tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14958160752444559382024-03-05T08:01:16.329-08:00the boynton homesteadjohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00976474470044418252noreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495816075244455938.post-66183092990453078462012-02-21T06:30:00.000-08:002012-02-21T06:30:27.944-08:00january & febuarybees: so sad...we lost 2 of our hives. but, i kinda expected it...they were smaller and weaker than the other 2. so, we will be buying 2 bee packages and starting again in the spring!<br />
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chickens: i have baby chicks! last week my order of 26 baby chicks came in from <a href="http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com">mcmurray hatchery</a>...4 died within a day and i sold 6 to a neighbor...so we are down to 16. i tried some new breeds...partridge rock, buff orpington, speckled sussex, silver spangled hamburg, and silver laced & gold laced wyandottes.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWvPb0abRu0zbmH5mdU2CxydGi0LkcK7IVhIeB4L8CaUAFQqBd9UXLhvsB9EEvybWQJlGlqhkl5VoJ_vX8QJQX2ROIDPnuXxEafLRwfiQ9CWhmBvpB2ipoeWUBgmFgrmo-jiuQs5Klpo/s1600/chicks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWvPb0abRu0zbmH5mdU2CxydGi0LkcK7IVhIeB4L8CaUAFQqBd9UXLhvsB9EEvybWQJlGlqhkl5VoJ_vX8QJQX2ROIDPnuXxEafLRwfiQ9CWhmBvpB2ipoeWUBgmFgrmo-jiuQs5Klpo/s320/chicks.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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garden 2012: if you are looking to buy non-gmo, heirloom seeds...you must check out "<a href="http://www.pureseeds.com">baker heirloom seed company</a>" ...they have a beautiful free catalog, and so many varieties of seeds! i am so excited for spring...i cant wait to start growing!<br />
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kids: i am excited to say that my little boo is about 75% potty trained! it will be so nice, not to have any diapers to change!johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00976474470044418252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495816075244455938.post-12055010686387666582012-01-09T05:55:00.000-08:002012-01-09T05:56:11.953-08:00thinking of spring...this winter has been pretty mild compared to last year...we have had days in the 50's & 60's, and (i hate to say it, because i may be jinxing us) no snow! the boys are feeling very cheated this year...no snow days, no sledding, no snow! i, on the other hand, am grateful!...this year we have saved alot on our home-heating costs, compared to last year. the warmer days really make you look ahead to spring! my spring 2012 plans...<br />
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the garden: we made 2 more raised beds over the winter, and plan on making more! i have been making lists of all the veggies i want to grow this year... cutting out the ones that didnt do well last year, and picking some new ones to try...like blue corn :)<br />
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chickens: i have baby chicks coming!!! we had some new breeds that we wanted to try, so i placed an order with McMurray Hatchery...my little chickies are schedualed to arrive feb. 15th! we have gold and silver laced wyandottes, partridge rocks, buff orpingtons, speckled sussex and silver spangled hamburgs all ordered! i have a large rabbit hutch, that we are moving into the basement and going to use as their brooder. we are also lookng into expanding the chicken coop/ run area to give our girls more space...i am also on the lookout for and old kids outdoor playhouse...i saw a photo online where someone converted one to a little hen house! <br />
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bees: with the warmer temps our honeybees actually came out insearch of forage...i was happy to see that all 4 hives are still alive! i am really looking forward to a good honey harvest this year...hopefully the girls get an early start!johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00976474470044418252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495816075244455938.post-3828983071508868382011-12-26T08:01:00.001-08:002011-12-26T08:01:43.183-08:00<a href="http://pinterest.com/jobeth9/"><img src="http://passets-cdn.pinterest.com/images/follow-on-pinterest-button.png" width="156" height="26" alt="Follow Me on Pinterest" /></a>johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00976474470044418252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495816075244455938.post-40320668672654286232011-12-01T05:56:00.000-08:002011-12-01T05:56:40.371-08:00october, november & december...it has been months since i have been able to sit down and write...so i have lots of updates!<br />
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kids: my boys have started cub scouts, and my little girl has officially entered the terrible 2 stage!<br />
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bees: all 4 hives are still alive (yayyyy)!...i started feeding the bees back in september, to help them build up their stores. i fed them sugar syrup in the beginning, but now i am feeding dry granulated sugar...on warm days some of the girls will still leave the hive in search of pollen...i also did a powdered sugar treatment back in the fall...hopefully, this helps lower the mite population in the hives. there is nothing to do now besides pray they make it till spring...i realy hope next year we get a decent honey harvest! the little we got this year was incredible!<br />
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hens: our girls have been doing an excellent job laying! we were getting 8-10 eggs per day...but now with the shorter days, we are down to 5-6 per day. overall, the chickens have been a huge success! they are easy and fun to keep...everyone really enjoys having them around...we are looking forward to getting a few more chicks in the spring...a few different breeds. i would like to get some wyandottes and a few marans. <br />
