Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Busy Busy Busy

I am amused by how similar Humans are with their Companions in Nature. Our Friends the Squirrels are busy putting away their Stores of Food and doing last minute preparations of their Homes for Winter. Their urgency is sometimes whimsical for Humans to watch. But rather, they are serious about it, as their survival depends upon it.

So what are the 2 Leggeds up to on Butterfly Hill Farm? We are urgently doing the same. Somehow the Squirrels just seem to know about the Weather Changes. We kind of sense that too, but rely on Weather Underground, which by the way, tells us that temperatures will have lows about 30 early in the week. Yikes. We've got stuff to do.

If you would have visited us these past few days, this is what you would have found:
  • We harvested Peppers, Peppers and More Peppers. Melanie has an assortment in the Freezers on all the Flat Cookie Sheets that we have. They are separated into Hot and not so Hot as they await Upcoming Winter Culinary Adventures. Several are set aside in the Refrigerator for me to make Stuffed Peppers, a Winter Favorite. Others are set aside for Roasting. Some are hung to dry.
  • Melanie dried more Calendula, Chamomile, and Lemon Balm for the Family Pharmacy.
  • Richard dug Sweet Potatoes. Our 62 Plants yielded 50 Producers and some were quite heavy. We love Sweet Taters. They are an amazing Winter Food. We are excited to share them with Family Members who didn't have much Luck with Sweet Tators this year and others who don't have space or time to grow them. On the last day that we harvested them (October 20), we found a Tiger Salamander tucked alongside. He was about 7 inches long, black with tan spots, smooth skin, and just absolutely gorgeous. You should have seen his little Feet. I bet he was looking up at us and saying: "Look at those GIGANTIC Hands!" I do not know who was more surprised: him or us? Richard and Melanie also dug out a Toad and a Family of Mice. The Toad didn't move so they re-buried it. Did those Mice ever scatter! Can you even imagine what it would be like to look up from your pleasant little home and find 2 Giants peering down at you?
  • We harvested my Gourds. The picture below is of the Bushel Gourds. They will take the Winter to dry out in the Garage. Then they will become Canvases for Craft Projects. I am so excited.
  • We harvested and dried herbs: Rosemary, Basil, Parsley. Some went into the dehydrator. Others are hanging in various spots about the House.
  • Mother gave me some beautiful Flowers (Mums, Columbine) for our Garden yesterday. We tucked them into their places in the Grandmother's Flower Garden with that Wonderful C0w Compost from Rolf. I cannot believe how bare some of this Soil is and is that Clay ever hard. We are making progress with amendments, but that will take a long time. Probably a Several Life Times.
  • Richard built a Compost Site off the Grandmother's Flower Garden. I have been looking forward to this. Gee, did we fill it in just a couple of hours! We are going to be moving our Compost Sites around and using them as a basis for future Garden Beds or Trees. This simple practice should help restore the Soil and encourage nourishing Homes for our Plants.
  • We dumped the Flower Pots from the Front Porch. On one of the Warm Upcoming Days, we will clean the pots and put them away in the Garage.
  • I pulled out the Red Geraniums from their Pots, shook off the Soil, and hung them upside down in a dark area of the basement. The Old Timer Gardeners used to do this. The Geraniums will overwinter there and hopefully be ready for another Growing Season.
  • I pulled all the Horticulture Beans. Today Richard and I shelled the Beans. Tomorrow I will can them. They are a perfect base for Refried Beans.
  • We made a Very Big Pot of Chili from Garden Produce, Onions and Garlic from the Farmers' Market, Ground Beef from a Local Farmer, Ground Buffalo from a Farm about 70 miles away, Dried Beans we bought in Bulk at the Amish Store west of LaPlata. We will have that for Supper this Evening. It is almost done and is perfect for a Cold Fall Day. Can't you just smell it? We will then freeze up portions for Upcoming Meals for the 3 C's on Butterfly Hill Farm and for Mother in Town.
  • We dug up Carrots, Parsnips, Fennel, Green Tomatoes, Celery, and washed them up in preparation for storage and processing.
  • Melanie picked the rest of the Red Tomatoes, baked, and froze them.
  • Richard and Melanie headed to Hollis and Deleta's and made more Cider. On returning home, Melanie froze our stash.
  • Melanie keeps checking her Homemade Apple Cider Vinegar. It is almost there. We all 3 had tastes today and it is great. We will likely keep it for Medicinal Use rather than Culinary Use.
  • Melanie froze Eggplant, Mustard Greens, and Chipotle Chiles.
  • Melanie collected Pepper Seeds for future years. We all need to focus on completing Seed Collection for this.
  • Melanie and Richard covered Peanuts in preparation for the 1st Frost. This is obviously a long season crop as the Plants are not quite ready yet.

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