Dehydrating Strawberries

I have new kitchen toy-a dehydrator!  I've wanted one for years, specifically to dehydrate strawberries, although I can envision loads of ways to use it-garden vegetables, herbs, fruit leathers.

Dehydrating strawberries couldn't be simpler.  Just wash, cut off the tops and slice.  After 4-6 hours in the dehydrator they are ready to cool and store.  I also did some bananas.  They were almost as easy. The only extra step was putting them in a bit of ascorbic acid fruit preservative to keep them from turning too brown.  If the darker color doesn't bother you, you can skip that step.

The finished berries are stored in a canning jar.  If I thought they would last more than a couple of weeks (the children love them!), I would look into sealing them with a vacuum sealer.  

 

We're fast approaching canning season. I'll do my best to keep you up to date on this year's progress.

 

 



More Adventures Around the Homestead

We had a frost warning (or advisory or whatever they call it) for two nights this week. It's not unusual to have a cold night or so in April, but we've had such a warm winter that I had hoped we were done. Not quite!

So, what do you do with tomato plants that have been in the ground a mere few days? You cover them with anything you can find--half bushel baskets, buckets and sand castle building forms. I think we saved the plants, but time will tell.

Also, Timmy (the new baby goat) is doing well. He and his mother joined the rest of the goats on Thursday. He's discovered the salt block.

And he hasn't learned to escape the arms of a little girl who thinks he's the cutest thing EVER.
Anything new at your place?

New baby goat this morning!

The children came running back to the house this morning, after their usual chores, to tell me that there was a new baby goat in the shed. This one was a bit of a surprise since we weren't sure if the mama goat was pregnant.


We had not moved her into our kidding pen, so it was up to me and the two younger children to move baby and mama out of the big shed and into the separate kidding area. It was an adventure, trying to get mama to follow me. I finally picked up the baby and sort of tempted her with him. Once we got them settled, I took a few pictures. Isn't he a cutie?

At least, I think it's a "he".

Baby Goat Report for Thursday, February 2

I spent some time at the goat pasture this morning, just watching. Both babies seem to be doing well. The older one (white with a brown head) is running around with her mother. She also has an Aunt Fudge watching over her. Aunt Fudge is a brown goat with a very sweet face who doesn't have a baby of her own. She watches over her friend's little one, when she needs a baby sitter.

The new baby (born Tuesday) was standing up and nursing when I checked on her. She gets tired pretty quickly, but seems pretty energetic when she's had a little nap.

One of our neighbors, who has had goats for many years, came over yesterday afternoon to look the babies over and give us some advice. We are grateful to him for his encouragement. I feel much better after getting an expert opinion. I'm hopeful that these two girls will survive.

More Baby Goat Pictures

Okay, prepare for cuteness overload. First up, is a little girl completely in love with a baby goat. Me, also completely in love with a baby goat. The milk around her mouth is the icing on the cuteness cake.

Kids learn to walk really fast, although they are still adorably wobbly.

Even Abby, the gigantic Great Pyrenees, is falling for the babies. She constantly woofed at the other goats when they came too close.
Excuse me, but I have to go check on the kids. I think they miss me.

Look what I found in the goat pen!

I came home last night around 6:45 from a run to the fabric store and look what was in the goat pen! Andy, my husband, had checked on Mama Goat around 4:30, but no babies. Lo and behold, when I came back by two hours later--kids! They are adorable and our children are in love. They are walking around, sort of, and getting plenty to eat from their very sweet mother.

I'm completely smitten.

They're Here!

As of Saturday, just after noon, we are goat owners. One of our cousins, who keeps a couple dozen goats himself, brought us a male and two females.

They are spending their time checking out their new surroundings, which include an open pasture as well as a wooded area.

The billy is the one with a brown and black head. The other two are girls and are creamy white.

I'm not sure the boy is happy with the new situation yet, based on his expression. What do you think?

It can only get better from here, right?

Have you ever heard the saying "Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day"? Well, I didn't eat a live frog, but I did have an unpleasant chore to do. My son came in from feeding the outside animals and said, "Mom, one of the chickens is dead. She's next to the waterer."

Sigh. My husband left for work an hour earlier so it was up to me. My sweet son kept me company and helped cover the grave with large sticks, to keep other critters out. It's not a pleasant chore, but it is one of those things that makes me feel a bit stronger when I've done it. Burying a farm animal is now one of the things I can do on my own.

When we got back to the house, my six-year-old daughter had made me a cup of coffee. She did a great job. She can add that to the list of things she can do on her own.

Saturday Around the Homestead

There was lots to do around our place today and some of it actually got done. Andy mowed grass, around the house as well as down the driveway. He also fixed a faucet handle and one of the children's games.

I brushed down the pool and added chlorine, weeded about half the vegetable garden, made pickles and a yummy supper. The children and I made and decorated cupcakes for the holiday weekend.

The pickles were the big project of the day. My nine-year-old son helped me cut up cucumbers on Friday, in preparation for making bread and butter pickles today. The cucumber slices soaked in salt water overnight.

This afternoon, we combined sugar, vinegar and spices on the stove. We then added the cucumbers, simmered them for a few minutes and put them in jars. After a quick trip through the water bath canner, we now have pickles!
The cupcakes are red, white and blue in honor of Independence Day. The children had a great time adding the sprinkles.
Any plans this holiday weekend? Or non-holiday weekend, if you're outside the US?

The Goat Adventure Begins...

We've been talking about getting goats for a while now. I'm not sure exactly how we got to the point in our lives where we have a serious discussion about having goats, but here we are.

So, we've bought fence posts. I mean, we can't just rush into this, right? Anyway, we're starting by putting in a fence. I'm not convinced that this fence will hold goats, but I'm no goat-confinement expert. I've heard that "if it won't hold water, it won't hold goats". Or was that "sheep"?

I'll update you when we actually get the posts in the ground. Now that I think about it, getting actual animals may have to wait.

It's Chicken Run All Over Again!!

I went out to visit with the girls a little while ago. We have 22 chickens who live in a coop out back, with a fenced yard where they can scratch around. They have been falling down on the egg-laying job lately. I'm hoping that they will pick up the pace once the days get longer.

Anyway, here they are, gathering around and hoping for a treat. Sorry, ladies, I don't have anything right now.

This is a view of the back of the coop and their yard. See that hole in the back corner? I think they're trying to tunnel out.

We're not going to eat you, honest! Just lay some eggs!!