tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70113836165290376222024-03-06T00:52:13.320-04:00Hopeful HomesteaderBeginning a journey to self-sufficiency, while juggling adorable children, pursuing new opportunities, conserving local wildlife and protecting watersheds, baking bread and trying new recipes, and enjoying life on Prince Edward Island.Rosalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07594397183233004323noreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011383616529037622.post-47522894281881071542015-02-10T13:06:00.002-04:002015-02-10T13:06:56.630-04:00Trying againThis poor little blog was abandoned two years ago. It was a busy time of full-time mothering, full-time studying, part-time working and trying to homestead in the city. I'm back with a new home, a new baby, and new hopes and ideas and I'd like to start blogging again. This isn't the right space for it now though, and if any of you are still checking this from time to time, please head over to http://invercauldfarm.blogspot.ca/ to see the new home of my homesteading accounts. I'll be deleting this blog in a few weeks, and will only be blogging at the new one from now on. Thank you!Rosalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07594397183233004323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011383616529037622.post-49155387084155744002013-03-21T15:00:00.000-03:002013-03-27T19:28:04.588-03:00Winter Sowing: my first attemptLast year <a href="http://rosalynhomesteads.blogspot.ca/2012/03/building-grow-light-shelf-for-starting.html">I built a grow light shelf with my dad</a>. Well, perhaps more honestly, my dad built a grow light shelf while I chatted at him, watched him, took Instagram photos and did some sanding. Anyway, I didn't have the best of luck with starting seeds under lights. I'm not sure if the light bulbs weren't the right wavelength, or if it was too cold in my basement, or if the light was suspended too far from the seedlings, or the if the growing medium was too shallow, or what exactly the problem was--but most of my seedlings were leggy and those that did germinate and survive to the transplant stage didn't do well in the garden. I'm going to give it another try this year, but I also want to try something else.<br />
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Winter sowing.<br />
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I had no idea what it even was, until I saw <a href="http://www.agardenforthehouse.com/2010/12/winter-sowing-101/">this fascinating post</a>. In a nutshell, you turn a four-litre milk jug into a mini greenhouse by punching holes in the bottom, and cutting almost all the way around the jug, approximately halfway up, leaving a little bit uncut to act as a "hinge". Then you put potting soil in it, plant some seeds, close it up, tape it, label it, and put it outside.<br />
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In the winter. "I beg your pardon?" you say? Yes. When it is snowing and cold and very un-spring-like. Then you just let nature take its course. You leave the cover<b> off</b> the jug, so that moisture in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or ice pellets can make its way in, and you wait. Apparently, when it gets properly warm enough, your precious seeds will wake up and bid hello to the new season of growth, and you'll have vigorous seedlings that are already more or less acclimatized to the conditions. How amazing does that sound? I can't offer any proof yet as to its success, but in the post above the gardener mentioned that his winter-sown seedlings were stronger and more successful than his light-shelf-grown seedlings.<br />
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So I'm giving it a try!<br />
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I started with some milk jugs, some that I have saved, or some that came from a very handy source--the coffee house that I worked as a cook in last summer. I punched holes in the bottom with a tiny little screwdriver (be careful you don't stab yourself in the hand), and I cut around with a rather dull knife (again, caution should be exercised in this step!).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have a hard time printing neatly on the jugs... I so don't have teacher handwriting yet!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiKIxwJyDNkZgp3DAoCWXFL0awLV7XiEXOBkuiGmfHtjsBH5AQHDe-TescW3VzM_c8I5ScU90zNRaCvH8uubExz6Rzhb59dmYxRA3cU6xYMZAdshhP14SX87WUldsEV6prrb3H9GqCNA4/s1600/IMG_4494.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiKIxwJyDNkZgp3DAoCWXFL0awLV7XiEXOBkuiGmfHtjsBH5AQHDe-TescW3VzM_c8I5ScU90zNRaCvH8uubExz6Rzhb59dmYxRA3cU6xYMZAdshhP14SX87WUldsEV6prrb3H9GqCNA4/s640/IMG_4494.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My reliable gardening helper scooped soil, moistened it, and started planting!! Here, a yellow bean seed.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We both think that swiss chard seeds are pretty cool.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Ste8bhq98hQpYNeSQEFyzaZn1Xth2dXdYhUUYJm2QRLq4EuQAqpNR-wWvGjXdf1Dk6pk1j76x953GmLQ78JKOBP332rJMhVxZIhyRfAsRDcMwIboxcNt_PSgKg9uFnUt6dbleo5Ucs/s1600/IMG_4505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9Ste8bhq98hQpYNeSQEFyzaZn1Xth2dXdYhUUYJm2QRLq4EuQAqpNR-wWvGjXdf1Dk6pk1j76x953GmLQ78JKOBP332rJMhVxZIhyRfAsRDcMwIboxcNt_PSgKg9uFnUt6dbleo5Ucs/s640/IMG_4505.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blurry (sorry!) but he was just so interested in how his seeds were planted, I couldn't not post a picture of him examining his work!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj34ri6Zl9TbPzDs8h1vHtNmOck-Dzh3Y4IyLzpCxnPzE1zVa4aHbV1LGpavKH8B15g86WdsCmZmE_RrWVP9CT3csohWkYc4ORwepvWXoPwc2Iz1o4KyRaexEjNlUTAxuaUCvxPP7pmgXE/s1600/IMG_4507.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj34ri6Zl9TbPzDs8h1vHtNmOck-Dzh3Y4IyLzpCxnPzE1zVa4aHbV1LGpavKH8B15g86WdsCmZmE_RrWVP9CT3csohWkYc4ORwepvWXoPwc2Iz1o4KyRaexEjNlUTAxuaUCvxPP7pmgXE/s640/IMG_4507.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My darling boy also taped the jugs shut for me.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3tM2922fIxUTBHGEXb-LFfwwIgjEZC5XT7mQJEETeVPQF7qYyMGBS9QE6mNGmXceWwGRqgp7iDoZqdSqJC6oRTRMuTYoK5fOMnJOLpKJA707IqikJBPeISfv8ALVoFw6cdZaVNAawboI/s1600/IMG_4508.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3tM2922fIxUTBHGEXb-LFfwwIgjEZC5XT7mQJEETeVPQF7qYyMGBS9QE6mNGmXceWwGRqgp7iDoZqdSqJC6oRTRMuTYoK5fOMnJOLpKJA707IqikJBPeISfv8ALVoFw6cdZaVNAawboI/s640/IMG_4508.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to go outside!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCuTcx9Tqm7HeXzGczySpmrrPpF2IgVIw8OYDm-GxLoq_scx6vBLuNXwz2tlWeR0sGAG0g8h2K7t24axzqQ8V8AR3Xvc0L-qPdnB6Oo15W1GmxY2dXdaEM8zTKqDpF15889Zfg2CLMD1c/s1600/IMG_4537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCuTcx9Tqm7HeXzGczySpmrrPpF2IgVIw8OYDm-GxLoq_scx6vBLuNXwz2tlWeR0sGAG0g8h2K7t24axzqQ8V8AR3Xvc0L-qPdnB6Oo15W1GmxY2dXdaEM8zTKqDpF15889Zfg2CLMD1c/s640/IMG_4537.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All lined up on a bench on the back deck, waiting far more patiently than I for spring.</td></tr>
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<b>A few pointers:</b><br />
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1) Winter sow your seeds approximately when you would plant them indoors under a grow light. Meaning, have a look at how many weeks before the last frost date they should be planted indoors, and put them in the jug and put them outside. So you would plant the more cold-hardy varieties first and the more tender annuals later on (I'm waiting till April to plant the tomatoes and basil, but I could be planting lots more now!).<br />
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2) Keep an eye out for seeds that sprout during warm spells when you know it is going to get cold again. Perennial seedlings or plants that are cold hardy to your zone should be fine, but the tender ones will need to be covered up with a blanket or something at night or during cold spells to protect them from freezing.<br />
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3) Once they do sprout, make sure they have enough water in there if it hasn't been raining for a bit. It gets hotter in their little "greenhouse" so you don't want them to dry out!<br />
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4) Once it is properly spring (and not just on the calendar but you can actually enjoy the weather and the plants will do well in it!) then you can open up your greenhouses during the day. I'll post pictures of my little plant friends when they start coming up later on this year!<br />
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5) The gardener who inspired me to do this has <a href="http://www.agardenforthehouse.com/2012/01/what-to-winter-sow-and-when/">this other post</a> that explains when to plant what. He very conveniently lives in a zone 5b area, like I do, so it was super helpful! You could adjust it to your own plant hardiness zone.<br />
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And because it is hard on all of us to see the fruits of our labour (well, on Susannah, James and me at least, I'm not sure that Craig is waiting with baited breath), the three of us have been planting marigolds indoors. This crop went out to fellow education students, but James and I just filled two more egg cartons with marigold seeds yesterday morning and Susannah and I planted some grapefruit seeds yesterday afternoon--I hope those come up! I'd love even an unproductive grapefruit tree in our home. :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCw7qfoaY0DC3STeEEG-OOEQkLP-Q8o1kWeFGtXrJ-0Guzt4hoNJX7HtNwTqfKZheR3cv47SMfGKpM5mlKzFEQPJlqWXW7D2HEJciYNN79xBB3k2si8AvasbyfMP3pJRtrYul_xOweZsc/s1600/IMG_4512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCw7qfoaY0DC3STeEEG-OOEQkLP-Q8o1kWeFGtXrJ-0Guzt4hoNJX7HtNwTqfKZheR3cv47SMfGKpM5mlKzFEQPJlqWXW7D2HEJciYNN79xBB3k2si8AvasbyfMP3pJRtrYul_xOweZsc/s640/IMG_4512.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby marigolds :)</td></tr>
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<i>Shared with <a href="http://www.oursimplefarm.com/2013/03/simple-living-wednesday-link-up_27.html#.UVNyPaUbJRg">Simple Living Wednesdays</a>.</i></div>
Rosalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07594397183233004323noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011383616529037622.post-25674268901663612392013-02-22T21:03:00.001-04:002013-02-22T21:03:54.082-04:00Seed order came today!I was so excited to arrive home from the university today to see a little parcel in our mailbox--my seed order! I absolutely can't wait to get planting, but as nature would have it we've had storm after storm recently. It will be awhile, but there is a lot of planning to be done and even just holding the pretty little seed packets sends my heart soaring.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRe8cAESkCI13UupGidSbWrMAz8lJc7hG6yLD389Uw-Qv3zbkjE7uM7rgUdipBFyr0uLcQtWRD67E9UBt-MKjoy_wkqVgkC4zorkapmepXindrlrT1GCndcH2lmPBVDmfl8PGKBBZnZ-c/s1600/IMG_4412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRe8cAESkCI13UupGidSbWrMAz8lJc7hG6yLD389Uw-Qv3zbkjE7uM7rgUdipBFyr0uLcQtWRD67E9UBt-MKjoy_wkqVgkC4zorkapmepXindrlrT1GCndcH2lmPBVDmfl8PGKBBZnZ-c/s640/IMG_4412.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I can't really decide which ones to be the most excited about--it's a tie I think between Amish paste tomatoes, calendula, and buckwheat. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv0q71mk-EdVUxuuvkMFHgVdLk1GIadHdJEKPu42dE7nehF6kQ4P6bsCwyjbKck0c95Rj6hsZSqze9k79pjme6nkKHWoqF9tf6Mc1G3FYAbwFT7RUKTu9lMkvEdT2VYt6ldUqdCO0J2zk/s1600/IMG_4410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv0q71mk-EdVUxuuvkMFHgVdLk1GIadHdJEKPu42dE7nehF6kQ4P6bsCwyjbKck0c95Rj6hsZSqze9k79pjme6nkKHWoqF9tf6Mc1G3FYAbwFT7RUKTu9lMkvEdT2VYt6ldUqdCO0J2zk/s640/IMG_4410.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How cute is the personalized message on the outside of the envelope?</td></tr>
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There's no use being impatient, so I'll settle in for the remainder of February and March to draw veggie garden plot plans, put more effort into the community garden planning, and enjoy the second part of my practicum for school. Spring will be here soon enough, and with it the poetry and beauty of new life unfurling all around us.Rosalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07594397183233004323noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011383616529037622.post-27839560718772385792013-02-18T21:22:00.002-04:002013-02-20T19:00:08.375-04:00Homestead goal review: one year laterLast year when I started blogging, I started out following Jill Winger's "Your Custom Homestead" e-book. I sort of fell off that little wagon about a week in, but I did enjoy setting objectives for my homestead life over a number of different time periods. Well, with my one-year mark of developing a homestead here in Summerside approaching its anniversary, what exactly have I accomplished? Here's what I outlined in <a href="http://rosalynhomesteads.blogspot.ca/2012/02/my-custom-homestead-day-4.html">that post</a>:<br />
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Get (at least) the support, funding, and basic infrastructure in place for the Lefurgey Community Garden and Food Pantry (think of a snazzier name for it too!)</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Submit my complete application and gain council approval for my permit to have laying hens</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Build a comfy coop and roomy pen for laying hens</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Acquire said laying hens</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Grow an awesome bumper crop of tomatoes (and do well with my other veggies!)</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Increase my stock of preserves, particularly jam</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Learn to make soft cheese</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Attend at least one meeting of the PEI Beekeepers' Association"</li>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">So how did I do?</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Well, I did (with a lot of help) get the <a href="http://rosalynhomesteads.blogspot.ca/2012/04/helping-hands-community-garden.html">community garden</a> up and running. We got permission and in-kind support from the City of Summerside, who gave us the use of a portion of a local park, paid to have the initial bed sites tilled, lent us a truck and a few pairs of hands to shovel and haul horse manure to enrich the beds, and installed an exterior tap on a nearby building so that we could have access to water. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjtk57EcbmYPaLLCsjpTel5RpOIKNueH6Jj2QbOD91JRsDfWKo1lsQtJYa5Hmr7UzWvwkY0GJqja-09Jrumbt6E4J8mz8X3KhL5t5WK4BT0eOijehoBxxePWHbBSaGkWSIQAZwb-DWbQo/s1600/IMG_1112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjtk57EcbmYPaLLCsjpTel5RpOIKNueH6Jj2QbOD91JRsDfWKo1lsQtJYa5Hmr7UzWvwkY0GJqja-09Jrumbt6E4J8mz8X3KhL5t5WK4BT0eOijehoBxxePWHbBSaGkWSIQAZwb-DWbQo/s640/IMG_1112.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our plot, just after planting.</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I also very excitedly found out that after a number of steps, I did gain permit approval from the city to get four <a href="http://rosalynhomesteads.blogspot.ca/2012/04/chickens-in-suburbs.html">laying hens in our backyard</a>. I didn't get them last year, due to a few unforeseen events that temporarily turned our world upside-down, but a very wonderful person built me a coop. It's beautiful, and I'll post more detailed pictures of it soon, but here it is in the winter:</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGLOid2DjwqjXqJNq7J5sW0j_KOsOiyVGKYX31anfVvH5VRttjeBW7bj4dLoghsu4_Wspt7J0JYpqDXjHc4A_Jpoh_I-hmV0uBvjTasqmqJVZMLBW3HS1XrggjRYBYw0nMO5hEd5LKdM/s1600/IMG_4179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGLOid2DjwqjXqJNq7J5sW0j_KOsOiyVGKYX31anfVvH5VRttjeBW7bj4dLoghsu4_Wspt7J0JYpqDXjHc4A_Jpoh_I-hmV0uBvjTasqmqJVZMLBW3HS1XrggjRYBYw0nMO5hEd5LKdM/s640/IMG_4179.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lonely, cold coop awaiting some fluffy feathered ladies to bring a little life and spark to the old abode (pen still needs to be built).</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I planted SO many tomatoes that I couldn't help but get lots of them for eating, but due to a sad battle with blossom end rot, I didn't harvest enough to preserve my own (I did buy 65 pounds of locally grown tomatoes to can). We had a super hot, dry summer so even though there was ample calcium available in the form of crushed eggshells, the scorching sun and my intermittent watering meant that there wasn't enough water for the plants to take it up. I'm sorry, darling tomatoes. I'll do better this year!</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLNZTULDPhUHN-j4OHXaIUwVTTWjtjS2e6LMwiQJwvrvKjAn4OarcZsqXw8OHaGMD3tW0Ghb5QcuzTOsuYY_mXShigOP2UZyd2ZVnKZTuSrfI3g4iJI76KA2xua_4jRphL_XwbvVz7kdc/s1600/IMG_3298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLNZTULDPhUHN-j4OHXaIUwVTTWjtjS2e6LMwiQJwvrvKjAn4OarcZsqXw8OHaGMD3tW0Ghb5QcuzTOsuYY_mXShigOP2UZyd2ZVnKZTuSrfI3g4iJI76KA2xua_4jRphL_XwbvVz7kdc/s640/IMG_3298.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the tomatoes that made it through the plague...</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I made TONNES of jam this year though. Loads of raspberry, strawberry, peach, spiced peach, peach marmalade, and blueberry. I also canned tomatoes. I bought a pressure canner and am hoping to up the ante a little this year, and preserve broths for soup. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu7-e_Dv0Fy8gQ2SXeZTLM7g9lI3xc77-WJ2mrlGg0-cASd3nePsOcErinw0UxkE0Xsp7RA819h_CkNGxhH254CDI0qUZE-_HLeeARqY7zWXVQgw4SLVYW8Y0LmIQQOF0s6JOaIH4ovTQ/s1600/IMG_2585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu7-e_Dv0Fy8gQ2SXeZTLM7g9lI3xc77-WJ2mrlGg0-cASd3nePsOcErinw0UxkE0Xsp7RA819h_CkNGxhH254CDI0qUZE-_HLeeARqY7zWXVQgw4SLVYW8Y0LmIQQOF0s6JOaIH4ovTQ/s640/IMG_2585.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spiced peach, yum! I'll maybe post the recipe this coming summer. </td></tr>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">And, as the year drew to a close, I made my first ever batch of homemade soft cheese, an Italian soft cheese called stracchino that I can't find to eat here. It turned out pretty well, too! But I need to work on my cheesemaking repertoire--hopefully when the academic year is over I'll have more time to work at this. I also started making homemade yogurt, does that count as an extra point?</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW9oL-gbIKZQSFrECKKZ6xJDHMMdt0agbGPz3tCzTiLwrt8_lozDuKp8Dq3AyiZgP01B91Qg6Xh00KzYm55mozeG6Ho3Co42rYXKvKFrN8ctrLMARnVL8XmLqzXzfKzt9BrG9c7mGVZng/s1600/IMG_4251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW9oL-gbIKZQSFrECKKZ6xJDHMMdt0agbGPz3tCzTiLwrt8_lozDuKp8Dq3AyiZgP01B91Qg6Xh00KzYm55mozeG6Ho3Co42rYXKvKFrN8ctrLMARnVL8XmLqzXzfKzt9BrG9c7mGVZng/s640/IMG_4251.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stracchino on homemade bread, with a pear in the background to make it look classy.</td></tr>
