All of the green beans picked earlier this week have been canned and are ready to stash in the pantry. It would have been 14 quarts but the bottom fell out of one as I was taking it out of the canner (hate it when that happens ;-( ) And so 13 quarts thus far ready for cold winter nights. If mother nature will bless us with some rain I should have more ready by the weekend.

I had just finished up when youngest son and new wife wandered down and wanted to help get up potatoes. He fired up the tractor and we  started picking up. Hubby arrived soon after and at the end of the evening 7 1/2 bushels are now ready to sort and put in the cellar for the year. Usually we can finish the last up at Christmas as mashed potatoes. I had hoped to plant a late crop but no seed taters can be found. I have a few that have sprouted here in the kitchen that I will try. No worries sweet potatoes are planted and will get us through.

Canning Season Is Here!

Well looks like I am going to be busy in the kitchen this week! A bushel of green beans have been picked. Kitchen chores are welcome this time of year. The temperature has been hovering in the upper 90's and the humidity is through the roof, making outside chores most unpleasant. Guess I better get busy snapping!

A Tasty Side

Some of the first veggies are coming out of the garden. Today's harvest, beets, a candy onion and a few new potatoes. I will roast all of the above and serve as a side to the lamb meatballs we are having tonight. Yum!

The garden is going to be late this year but better late than never!

Chickens Here and Chickens There

Chickens Everywhere! A day spent rearranging chickens, yes, poultry is plentiful around here right now. The meat birds were moved from the chicken tractor to the orchard and old hen house. They will be ready to process in another 2 weeks or so.

The first batch of laying chicks were then moved to the tractor. They will stay here until big enough to not escape from the chicken house where the meat birds are currently living. 

AND, in the now empty brooder 18 more chicks and 5 Khaki Campbell ducks were placed. Shhh, the ducks are a secret. Hubby doesn't know.