Canning Scoreboard

Below is the list of the jars on my shelf.....(I didn't put quantities)

• Jelly / Jam
• Sunshine (Peach/Pear)
• Blackberry
• Black Raspberry
• Queen Anne Lace (aka Weed Jelly)
• Cherry
• Blueberry
• Elderberry
• Concord Grape
• Peach / Cantaloupe Conserve
• Peach
• Strawberry
• Red Raspberry
• 
  Veggies
• Corn
• Creamed Corn
• GreenBeans
• Fruits
• Diced Tomatoes
• Quartered Tomatoes
• Peaches
• Pears
• Tart Cherries
• Others
• Spiced Pears Pear Chutney
• Peach Salsa
• Tomato Salsa
• Tomato / Tomatillo Salsa
• Pickled Peppers (Pepperochinis)
• Bottled Tomato / Garlic / Basil

Frozen

• Corn on the Cob
• Corn (not on the cob)
• Blueberries
• Peppers

Dehydrated

• Corn (Have I mentioned how much corn I got?  Look here)
• Blueberries
• Elderberries
• Peppers

Other Harvest

• Homegrown Popcorn

It's been a busy summer....and I still have two pear trees that need harvested and processed and also 2 bushels of apples to do.  And possibly a few more tomatoes.  And I need to dig up the potato harvest.  Oh, and I picked up Golden Raspberries at a U Pick...well, actually Boy picked, so that will be jelly soon.

Oh, I was asked if I am selling the jellies....yes, I suppose so...The local market for a half pint is $3.50.  Let me know....

for 'colie

I was picking up our RIR's and saw this crate.

Diversity and a Balanced Portfolio...

Our flock has never been told that they shouldn't get along with other types of fowl, so we have everyone free ranging together.  It's what I like to call a "balanced portfolio".  Who needs stocks and bonds.

So...see if you can find all our different types of birds in these pictures...You will definitely find more than one type per picture!!

Thanksgiving, the turkey

6 lavender guineas

2 white guineas

meat chickens

rooster, Boo

meat chickens

layer chickens

pullet chickens

mama duck

Drake Duck

Ducklings

Answer Key

New Rhode Island Reds

A lady who lives up north of us was looking to rehome 4 of her Rhode Island Red Hens and their Rooster.  Boy and I went up and after getting lost a few times...ended up with 5 very beautiful and healthy chickens to add to our flock.  Currently they are in isolation in the movable coop while everyone gets used to one another.  We're not sure how Boo (our Americauna rooster) and Mohawk (the new RIR rooster) are going to get along....but if one has to go, it will be Mohawk.  We love Boo and he is so gentle with his girls.

Boy and Mohawk

Apple Pickin'

HONEY CRISP!!

We love Honey Crisp Apples.  And so does everyone!  There was a traffic jam getting into the orchard on the morning they were "released" and they were gone by the afternoon!!! 

We brought home a whole bushel!

Then we went to the farmers market and bough another peck of peaches, a peck of peppers, a bag of pickle cucumbers, an onion and an acorn squash

(I grew two but the chickens got to them--grr)

Butchering

No pictures with this post.  We butchered 11 of our meat chickens today.  What a mess...and an experience.  I was totally queasy at first, but after a bit you get somewhat de-sensitized.  But the smell. UG!  We wanted to do all of them (ME especailly as they have decimated my tomato patch!!), but with the "learning curve" it took almost 6 hours just to do those.

So the others get another few weeks to get bigger....and now that I know HOW to do it...I think I might see if I can find a local processor :)

Ducklings getting big!

Our first clutch of "surprise" ducklings are getting so big.  It's fun to watch them dipping for water under the watchful eye of Brownie, their mama.

Second clutch of ducklings.

Blackie our Muscovy has been sitting on a nest....forever!

Finally she hatched out 7 ducklings (1 didn't make it)
Here they are just a few hours old.

Unfortunately, within about 5 hours of the last hatch, we found Blackie dead on the floor.  What a dedicated mama that she waited until all were hatched.