Seeds on Their Way

Sometimes I have so much on my mind that I want to blog about that it is terribly hard to pick just one.  Because the moment might have and probably has passed for the ones that I don't choose.  So, you just get left out. 

I received my new seed catalog in the mail several weeks ago.  Which has left me drooling over new varieties of all kinds of vegetables and flowers.  I get a real odd feeling when I don't know what the fruit or vegetable is going to taste like because the hybrid is NEW.  Frankly, it scares me.  Is it suitable for this area?  Will I have to do something weird to the soil?  Am I paying too much for something I don't know will work? 

I like to save seeds from our garden that I know have done well and that we have tested and approve of.  Those seeds become heirloom seeds.  I learned today that you shouldn't save hybrid seeds from year to year because they can loose something and go back to their parent state.  Meaning if you bought a flower hybrid seed that is red with white stripes down the middle and save the seeds from it, the next year's crop may only be red and loose the concocted stripe that made it a hybrid.  I don't totally understand how they cross them up in the first place... well I sort of do but I could be wrong.  I saw them cross up orchids on channel eight one time. 

I didn't get my seeds from the big commercial catalog that I had to buy my garlic from last year.  Honestly, they are just too expensive.  So I decided to check with a gal who's blog I visit from time to time and fellow gardener to see where she has bought her seeds in the past because I trust her....even though she doesn't know me.  OK I just totally got stuck on her blog going to get the link.

 She wound up sending me to Renees Garden.  I found a ton of seeds, pictures of the results, growing instructions and all for a not so bad price.  Actually the price was half of what the big time catalog was charging and the flowers that I chose are going to be beautiful.  I mainly bought flowers that I am familiar with.  I got Zinnias and Cosmos in different colors than I have grown in the past, Portulaca which I have planted in the past but never from seed, Dahlias because I couldn't resist and have to have something new to grow, and Hidcote Lavender... please wish me luck.  I have never done well with lavender and I don't know why.  But I keep trying.  I would show you pictures but I won't swipe without permission so I promise to share when the flowers are gracing me with their beauty this summer!

I'd like to let you in on a book I happened upon in the library yesterday.  I actually put it down twice because it was not the subject I came in there to search for.  I gave in and geez I have been attached to this book ever since!  It is The Barefoot Farmer by Jeff Poppen.  It seems more like journal entries about gardening and homesteading for real and the best part is that this fellow is local.  I say local... it would probably take 45 minutes to get there from here but it would be mostly back roads.  Anyway, I have learned so much from this book already and he has given me the confidence to... wait for it... compost.  I have such a farm girl plan for this weekend.  While I was reading the compost pages last night, I got up out of bed, got my journal and a pen and started making a list of resources that I already have on our farm.  Rotten hay, pig poo, chicken poo, decaying leaves, corn stalks.  For the first time I felt silly for having all the goods right here that I need to fertilize my own garden and plants with.  Why am I holding back?  I can't wait to dig my hands into some pig poo on Saturday!  With gloves on ofcourse!

The New Chickens Are Here

Funny thing happened when we ventured to Amish country a weekend or two ago on a quest to buy a few new laying hens.  We have one rooster (that hates me on random days), one hen who lays one egg every day and one hen who lays no eggs on any days.  I'm not real sure she knows she's a hen.  Maybe she's just one of those workers hens like the worker bees... female but no Queen.  It has been a passed time around here that it is costing us more to feed these chickens than our return is.  Which is usually the way it goes.  So, on a Thursday, my loving husband turns to me and says "what are you doing this Saturday" and I say "not much" and he says " want to go to Kentucky and get some new hens?" I say "heck yeah!"  I buy two eighteen packs of eggs every two weeks.  I cook breakfast every morning.  If I can not have to buy eggs... I'm in.

So the two of us, along with one dog and two friends, also interested in purchasing laying hens, ventured to Amish country early Saturday morning.  We looked everywhere.  We stopped at stores, and at an Amish butcher's farm (who had plenty running around but none for sale) and even at a "small game swap meet" that wasn't having a swap meet that day but had an abundance of fowl running around everywhere... still no chickens for sale.  All the while, my husband kept mentioning a place called "Gold City" which I envisioned, from all the talk and turns trying to find it, looking something like Opryland or a huge indoor flea market that sold livestock on nice pretty Saturday's to eager searchers such as ourselves.  After directions here and there and highway this and state route that and not even knowing we were on the right track in the distance appears... Gold City ... city limits sign!  We were there!

