Just Catchin' Up...

Hello again!  Sorry I've been  MIA!  With a grand baby I keep a couple of days a week and planning TWO weddings, it's been CRAZY-busy around the farm!  Yep, TWO weddings!  My oldest son, Adam, got married three weeks ago in Nashville, and my daughter is getting married in October here in E Texas.  I'm a very busy gal!  My son, Adam, and his new bride, Bre.

I have no veggie garden this year either - I'm so sad!  Guess I'll be going to the Farmer's Market a lot this summer.  When we had the big tree cut down, the garden fence, etc., had to be taken down and everything moved - my raised beds, too.  Then I got "wedding-busy" and it just didn't happen this year.  So sad...  I had planned on maybe having some patio plants, tomatoes and such, but that's not happening.  So, I've had to let it go for this year.  It IS what it IS.  Trying to prioritize this year...and not stress myself out overly much.

I've been looking for photos to show of our little farm this year, lo and behold - there are hardly any pics that do not include my little granddaughter!  I have thousands already!  She's sitting alone now, jabbering up a storm and SO curious about every little thing.  And still no hair!

This picture of my daughter, my granddaughter and myself was taken in Nashville at Cedarmont Farm where Adam's wedding was held.  It was a gorgeous place and threatened rain all day, but the sun broke out towards the evening and everything was perfect!  Bella is my middle son's baby girl and Hayley is such a proud Auntie!  Bella is sporting wedding attire along with her smallish hair bow (not).  I told her mommy and daddy that she looked like she'd been to the Kentucky Derby! either that, or she is a sweet little Ganache Cupcake!

Daddy and I did do our usual ritual of jelly making last week.  This has been going on for many years now, and we were sure missing our Lisa being there to help.  Just wasn't the same somehow, but we are carrying on.  I did not think I could go on at times without my sister, but I have.  Some days are better than others.  I know the Lord in heaven is working His healing touch on our family and I'm so thankful to have Him to lean on.

Notice something different?  I cut my hair.  I decided to go short.  I am really enjoying it a lot - so much easier to care for except my hair grows fast and I have to go to the salon just about once a month...  grrrrr.  But I'm liking it.

Hope to be back soon amidst the wedding planning for my daughter and keeping my baby. She's the delight of my life right now and she makes this troubled heart happy!  Take care and keep your dress down!

AUTUMN HAS ARRIVED IN EAST TEXAS!

Fall is HERE!  Usually, autumn comes to our area softly and quietly, just kinda sneaks in.  Well, this weekend, autumn came slamming through here with solid rain for two days and North winds 15-25 mph.  It's 62 degrees outside at 8:27 pm.  We haven't seen these temps since probably March or April at the latest.  Last week, we had highs in the 90s, and sure, it'll warm up into the upper 80's this week, but WOW!  It's been nice!  Even Bug (the chihuahua) at 13 years of age has been tearing around here like a mad nanny goat enjoying the cooler air.  She's been so frisky!

Only thing was, this morning at 6:00 am while we still in bed, the power went off.  Bleh.  The only reason I would know is that my box fan went silent all of a sudden.  I guess the wind and rain shut something down. It also shut down the pump or generators at the water supply out here.  So we had no electric, and just a tiny trickle of water - I guess whatever was left in the lines - at least we could use the toilet - took forever to fill back up but at least we didn't have to go outside and find a tree.

We did alot of nothing today.  Some napping, reading, snacking - couldn't cook anything. At 5:00 pm, we wound up going to my folks' house to shower and do my hair for work tomorrow.  Then, after doing that, we got a call from friends that the electric was back on.  I knew that would happen.  Didn't get to church today because there was no water or electricity to get ready!  It's amazing how much we depend on it.  AND I had baked a beautiful, moist, rich homemade chocolate cake with fudge-y icing Saturday to take to our lunch fellowship today!  Shoot!  Oh well......................

Oops - looks like we've already made a good dent in this cake.  Actually, I did carry my daddy several pieces.  He loves his desserts!

