August 17, 2011

Busy still with canning and fencing.  Put up 12 pints of applesauce on Saturday with Olivia.  We picked most of our little gala apple tree.  The apples were splotchy and ugly on the outside, but perfect on the inside.  I could have sliced and frozen them, but we sauced a big jar.

David had 4 days off and really worked on the fence.  We have the whole front road fenced in and then he finished the entire woods side of fence on Tuesday with Joel.  What a blessing.  One more small side by the barn and our whole front 4 acres will be fenced in.  Almost time for the llamas to come - so exciting!

Picked tomatoes and wondered what to do now.  So I had to turn to tomato pudding.  The family is not excited, but they're made and in the freezer.

Took 23 cornish rock chickens to Rick and Betty Bennet for processing last night.  They only process at 2:00 in the morning so they should already be done.  We'll travel back to Gladys tomorrow morning to pick up the birds fresh and ready to cut up or freeze.  Have a few to give away and sell.  The next batch of chicks are coming in September.  I'm so glad we get a break from feeding, watering and moving for a while.  The Bennets only raise meat chickens in the spring and fall and I'm beginning to think that's the best idea around here.  The summer is too stressful on them and it's so difficult to keep them watered.  Next year we'd like to try 50 in the spring and 50 in the fall and be done with it.  It'll be eaisier to get away in the summer too.

Time to get fall crops in the garden.  I did put in a planting of lettuce and carrots already.  Need to get in my cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli for the fall.  I want to put in plantings of greens each week from now through September to ensure a steady supply of lettuce on the table.  Hopefully, we can travel to that great little greenhouse up in Wirtz to get some vegies to plant when we go to pick up the sheep meat from J & P Butchers.

Purchased a riding lawnmower on Saturday from Coast to Coast Small Engine Repair.  We've been giving them alot of business fixing our push mower and weed wacker.  They had a great used Cub Cadet we purchased.  It's really great to get the paths down to the pond done again.  Hope to have Joel pick up some downed branches and trees today to finish the path from the pond to the spring house.  It's such a nice walk down there.

Made these Pecan Bars for our Bible Study Picnic yesterday:
Crust: 2/3 c. confectioners' sugar
            2 cups flour
            1/2 pound (2 sticks) softened butter
Mix together and pat in 9x13 pan.  Bake 350 degrees for 20 min.  Remove from oven.

Topping:  2/3 cup melted butter
                   1/2 cup honey
                 3 tablespoons heavy cream
                  1/2 cup brown sugar
                 3 1/2 cups shelled pecans (used walnuts), coarsely chopped
Mix and spread over crust.  Bake 25 min.  Cool.

I thought they were too buttery, but everyone loved them.  Took a tomato pie also that turned out well.  Everyone seemed to have an abundance of tomatoes to share in our meal.  What fun.