Who cares that Mike had a birthday? That’s a good question. But people have no been following me online now since 1999, that’s 21 years, and I know some like to know what’s going on with me.
So I am going to ask you. Do you care? Do you like posts like this or are they just clutter and a waste of your time? Post a comment below and let me know.
I started my birthday hanging out with two of my best friends, Finnegan and Fergus! During the winter, especially when it’s cold I just add more straw to their Little Underground House rather than cleaning it out and then adding fresh straw. I like to think that having a layer of 8 to 10 inches of straw/manure on the floor is actually a source of heat for them.
Anyway, it was a warm day and I knew there were at least 6 bales of dirty straw and manure in their house so it was time to clean it out. That works out to about 3 cubic yards of material for the compost pile. That’s plenty for one episode of stall mucking.
It was a rainy day and I can tell you one thing for sure. Fergus does not do rain! On a rainy day as you’ll see in these pictures it’s not unusual for Finnegan to have a soaking wet head and front shoulders because he stands and looks out the door in the rain. But Fergus, on a rainy day, he’s always bone dry. He does not do rain!
Their house is only 8′ by 8′ and since it was raining they decided to come in the house and help me! It becomes challenging because it’s a small space and they have combined eight legs. Makes it difficult to get anything on the pitch fork and I spend most of my day pushing them this way or that way.
Then they tend to stand under the bucket of the front end loader as I toss the waste material into the bucket and they get showered with dirty straw and manure. You can see it all over their backs in these photos.
But they love fresh straw in their house so it’s a big deal for them.
Later that day Kevin and Grace had us over for dinner for my birthday and we got to hang out with the grand kids! Duston and his family are in Texas now so we don’t get to see them as often, but were headed down that way soon. Remind me to post so photos!
This is also a reminder that we have at least one of more events each year for Our Members, We call them Backyard Growers Shindigs and they are a blast!
Enjoy the photos, let me know if you appreciate a post like this.
Questions, comments, mean things to say? Post them below and I will respond.
Happy Birthday!
I’m new to your site via Youtube about cuttings and I was mesmerized. You make it look so easy! Can’t wait to get into my yard and give it a try. Can I use this method for Lilacs? What about a Flowering Plum tree? I’m in Southeastern NH, it’s the beginning of June – OK to start them now? Both have just finished flowering…Thanks so much for your help and advice!!!
Jane,
Best thing to do is try, it’s just a tad early, wait until mid June. http://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2015/01/easy-summertime-plant-propagation-techniques-can-home/
Happy Birthday, Mike!, As fellow 64’er take care of yourself and keep the old man away!
Thanks Mike!
Happy Very Belated Birthday! Love your pictures. I finally had time to sit down at the computer and look at some of the emails I had saved. I always enjoy yours!
Thanks Renny!
I LOVE it when you bring us into your world! Appreciate the pics with your family, and Happy (belated) Birthday! You should have a barn party sometime and invite us to your neck of the woods.
Beki,
I do! Every year! We invite members to our annual shindig, it’s a blast. We get people from all over! Others are always invited to our plant sales and wholesale days.
Happy birthday fellow tax write-up baby, and thanks for sharing your pictures and time.
Happy 64th year, Mike! Enjoyed your pictures!
HAPPY Belated Birthday Mike! And may you have many more to enjoy with your family and the donkeys.
Thanks Mike. I have enjoyed your information for years now. I love seeing your family, pets and plants!
Happy Late Birthday, Mike!!! Thank you for all your helpful tips and information and I love seeing your animals and your precious grands.
Yes sir ! I sure do love hearing news like this about you and your sweet family ! Keep ’em coming ! Happy Birthday, and may you have many more to share with us all. Thank you !
Yes, more posts like this! It’s fun to see what you and the family are doing (and the donkeys, too)! Happy Birthday, Mike!
Please continue with these kinds of posts! I’ve followed you for years and love your tips and information.
Your pictures, recipes, family and donkeys are an added bonus!
Happy Birthday, Mike! Hope you had a great day!
Thanks for the post, it put a smile on my face.
