tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16943640010635548322024-03-18T22:33:58.873-04:005 Acres & A DreamLeighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.comBlogger1988125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-15359312044079304632024-03-11T20:18:00.001-04:002024-03-11T20:18:05.256-04:00Book Review & Giveaway: Natural Small Batch Cheesemaking<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZZ1-9VI-Bnv0FKJizu9TqoRZCbu5ZPr9LHZBNQjZRB7wq0EnHjXCf4aXVjdwFe2cMxUSspXWOA9yTWWMq_eXGLkbal6fWTeanpKml6z1ohq4bNeYJCouxG70VbdJXX33bSXD5HDmrIgNS4WeKV6OPIThR1YFUaXeo5f6hCVHWXNoT6sfNsvJiydBfrQ/s450/Kate_Downham_cheesebook-cover.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZZ1-9VI-Bnv0FKJizu9TqoRZCbu5ZPr9LHZBNQjZRB7wq0EnHjXCf4aXVjdwFe2cMxUSspXWOA9yTWWMq_eXGLkbal6fWTeanpKml6z1ohq4bNeYJCouxG70VbdJXX33bSXD5HDmrIgNS4WeKV6OPIThR1YFUaXeo5f6hCVHWXNoT6sfNsvJiydBfrQ/s16000/Kate_Downham_cheesebook-cover.jpg" /></a>
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<i>Natural Small Batch Cheesemaking</i> by Kate Downham
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<p>I am so pleased to tell you about this book! It's the small batch
homesteader's dream. Not only does it tell you everything you ever wanted to
know about cheesemaking (and then some), it's geared toward the homesteader
who doesn't have large quantities of milk to work with. So many cheesemaking
books call for two to five gallons of milk per batch of cheese. These same
books use purchased commercial cultures. With Kate's book, I can make a large
variety of cheeses with smaller amounts of milk and with natural, homemade
cheese cultures.
</p>
<p>
In her introduction, Kate calls her philosophy "a peasant approach to
cheesemaking." This is homestead cheesemaking in its most natural form,
focusing on seasonal conditions, smallhold farms and homesteads, and the busy
homesteading lifestyle. This is the essence of everyday food producing; hearty
wholesome foods produced and crafted on the land. I can't think of a better
connection with nature than this.
</p>
<p>
One of the things I love about this book is that Kate manages to gear it
toward both beginning and experienced cheesemakers. The first several chapters
cover the concepts and fundamentals of making cheese. Don't miss these! Even
if you've been making cheese for years and years, these chapters are loaded
with many, many tidbits plus practical wisdom. I've been making cheese for the
past decade, but I learned more useful information from Kate's book than I
have anywhere else.
</p>
<p>
The largest section of the book contains the cheese recipes. Some of these are
regulars on our table, chèvre, for example. What I didn't realize, is that
there are so many kinds of chèvre: cream cheese style, crottin, air-dried,
aged with herbs or spices, ladled curd, leaf wrapped, or preserved in oil.
Then it's on to a wonderful variety of other cheesemaking techniques: brined,
washed curd, Alpine, bloomy white rind, blue, cheddar, even a Parmesan-style
grating cheese. Also a couple of cheeses made from whey and other dairy
products to make such as kefir, yoghurt, cultured butter, ghee, custard, and
ice cream.
</p>
<p>
The recipes are very well written; easy to understand and easy to follow. Once
you're comfortable with the recipe, there are "quick-glance method for
experienced cheesemakers" in the chapter margins. Very handy! The appendices
include an extensive troubleshooting section and how to adapt ingredients to
larger quantities of milk.
</p>
<p>
I can honestly say this book is a "must have" for every homesteader who loves
and wants to make cheese. AND! <i>Between now and Friday, everyone can get a chance to win one of four
copies being given away on <a href="https://permies.com/t/243385/Kate-Downham-author-Natural-Small">permies.com</a>. </i>There are a few simple rules, which you can read about here:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://permies.com/t/243385/Kate-Downham-author-Natural-Small" target="_blank">Natural Small Batch Cheesemaking Giveaway at Permies.com</a></p><div style="text-align: left;">Can't wait? You can order a copy from either</div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://permies.com/t/225514f300/PRE-ORDER-Natural-Small-Batch">Permies.com</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3TciZYS">Amazon.com</a></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2024/03/book-review-giveaway-natural-small.html" target="_blank">Book Review & Giveaway: Natural Small Batch Cheesemaking</a> </div><div style="text-align: center;">© March 2024 <span><span>by </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254">Leigh</a> at </span><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/">http://www.5acresandadream.com</a></div>
Leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-13412478882710058652024-03-05T06:01:00.002-05:002024-03-05T06:02:09.014-05:00"These Things Happen"One of our favorite television shows is the original 1978 series of <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075472/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">All Creatures Great and Small</a></i>. A minor theme of the story that we especially appreciate, is the worldview and attitudes of the Yorkshire Dales people themselves; the smallhold farmers who were the clients of veterinarians James Herriot and Siegfried Farnon. Their individual personalities were as varied as anywhere else, of course, but it was the way they faced life and especially hardship that is notable. Typically hospitable and generous, when difficult circumstances came, they would take it in stride. "These things happen," they would say. And they would press on.<div><br /></div><div>This has caused me to pay attention to my own reactions when something bad happens, because typical human reactions stand in a huge contrast when things go wrong: anger, frustration, complaining, and blaming are the norm. As "normal" as these may seem, I find it hard to admire someone who explodes when something unfortunate happens. I don't want to be that kind of person.</div><div><br /></div><div>Of unfortunate circumstances, I would say there are two types. Some are the direct result of our actions, i.e. cause and effect at work. As Dr. Phil says, "When you choose the behavior, you choose the consequences." I see being able to admit mistakes and errors in judgement as a sign of maturity, something that is increasingly rare these days. </div><div><br /></div><div>Sometimes, there is no logical cause for what happens. Once upon a time, these were referred to as "acts of God," and pretty much covered most natural disasters. Another term to describe this is "bad luck." I have to add that dealing with livestock the way Dan and I do, I know from experience that bad things can happen even when we're doing our best. In our early days of homesteading, the tendency was to blame and berate ourselves, trying to figure out what we did wrong. We became discouraged. All of this, of course, is an emotional reaction, which never helps solve things.</div><div><br /></div><div>I think there's been an unfortunate trend over the years which focuses on the importance of our feelings. We're told "follow your heart." I don't know about you, but I have found feelings to be exceedingly fickle. And very easy to manipulate. All of which means they are not a reliable indicator of reality. Feelings are an important part of our human experience, but I think they serve us better if they are under the reign of self-control. </div><div><br /></div><div>Hopefully, I'm never too old to learn. And that includes learning to accept circumstances and outcomes that I wish weren't, learning to accept things that are beyond my control, even learning useful lessons from the situation. Some people might consider this fatalistic and see "giving up" as defeat, but constantly fighting against the universe gets wearisome. Nobody like to be defeated, but I'm coming to understand that defeat is often only an emotional perception. Set that aside, and grace comes with acceptance. There's more strength in coming to terms with reality than in constantly trying to fight it. </div><div><br /></div><div>I suppose what I'm trying to realize here, is that we humans always have a choice. It may not be the ability to determine the outcomes, but I always have a choice in how I react. James Herriot portrayed the farming folk of Yorkshire as amazingly resilient because they somehow understood these things. It's a quality I admire and want to make my own. </div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2024/03/these-things-happen.html" target="_blank">"These Things Happen"</a> © March 2024</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span>by </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254">Leigh</a> at </span><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/">http://www.5acresandadream.com</a></div></div>Leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-18203672045710849752024-02-28T00:00:00.036-05:002024-02-29T20:07:00.281-05:00Garden Notes: February 2024<p></p>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwXbtfjK7ecELGjUYvr1vhuo0NuZa906AbqsNOQHDpRwPNbqRbISF2-0t2tpL1YFJ0EUp4Jrw3Hb3PmmNVlbTvK6ooCAmRgV8hWcQf4JXfpeX6BP0IYrIarFdVEx6eCUo2EAOHsmxYdULWz9wbbnjJmmL1SrY0-Y2V9mkjhiK88p_WX0n_CJl5XkwuRMM/s450/feb2024.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwXbtfjK7ecELGjUYvr1vhuo0NuZa906AbqsNOQHDpRwPNbqRbISF2-0t2tpL1YFJ0EUp4Jrw3Hb3PmmNVlbTvK6ooCAmRgV8hWcQf4JXfpeX6BP0IYrIarFdVEx6eCUo2EAOHsmxYdULWz9wbbnjJmmL1SrY0-Y2V9mkjhiK88p_WX0n_CJl5XkwuRMM/s16000/feb2024.JPG" /></a>
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February is daffodil month
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<p><b>Rainfall</b></p>
<div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>10th: 0.19"</li>
<li>11th: 0.29"</li>
<li>12th: 2.9"</li>
<li>23rd: 0.67"</li><li>27th: 0.1"</li><li>28th: 0.15"</li>
<li>Total: 4.3 inches</li>
</ul>
<div><b>Temperature</b></div>
</div>
<ul>
<li>range of nighttime lows: 27 to 55°F (-3 to 13°C)</li>
<li>range of daytime highs: 57 to 72°F (14 to 22°C)</li>
</ul>
<div><b>Weather Notes</b></div>
</div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>We had some lovely outside days this month.</li>
<li>
We also had days with warm thermometer readings, but the wind was
strong and relentlessly cold.
</li>
<li>Warm temps came with rain.</li>
<li>Cooler temps came with clear skies.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Greenhouse Notes</b></div>
<p style="text-align: left;">My cool weather vegetable growing experiments have done well, even with no supplementary heat.</p><div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRp0SujsjoFJ4khBx3ybtifMdsPn7d9qrYqQgZo59tSWFMamS8PmFswuCgttsgZ2V_AE0jhznO09V2945oG3zj1ltjKmpWcPJ4qOnl2zCekE6i0L5sJNlVMOZdFJggGoxkr3L9B-Zfw51-4kMIglXviYMm2K2es_820oSlzTliO6bT5KCEXu8c4c5hdtw/s450/feb2024_broccoli.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="311" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRp0SujsjoFJ4khBx3ybtifMdsPn7d9qrYqQgZo59tSWFMamS8PmFswuCgttsgZ2V_AE0jhznO09V2945oG3zj1ltjKmpWcPJ4qOnl2zCekE6i0L5sJNlVMOZdFJggGoxkr3L9B-Zfw51-4kMIglXviYMm2K2es_820oSlzTliO6bT5KCEXu8c4c5hdtw/s16000/feb2024_broccoli.JPG" /></a>
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Broccoli. I only planted a few plants and the heads didn't get very<br />big,
but it was enough for a steamed vegetable for dinner one night.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEH4xHrn_PANOG1qTOLAa7Lgt64P_I-TGR3nhWdvhBSQCOT-tlQhO914JY_22HZ55JVBnoyTppvuIOep-1tSIZfpad15JuxE22MRjtvvv8BEwVub1_l2taYYinAzKwILD8qwbJY8d6Bx90SsHEjXvOzcbRd6O15yyMOlebfZNB_qJMowb3UcR2BadYRgk/s450/feb2024_kale.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEH4xHrn_PANOG1qTOLAa7Lgt64P_I-TGR3nhWdvhBSQCOT-tlQhO914JY_22HZ55JVBnoyTppvuIOep-1tSIZfpad15JuxE22MRjtvvv8BEwVub1_l2taYYinAzKwILD8qwbJY8d6Bx90SsHEjXvOzcbRd6O15yyMOlebfZNB_qJMowb3UcR2BadYRgk/s16000/feb2024_kale.JPG" /></a>
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<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kale</td>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsbjpr2sZysdn40cmDZGpEVP3LwM5NURlBrFt360Eoa00Q6TmDoXxi8J_fcXnNjUjvmRKrcJijN4Y9Wlafhqg2zruIR-H1p-oOgaKuVGSqhglRXMkZZidD-sem0_OSr5_jG3-feSTxztIweRieVnZt7PslEShQ-GSHp9QaDag6ujQc5jdA9gEICJYMWqA/s450/feb2024_lettuce.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="331" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsbjpr2sZysdn40cmDZGpEVP3LwM5NURlBrFt360Eoa00Q6TmDoXxi8J_fcXnNjUjvmRKrcJijN4Y9Wlafhqg2zruIR-H1p-oOgaKuVGSqhglRXMkZZidD-sem0_OSr5_jG3-feSTxztIweRieVnZt7PslEShQ-GSHp9QaDag6ujQc5jdA9gEICJYMWqA/s16000/feb2024_lettuce.JPG" /></a>
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<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">
Lettuce. Could have used more of this!<br />Note the lettuce starter
tray on the left.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7v8g9FOaOL7BPPAZqQyO-vYLhJ18IKX4SNhwkg7eEg8eb2a7WZtEDRkSn6wUufN_Iu9aiIAhjpCYFq4xZyC8k0291mOGq5hRl6KHYx5YC4DTB-iTQKpXMtDdl0xDeyptQTSQnsGK5A18Sm8-Ut_YaXlojcJNVtkUk4mRfPptJE8Y3tWUsFk0jOzdrmoc/s450/feb2024_potatoes.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7v8g9FOaOL7BPPAZqQyO-vYLhJ18IKX4SNhwkg7eEg8eb2a7WZtEDRkSn6wUufN_Iu9aiIAhjpCYFq4xZyC8k0291mOGq5hRl6KHYx5YC4DTB-iTQKpXMtDdl0xDeyptQTSQnsGK5A18Sm8-Ut_YaXlojcJNVtkUk4mRfPptJE8Y3tWUsFk0jOzdrmoc/s16000/feb2024_potatoes.JPG" /></a>
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Potatoes, thriving after their tops froze last month
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</table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMmnjFTJNPc2k5bNK8NMdBXGX2zsO9KusfGbQxYC6VZ7aoPfI7XobkPqW_AQAG5lMQ61Kl_AJBrELfEGd8OS5hms6tnDAeui9lzRA7vHatGkuTYXGbG0dEkU2UkkSZUfxBklq9mFmHqPW7Vcl9DXwSwwWC9LivE_4oiBVwMhb-HRKO-t6yOIqrSnpxdLo/s450/feb2024_chickweed.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMmnjFTJNPc2k5bNK8NMdBXGX2zsO9KusfGbQxYC6VZ7aoPfI7XobkPqW_AQAG5lMQ61Kl_AJBrELfEGd8OS5hms6tnDAeui9lzRA7vHatGkuTYXGbG0dEkU2UkkSZUfxBklq9mFmHqPW7Vcl9DXwSwwWC9LivE_4oiBVwMhb-HRKO-t6yOIqrSnpxdLo/s16000/feb2024_chickweed.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Volunteer chickweed is growing in quite a few of my pots</td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>Harvested:</b></p>
<p></p></div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>lettuce</li>
<li>broccoli</li>
<li>kale</li>
<li>chicory greens</li>
<li>Jerusalem artichokes</li>
<li>chickweed</li>
<li>turnips</li><li>dandelion greens</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<b><br /></b>
</div>
<div><b>Planted</b></div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>snow peas</li>
<li>daikon radishes</li><li>kale</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div><b>Transplanted</b></div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>lettuce starts</li>
<li>rugosa roses</li>
<li>echinacea</li><li>daffodils</li><li>strawberries</li>
</ul>
<div><br /></div>
</div>
<div><b>Garden Notes</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Still working on weeding and mulching aisles with wood chips</li>
<li>Weeded and mulched the asparagus bed</li>
<li>
On warm days I have to resist the temptation to plant frost sensitive
veggies. Our last frost is said to be mid-April, and the past two years
we've had killing frosts after that date. Better to be patient than sorry!
