a result, the tree was in trouble, since
fewer of its seeds were surviving. Then, perhaps through a random genetic
mutation, one tree, the calvaria, produced fruit with tougher seeds that
could survive being eaten by the birds. Given this significant advantage,
the tougher calvaria soon began to thrive. Eventually, they crowded out
their ancestors completely.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I haven't watched it yet, I think I might this afternoon, it's going to take
me a few days to recover from the flurry of activity getting my gardens
established. The back is as bad as it's been for a long time. Still, it'll
all be worth it when I'm eating fresh salad everyday and fresh fruit as a
treat. :-)
~misfit~
> David wrote:
>> On Sep 23, 12:40 am, "~misfit~" <misfit6...@hooya.com.au> wrote:
>>
>>> Hehee! When we lived on a farm there always used to be tomato
>>> plants growing where the outflow from the septic tank came out in
>>> the paddock. I was always getting my plants from there. (I think
>>> our 'grey' water went into the tank as well, so there's a good
>>> chance the seeds were simply washed off the cutting board.)
>>
>> I think you will find that a lot of seeds grow well
>> when they have been passed through the gut.
>
> sewage from the local sewage farm.
Folks pay for human excrement? Is this guy still around? I might start
drying mine. <g>
> When it rained tomato plants would
> appear all over the heap.
Interesting to know. I wasn't sure if the tomatoes I transplanted had been
through the gut or had arrived with the grey water. I guess that question is
answered now.
~misfit~
Thanks. I read about Freecycle in uk.rec.gardening and thought it an
excellent idea but didn't know there was an NZ version. I'll try to find it.
A _L_ P
> Somewhere on teh intarwebs "A _L_ P" typed:
>>>
>> Haven't you joined freecycle? Down here the local group has had
>> azalea plants, big, need digging our; red currant plants, and
>> strawberries in the last week or so. Plus toys, furniture......
>>
>> Freecycle is a Yahoo group - check it out. It is about giving away
>> stuff one doesn't want, to other people who want it - v
>> environmentally-friendly and encouraging good feelings & generosity.
>
> Thanks. I read about Freecycle in uk.rec.gardening and thought it an
> excellent idea but didn't know there was an NZ version. I'll try to find it.
>
> Cheers,
"You are a member of the Freecycle Network in Dunedin, New Zealand.
It is affiliated with The Freecycle Network and can be verified by its
link at www.freecycle.org. We appreciate your participation."
"Hello Freecycle(TM) Newbie,
Welcome to the Dunedin New Zealand Freecycle Group
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Dunedin_Freecycle).
To start sending messages to members of this group, simply send an email
to Dunedin_...@yahoogroups.com.
To unsubscribe send an email to
Dunedin_Freecy...@yahoogroups.com.
NOTE: Check out our Web site, http://freecycle.org, for info on other
cities, etc. You will also receive an additional e-mail about Freecycle
etiquette. Give it a good read so you know what's what. It'll save you
much grief."
(from emails after I joined)
I think it is a great idea. Most of us have surplus stuff that's
potentially useful to someone else. Some of it can go to the thrift
shops. This is another way of making sure that whatever can be, is
reused. Re-use before recycle, is a good rule. And recycle before
landfill, and not being wasteful either in purchasing or throwing away.
The war-timers here knew how to make every item do its maximum "duty".
I am grateful to all those old books and experienced people who have
taught me about the kind of thrift that shows respect to the earth.
Some people think thriftiness is a poor second to putting one's energy
and initiative into making lots of money. Takes all sorts.
A L P
~misfit~
> ~misfit~ wrote:
>> Somewhere on teh intarwebs "A _L_ P" typed:
>
>>>>
>>> Haven't you joined freecycle? Down here the local group has had
>>> azalea plants, big, need digging our; red currant plants, and
>>> strawberries in the last week or so. Plus toys, furniture......
>>>
>>> Freecycle is a Yahoo group - check it out. It is about giving away
>>> stuff one doesn't want, to other people who want it - v
>>> environmentally-friendly and encouraging good feelings & generosity.
>>
>> Thanks. I read about Freecycle in uk.rec.gardening and thought it an
>> excellent idea but didn't know there was an NZ version. I'll try to
>> find it.
