It's great to be home...............

We had a great weekend camping. We are so fortunate to have such a great spot to camp so close to home. I couldn't have gone without Tom being home to take care of things. I came home mornings to milk and do chores but he milked at night and did evening chores. Thanks Tom for a job well done!

The campground offers wonderful amenities for everyone and we all had a great time. The weather wasn't great - you never knew when a thunderstorm was going to blow in but we didn't let it stop us from enjoying ourselves. It was warm and we knew we wouldn't melt :)

They have a large private lake that is well stocked. Dave was the only lucky angler this trip and pulled in a nice bass. Of course, my camera wasn't handy at the time. The water is very clean and the kids enjoyed a swim in between rain showers and we all played a game of mini golf as well.

We started out years ago when Tyler was little with a pop-up tent camper. It didn't take us long to outgrow that. We were fortunate to pick up a 26 foot camper last year for a song. It needed a little work but was otherwise in great shape. It's so handy - everything can stay packed and when you want to go, you can just load the fridge, hook on and go. I guess I've reached the age where heat, hot water and a decent bed really make a difference in my life :)

Over the years Steve has collected several strings of "camping" lights that he likes to string up around the the campsite. Tree branches were spread out at this particular site so we had to make due. Mr. "I'm always prepared" (my DH) happened to have a ladder in the back of his worktruck (which he NEVER leaves home without :) I was designated to climb the ladder as I weigh less than the rest. They promised they wouldn't let me fall. After alot of good natured bantering, the lights were all up and looked really cute when night fell. Steve was happy and that's what mattered.

I love breakfast cooked over the open campfire - our own bacon, sausage & eggs :) We certainly ate well this weekend. We will all need to diet the rest of the week. We enjoyed our evening campfire, of course, the s'mores being the best part. The kids had sparklers and a friend of ours sent us with a bottle of home made blueberry champagne.

Our lives are all so busy that it almost requires as much effort to relax as it does to work. I was edgy for a couple of days - I kept feeling like I needed to get out of my chair and do something. It was worth the effort for sure :) Thank you Brian, Kelly & Kelsey for a great time - we are all looking forward to doing it again soon!

We're going camping......

Acres of Wildlife Campground, Maine

We are going camping! We weren't sure we were going to be able to pull it off but looks like we are going after all. Steve has a couple of extra days off from work and we aren't getting severe thunderstorms so we are heading out. The campground is 3 miles from the farm down in the woods. Close enough that I can come home twice a day and do chores, far enough away that I can enjoy the beautiful lake or read a book or take a nap or do absolutely nothing!

Tom is going to stay home and mind the farm - it's our first chance away since last year and we are anxious to use our camper. Our friends, the Kimball's are joining us - bonfires and smores, Yummm!

Have a good weekend everyone :)

The summer harvest continues...........

Summer is always a busy time of year and July has been no exception. The gardens are really starting to produce and all the hard work of planting, nursing crops and dealing with whatever mother nature decides to throw at us is paying off.

First string bean harvest

Tuesday morning after chores we harvestested our first 10 gallons of string beans. This is a green/yellow mix. I've never grown this particular seed before and so far it's done well. Mom and I nipped and cut them, preparing them for canning.

Sterile jars ready for vegetables

As you can see my cook stove serves many purposes. These jars have been sterilized and are ready to be used for canning the green beans. I would like to put up at least 250 pints. We are big green bean fans here.

My kitchen

When we designed our new home, the kitchen was the most important area to me. It's a big kitchen and it's wonderful to can in. It has easy access to everything and there is more than enough room for both Mom and I to work in there together and not step on each other. We love to can together and I cherish every minute of it.

Success!

The first batch out of the canner. While the beans were processing, we put up 6 quarts of the Everlasting slaw. Three quarts from green cabbage and three with purple cabbage. I've posted the recipe at the end of the blog entry for those that have asked for it. Simple, quick and delicious :) It has quickly become a favorite of my family.

Everlasting slaw

Everlasting slaw recipe:

• 1 medium size head cabbage
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 1 onion
• 1 green pepper
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup vinegar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tablespoon grated horseradish ( I used 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish)
• 1 tsp. mustard seed
• 1 tsp. celery seed
• 1 tsp. turmeric

Shred the cabbage and carrots. Chop the green pepper and onion and combine it with the cabbage. Boil together the vinegar, sugar, salt, and spices, only until they are well blended. Pour over the slaw and allow it to set for several hours before serving. Once it has cooled off, I fill quart jars to store it. Will last forever in the refrigerator.

