I've moved the blog to Mini-Hearthstead. All the archives will be moved there over time, and this site deleted, so please update your bookmarks. All new posts are at the new site.
Thank you!
Friday, November 11, 2011
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Independance Day Challenge, 2 October 2011
The past week or two I've been focusing on getting the house neatened up - back to where 'clean' is easy to maintain & piles don't breed when I blink. Yule is coming, school has started, and the days are getting shorter. Everyone is enjoying the fall & winter recipes I've started making again. Next up, getting warmer clothes out. All I have right now is shorts!
1. Gardening: Nothing, just keeping things watered.
2. Waste not (preparations): nothing.
3. Want not (manage your stores): Refreshing my stash in Ravelry, so that I can use it as a reminder of what I have & where. Applying a bit more logic to storage locations as I go, and frogging projects I know I'll never finish.
4. Build community: Met a new neighbor.
5. Eat the food: I'm actually planning meals lately - always a challenge for me. I found a recipe for the ground elk so one day soon we'll have elk meatball sandwiches. Part of the focus has been to eat out the fridge/freezer - both are extremely full. I want to make pumpkin pie, and can't, because there's no room in the fridge for it! Three people can't eat the entire pie in one sitting, after all.
6. Crafting: Did a few stash-busting projects, and will restart another hibernating project here shortly.
1. Gardening: Nothing, just keeping things watered.
2. Waste not (preparations): nothing.
3. Want not (manage your stores): Refreshing my stash in Ravelry, so that I can use it as a reminder of what I have & where. Applying a bit more logic to storage locations as I go, and frogging projects I know I'll never finish.
4. Build community: Met a new neighbor.
5. Eat the food: I'm actually planning meals lately - always a challenge for me. I found a recipe for the ground elk so one day soon we'll have elk meatball sandwiches. Part of the focus has been to eat out the fridge/freezer - both are extremely full. I want to make pumpkin pie, and can't, because there's no room in the fridge for it! Three people can't eat the entire pie in one sitting, after all.
6. Crafting: Did a few stash-busting projects, and will restart another hibernating project here shortly.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Independance Day Update - 18 Sept. 2011
It's been a quiet weekend, rainy and pleasant. I've caught up on some of my reading as I wait for new books to come in. Fall is sneaking in slowly, and I'm starting to pull out clothes and linens for the cooler weather. Mostly because I want to; 60-70'f isn't really cold except that it's cooling off from 90'f and it's damp. And I really want it to be closer to 50'f. Yes, my favorite seasons are fall and winter.
1. Gardening: Checked the sweet potatoes on the balcony. The ones I've kind of ignored all year. All the originals are still edible, and I pulled a fingerling-sized new one. The rest are still in the pots to give them more time to grow. Still - SUCCESS! I can grow sweet potatoes on our shady balcony! With more attention, I should get a reasonable harvest next year.
2. Waste not (preparations): nada
3. Want not (manage your stores): zip
4. Build community: zilch
5. Eat the food: Shepherd's pie, apple pie, spaghetti. Nice warm favorite foods. Yum.
6. Crafting: Making Sweetie a basic-but-warm wool hat. He needs it in the rain/drizzle we've had the last couple of days.
1. Gardening: Checked the sweet potatoes on the balcony. The ones I've kind of ignored all year. All the originals are still edible, and I pulled a fingerling-sized new one. The rest are still in the pots to give them more time to grow. Still - SUCCESS! I can grow sweet potatoes on our shady balcony! With more attention, I should get a reasonable harvest next year.
2. Waste not (preparations): nada
3. Want not (manage your stores): zip
4. Build community: zilch
5. Eat the food: Shepherd's pie, apple pie, spaghetti. Nice warm favorite foods. Yum.
6. Crafting: Making Sweetie a basic-but-warm wool hat. He needs it in the rain/drizzle we've had the last couple of days.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Independence Day Challenge: 5 Sept. 2011
It now looks like both Katia and Lee will miss us, which works for me! We are still ready, if a bit shorter on cat food. I'll get more end of this week.
1. Gardening:
**Pulled up the tomatoes (all done, except the Sungold. VERY happy with that variety!) & bell peppers (all done). Pulled carrots, which really could have used more time in the ground but they had to be pulled per our schedule. The pink-eye peas are attempting to grow but the deer have other ideas.
**On the balcony, I bought some impatiens and planted them so there is something pretty to look at. They'll last till first frost, then I'll plant pansies and start planning for spring. The sweet potatoes are still growing well and the herbs are thinking about forgiving me after this summer's neglect. They are not happy.