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garden & worms: so sad...my fall plants, kale & brussel sprouts, were destroyed by the green hornworms!! so now, i am planning for spring...we will make more raised beds, keep composting, and think about what to plant next year! i am even thinking of starting a worm farm! i have been thinking about red wigglers! these little crawlers break down compost material and give back incredible fertilizer for the garden!<br />
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pets: we have a new addition to our family...<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicoVrewkEJlOFuREszVH4SHF_54O5398FiWv9vg_JwPOikLJnRfh2orofnDtGBfaMArrRUuSWuW219mlYatEFfglBEj4pNT-MCjurGgmfhjJJ4rcWbYMnxlT1h1qgNgWj2hQZKLqef8oM/s1600/securedownload.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicoVrewkEJlOFuREszVH4SHF_54O5398FiWv9vg_JwPOikLJnRfh2orofnDtGBfaMArrRUuSWuW219mlYatEFfglBEj4pNT-MCjurGgmfhjJJ4rcWbYMnxlT1h1qgNgWj2hQZKLqef8oM/s320/securedownload.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">meet my boy, hagrid! as in harry potter's hagrid :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>he is a 10 week old, black lab/ golden retriever mix! he is a moose and already weighs close to 30 lbs!! <br />
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crafting & holidays: i have been learning how to quilt!! my husband bought me a sewing machine for chistmas last year, my mom & aunt have been teaching me quilting and sewing basics! i really like it and have made a few projects already... a quilt for my son, 2 wall hangings, and some drink coasters (from all my scrap material)...i am trying to do alot of homemade gifts this year...i think they are better than store bought :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3uhBLM5FfJLWHvtFNKdf-UW_ZIIk5pV_MqntiFGADEEPlsy5kogTHahiu7KYuujQz0WExZdCpapqMlTXvSbEfppIFpulKThYpgdXQ7xSaZBC_YQ74kzmA6MaGh3EMH9ADCkbDWh1xVus/s1600/1201110813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3uhBLM5FfJLWHvtFNKdf-UW_ZIIk5pV_MqntiFGADEEPlsy5kogTHahiu7KYuujQz0WExZdCpapqMlTXvSbEfppIFpulKThYpgdXQ7xSaZBC_YQ74kzmA6MaGh3EMH9ADCkbDWh1xVus/s320/1201110813.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">chicken print coasters!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00976474470044418252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495816075244455938.post-35854355425728354482011-09-26T06:27:00.000-07:002011-09-26T10:43:35.138-07:00apple pickin = apple pie!yesterday,we packed up the minivan and headed out to our favorite apple pickin' location...<a href="http://www.berlinorchards.com/?gclid=CJus3_f_uqsCFUnc4AodQTLldg">http://www.berlinorchards.com/?gclid=CJus3_f_uqsCFUnc4AodQTLldg</a>...what a great place it is! family owned, huge selection of apples, hayrides, pumpkins, farm critters and beautiful scenery!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKEQ1UgB1l72REiOlJ-WBhVaGQHZ9dBYW8-ClWK8Si6GUBr-0OG1BQGWUBhfhHm92pPDF6sZK1cdCaTAOi_08Ivy0tcoyaug7OwTgoww5r-peMLz0BEItJ1X-zysrmcnZf1hUpDWGEJ8Q/s1600/PICT0012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKEQ1UgB1l72REiOlJ-WBhVaGQHZ9dBYW8-ClWK8Si6GUBr-0OG1BQGWUBhfhHm92pPDF6sZK1cdCaTAOi_08Ivy0tcoyaug7OwTgoww5r-peMLz0BEItJ1X-zysrmcnZf1hUpDWGEJ8Q/s400/PICT0012.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">little boo!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>when we got home, i got to work on my first apple pie of the season...i used a combo of macs, honey crisp and golden supreme...yummy!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKGtyuRlUBXTU9ot_GCRxacHHfeVdp59lwa1zeJrT-HrLsMsEeIhGR3eXeAKKkDPnjti7pJJCZVYfSi9nXffg_RqqrMYbJa1lAqgJB_5wRwJi5ZrE6gRXDRhKKwr0-4hJHgUp_NdEOg58/s1600/0922101339.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKGtyuRlUBXTU9ot_GCRxacHHfeVdp59lwa1zeJrT-HrLsMsEeIhGR3eXeAKKkDPnjti7pJJCZVYfSi9nXffg_RqqrMYbJa1lAqgJB_5wRwJi5ZrE6gRXDRhKKwr0-4hJHgUp_NdEOg58/s320/0922101339.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my apple pie w/ crumbly top!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZOdzWu9oTXy3dYaE0fHP3RNwloq52RyKdvBDvs0PQI4Hapx7jXwuxKvSsjh7ozziYnmjlkI1_GmR-7vfK037r0CpqMTjDCBglPHGS6PfVRHNCCGoBfs5wGqLe7-TtqGtBJUrX0BMzfP8/s1600/Barn-Hop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZOdzWu9oTXy3dYaE0fHP3RNwloq52RyKdvBDvs0PQI4Hapx7jXwuxKvSsjh7ozziYnmjlkI1_GmR-7vfK037r0CpqMTjDCBglPHGS6PfVRHNCCGoBfs5wGqLe7-TtqGtBJUrX0BMzfP8/s200/Barn-Hop.jpg" width="200" /></a></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table>johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00976474470044418252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495816075244455938.post-37584470985747481402011-09-20T08:26:00.000-07:002011-09-20T08:26:01.330-07:00fall decor... <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt_CqefR18l4IWpu0oIRK3R2ghWGBP6UEcNvw5VG2GH_mcJOF3j82TbzzcFjAmXepr2OR5UZPmXQhjyBpAmD9lawxbVrXCxcU7iKyolbRFeKIrINdYdA-QB1344-gCPfiQnKkGS52grXY/s1600/PICT0006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt_CqefR18l4IWpu0oIRK3R2ghWGBP6UEcNvw5VG2GH_mcJOF3j82TbzzcFjAmXepr2OR5UZPmXQhjyBpAmD9lawxbVrXCxcU7iKyolbRFeKIrINdYdA-QB1344-gCPfiQnKkGS52grXY/s400/PICT0006.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">i found that piece of pottery for free on the side of the road!</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrRREBFE8_6tplOdTJySLKu_ZvuGIzytMpgCOfqFnXS1O8KsdYG-c5aNbawedDBlkWuReYOfDXNsNMWSrfwzNvj7HJKS8JXZTt3q13b9-jrHIYaH2y7R_bFUINIDItZF85TTe1pwt6Jkc/s1600/PICT0007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrRREBFE8_6tplOdTJySLKu_ZvuGIzytMpgCOfqFnXS1O8KsdYG-c5aNbawedDBlkWuReYOfDXNsNMWSrfwzNvj7HJKS8JXZTt3q13b9-jrHIYaH2y7R_bFUINIDItZF85TTe1pwt6Jkc/s400/PICT0007.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">i love this pumpkin! i plan on saving the seeds to grow next spring!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00976474470044418252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495816075244455938.post-85461246803555946622011-09-19T06:37:00.000-07:002011-09-19T06:40:51.643-07:00fall hive inspections...