Harvest Tally 2009!

Harvesting our meat birds (chickens) this past weekend was the last thing that needed doing, food preserving-wise. It's been a good year. There are certainly a few things we want to do differently next year. The biggest thing is that we didn't grow nearly enough onions this year. We've actually used almost all of them already. Anyone have too many?? We also want to plant a new row of red raspberries. They grow so well here and except for pruning once a year, there is no maintenance.

Below is our tally for this year. I truly believe that God intended us to eat the plants and animals He gave us for food in their purest form without chemicals and preservatives. We feel so blessed to have space, time and means to grow and store our own food. I know not everyone has this luxury. I also know not everyone would call it a luxury:-).

In no particular order (canned unless otherwise specified)...

21 quarts crushed strawberries, frozen
3 pints strawberry jam, frozen
1 gallon bag frozen spinach
17 quarts frozen peas
12 1/2 quarts chopped rhubarb, frozen
18 pints red raspberries, frozen
50 bulbs garlic, braided and hung
28 quarts green beans, frozen
24 pints pickled beets
14 cups basil pesto, frozen
44 quarts blueberries, frozen
18 pints corn, frozen
32 loaves zucchini pumpkin bread, frozen
17 jelly jars peach jam
27 2-cup bags chopped peaches, frozen
22 quarts peaches
20 almost-quart jars roasted tomatoes, frozen
5 quarts tomato soup
20 1/2 quarts tomato sauce
11 pints stewed tomatoes
9 pints nectarines, almost completely dried, then frozen
1 1/2 gallon bags halved bell peppers (red and green), frozen
11 pints chopped bell peppers (red and green), frozen
1 1/2 quarts parsley, frozen
2 quarts basil, frozen
114 quarts applesauce (44 quarts canned, 70 quarts frozen)
8 quarts dried apples
9 2-cup bags broccoli, frozen
5 gallon bags chopped swiss chard, frozen
12 chickens, frozen
2 1/2 crates sweet potatoes, stored in newspaper in the office
13 butternut squash, stored in a crate in our mudroom's non-heated mudroom
1 1/2 bushel onions, almost gone already:-(
1 bushel potatoes
lots of carrots, stored in the ground

Our shelves aren't crooked. I am. I just wanted to clarify that.

This freezer is mostly applesauce (to the left), chickens (in the middle) and strawberries and chard to the right.

So, that's it. We'll see you again next year when we get ready to plant next year's garden. Just kidding. I'll be back next week. I had to write something at the end of this post:-). Pin It

Harvesting Chickens With A Plucker

Warning: This post is NOT for those with sensitive stomachs. Look away. Just look away.

It was time to harvest our meat birds. We ordered the chicks with our neighbors, splitting the order (each family raising 15) with plans to harvest them together. Jamey, neighbor Bo and my cousin, Conrad did all the work. Sam watched the entire time. Bo's two boys and Sadie watched for a little while. Miriam and I walked out occasionally to see how everything was going.

These first couple pictures were taken the day before the harvest. Here you can see how much bigger the meat birds are than their roommates (young laying hens) even though they are only three days apart in age. They're also a bit lazy- laying down a good part of the day unless they are up to get food. A good sign they are getting heavy. I know they aren't pets, but I had a little heart to heart chat with them the day before. I thanked them for their service and made sure they had a tasty last meal of kitchen scraps. I'm not completely made of stone.



They were predicting a 90% chance of rain, so Jamey set-up in one of our "barn holes" as we like to call them- no doors, just big holes in the barns. Below, you can see one of the cones attached to the wall on the right (it's blue). There is another one back where Jamey is. These are used to hold the birds still and calm while the cut is made in the neck. This cut kills the bird and allows much of the blood to drain out. On the right is the large pot of boiling water. The dead chickens are dipped in the water for 30 seconds to help loosen the feathers so they are easier to remove. In the back, on the left, is a work table where the chickens were gutted.


Here is Jamey showing Bo and Conrad how he makes the cut. Go Eagles.