2. Waste not (preparations):
**Scanning family photos and some documents onto the portable hard drive. In case of hurricane evacuation, we can grab the hard drive and the control journal and be able to reconstruct a lot of things. We'll still loose a lot, but at least we won't loose as much.
**We're working on re-assembling the Singer 66 I have - we had to break down the table; now we are working on replacing the destroyed parts and re-assembling it.
**Bikes have been assessed; we need fenders and possibly chain guards for winter (rainy season) riding. Also need to see about ponchos or other ways to keep the legs dry.
3. Want not (manage your stores):Canned 18 pints of venison stew, using our carrots & onions. This gets the venison out of the freezer, where it laid in wait to fall on you as you opened the door. Also it used about half the carrots we harvested.
4. Build community: giving a friend the info for a farmer that offers beef in bulk that's grass-finished.
5. Eat the food: Yes. I've stayed on budget for food except what I spent on fast food; better planning on my end will take care of that. Hurricane season, and that last close call, are giving me incentive to eat out of the freezer. Tomorrow, venison roast in the crock pot =) Leftover will revisit as a potpie. I miss fall & winter's foods; can someone get the weather to cooperate?
6. Crafting: Spinning my Icelandic fleece, and today I'm washing the fleece I bought last month. I'm still working on the Dragon stocking when I get larger chunks of time.
1. Gardening:
**Pulled up the tomatoes (all done, except the Sungold. VERY happy with that variety!) & bell peppers (all done). Pulled carrots, which really could have used more time in the ground but they had to be pulled per our schedule. The pink-eye peas are attempting to grow but the deer have other ideas.
**On the balcony, I bought some impatiens and planted them so there is something pretty to look at. They'll last till first frost, then I'll plant pansies and start planning for spring. The sweet potatoes are still growing well and the herbs are thinking about forgiving me after this summer's neglect. They are not happy.
2. Waste not (preparations):
**Scanning family photos and some documents onto the portable hard drive. In case of hurricane evacuation, we can grab the hard drive and the control journal and be able to reconstruct a lot of things. We'll still loose a lot, but at least we won't loose as much.
**We're working on re-assembling the Singer 66 I have - we had to break down the table; now we are working on replacing the destroyed parts and re-assembling it.
**Bikes have been assessed; we need fenders and possibly chain guards for winter (rainy season) riding. Also need to see about ponchos or other ways to keep the legs dry.
3. Want not (manage your stores):Canned 18 pints of venison stew, using our carrots & onions. This gets the venison out of the freezer, where it laid in wait to fall on you as you opened the door. Also it used about half the carrots we harvested.
4. Build community: giving a friend the info for a farmer that offers beef in bulk that's grass-finished.
5. Eat the food: Yes. I've stayed on budget for food except what I spent on fast food; better planning on my end will take care of that. Hurricane season, and that last close call, are giving me incentive to eat out of the freezer. Tomorrow, venison roast in the crock pot =) Leftover will revisit as a potpie. I miss fall & winter's foods; can someone get the weather to cooperate?
6. Crafting: Spinning my Icelandic fleece, and today I'm washing the fleece I bought last month. I'm still working on the Dragon stocking when I get larger chunks of time.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Independance Day - 30 August 2011
Hurricane Irene went past us on Saturday. We didn't even lose power. Why would it? We were prepared =) Which is just as well, since Katia might visit next week.
Many of my neighbors seem to think that electricity, either from the grid or from their generator, is a requirement. Our plan of attack is to live without electric, and so we use oil lamps instead of flashlights, solar-heated camp showers, and a camp stove for cooking. Also, we have the setup items for a sawdust toilet, which saves some water. You could also use the water from washing dishes or laundry to flush.
I'm modifying my version of this checklist again - I do so little gardening that I'm changing it to one item rather than 3. So far, the nice shady patio seems to do best growing leaves & sweet potatoes.
1. Gardening: Cleaned up the balcony, removed dead plants, starting thinking about what to plant over the winter.
2. Waste not (preparations): Bought more lamp oil, more Coleman fuel, and another oil lamp. The new lamp leaks so I will be exchanging it, but otherwise we're quite happy with it. We are staying prepared for hurricanes for the rest of the season.
3. Want not (manage your stores): Water: We have 9 days of water, and I may get more. The store-bought water is kept until about 6 months before its expiration and then we drink it and buy fresh. So far, this is all fresh. I'd like to make up some camping-type foods, as well, that I can have ready if we do lose power for a few days.
4. Build community: Nothing. I hibernated, as a rest from (comparatively) large amounts of seeing the very large extended family.
