Heya Folks!
Been a while I know, but again with no
internet we tend to have to chose what has a higher priority. Doing
the blog isn't as high up as say gathering info about our various
projects. Also, seeing as how we tend to only stop maybe once a
month for internet if I don't get a chance to post something it'll
just have to wait.
...and yes I am sorry I don't post more
often. I certainly hope everyone out there that does read this is
excitedly waiting on my next posting (Tink told me people have been
asking HER about when I'll be posting next).
As for our garden, I have started my
fall tilling of the main garden beds; including the addition of some
lovely compost from one of our large old oaks that got struck by
lightning about 2 months ago. It was one of those really big oaks
that gets hollow once it hits old age, then composts from the inside
out. A bonus for my garden, also it was a tree that we had been
wondering if we needed to cut down. The other big plus is that
“mother nature” decided to be nice and drop it into the forest
instead of into the clearing.
Even though it's not really producing
nice ones to eat my tomatoes are still churning out fruit, we have
figured that even though the “pots” we are using are big... they
aren't big enough for four tomato plants apiece. Next year we'll be
doing just one per pot.
The jalapenos I planted did well as
well and are still producing even though the plant got snapped by my
luffa gourd when the remains of Issac came through. Silver thought
the Brussels sprouts had a wonderful flavor. He anticipates it would
have grown more and produced more if it hadn't been for the drought.
My luffa gourd has tons of them on it,
one is huge I think it's over a foot long and really round. We do
have a few more large ones but that one is the biggest. Once the
plant is fully dead I'm going to find a way to hang them so they can
finish drying. We did manage to get some dried beans from my Tiger's
Eye beans that I planted on a whim this year. Considering I planted
maybe six seeds and got back about ½ a cup I think it was a good
return. An odd thing though they were suppose
to be bush beans but they wound up vineing.
We
used the wood stove for about 3 days at the beginning of October, and
it worked out well. The base did not get overly hot. On October
15th
the lady bugs were swarming for their winter hibernation areas.... I
have a question for everyone. On the main day for your local lady
bug swarming did you have a large amount? I know that the whole
front and side of the building was covered in them. This is the
largest amount I have seen since we have moved here before winter
starts, and I wonder if it will be a tell of a bad winter this year?
On
the 19th
we went out and did some “yard work”, we fell back to the premise
that we need to stop waiting to do all our work when we have ever
possible thing we need to build or work on something. So we went out
and mostly cleared an area for the pig pen we are hoping to have next
spring. “Mostly” cleared as pigs need shade and with oak,
hickory, and butter nuts in the area the pig will eat those things on
their own so might as well keep them so they have some browse in
their yard. We also started the “finished” clearing for the good
chicken coop that we will be building over the winter. We are also
going to plan ahead for a barn and mixed pastures, and these pastures
will have a lot of trees in them as we are not planning on many
cattle. A dairy cows or two and a few long horns... which btw eat
almost anything.
Well, we have
finally done it here... we are now trying out the “no poo”
challenge, which refers to no shampoo. This is because lately we
seem to be getting more allergic to soaps that are commercially made
than before and since starting the challenge The allergic affects
have dropped. I will say there has only been one downside so far...
it has been harder to brush my hair. I have very thick curly/wavy
hair and getting a brush or comb through it after just using water
and nothing else made it very hard to remove the tangles.
Now I know this might be a tad late when I post this but...
The hurricane Sandy
as it approaches NYC and the shore, a local organization here; Convoy
of hope. Has sent a semi full of water and microwaveable meals.
While I applaud them sending food and water, I'd like to ask people
to think a moment. If the power totally goes out what will the
microwaveable meals do for someone who cannot cook it? How
about pallets of canned tuna, and fruit? Peanut butter and bread?
To me that makes much more sense.
Last
bit of news is kinda a explanation, I am setting out 2 blog posts
today; the second is about our wood heater this winter we brought it
in and set it up on Oct. 4th.
It's very cool and we will keep info about how it does over the
course of the winter.
Well that's about
it for now.
Be Well, Be Safe,
and Blessed Be...
