Fall Bulbs

For our area and others where the ground has not frozen solid, it is bulb planting season. I love planting fall bulbs. It is an inexpensive way to fill in areas of your flower beds especially in the spring time. I always make sure to plant a variety of early, mid and late spring bulbs. This will keep the blooms coming until the summer flower season starts. Now is a great time to get them. The selection time is not as great here but what is left if 50-75% off. Although this is thought of as a fall activity you can plant bulbs until the ground freezes solid. 

Friendship

One of the many blessings in life are good friends. Today, I am thankful for all of them. A good friend is irreplaceable and invaluable. Good and bad times are shared together. Doing things together is always a pleasure. A truly good friend will also tell you in a nice way when your path is truly going the wrong direction. I am truly blessed by different friendships and cherish each one that I have.

Election Day

Today is election day here in the USA. I was always taught and feel very strongly that it is our civic duty to  vote. There are many countries that do not have the freedom to choose who leads their country, states and local governments. We do so go vote today.  

Disasters

Three events in the past week have reminded me how quickly lives can be drastically changed and how unimportant that "things" really are in this world. Late Monday afternoon, we received a phone call that my cousin, Mike, had been in a serious work accident. He had been pinned suddenly by a 2 ton machine at work. He was in surgery and they did not know if he would survive. This started my week. Along with this we all have seen images of the massive destruction of places in the northeast from Superstorm Sandy. On Saturday, Mary and I were driving around looking at some nearby hiking locations around where she attends college. The day was rainy and since we were close to West Liberty we decided to go check the little town out. What we found there was overwhelming. They had a tornado go through their downtown area in March of this year. There is nothing left of what used to be a typically, quaint small town. Even 7 months later the destruction is very evident.

All three of these incidents brought home the point to me how quickly loved ones and things can be taken away and lives changed forever. My cousin not only survived the surgery but is doing well. He has a long recovery ahead of him and his prognosis is good. People are picking up their lives and starting over in the northeast. People in West Liberty continue to go on every day and rebuild their town. These three events grouped together for me this week has reminded me in a big way of  how people versus things need to be the priority in my life.

Count Your Blessing Month

Here in the United States, we celebrate Thanksgiving during the month of November. A couple of years ago, this idea was suggested to me by a friend on facebook. I have tried to make it a tradition ever since. I call this "Count My Blessings" month. Each day of November from now until Thanksgiving (November 22 this year), I write on facebook one different thing that I am thankful for. I find that in my busy life that I get so wrapped in my daily busyness I forget to stop and remember the many blessings that I have. If you are not a facebook fan, find another way to share this. Do it as a family each evening at dinner time, find a friend and do it together on a daily basis or start a blessings jar. I am always reminded how truly blessed that I am in my life.

Versatile Quesadillas

 My friend introduced me to the concept of quesadillas as a quick meal a couple of years ago. Since then, they have been a regular meal at our home. Last, night I made chicken-mushroom quesadillas which were a hit here. The great thing about them is you can put about anything between them that you would put between two slices of bread plus more. Here is the recipe from last night. The middle portion can be easily adapted to whatever your creativity allows.

Chicken-Mushroom Quesadilla
(makes 4 quesadillas)
8 whole wheat tortillas
4 oz cheddar or mexican blend shredded cheese
1/2 cup or more cooked chicken (this is a great way to use extra chicken up)
1-8 oz package mushrooms
1 small sweet pepper
1 medium onion
1-2 Tbls fresh or dried cilantro
2 Tbls olive oil

Put olive oil in small skillet. Cut up onions, peppers and mushrooms into pan. Saute until tender. Set aside in a little container. Spray a tortilla lightly with cooking spray. Put spray side down in same skillet used to saute veggies. Sprinkle on 1/4 of middle ingredients-veggies, cheese, chicken, cilantro. Spray another tortilla with oil spray. Put spray side up on top of middle ingredients. Cook until light brown on both sides and cheese melted in the middle. Once the pan is hot this will only take about 2 minutes per side so watch closely. Remove from pan and cut into fourths. Serve plain or with salsa, sour cream or any other topping your family may like or need used up. Enjoy!

I have used many other toppings for this such as leftover taco meat, beans, salsa, ham/cheese, pepperoni/cheese/pizza sauce. As I said before the list can be as long and short as your creativity. It is a great way to use up those leftovers.

PLU Produce Labels

There is a post with a picture of an apple going around facebook lately telling people how they can avoid GMO foods. Here is the post:  Have you ever wondered what those numbered stickers on your produce mean? Besides inventory control and pricing information for the grocery clerk, they may be useful to you as well.

Non-qualified (conventionally grown, with the use of pesticides) produce codes will be either 4 digits or sometimes 5 digits, with the first bein

g a "0".

Genetically modified produce will have a 5 digit code beginning with an "8". (These CAN be organic.)

And organic produce, that has not been genetically modified, has a 5 digit code that begins with "9".

You should note that the codes are used for the convenience of the supplier and grocer, not necessarily for the benefit of the consumer. So not all produce bears a PLU code, particularly the genetically modified.

Although these codes are used, they are only used as a convenience to grocers and are not required to be used. You will see the "9" number used frequently in stores to distinguish organic versus conventionally grown food. This is the way the grocer uses to distinguish between the two at the cash register. This is done mainly because the organic produce is usually more expensive and they want to make sure the consumer is charged the proper amount. Unfortunately, the "8" number is rarely used and not required to be used by any regulatory agency here in the U.S. GMO food are not required to be labeled here in the states. 

There is a grass roots effort at this point to have GMO's labeled in stores. Until that happens though, we probably will not see the "8" number used voluntarily. 

Lids for Conservation

There is one very easy thing that you can do to conserve earth's resources the next time you need to purchase a pan or casserole dish. Make sure you buy one with a lid. Many times casserole recipes call for it to be covered while baking. Any leftovers may simply be left in the dish, covered with the lid and put in the refrigerator. This means using foil to cover the dish for baking or plastic to store it if you do not have a lid. Several of my cake size pans also have lids. This allows me to keep cakes and other baked goods fresh without the use of plastic wrap. I simply put the lid on in between uses.

The other investment that I have made are metal rings that I put over the edges of my pies and quiches while baking. This allows me to save aluminum foil by not having to wrap the edges so they do not burn.

Although these seem like easy steps, think of all the aluminum foil and plastic wrap you can save by simply buying pans with lids.

Fall Leaves

Fall has finally arrived here in Kentucky. The trees are turning and the leaves are falling. It is time to talk about fall raking. First, raking leaves can be great exercise. Who needs a gym when there are leaves to rake? Leaf blowers pollute the air with their noise and fumes. There are many ways to dispose of leaves besides sending them to the landfill. Here in Lexington and many other places, you can put them in your yard waste container. If there is not enough room, you can put them in paper yard waste bags (in Lexington they give you coupons to get some for free) and then put them out at the curve.

At our house, we use the leaves for many things. We put them in with the chickens. They love scratching through them and finding all the treasures hidden in them. They can break down a pile of leaves in a just a few days. This provides compost for the garden. We also pile leaves around our delicate plants that need a little bit more winter protection. Leaves are also put on the garden to be rototilled into the soil so they can break down before spring planting season. We also will pile leaves in areas that we want to kill off the grass or plants to create new flower beds. The rest of the leaves go into the compost pile to be broken down into rich compost for the garden. Areas in our yard with just a few leaves are simply mowed into the grass when we mow for the last time in the fall. Fall leaves have a lot of uses besides just sending them to the landfill. Try some of them this year and I am sure you will find more uses of your own. 

Slave Chocolate

Last night, my husband and I were at a downtown event. While we were there, people were strolling through the crowd handing out small bars of Fair Trade chocolate with the following message attached to it. "Don't be a Monster this Halloween.". On the back it has the following message. "Unless your chocolate is labeled fair trade, it's probably produced using child slave labor. According to CNN, there are an estimated 200,000 children working the fields to create the many chocolate delicacies enjoyed around the world. What can YOU do? Buy fair-trade chocolate for Halloween, or switch to a candy that doesn't contain chocolate." It goes on to list some local places where fair trade chocolate is available. The back of the card listed the following link where you may go and get more information on this topic Slave Free Chocolate.

