Final Autumn Days

We are trying to make the most of these final days. I took these pictures about a week ago. We've been letting the geese, ducks, turkeys and chickens out when we are home all day and planning on being outside. The two turkeys are huge, they don't look it but they feel like it. They need to be butchered and it is just a matter of finding time. Meanwhile they are eating a lot and rapidly growing heavier. Last year none of the turkeys would fit in our oven. I grilled one, chopped and ground one, and then we cut one in half and cooked the two halves in each of my mom's large ovens. The largest one weighed in around thirty four pounds. We are not going for such large birds, it just kind of happens around here.

My husband is still working away from home between sixty and seventy some hours a week, until the ground freezes solid they say. We appreciate the income but we are behind on winter preparations, namely; firewood. I don't write much about my husband. He prefers to fly under the radar. However; this time of year I am ever so grateful to him for working such long days, outside in the cold from dawn to dusk, so that we can live this lifestyle we've chosen. I am hoping that we have at least another week or two before the snow settles in. It is just so much easier to move wheelbarrows and move about the property now, before we are walking on narrow trails, dealing with snow drifts and slippery stairs.

Rosie the goose who is the only nice goose right now, hopefully she stays that way. She enjoys following us around and is very curious. She genuinely seems to enjoy our company. We enjoy her's as well.

Noah, riding down from the garden, leaning on a bag of kale.

In other news, we have added on some new shareholders. We are up to seven and there are two more families interested. So nine is a nice number and close to the ten I was going for. Now we will just have to see how long we can provide milk for. I am currently milking six does and putting a seventh junior doe on the stand as well. I am getting about three and half gallons of milk. Everyone's milk is tasting good. Up until last week I was carrying a bucket of milk up to the birds two to three times a week, but I think I'll be able to reduce that and at least carry up smaller quantities and not the entire morning's milking. I am looking forward to having time to make cheese. I'm hoping D will have time to look at my cream separator and use his genius to fix it soon, as it has quite working completely. And now I've dallied long enough and it is time to get out and milk. Happy autumn days to you and yours!

Last of the garden, Cornish, first goose and more cranberries

 Asia, our newest moma, and new milker.

 Tomatoes, finally.

 Lavender and herbs moving in.

Flowers drying for winter cheer and crafts.

I've been thinking that life is about to slow down anytime now. Now that the garden is harvested I'm feeling better. Although, I'm coming to the conclusion that as ready as I may be for slower paced days, I'm never going to get everything done that needs done before the ground freezes solid and the snow comes for good. I suppose I shouldn't say never, maybe when the kids are grown and out of the house? - not that I even want to think about that. Today the beds in the garden were feeling pretty crunchy- approaching frozen solid. I'm accepting that once again that I am not going to get around to pulling weeds once more, adding compost and turning the beds as I would like to.

I am proud to say that I haven't let much if anything go to waste this year. So I didn't blanch all the beet greens, but I did feed them to the goats. There is one more bed of kale I plan on eating through over the next couple weeks. I've already frozen as much as I want in the freezer. Today I pulled a few stray carrots and beets that had been overlooked, picked some partially frozen shelling peas, chamomile flowers and last of the lettuce and cilantro from the greenhouse. I think I might even get around to turning the bag of nasturtium seed pods I picked into capers (nasturtium capers). 

This time of year is full of goodbyes. Each time I pick a bouquet of sweet peas, cut another sunflower, find a plump shelling pea, I think this may be it, the last time I do this. I imagine gardeners all over Interior Alaska bringing in armloads of the last of their cut flowers, lining their hallways with squash and boxes of ripening tomatoes. I am so ready to turn inwards and begin meal planning with fervor. As much as I absolutely love simple summer meals, I spend just enough time in the kitchen to get it done. Keep it quick and simple. Well, I'm ready to have time for specialty breads, time to make my own crackers, tortillas and noodles. Yesterday the kids ate ice-cream (strawberry rhubarb goat milk ice-cream) cones on the south porch. It was only in the forties, but with the sun shining on the porch it felt at least mid fifties; another small goodbye.

This week we butchered the last of our Cornish and one male goose who bit me when my back was turned. We had seven Cornish leftover from several weeks ago who we should have butchered then but it just didn't happen. They were huge. I cut them all up into pieces, yesterday, made a pressure canner pot full of stock and tomorrow I am going to can it. I roasted the goose yesterday. I should have saved him for a special meal with family, as my family would really appreciate the meat. It was very good, more like red meat than poultry. He wasn't very crowd presentable. It was a pain to pluck, and so he was a bit hairy for company. I saved the feathers and down for a small pillow, and the fat for cooking. We've been picking cranberries the last two days. We had a hard frost last night, so this morning the cranberries were coated in frost and partially frozen. They looked like the fake fruit that adorns holiday tables, plump sugar coated grapes and such. So now I've got three more gallon bags in the fridge full of cranberries to dehydrate.

In other news, we've sold a few more goat shares, so we are up to seven paying shareholders which sure helps out with the feed bill. A young lady stopped by to look at buying a couple milkers or doelings yesterday. So it looks like we might drop our numbers a bit going into winter which would help out a lot. As of now the doe barn is going to be too crowded come the cold days.

Ah, October.

Frost on the Horizon

Looks and feels like cold. I was going to say winter, but, well, not yet. Our Birch trees are mostly naked. The sky this week has not been the clear bright blue of September skies, but instead; is a dull gray, heavy with the promise of moisture (of some form, rain, rain like snow, snow...frost?). We have yet to have a hard frost. I suppose I can thank the heavy clouds for keeping the temperatures milder. I suppose they'll have to clear off if we are to get the colder temperatures in the forecast. I'm checking the forecast daily. This weekend we are suppose to get lows in the high twenties, and rain, possibly snow showers. Dum da Dum dum.

