Catching Up

Our eleventh year of homeschooling is back in session this week.  Eldest is off living at college, so that changes the dynamic here at home.  With the beginning of school always comes the end of the garden.  I had high hopes this year for canning and with the 100+ temperatures a majority of the summer, my hopes have dwindled tremendously.  We have been able to do some canning and I hope these last couple of weeks of nice weather brings with it some more produce.

Fall is in the air here already which is nice after a long hot summer.  We started out our year here in Michigan with temps. in the 80's in January and February so it has been a long one for us.  Hubby and I head to Mackinaw Island in a few weeks for our annual stay and I can't wait.  It has been a busy summer for us all and time has been at a minimum for all of us.  We will spend four days on an island that has no motor vehicles and the only means of transportation is our bikes or horse and buggies.  I am taking my Kindle and my socks I am knitting and that will be my week.

Our farm was featured a few weeks ago on the Farmmade they did an interview and posted pictures of our farm all week.  A new adventure for us and it was very exciting for me!  You can see the story on their facebook page here: Farmmade  Their website isn't up and running yet but you can sign up for a notification when it is.  The site is here and it tells a little more about them.

We spent last weekend butchering 50+ chickens for the freezer and finally picked up the rest of the hay we needed to get us through winter.  That was a relief, because of the weather there was a shortage and I wasn't sure I would get enough.  Although I had to pay double what I had paid this past spring, I am thankful that the barn is full.

Youngest daughter finished off her quilt with Great-grandma Joyce this past week. I was so proud of her!

Garden goodies!

Tomatoes canned

Green beans canned

There is a lot of this going on now with school underway.

Josh the rock hound and I have started his science for the year. He is excited!

Kayla has taken over the job of grooming rabbits with Nolan off to college.

The view from my kitchen window

Chores made fun with the quad

New batch of meat birds and egg layers

Roasted veggies for dinner

more chores

 Black and Yellow Garden spider
Argiope aurantia

With prices being what they are, I am making syrup with the recipe here the kids love it and I know what is in it! 

Packaging chickens