5. Eat the food: Yes. I can't remember what I've cooked most times, but we are eating out of the pantry!
6. Crafting: I re-started a cross-stitch project - a dragon stocking. Can we hope it's done this year?
Many of my neighbors seem to think that electricity, either from the grid or from their generator, is a requirement. Our plan of attack is to live without electric, and so we use oil lamps instead of flashlights, solar-heated camp showers, and a camp stove for cooking. Also, we have the setup items for a sawdust toilet, which saves some water. You could also use the water from washing dishes or laundry to flush.
~~~
I'm modifying my version of this checklist again - I do so little gardening that I'm changing it to one item rather than 3. So far, the nice shady patio seems to do best growing leaves & sweet potatoes.
1. Gardening: Cleaned up the balcony, removed dead plants, starting thinking about what to plant over the winter.
2. Waste not (preparations): Bought more lamp oil, more Coleman fuel, and another oil lamp. The new lamp leaks so I will be exchanging it, but otherwise we're quite happy with it. We are staying prepared for hurricanes for the rest of the season.
3. Want not (manage your stores): Water: We have 9 days of water, and I may get more. The store-bought water is kept until about 6 months before its expiration and then we drink it and buy fresh. So far, this is all fresh. I'd like to make up some camping-type foods, as well, that I can have ready if we do lose power for a few days.
4. Build community: Nothing. I hibernated, as a rest from (comparatively) large amounts of seeing the very large extended family.
5. Eat the food: Yes. I can't remember what I've cooked most times, but we are eating out of the pantry!
6. Crafting: I re-started a cross-stitch project - a dragon stocking. Can we hope it's done this year?
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Independance Day Challenge 13 August 2011
I haven't been posting as regularly for a small host of reasons. I've made two trips to New England this summer, the car died and hasn't yet been replaced, and I feel like I've gone full-tilt for two months now. Today is a rest day, so I'm puttering about doing various things in between bouts of computer games. I hope everyone is enjoying their summer!
1. Plant something: Nothing. Lack of access to garden: 10 miles = 1 hour by bus.
2. Harvest something: A bit of tomatoes and bell peppers. The tomatoes are nearly done, same with the cucumbers. We won't grow cantaloupe again unless it's in the backyard - we've grown it, just to remove all the overripe ones! We just couldn't harvest them in a timely manner. The pink-eye peas are doing very well with the neglect they're getting, though.
3. Preserved something: I can't remember when we made things, but we made sweet relish, and I'm aiming for more pickles and to dry sweet bells and tomato paste today.
4. Waste not (preparations): Getting in better shape by riding my bike. Also, up north I found a food mill with 3 sieve-pieces for $18 and an older enamel tea kettle, that I brought home.
5. Want not (manage your stores): Does catching up on cleaning count?
6. Build community: nothing.
7. Eat the food: Enjoying venison given to us by a friend.
8. Crafting: Almost done spinning singles with the SeaGlass fiber I bought in New Hampshire last year, and getting closer to done with spinning singles with the Icelandic as well. I am attempting to work on my lace gloves but the are a challenge! Also, I'm crocheting seat pads for our kitchen chairs. It's a brainless project, which is nice.
1. Plant something: Nothing. Lack of access to garden: 10 miles = 1 hour by bus.
2. Harvest something: A bit of tomatoes and bell peppers. The tomatoes are nearly done, same with the cucumbers. We won't grow cantaloupe again unless it's in the backyard - we've grown it, just to remove all the overripe ones! We just couldn't harvest them in a timely manner. The pink-eye peas are doing very well with the neglect they're getting, though.
3. Preserved something: I can't remember when we made things, but we made sweet relish, and I'm aiming for more pickles and to dry sweet bells and tomato paste today.
4. Waste not (preparations): Getting in better shape by riding my bike. Also, up north I found a food mill with 3 sieve-pieces for $18 and an older enamel tea kettle, that I brought home.
5. Want not (manage your stores): Does catching up on cleaning count?
6. Build community: nothing.
7. Eat the food: Enjoying venison given to us by a friend.
8. Crafting: Almost done spinning singles with the SeaGlass fiber I bought in New Hampshire last year, and getting closer to done with spinning singles with the Icelandic as well. I am attempting to work on my lace gloves but the are a challenge! Also, I'm crocheting seat pads for our kitchen chairs. It's a brainless project, which is nice.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Independance Day Challenge 1 August 2011
Our garden doesn't look like much right now, with half of it ripped out and the rest looking tired! We need to see about getting some fall plants started soon.
1. Plant something: pink-eye peas. Prepped a few more areas for the next round, as well.
2. Harvest something: cantaloupe, cucumbers, sweet bell peppers, tomatoes, last of the green beans, chard, first of the carrots.
