Canning Rainbow

Last summer I was a canning fiend I canned and canned and canned. At the finish of the garden session I had canned over 300 quarts and about as many pints I didn't even count the half pint jars of jam and such. I wish now that I had written down how many jars of each thing so that I would know what I need for next year. We are rationing the green beans and yet I still have quarts and quarts of cherries. I felt like I had plenty but now I know better. I canned some vegetable soup and it was such a hit that the 21 quarts were gone by Christmas. I only know it was 21 because I stayed up waiting for the canner to be done and I was tired and cranky the next day. My sweet husband kept asking was it worth the 21 quarts when I can get vegetable soup at the store. Well the soup in the store is nothing like the soup I made It was beautiful. I have lots of new recipes for this year I can hardly wait for it to all start again!!

Happy Muddy Day!!

The pigs are hog happy they spent their last few days in lots of mushy squishy mud. I would look out and see them rolling,digging and just happy as can be. We just had another hog "dinner" butchered back in December so we are not in need of the meat, we sold the two biggest to family and friends and had the small runt turned in to sausage. We have raised three sets of hogs since we have been here and I have to say they are so much fun. This last batch went to the butcher just a few days ago and I already miss them.

Goodbye Peanut

When we first got goats Peanut for a companion to our lovely willow, because she was a only goat we felt it was necessary. Now several years later we are trimming down on useless animals. We now have other goats and Peanut was no longer needed. He went to a good home that will spoil him as much as we did. I feel somewhat relieved! Now if we can just say goodbye to the horses.

Spring

The first blossoms of the year are such a welcome site, I love spring and the energy that comes with longer days and warmer weather. We have been plagued with cabin fever for the past few weeks and this is just what we need. The gardens are greening up, the buds on the fruit trees are swelling and the chickens are laying again,sure signs of warmer weather.

WAHOO!! Green grass

Finally we have green grass here on the farm, this past winter has been long and expensive. Hay prices are on the rise and this past winter cost us about $1,200 in hay. Last fall we planted winter rye in the pasture in hopes of a longer grazing time. We did see some growth in the fall but still needed lots of hay this wet weather and warm day temps have really given the rye a boost. The animals seem to prefer the fresh rye over the hay and I am so glad!

Last of the baby's...

Last week the sheep were busy increasing the numbers here at the farm. Triplet was the last and blessed us with a beautiful black and white ram. This year seems to be the year of the boy, all three ewes had boys!
We got Katadin ewes and a East Fresian ram in hopes of having ewes from this cross to milk at a later date. Now we have to rethink the sheep thing but at least we will have plenty of pasture raised lamb for Christmas dinner.

Bye Bye Lucky Bob

We have Nubian goats. Last fall we borrowed a buck from a Amish farmer down the road, when we picked him up I asked his name and in a very straight face the Amish man said "Lucky Bob".
My sweet husband was with me and he burst out laughing. I guess even the Amish have a senes of humor. What a name for a Buck who's sole purpose in life is to date the ladies! After several months here sweet talking my gals it was time for Lucky Bob to head home. Hopefully he did his job well and we will have lovely goat kids.

Onion soup anyone?

Well weather in the midwest can be feast or famine, I planted out 360 onions and the next night we got over 2 inches of hard rain here at the farm. These poor onions look like they have had a real beating but will recover when things dry out a bit. I went a bit nuts and ordered lots of onions, last year we planted 300 or so total and ran out of onions by January so this year I was going to make sure we had enough in storage. I got this great onion catalog and was amazed at the selection, I got on line and ordered 18 bunches, now at the time I worried a bit "is that going to be enough for us and the CSA?". Once the box arrived I opened it to beautiful earthy smelling onions and not just a few, a 10 pound box!! 18 bunches with about 5 dozen per bunch adds up to plenty of onions. I am excited to get the rest planted I have visions of beautiful potato leek soup this next winter.

Tomato Baby

We are gearing up for a great year with the farmers market and the Comunity Supported Agriculture. We have lots going on in the greenhouse including these beautiful baby's. This is a varitry called chocolate stripe, we ordered seeds from a lucious tomato heaven called tomato Fest they have such a huge selection. We ordered every color of the rainbow and a few more for good measure. I can't wait to sink my teeth in to the beautiful fruit.