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I did not attend a PEI Beekeepers Association meeting. Something to put on the books for this year perhaps! But have eaten lots of local honey!<br />
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It's exciting to look through my goals, some of which sounded a bit lofty at the time, and know that I have actually attained a lot of them (and lots more than weren't on the list). Every choice I make now in terms of food, particularly, but also homemaking in general, is coloured by the homesteading life I hope to obtain. And I've become pretty content with my little house in the suburbs, although I definitely still dream of a country property.<br />
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<i>Shared with <a href="http://www.oursimplefarm.com/2013/02/simple-living-wednesday-link-up_19.html">Simple Living Wednesdays</a></i><br />
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Rosalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07594397183233004323noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011383616529037622.post-38507489233198487972013-01-28T22:12:00.001-04:002013-01-28T22:12:40.448-04:00A Reason for WritingI want to gingerly step back into blogging again. I am a little unique, to say the least, among my friends in terms of my interests, and so it is a way to connect with like-minded people, even if we never meet face-to-face, to ask questions and learn and share experiences and express desires for a life that is more connected to the natural world we are so privileged to have access to. When I started blogging, I think that I became a little dazzled by the crazy amount of knowledge out there, by the quasi-professional blogs that have tonnes of readers and loads of information and a kind of authority that took a simple dream of mine and turned it into an enormous reality right before my eyes--a reality that I realized I knew very little about!<br />
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I started trying to write more often, filled with enthusiasm and an excitement for everything that I was learning, but I think that along the way I started to feel a certain amount of pressure to compare to some of these other blogs. A comparison really wasn't possible, but I started to want to impress people rather than just share who I was and how honestly inexperienced I am in this area. I think I was pretty straight about my lack of experience, but I was trying to be interesting at the same time. In some ways, it was a good thing, because it nudged me into trying things that I had thus far only been daydreaming about. However, I think it became a little overwhelming.<br />
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I am, after all, not a homesteader extraordinaire. I'm a "hopeful homesteader". I am just taking the first baby steps on a journey to a lifestyle that is much more in sync with the earth that I love and that was so lovingly created. So I'm scaling back. I'm going to be brutally honest and I'm not going to feel that I have to live up to any other homesteading blogs out there. I'm not making money from this, I don't have classes to teach, I am most certainly not an avid photographer, and if what I write isn't earth-shattering to a lot of people, it might spark a conversation with one or two or inspire another newbie, like me.<br />
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So here I am, the lowly and humble but very much hopeful homesteader. I hope you'll be back for a visit soon.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqcZ0woTIK_fhM0hVKMoo-JeKBInXVA9mZXK2Lybf5ft4LmfnJshmGUUJaA7vndav-C488mTHPid7JeczDRdCOYtt-eW0YL-kcV0ublVZBp3CCPJ7Rb2ZvRJ4H9ObZXpIyTg_c-KftKAI/s1600/IMG_3726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqcZ0woTIK_fhM0hVKMoo-JeKBInXVA9mZXK2Lybf5ft4LmfnJshmGUUJaA7vndav-C488mTHPid7JeczDRdCOYtt-eW0YL-kcV0ublVZBp3CCPJ7Rb2ZvRJ4H9ObZXpIyTg_c-KftKAI/s640/IMG_3726.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Rosalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07594397183233004323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011383616529037622.post-38127308399581064042013-01-19T20:05:00.000-04:002013-01-19T20:05:21.298-04:00Still living, still hopefully homesteading, not writing a whole lot...So if there is still anyone out there interested in this neglected little old blog, I'm back. I was so enjoying blogging last year and then, as is quite apparent, I took about a 6 month hiatus. Not at all due to lack of interest, but rather, lack of time. So as a quick recap of where I've been and what I've been doing:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPaU8poTJQGwVk5RkdCGIX7l3mvGfirtaynqkg2_1cdgUQCSEmE_uuTg_sXoduhyqq88Xx09e2WUUz9Dmc3ZTjQnoUXL7bVozKEITETCyllqxkXNSKgz3bNmjPDQ_8a_x_W_LjoYeAvyk/s1600/IMG_2787.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPaU8poTJQGwVk5RkdCGIX7l3mvGfirtaynqkg2_1cdgUQCSEmE_uuTg_sXoduhyqq88Xx09e2WUUz9Dmc3ZTjQnoUXL7bVozKEITETCyllqxkXNSKgz3bNmjPDQ_8a_x_W_LjoYeAvyk/s640/IMG_2787.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harvesting, cooking with, and enjoying veggies from our community plot.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG2wlSlEDyI_k5VkUQDv0CcPlpGRER2J7zntRPK-n6w0-HOTqayaSBbjNKlSB8OYdESD0OslwZGHXoyVsYkU0yf_Uj_VkjkYTj1x8zIGLuYOBdKyD8fJAHVfRnmjoJMJ9t8mKMka862pw/s1600/IMG_2824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG2wlSlEDyI_k5VkUQDv0CcPlpGRER2J7zntRPK-n6w0-HOTqayaSBbjNKlSB8OYdESD0OslwZGHXoyVsYkU0yf_Uj_VkjkYTj1x8zIGLuYOBdKyD8fJAHVfRnmjoJMJ9t8mKMka862pw/s640/IMG_2824.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Introducing my darlings to some friendly livestock, since we live in town and don't regularly get chances to visit with our ruminant friends.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4mZ4Gc4QWSKrzIZL60wnHQadGaYx1UgRv3eSw9LBtpolVKBcMYxrICD6DHLod8qSYF5cDisW1CPZ3lJVC56v8O54yi_Jlj6WDiIXyHKxxNUcELsqnBxV2bfMEex24ahULULKEjmBQUu4/s1600/IMG_2927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4mZ4Gc4QWSKrzIZL60wnHQadGaYx1UgRv3eSw9LBtpolVKBcMYxrICD6DHLod8qSYF5cDisW1CPZ3lJVC56v8O54yi_Jlj6WDiIXyHKxxNUcELsqnBxV2bfMEex24ahULULKEjmBQUu4/s640/IMG_2927.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beautiful weekend away in Cape Breton with my love for the wedding of a much cherished and adored friend.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvbTOlAKOLRWOdCwZeuhLdqQgO5SujSM7zN6mvWK6OiXDwqnyBHMdGZeQ4cF5GEP5eCneHcGDovjfunB0Gd2MR80I-18NvRNUr5Z8K5IM0yW-xEvSezV9EtqpPL9NIbOfAq6tljteolf8/s1600/IMG_3188.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvbTOlAKOLRWOdCwZeuhLdqQgO5SujSM7zN6mvWK6OiXDwqnyBHMdGZeQ4cF5GEP5eCneHcGDovjfunB0Gd2MR80I-18NvRNUr5Z8K5IM0yW-xEvSezV9EtqpPL9NIbOfAq6tljteolf8/s640/IMG_3188.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spending as much time as possible outdoors with my family before the start of the university year!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSUW19pDcwr4edZwclzjnxLeOkGvGow7S0F3x7U-6QKagy9YMrGzOl75oxZU75AYFnwGIjL9dKR8ybmSYmE7lrBWySvVUXBsIuHtOb_quYt8HPesYW6wdwDjqpw8n292JN3-tluv-LIGY/s1600/IMG_3337.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSUW19pDcwr4edZwclzjnxLeOkGvGow7S0F3x7U-6QKagy9YMrGzOl75oxZU75AYFnwGIjL9dKR8ybmSYmE7lrBWySvVUXBsIuHtOb_quYt8HPesYW6wdwDjqpw8n292JN3-tluv-LIGY/s640/IMG_3337.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Processing tomatoes...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTKQt9_MZK5-q1avgdrfzmYp5RBFQ8hAjLHqaM8L6Lg3x51jAzFxsgAYpj8c4wodGOF7spoo7eQLi7P8w7_vx3pFnowz8HJpwY5q641xoTLCFkbK9inRBvxA6XKfMQSAhYovxCQP3jebo/s1600/IMG_3362.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTKQt9_MZK5-q1avgdrfzmYp5RBFQ8hAjLHqaM8L6Lg3x51jAzFxsgAYpj8c4wodGOF7spoo7eQLi7P8w7_vx3pFnowz8HJpwY5q641xoTLCFkbK9inRBvxA6XKfMQSAhYovxCQP3jebo/s640/IMG_3362.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And canning them in my new pressure canner!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju4sal_-tUquNCwcuVTeR4oGLp1BHWYJtEAMcGtCaBbwVg9YS4tmUhVt6S6_PA2k0v9t3ASY9EAaViLEke3DPYGLPPXBQ0q6IOUQ_2GYi1GWA086C9L3nL958P9zHPo-l9wdJ6nsYUkwU/s1600/IMG_3437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju4sal_-tUquNCwcuVTeR4oGLp1BHWYJtEAMcGtCaBbwVg9YS4tmUhVt6S6_PA2k0v9t3ASY9EAaViLEke3DPYGLPPXBQ0q6IOUQ_2GYi1GWA086C9L3nL958P9zHPo-l9wdJ6nsYUkwU/s640/IMG_3437.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apple picking with my gorgeous girl...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3udtrussVja07n9_CrszzBWnW9FtBYeyLGWHkzBxo6r2AuvRpl1ouXaI-DV3A1o2XQcjZSQAwsGBdtA9lZ0YR55ocg3PAcsCC517k4OB4xVgqeZnc8_1PKYBNnh9xJ9qPgU5UzuWMY-8/s1600/IMG_3440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3udtrussVja07n9_CrszzBWnW9FtBYeyLGWHkzBxo6r2AuvRpl1ouXaI-DV3A1o2XQcjZSQAwsGBdtA9lZ0YR55ocg3PAcsCC517k4OB4xVgqeZnc8_1PKYBNnh9xJ9qPgU5UzuWMY-8/s640/IMG_3440.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and my beautiful boy!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqTXJFjxXpOgm527_98RHCstMPxxXiwSMUk9m1Y-JgmtZ84KNuq4JyMYMYs2AqvqwiF9CWHTQj652zgujnNMUn1mF9SfvMzfm4UyPYIGsFTjkOeZP6Ki1yDCcuXEBKzF_XFZ0h_qUKqw/s1600/IMG_3641.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqTXJFjxXpOgm527_98RHCstMPxxXiwSMUk9m1Y-JgmtZ84KNuq4JyMYMYs2AqvqwiF9CWHTQj652zgujnNMUn1mF9SfvMzfm4UyPYIGsFTjkOeZP6Ki1yDCcuXEBKzF_XFZ0h_qUKqw/s640/IMG_3641.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doing a lot of reading, writing, and...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4MP_do0RfOZRKmyYB5EJVf1yYdK6o1i1XGiGPjPHmtZh4MUYysnLZLQy8mTFHy2NVNwEE_sZNb1X7URrd-9LL-sjriCVPtTB42WZ7xWlQTMMByriu0MyEn71TV97RhAwBkWIqv04MQOs/s1600/IMG_3827.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4MP_do0RfOZRKmyYB5EJVf1yYdK6o1i1XGiGPjPHmtZh4MUYysnLZLQy8mTFHy2NVNwEE_sZNb1X7URrd-9LL-sjriCVPtTB42WZ7xWlQTMMByriu0MyEn71TV97RhAwBkWIqv04MQOs/s640/IMG_3827.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">other projects for my BEd degree (in French, in case you hadn't noticed--this makes it a little more challenging)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkoCLS3ngPYu5gPwuqdgSm-pjCUkVCqJ3KUmFnbck7_Bn_s5xxupu54I0I8SUJuRpUxK1NuO7mozATEvU0B3tKZBeJpoIXTa3yi-REFip03NBP-PsVTAFPM-mGXujhfO6mvMIJs5iZBJM/s1600/IMG_3703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkoCLS3ngPYu5gPwuqdgSm-pjCUkVCqJ3KUmFnbck7_Bn_s5xxupu54I0I8SUJuRpUxK1NuO7mozATEvU0B3tKZBeJpoIXTa3yi-REFip03NBP-PsVTAFPM-mGXujhfO6mvMIJs5iZBJM/s640/IMG_3703.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking our precious bean to the children's hospital in Halifax for an MRI (she is perfectly fine, but we were concerned).</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMbe81tJI2QiXFJmTFvRAAj43v_kTwCuBXXTql-nYhNBagIiOUWM3E-He-glvEIdkGzfx3tT0VgHwCK6Les9UoUZOdOxdozf4NkpVglZrkLrGw9K3rk4U78AQ-I1y0ZgdtdLKze9QnGZw/s1600/IMG_3719.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMbe81tJI2QiXFJmTFvRAAj43v_kTwCuBXXTql-nYhNBagIiOUWM3E-He-glvEIdkGzfx3tT0VgHwCK6Les9UoUZOdOxdozf4NkpVglZrkLrGw9K3rk4U78AQ-I1y0ZgdtdLKze9QnGZw/s640/IMG_3719.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loving our Acadian forest during the most gorgeous (and unseasonably, worryingly warm) autumn that I have ever experienced.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Fwxsw5nbSlRaRvo2DTI577SA4BEzYOUajI420NAdZGtabh8eijKww50O9RWNqXhs9DLwmHDbazxHfNo2ab3yOjNm_oW-5I1B8m7woFLCj5SePlYQ4rrF6gVSYJwiezAlCVZ4f3lCNH4/s1600/IMG_3971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Fwxsw5nbSlRaRvo2DTI577SA4BEzYOUajI420NAdZGtabh8eijKww50O9RWNqXhs9DLwmHDbazxHfNo2ab3yOjNm_oW-5I1B8m7woFLCj5SePlYQ4rrF6gVSYJwiezAlCVZ4f3lCNH4/s640/IMG_3971.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enhancing our Acadian forest with my sensitive little tree hugger, by planting hemlocks (<a href="http://www.stopplanb.org/">a response to the horrible project outlined here</a>).</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVk258jntFQYTgcj5IeC_nwIC8aKNa3GU_ZINOIpEgLgBTiEne4UktSTBaX6_hsXi-N6zZbQ3Aw0YzrA_4qpCHGMMHI_gKu169FSoJo1c1AOD6PmanbIvMxC_Fo5oLdyBMKVXPjyw2Ji8/s1600/IMG_4112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVk258jntFQYTgcj5IeC_nwIC8aKNa3GU_ZINOIpEgLgBTiEne4UktSTBaX6_hsXi-N6zZbQ3Aw0YzrA_4qpCHGMMHI_gKu169FSoJo1c1AOD6PmanbIvMxC_Fo5oLdyBMKVXPjyw2Ji8/s640/IMG_4112.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying Christmas with loved ones.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT5r-OSRP0k1ODAcU8noES7tIN-6A0SjeHtBY4Gij7jnmoKhUKtQgtV452BY4pc-QIf0jeYhYdAeEzEKd50vsLrvkC6Cnijv022XvHQ4XVNAj3Aa1MZU3MkPLzyCOzOWBLYaAfAneux7o/s1600/IMG_4210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT5r-OSRP0k1ODAcU8noES7tIN-6A0SjeHtBY4Gij7jnmoKhUKtQgtV452BY4pc-QIf0jeYhYdAeEzEKd50vsLrvkC6Cnijv022XvHQ4XVNAj3Aa1MZU3MkPLzyCOzOWBLYaAfAneux7o/s640/IMG_4210.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Having fun in the long-awaited snow. There's something about frigid air that makes me feel relieved, actually. Especially after a crazily warm fall.</td></tr>
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<br />
This is such a small fraction of how enormously busy my fall/early winter has been. I took more than a full course load last semester, was working part time, commuting two hours a day, involved in three volunteer boards, and then having the true priorities of family and home life. It was a bit much, but I enjoyed it.<br />
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I'm hoping to come back now to blogging, at least one post a week. I have some figuring out to do about how I want to go about this, and what my motivations are. But I hope there are still a few of you that would like to come along and have a read once in a while!<br />
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<br />Rosalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07594397183233004323noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011383616529037622.post-56633770438171541632012-08-09T15:44:00.000-03:002012-08-09T15:44:07.102-03:00Look What I Just Got!!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2oLasMetCOXIbzyjUyDzeqkPcLEYGQju_WcpnLwSfzJQ6lGKonWQoTyLxds4vwrAEDpj3ZPY3hAfDMXTIpvijMxi4UxJPWg3ioAx1REDHCr4bZrM1nX_3ebTG9QALtbhihxiej-tVT08/s1600/IMG_2689.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2oLasMetCOXIbzyjUyDzeqkPcLEYGQju_WcpnLwSfzJQ6lGKonWQoTyLxds4vwrAEDpj3ZPY3hAfDMXTIpvijMxi4UxJPWg3ioAx1REDHCr4bZrM1nX_3ebTG9QALtbhihxiej-tVT08/s640/IMG_2689.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Yaaaaaay!!</i></td></tr>
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I have been horribly neglecting this blog lately (too many beach days, probably!) and will post soon but had to share my exciting new belonging--I just picked it up about 20 minutes ago after the hardware store called me to let me know my order had come in!!<br />
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I can't wait to get started on canned soup stocks, beans, and tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes...Rosalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07594397183233004323noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011383616529037622.post-59021727165621296602012-07-28T12:40:00.000-03:002012-07-31T09:14:17.565-03:00Problems (and Pests) in ParadiseI've been meaning to get to my garden since it rained on Tuesday, and it's now Saturday and I finally made it (for a little while, James was with me and had to rush back home to get ready for his soccer jamboree--I'll need to return this afternoon). What greeted me was joy at seeing my lovely garden after a busy week, and then feeling my heart fall as I realised that this beautiful plot is no longer immune to gardening problems and its level of perfection has definitely plummeted.<br />