3. Preserved something: Canned up some tomatoes - 4 pints diced, 2 pints of 'tomato drippings' to use in winter broths.
4. Waste not (preparations): Not sure if this falls here, but for a while our main mode of transportation will be bicycles & the bus. Interesting to get groceries this way =)
5. Want not (manage your stores): Better organization (an ongoing challenge!)
6. Build community: I talked to someone about canning food while at the grocery store - she seems more willing to try it now, said it doesn't sound as hard as she thought. Yay!
7. Eat the food: Homemade lo mein with fresh veggies from the garden (peppers, chard, green beans, carrots). Snacking on cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, and cabbage stored in the fridge since harvest (still good as new)
8. Crafting: Working on the Twin-Leaf gloves; had to restart them in a yarn better suited to the pattern.
1. Plant something: pink-eye peas. Prepped a few more areas for the next round, as well.
2. Harvest something: cantaloupe, cucumbers, sweet bell peppers, tomatoes, last of the green beans, chard, first of the carrots.
3. Preserved something: Canned up some tomatoes - 4 pints diced, 2 pints of 'tomato drippings' to use in winter broths.
4. Waste not (preparations): Not sure if this falls here, but for a while our main mode of transportation will be bicycles & the bus. Interesting to get groceries this way =)
5. Want not (manage your stores): Better organization (an ongoing challenge!)
6. Build community: I talked to someone about canning food while at the grocery store - she seems more willing to try it now, said it doesn't sound as hard as she thought. Yay!
7. Eat the food: Homemade lo mein with fresh veggies from the garden (peppers, chard, green beans, carrots). Snacking on cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, and cabbage stored in the fridge since harvest (still good as new)
8. Crafting: Working on the Twin-Leaf gloves; had to restart them in a yarn better suited to the pattern.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Catching up
I'm back! Sorry about the long break; I knew I'd be gone a few days over the holiday to visit family but wasn't expecting to get swamped when I got back.
1. Plant something: Nothing recently.
2. Harvest something: Zucchini, yellow crookneck squash, green beans, cucumbers, Tangerine tomatoes, Sungold cherry tomatoes, beets, turnips & swiss chard.
3. Preserved something: Dried green beans, sweet bell peppers, zucchini and squash chips. Canned 24 pints yellow squash. More is waiting to be done, we just need time! We did get 4 more trays of pint jars because we were out.
4. Waste not (preparations): nothing.
5. Want not (manage your stores): Looking for bare spots so we know what we should put up for winter.
6. Build community: Talking with others at the community garden.
7. Eat the food: Yellow squash. Endless snackings of cherry tomatoes and cucumbers. Green beans.
8. Crafting: The 'Cold Shoulders' shawl is pretty much done; I just need to add the button to close it with. I've re-started my Twin Leaf fingerless gloves in a different yarn that is better suited to the pattern.
1. Plant something: Nothing recently.
2. Harvest something: Zucchini, yellow crookneck squash, green beans, cucumbers, Tangerine tomatoes, Sungold cherry tomatoes, beets, turnips & swiss chard.
3. Preserved something: Dried green beans, sweet bell peppers, zucchini and squash chips. Canned 24 pints yellow squash. More is waiting to be done, we just need time! We did get 4 more trays of pint jars because we were out.
4. Waste not (preparations): nothing.
5. Want not (manage your stores): Looking for bare spots so we know what we should put up for winter.
6. Build community: Talking with others at the community garden.
7. Eat the food: Yellow squash. Endless snackings of cherry tomatoes and cucumbers. Green beans.
8. Crafting: The 'Cold Shoulders' shawl is pretty much done; I just need to add the button to close it with. I've re-started my Twin Leaf fingerless gloves in a different yarn that is better suited to the pattern.
Monday, June 27, 2011
The Zucchini Bat
This is what happens when you don't keep up with them. We were there last Thursday; then the car broke down and we didn't get there again until tonight. The 16-inch-long, 3 1/2lb 'bat' was the same size as the smaller one 5 days ago. These are off the same plant.Also, just for fun I've added a page called "Harvest 2011." I'm keeping track of the harvest, plus the prices (commercial and organic) with a running total at the top. It's interesting to see the numbers, and know we'll benefit all year from the garden. Anything not eaten fresh will be put up for winter - that's why we have a 40-foot row of tomatoes!
Friday, June 24, 2011
Harvest Note
Our garden is just getting started with production. We've lost a few tomatoes to worms, and had a few things not come up. There are still bare spots in there. I didn't pay for all of the seeds and seedlings, but we have put $100 or so into the garden for trellising, mulch, and the like.
