Puttin' Up Strawberries and other Tidbits ~ Fun in the Run

Hubby tried the strawberry margarita jam and gave me the green light.  He loves it.  Said it was "amazing."  I will be making more if the strawberries are available again.  I do have to say though, it has a lot of foam that needs skimmed off, more so than any other jam I've canned.

Canned another batch of reduced sugar strawberry jam. Froze one quart.  Saving the last qt. for a surprise dessert for the family.

Washed two mountains of dirty dishes.  Only to start to dirty some to prep dinner.

We had a good dry and surprisingly sunny day.  I got the potatoes hand hoed, all but two rows too wet yet.  Green beans are starting to come up - so happy about that.  Two zucchini plants sprouted, along with the greens, and all the grow bags.  Radishes look great, so I hope the sunshine will speed up the process.  I'm hankering for garlic scape - radish spread, radish hashbrowns, and simply eating them.

Filled the clothesline up too, and it was a glorious feeling.  Got the coop mucked (not so fun with the heat now) and deadheaded the petunias I swore I'd never buy again.

Aurora, our only barn cat, brought us a gift to the porch.  Twice.  Two days in a row she has brought baby rabbits.  I guess she found a nest.  Good rodent control, but the front porch? Sigh.

Our 19 year-old came out for another "Father's Day" dinner.  Sigh.  

The meal?

Fried chicken
Mashed tades
Baked Mac n' Cheese
Jalapeno creamed corn
Homemade rolls
Homemade brownie Sundaes with whiskey butterscotch sauce

I would have had a photo, but we were all licking our fingers and Hubby and I were so tired.  Daughter showed up late and brought a friend and stayed a while.  We literally, went to bed afterwards and left the dirty dishes for morning.  All I can say is Mother's Day next year better rock all week long.  I haven't made fried chicken in over 12 years or more.  

Fun in the run, is chasing chickens.  My newbies are too dumb to go up and out the run.  I have to literally put them out, and chase them around and put them in.  I'm thinking I need two new runs with bigger rungs on them.  I know I at least have one hen out of the 7.  Not sure yet on the rest.  I can see 2 roosters though.

Bad news.  Rain arrives tonight, and with a vengeance.  Just what we don't need.  Possible severe storms with it all too.

Homemade Biscuit Recipe and other Random Chit Chat

I was asked about how I get my layers in my homemade biscuits.  Click "Here" for the recipe on my blog.  I hand cut the butter into the flour.  I also don't work the dough to much, and when I cut them, I roll them out with a rolling pin, but the least amount of rolling I have to do.  Hope that helps.

I got another small batch of strawberry jam canned.  I am tall, so I can a batch daily until the strawberries are gone.  That's a lot of standing to do.

First I have to wash them all, and hull them.

Then I have to cut them up and crush them.  Then can the jam.  It's a process for sure. Our favorite produce stand has them now, but want $5/qt.  I paid $30 for a flat at the other source, and that comes down to $3.75/qt.  I did not have one bad strawberry in the last 4 qts I canned either.  When I buy the other kind, I get about 3-5 bad strawberries in each qt.  I may stick with this new source this year.

Super excited to see my soap order arrived, and it came with a sample of citronella!  Thank you Debby at Ole Lake Farm!  You saved the day!   I still can't find anyone local with raw goat's milk, and our youngest daughter can't use anything but goat's milk soap.  They all smell so good too!