Here are a couple dead chickens waiting to be dipped into the hot water.

Here is a chicken being dipped.


Since we had 30 to harvest this year, we called up a friend and he so generously allowed us to use his plucker (Thank you, Lee!). We had never used a plucker before. I didn't even know what it would look like. The bucket underneath is to catch the feathers.

Those funny black things sticking out are long rubber nubbins- that's what I call them anyway. They are attached to a barrel that spins around very fast. The chicken is held over the nubbins and as the feathers touch them, they are pulled out clean. If you didn't have a plucker, you would have to pull all the feathers out by hand after dipping them. This is a tedious job for folks like us who only harvest once a year. We aren't very fast. This is one reason that we skinned our chickens last year.

Below is a short video to show you how the plucker works. For all you plucker experts out there, please keep in mind we were just learning.




After they could get most of the feathers off with the plucker, they pulled the remaining few off by hand and then gutted them. Our little Junior Scientist Sam noticed something the others didn't. He saw that in the bucket of guts (I don't know what else to call it) there were some intestines that, even after their owner had been dead a good ten minutes, were still contracting and trying to move food through. Fascinating. If you find that kind of thing fascinating, which we do.

Once they were gutted, the chickens were rinsed outside, piled in a big pot or container and brought into the house and handed over to me. I rinsed them again and pulled out the remaining few quills that the men may have missed. Then, I placed two birds each into 2 1/2 gallon heavy-duty zip-lock bags and into the freezer they went. Of the 15 we raised, we gave Conrad two for his help and three are going to my brother and his wife.

It feels great to have chicken in the freezer, but we won't be eating any for a few weeks. It would just be too soon. Pin It

Green Salad with Roast Chicken and Sweet Potato

I didn't get the title of this recipe quite right in my Weekly Dinner Menu column last week. Oh, well. It's not really the name that matters anyway. What matters is how wonderful this salad is. I've been making it ever since I received the February 2005 issue of Martha Stewart Living in the mail. It's perfect for this time of year because lettuce is still lovely, our sweet potatoes were harvested last week and this salad's dressing is warm. Mmmmm...warm salad dressing. It does very well on it's own as the main dish. And, what could be healthier?


Green Salad with Roast Chicken and Sweet Potato (adapted from Martha Stewart Living magazine, February 2005 issue)

about 14 ounces skinless chicken breast (1 whole breast)
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
3-4 tbsp. olive oil
2 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
7-8 cups washed and torn lettuce (any variety or a mixture of several, but not iceberg)
3 tbsp. cider vinegar
freshly ground pepper
salt
1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp. dried

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rub chicken breasts with ginger and 1/4 tsp. salt. Heat olive oil in an oven-proof skillet (or a regular one) to medium-high. Add chicken to the skillet and let it brown on one side. Add the sweet potatoes to the skillet, coating them in the oil and juices and turn the chicken over and brown the other side. You are not trying to cook the chicken through. Place the oven-proof skillet into the oven, or transfer the sweet potatoes and chicken to a pan with sides or an oven-safe dish that is large enough to spread everything out evenly without layering much. Roast at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the sweet potatoes are soft. While it's roasting, prepare the lettuce and place it in a large bowl.

Cut the roasted chicken into bite-size pieces or strips, then place them and the roasted sweet potatoes on top of the lettuce, leaving the juices in the pan. To the juices add the cider vinegar, some freshly ground pepper, 1 tbsp. olive oil, thyme and a 1/2 tsp. salt. Stir together well, scraping the bits off the bottom of the pan. Right before serving, drizzle the warm dressing over the salad, toss well and serve immediately.

This is the very best way to make this- with the roasted chicken. I had no chicken to roast at the time, so I used cooked and shredded chicken which you can see in the photo. This works okay if you add the chicken to the warm dressing and place it back in the oven to warm it before adding to the lettuce, but roasted is still best.

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In This Together. Almost.

