Bean Race Begins

Last year when my green beans started, they didn't stop.  They just kept right on producing and it was a race to keep up with them.  The race is on once again.  This year I have both Green and Wax beans planted together so it is fun seeing the beautiful yellow mixed in with the green. 

This morning I picked what was ready and left tons of little beans to continue to grow for later harvests and these work-horse plants are still flowering also.  I love it.  I had just over 2 pints of beans to can this morning so I let the girls eat the extras that just wouldn't fit in the jars.  They were happy with that outcome and were asking for more.  I am guessing I'll be doing small batches of bean canning every couple of days to keep up, which is just fine with me.  I love canning and can't wait for the tomatoes to ripen so I can start making spaghetti sauce.

Ever since the storm and after living through the "aftermath" I have been pretty particular about wasting water.  I had left over water from boiling the beans and filling the jars this morning, so I decided to cool it off and use it to water some of my container veggies.  I figure it can't hurt them and any nutrients lost in the water during the brief boiling process can go back into the soil for the other plants to use - instant compost.  Best of both worlds. 

I am still blogging at the Library, so sorry no pictures yet. 

Dirty Hands are Here

I have been waiting for this weekend for a really long time.  The snow is gone from the garden and the soil is no longer frozen in the raised beds.  Things have dried out a bit and my hand were able to get dirty.  It was a complete rush to be able to get in there and dig, to feel the soil between my fingers, to smell that sweet smell of freshly worked earth.  So relaxing and stress relieving.  Oh how I missed that.  No longer.  I have a good number of my beds cleaned up and weed free.  The kids were out there digging in the soil also.  I'm not sure that they actually pull out any weeds, but they had fun. 


Our over wintered carrots, just as crisp as last summer.





We harvested the remaining carrots from last year, about 8 lbs worth.  The kids couldn't wait until we got them in the house to wash them and munch.  I was amazed at how wonderful they are.  We did find some carrot mush out there also.  That was nasty grabbing hold of those carrots.  Yuck feeling.  I am going to keep some whole just for snacking, slice some for blanching and freezing and shred/freeze some for muffins.  I am excited to use my new food processor.  Oh and maybe I'll make some carrot juice also.  The possibilities are endless.  Can you tell I'm a tad bit excited to be back in the garden?  I know....I am obsessed.  Forgive me.

My compost barrel is looking snazzy in it's new spring style.  Isn't a fresh coat of black paint a wonderful thing?  Now I just have to get my other barrel (newly acquired) added to the system.  It has been painted and is awaiting holes and a longer pole to be threaded.  Once things dry out even more I will be painting the posts the same dark brown as the garden fence so it all looks nice together.  I think I might even add flower pot post toppers to beautify the compost system. 

This weekend I also starting ripping up my lily bed next to the west deck.  We used to have a split rail fence there, but it was a tad bit rotted out so I took it down.  I think it took me maybe 2 minutes to take it down.  Now it really looks strange there, but I'm expanding the bed also so that will hopefully help.  I left two of the fence posts, because they house bird houses and until I find other places to put them, I'm leaving them. 

Scott and I set up a temporary kennel for Freya for during the day.  That pup just doesn't get life in the house.  I know that she is a puppy and I know that she does know right & wrong, she is just choosing to not behave, much like our 3 year old twins girls.  Funny.  She will get to come in at night, so it isn't all bad.  Scott did some moving of cut up wood and some turkey scouting.  His turkey season starts this Wednesday and mine is next Wednesday.  So here starts the season of "Turkey Reports" between our house and Steve's.  (Steve is Scott's best friend and Adin's God Father.)  Scott, Steve and I are all going out on Wednesday.  My lovely friend Rebekah is coming over before 5 am to watch the kids so Scott and I can hunt together.  I am getting very excited to here that gobble getting closer and closer and to see that Tom all fluffed out and strutting.  Way cool.  I LOVE SPRING!

Productive Syrup Day

Today has been a day of boiling and boiling and boiling.  Last night I boiled down 4 gallons and this morning when I walked into the barn to start at 9:30, I had 24 gallons sitting there looking at me.  Uff da!  After today's harvest of 4.5 gallons to add to the mix, I am now down to 15 gallons for tomorrow.  I will be up late I'm sure finishing today's renderings, I'll post tomorrow what it all came down to. 


Lots of milk jugs and the turkey pot has 6 gallons in it. 

Other than my sap boiling, today has been gloomy.  We woke up to... you guessed it, SNOW!  Wonderful April Fools joke from Mother Nature.  Scott spent the day burning brush before all our snow was gone, at least in that area.  The rest of the yard and property still has lots.  I did get to see my first Sandhill Crane of the year flying over the barn.  They are pretty cool birds and make the most interesting and cool sounds.  Not far from where we live there is a place called Crex Meadows Wildlife Area.  It is one of the largest state owned wildlife areas in Wisconsin and every fall there are thousands of Sandhills who land there on there migration south.  Fun place to visit and to hunt.  Other than Sandhills, there are tons of ducks, geese and swans that either migrate through Crex or call it home. 

Yesterday Scott went to town and was able to pick up another old bear bait barrel that we will be able to turn into our 2nd compost barrel.  Now I will be able to have compost in two different stages.  That makes me very happy.  Once things dry out, I am going to sand it down really well and paint the outside black.  I have to do this to the old one also, but I'll wait until I am able to empty it later this spring and add to my gardens and such. 

Composting Starter

I have now come up with a plan to make a turning compost barrel out of an old bear bait barrel. I just have to wait until the garden is laid out so I will know where to put the posts in the ground; until then I have made a mini one to keep outside the back door by the kitchen.

I took a 5 gallon bucket with lid and drilled a few small holes in the bottom for drainage and about 15 vertical lines of 3-4 holes each going all the way around the sides of the bucket. I then started collecting items to put into it. We have tons of dried leaves (which is great) and I put up a list in the kitchen of compostable items (coffee grounds, veggie and fruit remnants, juices from canned fruits and veggies, Kleenex, stuff like that) and an ice cream bucket in the sink to collect through out the day. Than at the end of each day I'll take it out to the big bucket and add it too it, put the cover on it and give it a few good shakes. So far Adin has been my composting buddy ever since we had to add his little pumpkin that he got from Grandma and Grandpa for Halloween. Yep that is right - it is March and he got it in October and it lasted this long. Elle and Lizzy's are still looking great. Crazy stuff. Adin is excited that his old pumpkin will turn into good stuff (as he puts it) to grow new pumpkins. Pretty cute. The bucket I used is black to help absorb heat and speed up the process. I look forward to seeing how long it will take for this stuff to fully compost. Such a fun new adventure.

Scott and I also spent the evening last night loading up and hauling away some of the brush from the trees out into the woods to make more habitat for animals. Hopefully something will enjoy the brush piles as a new home.