My ministry of cooking, canning, growing, and sharing!



My ministry of cooking, canning, growing, and sharing!

Three years ago we bought a small farm with ten acres. The property had a mucky creek on the South side that was covered in raspberry brambles and poison ivy. The back six acres were so overgrown that I couldn't make it half way through the first pasture. There was mud, 10 foot tall weeds, about ten million ground hogs, and a house with "fabulous" 80's wall paper on EVERY surface. I looked at this property and my mind was spinning with possibilities of what I could grow, raise, and even forage off this little plot of land. My husbands mind, who was standing in nearly the exact same spot, was spinning with the thought of how much work he had ahead of him.

From my Farm to my Kitchen is a way for me to share my stories, recipes, failures, and successes. It is a way for me to tell you how sharing with others has opened the flood gates for abundant blessings, new friendships, and great lessons.

We have fought to "take back" parts of our property that had been swallowed by willows and scrub trees. My husband has suffered the wrath of the evil wood emperor, Sir Poison Ivy and our five children have worked tirelessly to help with chores like, "go get Mommy some basil" or I KNOW there's a Morel out there, GO FIND IT!

Please enjoy this glorious adventure with our family. Learn the lessons that I stumbled over, take the great recipes that I share and leave the miserable ones. I am hoping to write each day but you never know if the kitchen or the laundry monster will get me!!

Friday, October 29, 2010

Bees

Okay...Bees pretty much "keep" themselves.  I'm just the occasional "checker-inner" and "honey thief."  The biggest times of bee intervention are spring and fall.  


What time is it?  FALL!  


I really need to get out there and check on them.  I need to see if they have any excess honey for me and enough stores for the winter.  I need to reduce their entrance to make it easier for them to shiver together and stay warm.  I need to make sure the hives are strong enough to get through the winter and that they have a queen.   I may have to supplement them with sugar water if they are a little light on the honey stores.


Now the reality.  I'm staring out the window at the chilly fall morning.  Thinking that I should have done this last week when the weather was nearly perfect.  I know there isn't any extra honey for me.  Honey production was unusually low this year.  I KNOW they need me and I'm sitting in the warm house, drinking my coffee, and enjoying the sound of the crackling fire.


BAD BAD BEEKEEPER!  


Don't worry, I'll get out there.  I wouldn't let my girls die from starvation or cold.  I just have to quit procrastinating.  Anyone out there have a swift kick-in-the-pants I can borrow?
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