I'm getting quite a few eggs now and have been taking 2-3 dozen to work with me each week to sell... Helps pay for feed...  I now have 10 hens.  I got me a white leghorn last week.  I didn't have a white chicken.  It's all about color - plus I decided I needed another white egg-layer.  Tony just shook his head...and rolled his eyes.

Also, I forgot to announce that I entered my plum jelly in the East Texas State Fair and I got a BLUE RIBBON!  YEA ME!  Thank you Mammaw!  She would be so proud!

See that 'un there in the middle with the blue ribbon?  It says Vickie on it.  That's my plum 

jelly!  I'm sorry I'm tootin' my own horn but hey... I'm very excited!  I will hang my ribbon proudly on my pie safe where all my jellies are stored!

Just one  more pic of my little garden shed... The garden's been long gone.  I'm just SO glad we made the decision 4 years ago NOT to tear it down.  It was falling over sideways, but between hubby and his friend they got that sucker jacked up and straightened and repaired and saved this rustic little shed.  I absolutely love it!

Well, that's about all today, my friends --- I am still alive and kickin' - just been SO busy around here. I've been hoppin' around readin' in blogland  - just not commenting much.  Take care - I'll be back soon!!!

Goin's On...

Continuing the canning and putting things in the freezer around here on Sand Flat Farm.  My freezer is about full.  I guess I need to learn to can veggies.  I've been a bit leery about it.  I need a pressure cooker, for sure.
Not much else is happening around here.  We've been blessed with several rain showers this spring and the temps have not reached the 100's yet, so my garden has done the best it's ever done since we've been here. How nice!

We've been enjoying plum jelly on homemade bread AND blackberry.  I can't ever decide which is my favorite!

Back up... I'm so sorry I haven't been around much.  I have been SO busy.  It's been a couple of weeks since I've blogged.  I've read a few of your posts, but not commented much.  I miss you all!  Surely this will let up soon!  Also, this summer has been the summer for weddings that we have to attend. Friends at church whose kids are getting married, friends of my kids, and of course we have to go.  A funeral, a birthday party for an 80 year old mother of my dear friend, baby showers, wedding showers - it's been non-stop since the beginning of May.

In other news, my Kiwi Kids - Josh & Lindsey - have made the decision to come home to Texas from New Zealand!  Lindsey's mom and I are elated!  We have missed them SO much.  They moved over their way back at the beginning of November. I don't know what their plans are - I'm not sure THEY know yet - but they are coming home! I think they are a little bit homesick...   Can't wait to see them.  They will be home in July!  Their church is going to miss them I know.  I'm sure they were hoping Josh & Lindsey were going to stay there in Wellington for a long time.  They were becoming a vital part of that congregation.

Kathy over at Spot on Cedar Pond raises Jacob Sheep.  Most of you who are my friends know her.  Well, let me show you what she sent me in the mail...

FOUR of these felted balls that she made from her sheep wool - you throw them in the dryer and they keep the clothes from getting all wadded up.  A cute chicken candle (she knows what I like) and another little fuzzy chick!  Wasn't that the nicest thing!  I love these felted balls - she said you could use them for a kitty toy, too, but since I don't have a cat right now, guess they'll just have to go in the dryer.  I'd hate to give them to a cat anyway!  OR, you could put them in a bowl for decoration, too! Thank you again, Kathy!  SO nice of you!  I love them - I actually have something that an artisan shepherd made from her wool!


We had an attack of horn worms on the tomatoes, but the chickens helped us end that little problem.  They fought over those nasty things.  Last year, Tony picked them off the bushes and let them stay in a metal pan in the sun.  He said, "There, take that!"  Worm cruelty I guess...  You think worms would rather have a sun tan or get eaten by the chickens and pulled apart into different sections?

 

BUT the tomatoes have managed to survive!