God Bless you!
I love your humor and it is awesome that you love your donkeys so much
😊
Wonderful post! Happy birthday and best wishes for many more!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE, MAY GOD BLESS YOU WITH MANY MORE BIRTHDAYS. THE PICTURES WITH YOUR GRANDCHILDREN ARE TO BE CHERISHED.
ENJOY AL THE E-MAILS YOU HAVE SENT ME REGARDING ALL THE GARDENING INFO. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
I hope you had a great birthday, young man. Your posts are very helpful and I save them for future use. I also love seeing your donkeys. Happy birthday!
As I recall, I saw 64 about 10 years ago and it was a very good year. Hoping yours is great also. Look forward to your mail, with excellent basic gardening wisdom, your wonderful family, and the donkeys. Your humor is quick and injected throughout many of your presentations. For example your telling the lady that was filming you on a Sunday when you were in shorts…”don’t keep filming my legs, their not paying for that!” Your a good man and a terrific success story making so much from so little.
Thank you for your wisdom and sharing it with us all. Keep the mail coming…
Mike,
I enjoyed seeing your Birthday pictures! Glad you had a good day with family and friends. I’ve been reading your blog for a number of years now and look forward to the good advice and the way you add a personal touch with family included in posts. Here’s to another upcoming gardening season! Anne
I love these posts and your donkeys and your great family
Thanks. Mike for all the amazing posts. I came to love gardening when one of my daughters started a course in gardening and landscaping. All through my 50 years, life took away my pleasure to enjoy the world around me. I never had time to appreciate nature. Since the past two years, with inspiration from you, and my daughter, I came to love everything small scale gardening, exterior designing, For the first time in my life, I started admiring natural beauty and plants. Today, I can say I love that flower or that plant.
Each time I have a spare moment, I start with reading your posts. I even keep them in my mailbox. I do not remember one post that I have deleted.
And most of all, happy belated birthday. All my children were born in January. Desire 30th January, and Destiny 17th January. They are starting to love the flowers, indoor plants, and outdoor plants.
Thanks, Mike
HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY, 🎉🇺🇸🦅🎂 You and the family pictures look great! Thankyou for sharing them. I have enjoyed your posts for years and used your guidence. Especially on the 3 laceleaf maples I had, two of which I lost in the hard winter last year. Now have moved to a condo and no big flower gardens or ornamental bushes to care for and I miss them. I even moved one new limelight hydrangea and the red dragon laceleaf with me here. I hope they survive the winters here. I only moved across town so still have cold winters! However I still enjoy your posts . Many happy returns of your birthday.
Happy Bday Mike, and many more to come. The pics take me back to the Buckeye winters. BRRRR! But it has the look of home nevertheless. Here in So Cal SanDiego county my geraniums are getting ready to bloom. They come up through the cracks in my parking lot like the meanest weeds on earth and yet they survive drought to make the most gorgeous displays of pink and scarlet blooms imaginable.
Would they bounce back after an Ohio winter? I bet they would be popular there. Again, many more birthdays to you.
Yes, Happy Birthday
I love reading about why is going on with donkeys and your family…I have learned so much …dont quit please
Happy belated birthday Mike! Glad you had a great day with the grandkids! Thank you for all your help and advice for all of us. You are a super person!
Keep em coming Mike! Thats what makes you who you are. Glad you had a great birthday !
Happy Birthday, Mike! I turned 64 last November. I hope I look as good as you! Love seeing you enjoying life. Love all the posts!
Happy Birthday Mike. I enjoy your articles and pictures. You have helped me a lot by the information you give and am a member of the Back Yard Growers;
Best wishes and many more
Happy Birthday!!!
Enjoy the blogging, informational
As a grandfather and nurseryman myself, I LOVE seeing these pictures. It makes it very personal and somehow makes me feel like I know you. I would absolutely keep posting them Mike!
Oh, Mike, please keep your post coming. Your family picture are a personal touch to your posts. Personally I would like to see more of the donkeys.! They sound like a an added joy to your life.
Happy Birthday Mike! I enjoy the pictures, stories and gardening tips.