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I knew that this had started:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbynBrjNfCCMUKBlLOwJC4kziG3H9Z5heCXgW-dyaMeHj4k8Pn5YxiwBgIxeLSQE5ZFYhQcDzA8XjqSTuT2ahudNXi2xQHOBaIdqyer0G2PQEdVnVwBiHVvNV6A-wR5clXnky4igMcgk/s1600/IMG_2502.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbynBrjNfCCMUKBlLOwJC4kziG3H9Z5heCXgW-dyaMeHj4k8Pn5YxiwBgIxeLSQE5ZFYhQcDzA8XjqSTuT2ahudNXi2xQHOBaIdqyer0G2PQEdVnVwBiHVvNV6A-wR5clXnky4igMcgk/s640/IMG_2502.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir0fkoubCmJTutw6P2CFWJxlU7GipFnfcLsESTMmuo6UlKewveBFDUUqA1QUbmqOwgybcAZYVXbGBViukcUT-wg8Xc1mX6mBEw85_l1vYnjfQsYqhpQwIaW_X7USPSNRCt5NSYsHsO7EA/s1600/IMG_2503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir0fkoubCmJTutw6P2CFWJxlU7GipFnfcLsESTMmuo6UlKewveBFDUUqA1QUbmqOwgybcAZYVXbGBViukcUT-wg8Xc1mX6mBEw85_l1vYnjfQsYqhpQwIaW_X7USPSNRCt5NSYsHsO7EA/s640/IMG_2503.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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But didn't know that it had spread so much. Actually, I was <i>hoping</i> that it hadn't spread so much. It's powdery mildew, and is caused by overly wet conditions (what?!) or high humidity. It has been humid here this summer but nowhere near as humid as usual, and it certainly hasn't been wet. So a little surprised and not so happy to find this little problem in my garden. It especially affects squash plants, and none of my zucchini, pumpkin, and two precious butternut squash plants escaped unscathed. So I pulled off the most affected leaves. I left some of the others because I didn't want to take away all of the plants' photosynthetic ability, but I am worried it will spread. I put the diseased leaves that I removed into a plastic bag and brought them home to our waste bin. I pulled off extra leaves around the base of the plant where they were pretty bushy to increase air circulation, and I tried one organic-gardening-friendly home remedy: I sprayed them with a 50% water 50% milk solution. I used this solution on both affected and unaffected leaves, and I think I'll have to do it every few days, but I am hoping it will help. I have also heard that a baking soda solution is helpful too--and if I need to do that, I will as well. I'm only watering the base of the plants, and only early in the day so they have time to dry. If you have other suggestions regarding powdery mildew and how I can fight it without using anything toxic in the garden, I'd be very grateful.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7vRGuLLe7ts1g6NtMFJNkdMvc0P5axLUyQZcy5sYolYxCJW2y0z6pzKTwbCeB7oIFLV3i2a-q1mLtInEO652-p8bWhGl-eujSgqE4IRTMwKGLaW2O5Hx-R5tX-c9bo__IddQqztRQH44/s1600/IMG_2507.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7vRGuLLe7ts1g6NtMFJNkdMvc0P5axLUyQZcy5sYolYxCJW2y0z6pzKTwbCeB7oIFLV3i2a-q1mLtInEO652-p8bWhGl-eujSgqE4IRTMwKGLaW2O5Hx-R5tX-c9bo__IddQqztRQH44/s640/IMG_2507.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My ever ready and willing garden helper sprays the leaves too.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpPWuIb-lnKjLfTacWSfvUPCDltG5i23doTwBj6nsivC6x5PsV1SllTW8MWH1BjBjWPgFSuvXcIvs9ztLQng2M6OOHgVmRG49eqpU5nrcRmRCzzV-rS-DIX4ehmwRwOoDDLo4ZhYH9M78/s1600/IMG_2510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpPWuIb-lnKjLfTacWSfvUPCDltG5i23doTwBj6nsivC6x5PsV1SllTW8MWH1BjBjWPgFSuvXcIvs9ztLQng2M6OOHgVmRG49eqpU5nrcRmRCzzV-rS-DIX4ehmwRwOoDDLo4ZhYH9M78/s640/IMG_2510.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>So now those leaves that aren't turning grey have white drips all over them. :)</i></td></tr>
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Next on the list of troubles: Colorado potato beetles.<br />
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I knew it was only a matter of time before they found my eggplants, but I thought that I would discover them as adults and get rid of them before they could reproduce in my precious patch of veggies. Unfortunately, that was not the case:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mPjFMGYs-wwixN7y4u9izLs9fkLm5FT9utvoc4obgeZIKypZ2qqL8QiQIA-CFoir3tuyCNi7Ynt1ZMzwS2TSalicwbbkAzwM6MA1EgstKlhQO6t1TiVTEQEXij_jh6YUV2NSL0ewkB0/s1600/IMG_2473.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mPjFMGYs-wwixN7y4u9izLs9fkLm5FT9utvoc4obgeZIKypZ2qqL8QiQIA-CFoir3tuyCNi7Ynt1ZMzwS2TSalicwbbkAzwM6MA1EgstKlhQO6t1TiVTEQEXij_jh6YUV2NSL0ewkB0/s640/IMG_2473.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Yuck.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7oMbMAwX2anmBJeiqAD9UA2YSNZT9s__m8R3coYHE9l9PwZSQirR1t_HWDrZQ373dnL5lT237jRBRAEQ3YBTaGq1pNuyFGKiLISEImrg0x6P-hedkTosGuCworYbufho39ISWjKQHd8/s1600/IMG_2475.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7oMbMAwX2anmBJeiqAD9UA2YSNZT9s__m8R3coYHE9l9PwZSQirR1t_HWDrZQ373dnL5lT237jRBRAEQ3YBTaGq1pNuyFGKiLISEImrg0x6P-hedkTosGuCworYbufho39ISWjKQHd8/s640/IMG_2475.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Get off there, you!</i></td></tr>
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I found them in voraciously-feeding-squishy-gross larval stage. I didn't notice any egg masses, so I would be thrilled if the ones I found were the extent of it, but I'm sure that would be dreaming. I picked off every little goober that I found and threw it (provided I didn't accidentally squish it) into the same plastic bag as the mildew-y pumpkin and squash leaves. Next time I'll bring a mason jar with soapy water in it to collect them, I wasn't expecting to encounter these dastardly little leaf-chomping demons today. Thank goodness for gardening gloves, is all I can say. Yes, I'm a biologist, and yes (Johanna!) I am a little squeamish about bugs. Not all bugs, just certain ones, but I still don't like touching most of them with bare skin. It's my first year vegetable gardening, so I imagine I'll get over it. Not yet, though. Of additional concern are the following:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>I naively planted my peppers, eggplant and tomatoes all together. Well, there is a little buffer between the eggplant and tomatoes in the form of cucumbers and a couple of barely producing peas. But I found a little guy in the cucumbers and I am sure they will discover the tomatoes later on. I really hope that they don't take to them, my prized crop!</li>
<li>The guys sharing the plot next to mine have a LOT of potatoes planted. I saw the horrid little creatures in there too, and plan to email them to warn them about it. I really don't want them to decide to relocate to my plot!</li>
</ul>
<div>
I know that Colorado potato beetles have a strong preference for eggplant, so I am hoping that at worst the vast majority of them will be drawn to those plants and I will have to fight the good fight in that part of the garden. Even if I lose, if it keeps them away from the tomatoes, which I am just crossing my fingers hoping they don't enjoy nearly as much, it will be worth it. I've mentioned before that I have only eaten eggplant once, so as disappointed as I would be, I think I could handle it.</div>
<div>
<br />
In other, more exciting and happy news, James and I discovered this little friend rapidly crawling around in the pepper plants:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjlQ5Twz0FbfuXMfbsK_JrEiPRkSy-6x8tM-ZTS4Chkmexh9MH8CcsimZ6x4oCtnKXydO1sq0rbmfRQXPuTYVpyX3bX_oe2rSTDHZE_eMdmTXqQAhQsr3WoTV9OmvUi3KUUzhR5BRH-X4/s1600/IMG_2476.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjlQ5Twz0FbfuXMfbsK_JrEiPRkSy-6x8tM-ZTS4Chkmexh9MH8CcsimZ6x4oCtnKXydO1sq0rbmfRQXPuTYVpyX3bX_oe2rSTDHZE_eMdmTXqQAhQsr3WoTV9OmvUi3KUUzhR5BRH-X4/s640/IMG_2476.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Welcome!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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It's a lady bug larva. And although it would be rare to hear me refer to any insect larval form as cute, I think this little dude is seriously cute. Especially when I saw how fast he/she/it could go. Not only do they turn into pretty ladybugs, which are a favourite of all small children and most people in general and are considered good luck by many, but it will eat aphids. Lots of aphids. AND, I discovered today upon my return from the garden, <b>they eat Colorado potato beetle egg masses</b>. Wahoo! So I hope that this little friend has a big clan just hiding out in the leaves ready to bring destruction on the pest population of my garden. But even just one is pretty nice to find. :)<br />
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Shared with the <a href="http://www.noordinaryhomestead.com/whos-coming-with-me/">Garden Life Link-Up</a>, <a href="http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/2012/07/lhits-friday-linky-9.html">LHITS Friday Link-Up</a>, and <a href="http://homesteadrevival.blogspot.ca/2012/07/barn-hop-72.html">Homestead Barn Hop #72</a> at Homestead Revival.</div>Rosalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07594397183233004323noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011383616529037622.post-53334442741022398522012-07-24T21:59:00.001-03:002012-07-24T21:59:46.544-03:00A little rain and a lot of reliefMost Tuesdays I post on a group blog, <a href="http://www.cradledinthewaves.ca/">Cradled in the Waves</a>. My <a href="http://www.cradledinthewaves.ca/a-little-rain-and-a-lot-of-relief/">post today</a> is about how this summer's drought-like conditions are affecting Prince Edward Island. Please hop over to visit, read my post, and perhaps take a peek around. I'd love to hear how you are coping with this year's unpredictable weather!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJL-OzRouioNhlF_XKkIL2lUL6_X_jujoWjEevrhDC1_rHCjjLiyXW842Feh3F6G53Vs4nstgN6xDjb95zX0tTnhV-l4gktXxKA-IStVJZhtVZE8zroha_3sI5rnPKbzndHyS8sAa8CNc/s1600/IMG_2466.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJL-OzRouioNhlF_XKkIL2lUL6_X_jujoWjEevrhDC1_rHCjjLiyXW842Feh3F6G53Vs4nstgN6xDjb95zX0tTnhV-l4gktXxKA-IStVJZhtVZE8zroha_3sI5rnPKbzndHyS8sAa8CNc/s640/IMG_2466.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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I also meant to (but neglected to) share <a href="http://www.cradledinthewaves.ca/red-sand-fills-my-heart/">last week's post</a>, featuring pictures of my beautiful babies and a lovely PEI beach!</div>
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<i>This post is shared with the <a href="http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2012/07/homestead-barn-hop-71.html">Homestead Barn Hop #71</a> at <a href="http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/">The Prairie Homestead</a></i></div>
<br />Rosalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07594397183233004323noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011383616529037622.post-30705050616116714082012-07-19T22:21:00.001-03:002012-07-19T22:21:49.142-03:00Excited About Eggplant<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7-fWTNkgDxZRrRb3RgehX5ikj8E4aJ317eFnPsqFKXTi1OiTQPqWNwL9GKdqFyo60C_pqyGIJqGXmvfj9PDnwCJN5jlX7kypq9fD-fdfUl3WeTT_g0aTuRRCzwt9IPxQ5pLRgPNAB1Sg/s1600/IMG_1791.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7-fWTNkgDxZRrRb3RgehX5ikj8E4aJ317eFnPsqFKXTi1OiTQPqWNwL9GKdqFyo60C_pqyGIJqGXmvfj9PDnwCJN5jlX7kypq9fD-fdfUl3WeTT_g0aTuRRCzwt9IPxQ5pLRgPNAB1Sg/s640/IMG_1791.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I may have eaten eggplant once in my life. I'm not even sure. But when I was picking up some veggie plants at a local garden centre this year, I saw a four-pack of "Fairytale" eggplants and I thought, "why not?" And as they grow, I am becoming more and more excited about them. I love the purple flowers. They're prettier if you look directly into the centre, but I was trying to get at them without crushing any of the surrounding plants and so this is the photo that I ended up with. Not perfect, but you can see that they are definitely fun. I've been looking up moussaka and baba ganoush recipes and I am basically just dreaming about carrying a basket of beautiful purple fruit home from my garden plot. And so far, not one Colorado potato beetle to be found. What is new to your garden this year?Rosalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07594397183233004323noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011383616529037622.post-39696683151061755122012-07-12T22:01:00.000-03:002012-07-18T08:51:51.625-03:00My Not-So-New Nemesis: The EarwigI have found earwigs to be among the most grotesque, horrendous, disgusting creatures on this earth for years now. And yes, I appreciate all forms of life due to my education in conservation biology and as a Christian. But my appreciation really takes a dive with non-native species that invade my life and property. Starlings? Not a fan. Manitoba maple? Can't stand it. Earwigs? I <i>loathe</i> them.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzybn0QEXLZNHUhoXhQz4aJ78J7l6iGekBb79OXQ3DqRla30Cus7a4r3NvsWA9C7HNLU90Anc04bDDzpL1YWMkc_wcCnqz_8dc36QSH7N80gYZqBJBOkk9-bSK29kWeHSVtKZVna0wHO8/s1600/IMG_1685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzybn0QEXLZNHUhoXhQz4aJ78J7l6iGekBb79OXQ3DqRla30Cus7a4r3NvsWA9C7HNLU90Anc04bDDzpL1YWMkc_wcCnqz_8dc36QSH7N80gYZqBJBOkk9-bSK29kWeHSVtKZVna0wHO8/s640/IMG_1685.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Not the clearest photo, but these little horrors are a bit tough to catch on a phone camera!</i></td></tr>
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I had a university professor once (an awesome one, I might add) who told me that earwigs have amazingly maternal tendencies. I think she thought that it might soften my decidedly unyielding detest for the creatures. It didn't. I like maternal animals. I am one! But earwig mommies are just something I don't sympathize with.<br />
<br />
Particularly now. I have had earwigs in our garden each year, and have always been horrified at their sneaky, yucky way of dropping from hiding places when you move something in the garden, their way of ending up in your line-dried laundry when you take it in (even after shaking!), their creepy-crawliness in general, and the way they multiply like crazy. GROSS. I actually was thinking to myself, just over a week ago, that they didn't seem to be that bad this year. I wasn't encountering them at a comparable rate to the last couple of summers, I was only seeing the odd one here and there but definitely not being bombarded by them. Things changed though.<br />
<br />
I went outside to check on the vegetables I had planted in a built-in planter box on our deck. It had one zucchini plant, one eggplant, two red pepper plants, and at least a hundred tiny carrot seedlings coming up. This is what I found (keep in mind that these photos are from about 3 days ago, the current situation is only worse!):<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8p7NZJ2kVD63LKnUNWpf1hiQZYVV-DNdAlnsg9w1DMSyVwwLKGU6pJ0OCxLeBiEtuepHDYVigi8GwFVmt7ZG4PG3VkrXHnGHWxC54winiah_94cf9j3UD2B9ROWPC83t4xoTpAFrJP_M/s1600/IMG_1692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8p7NZJ2kVD63LKnUNWpf1hiQZYVV-DNdAlnsg9w1DMSyVwwLKGU6pJ0OCxLeBiEtuepHDYVigi8GwFVmt7ZG4PG3VkrXHnGHWxC54winiah_94cf9j3UD2B9ROWPC83t4xoTpAFrJP_M/s640/IMG_1692.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Zucchini: early days of damage.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYe7ALxKrzj_apG5rnC8L3aPEEm6fRHH8Ls9fBXhhoClFBCquNqbOa8PoIsVaCyBQp9I3Ea9AMYm_iQCg8cnJSlYMJJ8lPm1Rw7lzF423CeCNCy65Lyhv4SWRANtKKX0kPCcl4VBbwas/s1600/IMG_1686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVYe7ALxKrzj_apG5rnC8L3aPEEm6fRHH8Ls9fBXhhoClFBCquNqbOa8PoIsVaCyBQp9I3Ea9AMYm_iQCg8cnJSlYMJJ8lPm1Rw7lzF423CeCNCy65Lyhv4SWRANtKKX0kPCcl4VBbwas/s640/IMG_1686.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This plant had a bunch of gorgeous blooms. All eaten away, now to nothing!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-jrnYaewn1hhZxwm4VjEprrfACOh0bWWCzDXAwh6OqsSKZ0vUpYHEp8n3auSrgcK0lRW4ETccIt97CsdbtvaiUaG6ijiIZQY4xzOLFnG2X7dFgi1vcH9OV_6Z1DlJjS_xbdI6ttyIqoU/s1600/IMG_1687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-jrnYaewn1hhZxwm4VjEprrfACOh0bWWCzDXAwh6OqsSKZ0vUpYHEp8n3auSrgcK0lRW4ETccIt97CsdbtvaiUaG6ijiIZQY4xzOLFnG2X7dFgi1vcH9OV_6Z1DlJjS_xbdI6ttyIqoU/s640/IMG_1687.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The last carrot seedling standing (now there isn't even one).</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9DHmd_BMm62AFxhpbA-Ju-2uXF9y__y1_zr3h605_7ft3tS8z3gCc4xd6ZX16ZaDOY75mZLiwb_YsCqJnKg3aXv0ywbrGqGMt5bYx5LrwfGyw7Rp9d125YJlSWj3K5uOx6u_6g774hQM/s1600/IMG_1688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9DHmd_BMm62AFxhpbA-Ju-2uXF9y__y1_zr3h605_7ft3tS8z3gCc4xd6ZX16ZaDOY75mZLiwb_YsCqJnKg3aXv0ywbrGqGMt5bYx5LrwfGyw7Rp9d125YJlSWj3K5uOx6u_6g774hQM/s640/IMG_1688.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pepper plants are apparently yummy.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiofCjnLHotMv5sxbIF86GzQZtPusjUIGbpolnXdvibcqpjckPyOa9_7EZv3mD00wPCTakF7vtoGaP8MGYT47cevdzu0FFyHU5GVObsIU8CGCTyhI0eL59a5-XnAeRwP1jInZK1XmxwRzQ/s1600/IMG_1689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiofCjnLHotMv5sxbIF86GzQZtPusjUIGbpolnXdvibcqpjckPyOa9_7EZv3mD00wPCTakF7vtoGaP8MGYT47cevdzu0FFyHU5GVObsIU8CGCTyhI0eL59a5-XnAeRwP1jInZK1XmxwRzQ/s640/IMG_1689.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pepper plant number two suffers a little less damage (at first!)</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmVdVQ-MUJnd34uyJuLNpDykyfKnqel63B4yrOxfbIm9tOl8rmWM_j5jZ1e4vHOmKPO0qDs_hVJHn5oVH62G6QbUubGWZ7tvWSupWIB6IWF7F-oVKsvaE1PXcZgVqNH_COTtm4-1xaUmA/s1600/IMG_1690.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmVdVQ-MUJnd34uyJuLNpDykyfKnqel63B4yrOxfbIm9tOl8rmWM_j5jZ1e4vHOmKPO0qDs_hVJHn5oVH62G6QbUubGWZ7tvWSupWIB6IWF7F-oVKsvaE1PXcZgVqNH_COTtm4-1xaUmA/s640/IMG_1690.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Apparently eggplant leaves are not as palatable as some of the others, but they'll take what they can get!</i></td></tr>
