tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83754649913886909592024-03-14T12:54:07.453-05:00The Book Lady OnlineThe Book Lady Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09798717435700733139noreply@blogger.comBlogger444125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375464991388690959.post-27529241949950390172012-06-26T19:18:00.000-05:002012-06-26T19:18:00.254-05:00Today's Garden Harvest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx2vMcvU-aswJ6VX2rENM7ZLqflMtxUIa9_nPQDEEWHCWov3vDX60WqbfW69x2znyDVim41XGK1yoa4Lru0gb8aVD18errQFdXUctied6AqgunCPMC6d1Zo3fhxG8wYb0sP3DxQY1Fh8G_/s1600/june2012_harvest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx2vMcvU-aswJ6VX2rENM7ZLqflMtxUIa9_nPQDEEWHCWov3vDX60WqbfW69x2znyDVim41XGK1yoa4Lru0gb8aVD18errQFdXUctied6AqgunCPMC6d1Zo3fhxG8wYb0sP3DxQY1Fh8G_/s320/june2012_harvest.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Here is today's harvest from my garden at the farm. lots of banana peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomtoes and bell peppers. Today's harvest weighed in at 12 lbs. The banana peppers and cucumbers became pickles, the tomatoes were shared with neighbors and the green peppers are in the freezer awaiting more tomatoes, onions and other yummies for salsa.The Book Lady Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09798717435700733139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375464991388690959.post-84722417700921980392012-06-22T19:10:00.001-05:002012-06-22T19:10:28.164-05:00Ahhhh, Summer :)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj73os19grWseZP359NHFPGWmcKinOdTBuSz8scxFLwDtYUFuGVdBSCplGeKK3O3QtMBFbaoPlS9i8nlhHibvlhK6xLSSNo4SI04nQeDNSVJ18Hug_WuT_UP6ENiEJ5cdbmSF3RuhnoGQZj/s1600/june2012_figs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj73os19grWseZP359NHFPGWmcKinOdTBuSz8scxFLwDtYUFuGVdBSCplGeKK3O3QtMBFbaoPlS9i8nlhHibvlhK6xLSSNo4SI04nQeDNSVJ18Hug_WuT_UP6ENiEJ5cdbmSF3RuhnoGQZj/s320/june2012_figs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Went outside to feed the dog this morning and look what I found. :) I'm so excited that our figs are beginning to ripen. The boys and I love fresh figs (hubby prefers them preserved). Since they are available to us in-season only, the next few weeks will be such a treat.<br />The Book Lady Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09798717435700733139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375464991388690959.post-72682172251543276822012-06-15T20:45:00.000-05:002012-06-15T20:45:00.201-05:00Caterpillars in the Tomatoes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjoJLbtITatzEZXNZsT5iumc2wbz3giGWcl78YO7HimnYvkQ0yyG3inGA-FxcyNUh_b8IbV6kWzHY5u-Sx079dNROK53AAuQSI3zjSUS2dDliGUE7RUtHBSo7qz2MuL-cbzhlYixXMGvoi/s1600/caterpillars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjoJLbtITatzEZXNZsT5iumc2wbz3giGWcl78YO7HimnYvkQ0yyG3inGA-FxcyNUh_b8IbV6kWzHY5u-Sx079dNROK53AAuQSI3zjSUS2dDliGUE7RUtHBSo7qz2MuL-cbzhlYixXMGvoi/s320/caterpillars.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
I found these very large caterpillars on my heirloom tomato plants. My plants have just begun to flower again after a nice sized crop ripened, so I really hope this was all of the caterpillars. I would be so disappointed if there are more and they manage to damage my plants before I find them. How do you handle these kinds of pests?The Book Lady Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09798717435700733139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375464991388690959.post-34306526254330763612012-06-12T20:37:00.001-05:002012-06-12T20:37:18.578-05:00Today's Harvest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnv9I_RkGGNyv-Lie3dKmRCdt9J5ChyphenhyphenSJH7M2pR7dq6L4UuPZbQdZBxzlyc_Txw6JIU-IvoXqx8k23wlSr2dXtwh6U0ZRJGZNc-Hrja-IzYUnpCxL2BZHJH6ZWMFYRSPBcjO9m_AMcyLrs/s1600/marketgarden5-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnv9I_RkGGNyv-Lie3dKmRCdt9J5ChyphenhyphenSJH7M2pR7dq6L4UuPZbQdZBxzlyc_Txw6JIU-IvoXqx8k23wlSr2dXtwh6U0ZRJGZNc-Hrja-IzYUnpCxL2BZHJH6ZWMFYRSPBcjO9m_AMcyLrs/s320/marketgarden5-12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Some tomatoes, some cucumbers and one blueberry. Not pictured - a handful of strawberries. The Book Lady Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09798717435700733139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375464991388690959.post-34083722398044119722012-06-09T17:46:00.000-05:002012-06-12T20:31:22.445-05:00Get to Know Your Farmers<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFvq8AbuL9zEReWe4oRWFJOtnYRyGhyphenhyphen6v7K0-OVicp5qTNwLGU_OhbcvvO8USSNbFtxiw1AvDbKHf4MLOZ6DHR6w8RTz030-xq9CTVT6IrTYKOYbua901jaXqO5EIyy38t5O4W4a3pVAOV/s1600/salsa_tomatoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFvq8AbuL9zEReWe4oRWFJOtnYRyGhyphenhyphen6v7K0-OVicp5qTNwLGU_OhbcvvO8USSNbFtxiw1AvDbKHf4MLOZ6DHR6w8RTz030-xq9CTVT6IrTYKOYbua901jaXqO5EIyy38t5O4W4a3pVAOV/s320/salsa_tomatoes.jpg" width="320" /></a>This year, I am growing some tomatoes, but definitely not enough to meet all of the tomato needs for our family. We have 4 Roma, 2 Black Krim, 1 Cherokee Purple, 1 Stripy and one Cherry Tomato. So far with the Roma, we are washing and coring them and putting them in the freezer for later canning. The rest, we are just eating - yum!! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPrBLVHZ-JdkJ3jtuN6EYspPKFuBfb9t_0GPRn0p-wsXtexf8CPEAvjajlPms9zR-zBaNU1iFHYzMtxjF1WRMh6nC4UGrYNNid10WTjHmJD2fdA5KDxuvy2ZJtWRVacaD4sZnKNtWq0ETD/s1600/salsa_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPrBLVHZ-JdkJ3jtuN6EYspPKFuBfb9t_0GPRn0p-wsXtexf8CPEAvjajlPms9zR-zBaNU1iFHYzMtxjF1WRMh6nC4UGrYNNid10WTjHmJD2fdA5KDxuvy2ZJtWRVacaD4sZnKNtWq0ETD/s320/salsa_2.jpg" width="320" /></a>Knowing that we won't have enough tomatoes for all our canning, I've been putting out feelers to all the farmers at our market, looking for canning tomatoes. Canning tomatoes, or canners, are seconds, or less than perfect tomatoes (strange shaped, bruised, blemished, etc). In addition to coring these, I just cut off the less than perfect parts and have tomatoes perfect for canning. One farmer in particular has been receptive to an arrangement, and so I've been getting tomatoes and peppers for salsa at a fraction of their regular price. In exchange, I've been selling some of my items to her at an extremely reduced rate, and giving her the bread <br />
we have left at the end of the day for free. We are helping each other out, and both benefitting from our arrangement. If you have a relationship with a farmer, ask them about their seconds to see if they need a way to make some money off of them. You might be able to make sauces and salsas for less.The Book Lady Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09798717435700733139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375464991388690959.post-71470906388094249732012-06-08T20:13:00.000-05:002012-06-08T20:13:00.784-05:00Oh, So Disappointing :(<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifOUhqER2JM1FaiinxQuj2IVyzTM_8ZgVGFNXmVHhbVLhslGWJo2WfeRyj6FMCEs7T9FNAsw5Cs4RgmcsZF8seLK_nnSe6pFrRjO5aJBMoEL7RWnoj9e7sViOZ9P6uLk-n9f2zt6jsyQWO/s1600/garden_container_big_frickin_hole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifOUhqER2JM1FaiinxQuj2IVyzTM_8ZgVGFNXmVHhbVLhslGWJo2WfeRyj6FMCEs7T9FNAsw5Cs4RgmcsZF8seLK_nnSe6pFrRjO5aJBMoEL7RWnoj9e7sViOZ9P6uLk-n9f2zt6jsyQWO/s320/garden_container_big_frickin_hole.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Right now there is a great big hole in the back yard, right were, 6 hours ago, I had a great big compost bed, just about ready to start using,. In the country, I expected to have my things deestroyed by wildlife or the neighbors dogs, but I was speechless when I returned home from my parents' farm today to find a hole,(put there by a 2 legged demolition team) where I expected compost. It is about 12 feet long, 5 feet wide and about 4 feet deep. There is a cable running out of it and into my yard. I hope that doesn't mean the rest of the yard is about to be excavated. Oh, so disappointing.The Book Lady Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09798717435700733139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375464991388690959.post-34601596743568596582012-06-05T14:56:00.001-05:002012-06-05T14:56:33.774-05:00Why Chickens are Amazing - Today's harvest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSoySJAiK_-iBGj6JWHzEw-biGkKay1RBNiQMed4Ciqz2193vVepDdv_luonaXLpq501zmKhIt0bppbxwM5Bm5FGeKxLsMGDdugHuCAoCtM88gha7YGx8fZ9cCy-c8GKz1uyqAw8tHoj1u/s1600/citygirlmarketharvest6-5-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSoySJAiK_-iBGj6JWHzEw-biGkKay1RBNiQMed4Ciqz2193vVepDdv_luonaXLpq501zmKhIt0bppbxwM5Bm5FGeKxLsMGDdugHuCAoCtM88gha7YGx8fZ9cCy-c8GKz1uyqAw8tHoj1u/s320/citygirlmarketharvest6-5-12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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When I planted my 8X8 ft garden on my Dad's farm, I put in 3 cucumber plants. When I checked on the garden a few days later, two of my cucumber plants were gone - eaten by something, I assume. The one remaining plant grew to an insane size and has been flooding us with cucumbes over the last three weeks. So far, since Sunday (two days ago), we have picked 26 fully grown cucumbers and there are many, many more that are small that we will harvest later this week or early next. We ended up giving away about 11, feeding three huge ones to the chickens and the rest are pictured above with one of the personal sized watermelons from my garden. Not pictured, approximately 14 cucumbers, 3 watermelons (we gave some away) and some peppers (we gave them away, too). The three tomato plants are dripping with green tomatoes, the peppers plants have many, many peppers (we harvested about 5 lbs last week) and next time I am there, I plan to harvest large amounts of basil and parsley - yum!!<br />