</li>
</ul>
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93BJ1F6NRbHN_kDgovEMifi6P9rVRUppCPLXV4Dd3qdoQ275Aqcjno7Xd-489SlsXNbUBNZJKA3FzW-YN9R7EtPkQWZNOZlHileFbG23MWjHKSt984415zrj4duHL5av9Zj4dK8aQ8U_gLXfkc3bAOQTjWx7n-kNODO7xEMjxH_yR4312m5wj7DV2Sgw/s450/feb2024_peas-lettuce.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93BJ1F6NRbHN_kDgovEMifi6P9rVRUppCPLXV4Dd3qdoQ275Aqcjno7Xd-489SlsXNbUBNZJKA3FzW-YN9R7EtPkQWZNOZlHileFbG23MWjHKSt984415zrj4duHL5av9Zj4dK8aQ8U_gLXfkc3bAOQTjWx7n-kNODO7xEMjxH_yR4312m5wj7DV2Sgw/s16000/feb2024_peas-lettuce.JPG" /></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow peas and newly transplanted lettuce.</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>To plant my lettuce, I used Daisy's (Maple Hill 101) <a href="https://mymaplehillfarm.blogspot.com/2024/01/winter-sowing-method.html" target="_blank">Winter Sowing Method</a> and can tell you it worked a treat. I loved that the tiny sprouts and seedlings didn't dry out, nor did they need to be hardened off. A keeper of a method.</p></div>
<div>And here's a surprise.</div>
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<td style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE0-GKN6xyPMyGD0lTeyStiWInMDowMCKV9uT7IqMyqtGwVTCykqTJSsMaoDiXZr0MabE2wZXVzvBK_MyayE-Cw7tw0K1acgNnUoatMxQ_RPJ_XSGzyNitX2ObqvXIqBDf7rxs47h9wM0iYN9wjXJIgYyabJ-KgXpP3a1frGEMXsCpOP0bCwefnQdUAb0/s450/feb2024_Swiss-chard.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE0-GKN6xyPMyGD0lTeyStiWInMDowMCKV9uT7IqMyqtGwVTCykqTJSsMaoDiXZr0MabE2wZXVzvBK_MyayE-Cw7tw0K1acgNnUoatMxQ_RPJ_XSGzyNitX2ObqvXIqBDf7rxs47h9wM0iYN9wjXJIgYyabJ-KgXpP3a1frGEMXsCpOP0bCwefnQdUAb0/s16000/feb2024_Swiss-chard.JPG" /></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Surviving Swiss chard (and daffodils)</td></tr></tbody></table>
<div><p style="text-align: left;">One of last summer's Swiss chard plants amazingly survived <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2024/01/garden-notes-january-2024.html" target="_blank">last month's</a> frigid temps, which were the coldest we've experienced since we've been here. It's started growing again, which is most welcome!</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><b>Parting Shot</b></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2i85Ahl38C6rTHb-yS0DTzn8ey5dg_BBHXBVTLoG6I-yNOuTD4UieKOQjmQD7ipUdbxdFSbGGnDOGtgKbI2IC7ji_0mzKYQOWO0IDJEqluq2LNaNRk0OCSfH__IVNoDkywdeKbtrTa-XMBk1nd2PanPECljQVYLcMQsGvPnd8g6JSiYn0g8ZRVlHAghk/s450/feb2024salad.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2i85Ahl38C6rTHb-yS0DTzn8ey5dg_BBHXBVTLoG6I-yNOuTD4UieKOQjmQD7ipUdbxdFSbGGnDOGtgKbI2IC7ji_0mzKYQOWO0IDJEqluq2LNaNRk0OCSfH__IVNoDkywdeKbtrTa-XMBk1nd2PanPECljQVYLcMQsGvPnd8g6JSiYn0g8ZRVlHAghk/s16000/feb2024salad.JPG" /></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1st homegrown salad of the year! Greens: kale, chicory, wild lettuce, cultivated<br />lettuce, dandelion, turnip, chickweed; hardboiled egg, feta goat cheese, and <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2022/09/garden-notes-september-2022.html" target="_blank">cherry<br />tomatoes preserved in olive oil and vinegar</a> (which also serves as the dressing)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: left;">Your turn. What's happening in your gardening world? Anything?</p></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2024/02/garden-notes-february-2024.html">Garden Notes: February 2024</a> © February 2024
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span><span>by </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254">Leigh</a> at </span><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/">http://www.5acresandadream.com</a>
</div>
</div>
Leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-46222417876233182452024-02-22T00:00:00.001-05:002024-02-22T00:00:00.267-05:00Progress on My Winter Project ListOne of the items on <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2024/01/post-holiday-winter-project-list.html" target="_blank">my winter project list</a>
is sorting out the front bedroom, which has been used as a storage room for the
past decade. Finally getting this far feels like a milestone, so I had to
document it!
<div><br /></div>
<div>
The loom has been moved out of its storage corner and all its pieces/parts
gathered so that it's now accessible for assembly.
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivnkXtjMG022Z7dFzCWtGoJNgQbq7yrQMyykKRMFInUIyRTKz3sFV9wgJYrA2Ee7xAHVgPlCMJE-ZFBj6DYXMvOBj8xqTDogjb6Y1m1Tt42dOrANUHIbaTR4r8DHqFg4yGaC-8-G208_OpsJUOk7MATjsOIaiSX3OAbmgqLbOGvkpQWif9EC1v/s450/dissasembled-Glimakra-floor-loom.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivnkXtjMG022Z7dFzCWtGoJNgQbq7yrQMyykKRMFInUIyRTKz3sFV9wgJYrA2Ee7xAHVgPlCMJE-ZFBj6DYXMvOBj8xqTDogjb6Y1m1Tt42dOrANUHIbaTR4r8DHqFg4yGaC-8-G208_OpsJUOk7MATjsOIaiSX3OAbmgqLbOGvkpQWif9EC1v/s16000/dissasembled-Glimakra-floor-loom.JPG" /></a>
</div>
<br />
</div>
<div>And we've got the big desk set up.</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxHTvYyDHjZYE83WQxg1oj08CPhU2oW1K6PKalsap9K7eq9Fsf72G5GHbfeU6JNvQELpB_DEWZ2LcXH_pb6pE0pf6lr2z7UEJzAdAsENMtt_7G2ky7JOqPeXlQKWtHhOIOUy3JmoNrbXz4sXGk-vQGyPYpdZ0iwVqg7_bIUj80CG48_oS-S9DuNrhSvAE/s450/big-desk.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxHTvYyDHjZYE83WQxg1oj08CPhU2oW1K6PKalsap9K7eq9Fsf72G5GHbfeU6JNvQELpB_DEWZ2LcXH_pb6pE0pf6lr2z7UEJzAdAsENMtt_7G2ky7JOqPeXlQKWtHhOIOUy3JmoNrbXz4sXGk-vQGyPYpdZ0iwVqg7_bIUj80CG48_oS-S9DuNrhSvAE/s16000/big-desk.JPG" /></a>
</div>
<br />
<div>
This means more boxes can be unpacked, which means things either get a
proper home or are weeded out. That means my pile of storage boxes is
getting smaller, and that puts me closer to having space to set up the loom.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
We also took a look at what needed to be done to finish the room. The
biggest thing is covering the insulation from when the old windows were
replaced (<a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2016/11/winter-house-project.html" target="_blank">front in 2016</a>
and
<a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2020/01/and-next-project-is.html" target="_blank">side in 2020</a>).
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1xpj0BTDfbS-2FTrlmFZbXJfBkPAU2ISo0NO481boV32L2l4oGOP07uEkDosZT448Z6pkz_-IVFtZ-uCVhgIHfquy4TpF1ZOp4BYDnfUV1kJUIN29phIEaEu0ipAB0cNJRLfNKLoE3_t/s1600/FB_window13.JPG"><img border="0" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1xpj0BTDfbS-2FTrlmFZbXJfBkPAU2ISo0NO481boV32L2l4oGOP07uEkDosZT448Z6pkz_-IVFtZ-uCVhgIHfquy4TpF1ZOp4BYDnfUV1kJUIN29phIEaEu0ipAB0cNJRLfNKLoE3_t/s400/FB_window13.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
Back then, Dan had a huge long list of things he wanted to do, but he
finally agreed to just stick with the necessities. That suits me just fine.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2024/02/progress-on-my-winter-project-list.html">Progress on My Winter Project List</a> © Feb 2024
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span><span>by </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254">Leigh</a> at </span><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/">http://www.5acresandadream.com</a>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-33815073642408059402024-02-15T00:00:00.001-05:002024-02-15T00:00:00.131-05:00Fun With Purple Sweet Potatoes<p>
Last year my purple sweet potatoes did really well. These made up the
bulk of my sweet potato harvest, and we've been enjoying them as oven fries or
cubed and roasted with turnips or sometimes other veggies. The other day, I
decided to try them in a sweet potato pie for our weekend dessert.
</p>
<p>
I peeled a couple of them, cut them each into several large chunks, and
simmered until tender. Then I ran them through the blender.
</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJx3txDkqQNdRt59ietJMyD-N1sfDJffeptxrzIoSe4Us4-D80LD2zvVikO_sGiYF1SlFnkdPGEdCHwtiSDrJ8i5fPC5WP-YPU9_4rzgk7IhqRKGNKzl6G-T_KFk8e6i9cRP0B1-Zb9TLBSV88kFl9xAOvPnsEDv3tKbWPv1yCpDFkuGzELIalOox0uyo/s450/purple-sweet-potatoes2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="339" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJx3txDkqQNdRt59ietJMyD-N1sfDJffeptxrzIoSe4Us4-D80LD2zvVikO_sGiYF1SlFnkdPGEdCHwtiSDrJ8i5fPC5WP-YPU9_4rzgk7IhqRKGNKzl6G-T_KFk8e6i9cRP0B1-Zb9TLBSV88kFl9xAOvPnsEDv3tKbWPv1yCpDFkuGzELIalOox0uyo/s16000/purple-sweet-potatoes2.JPG" /></a>
</div>
<p>I thought the resulting puree was a gorgeous color. </p>
<p>
To make the pie, I used my no-dairy <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2010/10/found-it-recipe-for-perfect-sweet.html" target="_blank">Sweet Potato Honey Pie recipe</a>. The addition of the golden honey and bright yellow egg yolks changed the
color a little, but it still baked up as a distinctly purple pie.
</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHzkN0rEVdJYPKQVLoSibjCeFuuyv_BiL0iPFG1ojbT_oqgVvsfhv-j7hn3J_oWiAf3rhZuZxE_uKBbKw03eTi5h7PDy8TjN1pdC8r-7vb6GU8Q-e9llOL27_SSz-NsUJlqMy7vSnEBTSLVfPY082dkWs3FvGwDT6v86i6Fd2efntwU3_Cpd9ptXoPMac/s450/purple-sweet-potatoes3.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="349" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHzkN0rEVdJYPKQVLoSibjCeFuuyv_BiL0iPFG1ojbT_oqgVvsfhv-j7hn3J_oWiAf3rhZuZxE_uKBbKw03eTi5h7PDy8TjN1pdC8r-7vb6GU8Q-e9llOL27_SSz-NsUJlqMy7vSnEBTSLVfPY082dkWs3FvGwDT6v86i6Fd2efntwU3_Cpd9ptXoPMac/s16000/purple-sweet-potatoes3.JPG" /></a>
</div>
<p>
Or maybe that's more of a purplish brown, but one would never know the
difference in a blind-folded taste test. It was a yummy sweet potato pie.
</p>
<p>
I had some puree left over, so the following Sunday, I made sweet potato
pancakes. Except these were nowhere near purple!
</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR-rw4hk21vtnc8StBHAwQDF4ZXkYL9MU5HzHptkakdyMlUOJsi70eLtgIpozmmYYxJMYQR1NKPehXG_orJnkMz04VREw0HkP-ZERfTxO3uEKEgy0bYn3d2U4H6RYqD3ZgAt_XfhavAwYf2BBkECKNM8Kp-txwobDg2X0dwnQBcl4qAn4dtx9zC5-B_Sk/s450/purple-sweet-potatoes4.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="349" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR-rw4hk21vtnc8StBHAwQDF4ZXkYL9MU5HzHptkakdyMlUOJsi70eLtgIpozmmYYxJMYQR1NKPehXG_orJnkMz04VREw0HkP-ZERfTxO3uEKEgy0bYn3d2U4H6RYqD3ZgAt_XfhavAwYf2BBkECKNM8Kp-txwobDg2X0dwnQBcl4qAn4dtx9zC5-B_Sk/s16000/purple-sweet-potatoes4.JPG" /></a>
</div>
<p>
My guess is that the pH of the batter changed the color. For my baked goods, I
always use a baking soda + acid combination from <i><a href="https://www.kikobian.com/2022/11/how-to-bake-without-baking-powder.html" target="_blank">How To Bake Without Baking Powder.</a></i>
For these, it was baking soda + sour cream which gave me beautifully fluffy
<i>green</i> pancakes! They were delicious with a little maple syrup. Very fun. <br />
</p>
<p>Anyone else experimenting with something different?</p>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2024/02/fun-with-purple-sweet-potatoes.html">Fun With Purple Sweet Potatoes</a> © Feb. 2024
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span><span>by </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254">Leigh</a> at </span><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/">http://www.5acresandadream.com</a>
</div>
Leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-13523058350634760172024-02-09T00:00:00.010-05:002024-02-09T00:00:00.142-05:00Greenhouse Door: Insulation, Hardware, & Steps<p style="text-align: center;">Continued from "<a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2024/02/interior-greenhouse-door.html" target="_blank">Interior Greenhouse Door</a>."</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRtAWo7plMHH9-5kfmxLnL5Yq_hMCGSSWuboYsU92pdmNPNIUG-aVWWuShmgWPsbY6Xv7KAhURQQQoiC5uw7KoT4rn0ygXMY868PmcaQkskWMBvlNI2Aseb3WTsOExzCg5ijqoBJqEOTsDlabU3gbhGslgBobKvjwTksHBS5M92vvwb_Vgs-GRbEWpW9g/s450/interior-greenhouse-door10.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRtAWo7plMHH9-5kfmxLnL5Yq_hMCGSSWuboYsU92pdmNPNIUG-aVWWuShmgWPsbY6Xv7KAhURQQQoiC5uw7KoT4rn0ygXMY868PmcaQkskWMBvlNI2Aseb3WTsOExzCg5ijqoBJqEOTsDlabU3gbhGslgBobKvjwTksHBS5M92vvwb_Vgs-GRbEWpW9g/s16000/interior-greenhouse-door10.JPG" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">So now the gaps are filled in, we have a door knob, can lock the door, and we have steps! These are especially noteworthy, because the 2-inch oak planks were milled by Dan from <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2018/10/what-dan-found-inside-old-oak-tree.html" target="_blank">a tree he cut down</a> about six years ago.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGOvAPaJNHGq7uQBij1tvjOwxoz8cotXrxsyGRu-afi04mvEAqqZzYEp0u-HIRLEZ-LL4LPuSYQnKwSLQaUn9CHsKI5LV7yzLodB1le6CeuRJDuobkVgChOu_RRu8zi8C9L2Nqn6tABzzS5jp7ND8tIXD28feXYZ8vgPLkpawANRtqhp-ZMBpWjE-hj1c/s450/interior-greenhouse-door-steps.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="364" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGOvAPaJNHGq7uQBij1tvjOwxoz8cotXrxsyGRu-afi04mvEAqqZzYEp0u-HIRLEZ-LL4LPuSYQnKwSLQaUn9CHsKI5LV7yzLodB1le6CeuRJDuobkVgChOu_RRu8zi8C9L2Nqn6tABzzS5jp7ND8tIXD28feXYZ8vgPLkpawANRtqhp-ZMBpWjE-hj1c/s16000/interior-greenhouse-door-steps.JPG" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">He's had these lovely planks stored in his workshop, just waiting for the perfect project. This turned out to be itl</p><p style="text-align: left;">The soil beneath the steps will eventually be dug out when the floor is leveled. Then,we'll put down a layer of gravel. That may not be for awhile, but we have stairs! </p><div>Still to go are trimming the door and painting the trim.</div><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2024/02/greenhouse-door-insulation-hardware.html">Greenhouse Door: Insulation, Hardware, & Steps</a> </div><div style="text-align: center;">© Feb 2024 <span><span>by </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254">Leigh</a> at </span><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/">http://www.5acresandadream.com</a></div></div>Leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-89444416464917764572024-02-04T00:00:00.062-05:002024-02-09T08:18:40.989-05:00Interior Greenhouse Door<p></p>
<p>
For some reason, we always end up replacing doors and windows during
winter, including this one! I reckon it's because the season is slower, so there's more time for
bigger jobs like that. It's certainly not because of the weather! Happily, we got a string of mild days for Dan to tear out one of the windows in <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2023/08/sewing-room-done-at-last.html" target="_blank">my sewing room</a> and replace it with a door.