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJEgFsmeJolPQbKeaRJc6WSZYZtpGeac_47tYrg_qdxA8VKty8V7F4q9qxqT1T3WGafazyMh_8SSbXxXDDAVom-Q2SO2b0IcxVOPuYCzDB5IYQhio3xYap7uaJPBsjmNJfcGuXgc-J658/s1600/fallbees_edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="311" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJEgFsmeJolPQbKeaRJc6WSZYZtpGeac_47tYrg_qdxA8VKty8V7F4q9qxqT1T3WGafazyMh_8SSbXxXDDAVom-Q2SO2b0IcxVOPuYCzDB5IYQhio3xYap7uaJPBsjmNJfcGuXgc-J658/s400/fallbees_edited.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">honeybee out collecting some fall pollen!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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things are changing here in new england! in 1 week we have gone from having 85 degree days to 50-60 degree days. bring on the apples, pumpkins, mums and hayrides!<br />
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yesterday, we did our fall bee inspections...all four hives are still active and bringing in pollen, which is good because they really need to stock up for the winter! i will be feeding them from now until winter...i made a more concentrated syrup than the one i feed in the spring. i also made up some grease patties, they help with treacheal mites. here is all the recipies i use for my bees...<a href="http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Beekeeping/Recipes_for_the_Bees">http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Beekeeping/Recipes_for_the_Bees</a>.<br />
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there are important things to remember about winterizing your hives; ensure the colony has enough food stores; ensure the hive has proper ventilation; protect the hives from high winds ( i use ratcheting straps on all 4).<br />
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ventilation is very important...bees do not hibernate during the winter...they cluster together, with their queen in the middle. the middle of this cluster can get up to 90 degrees, so it is really important that the hive is ventilated, otherwise condensation will build up and moisten inside...the bees can tolerate the cold, but being wet will kill them!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00976474470044418252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495816075244455938.post-59958079357328218872011-09-14T05:49:00.001-07:002011-09-15T05:58:36.839-07:00wordless wednesday!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_FKUAEF6W1fYW1jHbLL2a42iF0_-38GN4c0xTIt35VOI_MDcXEeoKR2mOtQVQQW7mAnKQ6kfCRmeISD7fooTvFcJb74pstR16bV6pa2yL_azbTE7OEhaY7cT2mUE2PTU2TlHLLixENS4/s1600/eggs_edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_FKUAEF6W1fYW1jHbLL2a42iF0_-38GN4c0xTIt35VOI_MDcXEeoKR2mOtQVQQW7mAnKQ6kfCRmeISD7fooTvFcJb74pstR16bV6pa2yL_azbTE7OEhaY7cT2mUE2PTU2TlHLLixENS4/s320/eggs_edited.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00976474470044418252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495816075244455938.post-36579600992861767162011-08-29T18:26:00.000-07:002011-08-29T18:28:05.599-07:00end of summer- tomato chutney<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr68n0DU7IjmhSVU9x2aA1YyiNV0S2A6wDXAI6bWTRtGiXuB5LC_dhEEtdK7JY1Zz_atjaAEu_hRTz5aCRoFCzYwzPyZZNxd6DRDQLzHzxXRctNDbfK2B-JagJ8coliA2rQwYf8MLKh34/s1600/chutney.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr68n0DU7IjmhSVU9x2aA1YyiNV0S2A6wDXAI6bWTRtGiXuB5LC_dhEEtdK7JY1Zz_atjaAEu_hRTz5aCRoFCzYwzPyZZNxd6DRDQLzHzxXRctNDbfK2B-JagJ8coliA2rQwYf8MLKh34/s320/chutney.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>6-7 good sized tomatoes (roughly chopped)...you can use green tomatoes also!<br />
1 medium onion (chopped)<br />
2 apples (peeled & chopped)<br />
1 small cucumber (peeled & chopped)<br />
3/4 cup golden raisins<br />
1/4 red wine vinegar<br />
1/4 cup white sugar<br />
1/4 cup brown sugar<br />
1 tbsp kosher salt<br />
1 tbsp red pepper flakes<br />
2 tsp garlic powder OR 3 cloves finely chopped<br />
1/4 tsp cinnamon<br />
1/4 tsp ground ginger<br />
1/4 tsp cumin<br />
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combine all ingredients into a large sauce pot...heat to a boil...reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour (until reduced and thickened)...stir to prevent sticking...pour into prepared canning jars...process jars for 10 minutes in boiling water.<br />
*i did not peel the tomatoes...i did pick out any really large pieces of peel that floated to the surface.*<br />
johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00976474470044418252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495816075244455938.post-31422323937527745542011-08-18T16:07:00.000-07:002011-08-18T16:07:57.698-07:00lots of tomatoes and a bee update...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHiDKWJ-eiH7hQAFhBm5p7U402swM64A4hJ0oYfJCHTaGcYVZr38npmyrqFNYjRIYF3Ty8Q3LKsPgYgxjJAH3LLrSCrrjLSI4ElBuPOAiIBUEybYawS7FCXEFBeFa0L1EnlQ7DMUMamMo/s1600/blackkrimtomato.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHiDKWJ-eiH7hQAFhBm5p7U402swM64A4hJ0oYfJCHTaGcYVZr38npmyrqFNYjRIYF3Ty8Q3LKsPgYgxjJAH3LLrSCrrjLSI4ElBuPOAiIBUEybYawS7FCXEFBeFa0L1EnlQ7DMUMamMo/s320/blackkrimtomato.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"black krim" heirloom </td></tr>
</tbody></table>i have been waiting all summer for my tomatoes and they are finally ripe!! we have had weird weather this summer...only a few really hot days, several weeks of just rain, and alot of days in the 70's or 80's...i grew a few different varieties this year, and my fav is the "black krim"! they have a deep red/ purple skin, and a really strong flavor. i really love slicing them up for tomato sandwiches...toasted bread, mayo, tomatoes, salt...perfection!<br />
