Road Trip ~ Newest Addition To The Farm

We are heading out today, to bring home a new member to the farm.  Stay tuned for updates.  It's about a 1 hour and 15 minute drive one way.  This should be a fun day around here.

We are finally back.  We originally called about a mini-lamancha goat, and when I got to talking to the woman, she also had a full sized purebred lamancha she wanted to sell, which was what we really needed.

When we got there, we were talking about our billy goat, and she mentioned her purebred Nigerian wether.  She tried to sell him, but could not, and was thinking he would be going to the butcher.  She asked if we would like to take him, free of charge, for a buddy for our billy.  

Meet Peanut (left) and Rue (short for Rudy on the right).

Then, as we were getting ready to leave, we found out a nearby neighbor had about 50 guinea hens.  We drove over, but the younger ones, in the roost, were already asked for.  There was no way we'd catch the bigger ones.  Some day we'll have 2 of those too.  We almost did today.

I have to say, that little Rue sure is loud.  I'm so glad we brought him home though.  The two newbies stick together, and follow me around in the pen.  Misty, is testing them both, and getting put in her place.  Hopefully, they will all get along.

We are excited, because Peanut is in milk, and we now have fresh goat milk.  YAY! 

Homemade Pumpkin Butter Results ~ Sun Flower Seeds

My 5 pumpkins resulted in 9 pints of pumpkin butter.  After researching canning recipes, I decided to heat my lids, after sterilizing jars, and simply attach the lids.  I allowed them to cool, and then moved them to the refrigerator.  They will last up to 6 months this way.  

Canning is not recommended.  In fact, I plan to take the last of the pumpkins, and make pumpkin puree to freeze.  Then I can simply take it out to make pumpkin waffles, pumpkin bread, muffins, or pumpkin pie.  There are tons of pumpkin recipes to try it with.  

Having always purchased sunflower seeds from a store, my husband was actually "giddy" when I shared these with him.


"We grew those?" he squealed like a little kid getting candy (ha ha ha!)

I will have to start covering some of them with cheese cloth.  The birds are starting to get into them, and they are not all ready to harvest.

And once again, I am shocked at the fresh taste these little guys had.  So much better than what you buy in the stores.  Hubby wants a whole field of these now - ha ha ha ha!

Homemade Pumpkin Butter Making

This was the first year for us to grow our own pie pumpkins (baking pumpkins).  Last year we grew the type the kids could carve out for fall.

The weird weather this year, caused our pumpkin production to be less than what we thought.  We even had less of our spaghetti squash this year.  It was simply too wet.

We were blessed to have enough baking pumpkins to make pumpkin butter and possible bake a few pies.

There is something so gratifying to grow the pumpkins and make pumpkin butter myself.  Nothing is wasted.  The pumpkin seeds are saved and roasted, and the the goats will get treated to some pumpkin skins (and a few seeds), and any remaining will be composted.  I have to double check with my daughter, to make sure the goats can eat it first.  It sure feels good to not throw something in my trash, or have to recycle plastic, metal or glass.

Poisonous to Horses

I am so glad we are boarding Blondie at a stable right now, so that we can research the plants on the property (and get the fencing in place).

I am finding plants that can hurt horses, and we need to remove them.  Here are some of the poisonous plants that we found here (I have milkweed growing along the creek and isn't near where the horse will go, or the goats):

and Dogbane (no photo yet).  I guess we have some work to do.

Amaranthus (pigweed family)?

I'm working with a park expert and a master gardener, to identify flowers and weeds on my property.  However, we are still unsure of this red colored one.  I think the chickens are the reason we have it all over this year.  I'm not exactly sure what it is.  Unless I hear back from the experts, I may have to keep looking in books and on-line.
 

Woot Woot!

You know you are a farmgirl, when you find wild chicory growing on your very own property!  And you get really excited about it.  He he he!  My kids, and my husband, just think I'm plain nuts.

I need to find out what that red weed is.  I'll have to look in my books and on-line to find out what it is.  I'm just tickled pink to find wild chicory on the property - chemical free.  Woo hoo!  It's only one plant, but one is better than none.  

Now I just need to research how to make the coffee from it.

Oh...he he...that photo was taken today in a garden that had zucchini and melons.  We had so much rain that it killed the zucchini and rotted almost all of the melons.  That garden now looks like a weed patch.

Change In Priorities ~ Seasons Change

The tomato season has now come to an end.  The mass amounts of rain have killed off almost all of our tomato plants.  I am sure, that without the rain, we would still be getting more tomatoes.

Every time we struggle with the loss of anything in our garden, I remember the pioneers, and how they struggled.  I remember watching a Little House DVD, where the family is sitting at the table eating dinner.  Their dinner consisted of berries.  Plain berries.  No sugar, no coffee, just berries.  I remember how cheerful Charles was, and how he was counting his blessings of just having those berries to eat.

Last night I asked my husband if he thought he could go a week without any processed or pre-made foods at all, including store bread.  He said he wouldn't have time to make all that food from scratch.  Isn't it amazing how much people rely on convenience when it comes to food?

I think I may challenge the family to this challenge.  We'd be giving up store bought pretzels, bread, butter, cooking oils, and things like that.  We'd have to make bread from scratch, and I know how long a loaf of that lasts around here  (ha ha ha!).  I'll have to ask the kids if they would be up to this.

Now that the tomatoes have ended their season, my priorities have changed.  I have replaced my time with a large "to-do" list.  Yesterday I already started working on it, such as install a new toilet seat, and clean off one porch.   So much work was neglected, but with the changing of seasons, I think we can get it all done.