</p>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5AgpabVaAN9RyMAZ2mVLJ1YHEom6rLqbfmq2Jvq3XFoLynw9jyHVgYzshkRT2-PhFAQcKEHmpSEhp8hgHZAAS2xEaAWyHqp4swYq_GBB8pvazZEfJX4DBqF2Bzlscl5cimPKi4xo6nkCMghjx_7-Bh3IS6MRE5NKvyaAvRQu7_8U3JgUBJx4L8Si6pjE/s450/interior-greenhouse-door1.JPG"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5AgpabVaAN9RyMAZ2mVLJ1YHEom6rLqbfmq2Jvq3XFoLynw9jyHVgYzshkRT2-PhFAQcKEHmpSEhp8hgHZAAS2xEaAWyHqp4swYq_GBB8pvazZEfJX4DBqF2Bzlscl5cimPKi4xo6nkCMghjx_7-Bh3IS6MRE5NKvyaAvRQu7_8U3JgUBJx4L8Si6pjE/s16000/interior-greenhouse-door1.JPG" /></a>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>
<p style="text-align: left;">
We discussed door placement options on this wall of windows: the middle
window, perhaps? Or maybe the one on the end?
</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39WiPY9XWUA0Nodc4l26cpCd1XmU-ykaO1cxl5N2KqB4i8W3IsGtRVIBXkUP4LC37Aahx-1PejvMCZyoX04I3Ciw1ptO1a7jgm7wPJv5yJadqM6jXey4ayek9aOXourfkxYeKBuEIgVj_LJjFEsl5XtRf98m4TqAf0A4xMAZ5CokP414D39CYqwsMEy0/s450/interior-greenhouse-door2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39WiPY9XWUA0Nodc4l26cpCd1XmU-ykaO1cxl5N2KqB4i8W3IsGtRVIBXkUP4LC37Aahx-1PejvMCZyoX04I3Ciw1ptO1a7jgm7wPJv5yJadqM6jXey4ayek9aOXourfkxYeKBuEIgVj_LJjFEsl5XtRf98m4TqAf0A4xMAZ5CokP414D39CYqwsMEy0/s16000/interior-greenhouse-door2.JPG" /></a>
</div>
<p style="text-align: left;">
Considering how the room is set up, this end window near the exterior
greenhouse door made the most sense. In the photo below, the new door will
replace the window on the left, next to the old, obsolete chimney flue.
</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfN_0i4nvDrCTzPi4X8JlFIL_usazM9wf_KjHNA-lr7g44ABeDn78EEXTjYmfQYEHzgfVvCPCVd_qICZ5CqwLNH-ODs6ujyyrGjigm9fLXFPVgSm1UFsxMpmAT_RPDUczoXsYUfQ__f9D2ivk9ymuvrk9ejPA-kyz6fYiNKgKVpHiSxgtnZ_h6frsfMyI/s450/greenhouse-interior-door1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfN_0i4nvDrCTzPi4X8JlFIL_usazM9wf_KjHNA-lr7g44ABeDn78EEXTjYmfQYEHzgfVvCPCVd_qICZ5CqwLNH-ODs6ujyyrGjigm9fLXFPVgSm1UFsxMpmAT_RPDUczoXsYUfQ__f9D2ivk9ymuvrk9ejPA-kyz6fYiNKgKVpHiSxgtnZ_h6frsfMyI/s16000/greenhouse-interior-door1.JPG" /></a>
</div>
<p style="text-align: left;">
This will make it a straight shot from the living room, through my office, and
then to the greenhouse. We haven't finished the walls in this end of the room,
anticipating the installation of the door.
</p>
<div>
The first step was to remove the window. In the photo below you can see the
old-fashioned cast iron window weights that were behind the window trim. They
require space to raise and lower, hence these "wells" are never insulated.
That's one of the reasons old houses are so energy inefficient!
</div>
<div><br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTk9dfhxqjsevFF-97SjUmz8af1x4PDRveAJoGYfCaRiESdrXG9DrWuWOf2FWyUluTQO7ZEvPDm7Dwpa6PyfWfRkZa9UzC3IuGZZQwt2x_n3ZG0yysbbaId4J1rYVnf4seIaVTXEHwsNZDogWimzOggFuEP8_GOyYq6ExBFGKBDvKZszZdj2oqqjHYC8U/s450/interior-greenhouse-door3.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTk9dfhxqjsevFF-97SjUmz8af1x4PDRveAJoGYfCaRiESdrXG9DrWuWOf2FWyUluTQO7ZEvPDm7Dwpa6PyfWfRkZa9UzC3IuGZZQwt2x_n3ZG0yysbbaId4J1rYVnf4seIaVTXEHwsNZDogWimzOggFuEP8_GOyYq6ExBFGKBDvKZszZdj2oqqjHYC8U/s16000/interior-greenhouse-door3.JPG" /></a>
</div>
<div><br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhsCK7pKDy72lBBwV8_-WXgoad1wTNPS0RTaMDi_6FSzxwK0SiCTH4AX6X_OflUr6kSOCu13u6cRnqjf7b-bV224qCLq0cdrxR9fSsArKThqedRpW64PIu9Ufv9EctypR7rwwFgaodw9XFWoR050-386mz9qC9npESUHfjOFXAO1-nUmSDsTUeXYas4Oc/s450/interior-greenhouse-door4.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhsCK7pKDy72lBBwV8_-WXgoad1wTNPS0RTaMDi_6FSzxwK0SiCTH4AX6X_OflUr6kSOCu13u6cRnqjf7b-bV224qCLq0cdrxR9fSsArKThqedRpW64PIu9Ufv9EctypR7rwwFgaodw9XFWoR050-386mz9qC9npESUHfjOFXAO1-nUmSDsTUeXYas4Oc/s16000/interior-greenhouse-door4.JPG" /></a>
</div>
<p style="text-align: left;">
Dan had the usual challenges of updating a 100-year-old-house, such as
different size building materials (for example, 2x4s were larger back then)
and puzzling DIY construction techniques.
</p>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKX1JTpsnt0aKeal64cU9PpNZtGZBzebI8gA0MVY0yjhcjgG-RgQp-j27L_8twdGqoSJrZahbQCR2gOUUukBvpRXkrAQvYvHEWpUwQq4Tl84_jJoIpQS5R02k-X_R59TjwZb53A9Uh_5a7__pVXsArWvp7N-21KrsBLwbTTiIBudjXKJFmSdC2A15y_cE/s450/interior-greenhouse-door5.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKX1JTpsnt0aKeal64cU9PpNZtGZBzebI8gA0MVY0yjhcjgG-RgQp-j27L_8twdGqoSJrZahbQCR2gOUUukBvpRXkrAQvYvHEWpUwQq4Tl84_jJoIpQS5R02k-X_R59TjwZb53A9Uh_5a7__pVXsArWvp7N-21KrsBLwbTTiIBudjXKJFmSdC2A15y_cE/s16000/interior-greenhouse-door5.JPG" /></a>
</div>
<p style="text-align: left;">
That's been the challenge with everything we've done! But Dan always manages
and got the door opening framed out in no time.
</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinJa_hxhlEvvCRcSL2JibiXlbPXptl42WqMlul4fv2NjDj17ZTure61Fmx4iZr_KUANWyfVjFJxCCZx5WGTPie-3Fw9fBJ7Nn6jBRMBBtHaWkhf6cerMFmu78bKJMehee4LZf8jzXUv_E3YhOFZjd7P6RRIl-q1POPxTKjt8y3xmIZ4SfjrzJd8YL8ZE0/s450/interior-greenhouse-door6.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinJa_hxhlEvvCRcSL2JibiXlbPXptl42WqMlul4fv2NjDj17ZTure61Fmx4iZr_KUANWyfVjFJxCCZx5WGTPie-3Fw9fBJ7Nn6jBRMBBtHaWkhf6cerMFmu78bKJMehee4LZf8jzXUv_E3YhOFZjd7P6RRIl-q1POPxTKjt8y3xmIZ4SfjrzJd8YL8ZE0/s16000/interior-greenhouse-door6.JPG" /></a>
</div>
<p style="text-align: left;">
Then the leveling, squaring, shimming, and securing. Here's his progress so
far.</p>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKRDViPcw3S7t4VOql-G8Wvwg-pBsB99zxdcGE2x1sOg7LwPmTFG4yivIEowhyphenhyphenQf_DXnS817gloz9ZbSwFMCL7c-r1IWMcNMjMsdyNfwOUjnw0p5xu1-aYyq7zHmVZRwtCtUmtosfbF6fgRjO170P1YXfi0vTgMpzNfId4TD3Md626m0X5daerqVyBkzg/s450/interior-greenhouse-door7.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKRDViPcw3S7t4VOql-G8Wvwg-pBsB99zxdcGE2x1sOg7LwPmTFG4yivIEowhyphenhyphenQf_DXnS817gloz9ZbSwFMCL7c-r1IWMcNMjMsdyNfwOUjnw0p5xu1-aYyq7zHmVZRwtCtUmtosfbF6fgRjO170P1YXfi0vTgMpzNfId4TD3Md626m0X5daerqVyBkzg/s16000/interior-greenhouse-door7.JPG" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqglOcF-tPbvF2fszXU0beKCvz4NuW13bOsAXV7Ca657W3jlcNWv45q237GFdl4PJrdZvxZ6frjSsHZgBkvzmODQrPL7RuKaiz1tVIpbC2_91DnQpT0hnoxRC6B5jf94fP304mHdxW_95z7RuZkNkJ12fNiLm5FkUdn2gI2uWa3iLS_-5xlO4CoxFlQ4/s450/interior-greenhouse-door8.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqglOcF-tPbvF2fszXU0beKCvz4NuW13bOsAXV7Ca657W3jlcNWv45q237GFdl4PJrdZvxZ6frjSsHZgBkvzmODQrPL7RuKaiz1tVIpbC2_91DnQpT0hnoxRC6B5jf94fP304mHdxW_95z7RuZkNkJ12fNiLm5FkUdn2gI2uWa3iLS_-5xlO4CoxFlQ4/s16000/interior-greenhouse-door8.JPG" /></a>
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh09FSiWe1R3138PewptyFivL3px_EByIDrltILR5ecDM-tIMHrOY3ZUCoi1rRScmvma6yEex9qvHHF6vEMvpPhkhC_Y187TiL6sn1FPRdJjIm6URoreUGbucdMQME8wKpXMfPS0k4WL875Yiv_lfBPIVdN-nz9w048VBUJiV1xQdITavVlf77BeoLItP0/s450/interior-greenhouse-door9.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh09FSiWe1R3138PewptyFivL3px_EByIDrltILR5ecDM-tIMHrOY3ZUCoi1rRScmvma6yEex9qvHHF6vEMvpPhkhC_Y187TiL6sn1FPRdJjIm6URoreUGbucdMQME8wKpXMfPS0k4WL875Yiv_lfBPIVdN-nz9w048VBUJiV1xQdITavVlf77BeoLItP0/s16000/interior-greenhouse-door9.JPG" /></a>
</div>
<p style="text-align: left;">
Next will be insulating the gaps and then putting up and painting the trims.
And, of course, building some stairs.
</p>
<div>
I have to say that it's truly convenient to have this door installed! No more
going out the back door and around the back of the house to get to the
greenhouse. I didn't mind, of course, but this is so much nicer.