I'm in the post-baby stage where I am losing hair like crazy. Aside from the fact I'm a little afraid there will be no hair left on my head if it goes on much longer, I really dislike finding hair everywhere- even if it is mine.

I pick it off Miriam's clothes and sometimes off her face. I sweep it up into the dustpan. It's all over my pillow case, my towel, the shower, my clothes and worst of all...it falls down the front and back of my shirt tickling me (in a very annoying, irritating way) until I can't stand it and I plunge my hand down the front or up the back of my shirt until I find it. It doesn't matter where we are so much, although I haven't done that at church yet.

I'm often pulling out the front of my shirt to see if I can spy the buggers. Jamey likes to ask me if they're still there, as if I'm worried I've lost my means to feed our baby.

Well, I've been feeling pretty irritated about all this until the other day. I was outside hanging up wash and I looked out into the chicken yard. I was feeling sorry for myself?

Standing there was one of the most pitiful hens I think I have ever saw.


While I was photographing her, I think I could hear her saying, "And you're worried about your hair? Buck-up woman. Look at me!" Especially next to her sister-hen who has not yet begun to molt, she looks terrible.

Molting is completely natural and thankfully, to her, probably not as devastating as it looks. She put me in my place, yes siree. I'll go about my business picking up my hairs from everywhere, but I won't feel quite so sorry for myself. Who would have thought it would be a hen who would help me put things into perspective? Pin It

Coming to an End

The air is getting cooler. The leaves are drifting down. After weeks of little garden activity, there was one last big push to bring most things inside before frost.

Sweet potatoes and some of the carrots.

Potatoes.

Butternut squash and a lone zucchini that was hiding in the back garden.

Some things will remain out for a bit longer. I've froze 5 gallon-bags of swiss chard so far. The rest will withstand light frost until I can chop and freeze more.


We are going to try to mulch most of our carrots and see if leaving them in the ground will be preserve them well. Our fall lettuce will stay in the garden under a dome of plastic. We are loving these last greens.

About half of our fall broccoli was brought in and froze. Our raspberries have finally slowed and stopped. The few pears that matured on our lone pear tree were discovered and eaten. A smattering of green tomatoes were hanging onto their plants still. They were brought in and are slowly ripening inside. Fifteen chickens will be harvested tomorrow. Last weekend, we traveled for applesauce making (part 2) with my family.

It's hard to believe another garden season is almost over. Where did this summer go? It seems just yesterday I was wondering what it would feel like to own my body again. Would we have a boy or a girl? Would I have enough time to put up enough food for the coming winter?

Thanks to an overly-zealous canning season last summer and having Jamey home this summer, I think we did just fine. My body isn't the same, but it's slowly getting stronger and resembling itself. That little baby is a girl- sweet, sweet as can be. Pantry and freezer are full. My joy overflows. Pin It

Drying Apples: Winter Banana

If you recall, one of the apple varieties we picked up while away was called "Winter Banana". Above the large bin they were in was a sign that read "Great for drying. Sweet drying apple." Or something similar.


Last year, we dried Granny Smith apples. They dried great, thanks in part to friends who lent us a dryer (thank you, Shannon!) and a corer/peeler/slicer (thank you, Carmen!). We chose Granny Smiths because we heard they dried quickly since they are a drier apple. Makes sense. Problem was, our kids thought they were a bit sour so Jamey and I (happily) gobbled them up.

When I read the sign above the Winter Banana variety, I thought all my stars had aligned. And, after drying a basket, I still think they have.


For Christmas, I was gifted a food dryer from Jamey's parents and this past spring I hosted a Pampered Chef party to help out a friend AND to earn a potato/apple corer/peeler/slicer (both pictured above). Yes, indeed. This contraption peels, slices and cores your apples for you. Can you hear the angels singing?


We netted about 7 quarts of dried apples from that basket. They taste great. They are definitely sweeter than Granny Smiths, but still have a little zing. They brown very quickly once sliced. If this bothers you, soak them in a water/lemon juice solution until you are ready to place them in the drier to prevent browning.

