Eggs!

Well I guess I was wrong about how long it might be before we got eggs from the hens. I found these while cleaning out the coop this evening. I finished up the cleaning and started to build the chickens some nest boxes. I got 2 boxes finished I plan to build a few more this weekend.

Pumkin seeds and hot hot sauce

Yesterday evening I made a batch of 4-8 hot sauce. It was the hot sauce recipe from the bell blue book. I modified it by cutting the sugar in half and using 4 Habaneros and 8 Thai dragon peppers.
To say it is hot is like saying Minnesota winters can be cold. I now just have to figure out what to do with so much of it.
I also roasted a pie pumpkin and froze the pulp for latter use in pies. I was planning on saving some of the seeds and roasting the rest. However there seems to be something wrong with the seeds, they seem to have curled up and punched out of the seed shells. I don't know what it means except that I will neither plant them nor eat them.

A quick note on dinner

Jess made chili for dinner. She made it from venison, onions, bell peppers and hot peppers we provided for ourselves. There really is alot of satisfaction in making a meal out of your own hard work. I guess I will have to grow kidney beans for next years chili.

PS I read I found this today and it reminded me of someone.

Rick

I am not dead.

Well it has been a while since I updated this page. I had to write if for no other reason to let my loyal reader know that I am not dead. I don't have a lot to tell you about today. Last weekend Jess and i made some rhubarb and raspberry jam. It was alot easier than I thought it would be. I will have to pick up some more pectin and make another batch of rhubarb jam yet this fall. I think I would need to reduce the sugar a bit however as I like a little more tartness in my food than most people.
I also got an opportunity to get out and do some small game hunting this season already. A friend of mine and I went out and shot a tiny squirrel. Not exactly a safari for wildebeest but we had a good time.
In micro-farming news, we lost a chicken last weekend to what I am assuming was a area cat. Also the tomato plants are done fro the season. I got a large shipment of garlic in for fall planting and need to build up a bed quickly.

I guess that is all for now.
Rick

Another Update

Well alot has happened since my last posting. Jess and I tried our hand at making a a batch of canned pickles. I think they look good. The weather has turned cold lately. The weather guy behind me is talking frost. I covered my peppers and lettuces this afternoon and put some hay in the chicken coop as well so I think we are ready. Still I hope we have some time yet before winter. I still have so much to do this fall. It just feels like we are in for an early and cold winter. Ah well.
Jess and I went to an event out at the Cedar Summit Farm last weekend. It was a fund raiser for Slow Food Minnesota. The food was great. I spoke a bit with a guy who runs a beer business in the cities. He reminded me that I really am lucky to have the place we do. I guess some times it takes a comment like ,"..Of course you do, You live in shangra-friggin-la!" to remind you how lucky you are. I sometimes get a bit overwhelmed by all the work that needs doing here but hearing things like that really helps.

Well keep warm.
Rick

Putting food by.

Well Jess and I spent some time this weekend processing foods for storage. We made my grandmas spicy pasta sauce out of our tomatoes and onions. We also dehydrated tomatoes and peppers. We vacuum packed the pasta sauce and froze it. I am still drying the peppers. I will probably grind them tomorrow. I also spent some time raking up the grass clippings for use as mulch and possibly chicken bedding.