>
<whew!>
Thanks, I just finished joining. Man, they make you jump through hoops! I
ended up with the user name "ygthfgeqcbw" as I got frustrated at the ~15th
attempt to find a witty, unique name (I'm in pain from all the gardening
work of late so low on patience right now) so just mashed the keyboard.
I still don't reall know what email address I'm registered under. <shrug>
I love the idea of Freecycle but, other than the protracted joining process
a couple things bug me. The page doesn't seem to render properly in Firefox
3.01, I have to scroll sideways and buttons / links aren't where I think
they should be. (I've tried 'fully featured' option and simplified.)
The other thing is there's no really local group. No Franklin. I'm lumped in
with Auckland, home to 1.2 million people and covering a large area. I've
had a quick look and there are a few things that could be worth grabbing but
it's over an hour's drive to all of them (North Shore). Not so free with the
cost of petrol and the stress of traffic to get there from here.
Sorry, I sound ungrateful. I'm not, just in pain and have already used most
of my allocation of meds this month. :-/
Thanks for the heads up on Freecycle. It's just a shame that Yahoo got the
local franchise.
texan....usenet@texas...removethisbit.usacom
how 'fake' is your email address?
If you can figure mine out, send me an email and I will photocopy or type it if it won't, a guide I
have to companion planting.
Cath
~misfit~
> The other thing is there's no really local group. No Franklin. I'm
> lumped in with Auckland, home to 1.2 million people and covering a
> large area. I've had a quick look and there are a few things that
> could be worth grabbing but it's over an hour's drive to all of them
> (North Shore). Not so free with the cost of petrol and the stress of
> traffic to get there from here.
Ok, now I'm a member of Auckland I see that there's a Manukau group that
didn't appear on the list before. Joined that one, it's slightly more local.
:-)
A _L_ P
> I still don't reall know what email address I'm registered under. <shrug>
They'll send you various emails about the etiquette etc so you'll find
out! (How do you think I did it? - it's a shit of a process.)
>
> I love the idea of Freecycle but, other than the protracted joining process
> a couple things bug me. The page doesn't seem to render properly in Firefox
> 3.01, I have to scroll sideways and buttons / links aren't where I think
> they should be. (I've tried 'fully featured' option and simplified.)
I chose to get emails - being in Auckland wd tend to make it a lot of
emails but filtering should make it easy to go down the list. The topic
has to be in the header - OFFER: tea-set, for instance.
>
> The other thing is there's no really local group. No Franklin. I'm lumped in
> with Auckland, home to 1.2 million people and covering a large area. I've
> had a quick look and there are a few things that could be worth grabbing but
> it's over an hour's drive to all of them (North Shore). Not so free with the
> cost of petrol and the stress of traffic to get there from here.
>
It's worth contacting the person because maybe they work not far away
from you, or have rellies etc.... perhaps can deliver either to you or
to a place not far away.
> Sorry, I sound ungrateful. I'm not, just in pain and have already used most
> of my allocation of meds this month. :-/
That's not good. Not good at all.
>
> Thanks for the heads up on Freecycle. It's just a shame that Yahoo got the
> local franchise.
>
> Cheers,
A L P
A _L_ P
> Somewhere on teh intarwebs "~misfit~" typed:
>> The other thing is there's no really local group. No Franklin. I'm
>> lumped in with Auckland, home to 1.2 million people and covering a
>> large area. I've had a quick look and there are a few things that
>> could be worth grabbing but it's over an hour's drive to all of them
>> (North Shore). Not so free with the cost of petrol and the stress of
>> traffic to get there from here.
>
> Ok, now I'm a member of Auckland I see that there's a Manukau group that
> didn't appear on the list before. Joined that one, it's slightly more local.
> :-)
>
Excellent! Even so it's worth asking the person offering if they have a
drop-off place closer to where you live. In the advice on conducting
"business" it suggests not necessarily having people come to one's home
so some people might be happy to have an arrangement where you meet them
at their workplace or the nearest lunch place.
A L P
Jasen Betts
>
> Interesting to know. I wasn't sure if the tomatoes I transplanted had been
> through the gut or had arrived with the grey water. I guess that question is
> answered now.
fruits (including tomatoes) are how plants travel.
where the seed can be swallowed it it designed to survive.
I expect kiwifruit seeds survive too.
Bye.
Jasen
Roger Dewhurst
It is probably fair to say that if the fruit is brightly coloured and
nice to eat you are looking at the plant's mechanism for spreading its
seeds far and wide.
