FarmerDenise's journal - full on harvest time = busy, busy, busy

[FarmerDenise]

Whoohoo!! I finally finished shelling all the beans.
I have 1/2 pt of yin yang beans, 1 pint of purple queen beans, 1 cup of fresh blue lake beans (not green beans, but the seeds), I think I have 2 quarts of blue lake beans and 2 quarts of cranberry beans. These will be seed for next year as well as bean dishes this winter. I will occasionally use storebought beans for a specific dish, but we use mostly our own.

Now I can turn my attention to the corn.

I gathered a five lb bucket of walnuts at a friend's house yesterday and a bag of purple figs. The walnuts now need to be dried, but some of them made it into some chocolate chip cookies, that SO made. I am also drying 1/2 the figs, the other half I am eating fresh. yummmm
I brought our friend all our surplus (a goodsized bagfull) of serrano peppers. He loves hot peppers and had several plants, but the neighbors peacock ate them all. So I brought him most of ours, since we don't like things that hot all that often. I still have jalapeno and anaheim peppers, and habanero peppers in the freezer (from a few years back, and they still really kick).

 

[dragonlaurel]

Happy Samhain ! Hope you're having a great night

 

[Blackbird]

Happy Samhain!

 

[FarmerDenise]

Happy Samhain to all.
I spend yesterday working for our local Humane Society. They have a Howlloween party fundraiser every year. People get in free, dogs pay $10.00. A lot of the dogs come in costumes. It is a lot of fun. I helped at the photo booth this year. We were sooo busy. We set a record. We had a great photographer and she was fast. The people loved their pictures of their dogs.
I crashed when I got home. Today I mostly spent enjoying our farm and the animals. I plan on doing a little ceremony later this evening.

We got our garlic planted and I have been stripping the kernels from the popcorn. I got two big jars filled so far. I bottled my apple cider vinegar today and labeled the jars I had on the counter. I feel good about all the food I preserved, prepared and got stashed away. Stepson planted some ginger root for me today.

I didn't get to make all that I wanted, but I have a lot more done this year, than last year. So I can still feel good about it.
I had wanted to make a lot more pickles, relishes and sauces. But I did dehydrate more stuff than ever before. Both our refrigerator freezers are full.
SO plans on getting a turkey this month, I don't think it'll fit in the freezer I keep saying we need a deep freeze. Maybe if he gets the turkey, it'll motivate him to go out and buy a deep freeze.

I am almost packed. I got nearly everything done that I need to before my trip.
My folks have DSL, so I probably won't be online as often. I plan on going for walks and doing some hunting with my camera. Maybe I'll even borrow DF's gun and do some hunting with it. Sure would be nice to leave the folks with some venison in their freezer.

And it would be too funny, if I got a deer and SO and his over equipped friend (thanks to an over extended Cabella's card) didn't get anything on their hunting excursion this month. They haven't got anything in a long while.
Actually, I really hope SO gets a turkey. I don't care if the friend gets one or not. He just loves to show off all his new gear. Which does not make him a better hunter, but he seems to think so.

I just fed the girls some homegrown corn. I am going to miss them.

 

[lorihadams]

Hope you have a good time and can surround yourself with some positive energy and recharge your batteries! Sounds like you've gotten everything done that you can possibly do before you go, you've been busy! Hopefully this will give you the break that you deserve, just wish it could have been under better circumstances all around!

 

[FarmerDenise]

Thanks, lorihadams. At least I have the chance to spend this time with my father. I really appreciate that. I also know that I will have good time. I always do when I visit the folks. I also get to see some good old friends.
And it is so peacefull there. It used to be a dirt road. It was paved only 3 years ago. So there hopefully is still not too much traffic. The road is still kind of hilly. One of my dear friends lives about 1 mile from my parent's house. It is a nice walk.
It'll also be nice to not have to do anything. I will help my folks do whatever they need help with of course, but it feels different from the everyday stuff I do around here. And I know it will be appreciated.
My mother is a great cook and I look forward to cooking with her. She always makes me feel like cooking again. So SO will get the benefit of that, when I return.
We also usually experiment with new to each other recipes.

 

[lorihadams]

Sounds like a good time!

 

[dragonlaurel]

You need this time to relax and be with the family. Have a wonderful trip!

 

[keljonma]

Have a safe and blessed visit with your family. Enjoy the moment.

 

[FarmerDenise]

I did a very simple samhain ceremony last night during the full moon. Afterwards my grandparents "visited". It was nice. They showed me some things and made me feel safe and calm. They always look after me.
I asked for peace for Bee and her mom too.
I am almost ready for my trip. I feel well prepared. I just have a few more things to do and then I can relax til I need to catch the bus for the airport.
I am so happy to be able to see my folks soon. And the place where I spent my adolescence.