Triple Creek Farm, March 30, 2013

I can already tell, I am going to be much busier this spring and summer than I have been in the past.  I have started a page on this blog about letting nature telling you when to plant.  I am trying this procedure this year as our spring in not coming and I need to get my garden planted.  In the pantry, a lot of my jars are empty which means I will be doing more canning.  I plan on adding a page in April about how many eggs are collected.  If you follow the production department of the coop this will interest you.  I am doing this for my own record and being able to keep this information on one page.  My week in review post is my record of what happened on the farm.  I can refer to this to see how things are going this year comparing to last year.  I will do my best to keep this interesting.

IN THE KITCHEN

Wednesday was a windy, chilly day.  I hid out in the house and tried something I had been gathering the ingredients for.  I made ricotta cheese.  This was my first time making cheese.  I was so excited doing this.  You will find the recipe here.  I used this cheese to make a ricotta spinach filling for ravioli's.  This was my first time making pasta.  I was most excited about cooking the raviolis and not a one of them broke.  This was an afternoon of my learning a new skill and making a check on my bucket list.  Would I do this again?  Yes, I was very pleased with the dish I made, we had a very nice dinner and I froze some raviolis for another time.

ON THE FARM

We are still working with the goats, as with other animals when a new one comes there is an adjustment time.  Gracie is so jealous of me, I really have to try and balance things with her as she will go for the new girls when I am around.  I have not been pleased with her attitude.  I do understand because when we bring in new chickens it takes a while for everything to settle down.  A lot longer than you would think.  My ladies are doing good, I had hoped things would settle down a little quicker.  Friday, I spent time in the lot with them and had everyone playing together for quite a while.  Then all at once, Gracie remembered she is my momma and she should not be playing with anyone but me.  

IN THE COOP

Life in the coop is quiet and everyone appears to be very happy.  We clean houses, change bedding in the duck house, gather eggs and keep everyone fed.  Until I make the decision to bring in new faces,  things will continue to be very peaceful, I think.  Deedle aka Momma Duck (who has never had any babies) laid another 7 eggs this week.  We have a drake but I think he is worthless.  The girls knew it was Easter week and started hiding their eggs in the bedding.  I managed to find 44 eggs this week.  Saturday evening we were not able to collect the eggs because there was a broody on the nest, I decided to leave the eggs and see if she is still there in the morning.  I may be thinking baby chicks if she if still on the nest.  I will need to locate fertile eggs as we have no roosters.

IN THE GARDEN

Gathered lettuce from the cold tunnel, planted Chinese cabbage and arugula in the tunnel.  I set two tomato plants which should have tomatoes in less then 2 months, these are in the tunnel, I am learning what to do with these plants.  I am working seedlings and they are everywhere.  The squash I planted in the seed trays came up in 3 days.  I have more lettuce ready to transplant to the tunnel.  

Look what I found in the tunnel on Saturday while I was watering.  Broccoli starting to make crowns.  

IN CLOSING

The temperatures are starting to come up a little.  We are still experiencing below freezing morning temperatures.  The soil is cold.  Water on the ponds is frozen in the mornings.  The hoses were reconnected so we would have running water but we have been watching the temperature and turning the water off and draining the hoses.  This spring is below normal and I am waiting to bring in baby chicks. 

This is Easter weekend and may your holiday be wonderful.  If you have celebrated Passover or enjoying this Easter Sunday I hope all is good in your world.  May each of you be blessed in your own special way.