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Not only did they eat my gorgeous veggies (I may add I am on planting #3 of yellow beans right now and these ones have all the leaves eaten right off the tops of the seedlings), but they added insult to injury when they left excrement all over the plants, which is pretty obvious in the zucchini pictures. Yuck.<br />
<br />
So enough moaning and complaining, what do we do about these dastardly insect villains? The way I see it, we have three options:<br />
<br />
<b>Option 1</b><br />
Leave them alone. They actually eat slugs and aphids, and maybe you like that. If you don't have an overpopulation, then they might actually be beneficial to have around. It does pain me to admit that.<br />
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<b>Option 2</b><br />
Use some sort of awful insecticide that could potentially harm beneficial insects and leave a toxic residue in your plants where your kids or pets could be affected. Yuck, no thanks.<br />
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<b>Option 3</b><br />
Use some organic and natural methods and hope for the best! Here are a few I've put together and plan on trying this summer:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Use diatomaceous earth around your house foundation, walkways, fences, trees, and other structures. Apply it in several different applications in late spring, about a week apart.</li>
<li>Take advantage of the earwigs' preference for damp, dark, close places and make some traps. These could include:</li>
<ul>
<li>a dampened, rolled up newspaper</li>
<li>a flower pot, upside down but propped up slightly and also filled with dampened, crumpled newspaper</li>
<li>an empty grapefruit half</li>
<li>cardboard boxes with a few small holes in them and baited with oatmeal or bran</li>
<li>Two pieces of 2x4 lumber, neatly stacked one upon the other.</li>
<ul>
<li>These are all live traps. You can shake them out into a bucket of soapy water, or boiling water, or feed them to chickens--I understand that the majority of our fine feathered friends relish them and they're a cheap (and abundant!) source of protein! You can also seal them in a plastic bag to suffocate and throw them in the trash. That seems a bit harsh, even to me. Just make sure that you don't put them on your compost pile!!</li>
</ul>
<li>For a more deadly approach, use an empty tuna can, fill it partially with oil, and place it on the ground in the garden where they will be interested (you could put honey or molasses in the oil to attract them, but I'm not sure it's really necessary and seems a waste of good baking supplies). You can also half-bury a bottle of beer (drink about 2/3 first!) in the soil so that they can crawl in through the bottle neck and drown. You'll also pick off some slugs this way too.</li>
</ul>
<li>In the late fall, before the snow, you can pour boiling water down your foundation. Due to the cooling weather, some earwigs will overwinter between your foundation and the soil in your yard as it is a warmer spot to hang out. If you can catch them there while they're vulnerable, you might have a smaller population to deal with the next year.</li>
</ul>
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If you do decide to trap them, make sure you put traps near your affected plants and put a lot of them out. Keep checking, emptying, and replacing the traps until you see a noticeable decrease in earwig activity. And good luck!</div>
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I have read that they are attracted to compost and mulch. This is a problem for me because I am increasing the mulch in all areas of our garden, and just started two compost piles this spring/summer. I have a feeling that these new ventures may have exacerbated the problem--but I'm not willing to give them up. So we'll have to see if the other methods work! I look forward to attempting to combat this garden foe. If you have any suggestions for me, please leave them in the comments!!</div>
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This post is shared with <a href="http://homesteadrevival.blogspot.ca/2012/07/barn-hop-70.html">Homestead Barn Hop #70</a> on Homestead Revival and <a href="http://frugallysustainable.com/2012/07/frugal-days-sustainable-ways-36/">Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways</a>.Rosalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07594397183233004323noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011383616529037622.post-20447286726874545292012-07-06T22:23:00.000-03:002012-07-18T08:53:46.282-03:00Vegetables are Growing: Pride (and Shame) at Our Helping Hands Plot<br />
I've been really absorbed (and perhaps a bit lost) in a lot of goings-on lately, with children, work, cooking, gardening, trying to spend time with my husband, and bracing for some big lifestyle changes that are coming at us over the next year or so. It seems to me that summer might not always be the most productive period for this little blog, but I wanted to share a few photos from our community garden plot (and a half) as the season is now really underway.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjblOd2Z7FA5alI0JI7tm7kb5VDZ8U4VlEG5Fc2YBHh5-bHSSkrfwE8xR-5a6s3wxJRv9su54whgrbSVrOvVfIjygDarkwQZe8xEGa7u5w-9WeTvXD8LCBEuSOLe_bJT6EG5JahKZqeCNU/s1600/IMG_1472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjblOd2Z7FA5alI0JI7tm7kb5VDZ8U4VlEG5Fc2YBHh5-bHSSkrfwE8xR-5a6s3wxJRv9su54whgrbSVrOvVfIjygDarkwQZe8xEGa7u5w-9WeTvXD8LCBEuSOLe_bJT6EG5JahKZqeCNU/s640/IMG_1472.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>You can tell by those super long shadows that it is pretty late in the evening! My plot is the one at the back just beyond the wheelbarrow. The plot in the middle is one of the food pantry plots, and this one in the foreground is a plot I am sharing with my sister. Her seeds were just recently planted on the left, and I planted some seriously discounted late-in-the-season eggplant, Roma tomatoes, and canteloupe transplants on the right-hand side, then surrounded them with wood chips.</i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFjxu878a6Z68j_xl-_kJ3vnt5HzrOO175HcoHg-Zw5mC0KL79-s5A-G82Iwp6afZXHJDQnZrSN86dGkKzz84SQ6HRzmW6pd4gMCgCajRK33cbhjMydusZqiTheLrLXzpXA203HQ6iwYs/s1600/IMG_1468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFjxu878a6Z68j_xl-_kJ3vnt5HzrOO175HcoHg-Zw5mC0KL79-s5A-G82Iwp6afZXHJDQnZrSN86dGkKzz84SQ6HRzmW6pd4gMCgCajRK33cbhjMydusZqiTheLrLXzpXA203HQ6iwYs/s640/IMG_1468.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This is a view of my beloved plot. Those trellises are for pumpkin, butternut squash, and zucchini. I realize that they are likely not big enough and may not work, but it was my first year and I was trying to cram as many plants into a small plot as was humanly possible. I'll let you know how it goes! Note the un-mulched section on the right. I'll give a close up of it next (this is where the shame comes into the post)...</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjUmaHF4BPVnGiZBaWrejRCDtwms8h3fr4miCpoMTeAlX6j_7NV1FS707f6hmbqRdYQi343e-pCrk6gs1TIHbu6uLzu_DcOZML4JBu8bsZGp7zRrYITOLGwrU9wiVkS7unqk_TU2NWmKI/s1600/IMG_1479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjUmaHF4BPVnGiZBaWrejRCDtwms8h3fr4miCpoMTeAlX6j_7NV1FS707f6hmbqRdYQi343e-pCrk6gs1TIHbu6uLzu_DcOZML4JBu8bsZGp7zRrYITOLGwrU9wiVkS7unqk_TU2NWmKI/s640/IMG_1479.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>OK so this is my weed patch, otherwise known as the section I planted spinach, swiss chard, carrots, broccoli, and herbs. Why does it look like I am nurturing lambsquarters, dandelions, and some random feral-oregano-type-herb-intruder? Well, when it was tilled this year (the very first time in probably ever since the park was established) there were a lot of small clods of sod left in the garden. I took the biggest ones out, but left the smaller ones to (a) keep some biological matter in the soil to break down and (b) when I took the clods out I lost a lot of dirt that I wanted for planting. Unfortunately, since most of these weeds are attached to the clods, when I pull a weed out I get a big old chunk of garden with it. I didn't want to disturb the seeds, so I sort of let the weeds go crazy. No I really have to spend some serious time with it since my other plants are barely coming up and having to compete with some much tougher garden companions. Oops.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtDLqT6iYxJ2ferAeOGrX99lqwNNAYwXszFK0gkf3UiYXs-IcBSiq7hgXcRr7abbbJG_kAtBUyM8vnO4uCpVAKmSczsiaLtZbQypyUbvOAiw-t0b8uBYoBEmKEWWv8p35FNwpLuXdtrE/s1600/20120706-211728.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtDLqT6iYxJ2ferAeOGrX99lqwNNAYwXszFK0gkf3UiYXs-IcBSiq7hgXcRr7abbbJG_kAtBUyM8vnO4uCpVAKmSczsiaLtZbQypyUbvOAiw-t0b8uBYoBEmKEWWv8p35FNwpLuXdtrE/s640/20120706-211728.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Clockwise from top left: zucchini, bush pickle cucumber, butternut squash, and pumpkin. What is the deal with bush pickle (from the name, I would assume it is supposed to grow like a BUSH) being all vine-y and not bushlike at all? Now I am realizing I squished it in between peas and eggplant because I thought it would grow up, not out. Lesson learned. The pumpkin is doing really well, the zucchini not so awesome but those transplants were in need of a little love when I bought them, and my precious organic butternut squash that I grew from seed and looked like it would die a terrible, lonely, neglected death, have come back and are doing really well, even if they are smaller than the others. Yay!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcwRhvP-JQ3ZGFxyov8rUlmFr7iMyJjJDAfoXI0acdE4YkD1n79owt1abWrvLnhKovJ1Jmb8GAA74I0xaU3ut44AOJPMFymhVw-JtWYzyABnKuh6655H3uZEOGqdLRWBcxSL0VJtq99eA/s1600/20120706-2117281.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcwRhvP-JQ3ZGFxyov8rUlmFr7iMyJjJDAfoXI0acdE4YkD1n79owt1abWrvLnhKovJ1Jmb8GAA74I0xaU3ut44AOJPMFymhVw-JtWYzyABnKuh6655H3uZEOGqdLRWBcxSL0VJtq99eA/s640/20120706-2117281.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>It's like "Where's Waldo" looking for desirable plants in the weed patch, but here are some broccoli, swiss chard, spinach, peas (actually they're not lost in that patch, they're being smothered by non-bush-like bush pickle cucumbers farther down) and some precious little carrot seedlings.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ts5LH1-_u29_H8aGSpd9dxm2nw2nSzY6c95EnpQ5OAy-grxcxpC5HWgzxElfEqlHS-EOyUOQYkc2hZan0dKgOCWS6FpLqSXQJCaKqY47Kw8boRZBwLNdJNEl0CkbIJcfzZu3OJrhzGQ/s1600/20120706-2117282.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ts5LH1-_u29_H8aGSpd9dxm2nw2nSzY6c95EnpQ5OAy-grxcxpC5HWgzxElfEqlHS-EOyUOQYkc2hZan0dKgOCWS6FpLqSXQJCaKqY47Kw8boRZBwLNdJNEl0CkbIJcfzZu3OJrhzGQ/s640/20120706-2117282.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Exciting and healthy! Eggplant (first time growing, probably will be my first time eating, actually) and I love those fuzzy leaves! Tomatoes: planted better boy, lemon boy, beefsteak and Roma and they all look super happy and are growing well; red bell peppers, and corn. Fun! I don't care if the corn doesn't do well but thought it would be fun to try and it'll be one of very few veggie varieties the children will actually eat.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYx-FGtEhimOMwuA0oQTYphWJiR_JT4Lp-KobtsXsFqmL2CHMQvkNIrphEiU1WhS2Ib4VUaIguTg61xaX_HNRVchsbmACnCIVnxsCRdtYMLVIJIPh3VM4yUPlF4cl3xyiV3zck4RFUXw/s1600/IMG_1466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYx-FGtEhimOMwuA0oQTYphWJiR_JT4Lp-KobtsXsFqmL2CHMQvkNIrphEiU1WhS2Ib4VUaIguTg61xaX_HNRVchsbmACnCIVnxsCRdtYMLVIJIPh3VM4yUPlF4cl3xyiV3zck4RFUXw/s640/IMG_1466.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Wheelbarrow with my poor little guy's snow shovel in it. His real little shovel is at my parents' cottage, so he had to make do with this less-than-efficient one when helping me shovel shavings into the wheelbarrow and then onto the garden beds. Do you appreciate the edge of my finger in the corner of the shot? I thought so. Bet you wish you could take stellar photos like I can!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Dancing gardener boy is still excited after a long hour of hard work and dances his way home to bed. I love this little helper!</i></td></tr>
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This post is shared with the <a href="http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/2012/07/lhits-diy-linky-7.html">Little House in the Suburbs Linky</a>, <a href="http://homesteadrevival.blogspot.ca/2012/07/barn-hop-70.html">The Homestead Barn Hop #70</a> on Homestead Revival and <a href="http://frugallysustainable.com/2012/07/frugal-days-sustainable-ways-36/">Frugal Days, Sustainable Days</a>.</div>Rosalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07594397183233004323noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011383616529037622.post-88277175913786049192012-06-21T21:19:00.000-03:002012-06-21T21:20:03.616-03:00Discouraging Days, Encouraging Ways (of Looking at Things)It's funny how one minute I can feel like I can tackle all manner of projects, and then one little thing happens to cause my enthusiasm and confidence to collapse around me and leave me feeling completely at a loss, without any real energy to dust myself off and charge forward once again. And I do mean a <i>little</i> thing. This evening, it was a batch of yogurt that flopped. Once I saw that, it seemed like nothing was going right in my entire homesteading world, and I got a little discouraged. My mind is not always rational and can be a little dramatic so my thought process went a little like this (warning: this is not for the faint of heart, or the overly judgemental. You might not like me so much at the end of this!):<br />
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1. Oh no! My yogurt didn't turn out. It must be because I tried adding honey and vanilla so that we would actually really <i>enjoy </i>it. Vanilla contains alcohol and honey has natural antibacterial qualities and what was I thinking? I killed my poor darling little microbes before they had a chance to work wonders with that 2L carton of 2% milk that I just wasted. Or maybe I added the yogurt when the milk was too hot. I was in a rush, and it did feel a little hot. I don't know, but I did something wrong. (Cue melodramatic, Italian-inspired sigh.)<br />
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2. (I unwrap the garlic that I put in the oven to roast with the potatoes, and then left in there too long.) Oh no! I left the garlic in the oven <b>way too long</b> and it did not turn into sweet, nutty deliciousness but rather into a bitter, burnt-tasting paste! What a waste of a whole bulb! Blah! (I throw it into the compost bin with a solid dose of self-pity and grumpiness.)<br />
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3. Our house looks like a tornado went through it! Why do I have to constantly step on upside down excavators and chunks of semi-solidified oatmeal blobs that were thrown to the floor in a moment of tantalizingly gleeful toddler behaviour? Why didn't I set aside time to clean it up properly this week? I knew I shouldn't have sat down to read a couple of chapters of Game of Thrones the other evening, I could have been efficiently decluttering my home and making it a much more restful place. I may as well give up because it won't be done tonight. (Sniff.) <br />
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4. My yellow bean seeds never germinated, how does that happen? They give beans to kindergarten students to plant because they are so reliable. I haven't watered my community garden plot in 3 days, and it's been hot, sunny, and windy. The poor plants over there have probably withered. I also have a lot of work to do on the food pantry plots. Those plots need to get planted! I am falling behind everywhere. Oh no! My poor container plants. I imagine that they have completely dessicated and are standing plant skeletons, waiting to explode into dust particles at the first puff of wind. (Wracking sob. OK, well, not really.) <br />
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I could go on, but you get the picture. I am not prone to throwing myself pity parties, as a rule, but tonight I just let myself get a wee bit carried away. Before I told my self to shush it and stop being such a baby. And I asked myself, why are things not exactly where you want them to be? And I came upon a few answers:<br />