R
~misfit~
>> On 2008-09-23, ~misfit~ <misfi...@hooya.com.au> wrote:
>>> Interesting to know. I wasn't sure if the tomatoes I transplanted
>>> had been through the gut or had arrived with the grey water. I
>>> guess that question is answered now.
>>
>> fruits (including tomatoes) are how plants travel.
>> where the seed can be swallowed it it designed to survive.
>>
>> I expect kiwifruit seeds survive too.
>
> nice to eat you are looking at the plant's mechanism for spreading its
> seeds far and wide.
Mmm, yeah, I am aware of the fact that a lot of seeds survive 'digestion', I
just didn't know that all can.
~misfit~
>> Somewhere on teh intarwebs "~misfit~" typed:
>>> The other thing is there's no really local group. No Franklin. I'm
>>> lumped in with Auckland, home to 1.2 million people and covering a
>>> large area. I've had a quick look and there are a few things that
>>> could be worth grabbing but it's over an hour's drive to all of them
>>> (North Shore). Not so free with the cost of petrol and the stress of
>>> traffic to get there from here.
>>
>> Ok, now I'm a member of Auckland I see that there's a Manukau group
>> that didn't appear on the list before. Joined that one, it's
>> slightly more local. :-)
There are 'only' 84 members in the Manurewa group, seems a bit slow,
hopefully it'll pick up. It's only been going 4 months, 65 posts total. I
had to give in and fire up Internet Explorer to read the group properly,
without text overlapping and the whole thing being a mess. I swore I'd never
do that, if a site didn't run properly on Firefox then I wouldn't bother
with it. However, needs must when the devil drives...
> Excellent! Even so it's worth asking the person offering if they
> have a drop-off place closer to where you live. In the advice on
> conducting "business" it suggests not necessarily having people come
> to one's home so some people might be happy to have an arrangement
> where you meet them at their workplace or the nearest lunch place.
That makes sense. I have a few things I could get rid of too, a dozen or so
foot-high swan plants in pots springs to mind. I have planted sweetcorn
where they were destined to go. I've nurtured thousands of Monarch
butterflies over the last few years (and have been a member of the Monarch
Butterfly NZ Trust http://www.monarch.org.nz/monarch/ for a while). However,
now I need to feed myself more than I need to feed butterflies and I had to
let my membership expire recently (although the president has emailed me
that she's happy to keep on emailing me newsletters and she hopes I'll keep
visiting their forums).
That said, I still have a dozen ~1.8m tall swan plants in the ground that
overwintered, (already covered in Monarch eggs) some of which are on their
third year, including some that I transplanted from the 'corn' area. I have
some smaller Asclepias milkweeds in the ground that overwintered too.
Now, I guess I should put a Wanted: Rhubarb post up...
texan....usenet@texas...removethisbit.usacom
>Somewhere on teh intarwebs "A _L_ P" typed:
>> ~misfit~ wrote:
>>> Somewhere on teh intarwebs "~misfit~" typed:
>>>> The other thing is there's no really local group. No Franklin. I'm
>>>> lumped in with Auckland, home to 1.2 million people and covering a
>>>> large area. I've had a quick look and there are a few things that
>>>> could be worth grabbing but it's over an hour's drive to all of them
>>>> (North Shore). Not so free with the cost of petrol and the stress of
>>>> traffic to get there from here.
>>>
>>> Ok, now I'm a member of Auckland I see that there's a Manukau group
>>> that didn't appear on the list before. Joined that one, it's
>>> slightly more local. :-)
>
>
>There are 'only' 84 members in the Manurewa group, seems a bit slow,
>hopefully it'll pick up. It's only been going 4 months, 65 posts total. I
>had to give in and fire up Internet Explorer to read the group properly,
>without text overlapping and the whole thing being a mess. I swore I'd never
>do that, if a site didn't run properly on Firefox then I wouldn't bother
>with it. However, needs must when the devil drives...
I use Firefox for all my Yahoo/Groups and don't have a problem. Hit the go to your Group links and
they open up on a new page..
>
>> Excellent! Even so it's worth asking the person offering if they
>> have a drop-off place closer to where you live. In the advice on
>> conducting "business" it suggests not necessarily having people come
>> to one's home so some people might be happy to have an arrangement
>> where you meet them at their workplace or the nearest lunch place.