I have written several posts on this subject. My daughter did an extensive research paper on this subject. I try to buy only slave free chocolate products. It is important to have the correct information. Our consumer dollars do speak to big companies. That is the one thing they will all listen to. Use your consumer dollar for good when it comes to chocolate. 

Bugs

I teach an elementary homeschool science class and one of my favorite topics that we cover is insects. I have always found insects interesting but also love teaching others about their benefits for all of us. It is interesting how many people lump all bugs into the bad category. Here are some things that I like to make sure my students learn during the time period we talk about the creepy crawlies.

1) Not all bugs are bad. Some, in fact are very beneficial. All insects have 3 body sections-head, thorax and abdomen. They also have one pair of antennae and 3 pairs of legs. They usually have wings in some stage of their life.

Honeybee

2) Yes, bees can sting but only if they are directly threatened. Bees are very important to us. They provide yummy honey as well as pollinate our food crops. Without bees we would not have most of our fruits and vegetables.
3) Yellow jackets can be scary and aggressive and you should not mess with.a nest in the ground that has bees coming in and out of it. I teach them that yellow jackets are long, skinny and smooth. Honey bees are smaller, fatter and furry. Yellow jackets, even with their aggressiveness, are still important to us. They also help pollinate our food crops. (If you find a nest that you need to get rid of, flood it with water versus insecticide. They will move on to another nest.)
4) Spiders can be icky and scary to many people and yes, there are two spiders that can actually hurt you. Don't kill spiders outside. They catch many harmful insects and keep their populations under control. By the way, these are NOT insects, they are arachnids. (Remember spiders have 4 pairs of legs and 2 body segments.)
5) Praying mantis can be a little scary looking but they should be welcomed into your yard. If you find one in your house, live catch it and stick it outside. They catch all those yucky bugs you do not like.

Praying Mantis

6) Ladybugs are ferocious aphid eaters. They are not only cute but help keep your plants healthy.
7) All those bug shells you see on your trees in the late summer are cicadas. The real bug did not get eaten but shed its shell to become an adult cicada.

Japanese Beetle

8) It is OK to kill any Japanese beetles and mosquitoes that you see. Japanese beetles are an invasive species here in the United States and create a lot of crop damage. Mosquitoes do have some redeeming qualities. They provide food for bats and birds. Bats are your best friend at night when it comes to mosquitoes.
9) Caterpillars can be ugly and sometimes destructive but they turn into beautiful butterflies.
10) House flies are dirty but they do perform an important job. They, along with many other bugs help recycle all the natural waste products so that they can be used again by the earth.

I challenge you to take some time and learn about the good bugs in our life. There are many other beneficial insects that I have not even mentioned. 

Bananas: Conventional, Organic or Fair Trade?

I tend to grow most of my own fruits and vegetables. When I do not grow them I try to buy local products. There is growing controversy of buying organic and whether it is worth the extra cost. The lines on this are blurred now that big business has entered into the organic market. One fruit that I always buy organic though is bananas. I do this not because of the pesticides that I am afraid to ingest but because my choice of bananas are a social justice decision. A couple of years ago, I was reading one of the many books that have been written on sustainable living and it mentioned bananas being a inexpensive way to support social justice issues. After that I did some research.

My research showed that most banana sales are controlled by a few large conglomerates like Dole, Del Monte and Chiquita. Bananas are grown all over the world in over 120 different countries but most of the conventional bananas are grown in Central America countries where employee protection laws are lax or not enforced with the worst being Ecuador. Plantation housing tends to be close and dilapidated. Child labor laws are lax and children as young as 10 are used in the fields. Intensive banana growing requires regular applications of pesticides. Most of this is done by spraying from the air where people are working and living. Some plantations do not even allow workers to leave the fields during pesticide application. People who live and work on these plantations have a higher rate of cancer and other pesticide related diseases.

Organic and fair trade bananas can cost between 10-30 cents more per pound. They are grown on small cooperative farms. Organic products most uphold certain safe labor practices in order to be certified organic. Fair trade organizations pay a living wage to workers as well as reinvest back into the community. Paying a few cents extra for a pound of bananas is a small price to pay to know that they are not grown by children or exploited workers. Organic bananas are commonly found in most large food chains. If you still have problems spending those few extra cents, look at it as a donation to help people in third world countries to work in a safe work environment and provide food and family necessities without a handout.

Here are some links to read up further on this area of concern.
Banana Plantations-Washington University Research
Fair Trade Bananas
Ecuador-A Banana Republic

Simplicity Quote

Mandatory Rest

I have taken a couple of weeks off. Not because I wanted to but because circumstances forced me to. A couple of weeks ago I had an accidental fall in the driveway. My husband was trimming the hedge and had a electric drop cord strung across the carport entrance. He could not see me because he was around the corner. As I was walking over the cord he happened to pull it at the same time so he could get it further down the hedge. Obvious to say, I fell face forward in the driveway. An urgent treatment visit later, I found I had a fractured elbow, severely bruised shin, bruised ribs and a muscle strain in my lower back. Thank goodness my parents came and stayed with us the first week.

I am healing quickly. My elbow is out of the sling because the fracture is stable. I have to be very careful for another month or so about lifting and suddenly jarring it until the fracture heals completely. It will be a while before I will have full strength and function back in it. My lower leg still swells when I am on it a lot but it is getting much better. My back is healing and my ribs no longer hurt when I breathe. I feel fortunate I was not injured more severely. I fell very close to our Aztec and could have hit my head.

I have learned some important things the past two weeks. One is that I can use my left hand (non-dominate) hand very well. Two, that it is OK to need help once in a while. Three, the household and other things in my life can go on without me. Four and most importantly how much I needed this rest and break. Maybe next time I can take a break though and not get hurt. 

Things

Things is such a bland word but it seems to run lives just the same. I have spent the last couple of years decluttering our house and our lives. With each round, life seems to get a little simpler and sweeter. When I go to the store these days (that is when I do), I find there is not near as many things that catch my eye or that I crave. I am about to embark on another go through of decluttering. Really looking at if we need or want these things that take up so much space in our home. I spend so much time picking things up and moving piles of things around that it takes up a lot of my precious time. I find that the less I let "things" control my life the better it becomes. It is time for another round of simplifying our lives and getting "things" under control. 

New Egg Layers

I went out tonight to find all the new egg layers had made it up to the coop on their own. Looks like Chuck won't need to give ramp lessons to this bunch.

New Egg Layers

Yesterday, we moved our new egg layers in with the old ones. The old and the new layers spent a lot of time checking each other out. Last night, when we went to close up the coop for the night and check on the new ones the new layers were perched on the outside one in the run. We picked each of them up and put them up in the coop.

This morning Chuck opened the coop and found the new and old layers at a stand off. The old layers would not come out because they had to go past the new layers of whom they were scared. The new layers could not figure how to get out of this new strange building they had woken up in this morning. Chuck finally helped the new layers get out of the coop down the ramp. Then the old layers decided it would be safe to go.

Tonight we went out to find the new layers all huddled together on the outside perch once again. Unfortunately, the remains of Hurricane Isaac has finally reached us so they were out in a steady rain. We once again picked them up and put them inside of the coop on the perch. Tomorrow, we will see if they will come down on their own and then figure out how to get back up. We shall see/ Otherwise, we will be doing ramp walking lessons with the new ones once the weather clears. . . 

Buying Local

This was posted on one of our family member's facebook walls. He owns his own local photography business. It is a good reminder of why it is important to buy local.

Meatloat

Don't tell my family but meatloaf can be one of those meals you make that you can hide leftovers within it as long as there is not too much of one thing. Some things I have added to my recipe are mashed potatoes, stale bread (crumbed and exchanged for oats), leftover mushrooms, onions, carrots, etc. Any vegetable that you can chop fine can be used in a meatloaf. In order for it to work though you have to keep the quantities of "leftovers" down or it will eventually alter the flavor of the original recipe.

