New Updates

Sorry I have not posted in a while!!! After the chickens were killed it took me a little while to get excited about the garden again...but I finally got over it!

I think the fall weather starting to settle in got me in the mood to get out there, and I've been a busy bee!  Not sure if I posted, but I've picked 2 pumpkins, have 3 more large ones that are almost ready to pick and I just found a lot more growing!!  We've also picked all of our corn and ended up with about 3 dozen ears!! They were spread out over 3 weeks, so it was a pretty good deal.

I've also been busy in the kitchen trying to use everything before it goes bad.  I've made about 6 quarts of tomato sauce...(All recipes will be posted at a later date), and canned whole tomatoes.

I had my first attempt at Jelly, and I used my 2nd watermelon to make watermelon jelly.  I also pickled watermelon rinds.  Those made our house smell like Fall!!!  My first attempt at pumpkin preserves was a bust.  The recipe was really confusing and I think in some ways incorrect.  I've found a few more online that make more sense, so I'm going to try it again!!  I'm also going to make pumpkin butter.  I can't wait to make more pumpkin seeds too...I made some last weekend but the cats knocked them off the table and ate them!!! But, they were so yummy and reminded me of Halloween.

Other garden updates:  I still have peppers growing - a lot of them.  I also have pumpkins, as mentioned above, and herbs.   Soon, I'm going to pick the remainder of the herbs and dry them.

Last but not least, CHICKEN UPDATE!!!  Annie (our sole survivor, and most likely the only one that will have a name) is doing great!!!! She's been in the house, but now Jeff bought us a variety of 6 more chickens and we are slowly introducing the group!!  All of the animals in the house really get along with her - even the cats.  For the most part, they're just curious and want to play with her.  Ann should be about a month away from laying eggs - YAY!!!  We're not sure if her schedule will be off though since she hasn't been around other chickens.  We will see.  Below are pictures and the new chickens/coop!!  Enjoy!

Annie says Hi!! : )

The new chickens in the coop!

Some of the new chickens including the large black one that reminds me of a crow and that I'm scared of.

Three of the newbies.

Annie!!!  Look how good she looks!!

The Silky may get a name too, because she's kind of dumb - and she was a runt.  The farm that we got them from, gave Jeff her for free because they were going to kill her. : (