Fall Homestead Progress

The fall plants are doing well for the most part. The peas are starting to climb up their strings, and the Garlic 'German Red' has started sprouting already.

The brussels sprouts and cabbage are looking promising. The loose leaf lettuce is sprouting nicely as well. Looking forward to getting some delicious lettuce salads again. The other evening we were enjoying some fruits from our labor, we had some really good tasting homemade bread with homemade butter.

Last of the Fall Transplants

Sunday afternoon was a gorgeous day, couldn't have asked for a nicer fall day, the sun was out, but it was nice and cool due to the breeze. So while the kids were napping I got outside and removed more of the tomato plants that are done for the season, and transplanted the rest of the fall plants that I still had in my seed starting shelves. The transplants consisted of two more Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli, and Cabbage. The ones that I had transplanted already are looking good for the most part. A few are being attacked by some leaf eating pest, but the ones along the east side of the house seem to be taking off pretty well.

Antonio Feeding the Worms

Yesterday afternoon, Antonio was playing at "Feeding the Worms." He pretended to eat some letter shapes, and then put them into his Elmo connector container which was his "Compost Crock" (which is the same shape as the ceramic one we have on the counter). Then we went over to a different part of the family room, and poured out the container, the whole time saying "dandole de comer a los gusanos (feeding the worms)." I think its great that he plays at composting, growing up as it being something normal to do as a normal part of life.

Frost Warning

We harvested the last of our sun ripened tomatoes at the end of last week. We had some varieties that we really liked, and others that I may not try growing again.

This weekend we had a frost warning, as temperatures were to drop to 32 on Sunday night. It was nice feeling the briskness in the fall air. We lit our fire place for the first time this fall, and the house was full of great warm smells of fresh bread baking, and pumpkin bread baking as well. I had to go out into the garden and harvest the rest of our tomatoes. I pulled about 4 pounds worth. So now, to figure out what do to with all the green tomatoes, Julia may try to pickle some, I may cook some in green tomato recipes, and then I may try to store some wrapped in paper and see if they last us through November that way.

Chicken Coop, revisited

Not that I am looking for a chicken coop, but if I was, this is the one I probably would want. It's called the "Little Egg Chicken Tractor" sold by GardenEggs. It would be big enough for us to grow into, (as we are thinking of starting with 3 chickens, when we finally can have chickens) and easy enough to move around a yard.

Chicken Coop

Two nights ago I admitted to Julia that I entered a raffle to win a chicken coop. Not quite sure what I'd do with it if I did win, but, I never win things, so I should be okay. Maybe I can give it to someone who has a yard as an incentive to get chickens if I for some reason do win.

Suwanee Farmer's Market

I am sad, this Saturday was the last day of our local farmer's market here in Suwanee. We ended up going almost every Saturday morning since the first week of May. It was so nice having the fruits and vegetables that we were able to get to supplement what we grew ourselves (the other way around to be honest, someday, maybe, we'll be able to grow more than we buy). But the free range eggs are what I am really going to miss over the colder seasons until the farmer's market opens up again in spring. The eggs were just so much better. They looked completely different, and tasted so much better, and from what I have read, I knew that they were so much healthier for us as well. You can read the facts at Free Range-Eggs.

The idea of not having fresh eggs has us (mostly me, as Julia is a bit more realistic than me when it comes to our dreams and ideas) brainstorming of ways to get our eggs. We both know that we want to have a few hens as soon as we live in a place where that is feasible, but I brought up the idea of guerilla chickens to go along with our guerilla garden (I am sure the HOA would LOVE that). . . Have a few hens, and let them live in the magnolia trees next to our house, and plead ignorance as to how they got there, or how they are being fed if anyone asks. But alas, we'll have to wait to raise our own, and hopefully find a source near us for the winter.

But if there ever happen to be chickens in our neighborhood. . I know nothing about them. . .

Canning Frenzy

Sunday night Julia got into a canning frenzy, she made a huge batch of spaghetti sauce and canned that. Julia then also made a really good smelling salsa out of our homegrown tomatoes and cayenne peppers that she is going to can as well.

Fall Transplanting

This past Saturday Antonio and I got out into the garden and sowed more lettuce seeds of various varieties, and some spinach. He really enjoyed pushing the spinach seeds into the soil with his fingertip. And on Sunday Antonio and transplanted about half of our seedlings we had growing under lights. We now have some Brussels sprouts, broccoli (Packman and De Cicco) and some cabbage planted outside. I am excited to see how the brussels sprouts will do, as it is our first attempt at growing them, the surprising thing is that we only last year discovered that we really like eating them.

Lemon Basil Vinegar

I finally got down and made some lemon basil vinegar from the lemon basil I had harvested earlier in the week. I wonder how it will turn out. So the jars are packed with the basil, and filled with vinegar, and now sitting on the kitchen counter. I'll have to stir them a few times a week. In a two or three weeks, they should be ready.

Basil Harvest

Antonio and I harvested a bumper crop of our herbs, mostly basil (of all three varieties I grew this year), but also some oregano and mint as well to tide us over for the winter. He was so proud of the harvest, that he would show each container to Julia, so she could see it and smell it. I am in the process of drying most of the herbs (so our house smelled strongly of basil last night). We are planning to make some pesto to freeze with some of it, and I may experiment with making Lemon Basil Vinegar.