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The only thing I can attibute the large harvest to is the fact that the chickens spent some time preparing the garden plot for us a few months back. I think their fertilizer must be some awesome stuff because this garden is more productive than we can use (that's for the five of us and my parents) Just imagine if the other two cucumber plants had survived. Since I hope to expand the garden next year to have more to offer at the farmer's market, I'm really grateful for our hens and their eggs and fertilizer. The Book Lady Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09798717435700733139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375464991388690959.post-5037704426762960152012-06-02T06:00:00.000-05:002012-06-09T17:32:42.379-05:00I'm the Farmer?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_tjprxfKgzeg13CYhob-daOyphrx4wNvn30ppApMxt7l8LuO2KZ2IaWFamDqt_9hY-q4e-wsg0KOwYjDb0AjtabBo9gkvaJWxb2akuduZ3rXsTN1f6VJzr9rsvjjdkB29z8RH4bbP0RSR/s1600/marketpic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_tjprxfKgzeg13CYhob-daOyphrx4wNvn30ppApMxt7l8LuO2KZ2IaWFamDqt_9hY-q4e-wsg0KOwYjDb0AjtabBo9gkvaJWxb2akuduZ3rXsTN1f6VJzr9rsvjjdkB29z8RH4bbP0RSR/s320/marketpic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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For the last few months, I've been setting up a booth at a farmer's market in a nearby town and selling our farm eggs, homemade bread, fermented refrigerator pickles and the occasional veggie or two from the garden. I am sharing this booth with my Aunt who has a restaurant in the town that sponsors the market. It has been a lot of fun and I am really hoping to be able to plan ahead for this next year so that I can have more farm produce available for the market.The Book Lady Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09798717435700733139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375464991388690959.post-53990134431901201382012-05-30T06:00:00.000-05:002012-05-30T06:00:00.262-05:00Strawberries<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FuNAEg2Y0iROWZQsvbEtzThPSHe-nwh3MQ-wnwLf9YISvS-GpPCcGEniJEwp1Yp8QWYKcrEE6AKaxFgf16JO_5dCSXWBABm2FIThnuQPYxQmu4wYg5DhRiSEbs_qHzhjygXwO6Bx1U0H/s1600/garden_container_strawberries_mama_and_babies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FuNAEg2Y0iROWZQsvbEtzThPSHe-nwh3MQ-wnwLf9YISvS-GpPCcGEniJEwp1Yp8QWYKcrEE6AKaxFgf16JO_5dCSXWBABm2FIThnuQPYxQmu4wYg5DhRiSEbs_qHzhjygXwO6Bx1U0H/s320/garden_container_strawberries_mama_and_babies.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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We have been growing strawberries again this year, and I am pleased with our results. We have only 7 plants in containers and they are all of the everbearing variety, so we have been getting a steady, though small, supply of berries for the last 2 months. Our plants are still producing berries. In fact, they are still flowering, so we may continue getting berries for some time to come. I am super excited that in the last weeks they have begun sending out runners. You can see some of them in the above picture, taken Saturday. I am hoping to be able to make an entire raised bed (4 X 8) just for strawberries.The Book Lady Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09798717435700733139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375464991388690959.post-8823686464683744732012-05-28T16:37:00.000-05:002012-05-28T16:37:21.863-05:00It is Pickle Season<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3mitmdtFoHOrL2dbsVQtmyC1NMvTsftcH9b0KGVW_7ZNnwqa2HrIeFO-9l7h6RjvhqGQ_2k8USPfLp1yaJCIz1FI8-GhgbIMDzi42V56VTMcWM6Sm2_sGyRUlSAXraDWyUUlWATYpSGq/s1600/pickle_pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3mitmdtFoHOrL2dbsVQtmyC1NMvTsftcH9b0KGVW_7ZNnwqa2HrIeFO-9l7h6RjvhqGQ_2k8USPfLp1yaJCIz1FI8-GhgbIMDzi42V56VTMcWM6Sm2_sGyRUlSAXraDWyUUlWATYpSGq/s320/pickle_pic.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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We are practically swimming in cucumbers and banana peppers. That is a sure sign we've entered pickle season. We had one cucumber from my garden at Dad's last week and 16 since Saturday morning. This afternoon, I'm making pickles. The Book Lady Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09798717435700733139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375464991388690959.post-10620002011404685462012-05-27T06:00:00.000-05:002012-05-27T06:00:02.308-05:00Garden Transformation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We have a German Shepherd who is very enthusiastic and does lots of damage to our things, especially our garden endeavors. In our suburban home, he has the back yard and we have the rest of the place - until recently that is. A few weeks ago, we put up a storm fence that separates the back yard into two sections; one for him and one for the rest of us. I'm so pleased because now the baby has an outdoor place to play we have an outdoor place to entertain and now I have a place to garden. For now, I have moved most