On Saturday, we took my meatloaf to a friend's house for a potluck dinner. It did not last long. For those friends reading this now, I did not add any "hidden" ingredients to the one I made Saturday. A couple of them asked for my recipe so here it is.

Meatloaf

1 lb ground beef

1 cup sharp shredded cheese

1 medium onion, chopped finely

1 small green pepper, chopped finely

2 eggs, slightly beaten

½ cup quick oats

½ cup catsup (can use less if you like a drier meatloaf)

2 Tbls prepared mustard

Topping:

¼ cup catsup

1 Tbls prepared mustard

1 Tbls packed brown sugar

Combine all ingredients together in bowl except topping. Put in sprayed loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until down in middle (internal temp of 160 degrees with meat thermometer). Combine topping ingredients. Spread across top of meatloaf. Put back in oven for 5-10 minutes until top is brown. Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes. Enjoy! 

One other quick note. You can also substitute spaghetti sauce for catsup and use mozzarella cheese instead of cheddar to make an italian flavored loaf. I usually will add oregano and basil to the flavorings to make it more an italian taste. 

Energy Conservation Tips

I was reading an old Birds and Blooms magazine this week. Thought I would share a couple of facts with you from the magazine.

1) If you shade your air conditioner, you'll increase the efficiency by nearly 10%.

2) If you plant trees along the west and deciduous trees on the south side of your house, you can reduce energy costs by 20%.

A couple of things to think about when planning your landscaping around your house. 

Lady Renaissance

Mary and Lady Renaissance

Lady Renaissance

We got a new female rabbit a couple of weeks ago. Her name is Lady Renaissance. We are hoping to eventually breed her with our male rabbit Charming. She is a sweet rabbit and loves to be held. Had to share a couple of pictures of her. 

Fruit Crisp

One of my favorite, versatile recipes I frequently use is fruit crisp. I use about any fruit and it takes the fat and calories of pie crust away. Here is my recipe:

Fruit Crisp
Fruit of choice

In a 8" sprayed pan, fill with fresh fruit leaving about 1/2" space at the top. Small berries and cherries can be put in whole while the rest of the fruit should be sliced or cut up into smaller pieces (similar size to pie filling). If your fruit is tart, you may need to sprinkle sugar over the top of it before adding topping. For pears and apples, sometimes I will sprinkle lightly with cinnamon before adding topping. Make the topping below and spread evenly across top of fruit. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until fruit is tender and crust is browned nicely.

Topping
1 cup oats
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 stick butter

For topping, place first 3 ingredients in bowl. Cut up butter into topping mixture until pea size. Sometimes for pear and apples I will add 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp nutmeg to this mixture.

This has been a great recipe that I use frequently during fresh fruit season. My family loves it. For special treats sometimes I will serve with ice cream or fresh whipped cream but I find it is good without these added things.

Peach Salsa

My sister makes peach salsa. I have to admit that it has taken me a bit before I would try it. Finally, after many rare reviews of others I took the "dip" last week. It was delicious. It tasted like a sweeter version of regular salsa. . It is something that you can easily make at home. Take your normal salsa recipe that you can and substitute peaches for 1/2 of the tomatoes. Make the recipe as normal. You will want to make sure that the salsa is more blended versus being chunky so you do not get big pieces of just peaches. You will be surprised by how good it tastes. I saved a batch of peaches back just to make some this week. 

Peach Canning

Our community peach canning session went well yesterday. We were able to put up 5 bushels of peaches in about 4 hours (not including water bath canning). Everyone pitched in. Those who were familiar with canning shared their knowledge with those who were new to the experience. It seemed like everyone had a good time visiting with each other while working. We shared a simple meal together before we started where everyone brought a dish to share. We made canned peaches and pie filling. We smashed peaches up and froze them in batches for jam and peach salsa which we will make later at another time. Now, we are starting to work on the free pears we got from a friend's neighbor's tree. We will split these canned goods among those who come to help. I am hoping to keep this tradition going on a yearly basis.    

Community Peach Canning Day

When I was growing up, doing peaches was a family affair. Once a year, we would go pick up the peaches and that night we would all sit around and do them up. All helped including my Dad and even the littlest helper. We would set up an assembly line-blancher, fruit cutters, canner. Even though we all worked hard, we all enjoyed it. We became very efficient and the five of us could kick out 2 bushel of peaches in a long nights time.

A couple of years ago, we restarted this tradition. We started small and have kept building over the past couple of years. Tomorrow, for the first time, we have invited friends to join us. We will go to church and then head to my sister's house. We will eat a community meal and then all take our places in the assembly line. When we are done, we will have canned peaches and pie filling. We will have reserved enough leftover peaches to make jam and salsa later on. Looking forward to tomorrow. 

Grape Juice

Last week was very busy. I went out the day before I was to leave for camp to visit Mary to find all of my grapes ripe so I spent the little time I had left canning grapes. I then spent the rest of the week at Lutheran Hills with Mary so I am finally getting back to blogging.

One thing I decided to make with my grapes was grape juice. I searched the internet but only found recipes for what I call grape flavored sugar water. I wanted to make some without added sugar since my grapes were already so naturally sweet. Here is the process I used after some research.

Step 1: I sorted, cleaned and pulled the grapes off the stems.
Step 2: I put them in a pan, added enough water to cover and boiled them until the skins split open.
Step 3: I let them sit in cheesecloth lined strainer over bowl to catch the juice. I put them in the frig to drain overnight or about 24 hours.
Step 4: I removed the skins, strained the juice from the bowl back through the cheesecloth into a pan. I heated the juice to boiling.
Step 5: While still hot, I ladeled juice into jars leaving a 1/4 inch head space.
Step 6: I water bathed the pint jars for 15 minutes (quart jars are for the same amount of time)

You can add sugar to taste if needed. My juice was so sweet there was not a need for added sugar. The leftover skins are now in a jar making wine vinegar. I will let you know how that goes later as this is my first attempt at making homemade flavored vinegar. 

Community Pears

I wrote last year that one of our friends has a neighbor with a pear tree. The pears were just allowed to rot on the ground and only a few were eaten. With their permission last year we went and harvested many of them. It was a huge effort and we could not begin to use all of the pears available. This year we are sharing with friends. Last night, we went and picked the first round. Nine people (instead of just the 3 of us last year) picked the first round of pears in about 45 minutes (instead of a whole afternoon). We also had a great time. The old saying "Many hands make light work."  is so true. We put them in the basement to further ripen because they were falling off the tree before they were ripe. I am guessing because of the drought. We will go back in a week or two to finish picking them. When they are ripe, we will have a pear canning party. If you have extra produce, make sure to share with others but don't be afraid to ask for help or have them pick what they want. It is sad to let food go to waste. 

Grapes

The other day I walked out to the garden and realized that our grapes were now purple. I decided to try some to see if they were ready. They were the sweetest natural thing I have ever eaten. My husband being the city boy that he is has never had grapes right off the vine. While we were out checking the chickens that night, I asked him to come over to the grapes. I picked a bunch for him and said, "Here taste these." He took the first grape and said, "These are so sweet.", and then he ate a few more bunches. I have done that to a few other visitors since then. The grapes I grow are all organic with no sprays used on them. The county extension agent said that I would never to be able to grow seedless grapes here without spraying them. So far, I have not had too. I am hoping my good fortune continues. In the meantime, I am going to enjoy my pesticide and herbicide free purple grapes. The green grapes I planted do not seem too much further behind in ripening. I can't wait to taste them. 

Craft Lady

With having so much extra medical costs due to our daughter's illness, I have been trying to find other sources of income for me to bring into the family. Working outside of the home is outside of the question right now because my daughter's illness is so unpredictable. I decided to try and sell some of my needle craft items that I have been making. A lady who owns a Kentucky craft shop is coming tomorrow night to take a look at them. She seems pretty interested in them. I have spent the last several days getting all the paperwork and items together. You knew there would be so much to this-applications, pricing, artist profiles, etc. Hopefully, it will work out. I am keeping my fingers crossed. 

