It is a delight to be the spouse of a hard working, joy-filled, dedicated man.



Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Some of My Favorite Recipes

Last Monday and Tuesday it was raining slugs. That's where they come from you know, they come in the rain. With the lush foliage and the ponds in every part of the Farm I have no shortage of slugs, so I will be very wealthy when they finally discover that slug slime cures seventy-six point four percent of the known diseases and forty-eight percent of the diseases we have yet to discover.

Until then what money the birds haven't eaten, the slugs are mouin down on, so I went out with a cardboard sign and gathered some spare change to make myself up some beer substitute. Not for Phil but to trap the slugs.

Slightly cheaper than beer, just as effective (maybe better, I've never gotten a cup crammed full of slugs) and Dirt isn't freakin' out because I know longer crack open one of his cold ones and pour it in a cup for the slugs to slurp on.


I plunked the cup back down into the hole after I dumped the pile up above and there were still some fellas clinging to the sides, they must have been on their way in.
Mix 1 teaspoon of Brewer's yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar into 1 cup water.
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For a larger batch just multiply it out. I save big juice jugs and put a big batch in the jug to use through out my garden. One of my morning duties while out with my slug scissors is to empty the dead out and refill with more Slug Juice.
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I cut a hole in the ground with my skinny trowel but I make sure it isn't too flush with the ground so the beetles don't fall in. Slugs can climb well enough to get their treat.


Somebody else that needs a little treat but their treat feeds them instead of trapping them are the hummers. And man are they hummin' around here, it is life threatening (to people) sometimes with how crazy they get. I found that the little bottles are better as the syrup doesn't stay in them as long decreasing the potential for uck to grow.
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These came in the house for a quick scrub but most days one of us just totes the water can around the farm and fill the little bottles with this:
One cup sugar in four cups of water bring to a boil and then cool.
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But my best recipe today is my rose and bloomer fertilizer made from five gallons of alfalfa pellets (sold in fifty or twenty-five pound sacks at your local feed stores), half a gallon of fish liquid and half gallon carton of Epsom salt (drug store).
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Put all of this in a big plastic garbage can and fill up eh sorta half way, let it soak over night so the pellets fall apart and you get a sludgy mix like the one below.
This can be used as a side dressing for roses and other bloomers. Or not so much water for a denser mix and use it in the planting hole before setting a plant.

Wine recipes are Dirt's job. So when he finishes up the hatching box and a couple of sheep shearing jobs I'll have him share some of his deep dark secrets.

Have a great night Dear Reader, I am late for bed, nighty night. Off to sleep with the bullfrogs.

18 comments:

KathyB. said...

I just added epsom salts to the soil around my roses and put out more slug bait...I think I will try some of your recipes because it rains slugs on this side of the highway too!

Susie said...

Lanny I think slugs are such nasty little creatures. Yesterday after work I went out to check my crooked neck squash that has started producing and those nasty critters were having dinner. Yuckie!!!

LindaSue said...

I do not miss slugs - when I was in college on the Pacific coast there was a vile creature called the banana slug - they are nasty. I rarely have slugs here in Tejas and the ones I find are teenytiny - never have seen slugs in the rain although once in a while it rains mud (dry years). Your recipes are good and useful - just not appetizing before breakfast - hope you got some rest Lanny!

Sparky said...

Slugs -- nasty, yuck, pooey creatures! [lol] We have them here too. I've used the epsom salts around bushes like KathyB suggested (works well). The beer, I think, is the easiest and cheapest way to rid the yard of them.

I still waiting for the wine recipes ... :o) Meantime I'll keep drinking my Dos Equis beer. [drool]

Flower said...

You have a serious slug issue!! We got some really bad tasting beer and have it for the slugs....the beer also atracts a ton of small black bugs. It's a happy way to go! Keep at it!

Ted M. Gossard said...

I like those natural remedies. And I agree completely with Dirt on the beer thing.

Yes, we keep it natural around here as well, and that's why the rabbits love our front yard because there is plenty of things for them to feast on from our dirt.

Connie said...

If it is raining slugs, I'm definitely not going out without an umbrella!

Yuck! I hate slugs. That first photo is great, Lanny! Made me recoil and say, "Ewww!" HA!

Thank you for the recipes, but I don't think my boys are going to like it if I fix these things for them for supper tonight! HA HA! That rose and bloomer fertilizer looks especially "appetizing."

Hope you have a nice weekend, Lanny. :)

Far Side of Fifty said...

Great sounding recipes! I bet the birds love those slugs too..but obviously if it is raining slugs you need the beer substitute! I don't like them either..they must live in the soil forever. Hosta's are usually bad for attracting slugs around here. We are so dry now, they are not a problem..yet:(

Eggs In My Pocket said...

Well, this was very interesting...we don't have slugs, but it does rain toads! They are comical and don't bother too much. When my duaghter was still at home, she used to get a bucket and I would go out with her after a rain and see how many toads she could collect. I need to do that now and send her a picture of them all...saying...we miss her. lol. Blessings,Kathleen

Tipper said...

Loved the recipes-I use the same one for hummingbirds. I have never ever seen that many slugs at the same time-I guess it's too dry here-cause I hardly ever even see snails.

Shelley said...

Slugs are yucky! Bring on the wine recipes! :-)

Anonymous said...

We get slugs all over the place here too. I find them revolting. And they cost us a fortune in fuel for the quad bike so we can drive around the arable fields with slug killer.

CJ xx

Carol............. said...

Ah, yes THE SLUG! They were out in full force the other damp day but today it was almost 90 and they ran away to hide in their slug homes!

A few years ago I was at the Pike Street Market is Seattle and they had small jars of "SLUG JAM" for sale...pretty little jars with something inside......I think it was peanut butter, though...What a great idea for a souvenir from Washington! LOL

Funky Junk Sisters said...

SLUGS R GROSS! Just thought we would let you know that we are having a giveaway, stop by our blog to enter!

Take care,
Linda & Dixie
The Funky Junk Sisters

Anonymous said...

Growing up we lived in a house that had screened-in porches. Overnight, the snails would leave trails on the screen where they had travelled!
Thanks for the rose feed recipe. I'll have to try that.
I have missed your posts but know this is a busy time of year for you. I certainly appreciate your visit to my blog.
Hope you and the family have a great week Lanny.

Karen said...

I remember walking outside barefoot in the early morning and stepping on slugs. Not a nice feeling!! Have a great week!

Pear tree cottage! said...

I must give this recipe of yours to my daughter.........her little garden is filled with roses that the snails and slugs fight over keeping the whole family up at night with the noise...........lol lol lol. truly!!!

Love as always your blog on life.
Lee-ann

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Lanny: I don't know about raining slugs but they definitley like it wet. You have those big slugs like I saw in Tacoma. We have small ones and they still do damage.