Seven weeks ago I started my first batch of sauerkraut. It has to sit and "do its thing" for at least six weeks. I just got around to getting it in jars tonight. At least, that was the plan. I brought the crock filled with 'kraut upstairs from the basement where it has been for the past month and a half. I removed the bags filled with water that sat upon the cabbage keeping it under the brine, and I hopefully peered in.
Uh Oh.
No brine. No bubbles. No liquid of any kind.
This seems bad, but the smell is worse.
The kraut doesn't look right either. Instead of transparent and white it is brown with streaks of black. Very bad.
Perplexed and disappointed, I set the smelly crock outside on the steps. Not even the animals were curious. Wow, what went wrong? Everything seemed so good at first.
Later in the evening I gave Glen the whole story, including my confusion! "Why did it dry out like that? What happened?" Suddenly, he burst out laughing!
Note to self: From now on when making sauerkraut in the basement...DO NOT run the DEHUMIDIFIER!!
*sigh* Yep. You learned it here.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
The hidden nest
Yesterday Glen and I were putting some garden things away in the barn when I spied this! A nest of chicken eggs hidden in some blackberry brambles. The leaves had been frozen in the last frost and were withered just enough that I could see through them.
There were 15! That is an industrious hen. It has been cool enough that they were perfectly refrigerated here on the north side on the barn. They all passed the freshness test when I put them in a bowl of cool water. (A rotten egg will float.) What a fun discovery! I just hope that this hen will change her plans and start using the nesting boxes in the barn now! After all, it is snowing out there!
There were 15! That is an industrious hen. It has been cool enough that they were perfectly refrigerated here on the north side on the barn. They all passed the freshness test when I put them in a bowl of cool water. (A rotten egg will float.) What a fun discovery! I just hope that this hen will change her plans and start using the nesting boxes in the barn now! After all, it is snowing out there!
From frost to snow
Just a few days ago we had a good hard freeze. The yard still looked green and bright, but we knew the cold was coming. This was the second freeze of the year.
If you look close here you can see the frost on the roof.
Then we woke up this morning to snow. October 12th. It is so lovely to look at. Look at the green still poking through. The trees here are just starting to turn. Snow is supposed to fall all day today, tomorrow and Wednesday.
The chickens were skeptical at best. Most of them decided to stay indoors for the morning.
If you look close here you can see the frost on the roof.
Then we woke up this morning to snow. October 12th. It is so lovely to look at. Look at the green still poking through. The trees here are just starting to turn. Snow is supposed to fall all day today, tomorrow and Wednesday.
The chickens were skeptical at best. Most of them decided to stay indoors for the morning.
What a pair!
I liked this picture of the two of us down by the river. This was taken on Chelsea's birthday. I love this man so much! We have been through thick and thin together. He is my Love. I am a very blessed woman.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Chelsea's Birthday
Could it really be seventeen years ago that this first daughter was born to us?? How the time flies. God is so faithful. Chelsea is a blessing. Here are some pictures from her day.
I always let the kids choose what they want to eat on their birthday's. Chelsea chose quiche for breakfast. Yummy!
We decorated the dining room with tulle in fall colors.
Gabi helped decorate by adding all of the fall Littlest Pet Shop animals that she could find.
The we all went for a drive up to Chippewa Falls where there are some wonderful apple orchards. The real fall colors were so bright up there. This is Chelsea and me at an orchard.
One of the orchards had a corn maze that Glen, Lane, Gabi and Aidan went through. They all made it out again!!
A pumpkin patch.
This is one of the silly pictures of all the kids. Why, oh why do they act up so much when Glen puts the camera on them??
We had a nice afternoon together. For a special treat we ate dinner at the Texas Roadhouse. Steak!! Yum, Yum!! Then we went home for cake and presents. I try to be fairly transparent with y'all, so I will just come right out and tell you that I had a problem with the frosting on the cake! Chelsea wanted German Chocolate cake. It has a cooked frosting that I have made before without any drama! Not this time! That silly stuff would NOT set up for anything. So just before we sang Happy Birthday I poured the frosting on the cake. Then we sang, Chelsea blew out her candle (there wasn't time to get a 17 on the cake), and we cut into that cake as fast as we could. I had to keep scooping frosting up off the cake plate and putting it back on the cake. Crazy! However, little things like this make you look back and laugh! Sorry, no pictures of the hilarity!
