We haven't done anything here on the farm today other than just making sure the critters had food and water and we just rested. We had a nice rain yesterday and decided to let the garden dry a bit before getting in there too much. I got all the jars wiped down from the canning yesterday and they are ready to go in the cellar. I will pick purple hull peas tomorrow and shell those for the freezer. And most likely have more cukes to make into pickles. We will try to get our potatoes dug this coming week. The vines have died back and they should be ready if we have any. We have had a big problem with potato bugs this year and I just hope they didn't do too much damage to the vines. We shall see.
We had a wedding this evening to attend. A second cousin was getting married. And another second cousin is getting married in 2 weeks. I don't mind attending, I just don't like dressing up. I am more jeans and tee-shirts. Rob is back in Nevada and couldn't attend but Amoy did get to come home and go with us. I think the rest of the evening will be spent just chilling out and trying to rest a bit so we can do some canning tomorrow.
Till next time, blessings from the McGuire homestead.
Stella
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
Canning, we finally got rain
We finally got a good rain today. It rained some last night and a steady rain most of today. I'm sure this will make the garden grow. And the weeds as well. My new little beans really appreciated the rain. This should also make the late beets sprout as well as the melons that I planted late. Most of all I can appreciate the cooler temps. We had highs in the low 80's today, so nice to be out.
I managed to get some canning done as well. I had 10 lb of pinto beans soaked and got those canned up. I had 13 quarts and 11 pints when finished. Also finished up the blackberry syrup (6 pints and 3 half pints) to use for bedtime drinks in winter. I transferred my kraut that I had made from the red cabbage and got that in jars to store. It is rather tasty with the addition of caraway seed added to the cabbage before it was set to ferment. After supper we made 9 quarts of bread and butter pickles. Then 1 quart of whole baby dills. I had9 half pints of chopped dills to use in things that need chopped dill pickle. Just a convenience thing for me I guess.
I received my beer making kit in the mail today. This is gonna be fun. We got it set up to make a batch of beer. We should be able to enjoy this lil treat around labor day. I also got my wine making supplies today. Now this is something I am looking forward to. I am going to try to get some wine started tomorrow. Kinda excited about learning something new.
All the canned stuff should be ready to clean up and put in the cellar tomorrow and clear off my counter in the summer kitchen. So till next time, blessings from the McGuire homestead.
Stella
I managed to get some canning done as well. I had 10 lb of pinto beans soaked and got those canned up. I had 13 quarts and 11 pints when finished. Also finished up the blackberry syrup (6 pints and 3 half pints) to use for bedtime drinks in winter. I transferred my kraut that I had made from the red cabbage and got that in jars to store. It is rather tasty with the addition of caraway seed added to the cabbage before it was set to ferment. After supper we made 9 quarts of bread and butter pickles. Then 1 quart of whole baby dills. I had9 half pints of chopped dills to use in things that need chopped dill pickle. Just a convenience thing for me I guess.
I received my beer making kit in the mail today. This is gonna be fun. We got it set up to make a batch of beer. We should be able to enjoy this lil treat around labor day. I also got my wine making supplies today. Now this is something I am looking forward to. I am going to try to get some wine started tomorrow. Kinda excited about learning something new.
All the canned stuff should be ready to clean up and put in the cellar tomorrow and clear off my counter in the summer kitchen. So till next time, blessings from the McGuire homestead.
Stella
Thursday, July 8, 2010
The cool is coming we hope
The cooler weather is headed our way we hope. It has been another one of those unbearable days with heat and humidity. If this winter is as cold as it has been hot we are in for a good one. I have stayed in most of the day. I just go out and feed the chickens and critters and come back in. I do check the meat birds several times a day to make sure they have plenty of water. It is getting pretty dry here. I noticed that some of the grass in the yard is turning brown from the heat and lack of rain. But rain is forecast for tonight and tomorrow with temps dropping into the 80's. That will be such relief for us all here in the east.
