Category Archives: Homesteading

The garden in November, plus yummy bread

Posted on November 22, 2009 by Sandy

I’ve been hibernating. A thoroughly enjoyable eight-week leave from work ended a few weeks ago, but the hibernation began well before that.  There is no excuse other than I didn’t feel like tackling the fall garden tasks even though I had … Continue reading →

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Roo – Isn’t he pretty?

Posted on September 24, 2009 by Sandy

Last March, we bought four baby chicks, mostly because the kids really wanted baby chicks.  We had enough room in our coop/chicken run to increase our flock from five to nine, so we went ahead with the chicks.  Originally, the … Continue reading →

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Summer in a jar

Posted on September 20, 2009 by Sandy

As we head into the tail end of September, the harvest continues going strong.  Today, I harvested a good amount of Italian sauce tomatoes and found enough additional produce and seasonings to make a batch of tomato sauce.  Above, you … Continue reading →

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Pickle help needed!

Posted on September 17, 2009 by Sandy

OK, about a month ago I started a batch of deli-style pickles, following (to a T) the recipe in the Ball Complete Guide to Home Preservation book. The pickles are supposed to sit in the brine for at least three … Continue reading →

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Flock integration and deli style pickles

Posted on August 16, 2009 by Sandy

  Last spring, we bought four new baby chicks (three Golden Sex Links and one Golden Laced Wyandotte). The baby chicks have grown quickly and it’s about time that we integrate them into our existing flock of five hens. Integrations can … Continue reading →

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More canning, beans and pickles

Posted on August 2, 2009 by Sandy

It has been a busy weekend! In addition to the spiced plum jam I made on Saturday, I took on two more canning projects this weekend: beans and cucumbers. Everything in the garden seems to be maturing (and require attention) at once.  The … Continue reading →

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Quite a year for plums and Ebony becomes Broody

Posted on August 1, 2009 by Sandy

It has been quite a year for plums, at least for the Shiros. Our Shiro plum tree is consistently the best fruiting tree in our orchard.  I picked a very full basket of plums this morning (easily 10 lbs of plums) and … Continue reading →

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First adventures in canning

Posted on July 19, 2009 by Sandy

I’ve never canned before. At all. In fact, I didn’t even have basic canning supplies until I bought some last weekend. I took the plunge this weekend and made a batch of pickles. The cucumbers were a mix of Alibi cukes … Continue reading →

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Jam day and a pickle preview

Posted on July 12, 2009 by Sandy

I love berry season.  We’ve planted a bunch of berries in our yard.  We have strawberries (June bearing, everbearing, and red and white alpines), blueberries (eight youngish plants), and raspberries (two new raised beds).  Because most of our berries are … Continue reading →

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The jungle in the greenhouse

Posted on June 20, 2009 by Sandy

In just a few short weeks, the tiny little tomatoes I planted have turned my greenhouse into a jungle! Everything in the greenhouse is growing like crazy.  The cucumbers, melons, peppers, and more are all looking great. This is the first … Continue reading →

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