Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Monday, July 18, 2016

Unwanted Guests

Sometimes walking a dog (or two, or three) can take me to areas of the property I haven't been to for a few days. 

I was out walking King yesterday, and he kept pulling me (bad habit of his) to the walnut tree.  I thought, "okay, maybe your scent will keep the squirrel out of my fruit trees."

So we walked directly over to the black walnut tree.


And this is what I found hiding in the leaves - walnut caterpillars.  You can see they are white.  There were a ton of them.  I quickly got a bucket of water and soap and cut the leaves directly over the bucket.  I got all the ones I could see.  I hope that was all of them.

While weeding and picking beans recently (before discovering these in the tree), we have found two in the vegetable garden.  I thought it was strange, because in all the years here, we've never see a white caterpillar.  Now I know what they are and what damage they can do.  

I was too tired last night to blanch the basket of green beans, so I took the peas to the porch to shell.  Boy it was hot and humid.  Not like the previous night.  However, it rained last night (woohoo!).  I am so thankful for that.  

It's too wet to weed, but I got a lot done yesterday.  I spent the last hour out in the garden, crawling between the rows of popcorn, pulling weeds from the pumpkin mounds. 

Our broccoli is just now coming on.   We tasted our first green bell pepper yesterday in our breakfast too.  Peanuts are flowering as well.  I best get busy.  I have kale and dandelions to blanch, as well as yesterday's green beans.

6 comments:

Sam I Am...... said...

You have unwanted guests and I am preparing for some very much wanted guests! LOL! I am spending time in the guest room cleaning as it is where I stash my yarn from Miss Peeps. I've been organizing it and storing in plastic bins with lids so she can't get at it.
I have never seen white caterpillars either. They're not those ones that make those huge webs int he trees are they? I've seen those before and had them in my crabapple trees on my farm. You're going to be very busy when that garden starts coming in which is soon it sounds like! As if you're not busy enough! LOL! Glad you got some rain! Green peppers? Good for you!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Sam I am, in the years we've lived here (going on 9 years) we have never seen them. Last year I had worms in the apple trees, but no apples. Glad you are getting some organizing done.

Liz said...

That would not be a good sight to see! Hope you got them all! We had bag worms this year. I pulled out the first "bag" and fed them to the chickens. The second bag we burned, haven't seen anymore.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Liz, I hope I got them all. I plan on checking the tree again today.

RB said...

Very interesting!!! Never knew about the white caterpillars. Don't think I've ever seen one either.
You're growing peanuts? Is it hot enough up there to grow them?
Hope everyone's having a great day, and a safe one too.
God bless.
RB
<><

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

RB, it's may get up to the mid-90's tomorrow or the next day here. It's been very dry and hot this year. We've never grown peanuts, and we just wanted to try it. They are heirloom variety and pretty small.