August 29, 2006

 esterday we got 6 more logs skidded up to the root cellar and worked on peeling them. Then decided it was too hot so we all went down to the river, taking one of our volunteers who had never been there. It was nice and relaxing.

Picture Left: "Kid" looking hot and worn out from ummm.. looking like he has been busy? But it is  a good start on the root cellar

We had a mouse in the house which "Watson" was hot on the trail of (inside only cat, who finally had environmental enrichment) and caught, so I carried the cat/mouse combination outside and the cat dropped the mouse after shaking him a couple times. So last night I make my infamous mouse trap cans that my father taught me how to make for the front porch and I got only one last night, which is a good/bad thing. Either we only had one mouse lurking around or no one else clued in on it last night. Usually 1 mouse will attract more and up to 9 mice will fit in a can.

I like these cans as they are environmentally friendly and it does not matter if other animals get into them.

Our volunteer brought her 11 week old Black LabX puppy to come visit the farm animals and train it to be a good puppy around them. First we started "Sirius Black " on the chickens and corrected him when he went toward the chickens and then he decided that the Barred Rocks were much bigger than him, so then we decided to take him into the turkey pen. He hid behind his owner. She took my weird hen with the freaky eyes home. This is the friend who had all her beautiful Buff Cochins murdered by her former dog and the neighbors dog, so she wants to train this one from a pup that chickens are "BAAAADDDDDDDDDDD!!!".

Tonight I am making "Spiced Crabapples", since I did not get to it the other day. Here is the recipe if anyone else wants to try making them too.

Spiced Crabapples

4 lb ripe crabapples, firm and not overripe
4 lb sugar
2 tb whole allspice
2 tb whole cloves
10 small pieces of cinnamon stick
1 qt white vinegar
1 1/2 c water

Instructions

Wash and pick over the fruit for shape and color. Keep stems for
appearance. Parboil the crabapples in water until you can prick
through the skin with a toothpick. Mix the 1 1/2 cups water with the
sugar and simmer on low heat to form a syrup. Put the spices in a
cheesecloth bag for easy removal and drop into the syrup. Continue
stirring and cook the syrup until it threads from the spoon. Pack
the fruit in hot, sterilized jars and fill them with the hot syrup to
overflowing. My bf got a grader blade from ???? and he is taking it to cut into 4 pieces and sharpen them as he took pity on us not having drawknives for peeling the logs. Our volunteer is coming back today to help. And it looks like it may rain.. ALOT.. ahh well.. heat and sunburn or rain and waterlogged? My head is burnt I think, and I know I will not melt, so peeling logs in the rain it will be.