of my containers to the back and we are beginning to build raised beds and plant perenials. We have a lot planned and I am excited to be able to get started on it all and watch it unfold.The Book Lady Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09798717435700733139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375464991388690959.post-38135997498526084182012-05-26T13:52:00.002-05:002012-05-28T16:37:59.895-05:00Harvest May 26, 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrAESEAVR4XttY3YE0RjfwBxF2ubH0ALMyt_dsgyR5Z8XQUfwss-E6cXBk_7zsAvhuhgmegPzLp8BdAtP9Y6Cj0iAY0drDpFuhtNf02juIPV5t4Iz2Oeip5INXbdoWUpWSXbxVxEHqmjbx/s1600/farm_harvest_may252012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrAESEAVR4XttY3YE0RjfwBxF2ubH0ALMyt_dsgyR5Z8XQUfwss-E6cXBk_7zsAvhuhgmegPzLp8BdAtP9Y6Cj0iAY0drDpFuhtNf02juIPV5t4Iz2Oeip5INXbdoWUpWSXbxVxEHqmjbx/s320/farm_harvest_may252012.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I have an 8X8 foot garden at my parent's farm. This is today's harvest from that garden plus chives from my container garden at home. Cucumbers, sweet bell peppers, sweet banana peppers, hot peppers, one cherry tomato, one roma tomato, and chives. </div>The Book Lady Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09798717435700733139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375464991388690959.post-13710241794920748162012-05-23T19:59:00.000-05:002012-05-23T19:59:21.916-05:00Making Tea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6LEL8VmXShwxoYZG2j3tVMpuYukAfnpsiti9RsIgu4ojuNrN1VFMlueBj4NbLa0cUp8GZXwO9lKRyVH9iXQ54YurmjYZ7t4BbMyG29IActai6zI8JEJuxT9sLdWQ6xXRi5EpjCARm4aih/s1600/garden_container_rosepetals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6LEL8VmXShwxoYZG2j3tVMpuYukAfnpsiti9RsIgu4ojuNrN1VFMlueBj4NbLa0cUp8GZXwO9lKRyVH9iXQ54YurmjYZ7t4BbMyG29IActai6zI8JEJuxT9sLdWQ6xXRi5EpjCARm4aih/s320/garden_container_rosepetals.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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I've been reading some about making tea from herbs, fruit and flower, so a few weeks ago, I started experimenting. My favorite, so far, is a blend of store bought green tea and home grown and dried rose petals. <br />
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We are also growing rosemary, lemon verbena, lavender and mint (the first three of which are pictured above. I am hoping to create some blends from these and other herbs.</div>
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If you grow or mix your own tea, please share your tips in the comments. </div>
<br />The Book Lady Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09798717435700733139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375464991388690959.post-69720417085071153772012-05-20T17:59:00.002-05:002012-05-20T17:59:46.550-05:00Garden Update May 20, 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was really hoping to do a better job of documenting my garden, but unfortunately, life has gotten in the way a bit. This was my harvest from yesterday. It includes a Black Krim tomato, 3 Roma tomatoes, 3 strawberries and my first zuchini <br />The Book Lady Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09798717435700733139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375464991388690959.post-16920489489892731242012-04-20T13:08:00.004-05:002012-04-20T13:08:54.656-05:00Yummy Pickles!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i> My Pretty Pickles in my "Pickle Crock"</i></div>
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A friend pinned a link to a<a href="http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2011/07/22/homemade-claussen-knock-off-pickles/"> Claussen Pickle Knock Off </a>recipe on Pinterst and I had to try it out. I love pickles, but not always the ones you can find recipes for in all the canning and pickling books. All I can say is these are so yummy!! They are definitely my new favorite pickle! Head over to <a href="http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2011/07/22/homemade-claussen-knock-off-pickles/">Foodie With Family</a> to fetch the recipe and check out the blog. The Book Lady Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09798717435700733139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375464991388690959.post-86672483595627998502012-03-22T05:00:00.000-05:002012-03-22T05:00:09.620-05:00One Big Goose Egg!