Sorry All

Sorry all about the lack of posts lately. We have been having some issues with our connection. I think it was the result of pilling up too many security apps.

Rick

Picture post

Well things are certainly growing.

More tomorrow,

Rick

Power Tools Rule !

Hey all,
It was a great weekend. I got so much done. I cleaned out the coop. Jess and I bib a bit of shopping. I baked my first batch of shortbread. We had a breakfast today of prosciutto wrapped chevre. I removed an annoying detail over the sink in the kitchen. I cleaned out the garage. But most importantly I purchased a small tiller attachment for my weed whip. I got the chance to use it a bit to prep some of the beds in the garden and I am already very impressed. It is heavy and uses gas, so not totally green but man did it allow me to turn the beds well. I already look forward to turning the beds again with it. I have never had a tiller so I don't have a good frame of reference but I am impressed. I hope to possibly plant peas this week.
In other news the seedlings seem to be coming along nicely

What is wrong with this picture?

I took this picture yesterday while I was out cleaning the chicken coop. It appears that more nest boxes may be in order. I removed a heck of a lot of litter from the coop and now it smells much better. It was tons of work but the weather was nice (65F) and the chickens really seemed to appreciated it. I think the hens prefer the closed in boxes over the wall shelf style of boxes. I will have to get to making at least 4 more.

Rick

Yesterday and Today

Yesterday was 50 F degrees and I got a chance to actually start cleaning up the garden. The first picture is the little buds of rhubarb starting to break the surface of the soil. The second picture is of some of the snow warnings still in effect this evening. It was pretty bad out there today. We stayed close to freezing so we just got lots of sloppy wet snow. I think I may have done a post already about how I was tired of the snow. Well now I am exhausted by it.
In other news I bottled 5 gallons of beer last night. It was a batch that had sit in secondary fermentation for almost a year. The sample I tasted was pretty good so we will have to see how it turns out after it has had a chance to carbonate.
I also started some seeds. Mostly herbs. I am trying something new to see if I can start seeds in the basement with heaters and lights. I have in previous years proven to be one of the worst seed starters alive, so we will have to see on that one as well.

Well stay dry and warm if you can.
Rick

Chickens are hip

Apparently chickens are the cool new thing. I was handed an article today from todays StarTrib that was talking about people who choose to keep small backyard poultry flocks. I think it makes me almost feel like a trend setter.

Rick

Side Note

I got my first link to this blog the other day. It came from Stonehead of Musings from a Stonehead. I highly recommend his blog for a look at how they do this sort of thing over in Scotland.

Enough with the snow already

Happy Easter Everyone,

I know it is still March, I know Minnesota's weather is famously variable, I know Easter is early this year. All the same I am tired of the snow. I know it wasn't a snowy winter, I know we could use the moisture and I know it won't last long. I need it to stop snowing. As you can see above even Cooper is praying for it to end. We have had around 6 inches of the "white stuff" since Thursday evening and it just keeps coming. I know it is just a combination of jealousy for those who have already begun to plant and blog about it and my own eagerness to get out and do the same. I suppose I will have to work with nature and wait for the time to sow but just the same I don't have to be happy about it. I guess I will just have to work on my stoicness err stoicisity, aw screw it! I want Spring.

End rant.
Rick

The sausage wars continue.

Well tonight I finished baking the summer sausage. It was not without it's difficulties. First I went through 3 thermometers before I found one that worked. Then it took until midnight before the meat got up to temp. Lastly now I have to fit it all back into the fridge. Ah well what a guy wont do for awesome venison summer sausage.

Goodnight

Sausage Galore

Well my friend Jamie was out today. We made a couple different sausages from the book we got him for his birthday present. We made a batch of venison summer sausage, a batch of garlic and sage duck sausage and a batch of red pepper lamb sausage. I haven't had a chance to taste the summer sausage yet but the other sausages were great. I took most of the day but I think it was worth it.
In other news it snowed on Tuesday it was 50F to day and we have a winter storm watch for tomorrow. You got to love Minnesota weather.

Rick