IN THE KITCHEN
I added to the freezer this week, broccoli and cauliflower which I purchased in the valley. Raisin Bread is oh, so good, Momma would buy a loaf and use it as a treat for us. I decided to try raisin bread, this is the first time I have ever made raisin bread, I am pleased with the results. Saturday night we had French onion soup, Friday the stock cooked slowly on the wood stove all day. There were rye bread croutons and small chunks of swiss cheese add to the top of the soup and it was baked in the oven for a few minutes.
ON THE FARM
Mr. Bootsie went to the farm store and bought one additional roll of wire. This will be used to enclose the outside of some of the pole barn and make a run-in in one section of the pole barn. The gates will be covered with wire so small animals cannot get through the gates. We may be looking at the end of one of our projects for this year. We are not there, something can always happen when you expect it least.
IN THE COOP
Every night when it is time for the ducks to be closed up in their house, we have been catching the ducks and putting them in. Tonight, I could see the Deedle wanted to go in by herself, she was very quietly looking at the door and wondering if she should. I put their food in the house and stepped back, she proceeded to go up the little ramp and into the house! Poked her head out and told the Tweedle something. All I know is he got himself in the duck house with no messing around. This may never happen again but I was so excited, they went in by themselves tonight.
The girls are having issues with sleeping arrangements. The old girls really have it in for the pullets. There was one roosting post no one was using and I started putting the pullets on it. They followed my lead and went up on this post every night. Now two of the old girls have moved on this post and will not let them sleep on it. The pullets have gotten very creative and found great places to sleep, I am concerned if the old girls are going to try and take over the new roosting places.
With all of the molting going on egg count is dropping, this week 23 eggs were collected from the hens and Deedle laid 6 duck eggs. Deedle is laying quite a lot of double yolks, she knows how to make Momma proud.
IN THE GARDEN
My walking onions are up and I am weeding them, planted the potato onions and started planting the garlic. I had a local farm give me some elephant garlic and I am so pleased to have this. This is a mild garlic, so mild, some compare it to leeks. I plant stiff and soft neck garlic. I go though my garlic and break the heads, pick out the largest cloves and plant them. I save the smaller cloves to use in the kitchen.
Friday afternoon, I started moving the row covers into place. Lettuce covered, we have not had frost but the night time temperature is getting low.
IN CLOSING
I want to take a minute and THANK those who take time from their busy lives to read my blog, I am touched every time I see a new follower. I try to keep things interesting but sometimes I feel there is not enough going on. Some weeks I can't get into the kitchen, or other places because of obligations I have made to others. I want you to know I stay busy on this place, somethings I do not feel are post worthy. Maybe you would be interested in my loading buckets with mulch and moving them to the beds, this is something I do every week. I will not share we bought in wood, we heat with wood and it has to be moved to the house or I carried out the ashes and put them in a metal bucket. We have several buckers and allow them to cool for several weeks in the buckets and I always try to dump them when we have falling weather. I add to the compost piles almost daily. There is so much we do on a daily basis and are considered daily chores, these are not talked about, just done. When it seems we slacked off, I may be catching up doing necessary things which are routine. But it always gives me much pleasure to Thank those who care about the activities of our little farm.
It's been a busy weekend here so I am just now getting a chance to sit down and read some of the blogs I missed. It's okay if you don't have a lot to post, we all have times where things are just quiet or just too busy to have time to do the things we need to do.
ReplyDeleteI buy a few things in bulk like yeast. I usually get about a half a pound at a time....do you know how much yeast is in half a pound? Let's just say I'm going to make some raisin bread in the near future too, and rye, and french and.......
Im glad to hear the ducks are learning to go into their home. I'm happy for you, and them. Pecking order time is alway stressful on the hens and you, but it will all work itself out in the end.
If you ever decide you need to get rid of some of your walking onion bulbs......just let me know. I could always use a few walking onions in my garden. Winter is here...we have already had frosts and freezes...it was only 22 the other morning...burrrr. So needless to say, the garden season is over here. I'm already planning on next year.
And in closing, your blogs are always interesting. I enjoy reading them and like to comment so you know that the time and effort you put into your blogs is appriciated and well liked. Thank you my friend and have a wonderful week.
I, always, have walking onions to share. I will post next year when they are ready to share. I plant as soon as they are ready and again in October. I have onions to pull now and some well established for the winter. Will put in more, just because. I have them in the garden and the herb garden. I do this so there will always be some sets somewhere. If you want to try this year, I have more sets than I will use. You can PM on facebook or e-mail. I am so pleased you are interested in the walking onions!!!
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