I would strongly recommend you do not let people come to your house particuarly if you are a woman.
We had a friend who was using our local group to get rid of stuff prior to her move to Dallas.
She used a local burger joint as a pick up place - fortunately she did as she had one guy who
'wanted to go back to her place to look at what else she had to give away'. Gut instinct told
her NO. He pestered her with emails and phone calls [cell fortunately] before she was forced to
take further action.
We've just stopped offering stuff after posting items would be bagged and hanging from the gate
[under the trees] between 10am and 6pm. I had some plants recently that were hung from the gate
and not picked up by 6pm so moved them into the back yards into buckets of water. I package my
plants very well so they don't dry out!
One lady turned up at 8.30p on a Friday night when it was dark - I was in the shower so told the oh
just to tell her I would email her. I got busy and just couldn't be bothered with her coming over
the weekend so just left it - then she emails me saying she went past several times on Sunday and
nothing was there... der...
The next lady turned up around 9pm another night. This day, I had two no-shows so stuck all the
plants in water in the back yard. The oh was livid at this lady turning up and demanding her
plants. So here we are in the back yard risking flaming snakes [and there's plenty around at
the moment] - the oh just grabbed the whole flaming lot including the other lady's, dumped them in a
trash bag and literally threw them over the gate at her!
After that he said NO MORE....
Now I donate *all* my plants to the local gardening club. Last year, they took a large truckload of
shrubs, trees, and plants; this year was a little modest but there's a whole bunch more to go now -
such as: passiflora; plumeria; sweet autumn clematis [about 60 plants lol]; white butterfly ginger;
water lilies, bog plants; elizabeth ginger and goodness knows what else is on the pallets.
I do report all my no-shows to the moderator. One of the groups I used to belong to*, they kept a
list in the database folder of who had 3 or more no-shows [before they got kicked off].
>Now, I guess I should put a Wanted: Rhubarb post up...
Darn! I bought 3 plants a few years ago here, planted two in the garden and one in a big pot.
The garden ones died off pretty quickly; the other one lasted for a few months before going over.
The label did state do not pick until the second year...
Cath
...
>Cheers,
texan....usenet@texas...removethisbit.usacom
>hopefully it'll pick up. It's only been going 4 months, 65 posts total. I
>had to give in and fire up Internet Explorer to read the group properly,
>without text overlapping and the whole thing being a mess. I swore I'd never
>do that, if a site didn't run properly on Firefox then I wouldn't bother
>with it. However, needs must when the devil drives...
Unfortunately that one kicked us 'out in the boondocks' off of it. Some of them here are getting
picky in that if you don't live in certain zip codes, they boot you out on the pretext of the oil
crunch... I mean anyone with half a brain unless something is worth big big $$, isn't going to
travel 50 miles for something.
When this happened, they gave us a couple of weeks notice that we were being booted, we were about
to give away some 500ft of horse fencing [about 2 years old and in as new condition]. At US$1.25 a
ft [plus tax], it's expensive for a regular fence v chain link but oh so better looking/easier to
install etc. We had replaced fencing and just wanted it out of the way - kind of roll it up and
haul it yourself! It was worth someone travelling to pick it up, They replied that they would
keep my membership open for that purpose but wrote them back and said no, you said 'out' so unsub
me...
Then even the Freecycle [here anyway] won't allow you to post a notice stating you will post for
cost of postage!
Shipping/posting is a way of life for many of us! I for one, would rather pay postage for a small
item such as seeds which I often give away [plumeria, tropicals, etc] when it's not economical to
for someone to pick them up! I used to belong to Garden Web and offer them via there but got too
many who couldn't understand what a self-addressed-stamped-bubble-envelope meant!
Or who bitched about my suggestion of two domestic stamps for postage... I gave up with that lot!
Some freecycle/recycle groups were not moderated so you get all sorts of postings and promptly you
also unsub from those.
Just be very careful of a member wanting to add you to their list via Grouply. It's a site where
the person sends out this invitation to everyone in the group. Low down is, you sign up and give
this site your Yahoo password; you get/send all your groups emails via them PLUS you give everyone
access to what groups you belong to yada yads. But what they don't tell you unless you read the
whole nine yards is by this person sending you the invitation, they have sub'd you to the flaming
site!