Today, I decided to weigh our current harvest - what we haven't eaten yet, and harvested this week. I'm also listing what these items cost locally. Our food is organic; prices listed are commercially grown and then Organic.
Total Commercial Value= $37.23
Total Organic Value = $58.08, not including cherry tomatoes and turnip greens.
Looking at the price ratios (commercial vs. organic), it looks like Organic cherry tomatoes would be $.49/oz, so $4.90 for our harvest. Turnip greens tend to run half the price of collard greens, which they do offer organic, so half that price would be $1.25/lb = $1.09, bringing the total for Organics to $64.07.
$64 in food, plus what we've already eaten. And we're just getting started. Nice!
Prices for this post came from the online section of Harris Teeter stores in Virginia.
Today, I decided to weigh our current harvest - what we haven't eaten yet, and harvested this week. I'm also listing what these items cost locally. Our food is organic; prices listed are commercially grown and then Organic.
- 2 heads Cabbage (3lbs):
- $.69/lb = $2.07
- Organic:$1.69/lb = $5.07
- 14 oz Turnip Greens:
- $.99/lb = $0.86
- Organic not available
- 7lb 14oz Yellow Squash:
- $1.99/lb = $15.67
- Organic: $2.99/lb= $23.55
- 3lb Zucchini:
- $1.99/lb = $5.97
- Organic:$3.50/lb = $10.50
- 9 Cucumbers (5 3/4lb):
- $.79 each = $7.11
- Organic: $1.69 each = $15.21
- 12 oz Tomatoes:
- $2.99/lb = $2.25.
- Organic: $4.99/lb = $3.75
- 11oz SunGold cherry tomatoes:
- $.30/oz = $3.30
- Organic not available
Total Commercial Value= $37.23
Total Organic Value = $58.08, not including cherry tomatoes and turnip greens.
Looking at the price ratios (commercial vs. organic), it looks like Organic cherry tomatoes would be $.49/oz, so $4.90 for our harvest. Turnip greens tend to run half the price of collard greens, which they do offer organic, so half that price would be $1.25/lb = $1.09, bringing the total for Organics to $64.07.
$64 in food, plus what we've already eaten. And we're just getting started. Nice!
Prices for this post came from the online section of Harris Teeter stores in Virginia.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Ripping a Seam - Skirt Modification
I made a skirt following these instructions - mostly. Instead of linen, I used cotton eyelet fabric with a lining of plain white cotton (since you could see through the eyelet, even where it was solid!). So instead of flipping the waistband over to form the channel for the ribbon tie, I sewed the plain cotton to the eyelet (front sides together), flipped the plain cotton to the inside of the skirt, and added two small grommet holes for the ribbon to come through. I then sewed the two layers together again about an inch below the first seam, forming the ribbon channel.
This all worked great, till I put it on.
I take long strides. Too long for the way I had made the skirt. So, I need to add a slit to the back of the skirt, where the seam in the 'tube' is. That's what I'm showing here.
1. Decide how long you want the slit to be. I made mine about 6 inches long. Using a fabric pencil or tailor's chalk to mark the length on the fabric. Don't worry, it will wash out.
2. Rip out the existing seam up to the mark you made. You'll need a seam ripper - they are inexpensive, and are sold at any fabric store.
Use the seam ripper to pick out one or two stitches, then pull them apart with your fingers. After about a half-inch to an inch is loose, you should be able to see the stitches much better and can use the seam ripper to pull them out easily. Be careful not to rip the fabric! In this picture, you can see two stitches on the seam ripper, one right behind the red knob.
2. Iron out the wrinkles and folds.
3. Iron in the folds that you want. This will make hemming easier.
This all worked great, till I put it on.
I take long strides. Too long for the way I had made the skirt. So, I need to add a slit to the back of the skirt, where the seam in the 'tube' is. That's what I'm showing here.
1. Decide how long you want the slit to be. I made mine about 6 inches long. Using a fabric pencil or tailor's chalk to mark the length on the fabric. Don't worry, it will wash out.
2. Rip out the existing seam up to the mark you made. You'll need a seam ripper - they are inexpensive, and are sold at any fabric store.
Use the seam ripper to pick out one or two stitches, then pull them apart with your fingers. After about a half-inch to an inch is loose, you should be able to see the stitches much better and can use the seam ripper to pull them out easily. Be careful not to rip the fabric! In this picture, you can see two stitches on the seam ripper, one right behind the red knob.
2. Iron out the wrinkles and folds.
3. Iron in the folds that you want. This will make hemming easier.
- Fold once, 1/4" to 1/8" towards the wrong side of the fabric. Iron.