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRh8VGtbY7UJoqyOS_7LLgPOB2YUNrgDvbTYQqJVd_pPwi5k3RKSutVdjPT0sVoHmQgDGgD2I6TVvq-kTzdxbvcdzggEdIOYW_KGmA8GNGlCSfMq6z5i3IwIdzzbAOWl6NSNe1lzskpZm4/s1600/gooseegg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRh8VGtbY7UJoqyOS_7LLgPOB2YUNrgDvbTYQqJVd_pPwi5k3RKSutVdjPT0sVoHmQgDGgD2I6TVvq-kTzdxbvcdzggEdIOYW_KGmA8GNGlCSfMq6z5i3IwIdzzbAOWl6NSNe1lzskpZm4/s320/gooseegg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Someone was selling goose eggs at the farmer's market and my middle boy really wanted one. I just love how excited my kids get over things like farm eggs and veggies. Anyway, our middle son "A" could not wait to cook and eat this egg. You can see how big it is compared to his 8 year old hand. The yolk was as big as his palm. When scrambled, it was the equivalent of approximately 3 chicken eggs. He loved it and now he is trying to get my dad to get geese. The Book Lady Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09798717435700733139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375464991388690959.post-56296116400034207722012-03-19T22:19:00.002-05:002012-03-19T22:19:42.340-05:00First Tomato<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It is small, but we were so excited!! The first tomato of the year was picked this morning. There are about 5 more that are starting to turn red and many, many more that are still green. Yay for tomatoes!The Book Lady Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09798717435700733139noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375464991388690959.post-39040164848239681522012-03-16T13:47:00.001-05:002012-03-16T13:47:24.600-05:00Small Garden Harvest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is today's harvest. It will make a nice little lunch salad. I love being able to pick our lunch right before we eat.<br />The Book Lady Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09798717435700733139noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375464991388690959.post-51580019429842291042012-03-10T15:06:00.001-06:002012-03-10T15:06:08.800-06:00Garden Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Asparagus</div>
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Blackberries</div>
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Grapes</div>
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Hibiscus</div>
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Salad Mix</div>
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Strawberries</div>
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We live in town now with a very small yard, mostly being occupied by a very large dog. This leaves little room to garden. Consequently. the garden is currently all in containers on the front patio. Our yield thus far has been quite small, only a handful of strawberries and some lettuce, but everything is growing nicely and I have high hopes.</div>
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Our chickens moved to my Dad's farm and are doing well. They are currently digging and fertilizing a 4X8 garden bed for my summer garden and laying eggs. </div>The Book Lady Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09798717435700733139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375464991388690959.post-36892167359670834472012-02-21T15:53:00.002-06:002012-02-21T15:58:38.187-06:00Roses from my garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, we did it again. We moved in December. We are living in our hometown again, and though we are now living in town and would prefer a rural home, we know it was the right decision. My Dad needed us to be closer in order to be able to help him with my Mom as her disease progresses.<br />
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The above it a pic of some antique heirloom roses from a 6 foot tall bush in our yard. Aren't they beautiful :)The Book Lady Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09798717435700733139noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375464991388690959.post-30776293760252705272011-09-22T07:28:00.000-05:002011-09-22T07:28:00.252-05:00LIttle Cabin UpdateI have such respect for those moms of the past who had no choice but to harvest and put up all of their family's food, no matter what obstacles were in their way (like a baby trying to walk and getting into EVERYTHING). Learning to produce some of our family's food and cooking from scratch and preserving much of it from farmer's markets while we have a baby in the house has been a real eye opener. We managed to accomplish a lot, but I am so thankful that we do not have to depend on what we were able to put away, because, while it was better than nothing, it was woefully inadequate for our family's needs. We froze or dehydrated many gallons of berries and figs, several gallons of squash and many quarts of other veggies. We also canned lots of salsa, tomato juice, figs and a few jars of various pickled veggies. <br />
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We have reached the one year mark on our hen's egg production and our girls are still laying well. We had a few weeks this summer when we were getting fewer eggs because we had a broody hen who was hoarding the eggs and sitting on any she saw, including all newly laid eggs. We handled the situation by sending her to live with my Dad's hens. She is doing very well there and has not tried to sit on eggs since her move. Our new hens are beginning to lay. We are finding pullet eggs in the laying box. So fun :) Our plans for chickens next spring include raising a meat flock and maybe trying our hand a turkeys as well.<br />