My goals for the weekend are to finish up the garden. Snip most of the lettuces, chard and kale - if I can find room in the fridge or time to blanch and freeze. Each fall I like to experiment with covering rows with fabric row covers, plastic or sometimes old windows, to see how long I can extend the cold weather greens. This year I've got some late sowed lettuces in the greenhouse I'm going to cover and see if they'll last a while. The kale usually withstands the hard frosts and early snows. I plan on picking peas and pole beans one last time. The most time consuming chore I still have to do is pulling beets and carrots. It doesn't take that long to pull them out of the ground, but then I have to find time to clean and bag them, and then room in the backup fridge. Another year going into winter without a root cellar. I have to full size refrigerators, two chest freezers, and thankfully, I've been taking out some produce to store in my mom's garage and backup fridge. So, I'll find room for it all some way or another - and not let the carrots and beets freeze in the hay pile like I did last year.

This week the kids and I picked cranberries. I've dried one batch in the dehydrator. When I get the garden done, we'll be picking cranberries until they are covered by the snow. I could not have enough dried cranberries, tiny, tart, ruby glistening jewels that they are.

I got a call from my brother this week, letting me know if I could come out and help cut up a Moose leg, that I could have the meat. So after a few hours of enjoyable meat cutting and wrapping, I brought home probably sixty to seventy pounds of boneless chunks of meat, for roasts, steaks, curries, stews and jerkey. There was about ten pounds of grind meat, and an additional twenty pounds of scraps for dog food or for the chickens. As we have all our own turkey, duck and chicken meat, salmon and a small amount of goat meat, we don't eat much red meat- so I we are all very excited to have this much moose in the freezer.

We got out and had some fun one morning this week. The kids and I are starting to go to a Waldorf play group for mom's and young children who are homeschooling with a Waldorf approach. This week the kids starting a batch of marigold dye and then added silk scarves to the pot. Then we worked in the Creamer's Field garden, digging potatoes. Of course lots of stories and songs were sung. Next week we are celebrating Michaelmas, with our new silk scarves, a bonfire, hot drinks and food.

D worked is working close to eighty hours this week including his drive time back and forth between Delta. We are ready for his work to slow, so that we can prepare for winter. I am ready for family mornings, big breakfasts and harvest celebrations. The end of busy days is in sight. I feel like I've got another week or two of craziness. Then I see slower days, crafts, knitting, reading without guilt, and time for special meals with all the wonderful food close at hand. So I started this post thinking of the oncoming cold and frost. I close thinking of wood fires and looking forward to feeling less rushed, more time to just play with and listen to my children and family.

Harvest Pictures

Birthday Girl

The Birch forest that we live in, is absolutely brilliant this time of year. Our homestead and the hills surrounding us are on fire, glorious, spectacular. Tall white Birch trees decked out in splendid gold and copper finery. The list of chores to do before the snow flies, is not getting any shorter. Today I believe I am killing off my honey bees :( I'll discuss this issue more another time. Also on the list is lots of stall and pen cleaning - days and days worth. At least it is a sunny gorgeous day.

I spent most of last week house cleaning, meal planning and entertaining. We had two evenings of celebrating Avery's birthday with friends and family. Thankfully I'm feeling on top of garden harvesting. Last week I stored, blanched and froze celery. I put up the last of the scallions and shredded the last batch of zucchini for freezing. All the onions and garlic are indoors hanging. I've pulled the bean plants, tomatoes and squash. I've dug and stored half the carrots, all the potatoes and maybe a third of the beets. All that is left in the garden are beets, carrots, some remaining cabbages, lingering peas, kale, swiss chard and lettuce. I think it is time to switch gears and start picking cranberries, although now that the leaves are falling, the little ruby red gems will be harder to find.

September days

By my book, it is now fall. Not because the rain was more than rain and less than snow last night as light drops made a dull thud on the hood of my jacket as I walked my evening chore routine in the dark. Not  because the garden is half harvested, or because winter coats, boots and hats have been dug out and now line the hallway. I feel safe pronouncing that it is now fall because as I look out at the hillside and the forest surrounding me, the colors are more gold and copper than green. The nights have consistently been in the low forties and high thirties. We are lucky if the days reach high sixties (in the sun). Moreover the air smells like fall. Fall smells like high bush cranberries, sharp, sour and sweet, combined with the pungent smell of decaying leaves and debris. I adore the scents of autumn.

There is so much yet to do, it is difficult to remain calm. I'm trying to stay focused and get at least something harvested and put away each day. This week is Avery's third birthday. So we'll be entertaining and enjoying ourselves more. Avery has requested hot dogs and strawberry cake for her birthday. When asked what she would like more than anything else, she replied: a broom. When prompted for her second choice, she asked for a dustpan. She doesn't know it yet, but she is getting a darling wood kitchen, which mama is perhaps too excited about - and a wood and straw broom of course.

This week blanching and freezing thyme, kale and celery are at the top of the list. I'll be simmering local crab apples into applesauce, shredding cabbage and starting sauerkraut and making one final batch of dill pickles with the last of the pickling cucumbers. I may get around to making tomato sauce with the tomatoes that are finally ripening now that they are in boxes indoors. What are you harvesting and making this week? What signals fall to you?