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Accountability

There are all kinds of accountability that I could launch into rambling about- not eating too many sweets, saying more positive things to my kids in a day than negative ones, reading my Bible everyday, not spending a ridiculous amount of time online.... This list could go on and on. Somethings we can handle ourselves. With other things, we do better if someone is watching and clearing their throat as we reach for another cookie or as we log on to our computer for the fifteenth time in a day.

Well, whether you like it or not, I am going to use you (or the idea of you) to keep myself accountable for planning and making meals this fall and winter. All that preserving and freezing and drying and storing isn't worth a hill of beans if we don't actually USE what we've put up. Planning meals helps me be deliberate about using what we have and gives us a variety of things to eat. Otherwise, we might end up eating many of the same things over and over because that's what the cook is in the mood for.

All our freezer meals are gone. I've made a master list of what I can make based on what we have and have filled in my October calendar. On the right hand side (you may have to scroll up or down a bit to find it), you will find my weekly menu for dinner (evening meals). These meals will be made with what we have in our freezer and pantry and what I can buy from the grocery store for $300/month (our regular grocery budget which includes occasional take out).

If the meal has an * by it, it means the recipe is in my Recipe Index. Maybe our menus will give you some ideas for your dinner, too.

Thanks for all your help. Oh. You do know that if I don't stick to this, it's all your fault, right? Accountability, people!! Pin It

Pineapple Stuffing

We sometimes make exceptions to our diet when it comes to special occasions. It seems to be that for several of our special occasions or holidays this past year, pineapple stuffing has shown it's face. Jamey's birthday was one of these occasions.


I arranged for babysitters (the kids' aunt and uncle- the best kind of babysitters, second only to grandparents) to come and watch all three children while we went out for dinner the day after Jamey's birthday. I knew he wouldn't get home until late on his birthday day. I still wanted to do something special, so in addition to the Happy Birthday banner the kids painted and the cards we gave, I offered to make him whatever he wanted for dinner. He chose Curried-Chicken Potpie, Pineapple Stuffing and Wacky Cake. We also had applesauce. Of course.

So, here it is. When we splurge, this is how we often splurge.

Pineapple Stuffing (adapted slightly from my Mom's recipe)
I never said this was healthy. Just keep that in mind.

12-14 slices whole wheat bread, cubed into bite size peices (I store the crusts no one will eat in the freezer and save them for this recipe and bread pudding)
6 tbsp. butter
3/4 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple with juice
cinnamon

Place the bread cubes in a large bowl and set aside.


In the bowl of your electric mixer, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs. Stir in pineapple and juice. Add the pineapple mixture to the bread cubes and fold in until combined.


Pour stuffing into a greased 2-quart baking dish and dust with cinnamon.


Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

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Ode to a Rooster

Please, please, please forgive me. I take full responsibility for the insult that this is to poetry and all forms of writing. I just couldn't help myself.

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Ode to a Rooster

You were born of Emma,
And grew by her side.
Out on your own,
From big hens you did hide.

They chased you through fence
And into the yard.
Your owners didn't mind.
Their hearts weren't hard.

Soon, young cockerel,
You grew to full size.
A Wyandotte and Ameracana cross,
You were easy on the eyes.

Multi-colored and lovely
You were in the sun.
Our neighbors admired you,
Called you "pretty one".

But Marv didn't like you,
Didn't want competition.
He chased you away.
You ran like the dickens.

You ran, right up close,
To the back of the home,
Ate all the pansies while
Strutting your comb.

Right under the window
Your owners lay in bed.
You'd stretch out your neck
And crow off your head.

The woman of the house,
After waking to nurse,
Found she couldn't fall back asleep
Verse after verse.

Maybe you were greeting
The sun and the day,
But that woman needs sleep
In the very worst way.

So, after talking to the man,
Your harvest date was set.
Eager for some sleep,
The woman feared no regret.

It was always the plan.
The man and woman knew your fate.
For if they didn't harvest you,
Marv would have scheduled the date.