Later this evening after the sun goes down a bit we are going to try and get some more metal fence post in to support the wire trellis that is supporting the grape vines. The vines are loaded with grape clusters and some of them have pulled the wire down to where the grapes are touching the ground. Well I am sure this would not have been as big a problem if we had gotten the grape vines pruned this spring, but that didn't happen and they are very thick. I have some metal T post that have the little nibs on the sides to support wire, an when those are drove into the ground very close to the now supporting wire I can just wire the trellis to the T post and have extra support.
The lettuce and cucumbers that I planted a week or so ago in the edge of the onion bed have all come up and look pretty good. I did put straw over the top of the seeds as soon as I sowed then, so I have lil plants coming up thru the straw which is good.
My herb bed is getting over grown and needs a lot of things cut back in there. I still yet have more herbs in there that need to be dried as well. The marjoram and savory are 2 that I can think of right off that need to be harvested and dried. Maybe I can do that this evening before we get rain or it gets too dark.
A while back when I made beet pickles one of my nice readers had ask for the recipe that I use for my beet pickles. I had not forgotten, I just kept forgetting to bring my idiot book in from the summer kitchen that had the recipe in it. So for the farm girl and any others that wish to know, here is my method. Do keep in mind that this is my way of doing beets, and the USDA would have kittens if they knew I didn't water bath pickles. But rest assured the beets have enough acid from the vinegar to preserve them just fine. So enjoy.
Beet Pickles
3 quarts of beets, cooked, peeled and sliced to you liking
Pickling solution:
2 cups of cane sugar
3 1/2 cups of vinegar
1 1/2 cups of water
Bring this liquid to a boil and let simmer for a few minutes. Have the beets cooked, peeled and sliced as you like and in the jars. Pour this boiling liquid over the beets in the jars and seal with hot lids and bands. This amount of liquid will cover about 3 quarts of beets, so multiply as needed for the amount of beets you have. And if you like your beet pickles a lil spicier just add a cinnamon stick or 3 to the liquid while it is heating and remove before pouring over pickles. The USDA guidelines say to water bath both pints and quarts for 30 minutes in a water bath. Do this at your discretion. Although I do not water bath any pickles. They are ready to eat in a few days.
So till next time, blessings from the McGuire homestead.
Stella
Later this evening after the sun goes down a bit we are going to try and get some more metal fence post in to support the wire trellis that is supporting the grape vines. The vines are loaded with grape clusters and some of them have pulled the wire down to where the grapes are touching the ground. Well I am sure this would not have been as big a problem if we had gotten the grape vines pruned this spring, but that didn't happen and they are very thick. I have some metal T post that have the little nibs on the sides to support wire, an when those are drove into the ground very close to the now supporting wire I can just wire the trellis to the T post and have extra support.
The lettuce and cucumbers that I planted a week or so ago in the edge of the onion bed have all come up and look pretty good. I did put straw over the top of the seeds as soon as I sowed then, so I have lil plants coming up thru the straw which is good.
My herb bed is getting over grown and needs a lot of things cut back in there. I still yet have more herbs in there that need to be dried as well. The marjoram and savory are 2 that I can think of right off that need to be harvested and dried. Maybe I can do that this evening before we get rain or it gets too dark.
A while back when I made beet pickles one of my nice readers had ask for the recipe that I use for my beet pickles. I had not forgotten, I just kept forgetting to bring my idiot book in from the summer kitchen that had the recipe in it. So for the farm girl and any others that wish to know, here is my method. Do keep in mind that this is my way of doing beets, and the USDA would have kittens if they knew I didn't water bath pickles. But rest assured the beets have enough acid from the vinegar to preserve them just fine. So enjoy.
Beet Pickles
3 quarts of beets, cooked, peeled and sliced to you liking
Pickling solution:
2 cups of cane sugar
3 1/2 cups of vinegar
1 1/2 cups of water
Bring this liquid to a boil and let simmer for a few minutes. Have the beets cooked, peeled and sliced as you like and in the jars. Pour this boiling liquid over the beets in the jars and seal with hot lids and bands. This amount of liquid will cover about 3 quarts of beets, so multiply as needed for the amount of beets you have. And if you like your beet pickles a lil spicier just add a cinnamon stick or 3 to the liquid while it is heating and remove before pouring over pickles. The USDA guidelines say to water bath both pints and quarts for 30 minutes in a water bath. Do this at your discretion. Although I do not water bath any pickles. They are ready to eat in a few days.
