Independence Day Challenge-Y2, W11

Last week was just another blur. Can you believe July sees his half-way mark this week? Why is it summer flies and winter seems to creep along? Sigh. I need to get my fall garden planted, but I am behind on the weeding of the summer one. Sigh again. It's so hard for me to keep up and work has been busy too.

Ok, I do have some bits and pieces to report:

Planted: Again nothing, but I have several plants that I need to get in the ground. I have a four-day weekend coming up (MIL/child caretaker is having minor surgery) and I hope to get everything where it belongs. I also hope to get some of the fall stuff in...oh, wait, this is for next week! ;)

Harvested: Better here!! Raspberries and mulberries (I'm really glad I waited this year to harvest the mulberries. There was less, but they are bigger and sweeter). I also have been getting tons of summer squash from the garden and cucumbers. I keep reading about all the rain, but we are experiencing the opposite: Hot, dry weather. the squash are very happy and all of the vines (even the winter ones) are loaded. I also found a few cherry and yellow pear tomatoes and I picked up a dozen or so green ones that Shawnee knocked off. I harvested kohlrabi and a handful of beets (need to replant for fall as I was hoping to can some-I may have to buy from the Amish). We are also starting in on the green beans (we ate them two days in a row and I have about 1/2 peck to can, plus my FIL said I could have the rest of his since his canning is done) and I plan to start canning those this weekend too. Eggs, greens, hay and grass for animals.

Preserved: Froze mulberries and wild raspberries until I have a moment to deal with them.

Prepped/Adapted/Stored: Ok, I am cheating here a bit (justifying a purchase which is never good, but I can see so may benefits!): I bought a 1958 Trotwood Cub camper. It is a lightweight thing, designed to be pulled by a car instead of one of our modern huge vehicles. We are cleaning and stripping paint and plan to have it road worthy in a few weeks (*fingers crossed*). I figure if I need a quick escape at least I can do it with a house behind me!! Plus, it would provide extra sleeping for people we might need to shelter here at the farm. And the bonus: I got it really cheap (about half the normal going price for similar condition!!)

Found some food grade buckets at the Amish bulk store and bought three for storage. Also picked up the usual canning lids, popcorn, pepper, and chocolate (yes, I know...:)

This past weekend was Animal Swap weekend, but I did not go looking for animals. I found a couple of enamelware camp dishes (fry pan, roaster and bowls), some finger puppets for the kids (a 'preppy' and a 'hippy', lol!), and 5 cochin chicks (they were $1 for all!)

In other news, I've listed Ryan the bull for sale. We had an inquiry from a neighbor looking for an angus bull to rent, but he is an Irish dexter. I'm hoping they will consider him for their herd. If he doesn't sell I may consider other avenues. He is not unruly (just the opposite, quite docile, he even takes calf-sitting duty now and again), but he is pricey to feed. Our pasture is small and easily overgrazed. It is time to downsize. I have other projects I want to concentrate on and beef is an easy commodity from several neighbors around me (milk is another question, but stanchions weren't built and milking has not happened anyway).

Raccoons have also been around and I guess I could say we are feeding the wildlife. Unfortunately it was with several heritage breed turkey poults. One had his leg clean bit off and I have him the house healing. He gets around a bit on his one leg and the surgically smooth wound where the hip was is better. And, the neighbors' dog came around and somehow managed to take part of the (removable) roof off one of my rabbit hutches. I am not sure if the dog ate the rabbits or they are running loose. Both of my males, damnit, and one Californian I've had for a couple of years! This livestock thing is not easy...

I cleaned out the upstairs food pantry because I had a shelf collapse from the weight of my stored food. I took all canned goods to the basement pantry and organized a "breakfast foods" shelf, a pasta shelf, a rice shelf, etc. I noticed I have a lot of rice with past or near-to expiration dates. Guess what we are eating this week!! Luckily, Lyndon loves to say, "Mo' rice, Ma!"

I hope to get some menus done this week to help us 'Eat the Food'.

I am plugging away on our debts and am feeling the change for the better, but we are still in a "danger zone" in my opinion (i.e. one of us would lose our job). The tenants land contract buyers did not pay July's payment. Sigh, looks like the house will be coming back to us.

Waste Not/Want Not: recycled, bought the used buckets, used grass clippings for livestock food, composted/fed chickens waste bits, recycled at work (including saving co-worker's deli meat containers-they have a lid!); purged out some too small kids clothing to donate; gave a colleague's expecting wife some cloth diapers Lyndon never wore (outgrew them before he wore them)

Community: Supported the Animal Swap (although I have mixed feelings about that, especially after the poorest Old English Mastiff I saw there for sale. Poor thing was skinny and his eyes looked and smelled infected, but he was truly sweet as pie. It's hard not to be impulsive when you see things like that there.) I also went to a neighborhood get-to-gether (potluck). I had fun, but it was tiring. And, I really need to get to a farmer's market!

Skills: Learning about vintage campers!

Eat the Food: I had a long post brewing about this category, but my energy level is low tonight. I am battling a sickness. I've been a real crab too . I'll just mention the delicious sauteed green beans I made two nights in a row. So, yummy!! Sr made homemade ice cream and I cooked up some early peaches (really good, but oh, so fragile) into a sauce and it was heavenly!

Hope y'all had a sweet week!