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1. I've been sick for the last four days. I've also just started a new job, that is awesome and only part-time, but those part-time hours are in the evenings and I haven't yet worked out the kinks of not being home during the time of day when I usually get housework done. I also haven't felt like doing housework, and that is ok. And, in fact, I <b>did</b> clean up on Tuesday afternoon, but we have little children, who are busy, and, well, you know how it is. And the house actually isn't that bad.<br />
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2. I really shouldn't let myself care too much about the failed yogurt and the burnt garlic. I know how to do both of these things and all I wasted was a bulb of garlic and one 2L carton of milk. And in fact, while trying to strain it out in the fridge just on the off-chance that I get some yogurt from it (because it did thicken a little bit), I am getting loads of whey to make buttermilk pancakes and other yummy baked treats. So it isn't really wasted after all. And I might be able to scrape out a half cup of yogurt, which does taste nice, that the kids could eat for a snack. Not so bad after all!<br />
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3. The garden is actually looking pretty good, the last time I went, and I think the bean seeds didn't germinate because they disappeared from the garden (the birds are looking pretty good to me right now as the culprits). And, I had fun replanting the whole patch with James. It's all good, this is the year to <b>learn</b> about vegetable gardening, and make mistakes, and figure out how to do things better, right? And I am going to get out to the community garden this weekend when things slow down, and I will get those food pantry beds raked and prepared and planted and it will be fine.<br />
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4. What is up with my Negative Nelly-ness, anyway? I'm a little overtired, and still a little bit sick, and yes, a little overwhelmed, for the moment, anyhow, but really? I haven't been reading my Bible or praying much lately. I pray for a few moments in the evening, but I haven't really been committing myself to a thoughtful, meaningful conversation daily. And so how am I supposed to know how to live my life and do and make and say what the Lord wants? <b>AND </b>why am I not noticing all the blessings He has poured onto me lately? Goodness!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMXlnRcg8avzZOo06ROshNz4tk5E3l4FZHQdt9uoShgaiXmmrWOuooMU3ljDTG4QNa6T25sWXx8qhkhgMDZgp98uBJSEtU5DOkvd2MUmjVqAW0ke4nCpNKZmNKHC9Djfmj8f-0WuU1k0/s1600/IMG_6775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMXlnRcg8avzZOo06ROshNz4tk5E3l4FZHQdt9uoShgaiXmmrWOuooMU3ljDTG4QNa6T25sWXx8qhkhgMDZgp98uBJSEtU5DOkvd2MUmjVqAW0ke4nCpNKZmNKHC9Djfmj8f-0WuU1k0/s640/IMG_6775.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This child, who delights me with her wild and crazy ways and her almost aggressive love for me, is about the sweetest thing I can imagine, especially during the only moments she's peaceful and quiet, in her sleep.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My sensitive, smart, funny, and incredibly loving little boy, who lives to help and just wants to spend time with me, does not care about the state of our house. He just loves having us all together and spending time as a family.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Forget the messy porch in the background! How can I not smile when I see my little monkey, dressed in a fleece sleeper in summer, trying to wear my shoes because she loves the bows, holding a dirty yellow golf ball just because, and teetering on the edge of tipping into my arms? I love you, my silly girl.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgww4lfye7e7jlITmATydN5NP7gr1IbaN_9Vv4xOKNCrUoYdJtAu75CbAEN6_LRqq0L67aXL-Uz5GDw7a3Q8KxjjR5DbPlcjS8Jy7Y8bxj5kU2q0WfmfD8YdVHJWuOS_Kj2Y-60EZxEoHw/s1600/IMG_6790.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgww4lfye7e7jlITmATydN5NP7gr1IbaN_9Vv4xOKNCrUoYdJtAu75CbAEN6_LRqq0L67aXL-Uz5GDw7a3Q8KxjjR5DbPlcjS8Jy7Y8bxj5kU2q0WfmfD8YdVHJWuOS_Kj2Y-60EZxEoHw/s640/IMG_6790.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This is one of the Sweet Millions plants that looked like it was not long for this world. But the new leaves look a lot healthier, and it is starting to flower. This is a blessing.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAhPzOOTD94BQxo7lWdf69maFimtMYSHMQD2RYp0DjOXX4VqSC2A8tqRkDb6hJ9VeKptd8CTIJtil9K9gElAYAi7GxKf7R9g5lqIqZA4Tpsv6Ph6noNO0BPjbZepp-1a7Xx-ax1OCCaec/s1600/IMG_6791.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAhPzOOTD94BQxo7lWdf69maFimtMYSHMQD2RYp0DjOXX4VqSC2A8tqRkDb6hJ9VeKptd8CTIJtil9K9gElAYAi7GxKf7R9g5lqIqZA4Tpsv6Ph6noNO0BPjbZepp-1a7Xx-ax1OCCaec/s640/IMG_6791.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My very first strawberry plants, given to me by a friend and planted with the help of my precious son, are forming strawberries. Just a few this year, because I only let a few blossoms stick around--I wanted the plants to get good and strong for next year. But James and Susannah will both be able to pluck a few red berries from their own plants. That is a gardening success in my mind!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ur1kDtoVG0emXJNH38ccmE-pdf9tWqGnvUbuoFfpF3kMztxMW_AXQuo8UtwfihaWkkBc3f2DMku5VaAJ0klEbAcjmnwwldf94NfWJHm-tgvNYd36OUKqCvDeVlb-R397rrVl30l799c/s1600/IMG_6792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ur1kDtoVG0emXJNH38ccmE-pdf9tWqGnvUbuoFfpF3kMztxMW_AXQuo8UtwfihaWkkBc3f2DMku5VaAJ0klEbAcjmnwwldf94NfWJHm-tgvNYd36OUKqCvDeVlb-R397rrVl30l799c/s640/IMG_6792.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>It is taking me a while to get my chickens. But I have a friend who offered to build me the coop for free, and the grass that we planted in the shady, dusty dirt area (where their run will be) is actually growing and looks like it might even be lush by the time they arrive! That is a blessing in and of itself.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGcjsWKCAEGBeeE3KS6gDgXM5QwZLYuvaz8wmNFXZoukhNwhQ8HBtJNOgGs7lMpUvFWXcGQl3IFXyiEy5PURN-5F8yMFyqEZk7PgVtGONaWJVrIGR1rdz-3Vxyzm9dICjr6aF_ENGt0hc/s1600/IMG_6793.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGcjsWKCAEGBeeE3KS6gDgXM5QwZLYuvaz8wmNFXZoukhNwhQ8HBtJNOgGs7lMpUvFWXcGQl3IFXyiEy5PURN-5F8yMFyqEZk7PgVtGONaWJVrIGR1rdz-3Vxyzm9dICjr6aF_ENGt0hc/s640/IMG_6793.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The oregano that wilted horribly after being dug out of a friend's garden and taken to a new home has come back and is doing really well. I know that it might take over my garden and I may be overheard cursing it in a couple of years. But right now, I am pretty darn excited about it.</i></td></tr>
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Those are just a few of the blessings I happened to take photos of this week. I have so many more! A wonderful family, a hilarious and supportive group of good friends, a husband who loves me and helps me and makes me laugh and is extremely good-looking, if I do say so myself, a home that while not perfect, and not overly clean at the moment, shelters us and is full of happy memories and loads of love, an island to live on, that as one new co-worker puts it, should be known as "Perfect Existence Island" instead of Prince Edward Island. Yes, I think things are actually pretty wonderful in this little corner of the world right now, and I'll be sure to thank the One responsible tonight in a proper little chat.Rosalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07594397183233004323noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011383616529037622.post-41225715086152743432012-06-18T19:55:00.006-03:002012-06-18T19:56:26.779-03:00Spanish Frittata - An Easy Recipe on a BudgetNot too long ago, I put out a request on Facebook for favourite vegetarian and vegan meal ideas. We're hoping that by eating more vegetable-based meals, we'll cut down on our ecological footprint, eat more healthfully, and save money on groceries. I got lots of responses, and many of them pointed me to blogs and websites that I need to take a few minutes to peruse some time, and I look forward to it. But what I was really hoping for was for a few specific recipes that friends and family make on a regular basis and really like. This recipe was just one such meal idea, given to me by my friend Joanne (thank you Joanne!) and it was easy, fast, inexpensive, filling, tasty, and, now, a keeper for our family. It also gave me a chance to try out my new cast iron frying pan that my parents brought back to me from their spring trip in Florida. I love that pan (ok the idea of that pan!), but haven't really tried using it very much just yet--I'm a little scared of it, to be honest. But it worked beautifully for this recipe and gave me a lot more confidence to try other recipes in it!<br />
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<u><b>Spanish Frittata</b></u><br />
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2 cups peeled, cubed potatoes (I didn't quite have two cups, as I just had two potatoes left!)<br />
1 onion, diced<br />
5-6 farm fresh eggs<br />
2 tbsp water<br />
salt and pepper to taste<br />
salsa<br />
grated Cheddar (or your favourite) cheese<br />
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Cook the potatoes and onions in olive oil in an oven-proof skillet on medium heat until potatoes are fork tender and lightly browned. In a large glass measuring cup, beat eggs and water with a fork; add salt and pepper to taste. When potatoes and onions are ready, pour egg mixture evenly into skillet. Turn heat down to medium-low and cover, cooking until eggs are set. When eggs are ready, place two or three spoonfuls of salsa on top and spread evenly over surface of eggs to create a thin layer. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Place pan under broiler in oven and broil, watching carefully, until the cheese reaches your desired level of meltiness-brown-deliciousness. Take out (<i>carefully with oven mitts!</i>) and allow to cool for a couple of minutes, then slice into wedges like pizza and serve. <br />
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I spooned sour cream onto mine, topped it with snipped fresh chives, and served with whole wheat rolls, tomato slices, and steamed swiss chard. And yes, I realize that swiss chard isn't really the most appropriate side (perhaps sliced avocado may have belonged a little more on that plate?) but I had picked it fresh from my garden this afternoon, I was excited about it, and I wanted to eat it. :) Joanne suggested serving it with a salad, and the next time I have enough greens on hand to make a salad, I'll give it a try.<br />
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This is super easy and really tasty. You can make it with local ingredients picked up at the farmers market, and it is easy on the budget. Give it a try soon! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Potatoes and onion--mostly just showing off my super new frying pan!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I used six eggs, and they were pretty big. We had loads to feed our small family.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiekiWjcthpNU2H-OiJI__7lNLYnKqnSXuXXk62GT0UsE95R_FzKqHFXpW1IxPbjM-sVpWwEEEASj8tBBguaZmvKJfC2dLuqbWhi-Rm-NQ9BaV-gjrlTCkB3UAgcSDmo6cZgwZEyD-e880/s1600/IMG_1227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiekiWjcthpNU2H-OiJI__7lNLYnKqnSXuXXk62GT0UsE95R_FzKqHFXpW1IxPbjM-sVpWwEEEASj8tBBguaZmvKJfC2dLuqbWhi-Rm-NQ9BaV-gjrlTCkB3UAgcSDmo6cZgwZEyD-e880/s640/IMG_1227.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I really have a penchant for the action shots. In goes the egg mixture!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The eggs are set now, after cooking, covered, for about 10 minutes or so. If you're not sure, jiggle the pan. The eggs should stay put! Then, if you're really not sure, touch it in the middle. It should feel firm.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I spread about 3 spoonfuls of fresh salsa (not homemade, I admit) over the top of the frittata.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A good sprinkle of cheddar makes it super yummy!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Here it is, fresh out of the oven.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Topped with sour cream, chives from the garden, locally hothouse grown tomato, and my very first harvest of swiss chard. And... it didn't stick to the pan! Woohoo! It came out beautifully. :)</i></td></tr>
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This post is shared with <a href="http://homesteadrevival.blogspot.ca/2012/06/barn-hop-66.html">Homestead Barn Hop #66</a> at Homestead Revival.</div>
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<br /></div>Rosalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07594397183233004323noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011383616529037622.post-41024772514579271792012-06-15T16:09:00.000-03:002012-06-15T16:09:34.215-03:00Samuel's Coffee HouseI'm blogging over at <a href="http://www.cradledinthewaves.ca/">Cradled in the Waves</a> today, a group blog (loosely) about PEI, that I share with three other lovely ladies. I'm supposed to post on Tuesdays, but due to some technical ridiculousness this week, I'm a few days late. One of the topics we have at that blog is suggesting places to visit and things to do while on PEI, whether you're a resident of our fair isle or one of our many visitors. So I shared about the coffee place that I go to every Friday with my friends, and that I just started working in as a cook. Check out the post <a href="http://www.cradledinthewaves.ca/summersides-saving-grace/">here</a>, and I'll be back to the Hopeful Homesteader soon.<br />
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<br />Rosalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07594397183233004323noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011383616529037622.post-36687740298259483142012-06-12T14:00:00.000-03:002012-06-12T22:41:27.245-03:00Composting AlongYou may have already seen my post from a number of weeks ago about starting a <a href="http://rosalynhomesteads.blogspot.ca/2012/04/most-basic-compost-pile-in-history.html">compost pile</a> with "a little help from a James-y". (That is what he says when he wants to help. "Mummy, do you need a little help from a James-y?" In a sing-song voice. I love it.) Well, it's still going and I think it is composting for sure, albeit rather slowly. It is a large pile though, and I think I had been leaving it between turnings a little too long, and watering a little too infrequently. But I am learning how to compost properly, as a result of this super fun initiative started up by Deanna of <a href="http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/">Little House in the Suburbs</a>, called a "Compost-Along". It is a bit like a knit-along, where a bunch of people do the same pattern and check in with each other's progress, but in this case, we're building compost piles and progressing through the decomposition process. Sounds exciting? Well, it is to me!<br />
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So week by week, we check in to Deanna's blog where she writes up instructions for where we should be in the process and tips to help us along. I have a feeling I'll have a lot more success doing it this way, and I have a feeling I really need it. To illustrate, follow me as I work through <a href="http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/2012/06/compost-along-week-3.html">this week's composting homework</a>. She shared how to build your compost pile, but mine is already built. So I went outside to turn it and moisten the material (if needed, I figured that with all that <strike>miserable</strike> welcome rain that we had over the weekend, it would be drenched):<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Heading out to the compost pile, so I bring my trusty kitchen composter to empty, while I am thinking of it.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ewwwww. Well, as you can see, we've been eating a lot of fruit. :)</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A riveting action shot of me sticking the pitchfork into the pile and attempting to turn it. Not as easy as it looks. And how is it possible that the grass clippings are entirely dry?!!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>OK, so I am pretty much convinced that plant clippings from the middle of the pile (where it is dark and supposedly warm, if not hot) are still actually photosynthesizing. What? I even dug out a few forget-me-nots that had flowers of a quality that I could have given them to somebody!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Wondering if this pile is a little too big. I wondered about taking a photo with a frame of reference, but I didn't know what to use and didn't want to drag James out of bed.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Attempting to soak the life out of (or into, as it were) this ridiculous Sahara of a compost pile.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I wasn't sure that a gentle shower was as effective as it could be so I decided to bring out the big guns.</i></td></tr>