Before we got the last batch of beans processed, the telephone rang - it was our hay man. He had 200 bales in the field ready to be picked up. No more canning for today. When the hay man calls, we drop what we are doing, load up and go.

Filling up the barn for winter

It was a late night - we finally piled in for dinner about 8:45. Thankfully Mom had made a huge pot of spaghetti. We had energy enough to eat, cleanup and hit they hay :O)

Saturday project.............

The muddy pig yard

Due to the never ending rain, our pig yard is a muddy mess. The pig house is dry but the pigs really like to lay outside during the day. I know pigs are supposed to really love mud and they do seem to have a lot of fun in it , but knowing they do not have a dry place to lie around outside bothers me. Besides, it really smells! It's sticky, nasty mud. It would dry out quickly if it didn't rain for a few days but there isn't much hope of that happening.

Saturday morning we decided to extend the pig pen so Steve and I headed for the feed store. We use 16 foot, 52" livestock panels for our outside pig pen with 7' t posts. The panels are a little pricey but it's a great way to create an escape proof pig pen and that's a necessity here.

Before we could get started, we needed to get the pigs closed in the pig house. A little corn does the trick. The guys managed to get the door closed but Dave couldn't latch it.

Steve trying to get to the door without losing his shoes in the mud!

Setting up the new panels

The pig yard will be about 20 x 64. The grass won't last long with 8 hogs rooting around. I'll put a round bale in here for them as well. They eat alot of the hay and root around or lay in the rest of it.

The pigs checking out their new digs

I have two heavy metal, 4 section hog feeders that we keep chained to the fence so the pigs don't drag them off. We have a hard time keeping them clean due to the mud when the pigs step in them, etc. Tom came up with the idea of building a platform out of pallets and plywood and setting the feeders up on the platform. Works like a charm :)

He actually likes them! They like the apples he's feeding them :)

Our supervisor, refreshment and cheering committee (my Mom) with her watchdogs obviously working very hard

It was a busy weekend -the whole family worked hard. We accomplished all that we set out to do. The pigs are happy and I feel better that the pigs are more comfortable. Happy pigs are tasty pigs :)

A crazy day.............

If you've been reading blogs that belong to folks in the Northeast, you know that we are receiving an entire "rainy season" worth of rain in just a few days. Two inches an hour at times and now it has no place to go there is so much of it. The day started out gray and showery but it's been that way all week so it looked rather normal. Not long after chores the TV weatherman issued a tornado warning - yep, a TORNADO warning in Maine - we never have tornadoes! We went about our usual routine, getting drenched every time we went out the door. The only thing we accomplished was creating a mountain of wet laundry.

At 1 p.m. the weatherman said two tornadoes had touched down to the west of us. Fallen trees, down utility poles and wires, demolished homes and one person dead. It's just terrible. This line of extremely severe thunderstorms was heading straight for us. We did not have a tornado preparedness plan......we do now. We just never thought of it. With the mountains all around us, it didn't seem to be an issue.

The wind picked up tremendously and the rain whipped through here but it was a fast moving storm, and thankfully it moved just north of us so the damage was minimal. It continues to rain and a tornado watch is posted until 7 p.m. as their is another line of severe storms headed our way.

We have never had such extreme weather as we are this year. Severe thunderstorms rolled through here last friday. Two young people were struck by lightening at the same time six miles from here. Lightening striking people is so rare - you just done think. It was so tragic.

Mixed sunflowers

The rain is such a mixed blessing. The gardens are thriving but too much more and things will start to rot. I try not to worry or complain. I know there are so many areas that desperately need the moisture. The sunflowers remind me that the sun will return at some point! I planted several packages and have many different varieties growing in my veggie garden. I absolutely love sunflowers. I also love gladiolas and have many of those planted as well. They are getting ready to blossom and I will have both brightening up my house soon.

"Pepe"

This is my Mom's little dog, Pepe. Isn't she just the cutest little thing?! Mom spent the afternoon with us, riding out the storms. Both she and Pepe dislike thunderstorms and we all feel better when we are together.

