After a fierce couple of weeks of summer, we are back to spring. The high temp was 76 deg. F. today. Nights have been in the low 40's. I've had to close the ends of the greenhouse back up to keep the basil from going squidgy.
Today it has rained for 20 minutes at a time every two hours. Lots of thunder and lightning. Cold.
All my outside plans got scrapped, so we spent the day doing inside work. We got a couple of rooms rearranged so the kids have a better play space. We also made yogurt cheese, mozzarella cheese, muffins, and pesto. We did get a bit done in the green house, including harvesting the first big tomato of the season. That will go nicely in the dinner salad (tomato, basil, onion, fresh mozzarella, and a nice olive oil/cracked pepper vinaigrette). Pair that with pasta and pesto, a fresh baguette, and a crisp Riesling, or an ice cold draft cider, and you have a perfect summer dinner (wish it was 15 degrees warmer (62 now, and falling)).
The greenhouse is thriving. Will be installing the center grow boxes this week. Those will house the herbs that we must have year round; basil, chives, dill, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, tarragon, thyme, and garlic chives. I can't wait to get them settled in their year round digs.
The outdoor garden is in transition from cool crops to warm crops. The heat and longer days made most of the cool stuff blot, but we haven't had enough heat to really have the warm stuff thrive. Should have had more row cover on things. It's going to be grim at the farmers market next week. My planting schedule didn't factor in such a long cool spring, followed by an instant jump to summer, and then back to spring. Things are struggling. The only good thing is that all the other vendors are in the same boat. The greenhouse crops are saving us. They got us there first, and make it so we consistently have things that are fresh and local that no one else has.
The livestock are all doing well. May is starting to balloon. She has about a month and a half to go. The kids are growing fast. I'm still not sure I want 13 goats, but none of the new ones have showed anything to cause me to put them on the sale list. Porter and Chuck have adjusted to life in the mob. They are growing fast, and starting to explore the world of grass. They nibble, it doesn't contribute much to their diet, but that is how they build up their digestive system. Soon, grass will be better than milk. I can't wait!
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5 comments:
Terry Pratchett :-D - insomnia rules here, just read Making money and A Hat full of Sky with Wintersmith for the next 2 nights!
I'm having to re-collect the series but now have 23 out of the 50 or so books so getting there slowly. I find them impossible to put down once I've picked them up.
Watching the baler is like watching magic happen though I totally agree; collection and compression are of this world but the knotter - you're right about trans-dimensional space.
Wonderful to see you writing about yogurt cheese. We like it so much we wrote a cookbook and guide to expand its uses. I hope you will allow us to share our enthusiasm: Yogurt cheese (or YoChee as we call it) is a wonderful versatile ingredient you can make at home to improve your own yogurt. Simply by draining it. It has substantial health, taste and cooking benefits (a creamy food which is low or no fat plus high protein and calcium). I hope you will take a look at,” Eat Well the YoChee Way” our guide and cookbook to this important food. We even paid ($1,000) to have yogurt cheese analyzed in a lab for nutritional content. The book really increases the use of yogurt cheese to main courses, soups, sauces, desserts, and much more. (Nutritional content included). Inexpensive durable drainers (starting at $9.) make it easy and clean. Our website YoChee.com contains a free yogurt cheese how - to slide show, nutrition information and free recipes. Thanks.
dnd, loved Making Money (and Going Postal) and A Hat full of Sky. J is just starting Wee Free Men. Haven't read Wintersmith. Jealous you've got your hay in already. I'm going to have to buy hay for the winter, and can't find any worth buying yet.
N & D Goldbeck, I've enjoyed the yogurt cheese. I'll be making more. I'll check out your books. Thanks.
I'm not familiar with Pratchett, but need a new fiction series for those late night hours. I take it that you'd recommend him?
Jack, if you like slightly warped social satire in the vein of Monty Python you will probably enjoy Pratchett. I couldn't tell you where to start with his books though. I have enjoyed all of them, especially the ones with Commander Vimes. I'm sure you could get some ideas from one of the Pratchett sites on the net.
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