New Day

Well today the sun is shinning and looks crispy outside. Woke up to 50 degrees and clear skies. I have a lot to do today. Planning on cleaning up some of my outside gardens today and start planting some of my winter gardens. Not sure what all I am going to plant yet, but I suspect that will come to me as I am working. Have to figure out where to plant what as well.

It is suppose to be wet again this year like last year. Not looking forward to winter yet as summer barely got here this year. Living on the mountain makes things a bit more difficult to plan and grow as the seasons are shorter and wetter. Last year the snow was a bit heavier than other years. Don't know what this year will bring so have to plan for that as well.

Have a lot of wood that needs cutting and splitting yet. Hopefully we can get it done before the weather changes to much.

Need to get started with my day and daylight is a waisting.

MORE HARVEST

We went out and did the chores, milking and feeding and such, after which the rain had stopped and it had gotten foggy. Janice and I went to the make shift stall (carport) for Dancer and put on her blanket, after which we led her back to the pasture. This made her very happy, the goats even came to that end of the pasture for a visit.

On the way back from putting Dancer back into the pasture, we decided to check out the corn in the yard that was taken over by beans. We really expected to find nothing, surprise. We first began harvesting small ears of corn, then more green beans, some squash, gold nugget tomatoes, and on the way to the house needed to harvest two heads of cabbage as one had split and the other looked as though it was going to any time.

This preserved and added to what we have been able to harvest this year will make a nice little addition to our winter's food supply.



Rainy Day

Woke up this morning to rain. I guess that means Fall is definitly here. I had to get dressed quickly and go out to the pasture and get Dancer and put her in the make shift stall we put together for her during the last rain. She is now in our carport. Oh well, what ever works. The truck needed washing anyway.

We have a person coming up this week to talk with us about helping out with a few projects we need to get done before winter really hits. Hope he works out, we could really use the help. God always seems to provide for us when we need it.

Today we have appointments in town, for us that is a hard thing to do as neither Don or I like to leave the mountain. It is so peaceful up here. The animals we have are such a joy to us even though they are a lot of work.

Good morning to all. Have a great day.

Fall begins

Well Fall is upon us and I still have lots to do. We are expecting rain today and not really ready for it yet. We are still trying to get the corral and stall finished for our new family member Dancer. Still have garden stuff to pick and preserve and a roof to put on the wood shed. We are going to try to hire someone to help us get the wood cut and split for the wood shed. It is only half full at present.

Some sad news, one of our ducks got stepped on last night by one of the goats and broke her leg. One of the only 3 females we have. Today Don is going to have to dispatch her. Will probably butcher her and have her for dinner one night. I think we will butcher a couple of the drakes and only keep two ducks and two drakes.

The goats are starting to give less milk now that fall is here. Need to start watching for the estrus to come so we can plan on the breeding time. We have three little ladies and going to get all three bred this year. We will need to get some hogs next year because just the two little nannies that we have are giving us over two gallons of milk a day and we can hardly keep up with them. We have about all the cheese, hard and soft, that we will need for the coming year and plenty of  sweet cream butter. Drying up the girls is always a sad thing because we will not be getting any milk for a while and will have to purchase the nasty stuff in the store. Yuck.

Time to start the days chores and duties. Hope all have a good day and may the LORD bless each and everyone.

MAKING PROGRESS

Well Dancer is getting used to our place. Janice took her for a walk around the house and property a couple of times today. At the end of their walk Janice stopped by the bottom door and she and I groomed her and sprayed her with fly spray. She was really enjoying the attention. Tonight while feeding her, I took a couple of pictures. She didn't like the flash.



The ducks are growing enough to learn we have 3 or 4 drakes.

While I was trying to photograph the ducks Ghost was being a little ham.

The swamp has dried down to the year round pond, leaving some good pasture for Dancer and the goats, which they enjoy lots.

The Pheasant pen now has all the plywood on the roof and half of that is covered in tar paper, still need to finish the roof and the two walls including the paint.

Much progress has been made on putting up the corral fence for Dancer, as can be seen by the following photos.

Keep watching for more progress.



BLESSINGS OF THE LORD!