Happy birthday. I love the personal stories.
Adorable kids! Happy Birthday–and many more–Much appreciation for the “dirt” people—love digging and planting –it’s the right thing to do!
Happy Birthday Mike – I have been following you since 2000 – I even became a member but the wheels came off work wise – getting ready to retire and it’s time to get at this nursery thing. Thanks for all you do and I love your emails. I save them all in my computer.
I enjoy receiving your regular mail messages, and love posts of your donkeys and family!
Really funny story, donkeys’ behavior cracked me up, and grandkids have your smile:) Thanks for sharing your “When I’m 64” birthday with us, your fan’ily!!!
Really funny story, donkeys are a hoot and grandkids have your smile! Thanks for sharing your “When I’m 64” birthday with us, your fan’ily:)
So glad you had a Happy Birthday! I love your posts and am even happier that now I should have more time to read them and hopefully visit someday! Thanks for sharing all that you do!
Best wishes from across the lake! Keep your stories and your great gardening info coming.
Happy Birthday Mike
I enjoyed your birthday pictures. Happy belated birthday. Keep the pictures coming.
I’ve known [of] you since you were skinny. Happy Birthday, Mike.
.
Belated best wishes for a happy beginning to your 65th year! I have loved following your posts since quite some years back. Keep them coming!
To wish you A very Happy belated Birthday.
I have always enjoyed you sharing photos of your family too, so keep em coming.
Thanks for everything.
Ellie from Kelowna, British Columbia, CANADA.
Precious manure! And Happy Belated Birthday! Love the pictures!
I always enjoy reading about the donkeys. It’s clear you have a sweet loving family, including F & F! Happy birthday!
Belated Happy Birthday. Nice photos of family and captions. The donkeys sound like they are almost human and have a great sense of humor. Enjoy !!!
The posts on your family are awesome! We get to put faces to the people you talk about and we get to see the fun! Thanks for all of the great information.
Thanks for all you do! I’ve learned a lot by reading your articles over the years. Keep up the great work and enjoy those grandchildren.
Thank you Andy and everybody, lots of comments on this post.
I love the pictures and your email is something I enjoy. Patti
Happy Birthday to You … Thanks for this post and so many helpful hints … <
It’s nice to hear how to celebrate a birthday! All your info and tidbits are great to read. Thanks
Happy Birthday!
I love reading posts like this..adds a heartwarming personal touch. I would like to know why you have to add smelly manure to the nice fresh straw tho🤭🥴🤢
Happy birthday, and many more! Keep the pics, and of course, the great gardening info, coming . . .
Happy Belated Birthday Mike, I have loved and learned a lot from your posts, don`t do much gardening anymore altho that is where my best time is spent. THANK YOU,
Glad your birthday was a happy one! Good looking 64!
Keep the pictures coming… Happy Birthday!
Happy Belated Birthday! What a lovely family. Your gardening advise is great, too. Thanks very much.
Lots of love to you and all your family.
Happy Belated birthday Mike! Thank you for the pictures and all the great gardening articles you post! It’s much appreciated!
Tonya
(Right down the road in Geneva)
🙂
Happy belated B-Day Mike!! You are a very blessed man! What a happy healthy family! The pics gave us a full on smile of joy, thanks so much for sharing, you made our day already and it’s not even 6 am here yet!!
MUCH LOVE,
ACEnDEB
Thank you everybody for the birthday wishes.
It’s interesting your donkeys have different personalities. I guess most animals do.
You mention they love fresh straw in their house and it’s a big deal to them. What is it that they do that tells you they love the fresh straw?
Joanne,
They get really excited when I go out back to get the straw, running along the fence with the tractor. Kicking and bucking like kids. Then once I throw the straw over the fence Finnegan actually hurdles the bales, right into their little house. Then they’ll spend most of the day in the house eating the fresh straw. Crazy really, they aren’t supposed to like straw.
Happy birthday mike! Your business model inspires me up here near traverse city Michigan. Hoping to get started propagating. In our very sandy soil.
Like your critters too.
