Making treasure from trash
Upon waking this morning, and stepping out side, there was a very nice cool breeze in the air. I really enjoyed it very much, and now I have started planning all the fall chores that need to get done this year. This is the best time to transplant trees, and work in the trees at the farm. and also get a lot of burning done to help with the debris left from the tree harvest two years ago.
I also got a lot of things picked up in the workshop and I am pleased with the way it is looking. I still have some things to finish but in all everything is done.
A good view of the new quilting area with several quilts ready to be worked on. If I get them done I can get to using up some of my stash that is in the plastic tubs ( or at least that's the plan) and yes that is an old school desk sitting there.
We are starting to pack up for the trip up to the Ohio Egg Show, which is this weekend. Hopefully everything will go smoothly and the show will be fun. Now that I can relax from doing all the eggs. I can get with other things that I want to do.
Well, thats all the news from the south,
Happy" farming" to all the farm girl sisters out there.
See you next week. down on the farm.
Flower on the Sweet Potatoe Vine
Well, this week I finally had enough of my work shop. I decided that I needed to do some cleaning up and organizing and getting stuff out from underfoot. So I have been busy building some book shelves and some storage cabinets for all my paper crafting supplies and quilting supplies. I am not done yet, but I certainly have made some progress with what I do have done.
I also managed to finish a small quilt top and get it ready for the quilt machine. I have another one that is almost done and I hope to finish it soon and get it ready also, so that I have two to quilt and then get the machine going. Getting the quilting supplies organized certainly helped me see what quilts I still have to work on before I start another one.
We actually got a cold front through here on Monday, and the temperature has been very nice. It did rain a bit yesterday, and is supposed to rain today. but not the big rain that we have been having. 2.5 inches is a lot of rain with the ground already saturated like it is
This is who greeted me over by the chicken coop this week. I have seen over 11 turkeys in the past few days and some of those were pullets from this year. This big old tom was sure strutting his stuff. I don't know who he was trying to impress, me or the chickens. I did enjoy watching him dance around.
Well, thats all the news from the south,
Happy" farming" to all the farm girl sisters out there.
See you next week. down on the farm.
Luffa Flower on the vine, complete with ant.
Well, with all the rain this week, ( 2-3 inches a day) we are now swimming to the chick coop and the vegetable garden. This was the first day that we have really had sunshine in over a week, and its supposed to pour tomarrow.
I have been working on some other quilting to get it done, and also working on my paintings. and of course, trying to get other stuff done as well. The tractor is still not back from the shop and the grass is really getting towards hay height, and with all the rain, I don't think we will be mowing anytime soon.
Found a dead Red tailed Hawk out on the road today. Eric, one of my workers, put it up in a tree to decompose, and hopefully we will have tail feathers soon. I am sorry to see him dead, as I love watching them fly through the trees at the farm and down the lane. So far this week I have seen 2 deer and close to 14 turkeys walking through the fields. It will be hunting season soon, and population control will be in effect.
With all the rain, I had not been in the garden and today, I had to harvest some way overgrown Okra. Going to try frying them up tonight, (not all of them) and have them with dinner. There are still about 15 or so left on the vine, because they are still small.
Ordered some heirloom garlic and lettuces to plant in the winter garden. Hopefully they will grow and not rot from all the rain. The project for this week is to start cleaning the garden and get it ready for fall planting. I still have Sweet potatoes, and Beans growing, Along with peppers ( Jalapeno, tequila sunrise,and mini bells) as well as Okra, and tomato plant ( one) . Going to try to start some heirloom tomatoes and see if I can keep them growing thru the winter. I hope that I can.
Well, thats all the news from the south,
Happy" farming" to all the farm girl sisters out there.
See you next week. down on the farm.
Photo of the old barn, about 100 years old
With all the rain that we have been having this week, not only did I not mow, but the mower is not working again. Monday was 2 inches, Tuesday was 1.999 inches. Wednesday was 2.3 inches. Ummm I am beginning to think that I need web feet. and yes it is starting to rain again.
So I thought , I need to get something accomplished, so I will work on this quilt that I have been working on forever. Ok. I guess the day that i measured everything, my brain took leave of its math abilities. because nothing was measured right and nothing was matching up. I have taken out more seams and reworked more squares then I ever thought I would need to do, or that was even possible. But finally after spending over 20 hours on it, it is finally coming together. I hope to have it ready for the quilting machine on Monday. Whee!!!
I hope to pull off getting several more done as I have a fabric stash that my mother started. and I have quilts that I have fabric for, just waiting for me to cut them out and sew them together.
And of course I joined up for the Christmas fabric swap. so whats one more to do in the grand scheme of things. :)
I have been trying to catch photos of some of the beautiful butterflies that are visiting my butterfly garden. but of course, when I see them I don't have my camera, and by the time I grab the camera, they have flitted off. So much for any luck there.