Easy Ricotta Cheese Recipe

My friend sent me the link today for the easy ricotta cheese we made on Saturday. Easy Ricotta Cheese I start by sharing this recipe first because it does not require rennet or cultures. This cheese was rich and creamy. It could be used plain or in recipes. All the ingredients should easily be found in your local grocery store. One note on the milk used. Most milks these days that come from your typical grocery store is ultra-pasteurized. In order to make cheese you need to get milk that is low temp pasteurized. You can find this kind of milk at most health food stores. It will say on the jar what process was used to pasteurize it. Non-reactive pans are made of stainless steel not aluminum. To test a pan a magnet, try and stick a magnet to it. If it is aluminum (reactive material), it will not be stick to it. It is probably stainless steel if magnet sticks to it.  Hope you enjoy this cheese as much as we did. 

Goat Cheese

Today, we got to try the goat cheese that we made yesterday. I had never had goat cheese before. The lady had taken the Chevre and mixed it with buttermilk to make a smooth spread. It was delicious. Everyone at church loved it and it did not take long for it to disappear. I then brought home some extra and put it on a salad tonight. Even my picky eaters loved it. We will definitely be getting some more goat milk to make more of this cheese. Yum! Yum!

Homemade Cheese

Today, several of us met at a friend's house who has learned how to make homemade cheese. She walked us through the steps of some basic cheeses. They included chevre from goats milk and mozzarella and ricotta from cow milk. They were not that hard to make and delicious. The taste comparison to store bought was not even comparable. The ricotta especially would be simple to make as part of any recipe requiring this cheese. It was so good though that I would not delegate it to be in just dishes but also eaten plain. We had ours on crackers. Ricotta cheese does not really take any special supplies except cheese cloth. The others need cultures and rennet which can be easily obtained online. I am going to try some here at home. I will share recipes and resources as I get them. 

Berea Craft Festival at Indian Fort Theater

Today, my sister, Darlene and I went to one of my favorite craft festivals. It is at Indian Fort Theater in Berea, KY. It is a high quality, juried art festival. I love to go just to see the different crafters. Most of all I enjoy the artisans who demonstrate their craft during the day. I highly recommend this fair to anyone who likes folk art.  Look for it next July and take an afternoon to look around at it. It is also a great way to support artisans with many of them being local. .  

Rain

We often complain about rainy days until we go a long period without any of them We have been in a moderate drought here in Central Kentucky and after several 100 + degree days we were in desperate need of rain. I have been watering the essential vegetables and fruit the best I can but it does not make up for a good soaking rain. Last night, it started raining and this morning it continues. It is amazing to watch the grass green up as if right before your eyes. Rain is always a blessing but especially today. Thank God for this much needed rain!

Fall Garden

Even though it is only the middle of July, it is time for me to start thinking about my fall garden. Even though in the spring you may buy plants for your broccoli, cabbage and other such plants, in the fall you can plant these using seed sown directly into the ground. This saves me a lot of money. The first thing to do is determine your fall frost date. This is the earliest to expect frost. A great resource for this can be found in Dave's Garden guide. You just enter your zip code and it will give you the information. Here is the link. frost dates by zip code

Once you have your fall frost date, the rest is simple arithmetic. Look at your seed packet for the "days to maturity" part. Take the total number of days until maturity back from your frost date and that is the latest date you should plant those seeds. Because fall has shorter days, you should also add in a little bit more time to make sure it matures by frost. Summers around here are much drier than spring so I also need to water these seeds a little more often until they sprout.

You can also extend your growing season by simply covering your crops for the first frosts. Most cool weather crops can handle the chill. You just need to cover them in the event of a frost. i just use bed sheets for this and then wash them when the season finishes. This way you can have fresh vegetables far into the fall.

Potatoes

Tonight we dug our first row of potatoes. It was long overdue but the 100 + degree heat we have had for the past week just would not allow such a venture. It has finally cooled off so tonight we started tackling the garden with the potatoes being the most important. Digging potatoes is a family affair here. One to two people dig them up with a pitchfork while others watch for the buried treasure that lies underneath the soil. When a potato is spotted, it is quickly grabbed by eager little hands and placed in the bucket. Mary, when she was younger and now Makenzie love this annual treasure hunt. There is excitement in digging something up from under the ground and finding it. We have a couple of more rows to go. After we are done digging up the rows, we will replace them with a planting of green beans and then our fall crops when it is time. Potatoes are a great thing to grow. They taste so much better than anything that you can buy in the store. The best part is they are usually done early enough that you can get one or more plantings of other vegetables in the same spot before the end of the growing season. If you do not currently plant potatoes try getting a little seed potato from your local gardening store next year and try growing some. You will not be disappointed. 

Chicken Air Conditioning

We are on our umpteenth record heat day here. Fortunately, it looks like is is going to cool off here this week. You know that it has been hot when mid to upper 80's sounds cool. Because we have larger breeds, our chickens have really been feeling the heat. We have found them panting many times which is a sign that they are heading for trouble. We have them in full shade at the moment. We have been feeding the chickens frozen treats such as small bits of fruit and vegetables. We have also been putting ice in their water. Today, it is so hot, we finally broke down and our running fans out to the coop. It is just too dangerously hot out there today. I will be glad when it finally cools down after tomorrow. In the meantime, we are trying to keep our girls and one boy as cool as possible.

Rain

Last night we finally had some rain after a long period without it. In addition, it had been above 100 degrees for four days here and in this area that is not very common. Even with me watering them, my plants were feeling the stress. The rain last night was only 1/2 inch but it gave the plants and grass a little drink and cleared the dust from the air. It smelled so good outside last night. Today, I am very thankful for rain and that we live in an area that we have enough water that we can still grow the fruits and vegetables that we need even we have a drought.  

A harvest of peace is produced from a seed of contentment.-American Proverb

Sharing Knowledge

Many of the arts necessary to live a more sustainable life style are rapidly disappearing in our materialistic world. Much can be learned through books and the internet but they still don't replace having someone actually walk you through the steps and be a resource person. If we are going to spread the word of living a sustainable life style we also must take the time to share knowledge with people who are just starting out. That is how the mission spreads to others.

Sharing your skills is easy. I am very open about our lifestyle. I do not force it on others and make them feel like they have to do it. I do, however, share my everyday happenings with others. When our fruit all came on at once I talked about what I was canning that day. I had extra fruit so I shared with friends so they could taste how much better it tasted over store bought. I share antidotes about our backyard chickens. I talk about my garden and share extra produce and canned goods with others. I will give people a few eggs if they stop by to see the chickens. When people ask me questions, I answer them. I feel people can sense the passion in me with what I do.

The last step is being open to share your knowledge. Take the time to answer questions of those who are starting out. On Wednesday night, I invited a friend over who was interested in learning how to can. We made plum jam together and I shared what we made together with her. I gathered an order of baby chicks this spring from people who were interested in starting backyard flocks with just a few chickens. This allowed them to get the breeds that they wanted as well as the number of chicks they wanted. Two peoples' chicks I raised through the brooder stage. The only charge I did for this was the amount it cost me. Two new people started backyard flocks this year because of this.

I encourage you to share your knowledge with those who want it. Be open about your lifestyle. Help others get on the sustainable living band wagon. It will only help all of us as we take better care of the earth. 

Rooster

Even though we pay to make sure we have just hens here at our house, we have acquired a rooster. Sexing baby chicks is not always an exact science. A couple of weeks ago. Mr. Rooster started his pathetic attempts at crowing. It sounded much like the adolescent boys as their voices change. His crow has gotten stronger over the past few weeks though and now he is sounding more like the male rooster he will be someday. His pretty tail feathers are starting to grow in and they are beautiful. He is starting to herd the hens and "protect" them from us. Unfortunately, we are not allowed to have roosters within the city limits so he will eventually have to meet an untimely death. We are hoping though that he does not get too obnoxious before it is time to butcher the rest of the chickens. Today as he was crowing, my husband told him that if he was smart he would be a little more subdued about his crowing or his time would be coming sooner than later. We shall see how it turns out but in the meantime it is fun to watch his adolescent ways with the hens in his enclosure. 