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Our peas are almost done producing as are the tomatoes. We put in lettuce a few weeks ago and that is growing well. I am behind on planting the spinach, kale and beets. I need to do that today.The Book Lady Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09798717435700733139noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375464991388690959.post-14368325724444578072011-09-21T06:54:00.000-05:002011-09-21T06:56:09.267-05:00Vocabulary Spelling City<div><em>I've been given a premium membership to VocabularySpellingCity.com for a candid, personal, online review. </em></div> <div><em> </em></div> <div> <div><em> <div>VocabularySpellingCity.com helps students study word lists using 25 different learning activities such as <a rel="nofollow" title="x-usc:http://www.spellingcity.com/Games/crossword.htmlCTRL + Click to follow link" target="_blank" href="http://www.spellingcity.com/crossword.html?utm_source=Backoffice&utm_medium=T4L+Email+List&utm_term=crossword&utm_campaign=VSCReview_Invite"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1316605947_2">Crossword Puzzle</span></a>, <a rel="nofollow" title="http://www.spellingcity.com/Games/hangmouse.htmlCTRL + Click to follow link" target="_blank" href="http://www.spellingcity.com/hangmouse.html?utm_source=Backoffice&utm_medium=T4L+Email+List&utm_term=hangman&utm_campaign=VSCReview_Invite"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1316605947_3">HangMan</span></a>, and <a rel="nofollow" title="http://www.spellingcity.com/handwriting-practice.htmlCTRL + Click to follow link" target="_blank" href="http://www.spellingcity.com/handwriting.html?utm_source=Backoffice&utm_medium=T4L+Email+List&utm_term=handwriting&utm_campaign=VSCReview_Invite"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1316605947_4">Handwriting Worksheets</span></a>. Parents can create their own <a rel="nofollow" title="http://www.spell ingcity.com/Find-A-Spelling-List.htmlCTRL + Click to follow link" target="_blank" href="http://www.spellingcity.com/Find-A-Spelling-List.html?utm_source=Backoffice&utm_medium=T4L+Email+List&utm_term=spellinglists&utm_campaign=VSCReview_Invite"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1316605947_5">spelling lists</span></a>, find published lists already available on the site, or use any of dozens of <a rel="nofollow" title="x-usc:http://www.spellingcity.com/resources-and-articles-about-spellingcity.htmlCTRL + Click to follow link" target="_blank" href="http://www.spellingcity.com/resources-and-articles-about-spellingcity.html?utm_source=Backoffice&utm_medium=T4L+Email+List&utm_term=teaching&utm_campaign=VSCReview_Invite"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1316605947_6">free teaching resources</span></a> such as <a rel="nofollow" title="http://www.spellingcity.com/sound-alikes.htmlCTRL + Click to follow link" target="_blank" href="http://www.spellingcity.com/sound-alikes.html?utm_source=Backoffice&utm_medium=T4L+Email+List&utm_term=sound-alike&utm_campaign=VSCReview_Invite"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1316605947_7">sound-alike words</span></a>, and <a rel="nofollow" title="h ttp://www.spellingcity.com/contractions.htmlCTRL + Click to follow link" target="_blank" href="http://www.spellingcity.com/contractions.html?utm_source=Backoffice&utm_medium=T4L+Email+List&utm_term=contractions&utm_campaign=VSCReview_Invite"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1316605947_8">contractions</span></a>. Be sure to come back in three weeks to read about my experience.</div> </em><em><br /></em></div> <em>There might be more free memberships available for bloggers. If you're interested, find out how you can </em><a rel="nofollow" title="http://www.spellingcity.com/CTRL + Click to follow link" target="_blank" href="http://us.mc307.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=reviews@spellingcity.com&subject=VocabularySpellingCity.com%20Review%20Inquiry&body=Hello%2C%0D%0A%0D%0AI%27d%20like%20to%20find%20out%20how%20I%20can%20review%20www.VocabularySpellingcity.com%20in%20exchange%20for%20an%20annual%20premium%20membership.%0D%0A%0D%0AThank%20you%2C%0D%0A"><em><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1316605947_9">review VocabularySpellingCity.com</span></em></a><em>.</em></div>The Book Lady Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09798717435700733139noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375464991388690959.post-85680518588457724542011-09-01T05:20:00.002-05:002011-09-01T06:51:19.346-05:00Time4Learning ReviewLast month, our family was invited to try Time4Learning for one month in exchange for a candid <a href="http://www.time4learning.com/homeschool-curriculum-review.shtml?ref=Review+Referring" target="_blank">curriculum review</a>. Time4Learning can be used as an <a href="http://www.time4learning.com/homeschool-curriculum.htm?ref=Review+Referring" target="_blank">online homeschooling program</a> or <a href="http://www.time4learning.com/curriculum/afterschool.html?ref=Review+Referring" target="_blank">afterschool tutorial</a>. We chose to use it for one month as a supplement to our homeschooling program. I am pleased to be able to offer this review of Time4Learning.
