Kitsap County Fair

We went to the Kitsap County Fair. I thought I was being thrifty going on quarter day and riding the bus for free. So much for saving money, I bought a Boer goat!!!! We spent alot of time looking at the animals. You never realize how big a cow is until you are up close. They are GIGANTIC!!

Pears

We pickd a few buckets of pears. The tree was grafted and it looks like we got D'jou

and Bartlett Pears.

Winter Garden

I have also spent the past few weeks preparing a few garden beds for winter planting. You plant early to mid august and the plants will grow a bit go dormant for the winter and start growing again in the early spring. Come May/June I will have a FULL garden. I planted beets, carrots, kohlrabi, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, spinach, onions, brussel sprouts, turnips, rutabegas, lettuce, raddicchio, chicory peas and radishes. Most from seeds and a few starts. I'm very exited to see what I will have in the spring!

U-Pick Flowers at Pheasant Fields Farms

Pheasant Fields Farm on Clearcreek has U-Pick flowers for $0.25 a stem. We went and pickes a bunch of gorgeous Dahlias and some sunflowers.

Why I've been so busy

The past 2 weeks

I have been picking, dehydrating, drying and canning fruits, veggies and herbs. Next the tomatoes and apples will be ready to pick and I will be making apple and tomato sauce.

Saving Tomato Seeds

This year I've decided to start saving seeds instead of spending a small fortune every spring. My first seed saving attempt is tomatoes. Right now I've saved seeds from over 12 varieties. I bought a bunch from the local farmers market, the grocery store and I will save some from my own garden when they are ripe. When I'm done I will probably have close to 20 different varieties! Tomatoes are quite easy. You scoop out the seeds, add then to water in a jar, ferment them in a windowsill for 3-4 days( to separate the seeds from all the tomato gunk) and then dry out the seeds on wax paper. Here is a link to online directions:

http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/seedsave/2002084456024410.html

Mmmmm, vanilla.......

I friend turned me onto making homemade vanilla extract a few months back. I will be making some for xmas gifts. I took a 1/2 gallon of vodka, 10 vanilla beans slit dowm the middle and they will set in a jar for a few months. The vodka draws the vanilla flavor out. I will then strain the beans and any sediment out and bottle right before the holidays. I already have a small jar going thats been sitting for 2 months and the vodka has already turned a light amber color.

Gobble Gobble......

We added 2 more turkeys to our flock, now a total of 4, they are Broad Breasted Bronze Turkeys. We think we have a male and female, called a tom and a jenny! I read the males of this breed can get to be as large as 40lbs with 35 being average! Thats a big turkey! They are quite gentle and tame and follow me around the coup. I guess their personality makes up for what they are lacking in looks!

Buckets of plums!!

I

I picked, I'm estimating, between 60-70 lbs of plums off a friends tree. I made canned plum sauce,

honey plums, sweet and sour plum marinade and we ate quite a few! They are a earlier to ripen yellow plum. I believe they are called Easter Egg Plums.

Making flavored vinegars......

In our house we make EVERYTHING from scratch. My newest obsession is seeing what concoctions I can come up with for salad dressing. I am loving the vinegrettes. I was browsing the internet and came across recipes for making berry flavored vinegars. You buy plain white vinegar. Get glass jars. Put in a few cups of berries and dump boiling vinegar on top. Put a lid on and let them sit for a few months. When they are ready to be used strain out fruit and bottle. I made cranberry and raspberry vinegars tonight. I can't wait to try them, yum!

Graysmarsh Farms

We went berry picking today at Graysmarsh Farms in Sequim. I got about 9lbs of raspberries, 4lbs of loganberries and a few blueberries. I brought my son a bucket for him to pick into and they all wound up in his mouth instead! We had fun lots of fun! I will be making and canning jam tomorrow.

Strawberry Tomatoes

Onions

I just harvested a few bunches of Walla walla onions that I have on my back deck curing........

Squash Plants

Turkey Tractor

I know some of you are going, "Huh?". A tractor is a moveable pen for poultry with a house attatched. When the grass under then is scratched up and gone you move the pen onto new fresh grass. You lift it up and the back end has wheels. My sweet husband spent the weekend building it for my new turkeys.