</div><div><br /></div><div>Next: <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2024/02/greenhouse-door-insulation-hardware.html" style="text-align: center;">Greenhouse Door: Insulation, Hardware, & Steps</a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2024/02/interior-greenhouse-door.html">Interior Greenhouse Door</a> © February 2024
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span><span>by </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254">Leigh</a> at </span><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/">http://www.5acresandadream.com</a>
</div>
</div>
Leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-49447954801559870742024-01-30T00:00:00.002-05:002024-01-31T08:56:13.080-05:00Garden Notes: January 2024<p><b>Rainfall</b></p>
<div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>6th: 1.29"</li>
<li>9th: 4.35"</li>
<li>12th: 0.89"</li>
<li>16th: 0.14"</li>
<li>23rd: 0.04"</li>
<li>24th: 0.26"</li>
<li>25th: 1.68"</li>
<li>26th: 0.11"</li>
<li>27th: 1.93"</li>
<li>31st: 0.07"</li>
<li>Total: 10.76 inches</li>
</ul>
<div><b>Temperature</b></div>
</div>
<ul>
<li>range of nighttime lows: 10 to 60°F (-12 to 15°C)</li>
<li>range of daytime highs: 40 to 71°F (4 to 21°C)</li>
</ul>
<div><b>Weather Notes</b></div>
<div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Warm temps coincide with rainy days, cold temps with clear weather.</li><li>
What the temps don't reflect is the wind, which has
been blustery and bitter. Even on mild days it's often not appealing to work
outside. </li></ul></div>
<div><b>Garden Notes</b></div>
</div>
<div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>It's too cold for things to grow, so after finishing up mulching the beds, I've been working on the weediest aisles, scraping the weeds and old mulch. Then I put down a new layer of cardboard and fresh wood chips. Not sure if I'll finish the entire garden, but I like working there on nice days.</li><li>Other than that . . .</li></ul></div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCjG26eHGAlgYGvYM-ZQd8qtzrcgebSr5DTN4V90HK6_onu3nyh6DVqC0di5N8mxQyv2wL3oXN9pW4-nhB4focZaEhKziVHh2iWMllwBQDMYeQHf5UD1Wf5JYMj3Zrs_eIbQOrLmQ7RMP0PolKhlpF68JnISqYvla4lAD5MJnQuHUTedWJE8rLUyXkUlM/s450/last-of-2023-green-fall-tomatoes.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCjG26eHGAlgYGvYM-ZQd8qtzrcgebSr5DTN4V90HK6_onu3nyh6DVqC0di5N8mxQyv2wL3oXN9pW4-nhB4focZaEhKziVHh2iWMllwBQDMYeQHf5UD1Wf5JYMj3Zrs_eIbQOrLmQ7RMP0PolKhlpF68JnISqYvla4lAD5MJnQuHUTedWJE8rLUyXkUlM/s16000/last-of-2023-green-fall-tomatoes.JPG" /></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">
Jan. 7th: we ate the last of our 2023 fall tomatoes. I saved the seed.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br /><b>Greenhouse Notes</b></div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>12 outside, 25 in the greenhouse</li>
<li>31 and sunny outside, 74 in the greenhouse</li>
<li>One thing that's really thriving in the greenhouse is the volunteer chickweed.</li></ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQje4IFMCoZVS3s2Ct7IDWBx8SOnuGwnEDCwfKU_iryg4tcfD8uxGWLcf5uHDNucB0X0VVK4PG9Tno0T3icHcQvOePojqiCZ5SNgguEKHPMN1sz-E2TUn7arV37UuJ5k2wyHcUctVGYfZZ-3pA2HeyaHOjNXOhyphenhyphenl9Zs4jyGU8NCnUe3L7mDGObkfsckEc/s403/Jan2023greenhouse2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQje4IFMCoZVS3s2Ct7IDWBx8SOnuGwnEDCwfKU_iryg4tcfD8uxGWLcf5uHDNucB0X0VVK4PG9Tno0T3icHcQvOePojqiCZ5SNgguEKHPMN1sz-E2TUn7arV37UuJ5k2wyHcUctVGYfZZ-3pA2HeyaHOjNXOhyphenhyphenl9Zs4jyGU8NCnUe3L7mDGObkfsckEc/s16000/Jan2023greenhouse2.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chickweed in the front pot. broccoli behind.</td></tr></tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYaETYeRfiVvMTBOSolb10cknca2YPh-XyXI4Ze8xR-nTP_-xGnDx81hj-Ukbg6cpG3Jdd-cx4WQWU_prLJaYz6FmTG43M9T1l_E-OBbLUYLEvlusaIH0rLZCCV3eapnmhEhHAleAYQEM72yavUDpX3S5vuojQ2z2nxbRQ2g2N8ZRt8f4ROZHx5nJ5vjc/s424/Jan2023greenhouse1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYaETYeRfiVvMTBOSolb10cknca2YPh-XyXI4Ze8xR-nTP_-xGnDx81hj-Ukbg6cpG3Jdd-cx4WQWU_prLJaYz6FmTG43M9T1l_E-OBbLUYLEvlusaIH0rLZCCV3eapnmhEhHAleAYQEM72yavUDpX3S5vuojQ2z2nxbRQ2g2N8ZRt8f4ROZHx5nJ5vjc/s16000/Jan2023greenhouse1.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Temporary growing table with kale and lettuce.</td></tr></tbody></table>
<div>
<b>Harvested</b></div></div>
<ul>
<li>lettuce</li>
<li>turnips</li>
<li>Jerusalem artichokes</li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkXYFKPwKpMaz3byJTuQTxSJA6HTH4zc2TIEiWtvdK6bkb2NJkaWi2HSM4DnSPaM0HZklbC3r-Eur0oWiaLUBBSZkWYlSKKW0LmspYwUg9BoZtjYg8hMcBE_8NIegSqoST6YWNFtJ9UM_R8tTL0SwxX5cD27gP5OltBXqH-QnOSy2k8W9lhfxi0Ve0-8/s450/greenhouse-lettuce_jan2024.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkXYFKPwKpMaz3byJTuQTxSJA6HTH4zc2TIEiWtvdK6bkb2NJkaWi2HSM4DnSPaM0HZklbC3r-Eur0oWiaLUBBSZkWYlSKKW0LmspYwUg9BoZtjYg8hMcBE_8NIegSqoST6YWNFtJ9UM_R8tTL0SwxX5cD27gP5OltBXqH-QnOSy2k8W9lhfxi0Ve0-8/s16000/greenhouse-lettuce_jan2024.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greenhouse lettuce. Not enough for<span> </span> salads, but enough for our Sunday burgers.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHiaAVodaJd76xph8z0IECtWhPSPiLCi2P0Kl3CbK17-BNimWUpKpVY1DEY10BHGb25tPq3rb39wNajLerNNyslvSxfzoQDqle9K2faVpzKZ2j6AAMFoe0Z9nvjTHdNR9f90wJ0xZlv5BuDYtWA1b_HZIRbwIc8cFI8m5bG97lmbo7yeP8Eqq4VyzcfBM/s450/sunchokes_jan2024.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="373" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHiaAVodaJd76xph8z0IECtWhPSPiLCi2P0Kl3CbK17-BNimWUpKpVY1DEY10BHGb25tPq3rb39wNajLerNNyslvSxfzoQDqle9K2faVpzKZ2j6AAMFoe0Z9nvjTHdNR9f90wJ0xZlv5BuDYtWA1b_HZIRbwIc8cFI8m5bG97lmbo7yeP8Eqq4VyzcfBM/s16000/sunchokes_jan2024.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nicely sized sunchokes from a patch I didn't dig last winter.</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDkiNRQ0hZ8x-JSn15VbFSYF2o_ESRi2BnResh3C1qc-lPopzl0xwafUeyjE4862rbtKknKBS1wuC9kIjIhdqjkqNUgHpUtspliqyzi9OEMfEccZapl5Ut02HDw1-B4UaiwUUtvwYWjoFL0yPIVYRAyB3pJFehK13KFk6WT0VTds25fHyN91qr8oIC1k/s450/pantry-salad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDkiNRQ0hZ8x-JSn15VbFSYF2o_ESRi2BnResh3C1qc-lPopzl0xwafUeyjE4862rbtKknKBS1wuC9kIjIhdqjkqNUgHpUtspliqyzi9OEMfEccZapl5Ut02HDw1-B4UaiwUUtvwYWjoFL0yPIVYRAyB3pJFehK13KFk6WT0VTds25fHyN91qr8oIC1k/s16000/pantry-salad.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pantry salad: canned green beans, cherry tomatoes preserved in olive oil and<br />vinegar, and black olives. The oil and vinegar from the tomatoes is the dressing.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Transplanted</b></p><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>thyme</li><li>lambs ear</li><li>echinacea</li></ul></div>
<p>The goal with the transplanting to to disassemble one of my front yard herb beds. While I really like having it, there's a battle every year to keep the wire grass at bay. That and the dozens of acorn seedlings that come with the wood chip mulch. Neither is conducive for the easy growing of perennials. We will likely try some annuals in the bed next summer.</p><p>That wraps up our January. How about you?</p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2024/01/garden-notes-january-2024.html">Garden Notes: January 2024</a> © January 2024</div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><span><span>by </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254">Leigh</a> at </span><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/">http://www.5acresandadream.com</a></div>Leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-81172034482893681542024-01-23T10:02:00.001-05:002024-01-23T10:02:48.724-05:00Fermented Cole SlawThis has become one of our favorite side dishes. <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBahvbc4bSP81-hcMnIfxq8ZKrpL-xr41_mWsZVXuTBQDeMZ0iDOBRfJ11wVz1B-k4LrL7IWeFdJZM3bblZjltOFxSBFWjCilMSlt4koaI64vWXRgV6kX79dHNXbp-xt1a0peCYKyknVUQkt0cPC-EGiUUkVSygk7s4ZbJUppPFRzQ6OxgEHgCNrz1BTo/s450/fermented-cole-slaw1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="368" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBahvbc4bSP81-hcMnIfxq8ZKrpL-xr41_mWsZVXuTBQDeMZ0iDOBRfJ11wVz1B-k4LrL7IWeFdJZM3bblZjltOFxSBFWjCilMSlt4koaI64vWXRgV6kX79dHNXbp-xt1a0peCYKyknVUQkt0cPC-EGiUUkVSygk7s4ZbJUppPFRzQ6OxgEHgCNrz1BTo/s16000/fermented-cole-slaw1.JPG" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">It's tasty and another great way to get probiotics into our diet. And, it's quick to make.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Technically, it isn't fermented as the finally product, so the name may be somewhat misleading. I start with previously made <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2018/11/experimenting-with-daikons.html" target="_blank">kimchi</a> or <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2009/10/real-food-sauerkraut.html" target="_blank">sauerkraut</a> to which I've added shredded carrots.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ZLir7imUllER3if7Ec_FOBYcGBgDzaMJkA1bCtOQ3bi0F5vUMtyWx8n6u2OaxL4EpBmnemPVJCVbc2yJGkF1VJwNQdqd1H8gir_GQ6XESwJZ7FkhX0RPaXEDG8ibAZ1pAJQP6TmttDIDZHgF9geiIjQ_EkPu2wAefBYMosHpXmHWO_vaDr3oKwqTdyU/s450/fermented-cole-slaw2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ZLir7imUllER3if7Ec_FOBYcGBgDzaMJkA1bCtOQ3bi0F5vUMtyWx8n6u2OaxL4EpBmnemPVJCVbc2yJGkF1VJwNQdqd1H8gir_GQ6XESwJZ7FkhX0RPaXEDG8ibAZ1pAJQP6TmttDIDZHgF9geiIjQ_EkPu2wAefBYMosHpXmHWO_vaDr3oKwqTdyU/s16000/fermented-cole-slaw2.JPG" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">Nowadays, I usually ferment a mixture of vegetables together in the same jar: cabbage, carrots, daikon, Jerusalem artichokes, turnips, onion, ginger, etc., whatever I have on hand. Of most fermented foods, Dan would eat some dutifully for health, but request only "a little bit." One day while I was draining some kimchi, I decided to add a little mayonnaise and serve it as cole slaw. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi40PnuDpsrFibD5lw4haCHtsdAaa-NPO4ziub0-r1d7-vmTekwQwJPJTXzdlA1U6GHLBwXZlRjO_NasuxBFlANiCyBQ3GuNf6OJ2hyphenhyphenbJjSjQFt7NDKf-fwL0XhJ919w98cXBi2RwWaZfAs-Ud8mM7nKo2LGb92jBNu-ufho2ne-Pvdy1m6VcQhQXg0vM/s450/fermented-cole-slaw3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="369" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi40PnuDpsrFibD5lw4haCHtsdAaa-NPO4ziub0-r1d7-vmTekwQwJPJTXzdlA1U6GHLBwXZlRjO_NasuxBFlANiCyBQ3GuNf6OJ2hyphenhyphenbJjSjQFt7NDKf-fwL0XhJ919w98cXBi2RwWaZfAs-Ud8mM7nKo2LGb92jBNu-ufho2ne-Pvdy1m6VcQhQXg0vM/s16000/fermented-cole-slaw3.JPG" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">After a taste, Dan wanted a larger helping and it's been a standard ever since. I find we eat more of it when prepared this way. </p><p style="text-align: left;">A bonus is that it takes so much less mayo to make it this way. <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2010/07/blender-cole-slaw.html" target="_blank">My original cole slaw recipe</a> calls for mayonnaise and pickle juice, which we always found too tart and so I would add a small spoonful of honey or sugar. My sauerkraut, kimchi, etc., are rarely too sour. If it is, I simply rinse it some before serving. Another plus, this recipe is ready to eat after mixing, whereas my from-scratch cole slaw tasted better if it sat at least several hours or overnight in the fridge. And, of course, there are no probiotics in traditional cole slaw. </p><p style="text-align: left;">In some ways, I think of this recipe as a transition food. If one doesn't grow up with particular foods, they often aren't cared for as much as what we're used to. For example, if we grow up on white bread, 100% homemade whole wheat isn't as enjoyable (which is probably why they add a ton of sugar to commercial whole wheat bakery products.) When I started making a 50/50 white and whole wheat flour bread, the family liked it. I've gradually shifted the amounts to favor more whole wheat, but still keeping it acceptable to Dan. The fermented cole slaw helps with the transition from traditional cole slaw to lacto-fermented foods. My old 'something is better than nothing' approach.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Does anyone else use transition foods for themselves or their families? I'd be interested in more ideas.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2024/01/fermented-cole-slaw.html">Fermented Cole Slaw</a> © January 2024 by</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254">Leigh</a> at </span><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/">http://www.5acresandadream.com</a></div>Leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-46421991575618358522024-01-17T14:30:00.002-05:002024-01-17T14:30:29.915-05:00Freezing Temps & How the Greenhouse Is Doing<p>
While nowhere near record breaking, this morning's low put the
greenhouse to the test. </p>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>outside low: 12°F (-11°C)</li>
<li>inside the goat barn: 22°F (-5.5°C)</li>
<li>inside the greenhouse: 25°F (-4°C)</li>
</ul><p style="text-align: left;">The result was freeze damage to my warm weather plants: cherry tomato, green peppers, and potatoes. None of this is a surprise, of course. What has been a surprise is that previously, everything survived an outdoor low of 20°F (-6.6°C).</p><p style="text-align: left;">At this point, the only heat the greenhouse gets is residual from the house. It has three glass window walls with the fourth wall being the exterior wall of my sewing room. I don't know how much this actually helps, but I suspect it's better than if the greenhouse was freestanding with four glass walls. </p><p style="text-align: left;">So there's my baseline. Hopefully, we'll be able to increase the survival odds with some other ideas. </p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2024/01/post-holiday-winter-project-list.html">Freezing Temps & How the Greenhouse Is Doing</a> </div><div style="text-align: center;">© Jan 2024 <span><span>by </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254">Leigh</a> at </span><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/">http://www.5acresandadream.com</a></div></div>
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Leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-68141610781771450252024-01-11T05:43:00.003-05:002024-01-12T05:26:24.888-05:00Dehydrating CranberriesRight after the holidays, seasonal food items that we like go on clearance. There are
several things that I look for and stock up on, like molasses and dried dates. This year I
bought several bags of fresh cranberries for 99<span style="font-size: x-small;">¢</span> each.