Below, I got my first eggs from my young pullets that I've had since they were 3 mos old.  They were small - I think the New Hampshire Red laid both of them and I missed the first one.  See the one with the crack?  It was very thin-shelled.  They were laying on the floor of the coop and I only looked in the egg boxes yesterday, so probably one yesterday and one today.  YEA!  Anyway, don't know exactly when they were laid, so I cooked them and gave them to Gypsy.  She smiled and said Thank You...  :)  I will be watching tomorrow to see if I can spy who is now laying.  By the process of elimination, I think the NHR is the one.

Speaking of the chickens - I think I may have a rooster or two.  My Buff Orp has little spur nubs and has been exhibiting rooster behavior.  Hasn't crowed yet.  But she's big and heavy and has very thick legs.  My hubby and I both saw "Hazel" doing the rooster thing this evening when I let them out.  Also, my Brahma, BB, is acting weird, too.  They are both approaching 6 months.  Nobody's crowing.  Do hens act like this, too?  Hmmmm.... OK, you chicken people, look at this Buff and tell me what you think?

You may not remember, but I posted previously that we had some rogue volunteer pumpkin vines come up this year amongst the corn and in other random places.  Well, they have pumpkins on them, now - those ghostly white ones!  Do you think they'll last til September?  I'll bet we have 6 or 8 of those things right now. It would be cool if they lasted and I could use them this fall!  I'm just going to leave them on the ground and let them continue to grow.  One of the vines has attached itself to many of the corn stalks, so I guess I'll just leave them.  I'm scared that I'll break the vines if I try to take them off - they tend to put down new roots wherever they touch the ground.  Wish there were some orange ones, too, but I think they are all white...  I'll have to buy a couple of orange ones.

There are several watermelons, too - still small but they're there.  I hope Gypsy will keep the coyotes away so we can enjoy them!  In the past years, the coyotes seem to know when they get ripe, and they drag them off and eat them before we can get to them.  I hope Gypsy doesn't like watermelon!

Well, I guess that's about all right now.  Just gardening and chickens and such.   I hope things are going well for you all this summer.  I miss you!  I'll be back when I can.  Hopefully, things will slow down before too long - I know of 3 other weddings that will have to be attended.  Young folks are still falling in love!

*Speaking of falling in love - Josh &  Lindsey have 3 new posts over at their blog... See their button link on my left sidebar if you're interested!  They spent their first anniversary trip in Auckland and at in the Sky Tower, went to a volcano, through lava caves, went to a multi-cultural event!  Lindsey is an amazing story-teller - I love all her little nuances into their sweet married life!  She's a peach!

Gardening, Canning, etc.....

Sunday morning early - about 6:00 a.m. last weekend....  It was beautiful.... I was outside with my camera before breakfast, before getting ready for church...

What's been going on on the farm this week?  Well, the garden is progressing and moving forward quickly.  I think EVERYTHING is going to be ready to pick and put up, freeze or can THIS week.  Good grief - poor planning on my part?  I don't know, but it's always this way it seems.  We have tons of tomatoes this year as opposed to last year.  We've had  a few good rains and no blossom end rot to deal with - just hornworms, but the chickens got to eat all of those!  Salsa is going to be a MUST this summer!

I've been saving up cucumbers and put a dozen of Mamaw's spicy sweet dills, I guess you'd call 'em. They are THE BEST pickles I've ever eaten!  That's about all we make.  Tony doesn't want anything else.  I probably will do some relish with some of the too-big cucumbers.  I imagine we'll put up at least 5-6 dozen quarts of pickles for the family and close friends.  Thanks, Mamaw, for teaching me to can and for leaving me this recipe!!  My sister is coming Friday and we are going to can pickles and plum jelly all day.  

This past Friday, my dear sweet young friend, K, came over and spent the day with me.  We always do jelly together and this year was no exception.  She went home with 2 dozen 1/2-pint jars of beautiful plum jelly.  I think she REALLY enjoyed it  and we just had a great time, had lunch and then she wanted to sit out in the backyard with our lime-ade and watch the chickens!  I think we covered just about every subject under the sun!  AND solved several world problems, too!

