We usually see our first snow about Halloween. One year, there was even a blizzard on that day! No, that doesn’t always happen, but we try to be prepared, just in case. (Doesn’t that seem to fit all we do?) Yesterday, I got a bunch of carrots peeled and ready to can and canned up the first batch yesterday evening. Today, I’m finishing up that batch. When I went to wash the first batch, I saw I had inadvertently canned a fly. Yuck! So, I opened that jar and poured out the contents for the chickens. They loved it! Waste not/want not! They traded me four eggs for it.
Yesterday Will and I split another two loads of firewood. As the woodshed is about full, he’s dumping them by the old pig houses to stack. I’ve got to clear a spot in the goat barn for kindling. Right now, it’s full of empty feed bags to recycle. I like a good pile of kindling, ready to start a fire. Otherwise, Will has his “white man fire starter,” a propane torch. Ha ha.
Today, I’m canning up those last carrots and getting ready for our visit from Lynn and Jesse, our friends, who now have our seed business, Seed Treasures. We grew a lot of extra crops for them to have extra seed, in case they run out of something. It’s hard, your first year, knowing how much of everything you’ll need, and we want them to get off to a very good start. Of course, I can’t let them see my pig pen of a house, so I’ve got to do some major cleaning. (It gives me a good excuse! Not that it needs it or anything…)
This morning, the sun is out again, and I looked out the window to see three beautiful Trumpeter swans swimming in the beaver pond! They are so beautiful. I’m glad they came to visit us on their migration south.
I’ve got everything out of the gardens but a few dry beans in the Sand Garden and some cabbages. Those cabbages are huge! I’ll get some pictures soon so you can see them. Wow! We have really been blessed with such a good harvest in a very tough gardening year. Thank you, God! — Jackie
Jackie, how do you keep worms out of your cabbage? I gave up raising it because of those little rascals. My theory on house cleaning is they came to see me not to judge the house.
Wow, aren’t those gifts wonderful? Every once in a while, we, too, find a volunteer plant that was totally unexpected. It’s so much fun. Enjoy your wonderful tomatoes.
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Back at you!!
Here in northern Ca, we are finally into the rain season. Our raised beds did not do well but we discovered a random tomato (beefstake!) took root amounts the gravel around our apartments. The things is loaded with way better tomatoes than we have grown-who’d a thought?!! I am making my small batch of salsa that I have not made in about 5 years back in Iowa! Looking forward to sharing with the other ladies that babied and fought for that bush!😍
Hello, Ginger, I’m in far north California, Shasta county. Where in northern California are you located? Maybe just the county. Good to see another Californian in here.