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<br />I'm not sure why, but until this opportunity, I had never considered using an online homeschool program. I suppose maybe I was a little biased against using the computer for teaching, thinking that my children would not learn as well if there was not a live teacher planning and implementing the lessons. I was pleasantly surprised to find that my children (both boys) have absolutely loved Time4Learning and have learned and retained so much.
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<br />I have always had a challenge with getting my children to dig in and work on phonics, grammar and math, the basic building blocks of learning. They knew enough to get by, but really didn't like any of the programs or methods we had used for learning these things. For them, school should be about science, history, art and creative writing. This last month has been such a blessing because my children have actually looked forward to practicing reading, math and grammar on Time4Learning.
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<br />Time4Learning teaches using interactive flash based animation. A concept is explained, examples are shown and then the child is given the opportunity to try out some examples. Following the lesson, the child is usually given a game to play which is designed to reinforce the lesson. The lessons are well designed and my children enjoyed them very much. My children also really enjoyed the games that go along with the lesson. In fact, as I watched them working on their lessons, I too found myself drawn into the games. They are well thought out and fun while still being challenging enough to satisfy my desire for my children to learn. At the end of each learning module, there is a quiz to test learning. The results of these quizzes are available to the parents, as are the times and lengths of the child's log in and the lessons covered.
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<br />This last month, we used the Language Arts, Language Arts Extension and Math modules. We did not use Science or Social Studies modules during this free trial period as we already use both science and history programs that we love. We are going to continue using Time4Learning in our homeschool now that our free trial is over and I would like to try these two modules at some point. Though we did not use them, I did look them over and I think that the science module in particular could bring up some interesting topics for my children. In addition to the online lessons, Time4Learning also includes a supply list for science activities. We did not try any of these during our month, but I intend to try some in the coming months. When we do I would like to try to post something about them.
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<br />Having never used an online curriculum before, I was not sure what to expect in terms of technical issues. When we log on to Time4Learning, a new window pops up. We then have to click on a link in that window and it takes us to that child's lessons. The pop up windows were a bit confusing at first, especially to my children, but after a few days, they got used to it and figured things out, though there was some frustration before we figured things out. We used two different computers, one for each child, and found that on one of our computers, Time4Learning worked great on Mozilla browser, but on the other, we had problems with Mozilla and but it works better on Explorer. On thing we love about Time4Learning is that as a lessons and games are completed, the program keeps track of where the child is in the work. Some of the lesson modules are long, with several parts. I love that Time4Learning keeps track of where my children are in their work so that if they stop or are interrupted, it is easy for them to find their place again.
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<br />Time4Learning has offers parent reports so that you can track your students' work, tech support so that you can get help with computer issues and a parent's forum to connect with other parents. Also available is something called the playground which is a fun games area of the website. Parents can set required lesson time (this month, I had the children do a minimum of 30 minutes in lessons) and after that time is completed, the children can then play games on the playground for a specified period of time, also at the parents' discretion (I set this time at 20 minutes). Some of these games are arcade type games, but others are learning games and my children have deemed them all fun.
