Category Archive: farming

2014
06/28

Category:
farming
Life

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A Quiet Day

I have been buying venison scraps and bones for the dogs for the past two years. Yesterday, we picked up the last 400 pounds of bones that we will get and there are no more scraps. The butcher will no longer be processing the deer from the hunters as he has gained bigger contracts. I loved getting the meat from him because it was obviously organic. This freezer – which sits outside the back door under cover, I purchased from Craigslist for $50 makes it possible to store so much meat.

Today was a day for resting and reading, restoring the body and soul We also had a bit of thunder, heavy rain and beautiful sunshine. The sun and rain alternated throughout the day.

When evening comes the outside residents are waiting for us to open the back door. They come running to the place where they can join us on our walk down to the night time quarters – they, on one side of the wire, we on the other side. I feel like part of a parade. They run inside their own pens for a night time treat and to be locked safely away from predators. And we go back into the our house ready to end another day.

2014
06/11

Category:
farming
history
Life

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Turn of the 20th century

Today was a genealogy/history field trip. We went to Darrington, WA (state) where my grandparents farmed starting in 1925, This is the view from the back door of the room I stayed in

And this is from the front of the building. The scenery is stunningly gorgeous and beautiful still as few people live in the area. It is nestled in the Cascades and for that reason gets more than its share of rain and cool weather.

We were able to visit the fields that my grandparents farmed as well as we were invited into the house that sits there now. It is 4 times the size of the original house, which they remodeled as they added onto it. There are people still living in the area today whose parents were friends of my relatives and their names were know. I think it helped to have my 90 year old second cousin along as she was raised there and she remembered the names and who lived where. It was all very interesting.

The farmer who lives there today purchased not only my grandfather’s farm, but grandpa’s brother’s farm as well and now has 700 acres which they farm as a family. Both his 25 year old daughter and his 27 old son and their partners share in the farming. They raise hay and 250 head of beef cattle. It is such a pleasure to see young people still interested in saving the farms.

The small town is a destination place – not a place on the way to somewhere else. And the economy has been hard on it. We found the one small motet, a couple small coffee kiosks, but no place to eat. Oh, and a small IGA grocery store. I wonder how much longer it will stay small with the beautiful landscape it has

We visited this beautiful area nearby where the park service has moved this house.

And here is a canoe alongside the house so you can see the mode of travel on the river.

I will leave you with another photo of the area and be back with a different trip tomorrow.

2014
06/09

Category:
farming
Garden
Life

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New babies

Bantams at the age of 4 months already trying out their crowing sounds. It is rather funny listening to them learning the crow.

A still wet baby arrived and the mothers are co-parents. They shared setting duties and now the baby will be under one for awhile and then the other. There are 3 more eggs, so maybe each mom will get her own baby. Can you see the bantam mom in the back and the baby nearer to her? The eggs were from large chickens.

The other baby is an artichoke. I don’t know if it will grow larger or when the time to pick is so will wait and watch. I’m sorry, somehow I hit the gray setting on the camera.

The weeds grew so fast when the warm weather came, that we hired two fellows from the high school (couldn’t get them before school year ended). So they spent 7 hours here today with half of that cleaning out the chicken house and the other weed eating the weeds between the garden boxes. I’ll get a photo of that when the sun is shining. We zonked out today.

2014
06/06

Category:
farming
Foods
Garden

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Strawberries n Bees

Strawberries!. This is one of the reasons we garden. There is nothing like very fresh strawberries (and other fresh foods). These are picked, rinsed, stemmed, sliced and eaten over zucchini bread asap. We aren’t yet growing enough to keep us throughout the winter. So in 2 weeks, I’ll be buying a hundred pounds from the local farm and freezing them. That will be a long working day to get them in the freezer. When it’s ugly outside, summer fruits remind us there will be another summer with better weather.

This is another of “our” crops. Actually we let the bees do the work. I painted some new boxes for them today. Here, I’m checking to see if the bees need another box yet and the answer is no. Notice I’m not holding them too close. I found the hive to the right in the photo no longer has bees in it. I don’t know what happened, but did take the box apart. I will check the bees again next week as I see the blackberries are in full bloom and that is their primary crop.

Some corn and string beans went into the ground as well today. You will get to see a photo when they show their little faces.

Have you ever broken a VitaMix? I use it so often that the bearings came out of it yesterday. I love that machine. So today I called the company and will have a new blade assembly in about a week. They were so very pleasant and helpful on the phone. He assured me that is a rare occurrence, but was happy that I am using it so much. And I am happy that I have two jars, so that I can continue making smoothies and other foods while the new one is in route.

