Good-bye Fall, Welcome Winter

Indian summer is hanging around, this pleases me so much.  We are saving firewood as we are not heating the house.  I always let the fire go down during the day and rebuild around 4 in the afternoon.  With the weather we are enjoying we can build a small fire later in the evening.  However, everything changed this weekend for a couple of nights.  It was time for a good fire.  Winter has come by the calendar but these last few days have been so warm, I was without my jacket or sweatshirt.  Winter is breaking high records.  I know it will not last, but our firewood is staying in the racks and I do so appreciate this.

IN THE COOP

December 9, one of my olive egg girls began laying eggs after the molt.  In a week the other one began.  It is much too early in the season, I am thankful as there would not be any chicken eggs coming into the kitchen but I am also concerned if this these girls are confused or if their being cross-bred has caused the confusion in their reproductive system.

My pullet which hatched during the summer has not laid, but the little roo has taken over his duties in the run.  Mr. Bootsie is questioning me about getting rid of the rooster and going back to purchasing, begging and just flat out asking others of fertile eggs in the springtime.  I have some older ladies who just want to hang out in the run and enjoy life, the young rooster is a total bother, they peck him and run him off at every opportunity.  

IN THE KITCHEN

Sourdough, I made a new starter this year, I lost my starter last winter and had not replaced it.  This new starter is much better than the one I had in the past.  The farmer who is always ready to help us, loves to bake and I have been sharing my starter with her.  Of course, she is much more knowledge than I am about baking, so this gives my an opportunity to learn about working with the leavening.

I am trying to learn how to use many of the items we preserved during the year.  The dried tomatoes make a delightful addition of our salads.  Using dried squash chips with homemade dips. We have lots of winter squash which is being used to make soup.  Adding our dried veggies and fruits to the soups have introduced us to new tastes and flavors.  I have really enjoyed trying a little of this and that.

The kitchen by way of the tunnel has been good this fall.  Spinach salads, spinach chowders, turnip green pizzas and greens just cooked with peppers/onions have made for a tasty fall.  We are harvesting greens for salads and have more developing if the weather holds.  This season in the tunnel has been rewarding.

IN CLOSING

This has been a productive fall season, we went to the orchard and purchased 2 bushels of storage apples and this has added to new interests in the dishes we are preparing in the kitchen.  I am so pleased we are learning how to use the items we produce on our farm, there are canned black-eyed peas which we pair with tomatoes, chicken meat canned with broth meaning we have soup, tomatoes which are used to make tomato basil soup.  (There is basil growing here in one of our cold houses now.)  I am thankful for the long growing season we have experienced this year.  Our winter garden crops are garlic, onions and winter sown peas.

It is the time of our year to start thinking about spring 2016, seed orders, starting of new plants.  But before I get into all that, Thank You for stopping by and visiting our farm.  Now where did I put those new seed catalogues?