A BUSY DAY!

Sometimes there just isn't enough hours in the day to get things done. Having extra helping hands, you can get lots done. Skylar and Kaitlin's friend came and stayed some nights with us. What a HUGE blessing that was. We already miss you!

Calling chickens to the back pasture. Need them where the steers were to rummage through the cow patties. Gonna be moving meaties down to the pasture this weekend. So making sure we have things ready.

I was able to get to the vineyard today. Look at what is ready!

This is a good harvest.

I had 6 zucchini's and used 4 big ones to shred. The other 2 are for a part of a dinner next week. Then I shredded 2 squashes. I will freeze these later for soups when its cold out.

Getting the steers and bull use to the 

corral and to mow some of it down.

We call this dual purpose.

We were over by the corral and look who got interested and peeked its head out.

Then the other 3 came out. Oh no, we call for Phantom. She wasn't happy with this scene. I don't want to have to care for these little ones, but it sure was nice to see them doing well.

It's canning season. Preparing things to go in the pantry. My stove is working overtime. We had lots of tomatoes and the girls decided lets make homemade salsa since we didn't make any last year. So we did just that. 

We got 10 quarts done. It tasted so yummy!

Of course, we don't stop there. There is tons of veggies and we don't want them to go bad. So lets make some pickles. The yummy kind ~ bread and butter pickles. So we got the pot ready with the seasonings. It always blurs my vision making this stuff. It is just strong smelling.

Got the cucumbers cut and jars packed.

 Ready to fill!

Doing this outside. No need to heat the house anymore than necessary.

Got them done. But, look at the right side of the picture. It buckled! I haven't that happen since I was canning pears with my girlfriend years ago. That was in the house, so glad this time was outside. It's pretty scary not sure if the top is gonna blow sending burning hot pickle lava everywhere.

After all that work the girls went for a ride!

Have fun girls!

ANOTHER GOOD HARVEST!

Today, Kaitlin and I were taking a walk. Looking around at how beautiful everything is even with all the heat we have had, everything is still green. We had a beautiful blue sky with swirly clouds. 

After our walk we decided that the tomatoes really needed to be picked.

 This is a massive tomato, almost as big as my hand.

 Ok, check out that tomato in the middle. It's like it grew a nose or something.

 Our harvest today we needed 2 baskets.

Looks like we will be canning tomorrow.

Thankfully, the girls have a friend coming over and she likes to do this stuff with us.

 We still have plenty that aren't ready. This is my first year that the harvest started early. We usually don't start canning until August.

I grabbed another basket and filled it up with some herbs to put in the dehydrator.  

After we did the pickin', I went to check on the chickens. I found 1 that had somehow had straw around its neck. No biggie, it wasn't hurting it. I decided to go in and take it off. 

But...........................

Wait.......................


Something looked off!

Can you see it?????

This is the strangest thing I have ever seen!

I don't know how to fix this???? Or if I need to????

Interesting things are our daily life here on our homestead.

This little chick is eating and drinking. I guess for now all we can do is monitor it. We will need to make sure it is still being able to eat and drink as it continues to grow.

WEEKEND HAPPENINGS!

Lots is happening on the homestead this weekend.

Last week we moved the meaties to a bigger tank. Knowing this wasn't gonna last long. So, this weekend we moved them to the dog kennel up in the barn area.

This is the bigger tank that they were in.

Kaitlin wiring up more fencing around the dog kennel.

Got the meaties put in. Wow now they look so small in this bigger area. Less than a week and they will out grow this and be ready to go to the chicken tractor in the pasture.

Skylar adding the lattice for a little more protection.

 Ok I don't think they can get out, nor anything get in.

In the morning we will know.

They love their treats!

I was able to get most of the animals in on this picture.

Check out this rooster! Don't let the name rooster scare you because he is a big scaredy-cat. He makes a little crowing sound in the morning other than that he is quiet.

This is Mybuddy the rooster. If you checked out the 4-H post, they are the same breed.

Look at that, Phantom is letting all of us pet her now.

So cute!

 Their eyes are open now and they are starting to crawl around.

Ducks doing good!

Pickin's from the garden!

Looks like we need to start canning some tomatoes.

Got 4 quarts!

 No you aren't seeing double. Its 2 roasting pans full of chicken bones, carrots, onions, celery, garlic and seasonings. I had 11 bags of bones. I knew from before it wouldn't all fit in one so I borrowed from my oldest daughter. (Thank you!)

Got the pressure canner set up outside.

Got one batch going.

Keeping the others warm in the oven until they can go in the canner.

Batch one done, only 3 more batches to go.

 We canned 14 quarts and 10 pints.

Tim got this path mowed to put in an electric fence.

Lines are ran!

Now he is wiring up the other side, so he can move the steers to help mow down the grass.

Tim got the steers moved over.

 As the saying goes: Grass is greener on the other side!

Of course all work and no play isn't very exciting!

Tim worked on the other 4 wheeler and got it running.

Giving Skylar a quick lesson on where everything is and how to shift gears. 

 She's got it!

 Next lesson,

Kaitlin 

And she's got it!

Thanks for coming along on our busy weekend. 

Nothing like ending the day sitting back in the new porch swing hubby just bought!