Homestead Happenings

 

Welcome to Homestead Happenings,

where we share what we've been up to

in the last couple of weeks.

Can you guess what this is?

At a recent dog sitting gig,

I cut back the okra plants in the garden,

so that they will be easier to pull up

when the time comes.

As I was hauling these to the compost heap,

they begged me to take a snapshot.

I am thinking about making it black and white

and framing it.

I love the texture that shows through.

Taking pictures always brings me joy.

The garden beds have been covered with brand new row cover,

as winter is just days away.

Broccoli, cabbage, kale and lettuce sit underneath,

and almost all of these would probably be fine without the  covers,

but why take a chance?

The first broccoli was harvested this week,

and it was scrumptious!

We still have several left to pick.

It is enjoyed raw or steamed.

I'm looking forward to adding this to 

a rice bowl for a delicious evening meal.

This particular garlic bed has been visited by Matilda,

one of our newer chooks.

She insists on digging in this bed,

looking for tasty morsels buried under the soil and leaves.

Wire was placed around the cattle panel frame,

to discourage her from digging up all of our plants!

This is the first time we have remembered 

to purchase the covers that encase the outdoor spigots.

These styrofoam covers are used to protect the tap

from freezing during the colder months.

We've had quite a long cold spell,

with only a few breaks in between,

so we are grateful to have these as a bit of insurance.

There are still plenty of leaves to gather,

so this will be an ongoing task as the winter progresses.

We have a few months to accomplish the goal

of filling up our two big totes with mulched leaves

to be used in next season's garden.

We work on this as weather permits.

The classic Madeleines have been baked and delivered.

None of us has much holiday spirit this year,

so we are having a laid-back Christmas.

Minimum effort has been made to celebrate the season,

and it feels good to have the pressure off.

We will enjoy our traditional meal

and watch some holiday movies, but that's about it.

As we get older, we need less and less to be content.

Inside our new storage area,

we are slowly making progress on arranging

and organizing the space.

My seed bin is located here and the task

of seed sorting will begin in earnest

when frigid weather shows up.

We also want to paint the room and find

a more updated light fixture for the ceiling.

It's such a gift to have this additional room.

What an amazing sky we saw yesterday.

And what a welcome sight that azure color was,

as we've had quite a few dreary and somber looking days.

Whatever the weather, there are always projects to do,

both inside and out.

We are thankful that we have a home to take care of.

We send you our best wishes for the holiday season,

whatever you celebrate.

~Blessings.

Homestead Happenings

 

Welcome to Homestead Happenings,

where we share what's been going on in our world.

This week has been cold, but clear and sunny,

lending itself to daily walks in the neighborhood.

I've been working on pushing myself a bit more,

venturing out in colder temperatures. 

For someone who spent over 40 years in Florida,

this is no small feat.

I have also committed to completing

between 6,000 and 8,000 steps every day.

One of the projects we continue to work on this fall,

is creating a large stash of leaf mulch,

to be used in the garden beds all year long.

This backpack mulcher takes time,

but gets the job done.

We've had our first frost (and second, and third),

and so far the garden has done well.

The row covers need to be replaced,

as there are tears which let the cold in,

but they are being held together with clothespins,

which is something that this homestead could not live without.

While the garden beds were watered yesterday,

these lovely broccoli heads were found.

I am looking forward to eating this treat,

as well as all of the shoots that will follow.

If the cold gets any worse,

I may just harvest them early, so that I don't miss out.

The chooks have been enjoying a few of the leaves.

garlic, strawberry and cover crops

We got a dusting of snow this week!

It was unexpected, but very welcome.

We have been lacking winter precipitation

for the past few years,

so I'll take what I can get.

The doves don't seem to mind the snow one bit,

as every morning they gather underneath 

the birdfeeder to see what scraps they can find.

We recently decided to feed the birds only in the colder months,

and provide birdseed and homemade suet to them.

Our chooks are still laying fairly well,

gifting us with over a dozen eggs each week.

It's enough for our needs,

but it would be nice to be able to share them with neighbors.

We may have to consider adding to the flock in the spring,

so that we can provide for others.

Saffron

Preparations have been made for the chooks,

so that they can be as comfortable as possible 

during this cold spell.

Our Omlet coops are insulated, which helps a lot,

but I've also added straw inside,

so that they will be toasty as they sleep.