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in bee news...all 4 hives are doing well! here is a video of hive #2 "washboarding"...they are dancing forward & back. no one knows why they do this "social activity", but it is really cool to watch!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwVCMUqOwfiMPuGINLQoTPqgK51hIPfsc3MLbPAqJ3LHk_4Ze81cLTRtJm5TzsKFae9JJIZKnq_tYVGdrQ5xA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00976474470044418252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495816075244455938.post-59578499571172518682011-08-03T14:31:00.000-07:002011-08-03T14:31:20.892-07:00barn cats...i am a definate "cat" person...i like dogs, think they are adorable...but i LOVE cats. at any giving time in my life, i have had at least 2 cats. right now we have 4...all were rescues or given to us free. meet our cast of mouse hunters!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbPrzrQ70yg5ZdTR7FKV1nyKGIrfuPPDAq3MqtO_aGsSGj617CMI0SHj7O_Zl0SrAKZRLN_olB7w0M6ZxT5LuEJij4C3wSpe4fY3fiQhkW4rr5tOEFoDa3WH-drgAwt08Z6psMW76P334/s1600/PICT0008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbPrzrQ70yg5ZdTR7FKV1nyKGIrfuPPDAq3MqtO_aGsSGj617CMI0SHj7O_Zl0SrAKZRLN_olB7w0M6ZxT5LuEJij4C3wSpe4fY3fiQhkW4rr5tOEFoDa3WH-drgAwt08Z6psMW76P334/s320/PICT0008.JPG" t$="true" width="240" /></a></div>our newest baby...this is "ginny"...she was found in a pickle bucket, left in a parking lot! orange cats seem to have the best personalities, and this little one is so sweet!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9QxJ1Rq9uMBuU8L2WgoPuGYZVJCAl0PJoSMA_SEWS4LlEoDLHf4gHN6KZuUGXX5a4y5NsbkyE6cak2NqZ6hZTxD56cvo5-nFhWOlH0FirnBN_Ph55pJ7eBPXjjEcureWRoPSJV7xrBb4/s1600/PICT0024_edited.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9QxJ1Rq9uMBuU8L2WgoPuGYZVJCAl0PJoSMA_SEWS4LlEoDLHf4gHN6KZuUGXX5a4y5NsbkyE6cak2NqZ6hZTxD56cvo5-nFhWOlH0FirnBN_Ph55pJ7eBPXjjEcureWRoPSJV7xrBb4/s320/PICT0024_edited.JPG" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div>this is "fudge"! he is a maine coon mix, the most loveable out of the bunch...although, not as smart as the others. but, we love him all the same.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb7G-28WF6xFihX5axwUqXjSnnnCe3iyMRTTuO4tLyqNylB_KxBCkO-adCEpBYCb7Q7DqqCbeH2sZEIpRLhKNj-r7xEoLbmr7JEBEgmesLGW3SZhtgv9Fb5r45ZVO9P2w0kYYj-uU-2qQ/s1600/PICT0010_edited.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb7G-28WF6xFihX5axwUqXjSnnnCe3iyMRTTuO4tLyqNylB_KxBCkO-adCEpBYCb7Q7DqqCbeH2sZEIpRLhKNj-r7xEoLbmr7JEBEgmesLGW3SZhtgv9Fb5r45ZVO9P2w0kYYj-uU-2qQ/s320/PICT0010_edited.JPG" t$="true" width="239" /></a></div>this is "salem"...she is MY cat...im not supposed to have favorites, but she's mine! salem only comes to me for loving... she is also the best hunter, she catches at least a mouse a day! i have a thing for black cats and she is my baby! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6BETiIqy36fsIEZsN_P7IUNRUinQbdflA7D0S0j_IEIApdZijijAW6pxYX6DQNrrf19dDCUWrbwhzZ9XKVKNgA_IrGLDmqbBmKTx86FjWxG_7EUQ9pHEHLJOdV2Sz_Bexhg2wi8xfLcg/s1600/DSCF0355_edited.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6BETiIqy36fsIEZsN_P7IUNRUinQbdflA7D0S0j_IEIApdZijijAW6pxYX6DQNrrf19dDCUWrbwhzZ9XKVKNgA_IrGLDmqbBmKTx86FjWxG_7EUQ9pHEHLJOdV2Sz_Bexhg2wi8xfLcg/s320/DSCF0355_edited.JPG" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div>this is "albus"...he is the most aloof of all the kitties... and my husbands favorite! poor alby is not a huge fan of the kids...but he does like an occasional scratch behind the ears and a warm spot to curl up on. johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00976474470044418252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495816075244455938.post-54287014047631426012011-07-25T08:03:00.000-07:002011-07-25T08:04:10.612-07:00good little hen...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFnu3eQqBZse5U0F4snBZxlI_rg8tPPNS-xaFhC5kTxcextqLEZsDHvSkFaKbxo4kYP0mPAgj9JRAHvZQyOwQlIFxcLGUqpVpUPwU9-ZceeD7Vsu9vk8G_Ra_c4lZxGrKC8noL8-nbdxE/s1600/PICT0001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFnu3eQqBZse5U0F4snBZxlI_rg8tPPNS-xaFhC5kTxcextqLEZsDHvSkFaKbxo4kYP0mPAgj9JRAHvZQyOwQlIFxcLGUqpVpUPwU9-ZceeD7Vsu9vk8G_Ra_c4lZxGrKC8noL8-nbdxE/s320/PICT0001.JPG" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div>this is "omlet" and im very sure she is the little hen doing the laying! she is so cute... she is squwalking up a storm and running between nesting boxes. here i found her in a barrel i use to muck out the coop...she is making her own nest! me & the kids cracked open one of the little eggs she made and it had a perfect, tiny yolk inside...i love it!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohLpSnHfZe8-Qar71wHFbNsPFlVowAJHwOeHfsGt5jLu9OEKYeavqyemKmAyH7tigvKOSYcQ7ZV8ft_PQQj4GT1JOwBa-hp9CgvENb1UJ4eQ5vt0WhOb0SAprWmeq6RKQ8hCz3NNZFfs/s1600/Barn-Hop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohLpSnHfZe8-Qar71wHFbNsPFlVowAJHwOeHfsGt5jLu9OEKYeavqyemKmAyH7tigvKOSYcQ7ZV8ft_PQQj4GT1JOwBa-hp9CgvENb1UJ4eQ5vt0WhOb0SAprWmeq6RKQ8hCz3NNZFfs/s200/Barn-Hop.jpg" t$="true" width="200" /></a></div>johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00976474470044418252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495816075244455938.post-39317239682991293692011-07-23T08:19:00.000-07:002011-07-23T08:20:52.724-07:00our first egg!one of our hens finally laid an egg...and it's green! looks like one of our auracana girls wins the prize! yesterday morning i went out to do my usual feeding & clean up, when i saw this tiny little green egg on the ground. at first i thought it was a robin's egg. it is small, the size of a quail egg, but that is normal and in a few weeks she will be laying normal sized eggs. so excited to see months of work start to pay off :)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizuFCnUIdpldZI82nk2wB8XPYi_5P5w-4_Mpdhs3l6UZe_qcmKtMWE69hn1yv4Yecl5tcvQR2sfAYiw4oMgFmS0G-vQHZUswrBPNcuqOArxkas532UY7zx5v4adGk_7X_6MrUvENq2G7U/s1600/egg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizuFCnUIdpldZI82nk2wB8XPYi_5P5w-4_Mpdhs3l6UZe_qcmKtMWE69hn1yv4Yecl5tcvQR2sfAYiw4oMgFmS0G-vQHZUswrBPNcuqOArxkas532UY7zx5v4adGk_7X_6MrUvENq2G7U/s320/egg.