Tony and I worked outside in the garden most of today.  We picked four quarts of pintos, seen here in the freezer. I think the rest of the plants I'm going to leave until they dry up so I can store the pintos in the pantry instead of taking up room in the freezer.  Don't you think?

We picked a second batch of green beans and they wound up filling three quart bags for the freezer after I blanched them.  We LOVE green beans.  I found some from Ferry*Morse that do really good, and claim to be stringless.  I've used them about 3 years in a row.  Of course, if you leave them on the bush too long, they'll get tough, but so far, we've been able to pick them at the right time...

  A mild winter, more rain and an earlier planting season has put us a bit ahead this year.  Kinda nice.  I'm liking my raised bed garden boxes.  They've done well, I've got watermelons in one, tomatoes in another, purple hulls peas and more green beans.  I put my onions in one, too, but I think they prefer the sandy hot soil that they're used to around here.  

Hey, what's going on at your place?  How's your garden growing?  

Hay cutting season, too... Another foggy morning that I was out early.  You know, I always heard older people can't or don't sleep later.  I wake up at daybreak - 'round here it's beginning to get light around 5:30. I'm usually up and at'em by 6.  It's so nice outside early so I usually head outside with Bug, and we let the chickens out, I check the garden, water a few flowers, and let Bug get her business done.  Sometimes, I carry my camera with me.  Gypsy meets up with us - she's usually covered with burrs in her fur OR she's soaking wet after taking a dip in the pond.  We stroll around the yard and the garden and I mentally make a note of what needs to be done.  

Couple more shots for you and I guess I'll close.  Tomorrow's Sunday and we'll be worshiping with the saints at our church.  I hope you all have a wonderful Lord's day and let's all remember to keep it holy and reverent...and ALWAYS be thankful!  May He bless you richly with His grace!

Down On The Farm...

Lots going on around Sand Flat Farm right now. I sure do miss y'all!  Canning season is here!  I have two 5 gallon buckets of plums and four 2 gallon buckets of plums, two more buckets full of cucumbers.  And these don't even make a dent in what's still left on the trees and vines!  I put a bunch of squash in the freezer, too.  I juiced plums all day Wednesday and came out with 5 1/2 gallons of juice. And that was only HALF of the plums!  But K's coming to do jelly and so is my sister and my dad, so we'll have plenty for everyone - AND THEN SOME, I do believe!

What is it?  I mean, one year we have very little rain, or too much rain, or it's too hot, or there's a late freeze, or there's not one.  I guess all the conditions were just right this year.  It's been about 4 or 5 years since we've had such a nice growing season.  I know it's not over yet, and it's getting a bit hot and dry already, but with our mild winter and early spring, it seems that most of the gardens here are well on their way to bringing forth a bounty of goodies!  We do our best on the garden each year, but God sends the rain and the sunshine and makes the conditions just right so our gardens will grow and flourish.

Here's what I did with part of the squash...  I divided it up into the big ones and the smaller skinnier ones.  The smaller ones I chopped up  and put in quart sized freezer bags for boiling or making casseroles. They freeze well.  The bigger squash I cut the necks off and saved the wider parts to slice up for making fried squash.  I'll keep these in a gallon bag and just take out what I need for Tony and I.  There's LOTS of squash and flowers on the vines, so I'm sure I'll be putting up some more of that.

We've got pintos about ready, the green beans are making, the purple hull peas are coming on, too.  The tomato vines are loaded with big green tomatoes - best I've seen in several years - and up to now, no blossom end rot, just hornworms (which the chickens are enjoying!)  Only thing that didn't do as well is my onions.  I decided to plant them in my raised garden boxes, but I believe they prefer the sandy hot soil in the main garden.  They stay too moist in the raised beds. That's the only thing I can figure... You learn something new every year.  Sometimes, the hard way!  Good thing Daddy has gobs of great onions in his garden!

Here's a few current pictures of the garden... if you're interested...

My raised beds below...