We've also moved the tarps on the tops of the runs,

so that the sun shines on the coops all day,

warming them before bedtime.

 Cracked Corn is made available in the colder months

so that their body heat is maintained a little easier.

Living with four, distinct seasons is such a blessing.

How's the weather where you are?

Happy Birthday!

 

Happy Birthday C!

Nothin' but love on your special day!

May God bless and keep you

all the days of your life.

Homestead Happenings

 

Welcome back to Homestead Happenings,

where we share what's going on in our world.

The leaves are changing and creating

a colorful carpet all over the landscape.

The phenomenon never ceases to amaze me.

After living in Florida for most of my life,

(where things are mostly green year-round),

I truly appreciate the wonder of Mother Nature

at this time of the year.

The cover crop bed is filling in nicely.

This raised bed is a new one this year,

and I wanted to give it a jump start for spring.

The seeds in this mix will help to charge the soil

and ready it for planting next season.

The first broccoli head was spotted this week!

It's so exciting to watch this plant grow.

After the initial head is harvested,

we should get many shoots that will be equally delicious.

The leaves can also be added to salads or sauteed.

Lettuce and kale (not shown)

have been harvested regularly this week

to use in salads.

The chooks have been enjoying some of the

Red Russian kale we are growing

and follow me from bed to bed

until I relent and give them a treat.

Alliums were found on clearance,

so I picked up a few bags.

These bulbs were planted in various flower beds,

and under deciduous trees.

Come springtime, we should have a beautiful display

of purple and pink blooms.

Bulbs are one of the most economical ways to

add drama and life to the garden,

especially if you pick them up on sale!

Speaking of bulbs,

a few weeks ago, the garlic was planted

for a May/June harvest.

In a few places, I noticed that there were 2 plants emerging.

I dug them up to replant them elsewhere,

and couldn't believe the root system I found.

If you remember, this year the garlic was soaked

in a fish emulsion fertilizer before planting.

It seems to have made a difference,

wouldn't you say?

Some time was taken to tidy up the storage rack

that holds all of the pots that are used in the spring.

I'm hoping to make the transition to soil blocks,

so that I can recycle or give away most of this material.

This storage rack was recently acquired,

and it seems that it would make a great drying rack

for my herbs.

I'd need to add screening to the baskets,

as the holes are too large as is.

What would you repurpose this for?

It seems our wayward Matilda

has taught her friend Raven how to escape

from the chook run.

These two can be found most days

wandering the property and scratching

every leaf and blade of grass they find.

As time permits,

I head out into the woods behind our home

to work on creating a natural wall,

separating our property from our neighbors’.

This is being done to discourage the chooks

from wandering too far over onto their property.

They don't mind,

but it will be easier to keep them in sight

when we are in the house.

There are no shortage of sticks, twigs and branches,

so I look forward to working on this 

all winter long.

enjoying cornbread

As our spa room (off the bathroom) project is now complete,

we are trying to determine exactly what we want

to do with the space.

In the meantime, we reorganized the closet

that is in the master bathroom.

It's possible that some of this will end up in the new room,

as it will most likely be used for storage.

I'm hoping to find space to house my 

ever-growing collection of seeds.

Here are a few shots of the before and after of that spa room.

We called it that because the only thing in it

was the jacuzzi tub, which was never used,

except as a brooder last spring.

The vanity shown has been installed for a while,

but we hadn't ever added the backsplash.

It now looks finished,

and we are so grateful to have this extra space.

The light in this small room is fantastic,

as it faces east.

I'd love to hear your ideas about how you would use it.

Veteran's Day

 

Thank you, Veterans all,

for your service and sacrifice to our country.

May God bless and keep you.

Homestead Happenings

 

Welcome to Homestead Happenings,

where we share what's happening on our

Piedmont NC homestead.

The garden is humming along, with all beds planted.

Broccoli, cabbage, kale, lettuce,

and a ton of garlic are going to spend some time with us this fall and winter.

The Red Russian kale has been impressive,

with the leaves raising up the row cover.

The bonus is that because of cooler temperatures,

the trouble of bug damage has been zero.

I love the fall garden!

The garlic planting took two days.

Having ordered a pound and a half of soft neck,

the end result was over 150 cloves planted.

No worries about vampires here!

This was the first time I used a new technique

to soak and then plant the cloves.

Here's a great video about the method.