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div>johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00976474470044418252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495816075244455938.post-16793484299183958372011-07-18T12:22:00.000-07:002011-07-18T12:22:38.402-07:00still learning...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoL-W7NcoBES1f6xw1KZxCkSZuIgKPOCL5HkKtJ3YW3LTqNqFS8AOFE-_SVWJu1xfa5TOltZMqrtFXkbbLCNHRO2PyZEYlvKTJxGRafY-55FOM1022jOEhPuJxX6TWO220MGgoQGg0Bd4/s1600/PICT0002_edited.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoL-W7NcoBES1f6xw1KZxCkSZuIgKPOCL5HkKtJ3YW3LTqNqFS8AOFE-_SVWJu1xfa5TOltZMqrtFXkbbLCNHRO2PyZEYlvKTJxGRafY-55FOM1022jOEhPuJxX6TWO220MGgoQGg0Bd4/s400/PICT0002_edited.JPG" width="263" /></a></div>about 2 weeks ago i wrote that i thought 2 of my hives were queen-less...well i was so wrong! i still have so much to learn...i jumped the gun and bought 2 new queens. when i went to hive them, i did another inspection and found eggs and capped brood in both! so we took 3 frames of brood, honey & bees and 1 of the new queens and made a nuc...the other queen i am trying to sell so she doesnt go to waste. making this split was not in my plans, but i hope it grows into another full colony!<br />
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today was pat's first day as a beekeeper! he is fearless and has been asking & asking to do an inspection with me...i had to gain some confidence in myself before i took him out there. he wore his dad's jacket (maybe we will save up and buy him his own suit) he did great, he loves it! pat is a nature boy, anything that is alive and growing he is all about it! im happy that we can teach him beekeeping and as he grows it may be a real passion for him...the world needs more beekeepers!johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00976474470044418252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495816075244455938.post-73205112386223881772011-07-16T14:34:00.001-07:002011-07-23T08:21:02.909-07:00buzzzzzzzzzzzzzz<a href="http://www.yourgardenshow.com/bee-a-thon" target="_blank"><img alt="bee-a-thon medium widget" height="250" src="http://cdn.yourgardenshow.com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/qr/cs/bee-a-thon_300x250.jpg" width="300" /></a>johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00976474470044418252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495816075244455938.post-4616470235318744552011-07-12T18:15:00.000-07:002011-07-12T18:15:40.381-07:00bee troubles and garden 2011 update...on sunday i was stung for the 5th time, and this one was the worst yet! she got me on my thigh, through my jeans! i had my gloves on, so i couldnt get the stinger out fast enough...my poor leg got every drop of bee venom she had in her...ouch! by monday morning i had a softball-sized lump...but today its a little better, so i think ill live :)...but, i am very worried because i think 2 of the hives are queen-less! no brood, no eggs, no larvae...not good! thankfully i found an apiary with lots of queens in our area, <a href="http://beehavin.com/">http://beehavin.com/</a> , we are going to pick them up ASAP!<br />
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today i harvested the first cucumbers of the year...hopefully they are the first of many, because i really want to make homemade pickles! summer squash & beans are still going strong and i can not wait for the tomatoes and corn.<br />
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in chicken news...we are still anxiously awaiting the first egg. come on ladies...any day now!! johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00976474470044418252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495816075244455938.post-80542113931229775792011-06-28T07:31:00.000-07:002011-09-15T05:57:38.265-07:00another school year gone by...yayyy, today is the last day of school for the boys! school went really late this year because we had 6 snow days over the winter. i cant believe how much kids change in just one year! these are "before & after" pics...taken on the first and last days of school (the boys were not feeling photogenic this morning, but still cute)...i even put them in matching shirts for the occasion...dont worry they go to different schools :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-3EDPTD5myJUlGecmouO0fz7aTKi5IoZNL-t0ryWmpvrYE4P0xGe_-TQvauMtjrQoGzxn7hXFTtINP8xEvxNXj3E1Soy25sgpLPeer8TdWiLSpH5uRv0uUnWljdO8lCCZLdLadWccXDo/s1600/DSCN1493.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-3EDPTD5myJUlGecmouO0fz7aTKi5IoZNL-t0ryWmpvrYE4P0xGe_-TQvauMtjrQoGzxn7hXFTtINP8xEvxNXj3E1Soy25sgpLPeer8TdWiLSpH5uRv0uUnWljdO8lCCZLdLadWccXDo/s320/DSCN1493.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">pat...1st day of 2nd grade</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjlp15xotsy34-_xNcoF02jV143z63iiyP_lLq41Gs4H-tFn_WY7RK4UEqVO7gysTcF-6UnmOgS1RAVyYEynXU0VQXhHPQKxm3kIL03v0CbyODnT2ZUi9d3XtmcAnXIX_GW0BTQg2LpA/s1600/PICT0002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjlp15xotsy34-_xNcoF02jV143z63iiyP_lLq41Gs4H-tFn_WY7RK4UEqVO7gysTcF-6UnmOgS1RAVyYEynXU0VQXhHPQKxm3kIL03v0CbyODnT2ZUi9d3XtmcAnXIX_GW0BTQg2LpA/s320/PICT0002.JPG" width="251" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">last day of 2nd grade</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqRpfbJkjjpAIQBMvPLOspNdtwFckMSXRlP27XLtOavw8-77y2rLhz1bp7IbL2GwptMQnwC6grkWjPm455lflgJwBF27I3kB3sU2Z-8xDzdLPyUheCzU3Zg7broNkdlxVcVbmA8K8clp4/s1600/DSCN1508.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqRpfbJkjjpAIQBMvPLOspNdtwFckMSXRlP27XLtOavw8-77y2rLhz1bp7IbL2GwptMQnwC6grkWjPm455lflgJwBF27I3kB3sU2Z-8xDzdLPyUheCzU3Zg7broNkdlxVcVbmA8K8clp4/s320/DSCN1508.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DD first day of kindergarten</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivlpV6H-I8auZ0GnUnq7b5Jzp63ECTbnlJWRT9tpNwpHGjbfVMhvUFIwLsByJF5rbeH_BuW1rCn8CT3Yzz-Jp9MBWSwBTvV5qCoAuB6rkXndTYVF2Dt-P6HYS-ig_cFxoRglqWO1LGs-I/s1600/PICT0003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivlpV6H-I8auZ0GnUnq7b5Jzp63ECTbnlJWRT9tpNwpHGjbfVMhvUFIwLsByJF5rbeH_BuW1rCn8CT3Yzz-Jp9MBWSwBTvV5qCoAuB6rkXndTYVF2Dt-P6HYS-ig_cFxoRglqWO1LGs-I/s320/PICT0003.