Can you see this rogue pumpkin (I think) vine that is growing right in the middle of the corn?  Last year we threw our fall pumpkin remains in the compost and a few of those seeds came up in different spots in the garden.  Think I'll leave those and see if we get any pumpkins this fall!  I hope they're not stealing moisture from the corn, but from the looks of the corn, it seems to be okay!

Gypsy is going around the yard and garden areas digging huge holes to lay in and cool off.  I don't know why she can't use just ONE hole - she's got to have several.  What she does is run down to the pond, go swimming and then come back to the house or garden and dig her a hole to lay in.  She drug up a big ole snapping turtle carcass that stunk to high heaven the other day.  We also found a goat skull that she's been chewing on - thank goodness it was already bleached white.  Now, the turtle - it was another matter.   It still had bones in it... Why do dogs like to roll in stinky stuff?  Then, they wonder why we don't wanna pet 'em. And since Gypsy is a "leaner" and has to be touching us all the time, we could possibly smell like turtle carcass, too!

Even Bug, the chihuahua, has decided that she likes chicken poop - either eat it or roll in it.  I started banning her from coming outside when the chickies are out of their pen. Yuck.  Speaking of chickies...

I liked the light in this picture.  Most of my chicken pictures have one or two blurry chickens. They are always moving, flapping, bobbing, strutting around - (note to self - figure out the correct setting on the camera to prevent blurry chickens.) 

All's well on Sand Flat Farm.  Just busy.  Jelly  season is upon us as well as pickle season, pea pickin', bean pickin', tomato cannin', salsa makin', corn shuckin', puttin'-stuff-up-in-the-freezer season.  That's what's goin' on down here on the farm.  How 'bout you???   ;-)

Harvest Time!

The harvest season has begun!!! YEA! I have harvested ONE big juicy tomato - it's almost ready for me to slice and eat over the sink with juice running down my chin and hand, 2 dozen jalapenos, dill, onions (still got a bunch in the ground - just pulling 'em as we need 'em), 6 big yellow squash, 4 zucchinis, and about 2 dozen picklin' cucumbers!!! I know what I'm doin' on Memorial Day weekend!

I love this time of year. I put up 2 1/2 dozen quart jars of my spicy pickle recipe last summer and they were all gone before the end of the year 2009. We love 'em and so does everybody else. I did a post on making 'em last summer in June. If you're interested go to this link Pucker Up For Pickles! So hopefully I planted more this year and will make more than ever.

Jelly's still a ways off, but that's coming up, too. I also planted plenty of tomatoes and peppers so we can do some hot sauce. I can make a meal on hot sauce and chips (and do sometimes!) Monday evenin' I made some fried squarsh (haha). I never fry stuff except in the summer and except for fried squarsh or okra. That's about it. Wanna see it even tho all of you already know how to do it? Well, you're goin' too, anyway, as I'm hurtin' for blog fodder.

Ok, here we go.  I've got a bowl with about 2 parts flour to 1 part corn meal and I'll stir it with a fork til it's all mixed up.  I've got milk and eggs, too, and maybe a cup of vegetable oil in the skillet heatin' up.

I mix two eggs with about 1/2 cup milk and whip it up real good.

I've already got my yellow squarsh & zucchinis washed straight outta the garden and sliced up.  They get an egg bath now. Swish the slices around in the bowl and cover 'em real good and slimy.

Then, I take them out one or two at a time and salt & pepper them and put 'em in the flour/cornmeal bowl.  They get coated all over with this mixture and then...

...throw them babies into that hot grease & let 'em fry!  Not too hot, or that corn meal 'll burn before your squarsh is done.  I let 'em fry for a few minutes on each side til they start turnin; golden brown.

Here we go - see, they're lookin' purty good on one side there, flip 'em over and do the other side!

Ok, have ya a plate with some paper towels standin' by and when your squarsh is done take it out carefully (so you won't lose your crust) and lay them on your plate.  VOILA!!!