Blessings

Today, there was a family Bar-B-Q at the camp Mary is working at this summer. We have all been looking forward to this day to spend time with Mary and share in her experience. She called us her entourage today but I could tell she felt very loved and supported by all her family who came for the event. All in all there were 10 of us that came just for the day. We traveled between 1 to 4 hours one way to spend the day with her. It reminded me how truly we are blessed by the loving, supportive family that we have. My children are privileged to have these people in their lives as well as I have been. Many people do not get this luxury.

I also visited with old friends from when I was a camp counselor. This was an important part of my faith and values formation in my late teenage years. As I sat and caught up with these people I realized that the circle had come full round. They now serve as administrators, board members and camp supporters. They have already touched my daughter's life in the few short weeks she has been there. Like me in years past, they putting their footprint on my life.

All in all I realized that even amid the storms of this life and the sometime detours on paths that were not so good for me that all of these people anchored me and I was always able to return to my roots because of their influence in my life. They had helped me hold fast to my values and life choices. I realized today that I am so truly blessed to have had these wonderful people in my life and I am glad that my daughter also has them in her life.

Fruit Production

We have harvested all of the fruit crop except our blackberries. They will be producing for quite a bit of time yet. Our grapes look good and are getting bigger. Our strawberries are starting to bloom for the next round. I have spent the week catching up with other chores after our massive canning sessions last week when a bunch of the fruit came on at once. Now, I am enjoying the quick break before my tomatoes start coming on. Today, I harvested my first cherry tomatoes and boy did they taste great. The bird netting seemed to work in protecting our crops from the birds. Even with all the work last week, growing fruit can be very rewarding. It tends to be more expensive and it cannot be beat eating it fresh off the vine. Hopefully, if you are not growing fruit currently you will give it a try.

Can Good Organizing

Today, with a couple of  helpers I got our can goods organized for the season. I usually try to do this in the spring but things were just too crazy for me to get to it. Step one of my organization plan begins when I actually make the can goods. Along with marking what is in the container, I also put the month and year on the lid. Next, I put all like products together on the basement shelves were designated for can goods only. For example, all the fruit products are in an area and all the tomato products in another area. In the spring I move all uneaten can goods from the previous year into the cupboard upstairs that I have set aside for this. My family knows that these are to be used first. Lastly, I count how many of each product I have left over. This tells me how many I should make for this season. These simple steps help me keep down wasted products and also keeps things organized so they are easy to find. How do you organize your can goods?

Necessity

One more picture from facebook to share. This one makes you think about what really is necessary in life.

Real Riches

One of my friends posted this on facebook today. I had to share it on my blog. It is so true and yet how soon we all forget.

Summer Fruit Harvest

The summer fruit harvest continues at our home along with a few vegetables. We are now getting cherries, apricots and blackberries. The raspberries and peaches are pretty much done for the year.  I have been making lots of jam including berry (combo of blackberry and raspberry), cherry and apricot. I am going to try to can apricots tomorrow. I loved canned ones from the store and decided to try to can my extras. It appears easy and very similar to canning peaches. The best part is you do not have to peel them just pit them. Will see how it goes tomorrow.

We are also starting to get the first of our late spring and early summer crops. We have eaten our second head of fresh broccoli. There is nothing like cutting it off the plant, cooking it slightly and then eating it. It is so good. We are also getting kohlrabies, onions and potatoes. My cilantro is going to bloom soon so it is time to harvest the plants and dry the leaves. That is on the agenda for tomorrow. It is really smelling and tasting good around here. I love when the fruits and vegetables start producing. Hope you are enjoying produce from your garden. 

Abundant Fruit

This year has been a banner year for us for fruit. We seem to have everything ripening at the same time this year. Today, Chuck and I picked raspberries, apricots, cherries and blackberries. We spent quite a while this afternoon getting all of the fruit picked. It has been so much fun picking our own fruit from our trees and bushes. Now, it comes time to either eat or preserve all of it. That will be my job for the evening and tomorrow. In the meantime, I am enjoying the wonderful smells of fresh fruit from my kitchen. Yum! Yum!

Edible Landscaping-Getting Started

With my large fruit crop this year, I have had several people ask me how to get started with edible landscaping.  The first thing I did was research. I looked at what best grew down here and the kind of light that it needed. Next. I assessed my available space and landscaping. It was easy for me to widen my beds to add more plants. Next, I decided on what kind of things I really wanted to have.

The next step was plant placement.. This was the most complicated step. This took in looking at lighting and spacing along with plant needs. One way to do this is to get graph paper and lay it out on paper. First put in the current landscaping that you are going to keep especially trees and bushes. Next,  put in plants you want to plant. I started with the bushes and trees and went from there. I am a visual person so my next step was to lay it out in my yard using different things laying around the house. First, I put flowerpots where I wanted to plant fruit and nut trees. I visualized them there at different times of the day to check sunlight. It also let me see if I was going to like the arrangement.  After I was satisfied with tree placement I put the larger plants in such as fruit bushes and permanent herbs. I used the same procedure with this.

After I was satisfied with all of this, I developed a long term plan. I looked at varieties of plants that did well in our area. You can get this information from your local extension agency. Our state has a website that you can go on to obtain that information. Many fruit and nut trees need two varieties to pollinate each other. I also looked at this information. I also looked at what our budget could afford. Each year for a few years, we would dig up an area and I would put the trees and bushes in designated for that area. The next year we would repeat the process until all the beds were completed.

The last part was interspersing perennial plants within the landscaping. I intermix many flowers and herbs within my beds. I have also left large areas open with borders of flowers around them for annual vegetables. Good ones for this are squashes, cucumbers, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower and other similar plants.

We live in an addition within the city limits. You may ask how my neighbors like my edible landscaping. I would tell you that I have people stop and tell me how beautiful my beds are all the time. They are usually surprised to hear that many of my plants in them are also edible. I will try to post pictures later of some of the areas. to give you some idea of what it looks like.  

Currants

A couple of years ago, I planted a currant bush at our house. It is a fruit we never had growing up and it tends to not be listed in cookbooks as much. This year the bush has produced a large amount of fruit so it has left me searching for what to do with them. They are white currants and most of the recipes I find are for red or black currants. After an extensive internet and canning book search last night I came up with a couple of recipes. I will let you know how they go and taste. If they work out I will publish the recipes on my blog. If you have any favorite white current recipes to share please leave them in my comments section on the blog. 

Fruit

Our peaches and raspberries are prolific this year and we seem to be winning our war against the birds with our raspberries. We have been harvesting 1-2 pints of berries every other day. They are mostly are black raspberries as that is our established patch but we getting a few of the yellow ones as well. They both are so sweet and delicious. We are also getting all kinds of peaches off of our tree out front. We have been picking a large strainer full every couple of days. There are many more to go. The currants are all ripe as well.

The next in line for ripening are the apricots and the blackberries. The apricots are very close. I had one yesterday. It had good flavor but was not quite ripe enough. The blackberries will probably be ready in another week or so. Our pear and plum trees do not seem to have fruit on them again this year.

Growing our own fruit is so much fun. We put in this new edible landscaping about 3 years ago. This is the first year that we have seen regular crops from our trees and bushes. Not only does the fruit taste good but it also saves us a lot of money. We have even had some extras to share with family and friends. 

Transitions

May was a month of some major transitions for me. My oldest daughter graduated from high school and is now living and working four hours away for the summer. In the fall she will begin her college career. We are now a mostly 3 person household versus 4. The other major transition is for the first time in 23 years we now have family living close by. Over Memorial Day weekend, my youngest sister moved to Lexington. It has already been nice having her so near by. Although both of these major transitions are good, they do not come without some stress and work but I will treasure each one though. 

Growing Up

The time has come that my little girl is leaving home. Later this morning we leave for Ft. Wayne, Indiana where my parents and sister live. We will spend the night there and tomorrow morning we will head to the Indiana/Michigan border to take Mary to her summer job training. She will stay there until Sunday and then head to southern Indiana where she will live and work for the summer.   I am excited to see her take this new step in her life but sad at the same time. The time has gone so fast.