So, thank you for looking so lovely in the sun.
For keeping all the neighbors from ever hearing their alarm.
Now you can crow to your heart's desire
And we will enjoy you crock-pot style. Pin It

SpellQuizzer Winner!

The other day I wrote a review of SpellQuizzer software. Sam drew a name for me on his way to bed. The winner of the giveaway (a free license to use SpellQuizzer for her family) is...

Aunt V!

Aunt V, please send me an email (thyhand123@gmail.com) so I will have your email address and you will be sent registration information to get you started with SpellQuizzer.

Thank you to all who entered! Pin It

Fear

Fear. We all have it. Some of us have "them"- more than one.

Prior to having kids, I had a couple. I feared Jamey would die and leave me alone to navigate the rest of my life. I feared he would get tired of me and leave me for someone else (He never gave me any reason to think this- this was all me). When I imagined what I would do if he died or left me, I would imagine myself having to quit my job and move back home with my parents. I would be so devastated. I couldn't imagine life beyond that- beyond crying into my pillow in my childhood room. I couldn't envision any joy or life whatsoever.

Then, I had kids. Oh, boy, did the fears come then. For me, most of them revolve around me not be able to protect them- from an intruder or from a natural disaster (floods, specifically- what in the world?!). I would lay in bed at night rehearsing what I would do, each tactic, the whole plan, until I would find a way to save them. In conversations with a couple of girlfriends, I realized this was not uncommon- for moms to worry (reeeally worry) about protecting their kids. I thought it was just part of being a mom- some form of motherly instinct we all have. I gave into the fears and let myself play and replay the scenarios over and over in mind, always breathing a prayer at the end. "Please, God, don't let that ever happen."

But what if it did happen?

I am fully immersed in a Beth Moore Bible study on the book of Esther at the church we are attending. This past week, we looked at the passage (a matter of only several verses- Esther 4:11-16) where Esther moves from two polar opposite positions. First, she tells Mordecai she cannot go before the king to persuade him to let the Jews live because anyone who goes before the king, unsummoned, could be put to death. Then, after some straight-talk from Mordecai (ladies, go look this stuff up- it's powerful), Esther asks Mordecai to fast with her. She will go before the king in three days and says, "If I perish, I perish." Talk about a change of heart. Talk about courage.

Beth Moore challenged us to think of our worst fear and then fill in these blanks.

If____________(insert your worst fear), then_____________ (insert what would happen to you).

It is easy to fill the second blank in with "I couldn't go on" or "I'd die". Beth challenged us to ask ourselves "Then what?" For example, if I lost one of my children (Lord, have mercy), I would scream and cry until I had no breath or tears. Then what? Then, I'd scream and cry some more. Then what? Then, I'd be angry with God, with myself, with whoever stood in a 5 mile radius of what had happened. Then what? Then, I'd fall into some type of depression, I'm sure. Then what? Then, I'd remember my other kids and Jamey and my other family and try to pull myself together. Then what? Then, I'd probably come crawling back to God, knowing that he didn't want that to happen. Then what? Then, I'd probably try to find some way of celebrating my child's life and connect with others who've gone through loss. Then what? Then, one day, I'd probably be okay (relative term, here, but able to function) and need God more than ever. Then what? He'd still love me.

All this to say, Beth pointed out that we need to do more than to just trust God that bad things won't happen. Likely, they won't. But, true trust is to trust Him even when they do happen and even knowing that they might.

No matter what we fill in that first blank, the second blank must be "God" or "God will take care of me". He will. He promises never to leave us (Hebrews 13:5,6). Even when we feel He has, He hasn't. Our "feel" is messed up. He's there.

This has challenged me to trust God at another level. When those fears creep into my head, I can recognize them for what they are- ways someone is trying to break my trust, use the love of my children to ruin my day or my night, my joy. We are not to fear. Did you know that the most frequent instruction in the Bible is 'do not fear'? Do not fear. Fear not. Take courage.

Let's take courage, trust God no matter what (and mean it!) and give those fears a good kick in the rear.

