Farm Market Take #2

A couple more pictures that came in, I thought I would share.

Farm Market Day!

I didn't get a lot of pictures taken on our very first Farm Market day on the farm.  It was such a busy and exciting day.  The pictures we do have are from set up.

There were some other "vendors".  Friend that had a talent that they wanted to share.  This is the table set up of a friend that does crocheted dish towels and hats and gloves.

Here's Boy's best friend's families booth.  His sister is very talented and was selling hand carved walking sticks, cards with copies of some of her watercolors and hand pies.

There was also a table filled with hand made earrings and cards from "NIKCO"  

Be sure to check them out here

We had jams, jellies, cookie mixes, homemade bread.  Fermentors, dog treats, dehydrated fruit and lots of veggies.  Kitchen angels and mums.

Visitors to Man's table of Weldon Jerky and hand turned pens.

There was also an artist with her pallet designs, and a neighbor with goards, and corn stalks.  Boy had a snack shack with hot dogs and cookies.

It was such a beautiful day and we had such a nice turn out.  I was asked numerous time if we were going to do it again.  So yes, I think we will do spring and fall next year.

June FlashBack! Circle P "Dog Days" of Summer Event

I'll put this post back in June after it gets "seen", but I just realized that there isn't a post from our first "event" that Wallace Homestead / Cackleberry Hollow participated in...mainly because that was the same weekend that Man truly became ill.  It would be another month before we actually would find out what was going on...but in the meantime...

 We were invited to set up a table at the Circle P Equine Sanctuary's 

"Dog Days" of Summer Fundraising Event.

We took a table of jams and jellies and some of the wood turned pens they guys had completed. 

We shared our stall with a really, REALLY tall horse!

 We had a really great day!  Party in Our Stall!

Last Photo courtesy of Circle P Sanctuary

Farm Stand

This is the farm stand I am wanting for at the end of my driveway....

 

It's the exact one, as it is the lot model and discontinued.  Man says we need to paint the doors brown though...I agree!

 

Now I have to get the taxes done...QUICK so I can see if we can afford it.

It's Saturday....

First of All....
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to My ReynBFF!!!!

It was farmer's market day...pretty good day.  Told lots of people about my lacto-fermenting jars and sold two to a mother and daughter.  It was the dilly green beans that sold it!

I have had so many of my friends (and folks at the market) say "I got one of those....but still haven't used it.  What?  Why?  So I am thinking maybe I should have a class here on the farm for everyone that buys one to learn hands-on how to do it.  It's really easy so I never thought I needed to do this, but....what do you think?

I need to spend some time this weekend on my www.InAPickle.homestead.com website and get it updated.  Haven't been working on it in quite a while and with the website being on all the information I am giving out...it's time to do a spruce up!

I didn't sell any more of my tomato plants, so into the garden they are going today...plus the 6 plants I bought from my friend at "Dragonfly Farms".  Yes, I bought 6 more...because I guess the...I don't even know how many now...plants I have are not enough.  But I didn't have any Hillbilly Maters....now we do!

I'll count and update on the total plants!

Summertime!!

The temperatures tell me it's summer, but now officially it is summer.  This was the first week of the farmer's market.  Being at the farmer's market on Saturday morning signals summer to me.  I had forgotten how fun it is!

I sometimes feel like Vinnie in the "Slap Chop" commercial, (minus the microphone-grin)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTmC7UQj7_M
when I am explaining our lacto-fermenting probiotic jars.  I know I am saying the same thing over and over, but what's neat is that it's new for each person I talk to.  Some of them have never heard of the idea of fermented and probiotic foods.  And that is cool!  At one point today, there were 10+ people standing there listening to me.  And I was hoping that I made sense, and that I wouldn't have one of my TN attacks in the middle of it. 

I didn't have an attack during any of times I was talking to someone (I had one early while we were setting up-BOO!)  The whole health thing is very confusing.  Just like everyone, I have good days and bad days.  The good days may have an attack or two, and the bad days are just bad.  (Mainly it's the reason I haven't been blogging as I've been having more bad than good.  Been to the doctor and had new and more meds added and that has messed my head up.  But I've missed y'all!!)

Anyway, back to more important things...the market.  It was nice to see all the vendors I knew.  To be out in the morning cool (although it got HOT!). To be out among people. (something I miss since leaving work-although the homeschool fellowship group helps with that too)  And my DH came along today.  Things have been really slow with our homestead business (our main source of income since I became disabled with this nasty disease), so we are trying to drum up more business for him.  He's branched out into making wood signs (hee hee...branched....nevermind).  I'm so excited as we did get an order this morning for his business.  Praise God!!  It was an answer to prayer.  We are also praying about another call I got yesterday of someone that may want 3 pieces of furniture. That would get us through the next two weeks!  If you are inclined...would you pray for our business to pick up?  God has had our business in His hand for the last 6 years and we know it is now too.  But I know He is faithful to answer prayers.