Thanks William, please do get started. Test drive the members area, you’ll learn more than you can imagine.
Happy Birthday Mike and I enjoy anything you put on your website, its always interesting to read and see your photos
Please keep posting..i appreciate your posts very much and learn a lot. I love your dirt farmer fudge recipe and baked beans.
I enjoyed the pics of your family! And, of course all the planting tips!
Thanks for sharing….Happy Birthday
There was a 91 year old retired Dr. here in our area of Victoria Australia and he had a couple of compost bins with the most worms I have ever seen in them. He added a little bit of greens but every day he cleaned up the manure of the 2 donkeys next door to him and put it all in the 2 bins….the worms could leave the bins by the bottom but the food was too good. He used to sell the worms to people for their own worm farms and put handfuls on his garden once a week. The were regular garden worms and they were so happy chomping away on the donkey poo.
Margot,
Awesome information!
Happy Birthday, Mike – love the posts – seeing you having fun with your family and your adorable donkeys reminds us all how truly blessed we all are! Now I’m feeling good about doing something completely different at age 66 – working with plants is my passion – thank you for all your advice!
Happy Birthday! Great pictures. I am one of your original followers when you were gardening just in your back yard! You have come a long way!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE YOU ARE A LUCKY MAN OR SHOULD I SAY BLESSED
Nice to see you with fa.y…love your blogs. I live in france and your tips are always useful for my large garden.
Indeed yes, enjoy photos of you and your family…including Finnegan and Fergus. A belated Happy Birthday! January is a great month for a birthday since it’s a long month, it needs a celebration!
Happy Birthday, Mike!
I really appreciate the work you are doing. I’m one of your followers from overseas, namely central Europe, Hungary.
I wish you good health, and strength to keep up the good work.
Happy Birthday. I enjoy the posts. Keep it up.
Happy Birthday, Mike! Love seeing pictures. Your Grand kids are getting big. Hope you have many more Happy Birthdays. Stay healthy and happy.
Happy Birthday, Mike, yes I am one of those people that have been following your blog for about 20years. I enjoy all of your wonderful information. Yes, I love your pictures of your family. You are looking good I remember when had to lose weight you seem to have accomplished that, good on you. You have a very nice family and I love the donkeys.
Happy Birthday Mike! Great pictures. Thank you for all your advice.
Thanks for sharing Mike! Happy Birthday! I love to read about what’s happening in your life. I started following you a long time ago , very early 2000’s and I’ve been hooked doing plant propagation life since than.
My life has changed so many ways since meeting you but your inspiration has kept me going.
I’ve done it for fun, worked at a plant propagation nursery, owned my own nursery, taught classes and even moved to another state and 6 houses later and I am now teaching others through my job at a University Extension Office.
So yes, all that you write about matters to me. You have shown me how to keep going when life changes. It’s real life exposed as it is.
I hope you enjoyed your birthday! You deserve it!
Thank you Askia and nice job in all that you’ve done.
I don’t always read an article all the way through, but I ALWAYS learn something. So…please keep them coming. Thank you so much.
This post was awesome 🤗 And all of your posts are so informative and enjoyable 👍
Sweet grandchildren. Love the pics!
Love the pictures. Love having a look into your life and your donkey companions! Great post.
I forgot to say ‘HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY’!!
I enjoyed the posts. Keep posting please.
Happy birthday. You have a beautiful family. And 2 cute donkeys.
Happy Birthday!!
Happy Birthday, wonderful pics and beautiful grandkids and family. Enjoy reading your emails and stories etc.
Happy Birthday! I enjoyed reading about the great day and seeing the photos, too.
I love seeing your family moments and the donkeys! Keep those pics coming! Great moments. 🙂
I care that you turned 64! You have made an amazing contribution to gardeners and I for one have hugely benefitted! Keep on keepin’ on! We love you!
I like the friendly posts.
And also a very happy birthcay!
I love ALL your posts and helpful information. Congratulations on your 64th. I hope this doesn’t mean that you will hang up your ptuners next birthday?
Hope you had a great birthday Mike. Love the photos!