I

2014
06/01

Category:
farming
Garden
Life
spinning

TAG:
spin

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Mother Earth News Fair

This is a terrific fair! I always learn so much about living without making such a big footprint. Come with me as I share with you a few of the photos I did remember to take. I usually forget to take photos when I am so enjoying the moment

First of all there were the organic seed companies which I enjoy perusing.

This was the first time I’ve seen a freeze drying machine which could have been all mine for “only” $4000.00.

And of course there were the chocolate and other food companies displaying their latest temptations

We saw a variety of composting toilets much improved from the old “out house”

Soft hot tubs and I can only guess that this way of living is going to make one’s muscles need soaking. But when would one have the time?

There were lovely folding shopping bags for when one would make a shopping trip — not often because most of this show is geared to “backs to the land”

These women are promoting the North American Wool Association

LOOK! these are the baby Cormo lambs I purchased a month ago. The Association wanted some Cormos on display so my babies were happy to oblige.

I had not seen sisal made into rope before and this man was demonstrating how it was made 100 years ago.

It’s always fun to have period costumes when one is doing a craft that once was a necessity.

Although the fair had so many other things as trees and bees and soaps and books and a myriad of marvelous things to see, I leave you with the delighted look on the face of my daughter who was a 4H-er for many years

as she looks at these pygmy goat kids.

2014
05/11

Category:
farming
Life

COMMENTS:
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Mother’s day

I hope each of you women had a terrific Mother’s Day. We were blessed by hearing from our children and seeing one. And our first Iris showed up today as well.

These beautiful lilies were sent by our California son, Andrew.

Kati and Zach brought a “pinks” plant. I love them. I need to find a full sun area for them. They so remind me of growing up. Mother always had them on the rockery where we lived. Kati and Zach had lunch here, Then we took a small walk and then they planted tomatoes – 50 of them. It was such a blessing to have their help. Assuming most of them do well, we should have enough for canning and sharing. Can you see the little plants right before the weeds/grass in the background.

This is a photo of the garden area. Last fall we put straw over the boxes and the ground under it is beautiful and fairly weed free, but we certainly have plenty of weeds on the slopes between the boxes with which to deal.

2014
04/30

Category:
farming
Life
quilts

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Another finish

On our short walk in the park, we noticed these trees. Is this natural, or were they bent that way?

The second bee box is on each hive. All those spots on the white are bees, though a bit difficult to see. It is amazing how wearing the bee suit takes the fear out of working with the bees. Even though they are swarming all over, knowing I’m not going to be stung gives me confidence.

And yes, that is me in the bee suit.

Do you see the signature embroidered in the binding at the bottom of the photo?

The koala quilt is finished – signed and bound! I gave it a bit of a push to be able to count if in April’s finishes.

2014
04/25

Category:
farming
quilts

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On Grandpa’s Pond bom =Jan block

January’s block is all finished – including the stitching. These take a bit of time, but aren’t difficult. She still has the patterns up on line if you would like to make them.

And I must share that the bantam baby chicks are now perching. Here’s a prayer for a great weekend for each of you.

2014
04/21

Category:
farming
Life

COMMENTS:
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Need entertainment?

Today brings us a guest blogger – or at least photographer – and here is his “selfie”.

He and his mom, our daughter, Lisa are here visiting for a day. Of course all the animals are extremely interesting to him and he loves visiting with them. So here are a few photos he took for the blog.

The new bantam chicks

The hens laying eggs behind the fountain by the front door.

Another hen actually setting on eggs in the coup.

Then it was lunch and shopping time. This is a character from Mine Craft and a diamond that interested him.

Back home to the animals, it was hoof stock time and he loved that they would come to him if he had a bit of grain in the bucket. Nana tired out, but tomorrow we will be out there with the bucket once again.

Now if you need entertainment, I know a 10-year-old that can keep a person busy most of the day.

2014
04/14

Category:
farming
Foods
Life

COMMENTS:
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Bananas and other

We will be watching tonight’s health lecture which runs all week, if you are interested. They have been super good. Here is the site:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48Zbw_kkECE

Yeah! we finished extracting the honey {11 pints) and cleaned the extractor. This took up the morning and would you know when I was in the tub with my hair wet and water still going, the phone rang. It was the produce man with overripe bananas which we were to come get. Then the doorbell rang. Fortunately, DH was home and answered that. Now please explain why both had to wait until I was really busy.

