We are still on slow down here,
with the hot and humid weather encouraging us not to want to do much.
In some ways this is good, as it is giving us a much needed rest,
but we are getting fed up with not being able to get things done.
No rain for a long time now.
This has been a very long hot summer.
But the tomatoes continue to flourish.
They seem to like being neglected even though they have not been watered for a long time.
I skinned and dehydrated these.
Meanwhile, Lester has been putting away his Kubota tractor and implements for the winter....
... and been bringing in to the courtyard four hay bales which a neighbour had kindly donated....
They are now under cover, and should last until late November.
The cows are getting bigger udders, and will have their calves soon,
so they will be brought in each night rather than being left out in the field all the time.
It has been a good summer for them, but grazing is non existent at the moment,
so Lester has started giving them hay. They have been also having a grain supplement for several weeks. They are looking good, our house cows.....
.... and one of the old bales of straw being moved round to the veg paddocks...
....... it just about stayed in one piece until it got there!
Not to worry, the dogs enjoyed rummaging through the straw for little things,
like rats, mice, etc....
And the log pile, covered over and done for this year,
One of these years we hope to get a better storage facility for the wood,
but for the moment tarps will have to do,
they might not look very pretty, but they do the job of keeping the wood dry.
All that is left to do is getting the kindling cut up and stored.
And already we have to be thinking about the 2017 winter supply of wood!
Saying bye for now,
Vx
8 comments:
Getting set for winter I see! I need to get the last of the firewood under cover adn order some more oil for the boiler. I'm going to have a bit of an overhaul of the garden this year and rearrange things a bit more! Hopefully get rid of most the lambs this next week and start getting the wes dried off and into condition to get in lamb again. Going to keep a few back for ourselves though and I plan to kill and butcher them myself.
Slow mode is just right now, with all this hot and humid weather. You can save your energies for the approaching winter which brings with it worries of its own. I'm glad your tomatoes continue to flourish. The tomatoe is such a beloved veggie! I eat it with everything.
I wouldnt say slow mode, you seem to be getting a lot done, winter preps are on the way here to, log piles building up for next year, the tractor is still very much in use :-)
Some of those tomatoes look really big, do you dehydrate them whole? I've done cheery tomatoes before and packed them in oil but i planted none this year. It didn't occur to me I could do this with regular sized tomatoes?
KEV, we are also rethinking our garden, especially our veg gardens. And we, too, will be butchering this year's lambs as soon as the weather cools down! Lots of work but good to have home grown meat in the freezer!
DUTA, I also love tomatoes, but only our home grown ones, which are so much tastier than shop bought ones. Be glad when the weather cools down a bit!
DAWN, I am not nearly as busy as you are, but will upt the speed when the weather cools down. Day after day of temperatures 30C plus is getting a bit much!
COTTONTAIL FARM, I slice the tomatoes lengthwise, then lengthwise again, then put them into the dehydrator. I do find that it is worth taking the skins off though, after which the dried tomato has the most gorgeous taste! I use all the different sizes of tomato, except the small cherry ones which tend to end up as food for the pigs. Nothing is wasted here!
Our wood is just under a tarpaulin, not really practical but nowhere else to store it. Gosh hasn't it been a hot dry summer, I just wish we could get a nice steady rain that lasts for several hours. Trouble is we probably will finally end up with a storm that does not soak in!! The veggie garden has done fairly well here,I have watered, but even our established shrubs are looking unhappy from lack of water. Have a good weekend Diane
I need to get out with the chainsaw. I've prepared a bit, but lots need to be re-stacked. Rain is on the way for next week. At the moment we're either indoors because of the heat, or we'll soon be indoors because of the rain. We can't win.
DIANE, we had rain last night, but could still do with some more. Well done with keeping your veg garden watered.....we gave up with doing ours because it just got toooooo hot!
CRO MAGNON, it has been difficult weather to get things done, as you say, indoors because it is too hot, or indoors because it is raining! Hopefully there will be some windows of cool dryness so we can those outside jobs done!
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