Happy birthday, fun pictures!🎉😁
Happy Birthday!
I enjoy the posts about what you are up to.
Mike your site is wonderful. We not only gets loads (pun intended) of excellent fertilizer pictures. We get to have fun, too!
Happy Birthday, and thank you so much for sharing, not only your expert knowledge, but also your family and your precious animals.
Have a great 2020 and we’ll keep watch on your tips and your life! I definitely appreciate all!
I love your posts! Happy birthday Mike. I hope it was the best yet.
I absolutely love your family pictures and your donkeys too! Hey, in all the clutter in the world, isn’t this what is important?
Happy Birthday Mike! God bless you.
Happy Belated Birthday Mike! 🎂🎉
I’ve been a blog follower for some time now. Appreciate all the gardening tid-bits. Thanks a million and yes we do care 😉that you made it to see another birthday, wishing you many many more God Bless🙏🏾
Kay~
Glad you had a great Birthday! Happy Birthday from one of your readers! Love the family photos! Beautiful family.!
Happy Birthday! You have a beautiful family even the donkeys are cute😁 Love the posts and all the great gardening advice
Happy Birthday, Mike! I stopped counting the numbers and just celebrate the day I was born! Family stories and photos are always welcome.
I enjoyed the picturs
Always glad when someone can share happy times!!
Hi Mike Happy,Happy Birthday,,love seeing your pictures
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MJKE
Happy Birthday Mike, I like the post as well, and do care! It’s a fun read and nice to see you and the family enjoying yourself. Thank you for all the wonderful gardening tips
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE
I love to read about your donkeys and your wife and grandkids. You are a great gardener and teacher but also a family man. I like to see things like you and the family celebrating your birthday.
Wonderful family shots and the donkeys are very handsome too They look like characters and I bet they add a lot of joy to your lives.
Congratulations Mike!
God bless you and your family.
Happy Birthday Mike! Nothing better than celebrating special times with the ones you love! Thanks for sharing the great pics!
Love following you, your family the donkeys and your site. I learn so much. Keep it up Mike! Love all your gardening tips! Have relatives in Erie.
The ‘personal notes’ are really special. Makes you so much more ‘human’ than MOST people on the internet. Keep it up. hugs,Laurie
A very Happy Birthdsy to you. Enjoy the cake with your family and grandchildren. May you have many many more.
I love to hear about your family and the donkeys!! Keep us posted like this!
Beautiful pics of your beautiful family Mike. Happy birthday and keep em’ coming!
Love to see your birthday photos
Happy Birthday Mike! Been following you for 12 years, and I love to see your people and furry family grow and change! Wishing you all the best!
Kathleen Murphy
Youngstown NY
It’s great to see grandkids photos. We have 10 grandkids! Hope you had a great Birthday!
Enjoyed this!
Hi Mike:
Thank you for sharing your family birthday photos and also the donkey pictures as I love seeing them too.
I am sending belated Happy Birthday wishes to you! I have been following you for several years and love the very helpful information that you so generously share with your readers. I tell a lot of friends and family about your great site.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE!!!🎂🍨🍾🥂💐🎊🎉
keep it up! a few more years and you’ll catch up to me!! Awsesome family pix!
Happy belated Birthday Mike. Hope you have a bunch more. Really enjoy reading your advice columns and am always learning. Thanks so much……
Love your updates on friends and family….keep it up….I hope to make one of the shindig’s one of these times
hey Mike, long time subscriber here. love what you show us all how to do. and enjoy the pictures!
happy birthday!!!!!!!
Happy 64th Mike! I do enjoy these posts, always great to see the grands that you get to spoil and send home afterwards!! Good looking and smart bunch you have there! I enjoy your wisdom on your site, been following you for years. Keep up the good work.
Happy Birthday! Love seeing your beautiful family. Lyn
I’m not sure how many years I’ve been receiving your helpful, informative emails, but I’ve saved most of them in my AOL email ‘gardening’ folder. Your pictures of Finnegan & Fergus are a great addition to your posts. What a lovely family you have – beautiful grandchildren, children & wife!!