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Are you a veteran composter? Can you help me? Or are you a newbie like me, have already started a pile (or could collect the necessary materials this week) and feeling like joining in, even if a little late? Composting together is fun! This is why they invented the internet. Stay tuned for a fascinating look next week at the microbial action in my backyard.Rosalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07594397183233004323noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011383616529037622.post-72698205959749293352012-06-10T14:00:00.000-03:002012-06-12T22:44:17.877-03:00Planting My Plot at Helping HandsYesterday was our big kick-off, advertised for fun, snacks, games and gardening at 3 pm. All week the weather forecast for Saturday had a high of about 18 and sunny. Then, two days before the big day, the weather was 18, sunny, with cloudy periods. The night before, cloudy, with a slight chance of showers in the afternoon. Yesterday morning, I got up, and the forecast was still iffy on the showers, probably scattered and light, but the forecast for New Brunswick and Nova Scotia was rain all around and I knew we wouldn't be that lucky to escape it.<br />
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Needless to say, it rained and rained and rained all afternoon. And there was definitely no large, enthusiastic crowd at Helping Hands for our big opening day. But a few of us hardy souls showed up and made the most of it! (One even made an extremely brief appearance with her family to drop off fresh-from-the-oven banana chocolate chip muffins. Thanks Andrea!) I used the opportunity to plant the rest of my family's plot. Friday night, after a day of small child stubbornness and blessed but tiring parenting, I got about 45 glorious minutes of planting to start my plot, all by myself, in the evening calm. I got 32 square feet of 100 square feet planted with spinach, swiss chard, carrots, broccoli, parsley, dill, and summer savoury. For the kick-off I went back and did <i>almost</i> the rest of it--I forgot the pea seeds, and I am waiting to root a few basil cuttings rather than growing them from seed.<br />
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The photos are pretty terrible, because it was pouring rain and I was soaked, muddy, cold, hungry, and in a rush. I promise I'll post some artfully-taken ones as things develop through the season, but I'm so excited to have my long-awaited vegetable garden that I am posting them anyway!<br />
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I'll start with my planting plan (which I have almost perfectly stuck to):<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The whole, obsessively planned and drawn, planting plan.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>So there's a little overlap here, but you can get the gist of it. I left out the cilantro, mostly because I accidentally planted summer savoury seeds in the cilantro holes, then felt absolutely fine with it because I don't like cilantro anyway. Also, my much-loved San Marzano seedlings ended up not doing so well, so I left them out. Sniff.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A blurry shot of red peppers, eggplant (hugged by marigolds), and bush pickle cucumber.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>From left to right: Roma, Beefsteak, Lemon Boy, and Better Boy. I SO hope these do well! I know I could do better than tomato cages but they were 60 cents each and easy to install in the rain. We'll see how it goes, and I'll modify next year likely.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Difficult to decipher photo of butternut squash, pumpkin, and sugar baby watermelon planted around teepee trellises. Again, this is my first time growing squash/melon vertically, and we'll see what happens. I used 8' 2"x2" pieces of untreated wood, lashed together at the top by zip ties, and buried between about 1- 1 1/2 feet.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Corn.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd0LpSSIjdfjxasgS_j68MBoBGBHwq7r5KvhzywAbEBs085GTmFVG6HWcVeEihfgiSVoQ0RAD6S1IPbi9v_IKVE8D5-6s0Q3zJkNQu-CN3AXEon8VcebDnFcALXxKnLDsYteNZ8Z_jxx8/s1600/IMG_1112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd0LpSSIjdfjxasgS_j68MBoBGBHwq7r5KvhzywAbEBs085GTmFVG6HWcVeEihfgiSVoQ0RAD6S1IPbi9v_IKVE8D5-6s0Q3zJkNQu-CN3AXEon8VcebDnFcALXxKnLDsYteNZ8Z_jxx8/s640/IMG_1112.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My darling, pride-of-my-summer community garden bed.</i></td></tr>
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One highlight: the Journal Pioneer showed up with a camera to document us, covered in mud and soaked to the bone, but happy, planting pumpkins, raking, and digging in the bed. I think he even got my Jamers in the photo. Keep your eyes peeled this week for our photo!<br />
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<i>Shared with <a href="http://homesteadrevival.blogspot.ca/2012/06/barn-hop-65.html">Homestead Barn Hop #65</a></i><br />
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<br />Rosalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07594397183233004323noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011383616529037622.post-79995014822021410332012-06-09T21:59:00.000-03:002012-06-11T08:46:41.693-03:00A Little Work Around the HouseI feel so much more settled knowing that we are going to be living in this house for another three years. For the last two or three, we'd look periodically, and semi-seriously, through the real estate ads in our community and in and around Charlottetown. We'd decide we really wanted a different house, and we'd be ready to make an offer. We'd think about what we'd have to get done if we decided on the spur of the moment to put our house up for sale and move elsewhere. And then the next morning, or the next time we went to see the house, we'd think, "No, that's not for us." So for someone like me, who likes planning and security, it wasn't really the ideal way to live. We didn't really invest ourselves and our desires and our personalities in our property because we were never sure how long it was going to be ours.<br />
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But now we know that we'll be staying here. And it is a little squished, sometimes, and a little more space in the bathroom would be nice, and a little more sun in the backyard would mean better growing conditions. But this home is ours, and we're staying for three more years, and we like it here. This is the first house that we moved into together shortly after we were married, the home that we brought our two beautiful babies home to, the property that gave me a tough lesson in perennial gardening, the house that is about a seven-minute walk from my parents. <br />
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So little by little, over the last few weeks, we've been cultivating our pride in our property and we've been opening our hearts a little to it. We've been accepting it for what it is and enhancing it in ways that we can manage, that serve our needs right now, and that will make it more attractive. We've been ruthless in tearing out perennials in favour of native shrubs and (gasp!) more grass (and dandelions, and forget-me-nots, and stitchwort, and whatever else is growing in our lawn). It was sad to see the poppies and coreopsis and pinks and especially the blanketflower go, but it feels so much better to know that our untended, wild, <b>massive</b> perennial beds will no longer be the shame of the street! So to show you a few of the touches we've been making to our property as we progress through spring and as we find a few minutes here and there, here are some photos.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAVnv6diszGQuTxUz-tNH0AYTGA4qjdIL_EyaFdR-DcHiO9w8O3UVxk_bFHNYW54nyHgsuK8lcA2moiBla9JQPHEFbX36yMZs7NGME6eIP-FLDptYQLf5fzyYvVFVKc1YHXLEyS8DV-pw/s1600/IMG_6741.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAVnv6diszGQuTxUz-tNH0AYTGA4qjdIL_EyaFdR-DcHiO9w8O3UVxk_bFHNYW54nyHgsuK8lcA2moiBla9JQPHEFbX36yMZs7NGME6eIP-FLDptYQLf5fzyYvVFVKc1YHXLEyS8DV-pw/s640/IMG_6741.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Those chives were in a container on my deck last year, and came back thicker than ever. The oregano was divided from a friend's garden. (Thanks Pam!)</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidRoc2SgVByJbIf_yg1u9I9HsUn8AbgNtctTdseV5G9_5LTMLJBK2vumfgZv09P7K0hks82-nNAqhjltaxXVOR0pANVLe1IdFUP_Enjt_m0P4_pIzG2qqhywH6O2UgTercdcZ3W5leVbI/s1600/IMG_6742.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidRoc2SgVByJbIf_yg1u9I9HsUn8AbgNtctTdseV5G9_5LTMLJBK2vumfgZv09P7K0hks82-nNAqhjltaxXVOR0pANVLe1IdFUP_Enjt_m0P4_pIzG2qqhywH6O2UgTercdcZ3W5leVbI/s640/IMG_6742.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lovely Pam also gave me seven strawberry plants.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhScgMQulkWoE5Z95sKxcKi4b2i82gjgWqm4wejGO0-0JwCA6SfjCkyIiPPM3TC1EEizQEM3s9wnIen-u_HoOypEJsi1uAr2EXzLnhvTdYjT3lR8uIXqmwFdgxPEsS93sItpYUNT7iJb1Q/s1600/IMG_6743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhScgMQulkWoE5Z95sKxcKi4b2i82gjgWqm4wejGO0-0JwCA6SfjCkyIiPPM3TC1EEizQEM3s9wnIen-u_HoOypEJsi1uAr2EXzLnhvTdYjT3lR8uIXqmwFdgxPEsS93sItpYUNT7iJb1Q/s640/IMG_6743.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Here I planted a bunch of yellow bush beans. The soil looks dark because of the compost I mixed in.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_3odeDjngMLAOsUCe8GQGOgFJWmtMZzstkpasEf3eWq9WNTLcKTm5MwHHwqkq8tbiYJfF5FBLf1oitm2vaeSbJcLX5WtO7I-x-M0IwfMtWNLA4cvcr5EzlHi23FQTV_mWiT5CBpfjduo/s1600/IMG_6744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_3odeDjngMLAOsUCe8GQGOgFJWmtMZzstkpasEf3eWq9WNTLcKTm5MwHHwqkq8tbiYJfF5FBLf1oitm2vaeSbJcLX5WtO7I-x-M0IwfMtWNLA4cvcr5EzlHi23FQTV_mWiT5CBpfjduo/s640/IMG_6744.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Freshly applied wood chips. :)</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPh4NKrrZUWKxYKtNfLY9W1vI9rvEjqRQ0O_dxLBI5WI9rS-pRtSszBBl1d3MsafipGm05m6Bb_ab0W1eB-HJuBiAoBB7lKNOWIrtd3YOJ5wO53ZEI6TnwrzLuo6gXWDAIqua21dfAvOw/s1600/IMG_6746.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPh4NKrrZUWKxYKtNfLY9W1vI9rvEjqRQ0O_dxLBI5WI9rS-pRtSszBBl1d3MsafipGm05m6Bb_ab0W1eB-HJuBiAoBB7lKNOWIrtd3YOJ5wO53ZEI6TnwrzLuo6gXWDAIqua21dfAvOw/s640/IMG_6746.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I raked up the old mulch that was here when there were shrubs in this bed to make a little path to stand on so I don't compress the soil every time I look at my little plant friends.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmw1UDrGXsBPPTrzUoNB7cVQGcqUB-VCiTotZDx6fRrL6ymcuc08Xq6FndZs0A1n57lBh7r6TW0WGjqLs1Z5_ZtZdSlePshDKDn3nXb7EYvG4G02ggm8ijHVVwHXzIGgdQbXcNZXmcCJs/s1600/IMG_6747.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmw1UDrGXsBPPTrzUoNB7cVQGcqUB-VCiTotZDx6fRrL6ymcuc08Xq6FndZs0A1n57lBh7r6TW0WGjqLs1Z5_ZtZdSlePshDKDn3nXb7EYvG4G02ggm8ijHVVwHXzIGgdQbXcNZXmcCJs/s640/IMG_6747.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Overkill? Maybe, but I love those happy marigolds (I have since moved them away from the beans, those of you who know that beans don't like marigolds--I didn't know that until later).</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9qmNXwscSbH_OdkXu9noSZAJIHFs6nWwG8KwDfl12C4BRQ_5C1EFtO2OEX6kk0AYdsd1ZOPLQrEDY2qEfhtsJvP44d87Ac8gIhsVXC28xbLgzzDX94Y4CcTbQlMNQ9BJW5IZUVtU3UA/s1600/IMG_6749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9qmNXwscSbH_OdkXu9noSZAJIHFs6nWwG8KwDfl12C4BRQ_5C1EFtO2OEX6kk0AYdsd1ZOPLQrEDY2qEfhtsJvP44d87Ac8gIhsVXC28xbLgzzDX94Y4CcTbQlMNQ9BJW5IZUVtU3UA/s640/IMG_6749.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sweet millions tomatoes on our deck. They aren't looking as happy lately, though, so I hope they're ok.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ebX6ZfGEfrxbmzjL2a461Ttmt31Y1yWoZvEIMTwtHxbHfM8qjfJ9HoD0iq3kZqDYk-LTl_OtwpxppRBSc93Oz1dOz6ux5YxzhRmhtjNE3FRA_YjMTVCC_ogE4_UQSuuZeCPTMPEdYws/s1600/IMG_6750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ebX6ZfGEfrxbmzjL2a461Ttmt31Y1yWoZvEIMTwtHxbHfM8qjfJ9HoD0iq3kZqDYk-LTl_OtwpxppRBSc93Oz1dOz6ux5YxzhRmhtjNE3FRA_YjMTVCC_ogE4_UQSuuZeCPTMPEdYws/s640/IMG_6750.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I want to plant some sort of squash or melon here. Cucumber? Loofah? Canteloupe? More pumpkin? We'll see what hasn't drowned in the seed starting tray left out in the rain. :S</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIEcDMXtSebOlGiB7Wq5Wl3dAHWd5Aee_ZhO11S3uZwQwIt1Xwe-xrM4tqsRAVUixXM8CvxgRruzRDUnZHu1y2yFkuV9H1BI3Dz7PXyC7DXMat1rFj616yTi1q6-VBOsI4j5gq9EcLlps/s1600/IMG_1102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIEcDMXtSebOlGiB7Wq5Wl3dAHWd5Aee_ZhO11S3uZwQwIt1Xwe-xrM4tqsRAVUixXM8CvxgRruzRDUnZHu1y2yFkuV9H1BI3Dz7PXyC7DXMat1rFj616yTi1q6-VBOsI4j5gq9EcLlps/s640/IMG_1102.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I think everything looks better in the rain, at least when you get up close.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7tkjIaIkbiX0NUQ5awm7316ZfILc_NDNMWTRWQPsxW97oQLI2pm514X4UDiNRSVvyGd5rIJIoXtOuhLihnw-9chVehU4Ahd-cU96ebMYhz4_0O5EfyqTlPXSzIEBafLx68Vl4XrY52-0/s1600/IMG_1101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7tkjIaIkbiX0NUQ5awm7316ZfILc_NDNMWTRWQPsxW97oQLI2pm514X4UDiNRSVvyGd5rIJIoXtOuhLihnw-9chVehU4Ahd-cU96ebMYhz4_0O5EfyqTlPXSzIEBafLx68Vl4XrY52-0/s640/IMG_1101.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hello, beautiful.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx2-OL80tHKv-VnStof9Z3W0Iw4oOp7RXSRPmTJI2RyWyeyhnnrSUQE3xk3dM8Ib2cbpxLzF3kiKUbrSqGHy3k_szJWuR0R5tuM19uc9LJfzuy838LSLlbzwCf6Iizidk15XDaTkQcw-E/s1600/IMG_1100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx2-OL80tHKv-VnStof9Z3W0Iw4oOp7RXSRPmTJI2RyWyeyhnnrSUQE3xk3dM8Ib2cbpxLzF3kiKUbrSqGHy3k_szJWuR0R5tuM19uc9LJfzuy838LSLlbzwCf6Iizidk15XDaTkQcw-E/s640/IMG_1100.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>We bought this five years ago and never bothered with it. This week, out of the blue, Craig started working on getting it set up for me. He did a beautiful job and I think I fell just a little more in love with him.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTnuBjo6dwsRyPdghYmSV5nytJeiI5H6W1rvr2Lv9H5s1-dc_hDiIIRB4QFNl5zFoZSasf4G080YArXQuh83gqtuxhje_mSzW9q58xzCKG233uxKfC2oO1as7TvBJWUDNdoF62botlKm4/s1600/IMG_1106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTnuBjo6dwsRyPdghYmSV5nytJeiI5H6W1rvr2Lv9H5s1-dc_hDiIIRB4QFNl5zFoZSasf4G080YArXQuh83gqtuxhje_mSzW9q58xzCKG233uxKfC2oO1as7TvBJWUDNdoF62botlKm4/s640/IMG_1106.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Container-planted Swiss chard. I love those red veins.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvaKGxVknLm0qWmRabvEXDLnK8T7nOCQ8c7oz90XJBaevHYSeJc4sZagJoXG20HtbQw5GqbJwtWyCh5rA1TCqcOFLbQ9E_7MYhhxrzsBg_IP6Z_RV_K28rx6ZF2aZSJ68qyRvIc2SSloo/s1600/IMG_1105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvaKGxVknLm0qWmRabvEXDLnK8T7nOCQ8c7oz90XJBaevHYSeJc4sZagJoXG20HtbQw5GqbJwtWyCh5rA1TCqcOFLbQ9E_7MYhhxrzsBg_IP6Z_RV_K28rx6ZF2aZSJ68qyRvIc2SSloo/s640/IMG_1105.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I've been randomly sneaking leaves here and there just to snack on when working in the yard, and I honestly think that this is the best spinach I've ever tasted.</i></td></tr>
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<i>Shared with <a href="http://homesteadrevival.blogspot.ca/2012/06/barn-hop-65.html">Homestead Barn Hop #65</a>.</i></div>
<br />Rosalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07594397183233004323noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011383616529037622.post-86955670449457032572012-06-07T22:13:00.000-03:002012-06-07T22:13:44.626-03:00Helping Hands Starts to Get Its Hands DirtyI've been feeling pretty badly that this past month has been such a sparse one for blog posts. I really enjoy blogging, and I like that I have a few followers. I don't want to lose them! I'm going to really have to make an effort to figure out a schedule that allows me to do all of the things that I want to get done around our home, yard/garden, kitchen, and with our children, (leaving, of course, time for my darling husband as well!), but that still has me sitting down in front of the computer about three times a week to share some of my thoughts, successes, failures, learning experiences, etc. here on the Hopeful Homesteader.<br />
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One of my commitments that has been taking up quite a bit of time lately is Helping Hands Community Garden. Over the course of the last few weeks, we have had it tilled, shovelled a truckload of partially decomposed horse manure throughout the beds, tilled it a little more, put up a decorative fence at one end (thanks Caleb!), planted sunflowers (this evening), had a garden committee meeting, finalized our garden rules and gardener agreement, written a donation request letter for local garden centres, communicated with interested gardeners, planned our garden kick-off (this Saturday at 3 pm! Please come!) and updated our Facebook page. I think I may be leaving things out. I honestly haven't even started gardening yet. Well, not really. I raked some of the larger bits of sod out of our family's plot and spread two bags of compost in it this evening. But I haven't planted anything yet and haven't even started on the food bank gardens. Eek!<br />
