Triple Creek Farm, September 14, 2013

I have been shelling butter beans since, well, forever, and I have seen many a bean with 4 but this one just blew my mind, for the first time in my life, here is a Fiver, grown in my garden!!!  Maybe I am doing something right and never realized I would be rewarded with a gift like this!!!  This is as exciting as a triple yolk egg, my chance of seeing another 5 bean butter bean may never happen again.  As I sit in my rocking chair shelling my beans I really need to wipe the grin from my face, but this is my accomplishment and to my knowledge my gardening hero's Momma and Daddy never has a Fiver!!!

IN THE KITCHEN

I spent a few hours visiting some old cookbooks and found some interesting recipes for sourdough.  Of course, I found one I just had to try.  Sourdough french bread, the recipe is for 2 loaves and is not difficult and the results according to the recipe is a crusty bread.  This bread turned out very crusty and was delicious when rubbed with a fresh garlic clove and heated.   I saw a  recipe for garlic and red pepper jelly,  this jelly was worth making.  I like the garlic and sweet pepper combination, this is not a hot jelly only a sweet one.




ON THE FARM

Mr. Bootsie and I took a few hours this week and visited a farm just a few miles away.  The purpose of visiting was to learn how they are handling their goats,  They have a beautiful ram and so gentle.  Arrangements are being made for our ladies to visit this farm in a few weeks.  I am so pleased to think I may have little ones in the spring and maybe we can start milking.

IN THE COOP

There is peace in the coop, finally.  The only challenge remaining is bringing in the little peeps and that will be a few weeks away.  The little peeps were hatched from welsummer eggs, this is a new breed of chickens for us.  We know there is 1 rooster and 4 hens.  This breed is very easy to identify the sex of the bird at a very young age.  I have been very pleased with their development.  Saturday, was the day to do the fall cleaning of the coop.  New curtains were put over the nesting boxes, coop was scraped, sprayed with vinegar and new straw was put in.  When the girls came in to go to bed they seemed so pleased to have a clean coop which was smelling fresh and they were wondering who picked out the fabric for the new curtain.

IN THE GARDEN

The butter bean vines are hanging with pods, if the cold weather holds off, the harvest is going to be wonderful.  Several pole beans volunteered and I have learned a good lesson from these plants.  I have been planting my pole beans wrong.  Next year, I will be planting them differently.  There has been 1 bean plant on some of the teepees and we have harvested a large number of beans.  Some of fall and winter crops are starting to come up, the bugs have found the turnip greens and Holland greens. I am not happy sharing, so I will nurse these plants along until there is a frost.

IN CLOSING

Plumbing problems in the house has taken sometime away from doing chores.  Problem has been found as this new construction is not built with access doors to the plumbing, there was dry wall to be removed.  Now we are waiting for our plumber to come and fix the leak.  Mr. Bootsie told the plumber he had things under control and next week would be fine.  As I walk around our house and look at where the plumbing is located, I can already tell you, we shall be putting in more access doors as needed.

Leaves are falling, there is a crispness in the air, hickory nuts are everywhere. The squirrels are busy making their winter stash; however, the garden is a no-no.  Every time I find a hole dug in the garden I look for the nut and toss it away.  I learned a few years ago if the winter is not harsh, I will have a garden full of hickory trees, it is much easier to remove the nuts than the small trees.

We have had another good week here on farm and life is good.  I am thinking about making French toast with the bread I made as a wonderful way to start the week.  I hope for all of a week of happiness!!!   Until we meet again!!!