To unsub you have to hit a link on the invitation BUT once you have gotten to the 'unusub page', and
typed in your email address/hit enter, it then comes up with you're not finished yet as they've
sent you an email. BUTdon't hold your breath waiting for it. I had to after numerous attempts
to unsub me via this and receiving no email, had to send them an email demanding I be unsub'd
immediately!
Thankfully the moderator kicked the person who apparently spammed everyone, off.
Don't know about the kiwi ones but you get all sorts of unreasonable requests for stuff!
Some groups will no longer accept wanted posts for [free] ac units, fridges, cars etc.
Hopefully the kiwi groups are better than the ones here!
Cath
...
Collector€NZ
All snipped because I am lazy....
I wish you well on the garden thing, I am also gardening but the weather
here in CNI is no so good.
This year we will only do a couple of things, Sweet Corn and silver beet
because we love them both and tomatoes to see if we can. Everything else
we get from a mate at work who runs an organic garden which he sells
produce from at the local farmers market (suitably discounted for my
relationship with him)
Of course we still have the garlic and spring onions going from last
year despite the -6 to -8 frosts.
Got a few strawberry plants, inherited with the property, don't deliver
much fruit though, must look into that, plus a grape vine on the fence,
barren when I moved in, but hope to get a crop this year.
As you are aware I don't get into growing vegs for economic reasons, it
just a pathetic attempt to keep in touch with my family farming background.
I also have mint and parsley, principle herb type things that I use
regularly, but have never attempted to grow the other herbs and spices I
use a lot
Best from the CNI
EMB
>
> The other thing is there's no really local group. No Franklin. I'm lumped in
> with Auckland, home to 1.2 million people and covering a large area.
South Ak group here - http://au.groups.yahoo.com/group/ManurewaFreecycle/
~misfit~
"texan....usenet@texas...removethisbit.usacom.." typed:
Thanks for the warnings Cath. Most of the folks in the newsgroup
uk.rec.gardening have all had it with Freecycle too, for various reasons.
One says it takes so long for the moderators to pass on the posts in her
area group that she ends up keeping stuff around far longer than she planned
and virtually all of them say that there are far, far more wanted posts than
offering posts.
Hopefully the Manurewa group works out.
~misfit~
"texan....usenet@texas...removethisbit.usacom.." typed:
> <misfi...@hooya.com.au> wrote:
>
>> Somewhere on teh intarwebs "A _L_ P" typed:
>>> ~misfit~ wrote:
>>>> Somewhere on teh intarwebs "~misfit~" typed:
>>>>> The other thing is there's no really local group. No Franklin. I'm
>>>>> lumped in with Auckland, home to 1.2 million people and covering a
>>>>> large area. I've had a quick look and there are a few things that
>>>>> could be worth grabbing but it's over an hour's drive to all of
>>>>> them (North Shore). Not so free with the cost of petrol and the
>>>>> stress of traffic to get there from here.
>>>>
>
>
>>>> Ok, now I'm a member of Auckland I see that there's a Manukau group
>>>> that didn't appear on the list before. Joined that one, it's
>>>> slightly more local. :-)
>>
>>
>> There are 'only' 84 members in the Manurewa group, seems a bit slow,
>> hopefully it'll pick up. It's only been going 4 months, 65 posts
>> total. I had to give in and fire up Internet Explorer to read the
>> group properly, without text overlapping and the whole thing being a
>> mess. I swore I'd never do that, if a site didn't run properly on
>> Firefox then I wouldn't bother with it. However, needs must when the
>> devil drives...
>
> I use Firefox for all my Yahoo/Groups and don't have a problem. Hit
> the go to your Group links and they open up on a new page..
No such luck for me. I had to use IE, then I decided to upgrade to IE7.
First time I've used IE for a couple years.
I shall watch for traps. Thanks Cath.
>> Now, I guess I should put a Wanted: Rhubarb post up...
>
> Darn! I bought 3 plants a few years ago here, planted two in the
> garden and one in a big pot.
> The garden ones died off pretty quickly; the other one lasted for a
> few months before going over. The label did state do not pick until
> the second year...
Yeah, if grown from seed it's at least two years. If a few bits are broken
off an established clump though and are given good conditions you can
harvest some a lot more quickly.
~misfit~
> ~misfit~ wrote:
> All snipped because I am lazy....
Heh!
> I wish you well on the garden thing, I am also gardening but the
> weather here in CNI is no so good.