So till next time, blessings from the McGuire homestead.
Stella
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Its hot, pickin berries, plantin things
It has been too hot even for me today. I went out long enough to take care of the blackberries that we picked last evening. Put 6quarts in the freezer, started some blackberry syrup and made some juice. I picked cucumbers last evening as well and we made 3 quarts and 3 pints of bread and butter pickles. We do have several tomatoes ripe now, at least we can have enough to eat on.
I have been out several times today checking on the chickens and making sure they had water. They have done OK so far although they get really hot about mid-day. The chickens will be where it is really cool in about another week and a half. They will be in the freezer.
I had a bright idea today and decided to order a home brewers kit for making beer and some wine making equipment. I should be set in a few weeks when this arrives. It will make the process easier to care for and make consistent quality wine. My personal preference is a good Merlot. This is something I have always wanted to be able to do really well. And this is why I keep picking berries and fighting the chiggers.
We went around to Jason's house this evening and picked the blackberries that were behind the old corn crib. They were really nice big juicy berries. I froze those this evening to make wine later on when I have more time. I am pretty sure I have enough blackberry jam canned and blackberries for cobbler to last a few years. I likely will be making more blackberry syrup to use for non-alcoholic drinks as well. It does make a good bedtime drink in winter.
Our sweet corn is almost ready and in a normal season we have a problem with crows eating it all before it gets completely ready. The year we had deer net fence around the perimeter of our garden, the crows did not get one ear. They sat in trees nearby and hollered. They are afraid of getting into a trap. So we decided to take some of the deer netting and cut it into long pieces and toss it over the tops of the stalks of corn around the perimeter of the corn patch to see if this also deters them. If it works, after this little patch of corn is done the net will be taken down and moved to the next area that will be coming on until all the corn is harvested.
While we were in the garden I had Rodger plow up a place for me to plant some more Kentucky wonder bush beans. The ground is warm and the bean seed came from the freezer so I hope they will be up in a few days. We should have pink eye purple hull peas ready maybe this weekend. Cant wait to have a mess of those.
So till next time, blessings from the McGuire homestead.
Stella
I have been out several times today checking on the chickens and making sure they had water. They have done OK so far although they get really hot about mid-day. The chickens will be where it is really cool in about another week and a half. They will be in the freezer.
I had a bright idea today and decided to order a home brewers kit for making beer and some wine making equipment. I should be set in a few weeks when this arrives. It will make the process easier to care for and make consistent quality wine. My personal preference is a good Merlot. This is something I have always wanted to be able to do really well. And this is why I keep picking berries and fighting the chiggers.
We went around to Jason's house this evening and picked the blackberries that were behind the old corn crib. They were really nice big juicy berries. I froze those this evening to make wine later on when I have more time. I am pretty sure I have enough blackberry jam canned and blackberries for cobbler to last a few years. I likely will be making more blackberry syrup to use for non-alcoholic drinks as well. It does make a good bedtime drink in winter.
Our sweet corn is almost ready and in a normal season we have a problem with crows eating it all before it gets completely ready. The year we had deer net fence around the perimeter of our garden, the crows did not get one ear. They sat in trees nearby and hollered. They are afraid of getting into a trap. So we decided to take some of the deer netting and cut it into long pieces and toss it over the tops of the stalks of corn around the perimeter of the corn patch to see if this also deters them. If it works, after this little patch of corn is done the net will be taken down and moved to the next area that will be coming on until all the corn is harvested.
While we were in the garden I had Rodger plow up a place for me to plant some more Kentucky wonder bush beans. The ground is warm and the bean seed came from the freezer so I hope they will be up in a few days. We should have pink eye purple hull peas ready maybe this weekend. Cant wait to have a mess of those.
So till next time, blessings from the McGuire homestead.