- Fold again, the same way. Iron.
- Lock stitches by sewing 3 or 4 stitches, and (1)sewing backwards over them, and then sewing forward again; or (2) lifting the pressure foot and moving the fabric so the needle is once again over the place you started sewing. Option 2 works on sewing machines that don't sew backwards, like mine.
- Turn the fabric by making sure the needle was through the fabric, lift the pressure foot, then turn the fabric and put the foot back down. Once the foot is back down you can start sewing again. This is great for sharp corners, as well.
- Looking at the wrong side of the fabric, hold the ironed folds so that they are flat on one side of the seam. Line this up with the sewing needle, starting at the bottom of the skirt, so that you're sewing towards the waist of the skirt.
- Sew the hem in place, at the fold farther from the edge. You can see what I mean about the hem in the picture below.
- Don't forget to lock your stitches!
- Repeat on the other side.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Our Garden - Pictures!
Photos from 6/20:
North-west corner, above. Left to right: Various peppers , a zucchini in between bare spots, a bare 1/3 row in front of the carrots, then the canning tomatoes.
Snacking tomatoes - we have one each of Sungold, Tangerine, Sugar Baby, German Striped, and another red slicing tomato. These are just for eating fresh; the canning tomatoes are Big Bog to be pressure-canned this year. Everything is organic! The mulches are straw and wood chip; pine mulch is next. This is a learning year =)
South-east corner, above. Left to right: Chard, butternut squash on trellis, green beans, snacking tomatoes, onions.
Northeast corner, above. Left to right: Tomatoes, onions, carrots behind the onions, cucumbers, cabbage behind them; fresh tilled spot with beets behind.
Northeast corner, above. Left to right: Tomatoes, onions, carrots behind the onions, cucumbers, cabbage behind them; fresh tilled spot with beets behind.
North-west corner, above. Left to right: Various peppers , a zucchini in between bare spots, a bare 1/3 row in front of the carrots, then the canning tomatoes.
Snacking tomatoes - we have one each of Sungold, Tangerine, Sugar Baby, German Striped, and another red slicing tomato. These are just for eating fresh; the canning tomatoes are Big Bog to be pressure-canned this year. Everything is organic! The mulches are straw and wood chip; pine mulch is next. This is a learning year =)
Monday, June 20, 2011
Chicken notes
My friend has chickens - two breeds right now: Rhode Island Reds and Delawares, as well as the Bourbon Red turkeys. The links have nice information about the breeds but don't mention the sounds. Did you know the Rhode Island Reds cluck/chirp and almost sound like they're purring? While the Delawares squawk and are much louder! They're also twice as big.
The turkeys - they make a bit of noise but to me it was no problem. And they gobble back at you, which is kinda fun =)
I think they breed for white 'dark meat' on some birds - I've seen birds I know were pastured, and the 'dark meat' was as pale as the breasts. For those of us who like dark meat - on the Delawares and the Bourbon Reds, it's a nice red color. See? I don't know about the Rhode Island Reds, though.
The turkeys - they make a bit of noise but to me it was no problem. And they gobble back at you, which is kinda fun =)
I think they breed for white 'dark meat' on some birds - I've seen birds I know were pastured, and the 'dark meat' was as pale as the breasts. For those of us who like dark meat - on the Delawares and the Bourbon Reds, it's a nice red color. See? I don't know about the Rhode Island Reds, though.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Independance Days - 19 June 2011
1. Plant something: Put stalks of spearmint in a pot to root & start me a new plant - just have to keep it watered! The empty places in the garden are tilled and will be planted later in the week.
2. Harvest something: Zucchini, yellow crookneck squash, cucumbers, Tangerine tomatoes, Sungold cherry tomatoes, cabbage, baby turnips & greens.
3. Preserved something: nothing left to preserve yet; we're eating it all!
4. Waste not (preparations): nothing.
5. Want not (manage your stores): nothing.
6. Build community: Spent a day at farmer-friends, giving her a day off and learning from her. I know how to cure the onions, and how to tell if the cabbage is ready to harvest or not.
7. Eat the food: Turnip greens, yellow squash. Eating a lot of melons right now but they're all from the store right. Sliced cucumbers are a favorite snack & we've gotten the first ones from the garden!
8. Crafting: I finished the Gir hat, and started a 'Cold Shoulders' shawl. I also made lace-fabric fingerless gloves to go with daughter's formal gown, and lace-fabric 'sheers' for her window. No, she's not 'girly,' but black-and-red curtains always look nice =)
2. Harvest something: Zucchini, yellow crookneck squash, cucumbers, Tangerine tomatoes, Sungold cherry tomatoes, cabbage, baby turnips & greens.