Yesterday, she said to me, "Mom this will be the last day I live at this house. From now on, I will be a frequent visitor." I think the enormity of this day has also somewhat sunk into her. As I have said before, she has grown into a wonderful young lady and I look with anticipation with what she will do with her life. Yet, in the meantime, she will always be my little girl. Even good life transitions can be hard. Wish us all luck as we embark in this new phase in our lives. 

Berries and Birds

The annual battle of the birds has started at our house which amounts to trying to get the berries before the birds pick them clean. We do not seem to have that much problem with the strawberries. They are near the house and there are not a lot of places to perch. The cat spends a lot of time guarding them each year. I have never really had much problem with them. The raspberries on the other hand are a whole different thing.

We have had raspberries for years. We have had very few crops. The birds seem to get to them before we do almost each year. Unfortunately none of the measures which keep our strawberries safe are available for the raspberries. Our patch is in the back of the yard. There are plenty of perching places for birds to land. There are also lots of hiding places so it is harder for our cat to chase them away from them. Today, we spent the morning cleaning out all the weeds, tying the canes up and then netting them. We will see if we have anymore luck with this method. We will keep you posted.  

Refurbishing Landscaping

My sister moved into her new house over the weekend. I have spent the weekend getting her garden in the ground and planting her annual flowers and herbs. In addition, I have already started scoping out the future relandscaping of her yard. The owners before her did a great job and so it is a matter of dividing and redoing a few things.

The first thing I recommend to people when they move into a new home is to not do a whole lot the first season. Take note of the different plants and flowers over the different seasons. If there are plants you do not know, research them and find out about them. Look for places that need improvement. Do areas need to be thinned out or are there sparse areas? Do the plants seem to be planted in the best area such as shade plants in shady areas or sun plants in sunny areas?

The next step is to make out a long range plan. What are the most important areas that need to be done first? Are the beds easy to maintain and mow around? What kind of projects do you see in each area? What of your current plants can be divided and added elsewhere? Are there family or friends who may have plants they would share with you? Write down these plans and then decide a budget for each year. Do the project that your budget allows. Always start with the highest priority. (What area of the yard is the most important to upgrade or fix?)

Upgrading or relandscaping a yard does not have to be expensive. It just takes some long range planning and use of the resources at hand. 

Busy Times

The past week has flown by here at the Webb Homestead. Last weekend, Mary's graduation and party went very well. It was fun to share it with our friends and family. Makenzie and I spent a couple of days at the beginning of the week at Cincinnati Children's Hospital for some EEG monitoring to tune up her seizure regimen. Then, we came home and caught up briefly here at the house. Since Friday, we have been working on getting my sister moved in and unpacked in her new home here locally. She has been transferred to Lexington and this will be our first time in 23 years to have family in the same city. We are so excited about having her here. We have also slipped in two graduation parties of friend's families. The next two weeks prove to be just as busy but then things should slow down for a while. Will catch you as I can until it does. Hope you are all enjoying your summers. 

Seasoned Salt Recipe

A couple of years ago I found this seasoned salt recipe substitute. It rivals the taste of Lowry's but is cheaper and probably a little healthier. I keep it mixed in one of my empty spice bottles. Use the same amount you would use of store bought seasoned salt in your recipes.

Seasoned Salt Recipe

2 Tbls salt

2 tsps sugar

½ tsp paprika

¼ tsp turmeric

¼ tsp onion powder

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp cornstarch (this helps keep it from caking together)

Mix all ingredients together and store in airtight container.

Baby Chicks-1 Month Old

Last night marked another milestone for the baby chicks. They spent their first night in the dark. We let them get all cozy in the coop and then shut the heat lamp off for the first night. They cried a little bit but not too much. At 1 month old, they are fully feathered now, love perching on the bars we put in the run and are eating bits and pieces of table scraps. From the looks of the yard they are in I would say they are also learning how to scratch up the dirt to look for bugs. It has been fun watching them develop over the last month. For the next couple of months they will mostly change in their overall size. I think they will be excited about being on a full grassy area here in a couple of days. 

Home Schooling Completion

This weekend my oldest daughter graduates from home school high school. When we embarked on this journey, we were going to try home schooling for a year because our school system had all day kindergarten and our daughter, Mary, at the time was still taking a 2-3 hour nap in the afternoon. We floundered our way through the first year and started finding some home school friends and groups. We enrolled her in way too many extracurricular activities to make sure she developed "social skills". By the end of Kindergarten, Mary had taught herself to read. Our parents and friends still worried if she would be social enough and if she learning what she was supposed to be learning.

The next year we decided to continue home schooling Mary. We started a home school co-op where I taught elementary science on a trial basis. That year we decreased some of the extracurricular activities because we realized she was getting plenty of social time. She started reading chapter books and did well in all her subjects. Math, though seemed to be hard for her. We found that this lifestyle fit our family well. We turned our vacations into educational field trips. We discovered as most home school families do that schooling our child reached way beyond our school time. We incorporated math, science and other subjects into our everyday routines as well because we knew what they were working on each day in school .

We kept saying we would put Mary back into school during middle school. Then, Out of the Zone, classes came into our lives. When high school decision making time came, NHA found us. It is a small co-op of mothers who worked together to educate their high school children. We decided to give high school a try. We then found out about dual credit through our local community college. We found a small private college that let seniors take one free course a semester their senior year. We learned together about testing and getting into college. Then this year, the senior year arrived. Good news kept coming. Three of the six students, including Mary, received full scholarships to universities. Most of the others received some kind of merit scholarship. They all had developed deep relationships with their friends. They continued their very active home school social lives.

I tell you a brief history of our home school journey not to brag or say this is the best way to educate your child. That is up to each individual family because they know their children and family structure best. I tell you this that if you are considering home schooling, give it a try. Find a local support group or co-op. You do not need to commit for your child's whole school career. Tell yourself you will try it and see where it takes you.

Mary graduates in a local home school graduation ceremony on Saturday morning. There will be 54 participants in this years program. We will meet our daughter with pride in the center of the stage to present her with her diploma from our school. She is a well rounded young lady with a good head on her shoulder. She has many dear friends and a very active social life. During her home school high school career, she has attended basketball and soccer games, participated in musicals, gone to prom and the Christmas dance. She does not feel like she has missed anything by not being in a more "traditional" school setting like many of her friends. She will attend Morehead State University this fall on a full scholarship that covers everything. I feel home schooling her was a good decision.

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Rhubarb Bread

Here is a recipe I have probably shared before but is worth repeating. My rhubarb lovers love this bread but better yet my rhubarb haters like this bread when I don't let them know there is rhubarb in it.

Rhubarb Bread
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup applesauce (oil can be substituted for this)
1 lightly beaten egg
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (white flour can be substituted for this)
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chopped, raw rhubarb

Put first 6 ingredients in a medium size bowl and stir together. In large bowl, add rest of ingredients except rhubarb. Stir these together. Add first bowl with wet ingredients into larger bowl with dry ingredients. Stir just until combined. Fold in rhubarb. Bake in 325 oven for 50-60 minutes or until browned and center is set. Cool, enjoy!.

Rhubarb Crunch

The other day a friend gave me a bunch of rhubarb. I was able to get several loaves of rhubarb bread of it and finished it off by making rhubarb crunch. The recipe is fairly simple but delicious. Here is the recipe.

Rhubarb Crunch
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or white)
3/4 cup uncooked oatmeal
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup melted butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
4 cups rhubarb, chopped

Combine the first 6 ingredients and pat 1/2 the mixture down in a sprayed 9" x 9" pan. Layer uncooked rhubarb on top of crumbs. Set aside the pan and other half of the crunch.


In a medium sized saucepan, bring to boil:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 Tbls cornstarch

Add:
1 tsp vanilla

Pour over rhubarb mixture in pan. Layer remaining crumbs on the top. Bake 350 for 1 hour or until rhubarb is tender.