Stella
Monday, July 5, 2010
Sleeping, doing nothing, an taking pics
Well after all it is a holiday. And I have done nothing today. Well I guess I did too, I watched Rodger cut a vent in the back end of the chicken house. It does help to keep the heat down in the brooder house for the birds. The rest of the day consisted of lots of naps. Which I guess my body needed. Then late I went to the garden and took some pics of the garden stuff.
Driving into the field, this corn is huge. It is open pollinated that we use for corn meal in the fall after it dries.
The squash and melons are growing and look good, an they have lots of blooms, so we should have fruits.
This is a row of carrots waiting to be harvested and canned, dried and made into carrot cake.
These are pink eye purple hull peas (cow peas) that I am growing for the first time. my friend Deb from Mississippi sent me the seed. This is a southern crop but looks like it will do great this far north.
I have never seen anything like this before. These should be really easy to pick, now shelling, not so easy.
Our tomatoes look great and are loaded with bloom and little tomatoes. Hope for a good crop this year.
These are heirloom Tobacco worm beans. Just planted last week and with no rain they still come up really good. They will need to be trellised tho.
On the way out of the field I took a pic of the Kentucky wonder bush beans near the Boone County White corn that we use for cornmeal and for animal feed. The beans will be a little later as they were planted late. I am sure they would grow quicker if we had a little bit of rain. But it is just supposed to be extremely hot all this week in the high 90's with no rain till the weekend and then only a possible shower. Now this is typical July weather, hot and humid.
So till next time, blessings from the McGuire homestead.
Stella
Driving into the field, this corn is huge. It is open pollinated that we use for corn meal in the fall after it dries.
So till next time, blessings from the McGuire homestead.
Stella
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Holiday celebration, canning
I hope everyone has had a nice holiday weekend and came thru all safe and sound. We had a nice relaxing weekend here. Rob came home from Nevada on Friday and on Saturday he and Amoy came home. Jason's buddy Josh and another friend Joe came down and spent the night. Anytime you get those guys together you can bet there will be fire works of some kind. They spent most of the afternoon shooting and having fun.
And sometimes they even let us girls play with em.
It was hot out all weekend but we were lucky enough to have shade where we have target stands for shooting. Later in the afternoon they guys shot skeet for a while. I think they got tired of shooting stuff so we all came back to the house an ate, drank and just chilled out and tried to keep cool.
Today we got in the garden and picked some cucumbers and pulled some of the carrots. I made 3 quarts and 3 pints of kosher dill slices and canned 19 pints of glazed sliced carrots. I had about 4 cukes that were too big for slices and I like to use chopped dill pickle in different things. So I chopped the big cukes really fine and canned them with the same dill pickle solution that I used in the slices. Now I have chopped dills when I want them without the hassle of chopping. That was enough for one day. Now I am tired. Yesterday before the kids got here I got 10 more pints of blackberry jam, 6 quarts of canned black berries and some blackberry syrup. I might go out tomorrow evening and pick more to make juice, syrup and wine. We shall see. Till next time blessings from the McGuire homestead.
Stella
And sometimes they even let us girls play with em.
It was hot out all weekend but we were lucky enough to have shade where we have target stands for shooting. Later in the afternoon they guys shot skeet for a while. I think they got tired of shooting stuff so we all came back to the house an ate, drank and just chilled out and tried to keep cool.
Today we got in the garden and picked some cucumbers and pulled some of the carrots. I made 3 quarts and 3 pints of kosher dill slices and canned 19 pints of glazed sliced carrots. I had about 4 cukes that were too big for slices and I like to use chopped dill pickle in different things. So I chopped the big cukes really fine and canned them with the same dill pickle solution that I used in the slices. Now I have chopped dills when I want them without the hassle of chopping. That was enough for one day. Now I am tired. Yesterday before the kids got here I got 10 more pints of blackberry jam, 6 quarts of canned black berries and some blackberry syrup. I might go out tomorrow evening and pick more to make juice, syrup and wine. We shall see. Till next time blessings from the McGuire homestead.
Stella
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Blackberry syrup
We had picked about 3 gallon of wild blackberries last evening and I decided to make some syrup to use for drinks. So here are the instructions. Easy enough. Enjoy and blessings from the McGuire homestead.
stella
stella
Blackberry Syrup
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