A song I've often sung in church...

Don't be afraid.
My love is stronger.
My love is stronger than your fear.

Don't be afraid.
My love is stronger
and I have promised,
promised to be always near.

(Words and music by John Bell.)

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So much of this post was inspired by Beth Moore. She led me to these thoughts. I chose to embrace them. Thank you, Beth. Thank you, Lord.

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A Knack for Worms & Freezing Broccoli

Jamey brought in a big, beautiful bowl of our fall broccoli the other day. The thing with home-grown broccoli, we are discovering, is that it's prone to worms (and bugs). This was our first successful attempt at growing broccoli, so this was all new to us. This year, we didn't use anything to try and discourage these critters. Next year, we will. Jamey is looking into some safe worm deterrents. If they are successful in warding off the worms next year, we'll let you know.

As I started cleaning the broccoli, I remembered. Earlier this year I had my first run-in with the slimy worms that love our broccoli so. Big sigh. Muster up courage. Stomach be strong. I started pulling and scraping them off, collecting them in a jar for Minn (who didn't even want to eat them).


All of a sudden it occurred to me. Why am I doing this? Didn't I give birth to a little girl who loves worms and all manner of creeping, slimy things? I called for Sadie and she dove right in, extracting worm after worm. Bless you, my child. Bless you.


Now, if you can get past the worms, here are some instructions for freezing broccoli that I gleaned off the internet, mostly from pickyourown.org.

Freezing Broccoli

Soak broccoli for 30 minutes in a brine made of 4 tsp. salt per 1 gallon of water (this is to kill bugs). Drain and rinse broccoli. Place broccoli into boiling water and let cook for 3 minutes. Next, remove broccoli and place it in very cold water (ice cubes work well) for 3 minutes. Drain well and freeze in plastic freezer bags.

Note: This is the first year we are freezing broccoli, so I cannot vouch for the above method as of yet.

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Also, don't forget to enter my first EVER giveaway!! Click here to read about SpellQuizzer and enter. Pin It

A Review (and Giveaway!): SpellQuizzer

Do you quiz your child on their spelling words each week? Do you or your spouse sit down and dictate each word to them? SpellQuizzer offers an alternative. SpellQuizzer is a software that quizzes your child on his or her spelling words by using your recorded voice.

I was contacted by creator and owner, Dan Hite, of SpellQuizzer and asked to write a review here. He provided me with a link to SpellQuizzer so I could get acquainted with his website. I took a look and replied that I'd be happy to pass on my thoughts.

It took a matter of about three minutes to download the complimentary (received for conducting this review) software onto our computer and another five minutes to load 11 of Sam's spelling review words as well as record me reading the word and a sentence containing the word. I had watched the demonstration on the SpellQuizzer website before starting. The demo did an excellent job of walking me through the simple process.

Sam didn't want to come try it because he heard it was about spelling. Spelling is his least favorite subject. I coaxed him to the table and it took him 10 minutes to spell the 11 words. It would've taken him less time, but my son has not had typing class yet (oh, sorry..."keyboarding" class). He had to keep searching for the right letters. He misspelled two words and SpellQuizzer showed him the correct spellings and, then at the end, asked him if he wanted to try spelling them again. He clicked "yes" and I almost fell out of my chair.

When he was finished I asked him what he thought about practicing his spelling words that way. He said he liked it and that he was surprised to hear my voice. I thought he'd mention how much he liked the silly sentences I recorded ("Sam said he wanted broccoli on his ice cream"). Evidently, he didn't think they were funny enough to mention even though they did make him giggle.

I asked him if there was anything he'd like them to change about it. He said he'd like them to tell him the two letters in the middle of each word. My boy is a little lazy. That was his only critique.

As for me, I thought it very simple to set everything up and make a spelling list. Sam had no trouble figuring out what to click, etc, to get through the words. On the demo, I heard children cheering if the spelling words were spelled correctly and a scream if they weren't. The cheering was cute, but the scream was a bit too real. I was glad, for whatever reason, Sam didn't hear the scream when he misspelled his words.