3. Preserved something: nothing left to preserve yet; we're eating it all!
4. Waste not (preparations): nothing.
5. Want not (manage your stores): nothing.
6. Build community: Spent a day at farmer-friends, giving her a day off and learning from her. I know how to cure the onions, and how to tell if the cabbage is ready to harvest or not.
7. Eat the food: Turnip greens, yellow squash. Eating a lot of melons right now but they're all from the store right. Sliced cucumbers are a favorite snack & we've gotten the first ones from the garden!
8. Crafting: I finished the Gir hat, and started a 'Cold Shoulders' shawl. I also made lace-fabric fingerless gloves to go with daughter's formal gown, and lace-fabric 'sheers' for her window. No, she's not 'girly,' but black-and-red curtains always look nice =)
Monday, June 6, 2011
Day of Surprises
Saturday was like Yule for me!
I had a major find at the thrift store, of something I have been wanting, and it's even more helpful than I had hoped. According to various internet sources, it's an Accordion Sewing Box from the 1950's:
All we need to do is replace the 'pull handles' it used to have on the side. We've already bought brass drawer handles for it.
Also, my Blue Mountain handcards came in the mail today:
I had a major find at the thrift store, of something I have been wanting, and it's even more helpful than I had hoped. According to various internet sources, it's an Accordion Sewing Box from the 1950's:
All we need to do is replace the 'pull handles' it used to have on the side. We've already bought brass drawer handles for it.
Also, my Blue Mountain handcards came in the mail today:
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Independance Day - 5 June 2010
Just a quick update today - we've got a day full of thunderstorms and much-needed rain. Nice soaking rain in there with the downpours, which is good. We did get more wood mulch for the garden, plus the trellises we need. They'd be put in today, but it was raining at dawn, so we'll do that as soon as the weather lets us!
1. Plant something: Nothing this week.
2. Harvest something: Endive. Note to self: deal with freshly harvested food THAT NIGHT. Do not allow to rot on kitchen counter.
3. Preserved something: Nothing this week.
4. Waste not (preparations): Nothing this week.
5. Want not (manage your stores): Better organization of house. I cleaned all the things on Saturday - enough that I had sore muscles afterwards!
6. Build community: nothing.
7. Eat the food: yes =) Nothing special, no new foods/recipes.
8. Crafting: Lots of sewing, working on Grr hat. I'm on my last two started-and-stalled sewing projects!
1. Plant something: Nothing this week.
2. Harvest something: Endive. Note to self: deal with freshly harvested food THAT NIGHT. Do not allow to rot on kitchen counter.
3. Preserved something: Nothing this week.
4. Waste not (preparations): Nothing this week.
5. Want not (manage your stores): Better organization of house. I cleaned all the things on Saturday - enough that I had sore muscles afterwards!
6. Build community: nothing.
7. Eat the food: yes =) Nothing special, no new foods/recipes.
8. Crafting: Lots of sewing, working on Grr hat. I'm on my last two started-and-stalled sewing projects!
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Indepedance Days - 22 May 2011
The garden is well-started. We need to put up the trellising for the squashes & cucumbers, and when the plants are tall enough we'll get another bale of straw for mulch. It comes with wheat seeds, but the weeds (wheat seedlings) will at least be easier to pull from damp ground, and since we're still hauling our water up there it's worth it to shade the soil and keep the moisture longer. We're still under moderate drought here, according to the US Drought Monitor.
I've also been focusing on the house. I've felt for awhile that it was getting out of control - drifts of stuff piling up in corners or around furniture. It's aggravating for me when it does this, so I've been going through, straightening up and putting things away. Almost nothing ever gets put back exactly where it came from, so when I dust (by moving the items and wiping down the shelf) it's amazing how much less goes back on the shelf and how much neater things are. And I've made some good progress on piles that had to be dealt with rather than put away. Very satisfying to accomplish this.
1. Plant something: I don't think we planted anything this week, actually. I need to check the garden and see what we have left for room to plant more.
2. Harvest something: The turnip thinnings.
3. Preserved something: Just the strawberries, so far.
4. Waste not (preparations): Nothing this week.
5. Want not (manage your stores): Organizing the pantry and just the house in general.
6. Build community: Finding & buying from the local lady with the strawberries.
7. Eat the food: Turnip greens. Ponsett -yes, everyone else spells in pancit, and you can use really really thin rice noodles from the Asian section of the store. Yummy & very easy.
8. Crafting: Sewing - I've done half the sewing pile I had, and finished all the pillowcases. Lots of this stuff has essentially been sewing seams where needed.