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">last day of kindergarten!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00976474470044418252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495816075244455938.post-67098142495196348532011-06-17T12:28:00.000-07:002011-06-17T18:41:05.065-07:00strawberry~cranberry jam :)here is my recipe for strawberry~cranberry jam! me & the kids picked the strawberries and the cranberries were harvested last fall, from a family friend's cranberry bog...enjoy!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiATjf9dz5CWsSqR33WTNDtXaMdFdDU0lEH9xnIEhjuQw_N6Q9xnh7mJ89G5eg3ednu9BidoM3efarpjdV4Xyc46DO_sBSfijUZupB7WRciSXN00p_iTD3lJGwHXbgQaJr_3GO8l-h3gQ/s1600/0617111505_edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiATjf9dz5CWsSqR33WTNDtXaMdFdDU0lEH9xnIEhjuQw_N6Q9xnh7mJ89G5eg3ednu9BidoM3efarpjdV4Xyc46DO_sBSfijUZupB7WRciSXN00p_iTD3lJGwHXbgQaJr_3GO8l-h3gQ/s200/0617111505_edited.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">~4 cups freshly picked strawberries, roughly chopped</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">~1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">~7 cups white sugar</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">~1 pouch of liquid pectin</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">~1 tsp of ground cinnamon</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">~1 tsp vanilla extract</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">~1 tbsp butter</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">combine the berries, sugar, cinnamon in a large sauce pan; heat on medium/ medium high; use a potato masher to mash the berries as they cook down; bring to a full rolling boil (a boil that doesnt stop bubbling when stirred); add the butter and boil for 3-5 minutes (stirring constantly); stir in the pectin and stir constantly for 1 full minute; laddle into prepared jars! </div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00976474470044418252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495816075244455938.post-79540140004309329002011-06-17T06:50:00.000-07:002011-06-17T06:57:39.095-07:00hive inspections and the start of summer!yesterday we had bee~utiful weather, so we suited up, and went to check in on our girls! we started with hive #2...this was the hive we started with a 3 lb package. things are going good so far, but these bees have alot of building to do! the queen is laying eggs...we saw lots of capped brood and alot honey stored. but, this hive has me worried because they only have about 4 framed built out with comb...i have been checking in on them a couple times a day, there has been lots of activity, and i am still refilling the feeder every couple days...so i thought there was going to be much more growth...hive #3 was a split from hive #1, being beginners we had never "split" a hive before so we were really worried that we didnt do it right, and would loose our bees. BUT, this hive is going gangbusters! they had 6 out of the 8 frames covered with comb and bees, so we added a medium super on top. these bees are sucking down the sugar water i have been feeding them...i filled it yesterday afternoon, and this morning it is half empty!...hive #1 also has me kinda concerned...they seems to be having an ant problem. i read online that if the hive is healthy, they can keep invaders, such as ants, at bay. but it looks like alot of ants to me!...did you know that bees need plenty of water to drink? we used a chick waterer as our new bee waterer! we filled the base with small stones, so the bees have a landing spot!<br />
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yesterday, i harvested the first batch of peas! within a week or so we should have more peas, beans, lettuce, and strawberries... we built another raised bed, and i planted my herbs...chives, basil, parsley, cilantro and rosemary! in the big garden, we planted 5 rows of corn, 3 rows of pumpkins and 4 rows of onions! the corn was a local "early" growing variety, and has already sprouted! <br />
<br />
our laying hens are about 16 weeks old now! so in another 5 weeks of so we should start getting eggs! finally, all our work/ expense will pay off!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAX-PTyxIhZ1-OZo-rzyL3HawIuOaBHC-zqTU1C8hC9wmvQKhj1a8vfdnkGpcUuHys2O8HowJYyzbWBY4CYNw-k8VCGXAAxaYzKodTrH2fhugDHj2DrHdojphkt0eqfMNxJoEwbM3SrH4/s1600/0616111647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAX-PTyxIhZ1-OZo-rzyL3HawIuOaBHC-zqTU1C8hC9wmvQKhj1a8vfdnkGpcUuHys2O8HowJYyzbWBY4CYNw-k8VCGXAAxaYzKodTrH2fhugDHj2DrHdojphkt0eqfMNxJoEwbM3SrH4/s320/0616111647.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my little boo, enjoying the weather!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00976474470044418252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495816075244455938.post-56737262330041261452011-06-13T13:17:00.000-07:002011-06-13T15:26:40.467-07:00linguica & cheese quiche...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilC38dMp5GlDwch8VVf8uE9WlwDy997VfSJAopF6kxw8JUd7cjJE_J042IeR6ZoAC5jZdVB2AzuWVfoVhw2TjGWiibKQxRkmWzEy180O86WV1TgP0GtrobMPTJmJ_JJyJHhRECCuBHywc/s1600/0613111742.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilC38dMp5GlDwch8VVf8uE9WlwDy997VfSJAopF6kxw8JUd7cjJE_J042IeR6ZoAC5jZdVB2AzuWVfoVhw2TjGWiibKQxRkmWzEy180O86WV1TgP0GtrobMPTJmJ_JJyJHhRECCuBHywc/s320/0613111742.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div>this easy quiche is great for breakfast, lunch or dinner...i used ground linguica for this recipe, but you could also substitute bacon or ham...i also made my own pie crust, but you could use store bought/ frozen crust.<br />
<br />
5 eggs, beaten<br />
1 cup milk<br />
8 oz/ 2 cups shredded cheese (i used a "pizza" blend)<br />
1 small onion, chopped<br />
1 cup ground linguica<br />
1 medium potato, chopped into small pieces<br />
