tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post2323529067704524442..comments2023-10-21T16:38:35.007-05:00Comments on Thoughts from Frank and Fern: Homestead News, Volume 4Frank and Fernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-39618813924532791522015-06-18T22:53:28.878-05:002015-06-18T22:53:28.878-05:00Hi, Brenda. We don't really know why that happ...Hi, Brenda. We don't really know why that happens either, but it has happened to us before, too. With time, the plants started producing full size, mature squash. I would give it a little more time and see if it works. Good luck.<br /><br />Frank<br />Frank and Fernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-16365192882868249292015-06-18T22:38:47.607-05:002015-06-18T22:38:47.607-05:00Hello, Leigh. Actually, the pigs are turning out t...Hello, Leigh. Actually, the pigs are turning out to be a lot of fun. They're getting a little too fat a little to quick, though. We're going to have to cut them back. So, no more old pasta. <br /><br />I hope the windows do work out. Since they don't develop condensation between the panes, it's a whole lot easier to see out. <br /><br />It is nice to have a good cheese stash. I just wish Fern would get a different color wax next time. Red is so boring. <br /><br />We enjoy your blog. Thanks for the comment.<br /><br />Frank<br />Frank and Fernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-6658036589839450172015-06-17T01:00:35.832-05:002015-06-17T01:00:35.832-05:00So many exciting things going on! I am growing ye...So many exciting things going on! I am growing yellow crook neck squash and most of them are shriveling after they are half way grown. The plant is continuing to grow new squash and the leave are healthy so I don't know why they are shriveling. We have only gotten one to eat so far. I have seen no pests so maybe it is lacking something in nutrients. Any thoughts? We are only growing one plant in a wine barrel. Thanks for all your inspiration.Brendahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06430065113036026350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-63822773762425642672015-06-16T20:37:45.447-05:002015-06-16T20:37:45.447-05:00Fern, everything looks so good! And your cheese st...Fern, everything looks so good! And your cheese stash! Good job on that. I haven't been getting the milk I'd hoped for (so far, because of the quads) but I'm working on mozzarella making now. <br /><br />Loved hearing about the pigs. :)<br /><br />You will be so glad for those new windows. Our energy efficient ones have made a huge difference in keeping the house warmer in winter and cooler in summer (not that it's very cool, but they still help!)Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-53337113475815723062015-06-16T18:17:26.978-05:002015-06-16T18:17:26.978-05:00You made me laugh, Fiona, since today I am not doi...You made me laugh, Fiona, since today I am not doing much of anything. Well, we weren't doing much of anything until we decided to clean out some of the wet barnyard and put down fresh hay in the barn so the does and dog would have somewhere dry to lay during the heavy rain we are expecting over the next few days. We will need to add a good layer of hay to the sheds in the boys' (billy, wethers and weaning babies) and pigs' sheds this evening when we do chores. We're in for some really wet days, probably through the weekend. Yes, lazy pastoral days. They are pure heaven. They really are. I would not trade this life for anything. It's what I was made for and I am blessed to be able to live here. Thank you for your comment. Take care.<br /><br />Fern<br />Frank and Fernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-78746127292568503302015-06-16T18:11:50.669-05:002015-06-16T18:11:50.669-05:00Sandy, I love reading CQ's experiences, recipe...Sandy, I love reading CQ's experiences, recipes and recommendations. I have missed her posts since they moved to Tennessee. She is on our blogroll.<br /><br />The pigs seem to be doing very well. We are trying to make sure and not feed them too much since they are looking a little fat. I know, everyone thinks pigs are supposed to be fat, but this breed doesn't do well if they get very fat. It causes reproductive and health issues. They are growing well and are more docile and content now that they are not in the pen. <br /><br />Be safe in the weather. I don't know if you will be getting any effects from the storm coming up through Texas, but we have major flood warnings here. We are right in the path of the storm and they are predicting 4 to 10 inches of rain or more. The flood waters have not receded here from the last heavy rains, so we will have to wait and see how it goes. It has been raining here on and off all day. Be safe and take care.