  "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16"

We've been working hard to get the garden in.  It's at about 3/4 way done...except the corn patch.  Alot of tomatoes are in, but we still have about 5 varieties to still plant (I'm out of tomato cages-ug).  Part of the peppers are in, but the ones that I'm so excited about (Fooled You, Jalepenos-taste of jalepenos without the heat) are still too small and only 1/2 of them have their first set of "true" leaves.  Beans are in, Potatoes, Carrots, Onions, Summer Squash, Beets are in.   Boy tilled a new big patch for the corn this year.  We are trying some neat new types.  Popcorn that the kernals are blue and green!!  And we have sweet corn to put in.  We are planting the pumpkins out there, but haven't yet gotten the chickens reined in so they don't eat the seed as we are putting it in.  That section is not yet fenced.  So there is still work to do out there.  We had a nice rain last night (first one in two weeks) so that should have helped the seedlings. 

Well, again my intention is to check in more regularly.  There might be some upcoming fun stuff here on the blog...giveaways and such!  In the meantime, I thought you would enjoy a picture of one of our April born bunnies (about 8 weeks old now).  They have been handled a lot and are really laid back....see.....

Life on the Farm

It's gotten really busy around here! I've been mentally blogging as I do other things, but dont' seem to get it actually down.  Geez, whoever can come up with a mind-to-type system has my $$

So it's over half way through the summer and what is happening.....

Today my boy is at sleep-away summer camp.  I'm praying he has found a friend.  His buddy that was supposed to go with him ended up staying at his grandfather's for over 3 weeks. His friend's"Pap" was involved in an accident and the family stayed with him and Grandma while Pap was in the hospital.  "Pap" is doing better, but it was a very serious accident and he has a long road to recovery.  Praying for them!

So, luckily for this overprotective mama, the camp is just past the corn field across the road.  We can hear the kids in the evening when they are singing in Chapel.  This is the same camp he went to last year, so things are at least familiar.  He'll be home on Wednesday.
We lost our beloved Arica last week.  We're not sure exactly what happened, but Arica and Buffy both started limping. I checked their feet, but couldn't find a sore or cut.  She was still eating, but couldn't get around very well.  She was staying in the yard near the "pond".  Well, something got her.  I found her feathers and distinctive beak yesterday...sigh.  Boy put Buffy in the moveable coop with the juvey birds to keep her safe.  He is not happy that we are planning on sending her and a few of the other older girls to "freezer camp." 

We have two broody chicken hens...one of which is sitting on TWENTY eggs! She made a nest in the middle of the overgrown asparagus. The other has about 5-8.  Then we have two ducks that have started setting eggs too.  I can't get to their nests, so I have no idea how many eggs they are on.  The funny thing about my Comet chicken sitting on the 20 eggs is that all the books say the Golden Comets are NOT broody birds.  Apparently she hasn't read any of the books :)

The garden is doing very well in the bean and zucchini department. The first crop of bean plants are almost done...maybe 2-3 more pickings, then we'll have to pull those plants out and put more in.  I've started another few rows already where my kidney bean experiment failed.  We have tons of green tomatoes.  It is supposed to get in the 90's this week so that will likely start the tomatoes turning.  We also have 5 of the cutest watermelons.  There is one Kohlirabi that I need to find out how to fix.  And we have harvested 3 acorn squash for the winter.  I'd leave them on longer, but the chickens like to get into the garden and that seems to be their favorite thing to eat.  Funny thing is we have a nest of guinea eggs in the middle of one of the cucumber trrellis squares.  Occasionally we find a chicken egg in there too!  The tomatillos are set. We have peppers of all kinds starting out...they seem to be taking longer this year.

