independence days - week 8

since i'm struggling to get the garden in again this year due to my rambunctious toddler, i thought taking the id challenge would be a good moral booster for me. i try to practice this idea anyway during the growing seasons so it's a great reminder of how much i really do even when it feels like i don't.

sometimes, i feel like i'm just squeaking by. every little thing is done in spurts between chasing down toddlers and filling demanding preschooler requests. forget about spending any meaningful times with the older two...

this week found me planting much less, weeding and mulching more and harvesting a tiny bit more. today is started watering, a irst this year other than potted plants.

1. plant something:
^zinnias, radishes, cukes (round 2, only 7 came up in round 1), okra (round 3-nothing came up either time before
^transplanted joe pye weed, spilanthes, red rubin basil, lyre leaf sage, white sage

2. harvest something:
^eggs
^radishes, turnips, flowers, lemon balm, mint, lamb's quarters
^cherries - 2 gallons
^milk! from my new goat! (~1/2 gallon per day - not too shabby for a first time freshener who's never been milked and was being dried off when i got her!)

3. preserve something:
^more st. john's wort in alcohol
^cherries - 12 - 1/2 pints of cherry jam

4. prep something:
^cleaned out the garage that is to be converted into a wwoofer/guest cabin
^built 9 supers and 90 frames for the supers and painted the supers
^found s/s stock pot w/lid($3), more cloth napkins (.50 - .79 each), sheet set (for wwoof futon)($2), flannel sheet for one of the kids ($1), 2 wool twin sized/throw blankets ($4 for both), misc kitchen gadgets for guest cabin (.50 - .69 each), set of melamine plates, bowls, cups, saucers (19 pieces for $8), brita water filter ($1.29),3 ice cube trays (.69), 3 chairs ($18 total) for the table we already have (again for guest/wwoof cabin) at thrift store
^started a preserving recipe section in my household binder to keep track of all my favorite recipes...no more 'hmmm? where was that recipe from????' as i search frantically for my tried and true recipes!
^items purchased off craigslist for wwoof cabin: ceiling fan $20, door $20
^brought home 4 turkey poults and 3 does
^reviewd my options for a ram, narrowed it down to 3 (we're getting 1)
^made soap

5. cook something:
^salads from the garden using lots of flowers - pansies, dianthus, borage, nasturtium and herbs - lemon balm, peppermint, oregano, lamb's quarters and kohlrabi and lettuce/spinach from market
^turnips
^kohlrabi was a new veggie for me to try this week (yum!)

6. manage your reserves:
^used old applesauce to make apple bread
^confirmed the purchase of 4 more n-c ewes (that makes 6 plus we will be purchasing a ram too)
^weeded garden like crazy and mulched as much as possible

7. work on local food systems:
^sold eggs and jellies at local farmer's market
^bought some locally raised pork and beef from vendor at the market
^shared my cherries with a friend who helped pick and several herb plants
^picked up our 4 turkey poults! and 3 new goats
^taught a friend how to make soap

8. reduce waste:
^use canvas bags at grocery store
^re-use egg cartons for our nest run eggs
^bought used bicycle from thrift store for sage ($8)

9. Learned a skill
^talked to a friend who is giving us 2 pyrenees puppies about raw food diet for them
^discussed feeding turkey poults raw chicken livers to keep healthy (anyone heard about this?)
^learning more about navajo-churros