Triple Creek Farm, March 9, 2013

I have missed being able to share with you, this past week there were computer problems.  We did not get a lot of work completed this week.  Monday, we went into the big city to pick up a new device for the computer and some provisions in case the promised storm came our way.  Storm arrived about 10 on Tuesday evening.  Wednesday morning we loss electric power and land line telephone.  Snow left around 4 Wednesday afternoon and there were about 6 inches on the ground.  Around 4 on Friday afternoon the electric power was fixed and the telephone was working on Thursday evening.

I must say, I have a lot of respect for those who farmed before our lives became so easy.  Every time I needed to wash dishes I needed to heat up water on the wood stove.  The wood stove was a blessing as it kept us warm, heated water and we able to make something to eat on it.  We had several trees come down and with 2 roads coming into the property we had always thought we could use one of them.  Not with this storm, both roads were blocked with trees downed.  So, the main road was opened and next week we will be cleaning up the down trees.  Not one tree was good for fire wood, one tree was a cedar and this will become a fence post.  

The goats and chickens had no interest in coming out in the snow.  We just feed them twice a day and they stayed in the coop and barn.  But the ducks were in the pond swimming when the temperature was above freezing and they spend the days under the chicken coop where there was nothing falling on them. 

IN THE KITCHEN

I had put corned beef in a brine and the 10th day was Monday afternoon.  I cooked the beef on Tuesday and I was pleased with the results.  I will be making more of the corned beef as both of us were impressed with the flavor of the meat and how good it tasted.  I made corned beef hash with eggs for breakfast one morning. 

The soup this week was vegetable beef and I was so pleased it was in the fridge and we could just put a pan of soup on the wood stove and heat it for a meal.  

IN THE COOP

The girls do not let us down and they laid 43 eggs this week.  There were 7 ducks eggs collected.

IN THE GARDEN

The cold tunnel made it through the snow,  Mr. Bootsie cleaned all of the snow off,  Wednesday morning,  as the tunnel was sagging.  He was able to push it up and add some extra support, with another cleaning of snow Wednesday afternoon the tunnel made it through this storm with no problems.    I am working bedding plants and thinking about springtime gardening.  

IN CLOSING

As I look back over this week, I am thankful all went well.  This is the first snow with ducks and goats, they seem to know what to do to take of themselves and we just follow their lead.  I learned quite a lot and planning in the future will be quite a bit easier.  Now we will be cleaning and waiting for the land to dry so we can get the garden it.  It is almost time to plant potatoes, the land is much to wet at the present to even think about potatoes.  

Thank you to those of you who continue to follow our post, check things out on facebook and e-mail me.  I do enjoy your comments.  I am excited about spring on our little farm and of course, sharing the adventure with you.