One other suggestion would be for SpellQuizzer to incorporate some simple games to help with the learning of the words versus just straight forward quizzing. I thought Sam would mention this (games), but he did not.

Sam did come up to me while I was writing this review and ask if he could do "that spelling thing" again. I find myself half off my chair once again.

For complete information on SpellQuizzer and how you can sign up for a 30-day free trial offer or purchase it for your family's use for $29.95, click here.

The Giveaway!

To enter for a chance to win a free license to use SpellQuizzer for your family (Thank you, Mr. Hite!), leave a comment below. If you like, tell me what word you have trouble spelling. I have trouble with countless words. I should really create a spelling list for myself.

I will draw a name at random at 8 pm this Thursday and announce the winner then. The winner will need to email me (thyhand123@gmail.com) their email address so that SpellQuizzer can send them their free registration information.

You can earn two entries by talking about this giveaway on your blog (as well as including a link to this review) and including the link to your blog in your comment.

Happy Spelling!

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This being my first review initiated by someone other than myself, I wanted to let you, the reader, know of some specifics as to how I will handle this review and any others that may follow. First off, I will not write about something that I have not used myself. I will be honest in my review, offering strengths and weaknesses as I see them. I will post my review without anyone's blessing beforehand and I will tell you if I have received the product for free. I will also decline to review a product if I can find no (or very little) merit to using it. Pin It

Wacky Cake

I haven't written much lately because...well, there just aren't enough hours in the day. There's been homeschooling, making meals, a birthday, apples, a troublesome rooster, Sadie talking like a robot, Miriam giggling, laundry, joke-telling by Sam, the last harvests to bring in and freeze or store. There's been Bible study and Bible study homework, PE class....

I'm going to stop there before I bore you to tears.

All that said, I'm back. At least for while. Jamey is on fall break and has given me the opportunity to upload all my photos and jot down the words swirling around in my head. As of right now, I have 9 posts sitting in my queue. Just sitting there, waiting for the green light.


One of the things I can't believe I haven't shared with you yet is wacky cake. I was reminded of this because Jamey had a birthday last week. Out of all the cakes, pies, crunches, cheesecakes, ice cream sandwich cakes, etc. that I make, he chose a wacky cake for his birthday cake. The reason this is surprising is because this is the easiest, fool-proof and tasty chocolate cake I know of. The reason this is not surprising is because wacky cake is Jamey's (hands-down) favorite cake. I doubled the recipe to make a two-layer cake and cupcakes for his lunches.


This recipe came out of my home church. While Jamey grew up in the Mennonite church as well, he had never tasted wacky cake until he met me. I think this is why he married me.

As to why it's called wacky cake...I can only make some guesses here. Maybe because this recipe calls for no eggs. Maybe because it calls for vinegar. Maybe because of the method you're to use to combine ingredients. Maybe you know and can enlighten all of us!

Wacky Cake (recipe from M. Huber)

3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
6 tbsp. cocoa
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. white vinegar
1/2 cup and 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 cups tepid water

In a large bowl, sift dry ingredients together and stir with a whisk. Using the bottom of your one-cup measuring cup, make three large indentations/wells in the dry ingredients.



In the first well, measure in the vanilla, vinegar goes in the second well and oil in the third.



Over everything, pour the water. Stir with a whisk until well blended. The batter will be runny and should contain no lumps.



Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Top with your favorite icing. Jamey thinks plain vanilla icing is best.


Sorry this last photo is blurry. That's what you get when you don't use a flash in our dimly lit dining room, at night. Also, you will note that I don't level my round layer cakes before stacking them (hence the rounded top). I just can't stand to. Cake is cake is cake.



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Green Home White Mountains

Friends, as if we don't have enough blogs to follow, I've got another one for you.

A dear family friend and her fiance are building their dream green home in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. I am so thrilled and excited for them and am planning on following them as they journey from breaking ground to moving in. The view from their future back door is absolutely breath-taking. I can't wait to see what they will do. It gives me shivers!! Join me here.