My Man has started a new hobby that has really taken off!  It started with my Kefir.  (Which is still going very well).  It is "Lacto-Fermented".  He was reading Sally Fallon's book Nourishing Traditions and came up with a newer way to lacto-ferment food.  It's basically pickling things in salt brine, but instead of using crocks that take awhile and get a "scum" that you have to scrape off, he made a new lid that makes an airlock.  The CO2 and other gases come off the food, and bubbles out of the trap and oxygen can't get back in to spoil the food.  It takes about 3-5 days to ferment the food, and when it is done it is VERY good for you.  Because it is not heat processed, the good bacteria is not killed off.  So basically it is probiotic (like Activia!:) )

So far, we have pickled: Cucumbers (of course), a medley of veggies including cauliflower & radishes, zucchini sweet relish, beets, green beans, onions, eggs, and most recently KETCHUP!! Oh, and the mung beans that we have been sprouting...we did those and they turned out like a crisp sourkraut.  We had hotdogs yesterday...with home fermented ketchup and "SaurSprouts" and DELISH!!!

cucumbers, cucumbers & onions

So what is going to happen in August.....I am going to have 31 days of Lacto-Ferment recipes.  I will try them out, share the recipe, and tell you what I really think about the taste.  Tune in...tell your friends!  Some of the first recipes we are going to try are lacto-fermenting Pizza (at least the sauce) and Jelly! (of course)

We took his "creation", the lacto-ferment jars to the farmer's market on Saturday...and sold out!  Plus, we have become friends with another local lady who runs the only licenced cannery in Central Ohio.  She bough some before the farmer's market...and She sold out!  She bought 10 more that we need to get to her today because she is having a "pickling" class this evening and she wants to show both methods...and the Big City Newspaper will also be in attendance.

I also sold out of green beans, and half of my zucchini...and would you believe...I took the camera and forgot to take a single picture!!!  I was so mad at myself.  I took it specifically so I could blog and keep you in the loop. NUTS!  Well, I think we will do the market again this week, so I will take pictures.

Fun with Beets

OK...before you go running away...stay with me here!

It's time to expand our horizons.  Time to quite turning up our noses at things we wouldn't even consider as kids.

So tonight I needed to try the beets we bought at the farmer's market today.  The farmer and wife we got them from was telling us that you can use the greens in salads just like lettuce.  I read online that Aussies & Kiwis both put sliced beets on their hamburgers like tomatoes or lettuce.  I also read on a recipe site that you can cook the greens like kale or spinach.

Well, I've been eating spinach from a can like I was popeye lately, so...we had raw beet greens and sliced beets on our hamburgers.  Also, sliced beets.  Then I cut up the greens and stems.  I cooked one slice of bacon in my pan, added diced red onion (also from the market) and about 2 Tbsp of water and then the greens.  Put a lid on it to wilt and steam the greens.  Gave it some salt and pepper and stirred it around....

Ta-da!

To be honest...sliced beets are still not my favorite....HOWEVER....I am loving the cooked greens!! And the raw greens are good too!

From left to right: Hamburgers, Yellow & Green Zucchini (garden), lettuce (garden) Beet greens & onions (market), sliced beets (market).  Our supper was 85% local!  WOOHOO!

Beans...beans...beans!

Yeah!  Last year my beans were a dismal failure and I think we ate green beans out of the garden only once,  and then I bought a bushel of beans from an Amish farm market to can.

So far...
4 pounds today
7.5 pounds yesterday
4 in the first harvest

I think I should start a "bean ticker counter" and see how much we get out!  The beans doing really well are the "contenders".  The Kentucky wonder beans...not one bean yet!  Beautiful plants.  Also, the Brittle Wax are doing better than...umm...now I can't think of the name.  I put them on the row markers so I would know what beans were the best.  I've planted another few rows of contenders to extend the season, too.

We also got some yellow zucchini and green zucchini out yesterday, a few cucumbers and another acorn squash.  Oh, and found a nest of guinea eggs in the middle of the squash patch.  Man picked a few of my pepperocinis.  He's been doing some lacto-fermented pickles.  I've asked him to write a "guest post" as he is really excited about this and it is becoming a neat hobby.  He talks about it at the farmer's market and everyone is anxious to try it once he is done talking...in fact some of the other vendors have been trying to get him to set up a table....well see.  I picked up from another farmer 26 pounds of cucmbers yesterday...keep tuned on that! (I don't normally care for sourish pickles...at all....and I LIKE these!!)  He also pickled some of my green beans yesterday!

Today was the farmer's market day, we love the farmer's market we go to.  Everyone is so friendly and shares "secrets".  The jelly lady gave me some great ideas to try and even told me where to find the recipes.  Today I bought a bunch of beets...I am growing beets but they aren't big enough yet...and frankly, I don't really know what to do with them once they are ready...so the farmers selling the beets told me the best way to process them and where to find good recipes. Same with the guy with the rhubarb.  (I bought a plant last week, but I can't pull stalks off of it until next year...so I bought 8 big stalks today.

 Hopefully more posts, pictures and recipes coming up.  Oh, and we are thinking of something cool for the chickens...I'll update on that if it works out.  And if I does...will I have a story to tell and pictures to share...so much so that I may actually get more than just the beloved 3 readers I currently have