Tick Tocking away on the Farm

Greetings Dear Readers,  a beautiful day today. We are still very dry, no real rain now for two months. The temperatures are nearing making records for warmth for this time of year. We continue to be mid 80's during the day and high 50's at night. Anytime the weather plays issues with what should be or not be 'normal' I can not help but think of the scripture, "This, (this present day) is the day the Lord hath made, I will rejoice and be glad in it."  God has made each and every day, he knows the pattern of the weather for every day, season. With such in my mind, I try not to complain, but in my knowing of how dry it is, I pray for rain, but put forth more effort to do what I can to lessen the situation and am still watering daily. Giving much thanks for the endless supply from our springs.

We have a new farm animal, a white Chester pig. A friend gave it to me as he had more than he wanted to deal with and was not being successful in the pig gaining weight. I gladly accepted his gift as we have been talking of getting one upcoming spring. God supplies. I asked our friend if he would be willing to keep it just for a few days as we did not have our pen ready. And with the character of this man, he was more than willing. It took 4 days for the completion of the pen and on Friday, hubs and son went and picked pig up. I am so looking forward to this as I have much excess milk and eggs pig will love for his meals, along with other natural foods. I believe he will gain weight.

Also with the excess milk I have learned to make a cheese sauce that I am canning. It has turned out very well. You can spread it on bread and have grilled cheese sandwiches, put it in soups, let it set up a bit in the frig and then cut it in cubes for salads. With my previous post on genetic engineering of foods, I am thrilled with the outcome of this cheese. I will post the recipe  in the next blog as I also want to share some other recipes I am putting in a notebook to use as we change our eating habits.

As fall is here, I went to the thrift the other day and bought a new dress and sweater for Ms. Scare A Way in the chicken yard. She is my lady scarecrow and I change her outfit fall and spring. I had an extra bonnet laying around and she sports it nicely along with her basket on her arm. I will try to get a photo and post it. I also spruced up the chicken yard a bit.  You tuber, Lisa from Fresh Eggs Daily, has some good ideas, although I do not go so far as putting curtains on the nesting boxes as she does, but, I did cut some cedar saplings and leaned them against an old wooden ladder and the hens love getting under that. Several will gather up and they look as they are having 'tea and talk time'. I also put out some small log cuttings from a tree we recently cut down, they like hopping onto and looking around their 'kingdom'.  So much enjoyment from very simple things. I enjoy sitting in my chair by the pen and watching them.

I bred one of my mama rabbits, Miss Dah-Ling, a month ago and she had babies on Sat, I am trying to space out the breeding from another mama I have so we do not have all the butcher at once. I do not know just how many she has, I usually wait about a week or two before I try to look so as not to upset Miss Dah-Ling. We do have 4 rabbits that are a year old to butcher in the upcoming weeks. As they are older, they will be on the tough side, but once butchered, I plan to boil them, then grind them for dog food. Yes, we are looking into making our own for our dogs.  That will be another post.

Well, I am heading out to the back wooded lane for a walk.
Where ever you are I do pray you may sense God's presence.

In Joy

GMO Labeling

Dear Readers,  I do hope most of the readers that find their way to my blog has heard of GMO,  genetically modified organisms. It has been many years since we first read of it, at which time it was mainly affecting the seeds ones would plant for their gardens, and in a much larger scale, seeds the big farms plant. Now, with the new law passed this year concerning the labeling of what is in the food we buy at the stores, as I am reading every item I am shopping for, I am reading " produced with genetic engineering."  There are numerous articles on the internet that give so much information concerning this, it is scary, sickening and unacceptable!  Even before gmo, there has been the issue of the ''flavoring'' that is in most of the foods as well.  Also much information on the internet concerning this. They take blood from insects and use it for flavoring,  I kid you not!  Also, beaver anal gland secretions, check it out yourselves.  Sick, sick is the FDA, the government that ok's all this. For the good of whom?  Not the citizens.  I am in agreement with, some will say conspiracy people are crazy as they have been reporting of this for years, but I now believe them.  The US government has an agenda and it is not for the good of the American people, nor the whole world.

So,  I am working on plans for a hoop house to grow cold weather veggies this winter. Hubs and I have decided to make more changes in what we eat; re-teaching our brains and palette of what we have been taught of what is to be eaten at what time of day,  breakfast, lunch or supper and anything in between and eating out, which is coming to a hault. Growing more and more of our own food, and eat with the seasons and do without if we can not make it ourselves.  A challenge, some may say, impossible, but "All things are possible with God."  Where there's a will, there's a way.

