Happenings Around the Homestead...

Emmy woke up at 3:50 am on Friday morning, way too early IMO!! However since I was up I decided to do something constructive. So I had all of these sitting on my counter.



I looked through the canning book and decided on Plum Chutney. I was flying by the seat of my pants here, I had no idea if we even liked it but I figured "what could it hurt?"

I started by cutting up 4 quarts of plums, I cut them on a plastic plate so I was able to easily get it in the big kettle.





I then added vinegar, raisins, onions, brown sugar and ginger and started cooking the mixture down. I have NEVER had much patience and as I was cooking it down I decided that this was taking way too long so I added a little fruit pectin to thicken it up. Got the hot water bath canner going, sterilized the jars, boiled the lids and rings and filled those jars up. I got 20 little jelly jars of these lovely tasting good stuff and hope the family will enjoy it. If not I have people who have already told me they would love some as gifts.



I then sorted out all the pits and put them on a paper towel to dry. I feed the leftover skins and mushy parts to the pig and hopefully will be able to grow some more trees with the pits.



Another super exciting thing that happened in my world is a friend (I only know her through animal dealings but consider her a friend) offered to sell me her registered Nigerian Dwarf buck. I have two does already, one registered and one not, and am hoping that the does will get bred very soon for spring babies. I have decided my herd name will be Shooting Stars Homestead (provided it is not taken in the American Goat Society). I went and pick him up last night and after world of mouth has spread I have two potential buyers on waiting lists for babies in the spring.

Here is our little buck Calico



Here is another shot of him meeting the doe, this is not exactly what I had in mind for the two of them to do but he is only 4 months old now and today he was already out there showing them who is boss.



I have had Jill, the doe pictured above for two and a half years along with her wethered brother Jack. We purchased another doe, Maya, about sixteen months ago. Now with Calico I can begin a small herd. I can't wait for the goat milk, if for nothing else to feed to our future pigs to fatten them up. We are also looking into raising a beef cow for a year and what another great use for excess milk.

I will leave you with a shot of the two who truly rules the outside around here. They are friendly so far except in the spring and then they are fenced in and only I am allowed in there.

Everything helps

I had some extra apples and decided that even though it wouldn't make much I would make chunky applesauce with what I had. It only made up 3 quarts and 1 pint but every little bit helps stock the pantry. It also made the house smell delicious.

Fall is in the air!

The weather is most delightful

Tap, tap, tap is what I am hearing as I sit here. The clouds that were in the sky all day finally opened up and God watered the earth. It is smelling so good out there, the dust is settling and I am thankful that I don't have to water the garden or fruit trees tonight. The rain makes me happy.

On the other side of the coin I am very irratated right now. I have misplaced my camera. To misplace anything is our house is rare as I am a stickler for putting things in their spots. I have so many things to share with you and no camera to capture them with.

My favorite room in my house....

is behind this door. It stays so nice and cool down in here and it is full of wonderful things.



Provisions for my family. Assurance of our next meal.



I love this cold room, it was one of the major selling points of this house!

I delivered veggie baskets this week; I am proud of them. I love picking them, arranging them and then providing fresh veggies for other families to enjoy!

Lots of catching up to do.....

Has it really been two months since I last posted? Where has all that time went and what did we do during it? Alot of things happened and I will recap really fast:

- we sold the lambs to a family who wants them to shear their fleece for yarn making; while they were cute and fun, lambs are not for me

- we moved the pig from the shop to the outside pen, this proved to be very hard and difficult and I have learned in the future I will most definitely do this before they become to big for me to handle

- I discovered that my turkeys were all toms, what great luck on my part, so I traded one in part for two hens and paid the difference. We will be butchering one soon and then keeping the other two toms and hens for breeders

- The garden is being invaded by deer, such a great waste, we purchased some AWESOME fencing material at a sale last week-end for a deer proof garden next year.

- We have sold over 300 pounds of pear with more to sell this week, we have been blessed with all the pears

- I canned 35 jars of salsa last week - all different sizes of jar, mostly pints though

- Perhaps the biggest change in recent light was all three kids are once again enrolled in public education, we will see how this works out this year and base next year's decisious on this year