I've also been focusing on the house. I've felt for awhile that it was getting out of control - drifts of stuff piling up in corners or around furniture. It's aggravating for me when it does this, so I've been going through, straightening up and putting things away. Almost nothing ever gets put back exactly where it came from, so when I dust (by moving the items and wiping down the shelf) it's amazing how much less goes back on the shelf and how much neater things are. And I've made some good progress on piles that had to be dealt with rather than put away. Very satisfying to accomplish this.
1. Plant something: I don't think we planted anything this week, actually. I need to check the garden and see what we have left for room to plant more.
2. Harvest something: The turnip thinnings.
3. Preserved something: Just the strawberries, so far.
4. Waste not (preparations): Nothing this week.
5. Want not (manage your stores): Organizing the pantry and just the house in general.
6. Build community: Finding & buying from the local lady with the strawberries.
7. Eat the food: Turnip greens. Ponsett -yes, everyone else spells in pancit, and you can use really really thin rice noodles from the Asian section of the store. Yummy & very easy.
8. Crafting: Sewing - I've done half the sewing pile I had, and finished all the pillowcases. Lots of this stuff has essentially been sewing seams where needed.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Getting the Garden Started
Note: Original post was attempted on April 18. I wanted to add pictures. I just got the pictures in the computer. Please forgive the delay, and enjoy the post, yes?
We're starting with this:
The first day, we went out and edged the plot, raked it well, and removed any weeds or roots we found. The second day, we weeded and then hoed and raked the beds - removing weeds and then chopping any roots we missed. We're calling it 'preventive weeding' - anything that we get now, is less weeding we do later! Since we go in the evening, anything on the top after Day 1 or Day spent the day withering in the sun - it's mid-70's here both days.
We got compliments while we were working - and I found it neat that a younger couple might do the preventive weeding after seeing us do it, while the older couple with the plot next to ours commented they'd done it yesterday.
Day 3 we planted what we have and watered it. We'll keep going back nightly to water and weed to keep up on things. I still have to order herbs, and find potatoes to plant. (note: never found them, too late in my area)
A good start:
We're starting with this:
The first day, we went out and edged the plot, raked it well, and removed any weeds or roots we found. The second day, we weeded and then hoed and raked the beds - removing weeds and then chopping any roots we missed. We're calling it 'preventive weeding' - anything that we get now, is less weeding we do later! Since we go in the evening, anything on the top after Day 1 or Day spent the day withering in the sun - it's mid-70's here both days.
We got compliments while we were working - and I found it neat that a younger couple might do the preventive weeding after seeing us do it, while the older couple with the plot next to ours commented they'd done it yesterday.
Day 3 we planted what we have and watered it. We'll keep going back nightly to water and weed to keep up on things. I still have to order herbs, and find potatoes to plant. (note: never found them, too late in my area)
A good start:
Thursday, May 19, 2011
First Harvests
From the garden: A mix of turnip and chard seedlings from thinning our plantings today. Very yummy when we steamed them for dinner!
From the balcony, a scented bouquet. Clockwise, from top left is rosemary, lemon balm (in the 'center'). cilantro, chives, orange mint, and basil. All the herbs were dried for later.
Strawberry season is in full swing, but I don't have pictures because they don't last long enough! Strawberry shortcake desserts, and we have put up 3 dozen half-pints of jams plus dried some as well. And I'll likely put up more - very yummy!
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Independance Days - 15 May 2011
We've been going to the garden about every other night, keeping it weeded and watered. So far all the seeds are coming up fine!
1. Plant something: Cantaloupe, green beans.
2. Harvest something: Herbs from the patio. Strawberries at the pick-your-own farm.
3. Preserved something: Dried the herbs, made strawberry jam.
4. Waste not (preparations): Not really much in this area right now.
5. Want not (manage your stores): Getting together what we'll need to put up the garden's bounty.
6. Build community: Being friendly at the community garden. I'm delighted to see the diversity there!
7. Eat the food: Strawberry shortcake!
8. Crafting: Working on the Grr hat, and on my lacy fingerless gloves.
1. Plant something: Cantaloupe, green beans.
2. Harvest something: Herbs from the patio. Strawberries at the pick-your-own farm.
3. Preserved something: Dried the herbs, made strawberry jam.
4. Waste not (preparations): Not really much in this area right now.
5. Want not (manage your stores): Getting together what we'll need to put up the garden's bounty.
6. Build community: Being friendly at the community garden. I'm delighted to see the diversity there!
7. Eat the food: Strawberry shortcake!
8. Crafting: Working on the Grr hat, and on my lacy fingerless gloves.
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