The kids have been picking literally bushels of apples and pears this week. The first year we were here, we barely lived here so we missed that harvest. Last year a very late frost blighted the blossoms and actually killed two of the fruit trees here, sadly. One of them was our only peach tree, and one was one of the pears.
But this year we've had a bumper crop! The ducks kept the trees free of insects, I sprayed once in the winter and we actually pruned, and the trees are rewarding us with delicious fruit. I've never tasted a heirloom pear before. Wow what I've been missing. I dislike store pears very much, but these are so different - very tasty and interesting in texture. Not squishy and floury at all.
The apple trees bear small, very tart apples, probably suitable for various apple cookery. I'm bagging and freezing them. Some will be used for us, and some for the dogs. Next year I really want to learn how to can. Our kitchen is probably a "canning kitchen" as it's huge for an old small house, and has a large walk in pantry that is original to the house. This large country-style kitchen been wonderful for the weekly dog food preparation, but I'd like to utilize it more for us, too, as food prices go sky high.
The beginning of each school year is a "harvest" on the previous one, since it's the things that have been carried over the summer, that are the things that you know they've really learned. We've been off for six weeks, so I'm delighted that both boys have fallen right back into math and writing. We never really leave off reading and science (living on a farm is one long science project!). We are having to do some review on handwriting, but that was a new subject for both of them the last couple months of last year.
This year we'll be doing some serious current events, of course, with its being a Presidential election year. Today we talked about registering to vote, and some of the reasons wars start. I try to keep our lessons neutral, though you can never teach in a way that's completely free of a world view, since we are not machines. But, though we are very strong Conservatives, and the kids know it, I also want them to know why other people think like they do, and I also want them to know I don't think a hole will open up in the time/space continuum if they grow up to vote on the Liberal side of issues.
Ted and I have been putting in the time lately in all weathers, on sheep and ducks, and in various locations. I think we are finally reaping the fruits of that work, too. Ted's attitude has suddenly shifted to one that is workmanlike a lot more of the time. More importantly, I feel a lot more confident in trying one thing or another, and acting when necessary to correct him if he gets to fooling around. One really needs to be able to act almost without thinking many times, and the ability to do that and have it be the right thing (!), only comes with practice. One really can't buy it, or get it from books, or the internet, or even clinics or lessons.
We had a fantastic visit with Ted's breeders this Sunday, who came down for a visit at Robin's. I'll post more details about that later when I get some permissions to share some videos.
Mark Billadeau held sheep for us for a couple of outruns and Renee videoed them. I was sure that this would be a disaster if the camera were "rolling" but to my surprise Ted did well. This was also Ted's first time taking sheep off someone holding. Again, he was very sensible about it, only showing a moment of hesitation the first time.
This first one takes a little while to get to his actual outrun - Mark and his dog are the first ones you see at the top.
But this year we've had a bumper crop! The ducks kept the trees free of insects, I sprayed once in the winter and we actually pruned, and the trees are rewarding us with delicious fruit. I've never tasted a heirloom pear before. Wow what I've been missing. I dislike store pears very much, but these are so different - very tasty and interesting in texture. Not squishy and floury at all.
The apple trees bear small, very tart apples, probably suitable for various apple cookery. I'm bagging and freezing them. Some will be used for us, and some for the dogs. Next year I really want to learn how to can. Our kitchen is probably a "canning kitchen" as it's huge for an old small house, and has a large walk in pantry that is original to the house. This large country-style kitchen been wonderful for the weekly dog food preparation, but I'd like to utilize it more for us, too, as food prices go sky high.
The beginning of each school year is a "harvest" on the previous one, since it's the things that have been carried over the summer, that are the things that you know they've really learned. We've been off for six weeks, so I'm delighted that both boys have fallen right back into math and writing. We never really leave off reading and science (living on a farm is one long science project!). We are having to do some review on handwriting, but that was a new subject for both of them the last couple months of last year.
This year we'll be doing some serious current events, of course, with its being a Presidential election year. Today we talked about registering to vote, and some of the reasons wars start. I try to keep our lessons neutral, though you can never teach in a way that's completely free of a world view, since we are not machines. But, though we are very strong Conservatives, and the kids know it, I also want them to know why other people think like they do, and I also want them to know I don't think a hole will open up in the time/space continuum if they grow up to vote on the Liberal side of issues.
Ted and I have been putting in the time lately in all weathers, on sheep and ducks, and in various locations. I think we are finally reaping the fruits of that work, too. Ted's attitude has suddenly shifted to one that is workmanlike a lot more of the time. More importantly, I feel a lot more confident in trying one thing or another, and acting when necessary to correct him if he gets to fooling around. One really needs to be able to act almost without thinking many times, and the ability to do that and have it be the right thing (!), only comes with practice. One really can't buy it, or get it from books, or the internet, or even clinics or lessons.
We had a fantastic visit with Ted's breeders this Sunday, who came down for a visit at Robin's. I'll post more details about that later when I get some permissions to share some videos.
Mark Billadeau held sheep for us for a couple of outruns and Renee videoed them. I was sure that this would be a disaster if the camera were "rolling" but to my surprise Ted did well. This was also Ted's first time taking sheep off someone holding. Again, he was very sensible about it, only showing a moment of hesitation the first time.
This first one takes a little while to get to his actual outrun - Mark and his dog are the first ones you see at the top.
3 comments:
If you like apple sauce, you could do that even without canning it. Apple sauce freezes really well and you can make it with pears as well. One tip: it needs more sugar when warm than cold but it is easier to sweeten when warm. So don't sweeten it as sweet as you want when it is warm.
If you can find a "food mill" you just need to cut the apples up a little before cooking them. Them mill then mashes it to sauce and sorts out the peels. You get really nice pink applesauce out of red apples that way and way better (and healthier) than store bought.
I grew up with removing the worst of the seeds because there is something potentially toxic in seeds but nothing else. You get a lot more out of it that way and it's a lot less work. But I don't know how necessary it really is to remove the seeds.
You can also cook it down to apple or pear butter, which is good if you like that stuff.
I still have apple sauce in the freezer from last year. We use it for eating and for baking. Apple sauce can replace oil in cake recipes for a moist fat free cake.
Thanks Rebecca! Yum, apple butter, I was just looking at a recipe for that. We used to make apple sauce when I was a kid but I didn't like the way my mom did it.
Is the food mill kind of a squeezy thing? I think I've seen those before.
There's arsenic in apple seeds but not much, and you actually have to digest the seeds to get it out. I usually take them out for the dog food but not always if I'm in a hurry.
The food mill is kinda like a sieve with a rotating plate with a handle on it. You put the cooked apples in and turn the handle one way. That squished the apples, pressing out all the good stuff but the skin and other stuff (like the nasty tough stuff that holds seeds and seeds) stay in. When it gets a bit clogged, you turn the other way to clear the holes then back to work again. It is great for arm strength and endurance and much easier than having to peel all the apples.
It also has a rod on the bottom that rotates around and scrapes off all the dripping apple sauce more quickly.
I think the one I have is my mom's smaller spare... you may need to check thrift shops, auctions, etc., to find them today. But they are well worth and so much easier than any other method I've heard of.
This one looks a lot like mine. Mine also has the nifty "hooks" for hanging it on a bowl...
http://cgi.ebay.com/Foley-Food-Mill-No-101-excellent-shape-never-used_W0QQitemZ220269567975QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item220269567975&_trkparms=72%3A552%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
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