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<div>I especially enjoy dried cranberries on my <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2021/05/pecan-granola.html" target="_blank">breakfast granola</a> when there's no fresh fruit in season, and I thought it would be nice to make some without the stuff commercial processors like to add.</div><div><br /></div><div>I consulted my two books on dehydrating foods to compare instructions.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSvnn1Ymklm2YhdN5M-qriHNr_FcB3fdqzD2GbCAbku9JBeF8yWRZzaqN9jJIDVPcNf8DzPs_QSnCxoSvp59RROrl7qQerk6oTrrnS4BnCUGTNHGq1hKjcwS3C6IQTvDgxDy4xowIz4vZP_34Pxtew9CaHfNIQcBq5HzfLFc05czaWEDwaHnQFK9UWo4s/s450/cranberries2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSvnn1Ymklm2YhdN5M-qriHNr_FcB3fdqzD2GbCAbku9JBeF8yWRZzaqN9jJIDVPcNf8DzPs_QSnCxoSvp59RROrl7qQerk6oTrrnS4BnCUGTNHGq1hKjcwS3C6IQTvDgxDy4xowIz4vZP_34Pxtew9CaHfNIQcBq5HzfLFc05czaWEDwaHnQFK9UWo4s/s16000/cranberries2.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://amzn.to/48nRNMC" target="_blank">Mary Bell's Complete Dehydrator Cookbook</a></i> and<br /><i><a href="https://amzn.to/4aw37Is" target="_blank">Making & Using Dried Foods</a></i> by Phyllis Hobson</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>I always like to look at more than one source for projects, to compare notes and possibly pick up unique tips. Their directions were similar and started with popping the raw cranberries into boiling water until the skins cracked. (No pic). Then they went into a bowl where I coated them with honey.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLROczL4cZIQojgXrAh2WXEo3Y_wLvMNcLuW-k5Lfo73NGKSOoFEewL2BMg28e13eZ1r4mVm7xgDI2y66wAsbXlqxnZGVXFbns-Mb4FkOWnpzIWP3MsJCz1o_W09jHzZ6-ZHEipTrMunTeoGtSlRjrOJWOnCCKVbWD27FWAaOryMteCG01Jq_uN_OUnfY/s450/cranberries3.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="353" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLROczL4cZIQojgXrAh2WXEo3Y_wLvMNcLuW-k5Lfo73NGKSOoFEewL2BMg28e13eZ1r4mVm7xgDI2y66wAsbXlqxnZGVXFbns-Mb4FkOWnpzIWP3MsJCz1o_W09jHzZ6-ZHEipTrMunTeoGtSlRjrOJWOnCCKVbWD27FWAaOryMteCG01Jq_uN_OUnfY/s16000/cranberries3.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div>Then it was onto the mesh dehydrator screens.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS2QDi-nQqw6aLz561RdPevvbmZv3TppTq24s2_pl7NGjOEtjiX_Hx-Ya_kDKI58OymuvbXfE_4EjzlgL_6xLFdhFdxITrVCEjox1onpqYZFAIc_Ky3uAWkx7P7_ZlMAZxFC-UaZ7UwUc_QXJghZvJ5phXEeVR1s0tMIzX8dculefupNdV6g9N1TAhvDI/s450/cranberries4.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS2QDi-nQqw6aLz561RdPevvbmZv3TppTq24s2_pl7NGjOEtjiX_Hx-Ya_kDKI58OymuvbXfE_4EjzlgL_6xLFdhFdxITrVCEjox1onpqYZFAIc_Ky3uAWkx7P7_ZlMAZxFC-UaZ7UwUc_QXJghZvJ5phXEeVR1s0tMIzX8dculefupNdV6g9N1TAhvDI/s16000/cranberries4.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Both sources recommended a low heat for 10 to 12 hours. What I found however, was that mine still weren't dried in that time. I had to repeat the drying several times. While it took a long time, I ran the dehydrator at night so we benefited from its little bit of heat in the kitchen come morning.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizCH2XpvvQhg5cs00NyZdF8CtieASRQ2rzM6rKEwxMFqBNqD2UKf_iO1rhr-4g6x2WxNHIDQXr1_lSqRe_x0hC1s7m2H1_3X1fQHTYLrIHvk0E4oKte_JRgglTmF5ByyAjeaYwfR63A86PWWWL6bq3lTayazVmC8EKCBwI9BjxJX-QxkVGPszeGu8vEBI/s450/cranberries5.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="325" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizCH2XpvvQhg5cs00NyZdF8CtieASRQ2rzM6rKEwxMFqBNqD2UKf_iO1rhr-4g6x2WxNHIDQXr1_lSqRe_x0hC1s7m2H1_3X1fQHTYLrIHvk0E4oKte_JRgglTmF5ByyAjeaYwfR63A86PWWWL6bq3lTayazVmC8EKCBwI9BjxJX-QxkVGPszeGu8vEBI/s16000/cranberries5.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div>I removed the dried ones along the way and eventually got them all done! </div><div><br /></div><div>When I tasted them, however, I was dismayed that the honey didn't help sweeten them at all. So when I put them into a half-gallon jar, I sprinkled with unbleached sugar. </div><div><br /></div><div>My final yield was 5 cups.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxHQLTrCUbdLpBoz32GHzvjfuD_YPcMtkdgiMLx0CFfqUcc8IqyKWne9ZwmVNr-ZuycShOk7dILh3FibIb-oLzZbeup-jqG6HFBFwLAcAUkLmOskmLszHYF2aonbLNOnsuwhcvPDmgeg3b26BfGsmSdHGnz6J6hLTGkw2xS5vzvkeonkIMFapE3ePVkpo/s450/cranberries6.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxHQLTrCUbdLpBoz32GHzvjfuD_YPcMtkdgiMLx0CFfqUcc8IqyKWne9ZwmVNr-ZuycShOk7dILh3FibIb-oLzZbeup-jqG6HFBFwLAcAUkLmOskmLszHYF2aonbLNOnsuwhcvPDmgeg3b26BfGsmSdHGnz6J6hLTGkw2xS5vzvkeonkIMFapE3ePVkpo/s16000/cranberries6.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div>Because of how long it took, I doubt I'll try these again. And I will probably save these for baking, rather than eating on my granola. But I'm glad I gave them a try anyway.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2024/01/dehydrating-cranberries.html">Dehydrating Cranberries</a> © January 2024</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span>by </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254">Leigh</a> at </span><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/">http://www.5acresandadream.com</a></div></div>
Leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-38005894839848543742024-01-04T01:00:00.013-05:002024-01-12T05:27:13.012-05:00Post-Holiday Winter Project List<div>January and February are our hunker down months. Except for the daffodils, almost everything is dormant, and while we do get some mild days, it's often too cold to enjoy outside activities. That makes January and February a good time to turn to needful indoor projects. Here's what my list looks like:</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Mending.</b> I have a huge basket piled high with mending! Admittedly, our lifestyle is rough on clothes, and mending usually gets put off in favor of the garden and food preservation. This month I plan to start tackling that pile.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Kitchen</b>. I can't believe it's been seven years since we <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2012/11/kitchen-remodel-announcement-done.html" target="_blank">finished our kitchen remodel</a>. The initial organization and set-up was done with thought and care, but as the years go by disorder sets in, and I find myself analyzing how to organize better. Plus I have a lot of shelves . . .</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn1nrVMn7oR-M7PDmC79SemzFwUAs4GsBCmbTfEGrmgNNz81XEcRE_u9dygp0QtQ-Kdnoyu45KchOCfvrl0TClIVv_QTCU8bzPMzw41B-lnwljVXtF_81JvVE7DAhcpN_HOP0-6pht47Q/s400/kitchen_after_shelf_wall.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn1nrVMn7oR-M7PDmC79SemzFwUAs4GsBCmbTfEGrmgNNz81XEcRE_u9dygp0QtQ-Kdnoyu45KchOCfvrl0TClIVv_QTCU8bzPMzw41B-lnwljVXtF_81JvVE7DAhcpN_HOP0-6pht47Q/s16000/kitchen_after_shelf_wall.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2012/11/kitchen-remodel-announcement-done.html" target="_blank">Photo from November 2012.</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>. . . which in a 100-year-old house heated with wood means<i> a lot</i> of dust. Everything gets dusted periodically, but the kitchen needs a deep clean and I need to sort through the shelf and cabinet contents and reorganize. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Front bedroom</b> (currently our storage room). I actually made a lot of progress on our storage areas last summer, when we finished one more room of the house for <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2023/08/sewing-room-done-at-last.html" target="_blank">my studio/sewing room</a>. I did an initial unpacking and purge, and managed to reduce storage space from two rooms to one. I feel that it's time to tackle that remaining room. </div><div><br /></div><div>One disadvantage we have, is that we don't have a basement, garage, nor a readily accessible attic or crawl space. These are typical storage areas that we've had to do without. That means that during our slow repair, remodel, and room shuffle, we've designated rooms to use for storage until we get the house done. After 15 years, we're down to one room! And that's the room I want to declutter and organize this winter.</div><div><br /></div><div>I confess I have an ulterior motive. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7a2UyYIvxjBnv4Sqn2GHPAcf0DXSnSz8DBhI7ODGKkbzd4hzu8Hw6Qu8jm6ew9cFjsf8WTpKEb5CHYmUwnWmN6q77uq0KiwNDJTOmgcwavKeb8C1CtxQlfdZLZfQpES5UxgHNxam-o3KU66rgpWelzuhm602nuBcfDPpGsXnUYgY1iVMSHZ0G809Q6EI/s450/glimakra.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7a2UyYIvxjBnv4Sqn2GHPAcf0DXSnSz8DBhI7ODGKkbzd4hzu8Hw6Qu8jm6ew9cFjsf8WTpKEb5CHYmUwnWmN6q77uq0KiwNDJTOmgcwavKeb8C1CtxQlfdZLZfQpES5UxgHNxam-o3KU66rgpWelzuhm602nuBcfDPpGsXnUYgY1iVMSHZ0G809Q6EI/s16000/glimakra.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Glimakra floor loom</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>This <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2009/06/trial-set-up-for-my-studio.html" target="_blank">loom was disassembled</a> when we started renovating, and has been left that way for storage. At the moment, I don't know if I can manage to carve out space for it now, but I'd really like to. I have a hankering to weave some rugs and blankets, and this is the loom to do it. The room won't be finished this winter, but Dan said as long as he has room to work around the loom, it would be okay. </div><div><br /></div><div>So there's my list. How about you? Do you have winter project plans, or maybe you just plan to take it easy. Care to share?</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2024/01/post-holiday-winter-project-list.html">Post-Holiday Winter Project List</a> © Jan 2024</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span>by </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254">Leigh</a> at </span><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/">http://www.5acresandadream.com</a></div></div>Leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-16138190901133433222024-01-01T03:00:00.005-05:002024-01-12T05:27:47.939-05:002024 Homestead Bundle: 3 Day New Year's Deal<p>
Almost every year I participate in some sort of homestead bundle, and this
year is no exception. I even updated a chapter from an almost out-of-print
book, as my offering to the bundle.
</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://permies.com/w/bundle?f=300" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyogz_6875NcpBeH758zr-qQjcmsXOCKPUeXo3wGI6FnLBhsAn5Ad0hjwMT1Bd9Ud6FP3zWzaPHcnYf5o4XegmZZtwrpIbB4oCuqeCN49fFZuXAVVMOI2GzKZOtO3vj5gzshXB01KI_YA9l8wB3kpcCzty8oZlKAOMP05UD2xZAo8Er_YQtuuYf6w9_5M/w400-h266/2024-homesteading-and-permaculture-bundle.jpeg" width="400" /></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">
Click or tap for a closer look-see
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>
This bundle is offered by
<a href="https://permies.com/w/bundle?f=300">Permies.com</a> and includes more
than 35 resources for $35. That's less than a dollar each, all available for
instant download. This price is for 70 hours only; after that the price will
go up to $65.
</p>
<div style="text-align: left;"><u>What you get:</u></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>backyard forest gardening eBook</li>
<li>fermentation mini-course</li>
<li>cheese making webinar</li>
<li>earth bag architecture eBook</li>
<li>building a permaculture community eBook</li>
<li>communication in community eBook</li>
<li>aquaponics eBook</li>
<li>how to evaluate solar panel potential eBook</li>
<li>restoration agriculture Permaculture Voices video presentation</li>
<li>sourdough eCookbook</li>
<li>growing you own insulation webinar</li>
<li>12 issues of Tiny House Digital Magazine</li>
<li>Chèvre making eBook</li>
<li>how to make a spinning wheel from bike parts plans</li>
<li>cooking with what you have eBook</li>
<li>rainwater harvesting eBook</li>
<li>honeybees (that's mine!) eBook</li>
<li>seed breeding and epigenetics webinar</li>
<li>regenerative agroforestry eBook</li>
<li>2 issues of Permaculture Design digital magazine</li>
<li>Gaia's Garden and Toby Hemenway podcasts</li>
<li>rocket ovens movie</li>
<li>truly passive greenhouse movie</li>
<li>replacing irrigation with permaculture webinar</li>
<li>tour of Wheaton Labs movie (featuring 65 low tech things)</li>
<li>45 low tech things webinar</li>
<li>
farm animal relationships from Permies Permaculture Design Course video
collection
</li>
<li>market garden playing cards e-book</li>
</ul>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
For pictures, descriptions, and more information <a href="https://permies.com/w/bundle?f=300" target="_blank">click here</a>.
