Can't be But This Week is Over

I started out on Sunday setting Little Gray, she has 3 ducks eggs from the swap and 2 hen eggs she refused to give up.  It was much easier letting her have them and she take to the nest rather than trying to talk to a hen about sitting on a nest with 3 strange eggs.  We shall pull those eggs, this Sunday and give her all new eggs which should hatch about the time the ducks hatch.

Monday, milking is good and I had Mr. Bootsie fix some jar lids for me so I would know which day of the week the milk was from.  Well, by Friday, my 1 quart jars are not enough, I am now milking 2 quarts every day.  I thought I was so smart with my jars and this did not last a week.

If milking is good it must be time to make cheese,  Butter Cheese was made and the whey was reheated and ricotta cheese was made.  Mr. Bootsie and I spend Wednesday in the kitchen making our first butter cheese, this cheese has nothing to do with butter, the cheese book explains it to be like an American cheese.  This is my first hard cheese and now I know I really have to pay attention to the recipes.  Cheese making is doing a lot of the same things with different cultures.  I have already picked out what I want to do next, but I will be cleaning the butter cheese with salt and water, after which I will wax and the aging process will begin.

Firewood is being gathered and split for next winter.  There was a large oak tree which needed to come down and it is now in pieces now larger than 1 foot.  A good bit of nice fire wood came from this tree.  The garden is taking most of my afternoons.  I am trying to work in the garden after the sun has gone around.   My first 2 heads of broccoli are ready to be picked.  They are not as large as the ones in the supermarket, but they are mine and these are the largest I have ever grown.  The mole is having fun and I am rounding up pots to plant things in.  I plan on winning this war.  

This week we learned about making duck prosciutto, I am knowledge about ham but this is a totally new experience for me.  I am excited to learn about a way to use some of the animals we have on the farm.  The farmer came over with prosciutto which needs to age and she will be showing us the steps to prepare this.  Our little farm is starting to become full circle.  The garden has worked for several years, the girls in the coop have provided us with eggs, the goats are giving us milk and now it is time for us to start preparing our meat.  We do not eat a large amount of meat but we do enjoy some.  I grew up on a working farm which provided most of our needs and I would like to return to this.

Enjoying the little farm, sharing with our friends and neighbors.  We have a wonderful life.  Now if I knew what day of the week it is when I wake up in the morning.  I am finding myself keeping dates in a different way.  Sunday, add chicken eggs to the nest, Sunday 3 weeks we should have baby ducks and chickens.  I fear if I should have to take a memory test I would not do well, because the folks who give the test have no interest in a life such as ours.  We do not fit the mold.  Our life is about our babies and what their needs are.  I am really glad, I was able to return to the simple life I grew up enjoying.