<br /><br />Fern<br />Frank and Fernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-49441893087214947912015-06-16T18:05:35.974-05:002015-06-16T18:05:35.974-05:00From looking at the plants we have, which are also...From looking at the plants we have, which are also planted close together, I would be surprised to find a large one like you describe. But I may just have to plant one off by itself to see how it does. I am always fascinated that you can take a tiny little seed, put it in the dirt, give it water and with the blessings of sunshine it turns into this big thing that gives you food to eat. It's such a miracle. And I get to see it happen year after year.<br /><br />Thank you for the information about canning the greens. That makes me even more excited to start our adventure of stocking the shelves with canned greens. I appreciate the information very much.<br /><br />Fern<br />Frank and Fernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-50753458687190845332015-06-16T18:01:43.505-05:002015-06-16T18:01:43.505-05:00Marilyn, that is fascinating information about ove...Marilyn, that is fascinating information about overwintering collards. I, like you, will have to plant some back in the herb bed so it won't get tilled in at the end of the season. Thank you for the tip, and for sharing with us here. Blessings.<br /><br />Fern<br />Frank and Fernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-21651328281321041972015-06-16T17:59:35.292-05:002015-06-16T17:59:35.292-05:00Ilene, when we butcher, Frank usually does the kil...Ilene, when we butcher, Frank usually does the killing and I do the dressing out. It doesn't bother me at all. I am appreciative of the food that the animal is providing us and always thank them. <br /><br />By the way, wild rabbit has little to no fat, so you could use them as a protein source, but you would need a fat source as well or you would starve. They are also known for being wormy in the summer around here so no one eats them then, only in the winter.<br /><br />I would love to be wrong in this instance, Ilene, but I just don't think so. Frank and I have always prayed about everything and made our decisions based on the feelings we get. The future just doesn't feel good, not at all. And the scary thing about it is that there are many, many other people that feel the same way. We discover more of them all the time. There is a saying Frank has known for years. I'd rather be a prepared fool than an unprepared one. The way things are going now, I think that it is a matter of survival. Take care.<br /><br />Fern<br />Frank and Fernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-15561132527768050032015-06-16T17:52:13.840-05:002015-06-16T17:52:13.840-05:00Thanks for the loose leaf cabbage/collard recipes,...Thanks for the loose leaf cabbage/collard recipes, Calidore. I planted more seeds yesterday and now we're supposed to have anywhere from 4 to 10 inches of rain over the next two days. Yuck! Too bad I can't package some up and send it to you. Take care.<br /><br />Fern<br />Frank and Fernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15570058990887565563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-87793061119931618922015-06-16T11:44:06.678-05:002015-06-16T11:44:06.678-05:00These farm reports should be read in schools....or...These farm reports should be read in schools....or anywhere people have an incorrect idea of lazy pastoral and bucolic country living! What you two accomplish with your time is just awesome! Fionahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05348495575211204989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-34073239145363360762015-06-16T10:28:28.345-05:002015-06-16T10:28:28.345-05:00Fern,
Good morning, I have to say I enjoyed readi...Fern,<br /><br />Good morning, I have to say I enjoyed reading about all your new improvements at your place. Frank did a beautiful job on the trim work around your windows. <br /> <br />Having a man who is extremely talented when it comes to carpentry, and electricity is the CAT's meow on a homestead. My husband loves working with both himself. One time he taught me how to change out an outside light on the wall just outside the back door my hands were shaking because I've always been afraid of working around electricity. I did succeed in turning off the power, wiring in a new light, turning on the power, and the light actually worked. Will I continue to work with electric, no.....I'll leave those projects for my husband to accomplish. Besides, they're plenty of other projects to keep us busy on the homestead.<br /><br />Last year, I planted Swiss chard, beets, and some collards. I've never canned greens before. I did some research on the web, and research on Blogger friends who have years of experience canning, and decided to follow Canned Quilters instructions from her blog Hickey Holler on canning greens. I'm not sure if you're familiar with her blog, she's an amazing woman with all kinds of experience. Here's the link to her post http://hickeryhollerfarm.blogspot.com/2012/05/canning-greens.html <br /><br />Enjoy canning your greens!!! <br /><br />Your pigs look as if they're really enjoying running loose on your pasture, it's something really new for them. Having your new lean to sheds will make a world of difference in cooling and storing things. I think your pigs will enjoy the shade!