boots

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Farming Family

Sunday, June 30, 2013

Dumplings

Yesterday was a busy one. Darlin cleared brush and set up a fence for the pigs out in the woods. He kept at it and it still took him until almost dark to finish. It looks good though. This morning he put a few pigs out there to see how they'd do. It's electric to discourage them from going through it.
  I spent my day in the house catching up on dishes and laundry. Dusting, folding laundry, sweeping, folding laundry, cooking, folding laundry, de-cluttering, folding laundry, reorganizing, etc. But this morning when I got up it was totally worth it! I could get to the coffee pot with out shuffling through dirty dishes, the bathroom was clean and tidy, the house (what I cleaned of it yesterday) looks nice and welcoming and I feel relaxed. I still have some laundry to wash, dry, fold and put away (imagine that!) but I have a handle on it now. I also cleaned up the basement, swept the steps and floor, wiped down the washer and dryer and washed the table. I have a small table next to the dryer that I keep clear just for folding laundry. I have found that if I fold it right when it comes out of the dryer (or shortly after) it doesn't end up in piles upstairs do fold "later". So if there is clean laundry down stairs, I fold it and take it up with me and put it away right then. It makes it so much easier.

 For supper: Beef soup and dumplings. I made a soup out of leftover roast, and it was my first time making dumplings. They are yummy! I don't remember ever having them but they are so good!
 You drop the biscuit dough on top of the soup/stew when it is simmering, then cover it for 15-20min. They cook up nice and fluffy inside *Mmmm!* And not all mushy and doughy. You want to make sure you have plenty of liquid in your soup though. I should have had a little more in mine, the soup turned into a stew and some of it stuck to the bottom of the pot. I think I'll use a heavier one next time too.



 Have a wonderful day!!

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Pea Trellis

Darlin made a pea trellis the other day for our growing peas.
 He had a large ball of twine and placed it in a small plastic bucket that had a handle. Then he put his belt through the handle before buckling it. Next he took the end of the twine and threaded it through a 18in long by 1/2 piece of PVC pipe, and tied the end off to the first stake. Then he walked back and forth between the rows, wrapping it around each stake he came to.

 Pea blossoms



 Hilled potatoes
 Rows of peas


Monday, June 17, 2013

Farm shopping list

Thought it might be nice to share what a typical "farm shopping list" looks like for us:


  • Mineral block for the cows
  • shavings for the chicken coop
  • pig feed
  • layer pellets
  • broiler feed mix
  • diesel fuel for tractor
  • various hardware
  • canning lids and bands
  • tomato plants
This is today's list, usually it's basically the same (except tomato plants).

Got goats??

It has been almost a year since I've had a goat around here. I could not believe how hard it was to find one in Uncle Henry's, Craig's list or at an auction (besides, if you are looking for a decent milk goat, auction goats are somewhat questionable). I didn't find one I liked in any of those places. So, I took a chance and called up the folks where I got my very first goat, and asked if they had any milkers for sale. They called me back-Yes, they did have some!!!!!!! Yay! Here is Ivy, and her doeling... Ivy is a first year freshener, currently giving about 1/2 gallon of pure, healthy milk a day. I will be bringing her home soon.




~A farmer's wife needn't concern herself with being a big bread winner in today's society; she simply makes her own.~

Monday, June 3, 2013

This is AMAZING!

This family lives in urban California. Their electric bill is $12.00/month! They sell surplus from their front door to chefs, as well as deliver. Grant it, they live in the city, but they only use about 25 gallons of bio diesel/month!-that they make themselves! (out here in the sticks, we live 30-35 miles form the nearest "big town") This is a must-watch! It puts my "needs" in proper perspective, how about you?

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Get Together

The siblings came for an overnight visit Thursday!!




  June Bug (Photo courtesy of the Vet's handiwork)
 Perky pepper plants

  Playdough time


The next day...
 Chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast!
        Mmmm, coffee!
 Helping out
Weed whacking

 Hilled potatoes
 Working on the new egg mobile...


 Lunch time! Home made pizza sticks dipped in pizza sauce

 A serious game of Go Fish!

 Or, not so serious



 Egg mobile progress

Portrait of Lady Bug by request, Cute!
 Ta-da! Darling finished it yesterday. The girls look very happy!

 Our meat birds came when the siblings were here, so glad they got to see them! This is what 72 birds look like...!!!!!



 Awwwah