If you like rhubarb, I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did.  

Dad's Favorite's Deli

We have sampled and bought many of Dad's Favorite Cheese Spreads here at the Farmer's Market. These are homemade cheese spreads made with real ingredients minus the normal fillers you will find in other commercially prepared spreads. They are all delicious. When we were there the last time, we found out that they had opened a small sandwich shop for lunch in Lexington. Yesterday, the girls and I decided to check them out.

The shop offers sandwiches and soup. All of them are homemade. Sandwiches were all $5 or $6,. For a small additional charge you could order chips and a drink or soup and a drink. As you can see the prices are very reasonable and the sandwiches were nice size. The taste was unbelievable. We had the Swiss and Country Ham Melt and a grilled pimento cheese sandwich. They were by far two of the best sandwiches that we had ever eaten. The best part is all of the products served are from local sources as much as possible.

If you get a chance, give them a try. They are open Monday through Friday 11 AM - 3 PM. You can also find their cheese spreads at some of the local grocery stores. On days they are at the Farmer's Market, they give out free samples if you would like to taste them. Here is a link to their website if you would like to check out their cheese spreads or deli more. Dad' Favorites  

Baby Chicks

Buff Orpington Chicks-3 Weeks Old

Our baby chicks are now 3 weeks old and have turned into awkward teenagers. They love being outside and have figured out how to go into the coop at night without assistance. Yesterday, I fed them a few table scraps-strawberries and whole wheat bread. They looked at it kind of funny and then a few brave ones pecked at it to see what it was all about. At this age, I only feed them little bits of table scraps. I do this mostly to get them used to them. They need lots of protein at this stage to grow so I do not want to supplement their feed much at this time.

The most fun thing to watch in the last week is them learning how to perch. When we put the run up, we added a few 1/2" diameter dowel type rods in several places in the run. Last week, a few brave ones would jump on it and then immediately fall off. By the end of the week, we noticed several of them could jump on them and stay briefly. This week the perches are the hit play toy. They are spatting with each other about who gets the perches. At any given time now you can look out the window and see several of them huddled together on the perch. We do this so it is an easier transition when we get them into the coop. The egg laying chickens we want to sleep on the perch at night versus in the nests. This keeps the nests clean for the eggs they lay.

It is fun watching them grow up. They are so big and have changed so much in the few short weeks that we have had them. It will not be long before they are off the patio and in the back part of the yard. 

Sharing

I have spent the afternoon cutting up rhubarb and making it into various goodies. Monday night, one of my friends from ballet brought a bunch of extras that she had at her house. She also brought in some lettuce. My Mom is going to bring me some extra flowers that she has from dividing her plants this spring. We also often share extra can goods with each other. I frequently share extra can goods, eggs, plants and garden produce with friends and family. My point in all of this is that we should share the extras we have with others. There are only so many of each thing that you can use. I have been on both ends of receiver and giver. I think this is a small way that we can make the world a little brighter and friendlier for others. 

Tomatoes

Saturday, I bought most of my tomato plants and over the weekend I have been putting them in the garden. I always buy several varieties of mostly heirloom tomatoes. I have been doing this for a  couple of years and I find this mixture of flavors makes my canned goods have a richer flavor to them. Combining all the subtle differences of tastes together really gives your taste buds something to think about. I buy my tomato plants from different farmers at the farmer's market who have grown them from seed at their farms. This way I know they have been well taken care of and where they have come from. The added bonus is I save on transportation fuel and support our local economy at the same time.

I plant my tomatoes in raised row beds about 3 feet apart within the row. This gives me plenty of space to pick them each year. I put the cages on them from the start. If I don't do this, I find that this task can get away from me and it is hard to put cages on a larger plant and not break off leaves and stems. The cages were made by a local farmer and are very sturdy. You can also stake tomatoes but I find the cages easier for me.

Our clay soil is acidic but tomatoes like a neutral to basic soil. After I plant the tomatoes, I then carefully sprinkle a little lime around the base of the plant. This will seep down into the ground as it rains or the garden is watered. I will repeat this procedure on a monthly basis until the end of the growing season.

I do not fertilize my plants with commercial fertilizers. When I prepare the garden soil I add a large amount of our compost. This conditions the soil as well as fertilizes it. I have always had beautiful tomatoes and plenty of them to use. Although, I rarely have a lot of pest problems, I handpick off any pests which get on my tomatoes and feed them to my chickens. Good companion plants for tomatoes are the onion family, nasturtiums, marigolds, basil and peppers. Several of these assist have the added benefit in repelling pests in your garden.

Tomatoes are my favorite crop in the garden. I look forward to eating the first ripe tomatoes each year and enjoy all the tomato products that I can from them year round.  Growing tomatoes is an easy task and very rewarding  They can be easily grown in flowerbeds and large pots. Almost everyone can find space for one plant. You will be glad that you did. There is no comparison in taste to a freshly picked tomato. 

Baby Chicks

Yesterday, it was so warm we had turned the heat lamp off in the baby chick coop and let them outside. We had a function to go to last night and were in a hurry getting ready to get there. We came home after dark last night to find the baby chicks all huddled in a corner outside in the run crying because they were scared. In my hurry, I had forgotten to tun the heat lamp back on for them. They were scared of the dark so would not go back into the house and then it also got dark outside. Needless to say I felt really bad.

When we found them, we turned on the heat lamp but they had already settled down for the night so would not go inside. We finally had to lift the top for the run and gently put them in front of the door. They finally figured it out and all went inside. Needless to say I will not be making that mistake this evening.

One thing that we have had to teach the baby chicks each year is not to be afraid of the dark, Because of the heat lamp, they have light 24/7 for the first few weeks. The first night without light, they usually cry because they are scared. After a few nights, they are used to it and become pros at sleeping in the dark. The joys of being a substitute chick Mom.

Neighborhood Chickens

We have chickens in the city. We follow the ordinances for our city which is no roosters and the chickens must be contained at all times. We would have to do this anyways because of the large number of stray cats we have in our neighborhood. Our chickens are technically not "free range" but enjoy a large run and coop that is kept clean and moved around the yard. They seem to really enjoy their home. My husbands biggest concern when we decided to get chickens was what the neighbors would think.

So far, the response has all been positive. People frequently walk in our neighborhood. We will see them frequently stop and look at the chickens. I will invite them into the yard to see them up close. Now, that we have baby chicks I have especially invited those with children or grandchildren around to come in and see the baby chicks. Several people have expressed interest in getting started with egg-laying chickens. When I have an abundance of eggs, I will share with these passerby. The people leave happy and excited about having chickens in their neighborhood.

I do this to help others see the benefits and fun of having backyard chickens. This also helps with good neighborly relations. If you have backyard chickens, I would encourage you to be open about it with your neighbors. Give them some free eggs occasionally. This will help everyone be happy with your endeavor. 

Baby Chicks-2 Weeks Old

Yesterday, we spent the afternoon moving our baby chicks from under our carport to the cement patio area we have next to it. We then introduced them to the outside world for the first time. At first they were hesitant but last night they did not want to go into the house. There was too much to see. The chicks are getting in their wing and tail feathers and have grown considerably. They will still need the heat-lamp until all of their feathers come into their body. We will let them go outside on days that is warm enough for them to maintain their body temperature. .I love baby chick season. 

A Family Affair

Both my children love gardening and helping out in the garden. I would like to attribute part of this to the fact that I have always found tasks for them to help me with in the garden even when they are not really "helping". Makenzie is still of that age because of her developmental delays. She loves to help dig, plant and pick the produce. Last night, she came out with her little pink garden shovel as Chuck and I were putting mulch down wanting to help "dig". We put her to work on the opposite side of the wheelbarrow digging out mulch to put on the flowerbeds. She had a ball. She felt useful and was helping out. Today, we will find a pot and plant her Cosmos seeds that her grandparents gave her for Easter. I will help her to remember to water them during the summer and we will let them grow. I did all these things with my older daughter, Mary, and she loves to garden and help in the flower beds.