Stay safe.......

Weaning day...........

Today is weaning day. The "choir" above have been singing the blues since this morning when we separated them from the ewes. I always feel sad when I have to do this but I know it's best for the ewes and the lambs. Some of these poor little critters have laryngitis so bad tonight they can hardly baaaaa. They will be back to normal in a couple of days. They can see the ewes through the fence so it's not as traumatic as if I moved them out of sight. I tell myself that and it makes me feel better :) " Magpie"

Magpie didn't miss her Mom as much as her Mom was missing her. I bought a new shetland ram last year to combine with three ewes I already had, trying to get lambs this lovely moorit color. I have not been at all disappointed. She's a beauty and will stay on the farm. I'm hoping once she's weaned, she might become a little friendlier.

Woody, Quail & Towhee

These three handsome fellows are purebred shetland ram lambs out of the new ram. They are a little over two months old and have great horn growth already. They are rams through and through and already know what their jobs will be. It was time to get them away from the little girls.

"Sora"

This is another shetland/finn cross ewe lamb. I haven't decided if she stays on the farm or if she will be sold. She's lovely if you like bold color and markings and her fleece is going to be beautiful.

Jay, Kite & Phoebe

All the lambs are very curious about people but shy. They seem to find their nerve once they are separated from the ewes. These little guys couldn't wait to come and check me out and check out the camera today. Two days ago, when they were still with the ewes, many of these babies wouldn't have anything to do with me. I have a sand chair meant for the beach that I sit in out in the lamb paddock. After a few minutes, many of them are climbing in my lap, chewing on my earrings, hair, shoelaces, etc. It's a nice way to spend a few minutes in the afternoon, especially after a very hectic day :)

Winter prep, quality time & a visitor

A view of the farm looking west from the pasture

Today was set aside to cut a few big oak trees down for winter firewood. These trees were along the new fenceline of the three acre piece we had opened up last fall. Several small oaks and maples are leaning from a wind shear that came through here last fall so those will go as well. One of the huge oaks was struck by lightening a couple of years ago during a nasty storm. We happened to be setting on the porch when it was hit and could see it smoldering even as it was raining. We didn't have easy access to the tree until this year. Of course, because we needed to work outside today and we had help lined up, it started to rain shortly after chores this morning. No matter - it is very warm and humid. You couldn't tell if we were wet from sweat or rain!

Preparing to cut the big oak

Without knowing how damaged the tree was inside, Brian had to be very careful how he went about cutting down the tree. His saw blade wasn't as long as the diameter across the trunk so planning was very important. Even though these guys are comfortable with a chainsaw, they take nothing for granted. We've seen firsthand how quickly they cut skin and bone.

Steve & Brian inserting wedges to make sure the tree falls in the right direction

This tree didn't come down without effort on everyone's part. After alot of deliberation, using wedges, cutting notches and thinking, finally the tree landed right where they wanted it to.

Tyler giving Steve a hand limbing the tree :)

Brian & Dave cutting up the second oak tree

We made good progress.....the rain came in heavier and we decided it wasn't safe to use the chainsaws so we will finish cutting up the trees next weekend. We will haul it all up near the house to stack and finish drying for winter. Before snow we will cut it to stove length, split it and stack it in the wood shed. I love the smell of wood and enjoy the whole process of filling up the shed. It's a good feeling, knowing we've got plenty of wood to keep us warm for the winter. We should have a couple of cords from these two trees we cut today.

"Quality time"

Tyler received a BB gun for Christmas and this weekend Steve had time to spend with him teaching him the proper way to handle it. He's used it a couple of time before now in the spring but the weather was much colder and they couldn't stay out long. They set up a great target and before they were finished Tyler was hitting what he was aiming at! He sure enjoyed spending quality time with his Dad and he's very proud of his BB gun :)

BB Gun target

Proud Father & Son

This little fellow showed up on friday - when we went to the barn to do night chores, it was perched on the barn roof. He/she has been here since and enjoys picking up grain in the stalls where the cows slop after they go out to pasture. I think it's a rock pigeon but I'm not sure. My neighbors had a pigeon show up not too long ago and it comes and goes as it pleases, showing back up when they think it's gone for good. It's a very pretty bird and we are enjoying it while it's here.

All in all, a good weekend :)