Well folks, as expected, last Saturday was Crazy! We had more than twenty families come over, from Church, homeschool, work, 4H and neighbors. We processed more than a ton of apples into who knows how much cider! We canned 100+ gallons the day of, and parceled out another 20-ish gallons for people to can at… Continue reading Cider Fest 2025!
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Refurbishing the Cider Press.
The last weekend before Cider Fest, Mommy and Daddy and Winnie drove down to Chehalis to buy a new cider press. It was in very decent shape for being over a hundred years old, and it was a fun outing. Unfortunately, when trying to replace the guide on the spout end of the tray, it… Continue reading Refurbishing the Cider Press.
Final Preparation for Cider Fest
Cider fest is tomorrow! It's coming fast. Daddy had the day off work, so he was able to help Mommy out at CC (our homeschool co-op) in the first half of the morning. In the second half he got all the rest of the firewood split and stacked out of the way. The new 8… Continue reading Final Preparation for Cider Fest
Our Holy Family Picture
In case you didn't know, the reason our farm is called "Three Hearts Farm" is because we are under the patronage of the Holy Family. The Three Hearts represent Jesus, Mary and Joseph. There are many reasons that we chose them as our patrons, but the most obvious is that it is fruitful for us… Continue reading Our Holy Family Picture
Garden Snacks (not just for people)
Saturday was a run-around kind of day. The older three kids were all over the mountains with Deedee and Papa, picking apples, so Winnie got to be an only child for a day. She is very good at being an only child. Takes to it like the proverbial duck to water. Fortunately she only gets… Continue reading Garden Snacks (not just for people)
Bumping Along
Exciting times this week! We sold our old much used Chevy Colorado, and bought a newer more gently used Chevy Silverado. The kids were wild with excitement, and have named the truck "Bluey". Because it's blue. It makes an excellent boat, cave, vermin lair, or castle as the need requires. They are currently slaves, plotting… Continue reading Bumping Along
Uncle’s Wood Splitter
This is what happens when you hit too hard. The handle had been getting splintered a little at a time for the last few weeks. Sometimes with this cedar, with the twisty grain, you'll make a deep split through the middle, but leave a chunk on the near side that catches the handle just below… Continue reading Uncle’s Wood Splitter
Cutting back the blackberries by the shop
The small man is ready for anything. He has brand new red clippers. The snowball bushes between the shop and the carport have grown a bit out of control in the last two years. More to the point, they are overgrown (and undergrown, and through grown) with Himalayan blackberry. Earlier, the kids cut a tunnel… Continue reading Cutting back the blackberries by the shop
Weekend Stuff.
No farmwork last weekend, or very little. Split and stacked some firewood, but other than that, not much. This was because we had school schedules to write. Believe it or not, homeschooling is not (completely) a make it up as we go along type thing. Typically we make it up at least a week or… Continue reading Weekend Stuff.
Pasture Rehab (with a digression about Curly Dock).
We have moved the animals on. After about 10 days at the east end of the north pasture, we have shifted them to the north side. This is the worst and least productive part of the pasture. We have decided to mob graze it this fall/winter. That is, instead of moving the animals through fast… Continue reading Pasture Rehab (with a digression about Curly Dock).