Around the farm this morning.

They are finally mowing and baling hay all around my farm! I was so happy to see this. And it smells SO good. I love the smell of hay, but sure do hate loading it. And unloading it. And stacking it. My least favorite job to have to do. But it sure is pretty and I sure am happy when I have a barn full. I am still waiting for the 2nd cutting of hay. I hope it'll be a good one.

Just one of the elderberry bushes around my farm. Full of flowers. And since the birds always get the berries before I do, I am going to get all the flower clusters and make jelly and a drink that I found a recipe for last year. It's like an fermented elderberry lemonade. It was so good, I just have to make more. But I do want to make jelly for the market. Which, by the way, several people came to my booth today because i do have unusual jellies.

What the heck is this? It is so yellow. I saw it from way down here at the house this morning. And it's way at the top of the goat yard. Far away. It's so bright and yellow. On an old tree stump.

And I think this is lichen maybe? Not sure. But it's beautiful. On an old tree root out back. So pretty too.

Just a few of the Cornish Cross meat birds. I just noticed this morning, that I will probably be butchering some of them soon. They are growing like weeds. I have been giving them the fermented grains since they stopped getting the starter-grower about a month ago. And they do free range. I only feed them in the morning and again in the evening. They are on their own the rest of the time. And doing great. The Freedom Rangers are a bit slower. And they're in the chicken tractor. I may just let them out soon. I'm moving them twice a day.

Hope all is well with you all. And that you have a great Sunday with family and friends.

Bob and Joe's new home

I went up to feed Bob and Joe tonight and brought my camera this time. I love it over there. It's at the foot of Lookout Mt. and just acres and acres of the most beautiful land. So much to see there. Every which way you look. And this is a very old homestead. There are 4 old barns and a really old house all built in the 1800's. And all still standing and in pretty good shape.


                 This is the old corn crib. They get the right side for their little house. Really nice too.

Here you can see the other old barn to the right and their shelter to the left. Up past that little camper is the old homestead to the left.

                                                    In a few weeks, this will be all brown dirt.

                                                This is the biggest barn. I just love old barns.

This barn is where the electric is. Allen ran 2 strand of electric fence wire and it goes to the other side of their shelter. They have plenty of room and grass to munch on. I brought them a bag of scraps and they acted like they really didn't need it. But they ate it anyway, just to make me happy.

You can see Lookout Mt in this picture, to the left. And that is the biggest hay field from here to the mountain. I know, because I have gotten hay from here before. Hundreds of acres.

Here is the old corn crib again. Allen plans on later letting the pigs up in those woods behind this barn. There's lots of oak trees in there full of acorns in the fall. Just right for finishing off hogs.

So I do believe the boys will be happy here. I wouldn't mind living here myself.

Blueberries

I was outside after the rain awhile ago and I spotted some ripe blueberries on one of the bushes!!! About 6 of the best ripe juicy berries I have ever eaten! And from my very own bushes in my yard! It just can't get much better than that.

Has anyone else been getting blueberries yet? This bush is a Tifblue, so I guess they are the earliest ones. I also have some Climax and Premier and a Becky Blue.

I am just so happy to be getting fresh blueberries from my own bushes in my yard.

Pig rodeo

Today was the day for the pig rodeo. See the pigs way down at the end? I put up the Premier fence as a barrier to get them to where we needed them to go. That worked.

Here is where we wanted them. They went just fine and we got the gate shut. Only a little rooting along the way, but no problems here.

We took one of the cattle panels from their pen and got them in this little tiny space. hoping they'd just walk right up onto this nice cozy trailer. But not before a little pig drama. We got Joe, the white pig, on first. Putting a bucket over a pig's head and pushing them backwards really does work! If they're small! Which Joe is a bit smaller than Bob. (I did try it on Bob, but he didn't want anything to do with that game.) So got Joe on and put that piece of plywood up on the trailer to hold him in while he ate and we tried to get Bob on too. But Bob had other plans. We put that other gate that's in the back of the truck where the plywood was. But Bob pushed it away and off he went. Just exactly like the last time we tried to load pigs. Just like the last time, I run screaming through the yard, cussing and throwing buckets and sticks to get him back to where he was  supposed to be. Acting like a crazy lunatic. We did get him back in and he was tired. He rested his big fat butt on the tail of the trailer. Then the guys pushed and pulled and got him up on the trailer!