1 tbsp salt<br />
1/2 tsp ground pepper<br />
pie crust<br />
<br />
~preheat oven to 350 degrees; combine the beaten eggs, milk, shredded cheese, salt & pepper; pour egg mixture over unbaked pie crust; add potatoes, linguica and onions over egg mixture; bake for 1 hour 20 minutes or until top browns.johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00976474470044418252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495816075244455938.post-49788193432457575732011-06-10T10:52:00.000-07:002011-06-10T11:32:47.947-07:00growing mushrooms...i love mushrooms, not only do they taste good, but they are really good for you...shiitake mushrroms even have anti-cancer properties! i also didnt know that you could grow shiitake mushrooms in your very own backyard! when i read an article on it, i was immediatly interested...so i did some research online, and found out that it is pretty easy to do...so, i ordered some shiitake spores/ spawn on little wooden dowels. you can buy spores in a couple different ways and there are alot of different mushroom types that you can grow, including shiitake, oyster (pink, blue and even yellow colored!!), morrel, portebella, and white button...go to this site: <a href="http://www.fieldforest.net/">http://www.fieldforest.net/</a> they have a ton of info on buying & growing shrooms!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivUN7VFb4hW_UzbzwXjzbHfJQn03mwTWBElzv8xOLP6d_NKnWyYxInmpOpA273sbCuzeffnyAXNihoiUfHHOKiHWOzRvgO9V8g4rvQP4hpOwU4kNa23zdKi0WALvOLwF8R-SDQcy_5a2A/s1600/PICT0003_edited.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivUN7VFb4hW_UzbzwXjzbHfJQn03mwTWBElzv8xOLP6d_NKnWyYxInmpOpA273sbCuzeffnyAXNihoiUfHHOKiHWOzRvgO9V8g4rvQP4hpOwU4kNa23zdKi0WALvOLwF8R-SDQcy_5a2A/s320/PICT0003_edited.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">here are my mushroom spores on wooden dowels!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>all you need to start is a good sized log from a freshly cut hard wood tree...i used maple! it has to be freshly cut because you need the moisture from the tree and you do not want your log to be infected with any type of "wild" spores...some wild mushrooms can be poisonous!! drill holes in the log using a large drill bit...you want to drill the holes in a diamond pattern. next, you push the dowels into holes you just drilled. once you have all the holes filled you can cover each hole with a food grade wax, like cheese wax, to keep moisture in.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPkYN0G6v8oloTj9MBmqy0_SMQeQYvc3gurm6BoPyRPJo4eJ5gsq4oa_TroiLZkoUoeCI6E2IU59X42jx5WwDAh2zJv5DEvcN00Gjat2e27Gh14fn8hUZyfqJd9oCoDP2qmA4DTcoRaY0/s1600/PICT0004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPkYN0G6v8oloTj9MBmqy0_SMQeQYvc3gurm6BoPyRPJo4eJ5gsq4oa_TroiLZkoUoeCI6E2IU59X42jx5WwDAh2zJv5DEvcN00Gjat2e27Gh14fn8hUZyfqJd9oCoDP2qmA4DTcoRaY0/s320/PICT0004.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my holes in a diamond pattern.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>so once you have finished that, you can move the log to a shady corner of your yard! do not put directly on the ground (again "wild" spores)...i am going to put this log up on a cement block...hose it down every once in a while, to keep it moist. the mushrooms will take a long time to grow...somewhere between 9-12 months! but it will be worth the wait! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmy0DA9qJQNJo8dYHf-4b0x5Rb4GVAnkpssEiPmqfAaMXgAneAPa4yRrb1soG4k3ESzN31cdhS4nlYjKSu9jZA5tI3P4V_HyCp0DIeRcEpIIbpstmRVFZbEk8LJfofpd_WeEyXvYRz72E/s1600/PICT0006_edited.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmy0DA9qJQNJo8dYHf-4b0x5Rb4GVAnkpssEiPmqfAaMXgAneAPa4yRrb1soG4k3ESzN31cdhS4nlYjKSu9jZA5tI3P4V_HyCp0DIeRcEpIIbpstmRVFZbEk8LJfofpd_WeEyXvYRz72E/s320/PICT0006_edited.JPG" t8="true" width="208" /></a></div>johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00976474470044418252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495816075244455938.post-83265782033672189512011-05-26T10:59:00.000-07:002011-05-26T11:01:01.246-07:00the queen is free!yesterday, we inspected the hive (hive #2) that we packaged last week...the queen has been released from the queen cage! it is amazing to see how much the worker bees have done in only 1 week! they have been out foraging everyday, and have 3-4 frames covered with comb! when we removed the queen cage, part of the comb was stuck to it. in the comb are tiny little eggs...so the queen is doing a great job! <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5QGUDg2vGotwmIQDeY0s9_bNB9jp74RRsEcACv38yadSxt6eYDC4Fw-HPcFEkQaQVqOX1YXk6wHEsd66jrYBLjNL1I38-koMYino9HNFpqPKornf49uj14ldj3gi-gzZm8Ls_1oFImg4/s1600/comb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5QGUDg2vGotwmIQDeY0s9_bNB9jp74RRsEcACv38yadSxt6eYDC4Fw-HPcFEkQaQVqOX1YXk6wHEsd66jrYBLjNL1I38-koMYino9HNFpqPKornf49uj14ldj3gi-gzZm8Ls_1oFImg4/s320/comb.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">beautiful new comb! inside is pollen and eggs from the queen!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>we have decided to split hive #1! we are going to have 5 frames of brood and honey (frames with queen cells on them) and put them into an empty hive. within a few days the new queen should hatch...and then we will have 3 hives!johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00976474470044418252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495816075244455938.post-82416295606403582062011-05-19T12:09:00.000-07:002011-05-26T11:00:54.639-07:00hiving a package of bees for our 2nd hive...