Garlic in several beds (and some assorted places),

was planted 2 inches deep and four inches apart.

About 20 cloves of the hard neck variety 

were also planted, as I've never grown it before.

If successful, this should be plenty of garlic

to get both sister and I through the year.

We may even have some to donate.

A few red onions were planted in a nearby bed,

and we'll see how they do over winter.

They sure look like they were dying to get into the ground!

The second set of Seminole pumpkins were harvested,

which ended up giving us another 14.25 pounds of food.

I've used it for soup and muffins,

and am quite pleased with the results.

It keeps well in a dark place,

but can also be cut up and frozen until it is used.

The Red Ripper beans are continuing to bear,

although are taking longer to dry on the vine,

most likely due to the cooler weather.

We're still being blessed with summer flowers,

including Tithonia, zinnias,

and celosia.

I'll be on the lookout for dried branches

and evergreens to bring inside,

now that consistent fall temperatures are here.

sweet sleeping bee

The big soil bags acquired from a friend

have been emptied and are ready for a fresh

serving of shredded leaves.

The leaves are collected with a mower

and are placed into these bags to spend time

composting until springtime.

We also have a large leaf pile for the overflow.

Leaves are used as mulch and as a soil amendment

all through the year.

Mother Nature always provides,

if we just pay attention.

Seeds continue to be harvested,

including these nasturtiums.

This little seed provides a powerhouse

of color and texture in the garden.

We've had the most glorious nasturtiums this season.

the bullies

All of the girls are doing well,

and are giving us at least a dozen eggs a week.

(Although the three seen here no longer lay.)

They relish their time free ranging,

scratching and foraging,

and the dark orange yolks in the eggs are the result.

What a blessing the chooks are for so many reasons.

This is sweet Matilda,

"She who will not be contained".

At every opportunity,

she scales the fencing and strolls the property.

She is a free spirit and quick as a wink.

This week I enjoyed some homemade

carrot-ginger soup with this

polenta based cornbread.

There was no cornmeal to be found in the kitchen,

so I subbed with what I had

and it turned out better than expected.

Isn't that always a welcome surprise!

Here's hoping you have some wonderful surprises 

awaiting you this weekend.

Homestead Happenings

 

Welcome to Homestead Happenings.

I'm hopeful that your week has been a good one,

allowing you to feel the wonderment of this place we call home.

Summer has bid us farewell,

and we are experiencing cooler temperatures

and the miraculous changes in the natural world.

Big K and I got out yesterday to participate in early voting.

We usually fill out an absentee ballot,

but I felt strongly that I needed to see my vote

register on the machine.

What a privilege it is to have a say in the future of our democracy.

Despite the hurricane affecting their business,

Sow True Seed sent out our garlic for planting this week.

I can't say enough about this company,

and especially their customer service.

Great quality seeds provided by folks who care.

With our final two rectangular Birdie's beds constructed,

we managed to go ahead and fill them with topsoil,

compost and a layer of shredded leaves.

The plan is to grow a cover crop in them this season,

and have them ready for spring planting.

Raven and Scout

Our chooks are keeping us entertained,

that's for sure.

They have taken to climbing up this trellis

to get at the hyacinth bean flowers on the vine

above their run.

They can sometimes be found on the top of the run itself,

where they enjoying munching away on these sweet morsels.

Matilda, who has been our most friendly chook,

has now discovered that she can fly over the fencing at will,

and so we often find her wandering wherever her little heart desires.

I have no way to corral her until a proper fence can be built,

so I just pray that she stays safe.

These black bean sweet potato burgers were made for supper

one night.  I'm happy with the ease of preparation,

but I think I'll add a bit more seasoning to them next time.

The recipe was acquired on Detoxinista,

where many gluten-free, dairy-free goodies can be found.

Check out her autumn/Halloween treats.

We put up a small autumn display.

The Lego head was originally made for

one of C's Halloween costumes.

It was easy to put this together,

with old clothes and straw we had for the chooks.

I hope it brings a smile to neighbors passing by.

The aftermath of Hurricane Helene has truly been

horrific for our neighbors to the west.

At the time of this writing,

there are still 81 people unaccounted for,

three weeks after the storm.

Please keep all of these folks in your heart,

as well as the amazing people who are here to help,

including government workers, linemen and volunteers.

May you be blessed with those you love around you.