Thanks mate. Yeah, I spent a bit of time in your neck of the woods, it's
certainly not as clement as it is here.
> This year we will only do a couple of things, Sweet Corn and silver
> beet because we love them both and tomatoes to see if we can.
Sounds like a plan. I've only grown tomatoes pretty much in recent years as
I love them and can eat them every day. However, it's got to the stage where
I can't afford vegetables and my GP is telling me I really need my "5 plus a
day". It gives me something to do as well, once this initial stage of
setting up is done I should be able to handle it just fine, take pleasure in
it even.
Right now I'm bloody sore though.
> Everything else we get from a mate at work who runs an organic garden
> which he sells produce from at the local farmers market (suitably
> discounted for my relationship with him)
Sounds like a good arrangement.
> Of course we still have the garlic and spring onions going from last
> year despite the -6 to -8 frosts.
I have a lot of area dedicated to spring onions, handy vegetable that. Of
course I'm going to be planting garlic come May as well.
> Got a few strawberry plants, inherited with the property, don't
> deliver much fruit though, must look into that, plus a grape vine on
> the fence, barren when I moved in, but hope to get a crop this year.
Cool, strawberries are great. I have a few berries starting to fatten now,
gotta stop looking at them 6 times a day, it seems like they're taking
forever. <g>
> As you are aware I don't get into growing vegs for economic reasons,
> it just a pathetic attempt to keep in touch with my family farming
> background.
It's healthy IMO, playing an active role in producing at least some of the
food we eat helps to make us appreciate our food more. Or something.
> I also have mint and parsley, principle herb type things that I use
> regularly, but have never attempted to grow the other herbs and
> spices I use a lot
Yeah, I must admit I've gotten lazy in the years since my injury and used
mainly dried herbs. Now I've made a good sized herb planter on the deck that
bad habit will be behind me, go back to using bunches of herbs instead of a
sprinkle.
> Best from the CNI
Thanks mate, best to you too. You'll have to drop in next time you're up
this way if you have time, I haven't seen you in a while.
~misfit~
> ~misfit~ wrote:
>> <whew!>
>>
>> Thanks, I just finished joining. Man, they make you jump through
>> hoops! I ended up with the user name "ygthfgeqcbw" as I got
>> frustrated at the ~15th attempt to find a witty, unique name (I'm in
>> pain from all the gardening work of late so low on patience right
>> now) so just mashed the keyboard.
> Tell me about it! God, what a rigmarole!
Bloody hell yeah!
>> I still don't reall know what email address I'm registered under.
>> <shrug>
>
> They'll send you various emails about the etiquette etc so you'll find
> out! (How do you think I did it? - it's a shit of a process.)
Oh, are you supposed to read those emails? <g>
It *is* a shit of a process. Yahoo suck, they would have dissapeared long
ago if they hadn't made deals with outfits like Telecom and Freecycle, they
can't survive on their own.
>> I love the idea of Freecycle but, other than the protracted joining
>> process a couple things bug me. The page doesn't seem to render
>> properly in Firefox 3.01, I have to scroll sideways and buttons / links
>> aren't where I
>> think they should be. (I've tried 'fully featured' option and
>> simplified.)
>
> I chose to get emails - being in Auckland wd tend to make it a lot of
> emails but filtering should make it easy to go down the list. The
> topic has to be in the header - OFFER: tea-set, for instance.
Yeah, sorting it out... ;-)
>> The other thing is there's no really local group. No Franklin. I'm
>> lumped in with Auckland, home to 1.2 million people and covering a
>> large area. I've had a quick look and there are a few things that
>> could be worth grabbing but it's over an hour's drive to all of them
>> (North Shore). Not so free with the cost of petrol and the stress of
>> traffic to get there from here.
> It's worth contacting the person because maybe they work not far away
> from you, or have rellies etc.... perhaps can deliver either to you or
> to a place not far away.
In the few months this group's been going there's been nothing I would like,
other than perhaps some rimu cupboard doors but they're probably not worth
the petrol cost...
>> Sorry, I sound ungrateful. I'm not, just in pain and have already
>> used most of my allocation of meds this month. :-/
>
> That's not good. Not good at all.