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Category Archive: farming

Today was a day for resting and reading, restoring the body and soul We also had a bit of thunder, heavy rain and beautiful sunshine. The sun and rain alternated throughout the day.

Today was a genealogy/history field trip. We went to Darrington, WA (state) where my grandparents farmed starting in 1925, This is the view from the back door of the room I stayed in

And this is from the front of the building. The scenery is stunningly gorgeous and beautiful still as few people live in the area. It is nestled in the Cascades and for that reason gets more than its share of rain and cool weather.

We visited this beautiful area nearby where the park service has moved this house.

And here is a canoe alongside the house so you can see the mode of travel on the river.

I will leave you with another photo of the area and be back with a different trip tomorrow.

Bantams at the age of 4 months already trying out their crowing sounds. It is rather funny listening to them learning the crow.

The other baby is an artichoke. I don’t know if it will grow larger or when the time to pick is so will wait and watch. I’m sorry, somehow I hit the gray setting on the camera.

Some corn and string beans went into the ground as well today. You will get to see a photo when they show their little faces.

I

This is a terrific fair! I always learn so much about living without making such a big footprint. Come with me as I share with you a few of the photos I did remember to take. I usually forget to take photos when I am so enjoying the moment

First of all there were the organic seed companies which I enjoy perusing.

This was the first time I’ve seen a freeze drying machine which could have been all mine for “only” $4000.00.

And of course there were the chocolate and other food companies displaying their latest temptations

We saw a variety of composting toilets much improved from the old “out house”

Soft hot tubs and I can only guess that this way of living is going to make one’s muscles need soaking. But when would one have the time?

There were lovely folding shopping bags for when one would make a shopping trip — not often because most of this show is geared to “backs to the land”

These women are promoting the North American Wool Association

LOOK! these are the baby Cormo lambs I purchased a month ago. The Association wanted some Cormos on display so my babies were happy to oblige.

I had not seen sisal made into rope before and this man was demonstrating how it was made 100 years ago.

It’s always fun to have period costumes when one is doing a craft that once was a necessity.

Although the fair had so many other things as trees and bees and soaps and books and a myriad of marvelous things to see, I leave you with the delighted look on the face of my daughter who was a 4H-er for many years

as she looks at these pygmy goat kids.

I hope each of you women had a terrific Mother’s Day. We were blessed by hearing from our children and seeing one. And our first Iris showed up today as well.

These beautiful lilies were sent by our California son, Andrew.

This is a photo of the garden area. Last fall we put straw over the boxes and the ground under it is beautiful and fairly weed free, but we certainly have plenty of weeds on the slopes between the boxes with which to deal.

On our short walk in the park, we noticed these trees. Is this natural, or were they bent that way?

The second bee box is on each hive. All those spots on the white are bees, though a bit difficult to see. It is amazing how wearing the bee suit takes the fear out of working with the bees. Even though they are swarming all over, knowing I’m not going to be stung gives me confidence.

And yes, that is me in the bee suit.

Do you see the signature embroidered in the binding at the bottom of the photo?

The koala quilt is finished – signed and bound! I gave it a bit of a push to be able to count if in April’s finishes.

January’s block is all finished – including the stitching. These take a bit of time, but aren’t difficult. She still has the patterns up on line if you would like to make them.

And I must share that the bantam baby chicks are now perching. Here’s a prayer for a great weekend for each of you.

Today brings us a guest blogger – or at least photographer – and here is his “selfie”.

He and his mom, our daughter, Lisa are here visiting for a day. Of course all the animals are extremely interesting to him and he loves visiting with them. So here are a few photos he took for the blog.

The new bantam chicks

The hens laying eggs behind the fountain by the front door.

Another hen actually setting on eggs in the coup.

Then it was lunch and shopping time. This is a character from Mine Craft and a diamond that interested him.

Back home to the animals, it was hoof stock time and he loved that they would come to him if he had a bit of grain in the bucket. Nana tired out, but tomorrow we will be out there with the bucket once again.

Now if you need entertainment, I know a 10-year-old that can keep a person busy most of the day.

We will be watching tonight’s health lecture which runs all week, if you are interested. They have been super good. Here is the site:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48Zbw_kkECE

No photos of the honey as we put it all in used margarine tubs for our own use.

The bananas are all cut and in the freezer. They will be packed in baggies, ready for smoothies.

And here are the skins.

Guess what we did with them. Threw them to the chickens, of course, but got this surprise.

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