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<br />As I mentioned previously, we have decided to continue using Time4Learning in our homeschool. We had a baby in January. Having part of our schooling planned and taught by someone else has been a blessing and this has freed my time up to work on even more amazing science, art and history lessons. When I told my children that I had decided to continue with Time4Learning both boys were thrilled. Thank you, Time4Learning, for this opportunity to try and review your site.
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<br />If you are a Time4Learning member and would like to add anything, please feel free to comment. If you are interested in Time4Learning and have a question, please include it in the comments. I will do my best to answer all questions.
<br />The Book Lady Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09798717435700733139noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375464991388690959.post-82741145155935155902011-08-01T07:26:00.001-05:002011-08-01T07:26:37.548-05:00Time4LearningI've been invited to try Time4Learning for one month in exchange for a candid <a href="http://www.time4learning.com/homeschool-curriculum-review.shtml?ref=Review+Referring" target="_blank">curriculum review</a>. Time4Learning can be used as an <a href="http://www.time4learning.com/homeschool-curriculum.htm?ref=Review+Referring" target="_blank">online homeschooling program</a> or <a href="http://www.time4learning.com/curriculum/afterschool.html?ref=Review+Referring" target="_blank">afterschool tutorial</a>. Be sure to come back and read about my experience.The Book Lady Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09798717435700733139noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8375464991388690959.post-45006581687837632512011-07-16T15:12:00.003-05:002011-07-16T15:47:23.341-05:00Truely Blessed<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvoSoKtOLBBNoyRg_fKFMfLhLcbrIp4npGmeArPSocdfRZ9Hx0dfuVzYHnQrBLxYu6U8NezJDZ9JBCg_lmSbqGribv6u6nllLZVttrTDGAtML64V2secOvU4RKM4R0ZHcAO7TTOQjG58IV/s1600/figs2011.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvoSoKtOLBBNoyRg_fKFMfLhLcbrIp4npGmeArPSocdfRZ9Hx0dfuVzYHnQrBLxYu6U8NezJDZ9JBCg_lmSbqGribv6u6nllLZVttrTDGAtML64V2secOvU4RKM4R0ZHcAO7TTOQjG58IV/s320/figs2011.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630052649768656866" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Fig preserves. In the back you can see salsa and tomato juice.</span><br /></div><br />This summer has been a blur of visitors and food preservation. How blessed we are to have such wonderful friends and family to visit. With the exception of a few days, we've had visitors all summer. Boy does that ever help to chase away our homesickness. Our home feels so full (in a good way). In addition to being able to visit with and cook for, we've also been able to bring lots of our family and friends to our farmers market and introduce them to the idea of local food. So exciting.<br /><br />We have also been blessed many times by our neighbors who have shared with us the abundance from their gardens. We've been blessed with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, squash (by the truckload, it seems :), blueberries (literally by the gallon) and this week figs (25 pounds yesterday, plus another 15 pounds last week that we made into preserves to share with our extended family). We have been preserving this blessing as quickly as we can. Most days find the dehydrator going all day. We have veggies for soup, lots of tomatoes, figs, peppers both hot and sweet, potatoes and blueberries all dehydrated and ready to be used in the off season (mmmmm . . . dried blueberries in oatmeal - I can almost taste it now).<br /><br />We've also frozen lots of fruits (peaches, blueberries, a few strawberries and some figs) and veggies (squash, zucchini, corn and even pesto). The fruit we will use in smoothies, pancakes and pies. The veggies will be used mostly as side dishes.<br /><br />And it seems that at least a few times a week, we've been firing up the water bath canner to preserve something in canning jars. So far its been mostly the same thing over and over, but I'm grateful because it is stuff we eat a lot of and will need many jars of in the off seasons. We've made peach syrup, salsa - lots and lots of salsa, garden tomato juice (like V-8) and fig preserves. Once we take care of all of these figs we were given, I'm hoping to put up some more salsa and some tomato sauce/ puree. Then we are going to get to work on making some pickles. We've also been offered some pears (they are not yet ready to harvest) and hope to make pear sauce out of what we don't eat fresh. It is comforting to know that we have some locally grown and home preserved foods set aside for the time when there is less fresh produce available at the market or from the garden.<br /><br />And speaking of gardens, my little garden is growing nicely. We have been able to harvest several cucumbers and yellow pear tomatoes and the peas are growing quite nicely. I think they will begin flowering soon. It has been fun having our garden survive to harvest :)<br /><br />The chickens are still laying well, even in the heat. We are still getting an average of about 9 eggs each day. It has been such a blessing to have eggs to share with those who share their garden produce with us and to send home with our guests.The Book Lady Onlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09798717435700733139noreply@blogger.com0