While I’m not in a position to start even a small plant business, I enjoy browsing your website. The world is definitely a better place for having had you in it for 64 years.!
Happy Birthday & Happy New Year to you from Minnesota.
Bobbi
Thank you Bobbi and everybody. I’m glad that all of you appreciate what I do.
Happy, Happy Birthday Mike! Thank you for all the gifts of knowledge and expertise you share with us. Love your family pics and always the fun stories of the donkeys.
A late Happy Birthday to you. Your grandkids are just cuter than a bugs ear! I like your house for the donkeys too. Bet they appreciate it more than you know and that fact that you keep it clean for them shows just what a great man you are! Keep planting and sharing, it’s great!
I love your comments, advice AND about your personal life with family and four-leg friends. Cathy
Happy Birthday, Mike! Where has the time gone?! I remember when this was just an idea, and obviously a great one.. Your enthusiasm and determination inspired me way back then when our kids were the age of the grandkids! LOL Isn’t it great being a grandparent with kids who love to learn what you love to do and do it with you?
Here’s wishing you many more!
Happy Birthday Mike! My husband and I enjoy your gardening advice and tips! It’s wonderful & so very helpful! Thank you for taking the time to give to so many! God Bless you and your beautiful family! (P.S. My husband is a year behind you on hitting his retirement date..he just turned 63 this month as well! heehee..the race is on! heehee
Happy 64! Thanks for sharing your gardening tips! God BLESS!!
Happy Birthday Mike! And many more! Love the pics Thanks for sharing. I just love the donkeys ,they are so cute! beautiful grand kids Love reading your post. . Happy 64!
Happy birthday Mike I hope you had a wonderful day
I love your posts! God bless the donkeys!!
I surely enjoy reading your columns. I have used your ideas in my gardening. I am trying to Root starts from my Ginko Biloba Maidenhair tree. No success with your techniques so far.
Happy Birthday, MIke! Thank you for sharing the beautiful pictures! I always wanted donkeys but had to settle for a cat and a chihuahua! They’re not so bad lol!
Enjoyed the photos…..good looking family. Happy Birthday!
You are special! Never change!
Happy 64th Birthday
Thanks for sharing your life ❤️
I love hearing from you and am trying to grow plants I paid for a full membership some time ago but have not taken advantage of what is offered.
I know I need your help but am busy with other things that must be accomplished that is relative to getting plants to use to start a greater variety of plants.
Thank you for what you do and your help in educating us on how to form a business and earn with our skill and work with plants.
Many more birthday blessings for all you do…. loved the pix!
Thanks Mike for sending the posts I am 69 years old and have learned to root plants from your instructions. I have a nice size creek with lots of course sand. This mixed with dirt makes good rooting combination. I only do it for myself, may do more later. I enjoyed the photos of your family. Sylane Whitfield Pell City, Al.
Happy Belated Birthday!! It’s always great to see photos with family and friends. Especially grands. Donks have such personalities and I always enjoy reading the adventures. Keep it up!!
Mike, Happy Birthday!!! Hope you enjoyed your special day. Yes, we welcome your emails, your videos, your “wealth” of information that you freely give and we try to soak up. Thank you!
Mike, I look forward to your posts. They are not only informative, but fun and funny. Keep them coming!
I like donkeys. Fun to see them.
Love the posts and the donkeys!
Mike, I love your articles and wish you a belated Happy Birthday! Darling grandkids and you can be certain their time with Grandpa and Grandma will long be remembered and cherished. The animals are sweet and I like hearing about and seeing all them! Thanks!
Always good to know that you are just a real person also … Keep the pictures … Happy Birthday Young’n
I love the pics
Your personal life DOES matter & helps us know the sincerity of your education~services for this easy program!
Fun to read, and congratulations…a bit belated. Thank you for all your gardening advice.
Thanks Chris!
Awwww I love these pics! Happy 64th and kiss the donkeys for me! 🙂
Happy Birthday Mike! Great pictures of a very handsome family. I like the posts
Thanks Mike, I appreciate your comments.