Now, don't they look great?  My mouth was waterin' way before these were done.  I love to get a little Ranch dressin' in a salsa bowl and go to town on fried squarsh.  I don't need anything else to go with this supper!  In a week or so, I'll have some fresh homegrown summer tomatoes to go with these! Or how 'bout an onion and tomato sandwich???  Love 'em!

PUCKER UP FOR PICKLES, YA'LL!!!

(BLOGGER IS NOT LETTING ME DOUBLE SPACE BETWEEN PARAGRAPHS! SORRY!)


Are ya'll ready to make Mamaw's Spicy Pickles??? I finally got around to makin' 'em Friday night. This week's been busy. Okay, here's the ingredients: one batch is about 4 quart jars. sliced up pickling cucumbers - I don't know how many - I had about 2 1/2 gallon size ziploc bags full. onions - slices or quarters

fresh garlic cloves - about 2 per quart jar

celery - 3 stalks cut into 1" chunks

jalapeno peppers (or serrano if you want it spicier) - cut into quarters or smaller if they're big

apple cider vinegar - 1 quart per batch

1 pint water

4 c. sugar

1/2 c. canning salt

dill seed/fresh dill

Like on the jelly, I take my jars fresh outta the dishwasher, all hot & steamy - 4 quart or 8 pint jars at a time and set em on a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. Into each jar (I'm going with quart, if you use pint you'll use a little less of each of the veggies) put a couple of sprigs of fresh dill, 1/4 to 1/2 t. dill seed, several pieces of onion, 3-4 pieces of celery, a couple of cloves of garlic, a piece of jalapeno, and as many slices of cucumber as you can stuff and squeeze down in there and still get a lid on. (When that hot vinegar solution hits those cukes, they'll shrink up alot)

Oh yeah, before all this, remember to wash your lids and bands, and put them into a pot of water on the stove, bring to a boil, and then simmer and keep steaming hot to seal your jars with.
Ok, see in the above picture, I've got my jars all packed & ready with the funnels for the vinegar solution. Here we go:

In a large stockpot, put your quart of apple cider vinegar, 4 c. sugar, 1/2 c. canning salt, and 1 pint of water. Add 1/2 t. dill seed to this solution and heat on medium high heat. Stir and get all the sugar and salt melted and bring the solution to a full rolling boil. Open the windows and turn on the fans!!! It'll open up your sinuses for sure, peel the hair off your head and make your eyes water worse than onions!!! Keep your face out of the steam! Hey it's a great way to run your kids outside if you're tired of 'em being underfoot! Mine used to scatter to the four winds.

Sorry, I got carried away with the vinegar stench... It gets to me sometimes... After your solution has boiled a couple or three minutes, turn it on low, get you a cup with a spout on it to scoop, and start scoopin' the vinegar into the jars & use your jar funnels if you have em. Go ahead and fill all the jars to within 1/4 inch or so of the top. Wipe off the mouths of the jars, and get your tongs or your nifty magnetized lid and band picker upper and put the tops on and then screw the bands down real tight. I always use a couple of wet, squeezed out dishrags to handle the jars. They'll be VERY hot and sticky. I invert the jars and set em on the cabinet for awhile and then turn em over later when they've cooled a bit.

Here's my disclaimer again - This is the way my mamaw taught me and I've always done it like her and will continue to do it like her. Some people at this point may want to put the jars in a canning bath and that's fine. But we like our pickles crispy and if you do the canning bath, they cook some more and get kinda soft and floppy. It's probably not by govt. standards but I figure the vinegar takes care of the pickling. We've always eaten em this way - no problem.

That's up to you. (As you can see, I had enough cukes to make 2 batches.)

You can eat em the next day, but the longer they SET, the better they'll be. I usually go open a jar about 2 weeks after or so, and they're great. They won't last long. I've got scads more cucumbers getting ripe, so I'll make some more. And with the big green ones that are too big to slice, well they're getting made into sweet pickle relish. I put up some green tomatoes like this, and they were good, too.

Good luck! Let me know if you make some - hope you like em!