Happy 17th Birthday Chelsea Anne!
Dad and I love you to pieces!
I always let the kids choose what they want to eat on their birthday's. Chelsea chose quiche for breakfast. Yummy!
We decorated the dining room with tulle in fall colors.
Gabi helped decorate by adding all of the fall Littlest Pet Shop animals that she could find.
The we all went for a drive up to Chippewa Falls where there are some wonderful apple orchards. The real fall colors were so bright up there. This is Chelsea and me at an orchard.
One of the orchards had a corn maze that Glen, Lane, Gabi and Aidan went through. They all made it out again!!
A pumpkin patch.
This is one of the silly pictures of all the kids. Why, oh why do they act up so much when Glen puts the camera on them??
We had a nice afternoon together. For a special treat we ate dinner at the Texas Roadhouse. Steak!! Yum, Yum!! Then we went home for cake and presents. I try to be fairly transparent with y'all, so I will just come right out and tell you that I had a problem with the frosting on the cake! Chelsea wanted German Chocolate cake. It has a cooked frosting that I have made before without any drama! Not this time! That silly stuff would NOT set up for anything. So just before we sang Happy Birthday I poured the frosting on the cake. Then we sang, Chelsea blew out her candle (there wasn't time to get a 17 on the cake), and we cut into that cake as fast as we could. I had to keep scooping frosting up off the cake plate and putting it back on the cake. Crazy! However, little things like this make you look back and laugh! Sorry, no pictures of the hilarity!
Happy 17th Birthday Chelsea Anne!
Dad and I love you to pieces!
Digging Potatoes
The forecast for tomorrow, October 10th , is snow! It used to snow for Chelsea's birthday up in Bemidji, but I didn't expect it here. The kids and I got dressed in layers and went out to the garden. Lane and I dug up the potatoes, Chelsea, Gabi and Aidan picked them. We harvested three rows out of our eight. The results were mixed. Some of the potatoes were huge. Like this one.
Or like these.
Some were teeny-tiny like the ones here on the glove. There were not as many per hill as I had hoped there would be.
But in the end we had two five-gallon pails full. That seems fine for a start! I am always proud of our kids and their willingness to work. They jumped right in and seemed excited about the task. It is fun to look at a patch of ground that gives no clue as to what lies beneath it. Then turn over a spade full and find beautiful potatoes. There was more than one squeal of delight!
We worked in two teams, and we often called out "Hey, look at this one!", in our excitement. Growing our own food is a wonderful learning experience. We plant the seeds, or in this case the roots. But it is God alone who makes them grow and reproduce more of their kind. He is the amazing creator. Thank you Lord, for the harvest!
Or like these.
Some were teeny-tiny like the ones here on the glove. There were not as many per hill as I had hoped there would be.
But in the end we had two five-gallon pails full. That seems fine for a start! I am always proud of our kids and their willingness to work. They jumped right in and seemed excited about the task. It is fun to look at a patch of ground that gives no clue as to what lies beneath it. Then turn over a spade full and find beautiful potatoes. There was more than one squeal of delight!
We worked in two teams, and we often called out "Hey, look at this one!", in our excitement. Growing our own food is a wonderful learning experience. We plant the seeds, or in this case the roots. But it is God alone who makes them grow and reproduce more of their kind. He is the amazing creator. Thank you Lord, for the harvest!
Autumn
The sun poked its head out on Wednesday. After many days of clouds and rain it was a welcome sight. I took a walk and photographed a few things which did not turn out at all. Gabi saved the day by getting this shot of our neighbor (and the man who rents our land) harvesting the corn in the north field for silage. I love the rhythms of agriculture. Planting in the spring and harvesting in the fall.
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