Hi All,

We've had a cool, crisp rainy week here with the sun comming out enough to keep getting some outdoor work done. If it pours in the morning, it's dry enough in the afternoon to mow the yard some. I had to shut the doors and windows a few nights because it was just not quite warm enough. We're up on a hill, so the wind usually is moving all the time. The rain has really been a blessing, as couple weeks ago I had to water some plants and seeds almost daily. All my seeds are poking up in the garden now, and we have little apples and little peaches on the trees.

My pastures need to be mowed, but I can't find anyone to do it. Everyone's tractor is broken right now. You can't see the young goats out there! The farmers here have started cutting the hay and alfalfa allready, but it'll be tough to get it in at the right time with all the on and off rain.

This week we're going to make a cement pad for our outdoor woodstove to sit on, and then find a used metal shed to go around it. We just set it up temporary half way thru the winter last year. Maybe if we start now, it'll get done by winter.

With all the rain, I got a few more pages done on my site, check it out. http://solidrockranch.worldlife.net I got 2 collie pages and 1 goat page done. I found out a friend of mine is sending the Amish up to Pensylvania with his truck and trailor to get calves from the dairys. I can get bottle bull calves for 45 dollars apiece, so we'll most likely get a couple soon, a load is comming this week. Around here they are sky high. He puts 4 calves each on his Gurnseys (16) and he says they all do just fine. I can't wait to go see them all. What have you all been up to?

-- Cindy in KY (solidrockranch@hotmail.com), June 03, 2001

Answers

Hi, all!

I feel like I'm way behind everyone else, but we did finally get the garden in (just before the rain started). We put in tomatoes, broccoli, string beans, carrots, and corn. (I barter eggs for potatoes and onions.) Can't wait to see those little shoots coming up. We've have rain most of the week, which is good because we were so dry. Of course, that hampers some of the outside work we've been planning. Received some comfrey plants from Ginger and got those in the ground. I'm really hoping they grow well up here. I'll keep you posted.

Was reading another post about putting up stuff for the winter and wanted to pass along some info we tried last year. For years, we've been putting up corn on the cob by blanching and freezing. Last year, a friend suggested we skip the blanching part and put the raw ears directly in the freezer. We experimented with this doing some the blanching way and some unblanched; marking the bags so we'd know what was what. The unblanched ears were just as good, if not better than the blanched ears. Saved a lot of time, too. We put the really good ears directly in the freezer. The less than perfect ears we blanch, cut the kernals off and freeze or dry. I really like the dried corn because it's so easy to toss a handful or two into a pot of soup or stew. Am looking forward to delicious corn later in the season.

Got my June menus done and a month's worth of dinners are ready in the freezer. What a time saver that is!

Hope everyone is well and happy. I wish you all enough!

Thanks for reading.

-- Dianne in Mass (dianne.bone@usa.net), June 03, 2001.

Just a note on putting corn directly in the freezer. We've been doing it that way for years, including the corn we cut off the cob. It works great and saves a lot of time. I also do my butter peas like that. Straight from the garden to shelling to the freezer. We've actually gotten rain a couple of times this week. What a blessing! Still in a drought situation, this is our 4th year of drought but I'm thankful for every drop of rain.

-- Deena in GA (dsmj55@aol.com), June 03, 2001.

Hi everyone! I'm beginning to think we have skipped summer this year. It is cold and rainy again here in northwest Missouri. I had 30 chicks hatch out last week and some more ready to hatch out on Tuesday. I had ducks hatch out up to 5 days late. I guess last weeks cool weather slowed everything down. Will these ducks be normal? They seem fine. Messy and noisy. I hope it warms up this week. I need to get my outside run fixed for the older ducklings. The garden is looking good. Tomatoes could use some sunshine. Hope everyone has a good week. Winona

-- Winona in MO (thompsonwin45@hotmail.com), June 03, 2001.

By golly howdy; heck weve had some rain here in se.ks. garden lookin pretty good. Got maters the size of tennis balls,corn is waist high but not tassling out yet. finally got the lawn mower fixed and got the yard mowed. went to the blue grass thing at pierce City, mo. but it was a bust.all the bands i saw only had 4 people in them not enough insturments. wow id try that again but it would probley be worse. its time to cut wheat here. the old saying was dust er in and mud er out. you all stay happy hear. Bob se.ks.

-- Bobco (bobco@hit.net), June 05, 2001.