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The process, while busy, has been immensely easy, and so far the only money we have spent was to buy a roll of string to mark off the beds for the man who tilled it for us. Considering sample budgets that we found for community gardens, a grand total of about $6.00 to have the garden actually a functioning, established area is pretty amazing. It just seems that it is meant to be. Our city has been incredibly supportive and helpful. They allowed us to use the parkland as a community garden without any kind of lease, they paid to have the beds tilled, they installed an outdoor tap on the little washroom building in the park so that we would be able to access water for the beds, they lent us the use of a city truck (and a couple of employees) to help me go collect the horse manure for the beds, they will provide us with one or two picnic tables for the garden, and all along they have been so enthusiastic and happy to help. And I heard back from a representative of the soup kitchen and food bank today, telling us that they would love to have donations of fresh produce. I know that there have been friends of mine encouraging us and praying for the success of this garden, and it shows. I feel so blessed to be involved!<br />
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So I wanted to share a few photos of the initial phases of the garden establishment, and I'll update throughout the season with photos as the plants come up, as we begin getting busy, as we gather the harvest, and share it with those who may not normally be able to afford organic vegetables. <br />
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For those of you living in Summerside and wondering about getting a garden plot, there are still two or three left and in order to get your hands in one, just email me at helpinghandscommunitygarden@yahoo.ca or send one of the admin a note through our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/summersidehelpinghands">Facebook page</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSuXLKuyLKfklmfYNSdKsev6x_mB1BQSX8cZlmyajfN_PSZhpuodNxtdfwtvq3KREW0ZfjTp2ubFtSQKlPww9o0vl1pMZcjjctNCw1RfPyVjDCG-aueRuBtAqaZY6OQolDuwNbhesoEog/s1600/DSC_0006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSuXLKuyLKfklmfYNSdKsev6x_mB1BQSX8cZlmyajfN_PSZhpuodNxtdfwtvq3KREW0ZfjTp2ubFtSQKlPww9o0vl1pMZcjjctNCw1RfPyVjDCG-aueRuBtAqaZY6OQolDuwNbhesoEog/s640/DSC_0006.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Tying strings and very excited to get started!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4artvGQWpe7SKO8DAgHL3jZh5aca0h5c5XZFmqVM_Agxi1pEHGVk7TabvdjZG7-Rmn5Bs4M_5HRpHMoWUHkTGPJeHGfWpdrWKxVKGAa5qr5J31g8DWtM9-KU8aexq4OWW0Vhaec9JK0/s1600/DSC_0009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4artvGQWpe7SKO8DAgHL3jZh5aca0h5c5XZFmqVM_Agxi1pEHGVk7TabvdjZG7-Rmn5Bs4M_5HRpHMoWUHkTGPJeHGfWpdrWKxVKGAa5qr5J31g8DWtM9-KU8aexq4OWW0Vhaec9JK0/s640/DSC_0009.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>It was such a huge help to have Caleb measuring the plots and pounding in the stakes.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Katie finishing up the beds.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The beds are being tilled! Exciting!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Happy to have these beds done and almost ready to go!</i></td></tr>
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<br />Rosalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07594397183233004323noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011383616529037622.post-6167038452526634962012-05-30T13:30:00.000-03:002012-05-30T13:30:26.315-03:00Much-Welcome RainFor a spring on PEI, it's been amazingly dry and sunny. That is wonderful for small children, who want to play outside, but we need rain for the garden. So waking up today to the promised wet weather was a relief, and the falling raindrops were very much welcome. As seedlings and new grass and trees and perennials (and wildlife too!) soak in a longed-for drink of fresh, cool water, little boys get a bit rambunctious in the house.<br />
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So I took mine outside. In his pyjamas. To jump in puddles. We'll get back to gardening when it dries up a little bit, but this morning was a time to play.<br />
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<br />Rosalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07594397183233004323noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011383616529037622.post-56217913574312839382012-05-18T12:36:00.000-03:002012-05-18T12:36:25.791-03:00Springing Up in Summerside I'm a little ashamed to have taken an almost two-week hiatus from blogging. Things have been a bit crazy around here: substitute teaching, baking, baby girl cutting four molars at once, sunny days when it is a must to get outside with my busy boy, and community meetings in the evenings. Perhaps, I can guiltily admit that I started watching the first season of Game of Thrones last week, became addicted, and spent my free time in the evenings squeezing in a few episodes when I could. I don't watch a lot of TV, but I love that show! We are almost caught up now though so I won't be neglecting so much from now on...<br />
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I have a few backlogged posts to put up including recipes, gardening updates, etc., but to get a little something up from the hopeful homestead in the meantime, here are a few photos from this morning of the colours that are currently dancing in our yard. It's pretty clear that we are a little behind other regions in terms of what's coming up this spring, but spring has definitely now arrived in Summerside and we are loving being outside.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Leaves unfurling on the little red oak in our backyard.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bleeding heart in a jungle-like area of our garden that is in desperate need of attention!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Who doesn't love a morning greeting from a violet?</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY_NUTqJkSFYH-rcCeYTbvwIgeObk5FVlKhRTTEPGusxy59mJmeWmOoCAaCVlWHZQO9sfa_AfsfVyFEQzQPUKN2yWUFwM0JnZLJVWSqt4pyWENMizSNJgYm87LSs-H0C6ZEvLur-ZE1DU/s1600/IMG_1144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY_NUTqJkSFYH-rcCeYTbvwIgeObk5FVlKhRTTEPGusxy59mJmeWmOoCAaCVlWHZQO9sfa_AfsfVyFEQzQPUKN2yWUFwM0JnZLJVWSqt4pyWENMizSNJgYm87LSs-H0C6ZEvLur-ZE1DU/s640/IMG_1144.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I didn't get it in the photo, but there was a tiny spider spending some time on this bloom.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWtTb-llTJmTr40TCURs-n1jPSwd7x_McdROEx4AnvUPpmlYk4Nc_eFX35R6DhAQnve0RYGc1p9et50fShoHZ7LBRhoAK58eS1hzDj34_GIqcl10GChPpYg9TJpB895hzruyNLRbZeYG8/s1600/IMG_1147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWtTb-llTJmTr40TCURs-n1jPSwd7x_McdROEx4AnvUPpmlYk4Nc_eFX35R6DhAQnve0RYGc1p9et50fShoHZ7LBRhoAK58eS1hzDj34_GIqcl10GChPpYg9TJpB895hzruyNLRbZeYG8/s640/IMG_1147.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Finally, planting 90 tulip bulbs last fall has paid off with some lovely pinks and yellows!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9OSlrQOo6ChGOW_Hy9111Gxfdu0FCWV8WzRJg1TWIxuesXoKMi-7tNLKg0o4FZrwhdAHNWTEYAmXK3cqBxlWxZP1i2OQTHnIWDhOBFaRmK-cjR3hrLbOUR-CGGwX8C11xjVXCSWETEHU/s1600/IMG_1149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9OSlrQOo6ChGOW_Hy9111Gxfdu0FCWV8WzRJg1TWIxuesXoKMi-7tNLKg0o4FZrwhdAHNWTEYAmXK3cqBxlWxZP1i2OQTHnIWDhOBFaRmK-cjR3hrLbOUR-CGGwX8C11xjVXCSWETEHU/s640/IMG_1149.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>One of my favourite first blooms of spring--serviceberry.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpzfUNypadVtThL9DcGyL_Er-oxJUlKpiw35Rxm6uED6pUsVCyAi4R4zK44q0MKl2ZSjlHz_AzMg_P2lN2fHeK_SvpZdMKtEWlMXDQ0uEuuFABhg79URCaTOWTV_g7CaWuwLzRUC1PP_0/s1600/IMG_1174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpzfUNypadVtThL9DcGyL_Er-oxJUlKpiw35Rxm6uED6pUsVCyAi4R4zK44q0MKl2ZSjlHz_AzMg_P2lN2fHeK_SvpZdMKtEWlMXDQ0uEuuFABhg79URCaTOWTV_g7CaWuwLzRUC1PP_0/s640/IMG_1174.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>If we had a "perfect", weed-free lawn, it wouldn't be nearly so cheerful without these forget-me-nots!</i></td></tr>
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<br />Rosalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07594397183233004323noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011383616529037622.post-6159593728667354852012-05-06T08:59:00.000-03:002012-05-06T09:06:01.800-03:00Gardening UpdateWe're into May now, and the snow is permanently gone; even if there's still a chance we'll see more flurries (like we did earlier in the week!), at least we know that it won't stick around. As we inch our way into prime gardening weather, I thought I'd give a little update on what's happening around here in terms of seedlings, planting, tidying, etc.<br />
<br />
I think things are going pretty well with the seed starting, considering it is my first year and some of the seeds were getting a little old. The pumpkin seeds, which were fresh, have done amazingly well and I probably have too much success based on the space I have available! But too many pumpkins isn't a bad thing, as I'm really looking forward to having my own fresh pumpkin pur<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">é</span></span>e for baking this coming year. Muffins, breads, cakes and pies! Yum. Also, since we'll all be helping out with the food pantry garden at our <a href="http://rosalynhomesteads.blogspot.ca/2012/04/helping-hands-community-garden.html">new community garden</a>, I'll just "donate" my extra seedlings and seeds to that space. If everyone does that, I don't even think we'll have to find seed donations this year.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibRn6hConVyPtKYkQNNsvKYu8PO-sfFuO5l5iGh-4WXuP4EqD3oj72tFzsGBic1CQ7cmoEBzgNkBvGwW1Wwa55rfWzMM4UB4EtdrdtR_BMtpKT1OSlLrOXfNTQmfl-krTrbhxKklypW6M/s1600/IMG_6443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibRn6hConVyPtKYkQNNsvKYu8PO-sfFuO5l5iGh-4WXuP4EqD3oj72tFzsGBic1CQ7cmoEBzgNkBvGwW1Wwa55rfWzMM4UB4EtdrdtR_BMtpKT1OSlLrOXfNTQmfl-krTrbhxKklypW6M/s640/IMG_6443.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Happy pumpkin seedlings.</i></td></tr>
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A quick note about the <a href="http://rosalynhomesteads.blogspot.ca/2012/03/seed-starting.html">toilet paper rolls for seed starting</a>. In a way, they worked great. Awesome for the tomatoes and basil, and the pumpkins did well too, but I did have a little problem with them. Since the pumpkin seedlings are vastly larger than the others, they established big root systems much more quickly. Those strong, happy root systems, while great for the pumpkins, weren't so great for the tomatoes and basil--they came out the bottoms of the toilet paper rolls, along the tray, and up into the tomato and basil rolls. I wondered why the basil was taking so long to get going, even though it germinated quickly and I think it was because it was essentially being parasitized by the pumpkins. So I would suggest that a) you use newspaper pots for the larger vegetables that you start inside, or b) at least keep them in a different tray from the "little guys" to give them a better chance. My basil seems to have made a comeback, but it's definitely slow going.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipyJezmtJr1a2LoUbacU_BYlnIGOMhT2qsFqFarLKjI_g45G_g4hOz6r34cnU_19iqFlmnc2KDk4ogigPVwhS2REwVxIA5ychatiutW2caE8K2Uumh_b1zuEy3k98d1ZPPMNXCqwNb_jQ/s1600/IMG_6445.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipyJezmtJr1a2LoUbacU_BYlnIGOMhT2qsFqFarLKjI_g45G_g4hOz6r34cnU_19iqFlmnc2KDk4ogigPVwhS2REwVxIA5ychatiutW2caE8K2Uumh_b1zuEy3k98d1ZPPMNXCqwNb_jQ/s640/IMG_6445.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Recovering and finally moving along. Poor little things!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2dhLoiSyeug6COfJMFJPGcrpkBBrwvYcplQmckjplR-2GYGxhIK7f-r2XwiiQ23Ev8JM-tWuvM1iiCV0CV482_K3P0lvdvG7bV333En_2LBHHT7tFnDJx937OARNWcqn5ct_WxL7s3xA/s1600/IMG_6444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2dhLoiSyeug6COfJMFJPGcrpkBBrwvYcplQmckjplR-2GYGxhIK7f-r2XwiiQ23Ev8JM-tWuvM1iiCV0CV482_K3P0lvdvG7bV333En_2LBHHT7tFnDJx937OARNWcqn5ct_WxL7s3xA/s640/IMG_6444.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ah, my love--you and I will spend lots of tender moments together.</i></td></tr>
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I have had pretty good success with the tomatoes. The only thing that is really disappointing, is that due to lower germination rates/invasion by monster pumpkin roots, I only have four toilet paper rolls with healthy tomato seedlings in them. This isn't so bad, I'm just happy to have any doing well and I can always buy seedlings at the garden centre until I become a better baby seedling raiser. However, all the rolls that are doing well have two seedlings in them, and I have to pinch one back in each. I thought about unwrapping the paper and teasing the two plants apart to keep all eight of the seedlings, but I'm afraid I'd damage them and end up with less than four. So I'm going to grit my teeth, pinch those precious treasures back, and be happy that I have four organic San Marzano tomato plants this year.<br />
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I've also started planting some cold-hardy things outside. We don't have a lot of growing space around our house, so I'm just doing a little here and there until we get the community garden tilled and established and planted. Yesterday I put some soil into a few pots that Craig found when he cleaned out our shed (bless his heart) and planted Swiss chard in one and spinach in the other, with help from my ever-ready young helper. I missed getting a photo of him doing it though (he particularly liked the funny shape of the chard seeds). But I did get his sister, who came along to inspect his work after the fact.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickWnkHqHukgN6zq9sfIW5YqPbieLxv9_h10pn05dpiJpHKeOGCzeP7HqOMkHBryCvq6dMjZuztPAr-gwxePBtyCUnInXNicvAesD7zwM8_4uqFACCgr_6qfNNZXP5HhZaCzsmIG6rw60/s1600/IMG_6409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickWnkHqHukgN6zq9sfIW5YqPbieLxv9_h10pn05dpiJpHKeOGCzeP7HqOMkHBryCvq6dMjZuztPAr-gwxePBtyCUnInXNicvAesD7zwM8_4uqFACCgr_6qfNNZXP5HhZaCzsmIG6rw60/s640/IMG_6409.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Yes, my baby wears a bicycle helmet ALL the time. More on that later. :)</i></td></tr>
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James also made himself quite useful digging up a no-longer-wanted perennial bed. This is the year of decluttering, getting organized and getting rid of responsibilities that I am not keeping up with, nor care to. That means you, perennials. When we moved in, our property was gorgeous and full of vibrant floral beauty. Our terrible neglect of those beds has meant that we have often teetered on the precipice of a trashy property, and we've been trying to reduce the amounts of areas we have to weed and maintain. So the giant, curved bed out front, full of all sorts of perennials as well as weigela and sand cherry bushes, is gone. James decided to mow the soil before helping his dad sprinkle grass seed on the now bare earth and giving it a drink from the hose.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhII9Uj3wbPwsYHXIHriAtxSvquniUS7SyMvXMCLsmGW_QeCdhD-a3-J-r5Yp5LTUCXMj9O0ryFkT1yjhE9HNRGoS6L5rVSKJk_yjOoLPWTHwgZjq3W8f3dKRUXdMJduNo3OxFIQAPnrSU/s1600/IMG_6441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhII9Uj3wbPwsYHXIHriAtxSvquniUS7SyMvXMCLsmGW_QeCdhD-a3-J-r5Yp5LTUCXMj9O0ryFkT1yjhE9HNRGoS6L5rVSKJk_yjOoLPWTHwgZjq3W8f3dKRUXdMJduNo3OxFIQAPnrSU/s640/IMG_6441.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The boy was working hard, and representing. :)</i></td></tr>
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So we still have lots of work cut out for us this year, but I feel pretty happy with what we've accomplished so far and where we're headed. Hopefully we'll have a successful first vegetable garden! And we'll spend a lot of time together as a family, being active, responsible, having fun, and loving each other in the process.<br />
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<i>This post is shared with Garden Life Link-Up at <a href="http://www.noordinaryhomestead.com/sustainable-living/in-the-garden/seedlings-flowers/">No Ordinary Homestead</a>.</i><br />
<br />Rosalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07594397183233004323noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011383616529037622.post-44099523165018433822012-05-04T10:00:00.000-03:002012-05-04T10:00:07.512-03:00Corn Chowder--Not Just For Your GrandmotherWhen I was a child, we didn't really eat corn chowder. Probably because my mom thought we wouldn't like it (and to be honest, it wouldn't have been my favourite soup-like option). I remember eating it at my grandparents' though, and while I dutifully ate my whole bowl, I remember my younger cousin from Ontario loving it. I can still picture her with her little blonde head, sitting at the card table that was set up in the kitchen for the kids to eat at, happily consuming a big bowl of it while we wondered whether or not we liked it.<br />
