Basic Pickle Brine

Pickle Brine

2/3 c. Salt - I used Kosher salt but you could use pickling salt
4 c. Vinegar - I like to use white vinegar but I have used red and cider on occassion
12 c. Water

Mix in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Pack pickles in clean sterilized jars. Pour boiling hot brine over pickles.

You can be creative here too....I like to put a few (3 or 4 ) whole peppercorns, a clove of garlic and a few slices of onion.

On occassion I put a few hot peppers to make them spicey.

You could also add dill for a "dill pickle".

Note : It is easier to add all the "extras" with the pickles rather than at the end.
You can also use this brine to pickle hot or sweet peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, string beans and probably more that I have never tried.

Good Luck.............let me know how you make out with them !!!!

Crazy Hot

It has been like 100 degrees for the past 2 days. The kids, the animals, the plants are all going nuts !!!

Peanut spooked and broke away from Nancy.....she broke a finger and needs hand surgery.

The strawberries just seemed to "melt" into the dirt.

The children are trying to spend as much time as possible in the house sucking up the A/C.

I am going to try to post recipes in this blog each week for the produce we sell.

Stay tuned for more info !!!!!

Escapees !!!!

Today we had several people u pick strawberries at the farm so I was rather busy. Prepping the stand, getting animals "ready for company" , things like that.

I took the Scooter and Peanut to the large pasture to enjoy the grass (and keep it trimmed so I don't have to do it). I let Scooter in the pen and off his lead - I turned to get Peanut off her lead and Jack brayed - oh so loudly !!!!! Scooter spooked and bolted past Peanut and me - heading for the road. I finally got hold of him , calmed him and got him back to the pen.

A few minutes ago I drove the small tractor past the rabbit pen......empty !!!!! Our VERY SMALL black rabbit had escaped. I walked around very quietly and finally he hopped right up to me. I don't know who had a more fearful look - the bunny who was scared to be out or ME - the one who would have to tell my niece I lost her bunny !!!!

All in a days work at the farm !!!!!

Market start !!!

We started a few our our farm markets this week.
Nice to see all of our old friends from Jefferson and make new ones at Gorgas Park.
Have lots of produce starting this week and I hurt my back. What good is a farm worked who can't pick?
Thabnk God for my husband who helps my sister get it all done.
Nice thing about it is I got to rcatch up my blog !!!

Spring Chores

It is always early April when the chore of getting the animals ready for the summer begin.

Today the piglets arrived from a friend's farm. In all their stink and squeal they looked so afraid. After the excitement of their arrival faded everyone went about the other chores. I stayed with the pigs....checking them out. That one has a cut on his head, this one has a really curly tail, the other one is a runt. All the little things you notice about them.

Then I realized that they were not eating............weird for pigs. We have a automatic waterer and feeder. They came from a farm without them. It took us about an hour to teach them how to use them. Almost lost a finger but I was able to get them to catch on. The waterer has to be pushed with their tongue - they caught onto that pretty well. The feeder has to be opened with their nose - I ended up tying it open with a bungee cause they just couldn't grasp it. I will work on it more tomorrow.

I went to help the girls with the goats. Immunization shots for all babies, cleaned hooves on the big goats, wormer all around and neutered the boys!!!! Somehow the girls think that is funny.

Cleaned the old hay out of the pens and scrubbed out the water pails.

Tomorrow..............I tackle the donkey......he needs some TLC.............

Stay tuned cause that is sure to be a memorable chore as well !!!

Wind !!!!

Yes it has been so very windy here lately. When working on the greenhouse I often feel like Dorothy waiting for the house to blow away. This afternoon our little black chicken was on top of the fence. She gets up there so that she can hop into the goat pen and steal their food.

The wind blew her right off !!!!

She is fine....a little shaken..........but after she stood and ran away I had to laugh. Even the goats stopped and looked at her laying there like to say "you dumb chicken !!!"

But then she got up and they chased her out of the pen.

Having a great time watching the barnyard as I work !!!!

Spring

Well although the calendar says tomorrow is the 1 st day of April.....it is darn cold out today. When I opened the greenhouse door I was hit in the face by the 90 degrees of the heated house.......then came out and froze. I ran straight to the house...........for a blanket and cup of tea.

My good friend , Justin, on channel 3 says it will be warmer on Sunday....I hope he is right.

Any weather man is a good friend in my book.

Hopefully I can work outside tomorrow without a coat and gloves. I hate when you have to break the ice in the water barrel.

I just keep thinking ....soon I will pick Asparagus and Strawberries !!!!