Building a maple evaporator

This has been our way of boiling sap in past years.  We have wanted to buy a little half pint from Leader then Ant had an idea... He will make one from our old tank. 

He borrowed a stainless steel welder

cut our old stainless tank down

Began adding the dividers

and welded away

Great Job honey but you better hurry the trees are dripping...

Bracing the fire box with angles

Adding the flue

cutting out the fire door on the fire box

Leveling and adding the fire bricks to the fire box

Man GO make FIRE!

Texas Transplant

Every year my internal clock is ready to start seeds in February. The seed catalogues roll in and my obsession begins. I have lived in the northeast for 14 years now and I know it's not time but I can't help it. Every year I try to start my own seeds indoors but the kids or the dogs get into them, they are over watered (by the kids)or under watered. My sunny spot is too cold and plants don't thrive and die. Inevitably I have to buy plants at the local garden. I want to start my garden from scratch... I purchased a small green house ($62.95) and 2 adjustable T5 grow lights on stands ($59.95). I think I can get 8 to 10 grow trays in there. The girls and I assembled the greenhouse in the cellar near the wood furnace. Our heirloom seeds will be Baker Creek and Renee's Garden as well a what I saved last year.

Wish me luck!

January views from the Micro Farm

First night

Collecting the eggs

First snow of winter

Enjoying the snow while it lasts

Winter sunset in the trees on the hill

Its the end of January... should there really be sap dripping?

Wild Turkey

This toms breast was huge and lasted for at least 4 meals.  I also used the legs for soup stock and dog treats. The wings, tail and beard were saved just because they were so beautiful.

Turkey cutlets sliced thin and turkey roast.

The girls have moved their pet japanese silkies into their new home. 

Late evening chores

Harvesting and washing garlic

I have a bushel of garlic for the year

our rusty farm helper

A look into our world

Bessy getting ready for bed

This week I attended an educational retreat and neglected many of my chores. So, with the kids in bed here is my Saturday night of chores while enjoying the company of my hubby and a nice local wine.

is this summer?

baby bunny in my cutting garden

bees are busy

the pond

farm rust

potatoes and tomatoes

freshly shorn sheep

araucanas

our friendliest mama chicken

Morels in May

We have a special patch of morels that are ready by May Day.

This year we harvested 16.  I know there are more out there!

Its not much but its growing and makes a fine May Day Dinner

E chopping Morels

Z washing Dandelion flowers

Sauteing our morel pasta dish

Dandelion Fritters

Our wine and a foraged May Day Dinner

Happy May Day

Dandelion Fritters

3 eggs

Tablespoon of Flour

about a pound of washed and de-stemmed dandelion flowers

Salt and pepper

oil spray for pan

Mix all together and cook in hot oiled pan

Linguini alla Morels

6 to 8 Morels

Handful sundried tomatoes

6 found onion grass onions

Small bunch Dandelion leaves

EVOO

Butter

All chopped and sauteed together and served over al dente linguini

preparing for spring!

I have never had much luck with seed starting but I am well on my way to a batch of tomato plants from Nonno's garden

Seed set up is getting larger as the seedlings come up. First I start them in the pizza box with organic starter. When they come up I spoon them out into egg containers. Seems to be working well except the egg containers wick the water out faster then plastic trays. I just have to stay on top of the moisture situation.

preparation for our new cut garden in the shape of a spiral inspired by our children's  advent garden in the winter.  

Flower seeds growing.  My list is enormous. But here are only two types

Wish us luck!!  

{this moment}

Spring is on it's way

And peas!

When the forsythia/crocus bloom or you see red winged blackbird females -
time to plant peas.
When the chickadees build their nests, plant peas and spinach.
When dandelions are blooming plant potatoes, beets, lettuce, spinach and
carrots.
When the iris bloom, plant the peppers and eggplants outside. 
Plant beets, lettuce, spinach when lilac is in first leaf.
When lilac blooms, plant beans, cukes and squash.
Plant corn when oak leaves are the size of squirrels ears.
Plant your corn when apple blossoms start to fall.





-Edith of the Rockland County Gardeners

How many times... everyday

I was out this evening and it occurred to me that I go out to my animals at least 4 times a day. breakfast to let them out for the day.  mid-day egg check. evenin' meal time.  and before bed to close the condos so the hens aren't eaten by the raccoons, foxes, or skunks (which I have smelled lately.)  Sometimes the hens decide it's a party night.  They hang out in the cage below sipping martinis and dancin to dean and sinatra.  Drives me crazy cuz on a cold winters night I just want to snuggle up an get some zzzz.

spring summer fall and winter.  (summer days are even longer) I am now a farmer... this is what I do...

tonight was  cold quiet and calm. My ladies were all up on there roosts (its a friday night don't they know...), the sheep were nestled in to their hay. the sky was cloudy and bright from the light pollution.  the things that go threw my mind when I go out by myself into the darkness: I saw that there was a pack of coyotes sited this week in this area. I hear them yelping sometimes along the creek. We have a lot of deer back there too.  hmmm I am surrounded by cemeteries (which is why it seems we have so much land to ourselves in this urban setting) when will the zombies come up and start hunting the living? or worse how about zombie sheep and chickens hehehe (for you craig.)

Anyway I thought, how fast can I get back up to my house... I know I will dream about this later while the owls are whoooooing.

Its not even a full moon...

Our eggs

we are getting about a dozen a day

At the farm we are getting ready for winter

Winter means taking the sheepies off the grass and into a winter yard. We had a few trees taken down on the property that were diseased and loosing limbs.  The wood  chips make a nice bedding in the winter yard and compost faster under the sheep.

Moving logs for milling and firewood. There were logs all over the yard.

My hens are also taken off the grass and have to be plugged into supplimental light so they will continue to lay eggs as the daylight grows shorter.