Stop to think of how ones, anywhere in the world, ate 2-300 yrs ago.  They did not have the trillions of varieties of food we have today.  I know a trillion maybe an over kill, but mmmmm, perhaps not.  And yes, even in the 1700-1800's they were already adding sawdust to the flour they were making bread with, go read some of the history there, BUT, what is going on in our world today was not at the level it is today.  Some countries today won't even buy some of our products because THEY KNOW it has awful stuff in it.

I encourage all who read this, do your own research, read, read and read more, especially the food labels on all items you buy at the store.

In Joy

Rain and Blueberries

Good Day Dear Readers,  Rain ")))))  yes, yes, Praise God, he has sent rain yesterday and today, after almost 7 weeks of none. It has been a gentle, slow paced, constant rain, so yesterday I did go out and took a walk about in it. Oh, it brought back some great memories of when, in my early teens, this was a favorite for me, to walk in the rain, of course when there was no lightening nor thunder, and I did not take an umbrella, as that defeats the whole walk.  ") And as the temperature is still on the warm side, I do not fear of getting cold or chilled.  Such a pleasant, simple blessing.

Today I am canning blueberries,  from our abundant harvest this year that I put in the freezer just for this time. I am canning them for baking, juice and jelly.  I did take some when picked fresh and made cordial. It has to sit for at least a year, the longer the better, so I will have to be patient.  Marilla, in Anne of Green Gables, was famous for her cordials, and remembering this, from having watched the tapes so many times, I thought I would like to try some.  I shall keep you posted.

On to more blueberries.  Bless the Lord Oh my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name.
Not only when life is pleasant, but also when it is not. That is the greater challenge.  May we prayerfully strive to keep pressing on.

In Joy

Habakkuk 3:2

Hello Dear Readers,  last year I came upon this last portion of scripture in the 2nd verse of Habakkuk as I was reading the whole book, and it has, almost constantly, been on my mind concerning the issues, situations, and state of, not only, America, but the world.

".... in judgement remember mercy."

Times are perilous, uncertain, only God knows. Most times I find it difficult to pray, knowing just what or how to find words to pray for all that is before this nation, so it is this scripture I find myself going too and praying again and again. Also, being reaffirmed through God's word, that He does know all, sees all and is in control, and I must not allow fear to take hold of me. My trust is in his power and yes, he will in his judgement remember mercy.  I am thankful I am His.

In Joy

Another Season

Hello Dear Readers,  yes, another season upon us here in the valley. Leaves are falling, but they are not very colorful yet. We have not had rain in a month. I am so thankful for the springs we have with unlimited supply of water, as I have been watering our back orchard for many weeks now.

We are getting somewhat ahead from our being behind with the two month hospital stay back in the spring and then helping a relative for 5 weeks just recently. I think our calendar is clear for the moment. I, grandson and adult child have been working the gardens, with weeding, laying down wood chips as in the very successful Back to Eden gardening method. When we are very low on the wood chips, we use some good hay that has zero seeds in it. This also works well.  We are hoping for a productive gardening season next year.

Even though it has still been warm during the day, some of the nights have been chilly enough to warrant a fire in the Pioneer Maid in the early mornings to get the chill out. I simply love my Maid, she is a wonderful delight that I miss when it comes time for her to take leave in the spring.

I dried some white willow bark and leaves for winter. I am trying to drink it instead of taking several ibuprophens  a day for a painful knee.

With so much catching up, I have gone to once a day milking of my Elsie. She is doing great and still giving me 2 gals. a day. I read an article on the subject a few years ago. This is the second time I have gone to doing this when things get too hectic. Some say it is not good on a cow, that they must be milked twice a day,  but I have not seen any negative results. In fact, as it has been so very hot this summer, I did notice Elsie's breathing had become very labored when time for milking am and pm. She did not seem to want to eat as she normally does either and her milk production had gone way down.  As I began thinking of the heat, how it is 'work' for her to make milk and her production,  I decided to go with the OADM (once a day milking).  A cow can become overheated and stressed by the heat that it can kill them. I did not want to have that. As long as she is doing as well as she is, I may continue with my present schedule of her through winter.

As I have stated before, on a homestead, there are ways to make your farm work for you, your schedule, etc. Every farm/homestead is different. Think out ideas, read, try out the ideas, if they don't work, go for something else and sometimes, you have to just say, 'it won't work for us.'  I am finding this out with getting hogs. I want to get a few, but seem to can't figure out a place for them. So for now, I have left it. One simply can not do it all, have it all, on the farm. Therefore, I state again, do what you can, as you can. A little here and a little there, is always better than doing nothing at all.

I am gathering rose hips, applemint for drying. Rose hips are very high in vitamin c. Applemint is a very delicious tea, cold or hot.

Praying each are continuing to strive for a better way, peace and contentment where you are.

In Joy