Letting your children "help" even when they might not be so helpful will help them develop a work ethic as well as a love for gardening. As my children get older, I have always given them little chores to do according to their abilities. Children love to help and be a part of making a household work but to instill this you must take the time when they are young. You will be glad that you did.

Baby Chick Update

The baby chicks are now almost 2 weeks old. They are very active and peeping all the time. They are starting to get their wing and tail feathers. You often see them taking off from the large edging stone we have the feeders on to test their wings. We also have to be careful when we open the lid that they do not accidentally fly out. This weekend we will move them off the carport and onto the patio part of our backyard. We will attach the run so when it is warm outside we can open up the door and let them start exploring the outside world. This is always a treat to watch. Baby chicks are so much fun to have and watch grow. Unfortunately, this stage like all baby stages it does not last too long so we have to enjoy it while it is here. 

Donating Used Eye Glasses

Yesterday, I read on facebook a post from a distant relative. He just returned from a Haiti mission trip. One of his jobs there was to sort through the eye glasses donated by a US Lion's Club. People waited in line for 2 days to receive these glasses. Even though many of them could not get the exact prescription they enabled them to see much better than before. This is a great way to recycle old glasses and give vision to those who cannot afford such a luxury as clear vision. Take the time to find a Lion's Club eye glass box today and donate those old eyeglasses.   

Baby Chicks-Day 2

Our baby chicks are doing well. We have them on our carport this time. This is the first time we have had them in an outdoor shelter. Luckily, the weather is warmer so we do not have to worry about them so much. Last night, our first friend who joined us in the order came and picked her six chicks. She was so excited. This is her first adventure into backyard chickens. My other friend came and picked up hers this evening. Her three young children were with her. They have four other backyard chickens and are excited about adding to their flock. My other friend who lives further away will get hers later. It has been so much fun to watch them today. They are so cute when they are little. I love baby chick season. 

Baby Chicks

At 7:20 this morning, the post office called to tell me that our chicks were here. We had to wait a whole hour for them to open. It is always fun and exciting when the chick order arrives. My youngest daughter sat in the backseat with them and talked with them to "make them feel better" on the way home. As soon as we got home, Mary worked on getting food and heat to their new home. I put electrolytes in their water container and dipped their little beaks in it. They had not had anything to eat or drink since they left the hatchery so this is an important step. Next, we moved them in to their new home. We have checked on them all day and they seem to be adapting well to their new environment. Tomorrow, should bring a whole new set of adventure for our baby chicks. They are so cute when they are babies. It is hard to believe that just a little over a year ago that our 6 layers were this small.

Weed Control

Weed control has been my weak point the past two years. Most of it is because spring is very busy for us and the weeds always seem to get ahead of me. I am still working out my system but find a combination of weed barriers, hand pulling, selective planting and hoeing have been my best weapons against these pesky things.

The first line of defense is selective planting. The more you have planted together and the less bare space you have the less weeds you will have. This goes back to "three sisters" tactic that the Native Americans used in their gardens. They planted beans, corn and pumpkins together. The corn supported the beans and the pumpkins helped shade out the weeds. One way to do this in your flower beds is to look at groupings. Take an area and plant several kinds of flowers together. The key to making it look good is to always have something in bloom all season.

The other three things go hand in hand. I put down cardboard boxes that I save throughout the year and then lay mulch on top of them. I also have used layers of newspapers in the past but have not found them to be as good of a barrier.  I try to do this in the spring after all the perennials have peaked their heads through the ground but before the weeds have grown large. If I know that I am going to plant an annual later in the season in a spot, I will reserve the spot with a stick. Hand weeding and hoeing are the day to day tasks of keeping things weed free. If you can keep your weeds from going to seed you should see less of them each year.

Weed control can be a frustrating job at times but with a good plan of action you can conquer this task without using chemicals. 

Bats and Caves

In the elementary science class I teach one afternoon a week, we have been studying about caves. We are spending several weeks on this topic. Much of Kentucky lies on top of a large Karst system and has many caves including the largest mapped cave system in the world-Mammoth Cave. Pollution can be a major problem in caves because of their delicate ecosystems.

One thing that we have learned through our studies is the importance of bats to the cave food chain. On the bottom of any food chain is the sun which plants use to create their own food. From their other things eat food until you get to the top of the food chain. An example of a food chain is plants produce food from the sun; insects eat plants; bats eat insects. The problem in the cave is their is no sunshine so no plants grow deep inside. Bats transfer the outside energy to the cave. They come into the cave and excrete bat guano (poop). Cave crickets eat the bits of food left in the guano and then something else eats the cave crickets. This is mainly how the delicate creatures which only live inside the cave get their food. That is why bats are so important to the cave food chain. A side benefit to humans is the massive amounts of insects that bats eat each evening.

Two things I have been trying to pass on to my students is the importance of taking care of our cave systems. This means be careful not to do things which will pollute ground water or hurt bats. It is a lesson for which we should all pay attention.

Time for Every Season

Yesterday, I was at my local garden store buying my early cool crops of kohlrabies and cabbage. I made the comment that with the weather we are having that I fell like I should be buying tomatoes and peppers but I knew we had too much time before our last frost date to do this. She laughed and told me that they were going to get tomato and pepper plants in because people have been demanding that they get some. She said they were going to sell them to people with no guarantee and a warning that they may die if the weather turned cold again.

This brings up an important point that the last frost date is important for successful gardeners to know. Here in this area it is May 10. Many of your crops which are frost sensitive should not be put out until after your last frost date even if the weather has turned nice early. One frost can kill a lot of hard work and money.

Be patient, tomato and pepper season will be here soon enough.   

Baby Chicks and Fresh Asparagus

We had our first cuttings from our asparagus patch today for lunch. Boy, did it taste good after not having fresh things all winter. That is one of the great things about asparagus, it comes first in the long line of garden fresh. I baked it in a little olive oil with just a touch of sea salt. Yum!!!

I also ordered our baby chicks today. I combined 4 people's orders including mine and made 1 order. This way we can get the kinds and quantities of chicks we want since we each just wanted a few. They will be here the week of April 16. I can't wait to get them. They are so cute when they first come and so much fun to watch.

The joys of spring!

Summer Weather in Spring

The weather around here has been crazy the last two weeks. Summer has sprung without really any spring. The trees are all budding at once. My daffodils are already done blooming for the year and the tulips are at their peak. The result is a gorgeous scene of flowering landscape. It sounds though like this weekend we go back to late spring weather. The highs are only going to be in the upper 60's and lower 70's versus the 80's this week. Even that is several degrees above normal. I am enjoying this early burst of warmth but am also looking forward to maybe a little cooler temps. Mid-80's is a little warm for this time of year.

Today, it is finally dry enough that I am going to put in the rest of my early spring crops. I am hoping to have my first rounds of potatoes, lettuce, cabbage, kohlrabies and carrots in the ground along side the spinach, peas and onions I planted last week before all the rain started again. Looks like this weekend is going to be wet again so it should give them a good start.

Hope you are enjoying the weather where you are and either looking forward to planting or planting your spring crops depending on where you live. Happy spring! 

Companion Planting-Onions

One of my best loved gardening books is Carrots Love Tomatoes by Louise Riotte. This book talks about what plants compliment each other in the garden and provides many natural ideas to control pests in the garden. One plant family that takes a honorary seat in this role is the onion family. These include onions, shallots, leeks, chives and garlic. Because of their aromatic smells they repel many common insects. One thing that she recommends is planting these vegetables throughout the garden to reap their benefits.

I started following this advice last year and was surprised by the results. Onions really do seem to help repel the insects. My garden seemed to have less pests where the onions were interplanted among the other vegetables. One word of caution though is that the pea and bean families do not seem to like the onion family. Carrots seem to do especially well with onions as they help repel the carrot fly.

This is just one of the many suggestions she makes in her book. It is a book worth buying and is reasonably priced. I refer to it each year while I am planting my garden. If you would like to take a peak at it, most libraries carry this book on their shelves. Take a moment and look up this book, it has been well worth the price for me.