Sunday, August 26, 2012


HONEYS HARVESTING HONEY!!!

The honey is flowing, time to harvest the summers hive bounty! The Farmer and Son are carefully assessing the amount of honey in each hive, determining what the winter supply will be for the bees. If there appears to be more than sufficient, honey filled frames will be exchanged for empty ones, we will have honey. Autumn is just around the corner, the slightly cooler weather and rain have given us a nudge toward more fall planting. The strawberries were ordered this week, set to arrive in October for planting. As they come from Nova Scotia, it is necessary for the weather to cool a bit so they all don't expire in the Texas heat. The pumpkins are blooming, as are the fall tomatoes and peppers. The asparagus patch is lush with folage, the fig trees we planted seem to have taken hold. The animals seem to be a bit more lively, due in part I am sure to the cooler weather. Poppy is waiting patiently for her calf to be born, she watches wistfully from the far pasture every morning as the Farmers son brings the cows up to be milked. I know she is anticipating her turn on the milk line, and the all of the special sweet feed she can gobble down. The cow milk is limited, as the girls are on the downside of their milking cycle, soon to be turned dry ready for their new calves. The newest chickens are coming of age. The egg production should increase soon. We lost a few in the intense heat and to a very crafty coyote that would invade the chicken yard. He met his demise a couple of nights ago, sneaking away from the scene of the chicknapping, outsmarted by the Farmer, he went out with a BANG!! amid a flurry of fur and feathers. The goat milk production is holding steady, the girls did not seem phased by the hot weather. The market is still bustling on Saturdays,  plenty of dairy, honey, preserves, baked goods,(sourdough is back), ground beef, some frozen fruits and veggies from the summer harvest. MARKET HOURS: Saturday from 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM. Special appointments can be made throughout the week for dairy pickup. From our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!!!

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

CAT ON COW!!!

Every night Bitty Kit finds a snuggly place to sleep, atop Phantoms back. I catch them giving each other a licken' bath early in the morning, before they start the day. What a wondrous thing!

Sunday, August 12, 2012

THE GADGET QUEEN!!!

Some women have a penchant for shoes, some for flashy jewels, I have a thing for kitchen gadgets. If you were to stroll through my kitchen and pantry, you would see contraptions old and new that  would cause you to pause and wonder, what in the world is that for? If it can make a kitchen chore a little easier, I am going to find it and try it. Look at my jam and jelly maker. Just toss in the fruit, sugar, pectin, push a couple of buttons, and wait 20 minutes or so and voila! JAM. I have a gismo that stirs itself, while cooking, great for making caramel and candy. My ice cream maker mixes and freezes ice cream without pre freezing the canister or using salt and ice. If you visit and want donuts, cake pops, homemade ice cream sandwiches,caramel apples, chocolate covered anything, fresh squeezed juice, quesadillas, you name it . I even explored and found an only used a few times, Otis Spunkmeyer cookie oven on E-bay and now bake my cookies and muffins at an even temperature in a compact, air and heat controlled oven. I must admit I have fallen for a few humdingers advertised, and have made it a rule written in stone, to check reviews before purchase. There is something out of kilter when you look at a hard boiled egg with the top part missing! I do like my GREEN non stick frying pan. I rationalize that all of this paraphanalia makes my kitchen chores much easier, faster, funner, so as I am peeling and coring apples with my whirly ma jig apple thingy, or popping the pits out of cherries with my cherry pitter, I keep my eyes open for the next great discovery to add to my kitchen repetoire. From our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!!!