<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">today, we drove to "trail's end farm" in richmond, ri and picked up a 3 lb package of bees with a russian hybrid queen! this package is for our 2nd hive. here is a video of us doing the installation...my poor bee-aphobic sister served as the camera man. this was the first time doing this... so we went on what we learned and from other people advice! usually, when hiving a package of bees you literally shake/ dump the bees out of the box into the hive...we have had terrible weather here lately. it has rained for almost 2 weeks straight (and the forcast call for rain till sunday). so we were literally doing this between rain showers, our bee supplier told us to just put the whole box in the hive and let them come out on their own. so thats what we did. we will check them out in a few days and make sure the queen has been released and add the rest of the frames to the super!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/HeAkW3XtZaw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00976474470044418252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495816075244455938.post-41182319342056397612011-05-18T10:58:00.000-07:002011-05-18T10:58:48.748-07:00honey oatmeal raisin cookies!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJQUH0nASsULDSUTBkUCylWH2IFB8NpvNYXU3hkqwNDxHT0YHYnDw29nwv0gZatZLnGJLMvVUE9feUpLYmHtpH3tuOWm1p2EigokK6apAhtHxVeXSkJMgo1pBgcHcpN3LuXdSlJVmVQ4g/s1600/raisincookie_edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJQUH0nASsULDSUTBkUCylWH2IFB8NpvNYXU3hkqwNDxHT0YHYnDw29nwv0gZatZLnGJLMvVUE9feUpLYmHtpH3tuOWm1p2EigokK6apAhtHxVeXSkJMgo1pBgcHcpN3LuXdSlJVmVQ4g/s320/raisincookie_edited.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>~1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter<br />
~1 1/4 packed brown sugar<br />
~2 eggs<br />
~2 tsp vanilla ext<br />
~2 tbsp honey<br />
~1 1/2 cups flour<br />
~3 cups rolled oats<br />
~1 tsp baking soda<br />
~1 tsp cinnamon<br />
~1/2 tsp ground ginger<br />
~1 cup raisins<br />
<br />
using a stand mixer cream together softened butter, brown sugar, eggs, honey and vanilla ext; in a separate bowl combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon and ginger; add 1/3 of the dry mixture at a time to the wet ingredients; once mixed together, stir in raisins...bake at 350 degrees, for about 12-15 minutes.johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00976474470044418252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495816075244455938.post-33895129411456395622011-05-14T17:25:00.000-07:002011-05-14T17:35:29.925-07:00birthday, bees, peas & chickens..the month of may!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggeE0yjjPBbKHBk8UECzs_Ps5f9Lvc0I8npm7vCPa2BggyG1Ss1uwN4R2PFArSwfLZe4PoejyHEsBNp9qiDxeam544KD0hkmhDdfiCwulZmmXPZNuPtRPC86qGyU10czjWkCPU7rDaaFE/s1600/5-14-2011+8%253B02%253B44+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggeE0yjjPBbKHBk8UECzs_Ps5f9Lvc0I8npm7vCPa2BggyG1Ss1uwN4R2PFArSwfLZe4PoejyHEsBNp9qiDxeam544KD0hkmhDdfiCwulZmmXPZNuPtRPC86qGyU10czjWkCPU7rDaaFE/s320/5-14-2011+8%253B02%253B44+PM.jpg" width="227" /></a></div>6 years ago today, at 7:08am, i was blessed with a second healthy baby boy! a little sweetie with blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes...my doctor said he was one of the most handsome boys he had ever seen. he was born with his hand up over his head "waving hello"... yesterday, i asked him if he could stay 6 years old forever and always be "my boy"....he told me that he couldn't stay 6 forever, but he would always be my baby :) happy birthday "DD"! mommy loves you so much & you make my world brighter everyday!<br />
<br />
in bee related news...our package of bees (for our second hive) has been delayed for over 3 weeks now, because of the terrible weather in the south! we finally got word that our girls will be here next weekend! yayy, i cant wait! yesterday, we attempted another hive inspection on hive #1...i say "attempted" because we had a smoker malfunction...and by malfunction i mean it would not stay lit and SMOKE...we have tried different flamables in the smoker and for some reason we can not get it to smolder for longer than a few minutes?!? anyone have any smoker tricks?...so, i pulled the cover off, and without the smoker they were pretty irritated and stung me through my jeans on my leg. so we decided to let them BEE and come back another day with a working smoker.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivbtDn9BHhbhRI4dJP7Wyz1nZ0Noleec36wwNWwbHHm2S6BNNWnjhhAlPePWSFi1W_2BN2HcesT2R2FsvWlCNG4iVi2kRG3nt2LrbmMtsvX4CvmHMYWQSkOB9dmIRh_Txk-Rehd27kaZM/s1600/PICT0007_edited.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivbtDn9BHhbhRI4dJP7Wyz1nZ0Noleec36wwNWwbHHm2S6BNNWnjhhAlPePWSFi1W_2BN2HcesT2R2FsvWlCNG4iVi2kRG3nt2LrbmMtsvX4CvmHMYWQSkOB9dmIRh_Txk-Rehd27kaZM/s320/PICT0007_edited.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"johnny" our ri red rooster!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCiaWYBvbcqI2swxzuM6FW_akYhdgeIbuTDdRjfyI-NrWv3wKgXrjG1R-UWW4M2LtiGRr3_0NrqKuUtHXdYRB__5R54XdCIqTiXkETUgJ0yqXJ90wKPLSQTu4vTmfcsB-MBjhj64aYGFk/s1600/PICT0001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCiaWYBvbcqI2swxzuM6FW_akYhdgeIbuTDdRjfyI-NrWv3wKgXrjG1R-UWW4M2LtiGRr3_0NrqKuUtHXdYRB__5R54XdCIqTiXkETUgJ0yqXJ90wKPLSQTu4vTmfcsB-MBjhj64aYGFk/s320/PICT0001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
our chicks are 9 weeks old, all healthy and loving being outdoors. i love watching them...they have such personalities :) AND we have peas, beans, raddish, butter~leaf lettuce, and strawberries all coming up in our new raised beds! other exciting news...next week there is a livestock auction that i am looking forward to! i almost have my husband convinced to let me get 2 goats...maybe "feta" and "cheddar" will come home with us next weekend!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnfPYMUXLh8XeCWB4nJLpnmEvqWOdxomjX7oLLaF4B4BBdeB0EO_7nY0YLzGoJV8l5A_ch5vHQzo6lc45TwXFxAAZDGWa8l7LX8qtNRy7djVuw4VMUrGVJmXCblBkrRs44FvNjLDiRrA/s1600/PICT0004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnfPYMUXLh8XeCWB4nJLpnmEvqWOdxomjX7oLLaF4B4BBdeB0EO_7nY0YLzGoJV8l5A_ch5vHQzo6lc45TwXFxAAZDGWa8l7LX8qtNRy7djVuw4VMUrGVJmXCblBkrRs44FvNjLDiRrA/s320/PICT0004.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">peas!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00976474470044418252noreply@blogger.com0