It was a lovely,Almost a perfectApple tree. For fifty yearsOr maybe a hundredIt stood. From grace of slender youthBright-with-blossomGreen wood Pruned by hand of manTo shapely vigorReceiving the sun. Fifty or a hundred springtimesKissed by virgin beesTo fructify: In sweet-smelling scarlet curtainsRedolent of every treein Eden; In golden ooze from the combIts sweetness bringing to… Continue reading The Apple Tree
Author: Ryan Kraeger
"I only remember the very first part of the book where he described the man of steel and velvet and I remember the deep chord that phrase struck. I remember the image I had of a hand of living steel wearing a velvet glove, a hand that could crush or caress, strike a killing blow or wipe away tears, lift mountains or cradle an infant. The rest of the book was an afterthought."
From an essay about Aubrey Andelin's "Man of Steel and Velvet".
CiderFest 2026
Well, folks. It came, it went. It was a whirlwind of pressing, canning, laughing, talking, joking, eating, drinking, and all the other things that go along with CiderFest. We outdid last year's count, with a grand total of 129 gallons (6 fermenting for hard cider, the rest canned) divvied out between almost 20 households. Started… Continue reading CiderFest 2026
One Day More…
(20 The girls have been listening to Les Misérables. ) We have a few. Clearing off tables. Even the rickety one.  Lunch break! A few more apples, and everything is rearranged, ready to chop them up and press them. One press inside, two presses outside, room for another press, then the straining station on… Continue reading One Day More…
Getting Close
We have stockpiled an apple or two in the last few weeks. Might need to do something with them in the next couple of days.
Starting Hugel Beds
Around the black elderberry and some of the hazelnuts. This will be covered with wood chips as time and morning workouts permit.
Piglets for Sale
If you are in the Tacoma area and you are looking for a friendly, slow-growing, pasture-friendly feeder pigs, look no further... Check out the link on Craigslist.
Lamb and Quince
Last Tuesday (Michaelmas) we noticed there was a windfall quince under our smaller of the two quince trees. It had a big rotten spot on the bottom, so it would not keep but rather than waste it we incorporated it into supper. Did a light sear on a rack of bone-in lamb loin, then braised… Continue reading Lamb and Quince
Remodel: Front Patio
We had a bit of a change of plans last week on the remodel. An example of St. Joseph looking out for us, no doubt. As mentioned previously, originally we were not planning on taking off the front porch (so called because it is the side facing the driveway, even though technically it is not… Continue reading Remodel: Front Patio
Elderberry Cordial and Elixir
We bottled up the elderberry cordial and elixir that has been aging in the refrigerator for a few weeks to months. Some lessons learned from this go-round. It is harsher and less smooth than last year. Next year I need to pay closer attention to the alcohol percentage. We were mixing everclear and 40% vodka… Continue reading Elderberry Cordial and Elixir
The New Ram
We like to have the ram in the pasture with the ewes by Michaelmas, (Sept 29). This means that with a heat cycle on average about 17 days, they should hit their first breeding window of the autumn by October 17. This means we should start lambing no earlier than February 22, with first week… Continue reading The New Ram
