Busy season

 May through September is always super busy here on the farm.  This year we added potatoes and corn to our garden.  Unfortunately, the green beans and zucchini did not do well this year.  I did manage to make 50 quarts of spaghetti, 19 quarts of chili, 8 pints of pizza sauce, and 8 pints of salsa so far.  We've added 40 quart sized bags of corn to the freezer and I'm not sure about what to do with the potatoes yet.  We have so many and I'm afraid they will go bad before we can eat them all.  Our basement is not the driest so food down there doesn't do well.

In July, the girls were able to attend a very small prom that was put together for homeschool students.  Hallie attended with Courtnee.

We added ducks to the farm this year.  They are certainly entertaining....but they poop everywhere!

On the cutting board:

Working full time with farm life in the summer hasn't been very productive.  I've decided that next year, I will take time off.  Kevin's been hauling sileage so its a 12 hour day 7 days a week gig, for about 10 weeks.  There's just not enough time to get everything done.

Today, is my birthday.  Kevin surprised me by buying a accuquilt machine and some awesome dies for it.  I've been playing all morning long.

Hopefully, I'll be able to use it soon to make some nice projects.  Its just too busy these next few weeks.

Stay at home order

Our stay at home order has been extended until May 18th.  I am really  not surprised about that.  I'm almost enjoying getting some projects done around the house, although, the weather has made it difficult to clean the garage and barns out.  I hope to have the garage done this weekend, but I need to go and get some shelves to put all the toolboxes and other items on.  

I have made it a point to work on Courtnee's quilt every night for at least 30 minutes.  I hand pieced this quilt 6 years ago and it still isn't done.  I am working on quilitng the borders now, so my goal is to be totally done by the end of the month.  I hand pieced another just like it for Hallie, but she'd prefer a more grown up quilt now, so Kailyn will get this next one.  I need to get one made for Hallie and Tylar.  I don't know if they will be done by the end of the year, but I'm trying. I need to get into the habit of working on them, even if its just for 30 minutes each day.

Here is the quilt I'm currently hand quilting

The above kit is on my cutting board.  I need to get this done.  Living in a farmhouse, I'm decorating lmy farmhouse and I'm enjoying the different wallhangings and such I'm finding to make.  I also have a wonderful fabric to work on a new quilt for the living room.  The current one has been used by us for about 12 years and its about done.  I had found a wonderful barn wallhanging but I'm not sure if I am going to get that or not.  I'm not sure I need another project to do at this point.

I hope to also complete the following projects this year:

• Halloween quilt
• pumpkin wallhanging
• Christmas wallhanging

Have a wonderful week everyone!

I have returned......

It's been almost two years since I've posted so much has happened and our world is upside down now the covid-19.  We are in our fifth week of quarantine and it certainly has changed and challenged our lives.

Update on the last two years:

• We added cows and goats to our homestead.  We've had several calves and kids born this last year.  
• This year, we're adding more chicks (egg layers).  The last two years, we raised meat birds but decided not to do that this year.
• We are increasing our garden this year by adding corn and potatoes.  I am excited to add both of these.  We are also adding 70 strawberry plants and 4 raspberry plants.  We added two pear trees last year and we're adding another one this year along with 2 plum trees and two peach trees.  
• I finished an introductory course on herbalism this year.  I am adding 6 different herbs to our gardens; echinachea, st. John's wort, mullein, calendula, chamomile, and yarrow.  I've found a nice mulberry bush on our fence line so I'm excited to pick those this year.  I've also foraged elderberry and nettle on our property.  And I can't wait for the dandelions to come in so I can make some dandelion jelly.  I only made one batch last year and it delicious; tastes like honey.
• I'm working fulltime for a little over a year.   A nice retail job that gives me time to homeschool as I work mostly nights. 
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Quilting projects:

• So many projects so little time. I'm working on hand quilting the quilt for Courtnee that I started several years ago.
• I have a hen wallhanging I want to get done by the fall
• A pumpkin wallhanging to get done by the fall
• I hope to start handquilting Kailyn's quilt in the next month or so.  Hopefully, it won't take me years to get this one done

Have a wonderful day everyone!