Triple Creek Farm, September 15, 2012

On a farm many things happen which tear at your heart strings.   Yes, we will loose some  of our animals, tears fall down our cheeks as dig the graves, there is a big hole in our heart when we return to the pastures or runs and they are gone, but a little one comes along and there is so much happiness.  I think we would not appreciate the new life as much if we did not have the struggles.

IN THE KITCHEN

I saw this in the "Saveur" cooking magazine quite a while back.  I wanted to try making my own deli-type roast beef.  I did it, started with a chunk of top sirloin  trimmed all the muscle and fat, tied the meat so it would slice easily  used a salt and pepper coating on the outside and seared it.  Into a 200 degree oven it went until the internal temperature was 130 degrees. This took about 5 hours.  The house smelled like the outside of one of the good steak restaurants.  Mr. Bootsie came home from work following his noise inside only to be told no it has to chill for 24 hours.  The next afternoon we sliced the meat and yes, I now have quite a number of 4 ounce packages of sliced roast beef in the freezer.  We will be eating sandwiches made with this meat, subs and open face roast beef with gravy.  This was a first for me, I will be doing this again.  After the prep work there was nothing to it.  In the oven cooking and I was out working in the garden.

ON THE FARM

The pasture fence has been run, the gates are up.  The pole barn sits inside the fence and we will be using some of the pole barn for shelter.  This has been a big job for us.  This land we have is wooded and from the size of the trees it has not been used for anything for a long time.  I have found some barred wire strung from one tree to another but mostly rotten out.  This was a major accomplishment for us.  Mr. Bootsie had never run a fence and had no idea how to do it.  The last fence job I helped with I was about 8 years old and I held the staples for Daddy.  I never thought I would be proud and pleased with a fence.  This is my first fence on my farm and it is a wonderful fence.  I just hope a tree waits for sometime before it falls on the fence.

IN THE COOP

With getting things ready for winter one of the first things that needed to be addressed was the ramp into the chicken house.  It broke a few days ago and was safe for the girls to use but it was starting to rot and any snow load would take it down.  The girls now have a new ramp and it will last for a while.
I started hauling in sand from the creeks this week.  The duck run needed sand as well as the chicken run.  I began breaking down another compost pile and hauling it to the chicken run and they spent one afternoon working compost.

This week I collected 5 ducks eggs and 32 hen eggs.

IN THE GARDEN

We have a critter, it loves the sweet potato vines and I do not think I am going to be harvesting any sweet potatoes.  There were moles, in the spring, running in the bed and in late summer a critter.  It has also been eating the Italian flat beans.  The corn first-aide worked and I picked quite a number of ears of bloody butcher corn.

Next year I am going to put in the supports when the corn is planted.  Every year we learn a little bit more about gardening.  

IN CLOSING

I know it is time to start cleaning the garden.  I just cannot get going.  I have been mulching some of the flower beds.  We have been cutting brush and grass.  One nice thing, I do not rake leaves.  They are left on for a winter covering to keep the plants warm.  We are already looking at trees which will be dropped this winter.  I do wish sometimes this merry-go-round would slow down a little bit.  I have just realized how tired I am.  I am going to try and do things easier next year.  Follow Triple Creek Farm at Happy Hallow on Facebook