They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit.
First and second major canning of tomatoes, Kathleen has been canning diced and whole tomatoes, as well as tomato juice. Daddy and Seppi have been drying tomatoes. Seppi likes to add leaves from his pet basil plant to the tray when we start it. (His pet basil plant's name is "Basil.") It's amazing how five… Continue reading Tomatoes, Pears and Wine
Monday the 31st was our first big tomato harvest, and our last big bean harvest. Winnie helps pick beans, and conversates the whole time. "Daddy, why are you so tall?" "Because I started growing before you." "Daddy, what number are you old?" "I am 41." "Daddy, you are going to die." Pauses thoughtfully. "You are… Continue reading First Big Tomato Harvest
Late August, the garden is gathering for its final burst of activity before the dark period. This is the most massive and vigorous stand of buckwheat we have ever grown. And the bees seem to be doing their job. I just hope we can get it ripened and harvested before the rains comes on hard… Continue reading Buckwheat, Triangles and Homeschool
Not everything can be woodworking around here. There are too many other things that need to be done. For instance the raspberries are coming on fast, And when we checked on the blackberries, some of them were ripening. They always ripen from the end of the branch first. In every cluster the most distal berry… Continue reading Garden and Orchard Update.
This really should have been done a month ago, back when the squashes and maters went in the ground. But it didn't. Some years are like that. It took until June Something-or-other even to get Bed 2 weeded this year. Once the weeds were pulled out then we had to mound it up, throwing the… Continue reading Trellising.
September 5th. The tomatoes are pretty much done for the year, it seems. We have very few new blossoms, and while we have a few ripe ones coming in, it is not enough to be worth saving, and we need to clear freezer space so we can start collecting apples for cidering in a month… Continue reading Tomato Sauce
Last Saturday, (that is last Saturday but one by the time you read this, a.ka. the 16th) we processed most of the tomatoes that we had harvested the previous Thursday, ahead of the rain storm. On the right are the ripest ones, mostly Heirloom Marriage and on the left are the less ripe, mainly Cuore… Continue reading Canning Tomatoes
This has been a very busy week and a lot has gone on, so buckle up. It's time for a catch-up post. Literally. Mommy took Evie and Ellie to the fair last Wednesday. No, the other last Wednesday, the 6th of August. That's how far behind we are. They immediately started winning prizes. Ellie got… Continue reading Catch up post
Monday was a very busy day. Mommy had to be at the Pierce Co Fair to set up because she is the ASOATFR. (assistant superintendent of all things food related). Daddy and the kids had work to do at the house. Mostly digging for a new fence on our front yard (the old one blew… Continue reading Fair Prep, and an unexpected visit.
Squash is continuing to grow up the sides of the trellis, while buckwheat grows up against the other side of it. And kids wander through the middle of it. That color on Seppi's face is "war paint." A.k.a. cherry juice. It helps him be more fierce. Very small raspberry harvest this year, but we are… Continue reading Garden Update
