Re: [gardeners] Lurkers come out

Terry King (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Fri, 03 Oct 97 11:05:38 -0700 

For those who don't already know me from other lists.  I live in eastern 
Washington state close to the Canadian border.  The area I live in is called 
North Central Washington but I'm actually east of the center line of the state, 
hence the apparent confusion in my sigline. :-)

I live on 43 acres at 3000 ft. elevation, 26 miles from the nearest town of any 
size, with my husband, 2 boys (11 1/2 and about to be 10 yrs old), 5 horses, 
5 dogs, 18 sheep, 5 angora goats, 4 cats, 36 ducks (anyone want a duck?), 2 
geese, 2 angora rabbits and still 2 very old hens one of which thinks she's now 
a rooster.   My main crops have been potatoes and garlic as they do well here 
in the short growing season.  It can frosts here sometimes until the first week 
of July and can begin frosting again the 3rd week of August so warm season 
veggies are tough to grow but I keep trying.  In the last couple of years I've 
begun to grow more perenniel flowers and shrubs.  I'm beginning love affairs 
with daylilies and pelargoniums besides old fashion roses.  Mostly I've been 
fighting a losing battle with quack grass chickweed and wormwood so I'm about 
to start a permanent mulch system to see if that will work here.  I also have 
the start of a pretty good sized herb garden of zone 4 hardy herbs.

I've had much training in the landscape industry but have never really held a job 
as such.  I've worked growing hydroponic tomatoes, in wholesale nurseries and 
helped others with their landscaping.  When ever life has been confusing I've 
always turned to gardening, even if it was just houseplants.

Besides gardening and raising animals I spin, dye wool, knit, make baskets and 
soap, I'm learning to weave, spend way too much time on the computer, 
bicycle, hike, fish, X-country ski (sometimes downhill too and I'm learning to 
telemark), ride horseback and we're remodeling our house.  In summary I 
generally spend my time going in circles because I have too much to do and I'm 
interested in almost everything.  I'll also be a founding member of 
Procrastinators of America when we get around to starting the club. :-D

Terry King                  North Central Eastern Washington
taeking@televar.com        USDA zone 4, Sunset Zone 1