Jason closes his journal... Thanks!! I love you!!

[FarmerDenise]

I grew up on herbal teas. You can always add a little something

I loved that song. Oddly it made me think of my ex, with whom I am still friends. I may have to send him the words. I think it'll have special meaning to him.

Isn't it amazing how you crave to get back to the garden and all the work it entails, after you have not been able to work on one for a season?

 

[modern_pioneer]

FD......

Tractor report; My Kubota

What once took me an hour and 15 minutes to plow the snow out, now takes me just 20 minutes. It sips the fuel, but burns little more in the winter or during plowing than grass cutting. I am still waiting to sell my IH tractor to pay for the box tiller. Though the box tiller is a foot smaller on this tractor, it is lower to the ground and is more stable on the hill side. I often had been worried about my old IH rolling over. I also had more than a couple lose calls. Or perhaps I was just nervous a few times.

It sure is nice having the hydraulics as well, no more getting down and moving the blade by hand. I also have been asked by Denny to do his driveway this year, I declned any sort of payment at first, but inside I know he has nothing to offer back to me for trade. He handed me 200 dollars for this winter and refused to have it back. I played it like I wanted to give it back as I felt rude for taking it. However, the other side it was a HUGE boost to my SS fund.

I am pleased to say my fund now is $890.00, which it was just before I purchased the discounted 4x8 portable green house. I also will be getting my cold frame up and running next month and have some cold weather crops to plant in it. I might wait til late next month or perhaps march, but I am ready to start working with it again.

I am looking forward to spring more this year than ever because of all the bulbs J and I planted ths past fall.

The hedge rows will now be in full production as well as two of my blueberry plants. I look forward to making more other fruit jams other than the norm. I am hoping the current bushes will produce enough to get a couple jars of Jell. How I love granpas red current jelly, I miss it tons. He always saved a at least one jar and some blueberry freezer jam for me. He mailed me some syrup and Jelly in 1999.

This year I will also be gathering and cooking down maple sap, and have Dales and Denys place to tap in their trees. I have not yet scouted either entire properties but know of three sugar maples on Dales. Denny has a couple on his, not sure what type they are. The few I have are red maples, so it takes a third more sap to make syrup.

I am thinking of making pints this year and perhaps consider selling some, if there is enough to do so. I don't have a big cooker, just a big pot and propane stove. I do finish it off in the house, and then pressure can it to keep in my root cellar.

I have some dried chillies to share, but their so cheap at the store postage wouldn't allow me to offer any out. I have this one wee little vietnam chillie that is a hum dinger and makes a great garlic hot chillie sauce. I got the recipe from a on line site and its pretty good. Cooking it down is a pain... I only make it once every few years as it freezes well and keeps good for a few years.

Also this year, do you remember we talked about those gimmicie wild fruits and veggies I was going to try? Well this year the cherry bushes should start to produce some fruit. They have grown up and out pretty good and stayed pretty healthy through the summer. Although I didn't put in a garden this past year, I did attend to the other trees and bushes I planted several years ago. The almond tree, which I purchased was the first kind to be offered in my zone. It is growing well and pleased with it this year. I look forward to seeing it produce some nuts in a few more years. I will still gather hickory nuts and gather their wee little flesh, they taste better than walnuts, les bitter, but the rewards and time to get the meat out is outrageous. I pick them in the evenings and last time I gathered over a pound of flesh.

I added them to stuffing as well as baked goodies like brownies.

 

[BarredBuff]

ModernPioneer!

 

[Wannabefree]

I am busy planning my garden now Can I borrow your tractor? I LOVE Kubotas

 

[Henrietta23]

I have a friend who has a Kubota. It's a little scary how much he loves that tractor!! He also happens to be our priest and it's come up in his sermons more than once!
Planning the garden here too. Hope to do a lot of canning!

 

[BarredBuff]

My best friend at school has a kubota lawn mower and I believe he would marry it if it was legal....he loves it.

 

[TanksHill]

Hey Jay, good to hear from you. I was thinking about you in all this snow. I shoulda figured you would be good to go.

I am glad to hear you fruit trees are coming along. I had mine pruned yesterday. Severely. My neighbor did them for me. They really were over grown. Not sure how much fruit I will get this year but we'll see.

Take care,

g

 

[dragonlaurel]

Nice deal with the snow clearing. Being nice can pay off sometimes.
My Hubby like the peppers too. We have a load of Serranos in the dehydrator now. The store marked them down and I grabbed them up.
I wonder if somebody could put a pan of syrup on (or near) a wood stove or fireplace, to warm the house while evaporating the extra water? Guess it would depend on finding the spot for the right temp.

Hope those fruit and nuts do well for you. We have lots of wild hickory trees nearby, but it would be illegal to gather up there. Is anybody looking? . . . There's also wild grapevines and some grape leaves somehow followed me home once. They were good with seasoned rice wrapped up in them. Someday, I might get to try one of the grapes before the birds do.

 

[kcsunshine]

Come on spring.

 

[Wifezilla]

I agree kc!

MP, I just watched the BBC series Edwardian Farm and they did a whole segment on hedgerows and what an important part it played for farmers of the time.

From livestock containment to an important food source, they were way more than just a bunch of shrubs.