So last night I was working on a decorated egg for the show coming up and I broke it. I have no idea if I can get it back together or not. but if not, there is alot of work that went down the drain.
Here is a nice photo of Lacey, ( silver lace Whyndott) and Hawkeye ( Americana) out in their tractor looking for grubs and worms.
Well, thats all the news from the south, Happy" farming" to all the farm girl sisters out there.
See you next week. down on the farm.
Figs growing on a fig tree.
Well, it has been a busy few days at the farm. We have been replacing the culverts in the driveways into the farm. Actually we have one just about done. We still have the cement apron to do and backfill with crushed limestone. That should happen today.
I put up another 7 pints of pickles, but I think we are at the end of that for this year, ass the plants seem to be dying off My squash is already dead, and so are two tomato plants. Of course they are the heirloom ones. I keep hoping that they might come back as the stem is still green. ( keeping my fingers crossed) My grape vines have leaves, but don't seem to be getting any taller. and I fertalized the citrus trees, 5 minutes before it rained. And my new Peach trees are dead. I am not having good luck with the weather. Too Hot and too Wet. Also my Loofha sponges are blooming like crazy, but no gourds hanging yet. And the birdhouse gourds died. And the broccoli plants grew but never produced.
And of course, we have had lots of butterflies coming through, and where is my camera. In my purse. not in my pocket. so do I have any photos to help me identify them. Nooooo. Arrrggghhh!
I had to run to Tractor Supply to get Chicken crumble and treats ( mealworms and harvest delight) and saw this in the parking lot. The owner did say she was still a work in progress
And yes the tag on the side does say Dodge Brothers. I would love to have something like this for the farm.
I start the mowing again on Saturday. Every nine days is a good time frame. altho I felt like I was making hay the last time since it had been longer.
Well, thats all the news from the south, Happy" farming" to all the farm girl sisters out there.
See you next week. down on the farm.
Sunflower from the garden this year.
Well, I finished off last week by putting up 4 quarts of spicy pickles and 4 quarts of spicy figs. They have jalapenos in them. They canned up nicely, and sealed but the steam from the jalapenos just about did me in.
I went to the farmers market on Saturday, and found a new herb, at least new to me. It is called Moringa. and is actually a tree, where you harvest the leaves, bark, flowers , fruit, seed and roots. All of these can e used to make medicines. Moringa is native to the sub-Himalayan areas of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. It will also go in the tropics. Here in Fla. it will grow but will freeze back in winter if planted outside.
Moringa leaves are the most nutritious part of the plant. The leaves can be dried and added to food such as soups, smoothies, meats and vegetables. or they can be used fresh and eaten like spinach. It aids in numerous diseases such as arthritis, joint pain, asthma, constipation, high blood pressure and bacterial infections, just to name a few.
I bought two small trees to grow, and I am going to try to keep them in large pots so that I can move them into a sheltered area when the temp gets too low. I hope to be able to harvest every few weeks, as the tree actually grows quite quickly.
My chicks have been laying for about a month or so and we are getting about 5 eggs a day, when the last two get old enough, which should be this month, we wil be getting about 7 a day, which will be good , since we have 3 families that we are supplying.
I ended up mowing for 3 hours today, and did not get done, so Friday will be another day on the mower for me. And of course by Monday, the grass will be back up to my mid calves. Another big storm today, and there is a tropical storm Danny, heading this way. More Rain !!!!!
Well, thats all the news from the south, Happy" farming" to all the farm girl sisters out there.
See you next week. down on the farm.
Hello again. Yes this is a photo of the farm house as it looks now. I recently added the front deck on but it is too hot to sit out right now. Will feel much better in winter.
The tractor is due back soon. Seems I was a bit silly, and did not check to see that the gas line was open. I apparently caught it with my foot. Silly Me. I will know next time. Well, hopefully there will not be a next time. But you can see in the photo the grass is growing tall again. Time to mow.
This week I also built a mulch container, for building a mulch pile. It is nothing fancy. Just about 4 pallets screwed together, but it will work well for the time being. Mixing can be done with the loader on the front of the tractor, unless I really feel the need to work out the arms and then a pitchfork will do.
Twice this week I have seen turkeys up next to the house. Two toms and two hens, They have been looking for good insects to eat. they certainly get the chickens up and looking at them wanting to know what is going on. The chickens have been out in their tractor several times this week, usually up under the shade of a few big oak trees, but I know that there are lots of good grubs under there and some good earthworms. So they have been quite happy.
I have some more pickles to put up and I think I am also going to try pickling some figs. I have had them, but never tried to pickle them, and I want to try. Hopefully that is on tomarrows to do list. I have been house cleaning the farm house, getting rid of the ever present cobwebs and dust, along with all the dirt we track in to get water and gator aid to drink all day. I need to stock up on that as well.
Hope everyone is having a great week . Happy" farming" to all the farm girl sisters out there.
See you next week. down on the farm.