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I love corn chowder now though, and with corn on sale last week at Sobeys, I made a batch with our leftovers. I based the recipe on <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/corn-chowder-recipe/index.html">this one</a>, but made a few changes to it to suit our tastes a little better!<br />
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<b><u>Corn Chowder</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b><br />
2 tbsp butter<br />
1 tbsp olive oil<br />
1 onion, diced<br />
2 garlic cloves, minced<br />
1 tsp (or so) summer savoury (the original recipe calls for thyme leaves from 6 sprigs)<br />
1/4 cup all-purpose flour<br />
6 cups vegetable stock, or chicken stock (I used both)<br />
2 cups whole milk<br />
2 potatoes, diced<br />
Kernels from 6 ears of corn<br />
6-8 slices bacon, fried till crisp and crumbled<br />
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used marble)<br />
salt and freshly ground pepper<br />
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or a tbsp or so dried<br />
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Heat the butter and olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and summer savoury and cook until the veggies are nice and soft, about 8-10 minutes. Add the flour and stir well. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and taking care to prevent lumps from forming. Add potatoes and boil hard for 8 minutes or so, until the potatoes are soft and start to break down. Add the corn kernels and milk (mine were already cooked, you could put them in earlier if you were cutting them off raw cobs), and simmer a little longer (try not to return to a boil as you don't want your milk to separate). Before serving, stir in the cheese, bacon bits, parsley, salt and pepper, and a little drizzle of olive oil. Ladle into bowls and serve with some crusty bread.<br />
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<br />Rosalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07594397183233004323noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011383616529037622.post-46412171688657640392012-05-02T10:00:00.000-03:002012-05-02T10:00:02.277-03:00Homemade, Crunchy, Sweet GranolaThere are loads of granola recipes out there and I would like to try all of them! For now, this granola works great and as it is a bit on the sweet side, makes a great partner to the plain yogurt that I have just learned to make. <br />
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My mom's friend Vicki gave me this recipe, which I changed a little bit from the original. She and her husband enjoy even just snacking on this granola and they make a big batch before their yearly trip to Florida to eat along the way. We like mixing it with yogurt and fruit, and I like that it is less fattening and a lot less expensive than what you buy at the grocery store, but very easy and quick to make and is my #1 go-to recipe when I want to bake with James. He loves making granola! Or "Granolan", as he used to call it, since his best friend's name is Nolan.<br />
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<b><u>Homemade Granola</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b><br />
2 cups rolled oats<br />
1/2 cup whole wheat flour<br />
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed (not so healthy but oh, I love brown sugar!)<br />
3 tbsp vegetable oil<br />
1/4 cup orange juice<br />
3 tbsp pure maple syrup<br />
1 generous tsp vanilla<br />
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I have been using walnuts)<br />
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Preheat the oven to 300 F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable oil spray. <br />
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Combine oats, flour, sugar, oil, orange juice, syrup, vanilla, and nuts in a mixing bowl. Spread evenly on prepared baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes, tossing once to prevent burning. After the 35 minutes are up, turn off the oven but leave the granola inside for about another half hour to make it even crunchier. Remove from oven, break up the big chunks into littler bits, allow to cool, and then store in an airtight container.<br />
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This granola will keep up to one month, if it lasts that long!<br />
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The original recipe included 1 tsp of cinnamon and 1/2 tsp ground ginger. I don't use the spices because although I like them, I like my granola to have a more simple flavour. Feel free to spice things up though! Additionally, when your granola is ready to be stored, you can mix in dried fruit (I love dried cherries!).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I love that little helping hand.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sweet baking boy.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1F_MGLPg2c7STUuVPsUKSdZ-FSTOuFssHNizTX4nKt1cMNlfWgljPBMA9bBbjT87U5eMj_jJt0ZtRf4W6MO3WHHmfLLVohtymivsEJal1PLgiZX2sDViNIOH7jZz_xQjnx93aXd8MEdI/s1600/IMG_6403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1F_MGLPg2c7STUuVPsUKSdZ-FSTOuFssHNizTX4nKt1cMNlfWgljPBMA9bBbjT87U5eMj_jJt0ZtRf4W6MO3WHHmfLLVohtymivsEJal1PLgiZX2sDViNIOH7jZz_xQjnx93aXd8MEdI/s640/IMG_6403.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mmmm... breakfast goodness.</i></td></tr>
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<br />Rosalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07594397183233004323noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011383616529037622.post-7718222788496500562012-04-30T10:00:00.000-03:002012-04-30T10:00:17.586-03:00I Made My Own Yogurt This WeekI realize that there are people out there who make their own yogurt (and cheese, and sauerkraut, etc.) without even giving it a second thought. But to a newbie like me, successfully making yogurt is one of the most exciting things to happen to me lately! I used <a href="http://www.aliciashomemaking.com/2010/08/homemade-yogurt-in-crockpot.html">instructions for making yogurt</a> in a crockpot, because it sounded like the easiest and least involved way of doing it, and because I don't really use a crockpot all that often; it seemed to help justify it taking up space in my diminutive kitchen. In the recipe I used, she sweetens at the beginning to end up with sweet, vanilla yogurt. I wanted to master plain yogurt first, and since I knew I'd end up with quite a bit, I thought that it would be good to make plain and just sweeten it myself later. That way I'd know just how much I liked, and I could use the plain yogurt for making savoury dishes.<br />
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It is so easy that you really should all do it. All you need is a little patience, and a lot of time. I know I never really want to buy pre-made yogurt again! This is so simple, and with so few ingredients, that it seems like the very best way to get that fix of probiotic goodness into your belly.<br />
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In general, we've been eating Activia vanilla-flavoured yogurt, which costs $3.99 for 650 grams. To make my yogurt a few days ago, I used a two-litre carton of milk ($3.49) and some of a 500 mL container of PC brand organic plain yogurt with active bacterial cultures (usually $3.99, but I got it on a great sale for $1.29! Woohoo!). I only needed a 1/2 cup of the yogurt, so the rest was eaten by me or went into a yummy recipe of raspberry yogurt muffins. I ended up with 1.25 L of yogurt, about twice the amount of the Activia container, for $3.81, so saved quite a lot of money.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBZvhJdpomARnwrWocuD6WQK6x_4YEJZcXLTptpQ9L8P8s9Zn0VkXPOyuo9Sssl0oulkI6HNDpLaq1kKZ8t8_tVRJD9DmxeV5sVN6bbPjqDqOLw1rcTuO94dR14L82sk5sY5_pmmc0RwU/s1600/IMG_6379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBZvhJdpomARnwrWocuD6WQK6x_4YEJZcXLTptpQ9L8P8s9Zn0VkXPOyuo9Sssl0oulkI6HNDpLaq1kKZ8t8_tVRJD9DmxeV5sVN6bbPjqDqOLw1rcTuO94dR14L82sk5sY5_pmmc0RwU/s640/IMG_6379.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The necessities.</i></td></tr>
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*Note that I used organic yogurt, but not organic milk. This is because for the astronomical price of organic milk, you don't get any real, substantial difference in the quality of what you are purchasing. In Canada, quality controls are so high on milk that there are no traces of antibiotics or any hormones in conventionally produced milk at all. See <a href="http://theotherbigo.ca/2011/04/12/organic-milk-vs-conventional-milk/">this post</a> for a great, quick summary of why non-organic milk is just as good for you. Also, I think ADL is a super company that I want to support (and considering it is literally right around the corner from my house, you can't get much more local) and I know a number of dairy farmers on PEI who are all awesome people that I would like to support as well. <br />
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So as I take you through my yogurt making process, I'm going to give you the time details that I used this time, because it took me a long time to make this and this is something you might want to consider when you decide which day of the week you'd like to give yogurt-making a try.<br />
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<b><i>7:00 am</i></b><br />
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Put your 2L carton of milk in the crock pot, cover, turn it on low, and leave for two and a half hours. I used 2% milk to get a creamy but not full-fat version. I thought it was a compromise between not wanting to get chubby myself, but wanting to feed the kids a hearty yogurt to help them (especially Susannah) put on weight. Apparently you can use whatever milk you like, including skim. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidqv0NMbUzqjv7GSuKi0bt_659cV9ykuCwsF4rJSVwMCG0PdE4cGfQBTGF0QwcqzmD-ku5EDQ5VT8qmeBMOeKzqr34bTCEaJVNyZVdZR_iAOvToEgvAYOK_qo4VGwrD1ViQqDvSEQRhUg/s1600/IMG_6382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidqv0NMbUzqjv7GSuKi0bt_659cV9ykuCwsF4rJSVwMCG0PdE4cGfQBTGF0QwcqzmD-ku5EDQ5VT8qmeBMOeKzqr34bTCEaJVNyZVdZR_iAOvToEgvAYOK_qo4VGwrD1ViQqDvSEQRhUg/s640/IMG_6382.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Did you really need this photo? Probably not, but it adds colour to the post. :)</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9PduabPBcuYek9NCTxrK4cbB5iWQEEtzptFvkEiPm3BPlKGT9CHahGGpqhrwKN7wJug35ZDNer1lKHqHiaZRerxws7d_JUS0qyKTg2HLOWKU00OrnRq3S5qYX_4zEB1pYqp-vP2GmZY/s1600/IMG_6387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9PduabPBcuYek9NCTxrK4cbB5iWQEEtzptFvkEiPm3BPlKGT9CHahGGpqhrwKN7wJug35ZDNer1lKHqHiaZRerxws7d_JUS0qyKTg2HLOWKU00OrnRq3S5qYX_4zEB1pYqp-vP2GmZY/s640/IMG_6387.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Another unnecessary but illustrative photo of my hot crockpot, filled with milk, and turned on to the low setting!</i></td></tr>
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<b><i>9:30 am</i></b><br />
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Your milk should be good and hot now. Turn off the slow cooker, unplug it, and leave it without opening for another two and a half hours.<br />
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<b><i>12:00 pm</i></b><br />
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Come back, take about a cup of milk out of the crockpot and whisk in 1/2 cup of plain, organic yogurt. Make sure that it has active bacterial cultures in it! That's what you need to do the work for you of converting your milk into more yogurt. Stir that milk-yogurt combo back into the milk in the crockpot (make sure it is cool enough so you don't kill the bacteria, it should be between 100 F and 115 F or so, or so that you can comfortably keep the tip of a <b>very clean</b> finger in the hot milk without discomfort). Once it is all mixed together, put the lid back on the crockpot and wrap a thick towel (I used two) around the whole thing, tucking it in as much as you can to keep the whole shebang as warm as you possibly can. Leave it like this (no peeking!) for 8+ hours.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNl75AZrlIoSVfxPm40BdAJK0BdNgq4W3XVzlvd3KXefln3vEPzHh9AoyhZck9vna9IFcxDzXEvJWd4_VrWxbHZ4srtKKrGrQnGTiulmIB_4ukhK8-FMsPakXd4VWmSyzA5ZP9nRZOnM/s1600/IMG_6399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNl75AZrlIoSVfxPm40BdAJK0BdNgq4W3XVzlvd3KXefln3vEPzHh9AoyhZck9vna9IFcxDzXEvJWd4_VrWxbHZ4srtKKrGrQnGTiulmIB_4ukhK8-FMsPakXd4VWmSyzA5ZP9nRZOnM/s640/IMG_6399.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><i>9:30 pm</i></b><br />
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I left mine a little longer than 8 hours, because I had a very important function to attend--our weekly ladies coffee date at Samuel's on Friday evening. So when I got home, I unwrapped and opened my crockpot to find:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzfgbXBEw31Srbpe8Lw8DFi42vtuKdNez43TUliQBKHZB59YFqf2a7ZPmx9g3lLkSveDjNPisnV1dtVZWLAEdL_Gf-MZrjrz2uJkpPv2FUHcgmLH9im3npVwSFYamqTbN5ZRvmLTxKwU/s1600/IMG_6393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVzfgbXBEw31Srbpe8Lw8DFi42vtuKdNez43TUliQBKHZB59YFqf2a7ZPmx9g3lLkSveDjNPisnV1dtVZWLAEdL_Gf-MZrjrz2uJkpPv2FUHcgmLH9im3npVwSFYamqTbN5ZRvmLTxKwU/s640/IMG_6393.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Success!</i></td></tr>
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Yogurt!!</div>
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So at this point, you can package it up however you desire as is and stick it in the fridge, or strain it to make it thicker. I decided to strain mine.</div>
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I lined two colanders (one big and one little) with coffee filters, put them over bowls, spooned the yogurt into them, and put them in the fridge for a couple of hours (not too long or it will turn into yogurt cheese, which I have read is lovely but not what you want in your smoothie or on your granola). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio72GpFxCDhAHIhXd1J-RKbx2PLbd5OPOamA22ErTj20mbfs7mvldTHHCGB79Q34mWqXy0FkGCf238fx9gishWMZ-rLMj04fpktfHa_WEl_3iQRhZ_J5N3Z7vNYlpJYGVRd6GOV6aeodw/s1600/IMG_6395.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio72GpFxCDhAHIhXd1J-RKbx2PLbd5OPOamA22ErTj20mbfs7mvldTHHCGB79Q34mWqXy0FkGCf238fx9gishWMZ-rLMj04fpktfHa_WEl_3iQRhZ_J5N3Z7vNYlpJYGVRd6GOV6aeodw/s640/IMG_6395.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Craig and I watched a (mind-numbing) movie while I waited for this to strain. When it was done, I came upstairs and...</div>
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<b><i>12:30 am</i></b></div>
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Took the colanders out of the fridge, scooped and scraped the yogurt out of the filters into clean Mason jars, poured the whey (don't throw it out!) into additional clean mason jars, and ended up with this:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3tSQZjbjvg0eA4xUkkCvRnQupURH6RVfton98nAM-nFblJawdppTcW0sRjE4iIvkeqpubN0F915TgeZ7tovYiCT7ROQzliNx-Ok918_gWqPxEJtj9iNqGWzSyHTcw15Ba1a-xsQcp8dQ/s1600/IMG_6400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3tSQZjbjvg0eA4xUkkCvRnQupURH6RVfton98nAM-nFblJawdppTcW0sRjE4iIvkeqpubN0F915TgeZ7tovYiCT7ROQzliNx-Ok918_gWqPxEJtj9iNqGWzSyHTcw15Ba1a-xsQcp8dQ/s640/IMG_6400.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Thick, creamy white yogurt on the right, whey on the left.</i></td></tr>
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Whey can be used for all sorts of things, and I hope to try a bunch of them out and post about it in the future. I'm planning on using this batch to enrich smoothies and make them probiotic, to substitute for buttermilk in baking, such as pancakes and biscuits, etc., and to substitute for water in bread, which I have heard has great results.</div>
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The yogurt, on the other hand:</div>
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I tried it on top of homemade granola, sweetened with some honey and a drop of vanilla, and topped with raspberries. It was really good. The yogurt itself was pretty tangy, which may be because I left it longer while out with friends. I never eat plain yogurt, always sweetened and flavoured, so I think it might take getting used to. But if you sweeten with honey and vanilla, you won't notice any difference except that it is fresher, thicker, and yummier. And, you'll know <i style="font-weight: bold;">exactly</i> what went into it. I don't think I'll go back to purchased yogurt. This is less expensive, healthier, fresher, full of probiotic goodness, and very satisfying.</div>
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Don't forget to keep a little yogurt to make your next batch!</div>Rosalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07594397183233004323noreply@blogger.com8