I just hope Jamey doesn't come home one day and find a note informing him that the kids and I have moved up to New England to be their new neighbors. They need pharmacists in the White Mountains, too, honey. Pin It

Teacher Work Day: Applesauce

Turning those five baskets (I think they were on the small-side) of Cortland apples into canned applesauce took me seven hours. I took a teacher work day. We're allowed to take those, right?





I canned the sauce because we feared we wouldn't have enough freezer space this year and the apples we will sauce at my parent's house in a couple weeks will be easier to just put into containers and freeze (amidst the applesauce-making frenzy that occurs) than canning it there would be. We need all six burners for cooking down apples that weekend.



Sam did all the turning and about half of the scraping. Sadie did about half the scraping and a good portion of the entertaining of Miriam.



To the sauce, we added 3 quarts of red raspberries (in small increments). These add color and mild raspberry flavor. We add them to the strainer along with the hot apples so most of the seeds are removed. These were Cortland apples, not Red Cortlands. They taste the same, just have less pink color. The color isn't as important to me as is the fact that these apples are so sweet we add no sugar. The raspberries added the color we were missing- nature's own food coloring.

The day's work resulted in 44 quarts of applesauce.



Canning Applesauce

Ladle hot applesauce into sterilized jars to within 1/2 inch of the top. Increase the acidity of the applesauce by adding 1 tbsp. of lemon juice to each quart either after the jar is filled or by stirring it into the applesauce before filling each jar. The lemon juice is not an option, regardless of whether you add sugar. Clean the rim of jar with damp paper towel, top with hot lids and place on rings (finger-tip tight). Process in a (boiling) hot water bath for 20 minutes. Refrigerate and eat any sauce whose jar did not seal. Pin It

Her Shoes Said It All

We made an unexpected trip to see family this past weekend. While we were there, we decided to pick up about half of the apples we plan to turn into applesauce this year. A little while back, I mentioned that we weren't sure we'd get our favorite variety for saucing this year (Red Cortlands), but thanks to family keeping their eyes and ears open, it looks like we won't have to find a substitute this year.

Sam and Sadie stayed back at the house while Jamey, Miriam and I made the 10 minute drive to an Old Order (Mennonite) farm. We pulled in between the farmhouse and the barn. Attached to the barn (on the house side) was the add-on of a store/farm stand of sorts. The sign read "self-serve" and instructed folks to pay at the house. The "store" smelled amazing. Inside there were about 10 large bins each holding a different variety of apple. Jamey filled up baskets while I showed Miriam all the different kinds of apples. In addition to apples, they had potatoes, concord grapes and apple cider for sale.

Outside, pullets free-ranged among the flower beds. The family's buggy was parked outside the barn. Their orchard sprawled over the hill beyond the barn. Flower beds overflowed with blooms. Tree branches held swings. The smell of manure filled the air.

While we were there, a hand-full of others came to make purchases as well. Most came via horse and buggy. They conversed with the man of the house (who came out to the store with the increase in activity) in Pennsylvania Dutch. I wished I could speak it and ask about their favorite varieties and how their gardens fared this year. They didn't ignore us. They made polite conversation in English and one older woman noticed the dealer tags on our van and recognized the town we're from.

Miriam and I were back in the van while Jamey finished loading our purchases. Out from the house, being followed by two small children, came the woman of the house. Her hair was in a bun, her dress and apron plain. On her legs, even in the heat of the day, she wore white stockings. On her feet were black, clunky-looking sneakers. Those sneakers said it all. They were worn, dirty and dusty. Them were working shoes. And, I imagine, with a house, a farm, an orchard and who knows how many children, those shoes on those feet do a lot of work.

In those moments while I watched her I felt awe. I felt inspired. And, I felt tired.

We drove away with five baskets of Cortlands, one of Galas (for eating out of hand), one of Winter Banana (for drying) and a gallon of apple cider. Pin It