And here they are. Ready to go to their new home up  the road. I'll have to take pictures of where they'll be living for a few months. It's really nice.

 So, ba-bye for now, Bob and Joe. It's really been fun. I'll miss you guys. But I'll still bring you bread and scraps, ok? Be good. See ya.

And off they went.

Feta cheese

This is the feta I made 5 days ago. All marinating in olive oil with fresh cut basil, thyme, oregano and chives. It is SO good. I love to make a frittata and add this feta to it. With some good sauteed veggies and roasted garlic Bruschetta. Too good!

95

Yep. 95 degrees Wednesday. Farmer's market day. From 3-6. The hottest part of the day. On white concrete and rocks. By a busy city street. With lots of traffic. UGH! Not really looking forward to this at all. But we have to do it. We are tough. I'll take lots of ice cold water and some wet towels. And I have a canopy. But it's only half way in the shade. And I have soaps. And jelly. And now plantain slave. It could be a liquid in this heat. And so could the soap. That's very nearly 100 degrees. That's pretty hot if ya ask me.

So please think nice cold thoughts of all us farmers and artisan type folks out there in this awfully hot heat. And I hope you all have a very nice day!

Just another manic Monday

 I love that song. And I love Mondays. Always have. I had a productive day. I made privet jelly. 15 half pint jars. I had picked the flowers and made the juice a week ago. Finally got around to make the jelly today. It smells just like the flowers and tastes really good. I am pleased with it. Now I am wondering if people who have allergies from privet should eat this jelly?

I made 33 of the smallest canning jars of plantain salve yesterday. I made it in the crock pot. It all turned out really nice and solid. I really love this salve. It's great for all kinds of bug and any bites and bee stings and itches. Also great to put on tick bites. Good stuff.

And a few weeks ago I had infused plantain leaves in olive oil to use in a castille soap. Which I finally made today.It's so pretty and white with a hint of green. This will take 8 weeks to cure/ I like castille soap. It's rich and creamy.

Here is the soap I made with the lard from pigs I raised. It's a summer citrus scent with orange, lemon and lime EO's and orange zest. It smells amazing!

I made just 4 bars of Sandalwood for my friend who disbuds my goat kids.

Here's Heather and Kansas, on the lawn, having a nice little relaxing time together under the shade tree.

I always wanted Red bud trees here. This is the biggest tree and there is another little tiny one in my rock garden. I got them from my mom's yard. I need more.

I also mowed most of the yard and front by the road. And washed a load of clothes and hung them out on the lines. My favorite thing to do is wash my sheets and hang them out on a sunny day. Then when I get in bed, it's the most wonderful smell and I sleep like a baby!

The lady who wanted Ella Belle has decided to not get her. I am a little upset, but I'll try to put them all on CL. And my friend who was supposed to get the pigs didn't come this morning. It was raining. So I  hope he comes tomorrow. And I had a call from some strange person about the chickens. I was just going out to check the bees and had the smoker going and my mom was just leaving and hit the fence. And I, like a dummy, answer my stupid phone. And I couldn't understand them so I told them to call back later. They were asking all kinds of stupid questions. They did call back but I didn't answer the phone. Please tell me I am not the only one who has done this? I will not sell any animals to people who don't know anything about them. Like how big does a Cornish Cross meat bird get? Come on.

I had a call Saturday from a lady who said her daughter wanted a lamb. I knew right away I would never sell her A lamb. I told her sheep like to be with other sheep and she'd need more than 1. She said that would be fine. And did she want a hair sheep or a wool sheep? She said it didn't seem that hard to cut the wool off a sheep. No, I will not sell anything to her either. Sorry. It takes all kinds, I suppose.

I was going to make elderberry jelly too. But when I went out to pick the flowers, they weren't all the way opened. So I'll wait til they are all the way opened to make the juice for jelly. That should be really good.

I am reading an old book that I read several years ago, about bees. It's called The Keeper Of the Bees by Stratton Porter. It was written in 1925. I love old books. The smell is so cool. And there are several references to real bee keepers who wrote books, like Pliney and Huber. Love this book. And now that I have bees, I am reading it again.

So just another Monday. What have you all done today?

(By the way, all the jelly, salve and soap are for sale. If you'd like anything, let me know.)