<br /><br />Have a wonderful weekend, and hopefully we won't get too much rain causing flooding again.<br /><br />Hugs to you and Frank,<br />Sandy<br /><br /><br /><br />Sandy Livesayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06183449816586125720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-17728790877824472822015-06-16T08:12:03.102-05:002015-06-16T08:12:03.102-05:00Love collards. I know I am planting them too close...Love collards. I know I am planting them too close, but am short on room. I accidently dropped a single seed a few years ago, I let that plant grow and because it had all the room it needed it got 3.5 feet across! Leaves as big as dishpans. I have seen them grown in South Carolina, and appeared to be set out from seedlings. <br />One thing about canning the greens.... they hold up really well on the shelf.. last for years without quality diminishing. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-13283795721685698802015-06-16T06:58:51.579-05:002015-06-16T06:58:51.579-05:00Fern. Earlier this year I read the following comm...Fern. Earlier this year I read the following comment from a reader over on the "Ask Jackie" blog. <br /><br />"I read with interest your reply to the reader asking if broccoli leaves can be used like kale or collards and you affirmed that indeed they can be. Down here in the lower South I let my collard plants overwinter and they normally do quite nicely, but the time comes, especially when sitting in the garden for almost a year that they go to seed. What I noticed was that the flower stalks look remarkably like broccoli or broccoli rabe so I cooked some up as broccoli spears and were they ever good! In fact, they had a delightful taste and texture almost like asparagus and broccoli together. I continued to pick the spears as they appeared and got a harvest of about 3-4 weeks from them, for multiple pounds long before the spring-planted broccoli was ready. The spears grow faster and longer than broccoli spears and because of that fast growth were exceptionally tender. My next project is overwintered kale flower stalks!"<br /><br />This is the first year I have grown collards and find that we really enjoy them. I will be leaving a row to go to seed. Sure hope I get these wonderful heads this reader mentions. Sure is worth the try.<br /><br />Love your posts and have learned SO much from you two. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us. I know it takes a lot of your time but so many of us have been encouraged to do just a little bit more than before. As you say, time is short. May God continue to bless you.Marilyn in SW MOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12050273072977627801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-485672608489436312015-06-16T05:12:27.373-05:002015-06-16T05:12:27.373-05:00Wow, that cheese looks wonderful! I wish we had t...Wow, that cheese looks wonderful! I wish we had the space to raise animals. We had chickens for awhile but it just didn't work out. Hubs was good about helping with the feeding and the water changing, and he'd close up the chicken house on nights when I, because of surgery or just plain ol' not feeling well, would've found it difficult to do. We couldn't keep the sparrows out of the chicken house and they were eating the feed. Our feed bill was higher than if we'd just bought eggs. Hubs doesn't like killing the chickens so we didn't even go into it for the meat. I s'pose we could survive on wild rabbit, if we ever had to, as long as one of us would get over our aversion to the killing and dressing out part. They're all over the place.<br /><br />I sure hope people are wrong and this will go the way of Y2K. But it's better to be as prepared as one can be, anyway.RockWhispererhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04204125716550161500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7003348645601520194.post-49376181416354964892015-06-16T00:54:08.206-05:002015-06-16T00:54:08.206-05:00You have been busy. I do like Frank's way of t...You have been busy. I do like Frank's way of trimming the windows. Very nice :-) I had to look up Mr Google to see what collards are too. Turns out they are what I call loose leaf cabbage. We eat them raw in coleslaw with grated carrot, finely sliced onions and mayonaise. In the winter I cook sliced bacon and onions until they are just starting to catch on the bottom of them pan, add some water to deglaze the pan then throw in sliced cabbage and cook until it's done. Fabulous. The barn additions are exciting - you will have so much more room when it's done.Calidorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07118238727781108509noreply@blogger.com