Sale ends Jan. 3 at 11 p.m. M.T.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
<a href="https://permies.com/w/bundle?f=300" target="_blank">Click here</a>
to get yours.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2024/01/2024-homestead-bundle-3-day-new-years.html">2024 Homestead Bundle: 3 Day New Year's Deal</a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
© Jan 2024 <span><span>by </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254">Leigh</a> at </span><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/">http://www.5acresandadream.com</a></div>
</div>
</div>
Leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-27490158925680976052023-12-27T00:00:00.121-05:002024-01-12T05:29:19.262-05:00Garden Notes: December 2023<p> <b>Rainfall </b></p><div><div><ul><li>1st: 0.3"</li><li>2nd: 0.4"</li><li>3rd: 0.02"</li><li>9th: 1.33"</li><li>10th: 1.08"</li><li>17th: 0.17"</li><li>25th: 1.9"</li><li>26th: 2.01"</li><li>27th: 0.03"</li><li>Total: 7.24 inches</li></ul><div><b>Temperature</b></div></div><ul><li>range of nighttime lows: 21 to 58°F (-6 to 14°C)</li><li>range of daytime highs: 45 to 67°F (7 to 19.5°C)</li></ul><div><div><b>Garden Notes:</b></div><div><ul><li>I have a few things growing in the garden: kale, daikons, turnips, and Swiss chard.</li><li>Continuing to finish up mulching the remaining beds.</li><li>Then I'll start on tidying up and re-mulching the aisles.</li></ul></div></div></div><div><b>Greenhouse Notes</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Everything is doing well so far, although slow to grow.</li><li>Our coldest night so far this month was 21°F (-6°C), but the greenhouse didn't get below 32°F (0°C). My cherry tomato plant is still alive and well. </li><li>As are my transplanted green pepper plants.</li><li>Once the sun hits the greenhouse, it warms up quickly, so I have to keep an eye on the temp and turn on <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2023/12/greenhouse-ventilation.html" target="_blank">the vent fan</a> if needed. </li></ul></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOyJmnr5BKvsYHCbY8dJvC7432tnIQ0WY39oXCDvFFIckRuOvsa8DGFvWYRcuYLlxhPvYIHHNCF9lCNU-7kdxbvtFd5fw8yGl-3_I8yMEAG69vIeR8sxAb7icwaWfqpd8zmyQHhhxZCGIqXFd4t0BO0dXCRpbhSFp0DRdFQsGhsVCZpxRc66cs5TR6B-0/s450/greenhouse2023dec_tomatoes.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOyJmnr5BKvsYHCbY8dJvC7432tnIQ0WY39oXCDvFFIckRuOvsa8DGFvWYRcuYLlxhPvYIHHNCF9lCNU-7kdxbvtFd5fw8yGl-3_I8yMEAG69vIeR8sxAb7icwaWfqpd8zmyQHhhxZCGIqXFd4t0BO0dXCRpbhSFp0DRdFQsGhsVCZpxRc66cs5TR6B-0/s16000/greenhouse2023dec_tomatoes.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cherry tomato vine with quite a few flowers</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZwf6CPFmv3Q_3_qj_tDsqzReSU7TL2iUMwlp_kHA-URHN0pi5vzrk_15kS2zoxgqVaC4I-ZFwEXw28C4lmgHkKBl9VQslcjJ5ebWV4eJCI6pH45-xXsS3jj2-e5biTIE_FbrbAzNRNso0Fqti_oAcj2K0HU1b3gW85j78rcgJBx3ZNXfNCXkJf1lmBk/s450/greenhouse2023dec_pepper.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZwf6CPFmv3Q_3_qj_tDsqzReSU7TL2iUMwlp_kHA-URHN0pi5vzrk_15kS2zoxgqVaC4I-ZFwEXw28C4lmgHkKBl9VQslcjJ5ebWV4eJCI6pH45-xXsS3jj2-e5biTIE_FbrbAzNRNso0Fqti_oAcj2K0HU1b3gW85j78rcgJBx3ZNXfNCXkJf1lmBk/s16000/greenhouse2023dec_pepper.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">sweet pepper plant</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2rv03c8HQzxcHyt6xBg-XnFnhPnTE3bLMN6ixIDH9yBw8Izc_1q_Qg3bzDQKB-LMwAiwejUcwdPl_qv11DLqAQV0GiKl7lLQn5VhM4I_sp_1gFVzP6VfjPR4yiuftQrTflXFxroN_hj9yGHM7JicZh7tB48mhxd7jKtWl1aeQo8KZBbUCfWmQ6upYVUo/s450/greenhouse2023dec_kale.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="358" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2rv03c8HQzxcHyt6xBg-XnFnhPnTE3bLMN6ixIDH9yBw8Izc_1q_Qg3bzDQKB-LMwAiwejUcwdPl_qv11DLqAQV0GiKl7lLQn5VhM4I_sp_1gFVzP6VfjPR4yiuftQrTflXFxroN_hj9yGHM7JicZh7tB48mhxd7jKtWl1aeQo8KZBbUCfWmQ6upYVUo/s16000/greenhouse2023dec_kale.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">kale</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0w-nqhRLUtt3yGxszevmfAHbamMmgHqBy0imjmpt0sORWN8KuH6HAZFZcpBGoLVctHDIlX_QdwjBO3DvhxGDEgdRJMpB1twdShKRnT0AI-XHIYvIEN5T8pYqzmQ1h2SxXc6bburZ60Qtc10gsVG7HPx0Rja3jjbLmzS75Pdp50lbs7apzikcSF8tYVPs/s450/greenhouse2023dec_broccoli.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0w-nqhRLUtt3yGxszevmfAHbamMmgHqBy0imjmpt0sORWN8KuH6HAZFZcpBGoLVctHDIlX_QdwjBO3DvhxGDEgdRJMpB1twdShKRnT0AI-XHIYvIEN5T8pYqzmQ1h2SxXc6bburZ60Qtc10gsVG7HPx0Rja3jjbLmzS75Pdp50lbs7apzikcSF8tYVPs/s16000/greenhouse2023dec_broccoli.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">broccoli</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><b>Planted (in the greenhouse)</b></div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk-NoKGU-POwP2CIrWFSy6Lf0_4Xh-0ObHtT0hDFndxX3W8YOtKrfoidkq7L4mN0aEhlyEuCQQPRe_YPRiRxnu1VD-8JsxCp7t2JOY1JRbsC9zcNixMagiYDDtHakpTHAbF-7UHEDUvUFgD3Hq1MVLtYOFiR_r7fU1gIxc5I8kzei7zrn9Sx2VofwXhys/s450/greenhouse2023dec_celery.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk-NoKGU-POwP2CIrWFSy6Lf0_4Xh-0ObHtT0hDFndxX3W8YOtKrfoidkq7L4mN0aEhlyEuCQQPRe_YPRiRxnu1VD-8JsxCp7t2JOY1JRbsC9zcNixMagiYDDtHakpTHAbF-7UHEDUvUFgD3Hq1MVLtYOFiR_r7fU1gIxc5I8kzei7zrn9Sx2VofwXhys/s16000/greenhouse2023dec_celery.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">celery base (from Thanksgiving stuffing)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK63-X-xSQs__-CwjRq4MMo2XSNL6byHfkU7lZYaxDyN0MzutPJkA8fLweQqwJhnFceFEY9eAaYhQoiv2zFSY-pMT72uUcktCqEbfbOmfcTBs2gdO1WkX92u6xsoxE5bin9m1VDQ7lnLPS_kFvshppoFLUxFSPA0jAX4B-3N7wMhgeR-6o25AAzGQ5qUU/s450/greenhouse2023dec_potatoes.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK63-X-xSQs__-CwjRq4MMo2XSNL6byHfkU7lZYaxDyN0MzutPJkA8fLweQqwJhnFceFEY9eAaYhQoiv2zFSY-pMT72uUcktCqEbfbOmfcTBs2gdO1WkX92u6xsoxE5bin9m1VDQ7lnLPS_kFvshppoFLUxFSPA0jAX4B-3N7wMhgeR-6o25AAzGQ5qUU/s16000/greenhouse2023dec_potatoes.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">sprouting garden potatoes from the pantry</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The potatoes are an experiment. Potatoes are typically planted around here in March, which doesn't make sense to me because a frost or freeze will kill the top growth. Depending on what the rest of the winter is like, these may do okay for a few early potatoes.<br /><br /><div><b>Parting Shot</b></div></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDBTmI-d5oVzWadqaqANe6uZb2fOfY5eICvQl18htyVxCCUpRhOIOWRF2JRCw45u9KetiRCJmYBV4DXtEfeP6aImmypoPJ5LVhLdowSPOQjymG8RKIld1X_JwZX8YRl_5Ihyphenhyphenxw8a4pg1b6gmvtAinSt5u4RpIIRlNpSkja5nVLb_GlWs7BtAZ-3G7ZuU0/s450/december-salad.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDBTmI-d5oVzWadqaqANe6uZb2fOfY5eICvQl18htyVxCCUpRhOIOWRF2JRCw45u9KetiRCJmYBV4DXtEfeP6aImmypoPJ5LVhLdowSPOQjymG8RKIld1X_JwZX8YRl_5Ihyphenhyphenxw8a4pg1b6gmvtAinSt5u4RpIIRlNpSkja5nVLb_GlWs7BtAZ-3G7ZuU0/s16000/december-salad.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">December salad: daikon leaves, kale, Swiss chard, chickweed,<br />dandelion leaves, <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2017/11/a-tale-of-two-fetas.html" target="_blank">feta goat cheese</a>, & greenhouse cherry tomatoes.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2023/12/garden-notes-december-2023.html">Garden Notes: December 2023</a> © Dec 2023</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span>by </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254">Leigh</a> at </span><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/">http://www.5acresandadream.com</a></div></div>Leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-65432477510009868662023-12-23T00:00:00.044-05:002024-01-12T05:29:51.121-05:00A Twist on a Christmas Tradition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzgVKZcLvLikeC6RjWZ-l5I6uhwpxGWkdpWbQUuzL60y50Yq4gPtBmGxaxfKPkf_F_NUlPJUm6zNCH0CTRyzz4NGzD2syqe8ghDZ_qw5mW7caAOu6wR-yjyxMA8ipUmnBHNM5hXeOqWuNnwwgc6fMEHUyFoDYBQ3Vp94Gfe7RIk1kebpH2ttBjToRzW8Q/s450/calendar_Dec.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="450" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzgVKZcLvLikeC6RjWZ-l5I6uhwpxGWkdpWbQUuzL60y50Yq4gPtBmGxaxfKPkf_F_NUlPJUm6zNCH0CTRyzz4NGzD2syqe8ghDZ_qw5mW7caAOu6wR-yjyxMA8ipUmnBHNM5hXeOqWuNnwwgc6fMEHUyFoDYBQ3Vp94Gfe7RIk1kebpH2ttBjToRzW8Q/w400-h393/calendar_Dec.JPG" width="400" /></a>
</div>
<br />
<div>
Firstly, no matter what holiday you celebrate, I wish you a
happy one!
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
My holiday offering for my readers is a bit different this year. I first
heard this a couple of weeks ago at my granddaughter's school Christmas program.
She plays trombone in the junior high band, and this was one of their concert
offerings. It intrigued me enough that I had to look it up on YouTube to
find—shall we say—a less beginnerish rendition. This one was uploaded by the
composer himself. I think you'll see why it would have great appeal to school
bands, especially with the great percussion part.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>I give you <i>Santa the Barbarian: Snowpocalypse</i> by Randall Standridge.</div>
<div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1gTTYCv9Nug?si=YgNcy9m-nE7oQzBB" title="YouTube video player" width="500"></iframe> <div><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKCSj0hXAx4WKzE0H2yowDvVL0x2i4CK5-MvHgQ0guRLWhWeWXedLfsULjQIYnOZNc4lj04WaqIQqLCGXKZCHBViG4xJ_CGfA-RWf2XVUGx54pNmM8EJyOp6QWmRZGZw91JZRsu2xlBjfJ5rG5OxoydI9jFMnX9M_I1vzhg66i8Hza0Nq0RgiPztsioBU/s500/Merry_Christmas.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="293" data-original-width="500" height="117" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKCSj0hXAx4WKzE0H2yowDvVL0x2i4CK5-MvHgQ0guRLWhWeWXedLfsULjQIYnOZNc4lj04WaqIQqLCGXKZCHBViG4xJ_CGfA-RWf2XVUGx54pNmM8EJyOp6QWmRZGZw91JZRsu2xlBjfJ5rG5OxoydI9jFMnX9M_I1vzhg66i8Hza0Nq0RgiPztsioBU/w200-h117/Merry_Christmas.png" width="200" /></a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2023/12/a-twist-on-christmas-tradition.html">A Twist on a Christmas Tradition</a> © Dec 2023</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span>by </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254">Leigh</a> at </span><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/">http://www.5acresandadream.com</a></div></div>Leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-7742392092404759732023-12-17T10:01:00.002-05:002024-01-12T05:30:34.773-05:00Status Quo Days<div>
December, January, and February pretty much make up the winter season on our
northern hemisphere agrarian calendar. In our part of the world, that means
more indoor time with quite a few lovely afternoons to work outside. Having
switched my creative pursuits from <a href="https://www.kikobian.com/" target="_blank">writing</a> to <a href="https://leighsfiberjournal.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">weaving</a>, I feel productive in a
different sort of way, and it's nice not to spend so much time at the
computer.
</div>
<p style="text-align: left;">So while there's not much new news, I do have tidbits to share, such as, I got our Christmas tree up!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1fh1IVPfjxZ0vyTWP0mP6Co0EsNUgMH2hA9oU2HALXy8FmgkQZhQurssuLdvoJftiRWgiGTa8V6ySINd8hp7kvD3-f4zR77JzFFycjXmpZT8A3yysS9goCu6gz8RemsPRKjHSp4YAtqR4J5U6SbunpI-XL6x_-PjiXcVzZSVtglVzvhm4Zzwvck5LmoM/s450/2023ChristmasTree2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1fh1IVPfjxZ0vyTWP0mP6Co0EsNUgMH2hA9oU2HALXy8FmgkQZhQurssuLdvoJftiRWgiGTa8V6ySINd8hp7kvD3-f4zR77JzFFycjXmpZT8A3yysS9goCu6gz8RemsPRKjHSp4YAtqR4J5U6SbunpI-XL6x_-PjiXcVzZSVtglVzvhm4Zzwvck5LmoM/s16000/2023ChristmasTree2.JPG" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">I get a live potted tree every year and then plant it afterward. Except that
for the past several years I've gotten rosemary bushes that never seem to make
it. So I decided to try something else. This is an arborvitae.
</p>
<div>With gift giving days coming up, I've been busy weaving Christmas presents.</div>
<div> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE1CvN1WNR7jP7JFiWtY5JAcXhhwkHW3rqv7yF-9sLhdd0gNiBSS4TJl-4m8gMIjUfygSMi6fEgpYODioQUuFaOyzDcPewNuDeVMWxRvbdodZ5LVWzeVxfCjlHsZNxygiAzisZO0_ttsTdb0Uc1Y95i3GwlejDiMs8aCArwiC8QYdmFZWFKbRA/s484/table-runner1a.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="484" data-original-width="450" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE1CvN1WNR7jP7JFiWtY5JAcXhhwkHW3rqv7yF-9sLhdd0gNiBSS4TJl-4m8gMIjUfygSMi6fEgpYODioQUuFaOyzDcPewNuDeVMWxRvbdodZ5LVWzeVxfCjlHsZNxygiAzisZO0_ttsTdb0Uc1Y95i3GwlejDiMs8aCArwiC8QYdmFZWFKbRA/w372-h400/table-runner1a.JPG" width="372" /></a>
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<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://leighsfiberjournal.blogspot.com/2023/10/table-runner-1-is-done.html" target="_blank">twill table runner</a>
</td>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDA4Ld6epdhP0zNcgz7AD82tglntwWspyX5cqBoV6zwaHdzM6rF5bwxguFswWMBVOnPcnC9lkREABLarqC4iI7UiQqqDEmlFcS5ioGX36Ur9aPp9mR3J76_aGmnFVsIxf-TGzvFYATOvhrxzuRQH1Ry706Be9p16kDn8GjLMk2YZJx-yUO94bs/s450/crackle-table-runner2b.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="182" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDA4Ld6epdhP0zNcgz7AD82tglntwWspyX5cqBoV6zwaHdzM6rF5bwxguFswWMBVOnPcnC9lkREABLarqC4iI7UiQqqDEmlFcS5ioGX36Ur9aPp9mR3J76_aGmnFVsIxf-TGzvFYATOvhrxzuRQH1Ry706Be9p16kDn8GjLMk2YZJx-yUO94bs/s16000/crackle-table-runner2b.JPG" /></a>
</td>
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<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://leighsfiberjournal.blogspot.com/2023/11/table-runner-2-off-loom.html" target="_blank">crackle table runner</a>
</td>
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</tbody>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC24XBjU5JTpsg8e6AXtRNlNCYV85WEy1hkXOAcwqFpntHfQMUgoFowXXRZCXSc6y9_0yWD4S67XwzSGEqNfsAWdY01AtUJq2X9qHJ69FjKgXEf7GfziUYTWil5hhcQfIkMUSv9U-5VEH5UnHpCat88cve_zD2fIJG5aYmrMMayCStiaGyaLu4/s400/red-plaid-scarf.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC24XBjU5JTpsg8e6AXtRNlNCYV85WEy1hkXOAcwqFpntHfQMUgoFowXXRZCXSc6y9_0yWD4S67XwzSGEqNfsAWdY01AtUJq2X9qHJ69FjKgXEf7GfziUYTWil5hhcQfIkMUSv9U-5VEH5UnHpCat88cve_zD2fIJG5aYmrMMayCStiaGyaLu4/s16000/red-plaid-scarf.JPG" /></a>
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<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://leighsfiberjournal.blogspot.com/2023/12/red-plaid-scarf.html" target="_blank">woven red plaid scarf</a>
</td>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie3CbR77qkmd0i1bDUGuKKalRGhFDXRnDP0fS3gc1N4FnG6x_OKaP31ixEQnFt2dnqjOBTnho9ZcwoEkalrvxgqjZAsdy2512XK59fFyEzqd_zQdkchR4DbCIO3tgDo0nGi8zy3ljIlgcUgybnsnMaYvuBFvwL9Bt9Q87AO19vGfUdDP4k7_sg/s450/gray-plaid-scarf.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie3CbR77qkmd0i1bDUGuKKalRGhFDXRnDP0fS3gc1N4FnG6x_OKaP31ixEQnFt2dnqjOBTnho9ZcwoEkalrvxgqjZAsdy2512XK59fFyEzqd_zQdkchR4DbCIO3tgDo0nGi8zy3ljIlgcUgybnsnMaYvuBFvwL9Bt9Q87AO19vGfUdDP4k7_sg/s16000/gray-plaid-scarf.JPG" /></a>
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<a href="https://leighsfiberjournal.blogspot.com/2023/12/gray-plaid-scarf.html" target="_blank">woven gray plaid scarf</a>
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<br />
<div>The links go to technical details.</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>Dan spends his morning and evening indoor time woodburning.</div>
<div><br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3gkXb2NGcM-QlfjbHhdfEgprewEiUVFOfsBlDAzz4u1M2KZVMdSAa22UPRjJZ9UA29orSggVIZ0QY2MJyExnKeH6p037BaSPfNeGjPRqT7RNAHrE2daG0c1TXTNLZchm_fgXnMpjHMsUqBPrIQ9wad76rgSS8UgjdWEQQuLSHBsx2BWC6lRAvT48JYOc/s450/Dan-pyro2023dec.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3gkXb2NGcM-QlfjbHhdfEgprewEiUVFOfsBlDAzz4u1M2KZVMdSAa22UPRjJZ9UA29orSggVIZ0QY2MJyExnKeH6p037BaSPfNeGjPRqT7RNAHrE2daG0c1TXTNLZchm_fgXnMpjHMsUqBPrIQ9wad76rgSS8UgjdWEQQuLSHBsx2BWC6lRAvT48JYOc/s16000/Dan-pyro2023dec.JPG" /></a>
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<div><br /></div>
<div>
The panel is from the bottom of one of the doors he bought off craigslist for
the greenhouse. The top was glass panels, which he cut off to use for the
upper center of the
<a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2023/02/greenhouse-starting-on-roof.html" target="_blank">greenhouse roof</a>.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
In the department of needful things, Dan built something we've been talking about for years; a headgate for the task of trimming the buck's
hooves.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiouxEmgXSCdkFgHl3Mla8ZT_SwoKs0a4jVG3XZPHwt3XT7lrJD4cgGPCJ9N6kKYFMAiBtTxJpPBv-URo_6VOB40Z_KA3NQp6odsFstOVYfCT55P4V6r4RciklWTFOgx4lUxUgv1KQjn_Xp9w-2XfIYihKTdRuEkXXjARchjqI0i2xIV-3YPS0LSsH9D7c/s425/buck-headgate1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiouxEmgXSCdkFgHl3Mla8ZT_SwoKs0a4jVG3XZPHwt3XT7lrJD4cgGPCJ9N6kKYFMAiBtTxJpPBv-URo_6VOB40Z_KA3NQp6odsFstOVYfCT55P4V6r4RciklWTFOgx4lUxUgv1KQjn_Xp9w-2XfIYihKTdRuEkXXjARchjqI0i2xIV-3YPS0LSsH9D7c/s16000/buck-headgate1.JPG" /></a>
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<div>
Our bucks are all pretty friendly, but no goat likes having their hooves
trimmed and tends to be uncooperative. This time of year they are still
in rut, which means they are rambunctious and harder to handle. The bait, of course, is feed, but we have to have only one at a time in the pen. When we're
working on one buck, the others want to take advantage of
his restrained situation by butting
him (and us, if we're not careful.) It's all goofy play, but they are rough
and their play is not something the humans want to be caught in.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4L8SrPzimjkY2siGXVYipswbyLCeM7T5KKsWweRC8ghWR0wPUrdPhozhyC0hA0jAHIvRYPs_yAzbRwTdvEVuQhlAJ57lvhhedQmV36z-fP2CInAWjxA85n4XNZLnyQe3w5hDMByntcK1F5xSU-d_j7yiIXF30OG1DgXUQ5qvCG23nUmX8u7wI4GyLPCc/s450/buck-headgate2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="363" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4L8SrPzimjkY2siGXVYipswbyLCeM7T5KKsWweRC8ghWR0wPUrdPhozhyC0hA0jAHIvRYPs_yAzbRwTdvEVuQhlAJ57lvhhedQmV36z-fP2CInAWjxA85n4XNZLnyQe3w5hDMByntcK1F5xSU-d_j7yiIXF30OG1DgXUQ5qvCG23nUmX8u7wI4GyLPCc/s16000/buck-headgate2.JPG" /></a>
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With feeder. They're always more cooperative if there's something to
eat!
