Thursday, March 13, 2014

  Next week the chicks should be ready at the hatchery! It's a "straight run", meaning they are not sexed. Knowing my luck I'll pick out mostly roos... again, so we're getting 26, That's the plan anyways. In the mix this time, we will be adding 10 Ameraucanas, 10 Buff Orpingtons and 6 Golden Lace Wyandottes.


  Waiting for Spring has triggered a cooking/baking mania in me. (That always seems to happen right after cleaning out and organizing a space.) The abundance of eggs has me making a lot of baked goods and pastas at the moment.  

  I'm keeping on top of the butternut squash from last summer, a little over 20 are left.  If you are looking for ideas on how to use squash in different ways, and right now this is our favorite pumpkin bread (the kids love it plain or with cream cheese frosting.) In the pumpkin bread recipe, I've been swapping out my homemade unsweetened cinnamon applesauce for the oil. It works really well and helps cut down the calories.  

  We go through food phases pretty hard. Not too much of a problem when it is something coming out of the garden.. but the pantry is another deal. 

  I'm trying to get some things done now, so that I have more time later. I've been making stock and reducing it down so it is pretty rich. I then am able to can it in smaller jars, or freeze in smaller containers. Quick breads, loaves of garlic bread, pastas, cookie (dough), potstickers, calzones, pastys, hamburger buns, rolls.. these are some of the things I make ahead and freeze.

  This town doesn't have fast food joints, or a grocery store. It has made me really have to stay on track with planning meals, keeping track, and cooking. I love it and hate it at the same time. The concept of going out to eat is lovely.. the reality is I don't know everything they are putting in my food, and to stay off meds, that's a problem. 

  I've started flats of seeds. We haven't fully set in place exactly what we are planting and where, but that's ok. I'm starting a bunch of pretty much everything anyways! I'm hoping that by this weekend enough has thawed out for me to see if the seed crop of leek survived, and if there was any ground heaving issues in the garlic and perennial onion patch. 

  Possibly.. a few twigs from some favorite apple trees may just disappear and find their way into my fridge..

 

4 comments:

  1. What ya gonna do with the apple twigs?

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  2. Grafting. To use them for grafting, right now up here is a good time to get the twigs.. before the buds break. We've also got some for the rabbits to gnaw on, and a bit to use later to add in the chips for smoking. The first round we did I grabbed the old roll of masking tape (to write down what scion came from what).. lol.. unfortunately it was an old old roll and useless. We're actually going to head out again in just a few minutes to get some new tape, and more scions. Btw.. wrap the base of them with a damp paper towel and into an unclosed plastic bag and store in fridge if you need a little more time.

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    Replies
    1. You really should do a how to graft post. I need to learn it.

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    2. You'd like air layering too.. I'll put something up for ya. :)

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