Turns out Gold City, KY has a feed mill and an old general store and from where we were, that appeared to be it.  Not downgrading the town by any means here.  It's just all the hype and hooplaa led me to believe different.  We were very hungry for a bite at this point and the dog needed to tinkle.  We went in the store which had more deer heads mounted on the wall than our living room, I was quite impressed.  We went to the counter and each ordered a sandwich that turned out to be hugemongo.  deli sliced meat and cheese of almost whatever type you wanted on white or wheat.  I wound up having to share some of my roast beef with Dot and she appreciated that!  We go to sit down at the table that had chairs which also had someone eating there already who promtly told us to "have a seat, I won't bite you... unless you taste like country ham."  I liked him and he was the talkingest thing!  He talked about Elvis and Graceland (fittin convo, that day being the eve of Elvis' birth and all) and his daughter who was up texting all night and his wife that didn't want to take a motorcycle ride with him that day.  He was a rambler I tell you.  Finally he asked what we were doing in Gold City.  We told him about our morning and how we hadn't had any luck finding any laying hens.  At that point, our new found friend, proceeded to turn around and hollar to the whole store "Hey! Anybody got any laying hens for sale!!"  The other table of diners all shook their heads no with big smiles on their faces while we sat there half red faced with our mouths open as our eyes were led to the gal working behind the counter with her hand raised.  The husbands went and had a chat with her while the gals went outside to tend to the dog.

Turns out, Amy, who's mom and dad own the store, lives 3 miles down the road and has been raising chickens on their little piece of heaven on earth.  We followed her to her house and met her husband there who helped us catch up eight hens.  Four cinnamon and four black and white speckled ones.  They were just the nicest couple of people we could have met.  We left there with eight chickens, two dozen eggs and two canning jars of bean and barley protein for the chickens that she had made.  Sweet as pie they were! 

Four of the chickens stayed with us and four went home with our friends.  We are now up to two eggs a day which isn't bad for the middle of January I'm told.  Amy said the black and white ones should start laying eggs in April.  Our rooster, J.R. as Shaun calls him (you don't want to know what I call him) has temporarily stopped flogging and stomping his feet at me since he's gotten some new girlfriends.  The new hens have settled in nicely and by this summer we will have to move their hen house and maybe give them some more room too.  

We currently call the man who announced our need to the whole store, Elvis.  He disappeared into the distance on his Harley moments after... his work there was done.  Thanks Elvis.

Valentine Memory Game

As a child, one of my favorite games was Memory.  Where you have the little cardboard squares with pictures on them and have to match up the pictures.  Mine was adult and baby animals.  You would turn over a square cow, for example, and try and turn over the baby calf to match.  Or chicken to chick, dog to puppy, you get the picture. 

Well, I am always looking for ways to use my old canning lids and last week I had a thought of placing stickers on one side... a memory game was born.  This is so very simple and delightful at the same time.  Also it's a great way to re-purpose 20 or 24 used canning jar lids! 

You can really use any kind of pictures or stickers that you want.  This game uses different colored hearts with two of each color for matching.  Simply click  here for a copy of the pdf hearts.  Cut them out and glue them on to the top of the canning lid.  I used Mod Podge cause I'm that kind of girl.  You can use plain ole school glue if you have it.  Once they are dry, you are ready for an old fashioned, homemade game of memory!  Shaun even played a game or two with me!  We each won one round so I'm pretty sure we need a tie breaker... maybe later :)

I will tell you that the pdf of hearts for you to upload lost one set of hearts somehow.  So you can choose to omit one color of hearts.  This resulted in twenty two hearts which would leave your board uneven.  It's up to you.  Have fun!



Black Bean Delish Side Dish

I have had a thing for black beans for some time now.  I love a good tasty heap of well-seasoned black beans on a chip with a nice dollop of sour cream resting on top.  When I cook black beans as a side dish it's hard for me to keep a spoon out of the pot while they are cooking! 

Last summer, I tried my hand a growing black beans in our garden.  What an easy thing to do and such fantastic surprise to shell the dried bean pods.  I ended up with a couple of quart sized canning jars full and a big smile from me!  It is probably cheaper to buy a bag or can of beans at the store but it's not near as much fun.  And a gardener's job should always be rewarding.  That's why I like to try new things in the garden.  I've already been seed shopping and have my magazine marked with sharpie and post-its all throughout. 

Black Bean Delish Side Dish

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

water

1 packet Sazon

1/4 cup ketchup

a handful each of green pepper, red pepper and onion chopped (how's that for measuring)

1 clove garlic minced

4 or 5 dashes hot sauce (please do not omit this, and please use Texas Pete)

a few dashes black pepper

In a sauce pot, cover black beans with water, doubled (meaning about an inch over the beans.)  Add all ingredients to pot and cook at a simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

If you choose to use dry beans, soak the beans overnight.  Drain beans the next day.  Use the steps in the canned bean recipe except increase cooking time by an hour and water by 2 cups. 

I seriously wish I had a picture of the finished product but sometimes you gotta blog when the moment hits you.  I am making my black beans for lunch and they have another 30 minutes to cook so.  You'll just have to make them and see!

BTW - if you don't have a garlic mincer or don't feel like getting it out and washing it after, here's an easy trick.

Place the peeled garlic clove between a small folded sheet of wax paper.  Lay a wide knife on top of the garlic and give it a good whack or two.  Chop slightly and you're good to go.  You dont' have to use a knife, just anything non-breakable with a solid surface for crushing.