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

[Dace]

Hey FD! So nice that you got a load of wood delivered to you! I love a nice cozy fire

So when is your DD due? What fun to have a new baby in the family

 

[Farmfresh]

I just need to find someone to teach me how to do it.

I have step by step instructions here on my website and posted step by step pics of cleaning my turkey in this thread of the forum. Maybe this stuff can help.

 

[FarmerDenise]

FF I loved your directions. It was how I convinced SO to clean the birds "my" way. It is pretty much the way my grandmother cleaned her birds too. I didn't remember all of it, so your directions reallly helped.

DD is due in late february/early march. She is supposed to come over some time today to plan the baby shower.

It has started to really rain here and it is quite gloomy again.

We spent the day processing as much of our harvest that was still sitting around as possible. I am trying to get things cleared out of the house, so we can decorate for christmas.
I filled a gallon jar with dried basil, The dill needs a little bit more drying, but I cut all the leaves and tops from the stems and put them in a tray on top of the stove. They should be dry by tomorrow. I put all the corn and beans in baggies and labeled them and put them in the freezer to kill off any bug eggs.
SO, DSS and the GF cut up all the sweet peppers and vacuum sealed them for the freezer.

The goats and chickens got a lot of treats today, since they got the remains of cut-up peppers and dill and bits of corn and the shells from the beans.

I then went and cleaned the mantel (where I had been drying all the stuff) and washed down a few walls.

I am taking a break for now. Besides, we have to figure out what we are having for dinner.

 

[BarredBuff]

Sounds like you have been busy!!

 

[Farmfresh]

I just discovered I am almost OUT of basil!!

I did not grow any this last summer because I had several containers of dried and then frozen herbs in the fridge. I got a little generous giving them away to friends this summer and now I am down to the bottom of the bottle.

I LOVE fresh basil diced up in my omelets. Guess I had better plant a pot full for the kitchen window for this winter.

What herbs do you grow FD? You must have grown a bunch of them to fill a gallon jug full AFTER they are dehydrated!

 

[TanksHill]

I hope we get some of that rain.

While I was up in the attic I bought down several bags of dried herbs to process and jar. I can't tell what one of them is. I think it's thyme. But it could be Oregano. I know they are totally different but I am having a hard time of it.

Good to hear you got so much done. Now have a rest and enjoy!!

g

 

[FarmerDenise]

We grow our basil in rows, we definitely have lots. When I strip it off the stems I try not to crumble it up too much. I don't want to release the essential oils. We still have lots of basil hanging in the rafters of the garage. I plan on feeding that to the rabbit, the goats and the chickens.

We grow assorted basil, dill, green onions (this is our first year), oregano, marjoram, rosemary, assorted sages, assorted thymes, bay laurel (actually this grows in our neighbor's yard and over our fence), fennel, coriander, santolina, parsley (curley and flat leaved), artemisia, society garlic, and others, depending on what I feel like, what I find and what actually comes up.

When I went out earlier to lock up the hen house, I thought it would be a good idea for the dog to come out one more time for a potty break. After I put my rainpants on, my rubber boots, my rain jacket and my fisherman's hat, I dug up Spike's little yellow rain slicker and put it over her head and strapped it on. Then I told her to come on out to go potty. She reluctantly followed as far as the door from the porch to the back yard. She absolutely would not come out in the rain! Silly dog. I made sure everyone else was safe and secure.
I also brought the injured rooster back in the house.
Good thing I am hard of hearing. Once I shut the bathroom door, his crowing hardly bothered me at all last night.
DSS said he was kept awake all night Thank goodness for small blessings in disguise

 

[Farmfresh]

Yup THAT is an herb garden! I am jealous of the bay laurel. Things like that won't grow here. As it is I have a rosemary plant that I have to bring in and baby through the winter here.

 

[FarmerDenise]

I always wanted a laurel tree. When I found out the neighbor had one and it was growing over the fence, I was thrilled. Especially, since they gave me permission to use all I want.

I have always grown lots of herbs. I figure if you don't have room for much, fresh herbs make such a big impact on a meal. I've grown herbs in little flower boxes on a balcony, coz that was all the room I had for growing anything.

I forgot to mention, we also have a huge circle of lavender. SO's mother planted it many years ago.

 

[Farmfresh]

Oddly enough I am fairly new at herb gardening. For some reason I just never tried them until a few years ago. Now I am hooked on fresh herbs.