Fall Happenings

 

What a beautiful fall day!!!

Life has definitely changed on the farm in the past year. We didn't raise any meat chickens or hogs.

We also didn't buy any new laying hens. We did have 3 hens hatch out new chicks over the summer. We called that good for this year. 

We wanted to stay very simple. Now that I say that, there is nothing simple living on farm. But, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

We bought a new bull. He is a South Poll Bull.

We call him F2, short for Sir Frank Jr.

Long story short we sold Sir Frank last year.

So we needed a new bull for our cows.

(Grandma, Taylor Swift, Bessie and Black Jack)

Our 3 cows (all black) with our one and only steer (orange/red colored).

We did sell some of our cattle. We just really wanted to downsize our numbers and get to where we want to be in the type of breed of cattle. We are slowly getting there.

So this is what we have. Simple!!!

We bought a new LGD (livestock guarding dog)

Hope meeting Faith for the first time.

Meet Faith

These two have been doing great. I wasn't sure how the two meeting would go. But so far they are hanging out. I will say that Faith has never been around cats, cows or guineas. She has been growling a lot or running away because she was scared. A day or two into being here on the farm has changed her. She loves to chase the cats and play with them. The guineas she runs them off. We will need to work with her on this. As for the cows she is giving them space. She is already proving to be a smart decision maker.

She can fit through the smallest of hole. 

We are praying for her to grow fast. But she is so stinkin cute and very affectionate.

I'm not sure where these two have been but I'm gonna need some help picking these what ever they are out of their fur.

To improve is to change;

to be perfect is to

change often.

Winston Churchill

Minnesota Trip and Wedding

Tim and I drove to Minnesota for his older sisters wedding.

Tim is preforming the ceremony. I am one of the bridesmaids.

We stopped in Iowa at a Mexican Restaurant and had lunch.

Tim and I got at our airbnb in Redwing, Minnesota.

It was built in 1905. We had the whole upstairs area.

It was a very nice place. 

It was well lit at night and a cozy atmosphere.

Tim and I went to pick up his sister Keturah and Frank for dinner.

Afterwards we dropped them back off at their place.

It was a nice evening that Tim and I hung out outside for a bit before heading to our room to watch a movie.

The next morning Tim and I went to get some coffee and breakfast.

Then, we headed up the mountain to help decorate for the wedding.

Tim and I were checking out where the ceremony should be. It was a beautiful overlook to the town of Redwing.

We headed back to our room to get changed for the wedding.

We clean up nicely!

The exchanging of the rings.

And now you may kiss your bride.

Tim did a wonderful job with the wedding ceremony.

It was beautiful and we are so happy for the both of them.

Frank (our new BIL), Keturah (Tim's oldest sister) and Kay (Tim's mom)

Rebekah (Tim's middle sister), Greg (our BIL), Michael (our nephew), Frank (Our BIL), Keturah (Tim's oldest sister), Krystal and Tim

Greg (BIL) and Rebekah (Sister)

These two were just married last year.

The happy married couple

Frank and Keturah

Eating some good food and some cake. BTW it was all good.

We had a toast to the new couple and they shared a dance together.

The weather sure looked like it was gonna rain. It didn't and it was perfect.

We are so thrilled to have been included in their wedding.

After everyone left we ran back over and took our picture.

I sure love this guy and it made me reflect back on when we said our vows.

Marriage isn't easy but he is sure worth it.

After everything was done and Keturah and Frank were off on their honeymoon.

A group of us decided to go get some drinks and dinner.

Tim, Krystal, Marie (Tim's other mom), Jimmy with the hat is Tim's brother, Greg (BIL), Rebekah (Sister)

Our trip was short but we got in some good quality family time.

As we were heading back home Tim and I saw this beautiful cover bridge.

Being inside the covered bridge was so peaceful and the scenery around was breathe taking.

Heading back home!!!

Happy marriages begin when we marry the ones we love,

and they blossom when we love the ones we marry.

Tom Mullen

 

Summer Garden and Hoop House

Our new Hoop House!!!!

 I was super excited about the extra growing space.

Tim and I had been working on it since January/February. We laid the row cover down and got the pipes in. It sure was cold and we worked mostly at night. Our determination paid off.

As I worked getting seeds started inside early for spring, I got cabbage, broccoli and lettuce already in the outside beds. By March, I already put the potatoes in the ground. I have never got anything in sooner. The hoop house sure changed a lot of things. I was able to keep things inside until I was ready. It was way more space than having it in the house.

Tim helped me get buckets full of dirt and the strings up for a trellis.

Any available bucket I put something in it.

It didn't take Tim long to get a water system going in the hoop house.

Another thing I needed to do was move my flowers and herbs into the garden area.

We wanted them to all be together. For several reasons but the main one was getting water to them. I have two pumps in the garden area.

Getting more stuff into the garden. Just think last year I only grew from 4 rows.

This year I am growing from 14 rows plus the hoop house.

Everything has been growing and you can see the string lines hanging down to the plants.

Potato Bed

Potato harvest

Green peppers  grew like crazy this year. I put tons up in the freezer. I dehydrated and used them in meals.

These were a surprise hot pepper. The label said green pepper. I thought they might be a sweet banana pepper. To my surprise they weren't. I used them in my salsa making.

My row of pepper plants and Green beans.

This was my first year to actually get a crop of onions to grow.

Onions and garlic drying.

We had them in the rafters and in bins laid throughout our garage.

I never harvested this much in all of my years gardening. I only dropped in two pictures but it filled up our garage.

The sizes of these onions were so big.

I have grown lettuce in the past but this years harvest was just unbelievable.

Every week I kept bringing in Tomatoes,

Green beans,

Cherry Tomatoes, Green peppers,

Cucumbers, hot peppers and finally melons and watermelon.

Wait... more tomatoes.

And then all of sudden a big batch of romas decided to be ready.

I canned tons of salsa and marinara sauce.

Canned tomatoes

Pizza sauce

Green beans and more tomatoes

Let's not forget the peas.

I put them up in the freezer.

I also canned up corn, corn syrup, corn jelly and lard. My dehydrator has been running nonstop for the summer and still going. Right now I have sliced cherry tomatoes in it.

Check out those grapes. I will say we didn't get a lot this year due to those Japanese beetles eating and sucking everything out of the leaves. That really made me sad.

Our first pears!!

We also got apples this year. Super yummy!!!

I have been so blessed and exhausted this year by our ability to grow this much food.

Always do your best,

what you plant now,

you will harvest later.

Og Mandino