Harvest Time!

Boy... are we busy!

but I have to remind myself that it is worth it. We spent all day saturday harvesting corn. The men were picking and shucking, while the ladies were canning and freezing. I set up an out door kitchen, out by the field, so we could work. We have 2 large propane stoves going, so we could have 2 pressure canners working at the same time, and we were using the other for blanching, so we could freeze it. On Saturday - we canned 36 quarts and froze about 75 quarts. The guys filled up the entire back bed of a pick up truck with the corn husks and cobs after we cut the kernels off. But it is really sweet and tender corn. I'm looking forward to having it this winter.

I think this year we are going to run out of Jars........ and we have a lot of jars.

We have also been doing pickles - yummy! We've done Kosher, dill chips for sandwiches and spears. And the cucumbers just keep coming and coming!. We missed most of our beans. We are going to have to plan better for next season. The apples are looking good and so are the grapes. Since we had such a great harvest of grapes last year, we are going to use the juice that we have to make grape jelly, and that should free up some of the larger quart jars for the juice for this year. It will be nice to have apple sauce again as well- i ran out about a month ago, and the store bought isn't as tasty. We are trying to decide where we can plant a few peach and apricot trees. That would round things off nicely. I have a spot in my yard - I could probably put one small tree - but I'm not sure if the HOA would pitch a fit or not. It would technically be behind my fence.... but it is really close to the fence, so it would grow over the top.. HMMMMM something to think about

anyway.... time to get back to the fields.... since I was so badly burned on Saturday - we are harvesting in the evenings now. It's cooler, and hte harvesting is pretty quick. It's the preserving that takes a while.

There will be a small slide show of the pic's from saturday soon. I just need to get them from Patti's camera

First day of Middle School

It's official - Stuart is now in middle school. No more recess, no more playtime at school. Now there is changing classrooms - several different teachers, and lockers!

Kids grow up to fast.

He was excited about school today. I told him to set his alarm for 6 am. Mine went off at the same time, and by 6:02 - he was standing in my bedroom door - backpack and shoes on - ready to go. I made him go back down.... shower.... and get dressed again.

He is also mad that I made him wait while I took his picture. He said I "was going to embarrass him in front of all of the other kids"

Isn't that my job???

anyway..... I am looking forward to when he gets home from school - and actually being able to be here. Maybe I'll make cookies this afternoon.......

the living room with the Organ