Janice and I went to the greenhouse to pick peppers and were pleasantly surprised. The Pepper harvest was great for only two Poblano's, two Jalapenos, one Bell Pepper, two Anaheim's (plant numbers).

The bucket of Anaheim Peppers is almost over flowing!

These Jalapeno Peppers will make some great Poppers with the addition of some home made Chevre' cheese and some breading!

We have Chili Rellenos planned for the Poblano Peppers, With homemade Monterrey Jack Cheese and free range eggs from our chickens, Can you say Yum mm!

Bell Peppers are always a good snack or in salads.

We laid the Anaheim and Poblano Peppers out on half inch hardware cloth over saw horses, along with the Corn seed, to dry.

We then covered the peppers and screen with "Remay", a floating row cover that allows air to pass through. The Remay was clamped into place with spring clamps.

I am really glad the Tomatoes are starting to ripen, as I love Tomatoes. The plants are loaded, mostly Early Girl.

Janice has the tomatoes in the dehydrator, working it's magic, along with the Bell Peppers.

We also looked at the Mellon's growing in the greenhouse. The Watermelon is doing well two more almost ready to harvest (we've harvested two so far),

We think we have some Cantaloupe growing but not sure.

These Mellon's we don't know, Janice swore they were Black Eyed Peas, they may be Honeydew's. 

Outside the small garden by the greenhouse needs to be harvested the pea seed saved, Turnips and Rutabagas stored, the dill dried and stored and the bed prepared and replanted with winter veggies.

We still have more green Beans in the yard to harvest along with Squash and Potatoes (three varieties).

Rocky and Rain Dancer

We had to take Rocky back to the Vet again as he slipped his cast for the third time in two weeks. The news was not good. The cost was way more than anticipated and we have decided not to adopt Rocky. I was very sad to do this as I had come to love the little guy. It will be hard to move on making this choice but a necessary one.

On the other hand, Rain Dancer has come along quite well. We are getting along very well and am happy that she is doing so well. Looking forward to the training and learning about riding so I can enjoy her more.

HARVEST SEPTEMBER 7, 2011





http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2011/09/homestead-barn-hop-27.html

Well Janice and I went out to harvest stuff to preserve and got somewhat of a surprise. Everything this year is producing like crazy. Lots of corn to can, and this isn't counting the stuff out in the yard. Yellow squash coming out our ears, Several peppers and the bushes are really loaded, these are Anaheim's.

We should be able to can a few pints of corn, and the tomatoes are just starting to come off. Oh golly, we forgot to harvest the cherry tomatoes and there are lots ripe. The first water Mellon is ripe, can't wait to taste that one. The burp less cucumbers are still going crazy as the picture shows. The Heavenly father has truly blessed us this year, as in other years.

NEW MEMBERS TO THE HOME

Well this week has seen our family grow by two. First we got Rocky the dog. He is a black Pomeranian that was removed from an abusive breeder north of us here in Gold Beach, Oregon.At the time he came to our home, Rocky already had a broken leg. Apparently while at the shelter he jumped from the back of a couch, and due to improper nutrition while with the breeder, his eight month old leg bone fractured. He is a very sweet dog and has Janice and I wound around his paw. He is a little stinker though because he had pulled off the cast on his leg before we got him and by Friday morning he had pulled off the new one.

Rocky is now outfitted with some splint material and stretchy bandage material until the vet can see him again on Tuesday. Rocky is really a tough little guy as he was willing to take on the neighbor's Labrador, even with his broken leg. I hope we can teach him to choose his battles a little better.

The second member to our group is Rain Dancer, an Arabian Mare that is nine years young. She is a beautiful Horse, but when she arrived she was really sweaty and the first thing she did was find some open dirt and rolled.

It is truly amazing how quickly she has taken to us and the other critters that live with us. She just fits in and we are exceedingly happy to have her with us. If Janice or I head to the gate she wastes no time in getting there to greet us. We haven't rode her yet as we need to buy a larger saddle, the one we got that was hers is only a 14 inch seat and one that is designed for her breed with shorter bars for her shorter back.

Rain Dancer, we prefer to call her Dancer, was there to greet Janice this am and even allowed her to give her a hug and kiss. Yes we have already grown to love her also.