No, it's not. Still, I've done a lot of work, am sore now but hopefully the
pain should recede back to more manageable levels in a couple days. LOL, it
better, I'm running out of clean dishes, I've been too busy with the garden
/ sore afterwards to do my dishes for a wee while. It's a good job I always
rinse the dishes before putting them on the bench! Maybe I'll do them
tomorrow. I need a bench that's a foot taller than the one I have, I have to
stoop to reach into the sink and it plays merry hell with my back. Normally
not *such* a big deal but when I've aggravated it, like now....
~misfit~
"texan....usenet@texas...removethisbit.usacom.." typed:
> <misfi...@hooya.com.au> wrote:
>
> how 'fake' is your email address?
Not very. Just change the hooya to yahoo. I don't check it often unless I'm
expecting an email.
> If you can figure mine out, send me an email and I will photocopy or
> type it if it won't, a guide I have to companion planting.
That would be awesome. I tried to figure your email out before with no luck
so if you could email it to me I'd be appreciative. That email or misfitnz
at gmail dot com, the gmail one is checked regularly....
~misfit~
Thanks mate, I found it after I joined the main Auckland group. Funny I
didn't see it before that...
~misfit~
> In article <e1jbd4lndtd29mbj0...@4ax.com>,
> texan....usenet@texas...removethisbit.usacom.. says...
>> On Sun, 21 Sep 2008 11:27:29 +1200, "~misfit~"
>> <misfi...@hooya.com.au> wrote: [msge snipped]
>>
>>> I wish there was an NZ gardening group where folks could share
>>> knowledge / seeds etc.. I'm sure a lot more folks are getting into
>>> growing as much food as they can, the people at the garden centres
>>> / Mitre 10 / The Warehouse say that they can't keep up with demand
>>> for vege plants and equipment, that this year's demand is more than
>>> double last year.
>
> Most people don't know about newsgroups.
That's exactly why I like newsgroups (I don't like 'most people'). With the
odd exception you find a better class of person on usenet than you do in web
forums. Web forums are easy, any idiot can access them, which becomes
painfully obvious when you read most of them. Usenet on the other hand
requires a certain amount of nous to access (less so since Google decided it
was a commodity though...) and I find that, probably because of this, the
folks you 'meet' tend to be more on-to-it.
> Web forums is where it's at
> and Google turns up searches for it.
>
> The forum http://blog.garden-nz.co.nz/forum/ off this www site
> http://www.garden-nz.co.nz/ seems quite good.
>
> Also there's some useful info on the NZ Gardener Magazine www site,
> www.nzgardener.co.nz
Thanks, all bookmarked.
> Perhaps we need to revisit the no binaries rule. Most forums end up
> using photos to illustrate things which works very well.
With so many simple to use, free of chanrge public hosting sites there's no
reason why we can't keep the no binaries rule and link to pics if need be.
It makes far more sense IMO than binaries. I like to download whole
newsgroups for reading at my leisure. If there are binaries one ends up
downloading a lot of data one doesn't always want to view.
texan....usenet@texas...removethisbit.usacom
>I would strongly recommend you do not let people come to your house particuarly if you are a woman.
>We had a friend who was using our local group to get rid of stuff prior to her move to Dallas.
>She used a local burger joint as a pick up place - fortunately she did as she had one guy who
>'wanted to go back to her place to look at what else she had to give away'. Gut instinct told
>her NO. He pestered her with emails and phone calls [cell fortunately] before she was forced to
>take further action.
Ever looked at the profile of people who post on your Yahoo Group/s?
One of the For Sale groups I belong to, carries message after message from this one guy who
advetises mowing lawns, clears yards, free takeaway of junk, buys bits and pieces etc etc.
Hardly two days go without him posting. From his grammar etc, it doesn't sound like he has too much
up top...
Recently, a posting appeared by his fiance who stated they wanted 6 mo old baby girl's clothing as
her they have custody every x weekend of his daughter.
After a bunch more postings today, out of curiosity today, checked out his profile which showed:
Latest News:
Me and my girl are getting freaky online now. Now we are looking fow couples to watch us and we
watch them she also likes to watch guys mast.....well you know........ the pic is of her i think
mine is there also also we are now looking for people to make home movies with females select males
and couples.
,,,,,,,,,end
Ya never know who ya dealing with lol...
Cath
...
~misfit~
"texan....usenet@texas...removethisbit.usacom.." typed:
LOL, indeed. Ain't teh intarwebs great? Back in the days before the
information superhighway you might *never* find that out about someone you
deal with everday.
;-)