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<p style="text-align: left;">The headgate works very well. I just wish I'd remembered my camera the last time we tackled the job.</p><div>The chickens are moulting and so not laying at the moment. But the ducks are obliging us with eggs.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1EsXcs8i7e1wI8VUnTnsEfUVVlJJj_t00ILuH3HPrMfnS5cyFD3krQUJJpvTsoONUev8Lg0q7SlkFBcVFtnr1GilbTWzVG17rYR_xsnhwc6VlgeXd2f-3cV2uhxe7U-chWmwH-x4q5wU5Egl-2PB2U43Vt47ORAIo2EWWnek7cwpq5ikE1Fc0rnbKPs/s450/duck-eggs-dec2023.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1EsXcs8i7e1wI8VUnTnsEfUVVlJJj_t00ILuH3HPrMfnS5cyFD3krQUJJpvTsoONUev8Lg0q7SlkFBcVFtnr1GilbTWzVG17rYR_xsnhwc6VlgeXd2f-3cV2uhxe7U-chWmwH-x4q5wU5Egl-2PB2U43Vt47ORAIo2EWWnek7cwpq5ikE1Fc0rnbKPs/s16000/duck-eggs-dec2023.JPG" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">These are lovely for Christmas baking.</p><p style="text-align: left;">As you can see, not much exciting going on. We're just enjoying our season of rest. Hopefully, you'll enjoy these parting shots of Riley. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjneGTvC4l5txF-8w7s-3e2T4j6ncXHWkFeiuDMnL1TbSxQhfnYLBkRpRoVZPqfY5QizVTQ0wCgfJn_8hWiQdpuEF0gWVpcs8Q0S0zipgmesvOZP7oEop2tf8rfEz1E_eMom07lp0UwPLWF8o5YrbSaVXO3kMGd_LxHRz5JS3vcZRYwfaSgaTQM97k4dpY/s450/water-dish-Riley1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="369" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjneGTvC4l5txF-8w7s-3e2T4j6ncXHWkFeiuDMnL1TbSxQhfnYLBkRpRoVZPqfY5QizVTQ0wCgfJn_8hWiQdpuEF0gWVpcs8Q0S0zipgmesvOZP7oEop2tf8rfEz1E_eMom07lp0UwPLWF8o5YrbSaVXO3kMGd_LxHRz5JS3vcZRYwfaSgaTQM97k4dpY/s16000/water-dish-Riley1.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTtI532i0-d1Jksk7AQ_oBkTvLHZChc6TFIbce1CrRXsLu7MRJ7LKCjX2bZFFbG563jWAg_0KgwV9sNZiKHCTRAU5zfKO5xL1h-qzie_KR7pVb2KYX0U5det3ljfT5QbjwUABj39rGIS32csR9gAxCtLZZ8nMZC_X_w7n-SEEEvJwfsnMQOma2_-NClUE/s450/water-dish-Riley2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="379" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTtI532i0-d1Jksk7AQ_oBkTvLHZChc6TFIbce1CrRXsLu7MRJ7LKCjX2bZFFbG563jWAg_0KgwV9sNZiKHCTRAU5zfKO5xL1h-qzie_KR7pVb2KYX0U5det3ljfT5QbjwUABj39rGIS32csR9gAxCtLZZ8nMZC_X_w7n-SEEEvJwfsnMQOma2_-NClUE/s16000/water-dish-Riley2.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJezClbWkspJd9qsXHEanmqDzbLJ6wTQv9qLHPu1MDTuzqR00szU1EgINylwkiQYLPCWSKard1xir4gtueZEruc6614v89vipRtJl0gS71QIASkZDa_eZfmF2elu7jPqhJf_dx5_bGHvhTTiwi0GWz-7_gIrhKPqI8gWdBDk_vABrRfu23r1l0ZsIPzw/s450/water-dish-Riley3.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="379" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJezClbWkspJd9qsXHEanmqDzbLJ6wTQv9qLHPu1MDTuzqR00szU1EgINylwkiQYLPCWSKard1xir4gtueZEruc6614v89vipRtJl0gS71QIASkZDa_eZfmF2elu7jPqhJf_dx5_bGHvhTTiwi0GWz-7_gIrhKPqI8gWdBDk_vABrRfu23r1l0ZsIPzw/s16000/water-dish-Riley3.JPG" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">He loves to play in the water dish, which gets water everywhere.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I hope you all are staying warm and dry.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2023/12/status-quo-days.html">Status Quo Days</a> © December 2023</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span>by </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254">Leigh</a> at </span><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/">http://www.5acresandadream.com</a></div>
Leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-63686964710346151582023-12-11T00:00:00.030-05:002024-01-12T05:31:14.688-05:00Greenhouse VentilationIn case you missed it, here's the last greenhouse photo I shared.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO8xUfGZorwhfBtVYseVt4QVQew11UJxw1ZZmzAcYCTQnR-Ap84_SzhLFzea7m5xmIBewPxk0U_2aVEy17eJdKD4paU3KcKmjs1w2Zd9fmiappy3OGRNLsHeOS3DU87zmsEbU6akjEBqRyjlBd19vl1lPgtGC-93y0FFuzy7UdWflxOtzTMPvn4wD83Js/s450/greenhouse-2023Nov.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO8xUfGZorwhfBtVYseVt4QVQew11UJxw1ZZmzAcYCTQnR-Ap84_SzhLFzea7m5xmIBewPxk0U_2aVEy17eJdKD4paU3KcKmjs1w2Zd9fmiappy3OGRNLsHeOS3DU87zmsEbU6akjEBqRyjlBd19vl1lPgtGC-93y0FFuzy7UdWflxOtzTMPvn4wD83Js/s16000/greenhouse-2023Nov.JPG" /></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">
Photo from
<a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2023/11/garden-notes-november-2023.html" target="_blank">Garden Notes: November 2023</a>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br />
<div>
At the top of the greenhouse roofline,
<a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2023/10/more-progress-on-greenhouse.html" target="_blank">a vent covers a solar attic ventilation fan</a>.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH0VQdTf1P2DjVRIZCcRwk19MPrPHUXxis2fn0xaPESLuQqxDDE8ik83p0h6ukWhAQnje0fIAQ2Xzn0o9MYGlOayyebxWZ5WEGQCsLQU_d_wsm1WpH1Tw_70DVs6aPYhXvSJeUyML8ooXy4hCTVcGQVzxZOeztryD5zmpMINDX23F31d5qyLx-dyDbBrE/s450/greenhouse-vent.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH0VQdTf1P2DjVRIZCcRwk19MPrPHUXxis2fn0xaPESLuQqxDDE8ik83p0h6ukWhAQnje0fIAQ2Xzn0o9MYGlOayyebxWZ5WEGQCsLQU_d_wsm1WpH1Tw_70DVs6aPYhXvSJeUyML8ooXy4hCTVcGQVzxZOeztryD5zmpMINDX23F31d5qyLx-dyDbBrE/s16000/greenhouse-vent.JPG" /></a>
</div>
<br />
<div>
We finally assembled all the pieces needed to hook it up to solar, and now have
functional ventilation in the greenhouse.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS2Sw23vXs3Ut1ZxwyRGi56qJqGfJ8_iy7UiPiZvsK9cGeNqRiIDft8NcCnlMSBu5UZcCXdG1QxMEIh4ohCyN-IynDPZmvSG_67ATGtsrd7FRHra_RICvtsby2jOXnxRNBnp1zAIu0aI8EoGledH4qsAX-n_INrioxvEqNNpTr55mwHCeTUfBAhW6w3y4/s400/greenhouse-vent-fan.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS2Sw23vXs3Ut1ZxwyRGi56qJqGfJ8_iy7UiPiZvsK9cGeNqRiIDft8NcCnlMSBu5UZcCXdG1QxMEIh4ohCyN-IynDPZmvSG_67ATGtsrd7FRHra_RICvtsby2jOXnxRNBnp1zAIu0aI8EoGledH4qsAX-n_INrioxvEqNNpTr55mwHCeTUfBAhW6w3y4/s16000/greenhouse-vent-fan.JPG" /></a>
</div>
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<div>
It's powered by a <a href="https://amzn.to/3uHPF3J" target="_blank">12-volt 100-watt solar panel</a> on the roof above the greenhouse. No
battery, so it runs when there's sun and doesn't when there isn't. Fan speed
is regulated by the amount of sun hitting the panel. This is okay, because I need ventilation when the sun is bright and heating up the
greenhouse more than I want! This is ultimately
<a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2017/03/shade-cloth-thoughts-on-hoop-house.html" target="_blank">why my hoophouse failed for winter growing</a>. It's not uncommon to get 60°F (16°C) days or warmer during winter here, which meant
the hoophouse got too hot for cool weather plants. I had no means of
ventilation other than opening the end flaps. This wan't effective, and everything bolted! I'm hoping
the vent fan will help with that.</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
If it's cold out and we don't want to lose warmth, there's a switch to turn it
off.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiudcqyurBv8QWnTOTRAR9ivkLvBj6ZRNEAM88ws_v-s3vk1xa_3Y9cm9dFdNALLH3lCX1KyOttHUNQw9omeWWqhhOcHs2gJtan1Z0hi3gn3l4dSIhiomfOfQY5LQcj4DKdIU0GJUjfJahzsqEQHt449tBTfh5uK11lK0pPe4ECBpnVSycMehSacs62RI0/s400/greenhouse-vent-fan-switch.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiudcqyurBv8QWnTOTRAR9ivkLvBj6ZRNEAM88ws_v-s3vk1xa_3Y9cm9dFdNALLH3lCX1KyOttHUNQw9omeWWqhhOcHs2gJtan1Z0hi3gn3l4dSIhiomfOfQY5LQcj4DKdIU0GJUjfJahzsqEQHt449tBTfh5uK11lK0pPe4ECBpnVSycMehSacs62RI0/s16000/greenhouse-vent-fan-switch.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The solar panel is wired to the switch,<br />and the switch is wired to the fan.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;">The fan will be on during warm winter days and probably run all summer. Not because I plan on using the greenhouse for plants then, but to help vent hot air
stacked up right next to the house and warming up my
<a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2023/08/sewing-room-done-at-last.html" target="_blank">studio/sewing room</a>!</p>
<div>The jalousie window on the backside of the greenhouse provides cooler outside air for
the draft.</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_bxgKYT9rVCgGDZS1X_K6RinxYiB4GBm08Hkb1nZb2s2p6pnDXIAfbtU8_P7RzUlw_AjmtEoADEjuQEJGu8w7iNvVTxvoWDXPnkSGohofIHdhi2LoZxAcYBSmrE9z6EJJJ_kgRHs0PbVuVlRVRIL_SNj_wtpePWojBcxw4ACjoPJ1Fk6XqrNiRlMx4ks/s400/greenhouse-ventilation.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_bxgKYT9rVCgGDZS1X_K6RinxYiB4GBm08Hkb1nZb2s2p6pnDXIAfbtU8_P7RzUlw_AjmtEoADEjuQEJGu8w7iNvVTxvoWDXPnkSGohofIHdhi2LoZxAcYBSmrE9z6EJJJ_kgRHs0PbVuVlRVRIL_SNj_wtpePWojBcxw4ACjoPJ1Fk6XqrNiRlMx4ks/s16000/greenhouse-ventilation.JPG" /></a>
</div>
<br />
<div>
There's more shade and hence cooler air on this side of the greenhouse, so it
makes sense to draw from this side and vent out on the hotter sunny side.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
The big question was, will it work?!? The next day we had a chance to test it out. After lunch, the outside thermometer read 52°F (11°C). The greenhouse thermometer read 80°F (27°C). I turned on the fan and opened the jalousie window. Two hours later the outside temp was up to 55°F (13°C), but the greenhouse temp had dropped to 75°F (24°C). That's promising! The following day was another warm one in the greenhouse. When the temp got up to 80°F (27°C), I turned on the fan but left the door open instead of the window, to experiment. Two hours later it was down to 70°F (21°C). My conclusion is that the 80-watt fan has a good air draw.</div><div><br /></div><div>Of our overnight lows, the coldest night we've had so far was 22°F (-5.5°C). The greenhouse got down to 32°F (0°C), with no frost or freeze damage to the cherry tomato (my only warm weather plant).</div><div><br /></div><div>Summer cooling may be another story, but that remains to be seen. I'm not planning on growing anything in the greenhouse in summer anyway, but it would be nice to keep it as cool as possible to keep the heat from transferring to the house.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm
calling this first year our test year. I'll keep track of temps and we'll experiment. Our coldest weather is yet to come, but we have a few ideas to try. Hopefully, we'll learn some things about how to
regulate greenhouse temperatures (both cold and hot).</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2023/12/greenhouse-ventilation.html">Greenhouse Ventilation</a> © December 2023</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span>by </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254">Leigh</a> at </span><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/">http://www.5acresandadream.com</a></div></div>
Leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-45679933990510140582023-12-06T00:00:00.002-05:002024-01-12T05:31:50.934-05:00Curds 'n Cream<p>Late autumn is the time of year when milk production drops. Milk production is seasonal, for the most part, and by now, the does are hopefully bred and apparently less interested in making milk. Although some does will "milk through" for more than a year. I've never had such a doe, so I plan my cheesemaking during our peak of production.</p><p>I experimented a lot in the past, and have pretty much settled on what could be classified as Mediterranean cheeses for home production. For cheesemaking and cheese storage, this type of cheese works the best in my climate.</p><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2015/06/mozzarella-making-revisited.html" target="_blank">mozzarella</a> - fresh or frozen (shredded)</li><li><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2017/11/a-tale-of-two-fetas.html" target="_blank">feta</a> - aged and stored in olive oil</li><li><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2019/08/cheesemaking-halloumi.html" target="_blank">halloumi</a> - fresh or frozen</li><li><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2017/12/fried-cheese.html" target="_blank">paneer</a> - fresh but can be frozen and crumbled into soups, eggs, enchiladas, etc.</li><li><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2017/10/new-adventures-in-cheese-making.html" target="_blank">farmers</a> - fresh</li><li><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2015/08/a-simple-ricotta-cheese.html" target="_blank">ricotta</a> - fresh or frozen</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: left;">While I make others on occasion, those are my staple cheeses. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The other day, Dan mentioned an old favorite of his, pineapple and cottage cheese. Years ago, I <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2011/06/contemplations-on-making-cheese.html" target="_blank">tried my hand at cottage cheese</a>. It turned out well enough, but somehow never got eaten and ended up being a treat for the chickens. Even so, this sounded like a good idea for the smaller amounts of milk I'm now getting. And then I got to wondering if I could make it with vinegar like paneer and ricotta, rather than rennet. I gave it a try.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I started with 1/2 gallon of milk, from which I hand skimmed the cream first. Then I heated it to almost simmering and added one <span style="text-align: center;">1/4-cup of vinegar</span>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOBM61pzt6azk1gNUqZGi3SMfbhyxbusGLi_299-ipTVHmFKTX7SBxzOY_es4H3Mhndyl5cZOK-IzlL4tGTZ04F7ygnqZmcfVFbaNB7CV674g9esY3-qYe90rPD8wvGEpKbwcgldn9tAfdIiGxNP6X7Oc5-r7FQrXKNpQmcXt1l2gMKlr04Ye2hXxReo/s450/curds-n-cream1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="362" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOBM61pzt6azk1gNUqZGi3SMfbhyxbusGLi_299-ipTVHmFKTX7SBxzOY_es4H3Mhndyl5cZOK-IzlL4tGTZ04F7ygnqZmcfVFbaNB7CV674g9esY3-qYe90rPD8wvGEpKbwcgldn9tAfdIiGxNP6X7Oc5-r7FQrXKNpQmcXt1l2gMKlr04Ye2hXxReo/s16000/curds-n-cream1.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The curds and whey begin to separate immediately. </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWQDP12FHbibpGnQRT94WgomZ9zSA0-qfcB323bcafbjZDQ5G3RqJg67DGGkRZ9b9rSrg5cTu5WTrjC1k-XcokzECvRPtKH2UqNUy5Qp87TMvpMewEEqgJROE7_km6vV641cMQ-sEnEOq0zgoJWpBIebsbAxHQYsnK81Nl_VMURhZVOFkjVaocWaKNA0/s450/curds-n-cream2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="352" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWQDP12FHbibpGnQRT94WgomZ9zSA0-qfcB323bcafbjZDQ5G3RqJg67DGGkRZ9b9rSrg5cTu5WTrjC1k-XcokzECvRPtKH2UqNUy5Qp87TMvpMewEEqgJROE7_km6vV641cMQ-sEnEOq0zgoJWpBIebsbAxHQYsnK81Nl_VMURhZVOFkjVaocWaKNA0/s16000/curds-n-cream2.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then the whey is drained off and saved <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2016/03/how-to-bake-without-baking-powder.html" target="_blank">for baking</a>.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYX3xkIieSCkFyfgHJ_f2tytu8Gp0JwFH8zty7ynny1Qz-6r07isrQzpCpUJxT50jQN62gdj6mYCL7U_6Qus07EbJxmCqTok4iyUrP6Bc0UHezAWhzynSoPu4cQW7oCkeaMMx1ynOsyil3qEppdQ3sitr111eEMUWNp_FwJa9FIpcX6NwSYIVUDRzYYmw/s450/curds-n-cream3.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="365" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYX3xkIieSCkFyfgHJ_f2tytu8Gp0JwFH8zty7ynny1Qz-6r07isrQzpCpUJxT50jQN62gdj6mYCL7U_6Qus07EbJxmCqTok4iyUrP6Bc0UHezAWhzynSoPu4cQW7oCkeaMMx1ynOsyil3qEppdQ3sitr111eEMUWNp_FwJa9FIpcX6NwSYIVUDRzYYmw/s16000/curds-n-cream3.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plop curds into a bowl, add salt to taste, and stir in the cream</td></tr></tbody></table></div><p style="text-align: left;">The result is something like a dry, small curd cottage cheese. The creaminess can be adjusted with the amount of cream added. Since it doesn't follow the traditional cottage cheese recipe, I decided to call it "curds and cream." It turned out to be a real treat, especially with pineapple.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQikF5cvlPX3uwdec7SxGIDhT-f57i1hNV3XfdVdU5Vz4OhRD-OVkrBPyFBFYrhZR_GdTGpTgIdyCPJlToj-Qw8-SjbMErDVr0ioItfRYcApWrzudhxa7SeMztDZKrNC8LGp13vhFLOQ5f9_QB91CvGNDAohCm20QGtvNDyCB9t-iHxjnKznJXya9K5CI/s450/curds-n-cream4.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQikF5cvlPX3uwdec7SxGIDhT-f57i1hNV3XfdVdU5Vz4OhRD-OVkrBPyFBFYrhZR_GdTGpTgIdyCPJlToj-Qw8-SjbMErDVr0ioItfRYcApWrzudhxa7SeMztDZKrNC8LGp13vhFLOQ5f9_QB91CvGNDAohCm20QGtvNDyCB9t-iHxjnKznJXya9K5CI/s16000/curds-n-cream4.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Serve as desired, here with pineapple and pineapple juice.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<p style="text-align: left;">Like my <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2017/08/fig-sap-cheese.html" target="_blank">fig sap cheese</a>, this is a good one for smaller amounts of milk. It makes a tasty change in our diet, so it looks like this is now officially on my "keeper" list.</p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2023/11/things-im-thankful-for.html">Curds 'n Cream</a> © December 2023</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span>by </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254">Leigh</a> at </span><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/">http://www.5acresandadream.com</a></div>
Leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-40471169136829912142023-11-29T05:06:00.006-05:002024-01-12T05:32:35.958-05:00Garden Notes: November 2023<p> <b>Rainfall </b></p>
<div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>10th: 0.01"</li>
<li>11th: 0.2"</li>
<li>12th: 0.02"</li>
<li>17th: 0.09"</li>
<li>21st: 0.7"</li>
<li>26th: 0.01"</li>
<li>Total: 1.03 inches</li>
</ul>
<div><b>Temperature</b></div>
</div>
<ul>
<li>range of nighttime lows: 22 to 58°F (-5.5 to 14°C)</li>
<li>range of daytime highs: 46 to 81°F (8 to 27°C)</li>
</ul>
<div><b>Weather Notes:</b></div>
</div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>1st frost: Nov. 1</li>
</ul>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
November has been garden clean-up month. Almost every day I work a bit on
pulling frost-killed summer plants and covering each bed with a thick mulch
of fallen leaves. This keeps winter weeds down for easier spring
planting.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ReYmNbT8SF51UXOGVzSMrLceYgYapyDsCO4fLJVxhFWUXKGXD29Un7PiXQBeYAFyBMO-fyDaaEnenix07-yqWyJEd2tf7B2DfzyQBsknT7LZAx4ky55i6cbQ9WveEKApfSFXL99S0zU8HGJ-PoLwj-C5cudodIwYG4qG-tAnlKCuB-7GsiDcFePyt8Y/s450/garden-nov2023.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ReYmNbT8SF51UXOGVzSMrLceYgYapyDsCO4fLJVxhFWUXKGXD29Un7PiXQBeYAFyBMO-fyDaaEnenix07-yqWyJEd2tf7B2DfzyQBsknT7LZAx4ky55i6cbQ9WveEKApfSFXL99S0zU8HGJ-PoLwj-C5cudodIwYG4qG-tAnlKCuB-7GsiDcFePyt8Y/s16000/garden-nov2023.JPG" /></a>
</div>
<br />
<div>
Other winter projects will include bed border replacement where needed and
aisle clean-up. Wire grass and other weeds eventually take over, so periodically need
to be cleared out and new wood chips applied. My garden is protected from
cold winter winds, so on sunny days it's a pleasant place to work.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
Of the two beds of cool weather veggies I planted, only one has done
well.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisoWqZCSlx1Es3Owv2bNTrRxESCQsYbTo0cPtvBMe7C7-tGXkXoNmD5tNdxQinIR57EJHJiNsYnG4CRF95t_Hgnd7TVDyACZ1QtBnB4ZYOejkN2EZP_cr3Gc1Dsr-jvygBU99yToEmJPLuHcStUuHnUp-MZnIUecanq4neQeZyaXz0W-99rJMxMzuz4UA/s450/garden-nov-greens.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisoWqZCSlx1Es3Owv2bNTrRxESCQsYbTo0cPtvBMe7C7-tGXkXoNmD5tNdxQinIR57EJHJiNsYnG4CRF95t_Hgnd7TVDyACZ1QtBnB4ZYOejkN2EZP_cr3Gc1Dsr-jvygBU99yToEmJPLuHcStUuHnUp-MZnIUecanq4neQeZyaXz0W-99rJMxMzuz4UA/s16000/garden-nov-greens.JPG" /></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">
kale, daikons, carrots, turnips, and garlic
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br />
<div>
I think it was the timing of planting and rainfall. It's been a dry autumn.
Even so, fresh greens and roots are a welcome addition to our diet.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
<div><b>Harvesting:</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>greens: kale, daikon, turnip, dandelion</li>
<li>roots: turnip and daikon</li>
<li>cherry tomatoes (greenhouse, see below)</li>
<li>and . . . </li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtz7ZyR09_chufBqwrt7sbP7D3Zoc2l7m4nlrae4_84B4FnC4Sm_182oVXegPY10-eo_IrBqh0xIImdYlk8OYes7-5Cw_h1m4QXEAFxFNxUnb_CegA1HfP4pOHG3m1LL8ZoZ-tcA1oov2krKtzKAoTcI8w-sJKnFRfAah7D4eb1ygyfAAPaWb0cXqjrc/s450/garden-nov-watermelon.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="450" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtz7ZyR09_chufBqwrt7sbP7D3Zoc2l7m4nlrae4_84B4FnC4Sm_182oVXegPY10-eo_IrBqh0xIImdYlk8OYes7-5Cw_h1m4QXEAFxFNxUnb_CegA1HfP4pOHG3m1LL8ZoZ-tcA1oov2krKtzKAoTcI8w-sJKnFRfAah7D4eb1ygyfAAPaWb0cXqjrc/w400-h288/garden-nov-watermelon.JPG" width="400" /></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">
surprise watermelon
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: left;">
It was hidden under a pile of dead cherry tomato vines! They seemed to have
protected it from frost, even though the watermelon vine is long since dead.
</p>
<div>I mentioned harvesting cherry tomatoes from the greenhouse. I have one cherry tomato vine in a pot . . .</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8siqKHXVJYznqmDRV3c4pDsMionok551bKug2eIhrdFrD7ZYhxLrIxlAMwSr8n5evL3xkfejjwj2QE5AWtDlgn-7GvIcIS_P-m9rWpo0RFc2bddcZyyfM8rI55ZUPlPBigc-AS-BsHU1gFgLKc15QVhvV8og_OE0ZExIcaUVe8V76XjyUoMZkDeulGEU/s450/cherry-toms-in-the-greenhouse-nov2023.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="339" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8siqKHXVJYznqmDRV3c4pDsMionok551bKug2eIhrdFrD7ZYhxLrIxlAMwSr8n5evL3xkfejjwj2QE5AWtDlgn-7GvIcIS_P-m9rWpo0RFc2bddcZyyfM8rI55ZUPlPBigc-AS-BsHU1gFgLKc15QVhvV8og_OE0ZExIcaUVe8V76XjyUoMZkDeulGEU/s16000/cherry-toms-in-the-greenhouse-nov2023.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This cherry tomato plant is a volunteer that showed up in a pot. It's a good test plant.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;">. . . as well as a few other things . . .</p>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickK2S9uJ5zV52bqDkZlmaGztrxJYgdaQJbVxIqg-PsEnG7rayQ7vkAm-huPSHvbi1hhWvb6AxfIU65VF0Ct1M8SBqDZDFNgWEPADtd4LbYVuVM4sDuJQoRn6tL5AwJIB-u_zwFWSikGp6nzbw0Baulud8gixHiBiNA3Iv-yv6uQrXsoy51ahWt-LQW1A/s450/growing-in-the-greenhouse-nov2023.JPG"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickK2S9uJ5zV52bqDkZlmaGztrxJYgdaQJbVxIqg-PsEnG7rayQ7vkAm-huPSHvbi1hhWvb6AxfIU65VF0Ct1M8SBqDZDFNgWEPADtd4LbYVuVM4sDuJQoRn6tL5AwJIB-u_zwFWSikGp6nzbw0Baulud8gixHiBiNA3Iv-yv6uQrXsoy51ahWt-LQW1A/s16000/growing-in-the-greenhouse-nov2023.JPG" /></a>
</div>
<p style="text-align: left;">As tempting as it is to fill the greenhouse with plants, I'm trying to keep it to a minimum as we'll be working on the interior soon. </p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7At2u2_m9sVP4ibqjQSonM6h_Cm85QzwCc1KmC8nApiOJF6LcPtivsozllZpWn7EWbsCLf5cVqsciZ0kJmnylo7ZYn_kWQ0TctPKNy-_qjB1bwsHiq3r2ptutwSxV6J7IXkIkZCaCWgNMltgvpRvzXdiQFAzygnPbU3gDaFW5yC8uz0s2XDko7wyKVsQ/s450/peppers-in-the-greenhouse-nov2023.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7At2u2_m9sVP4ibqjQSonM6h_Cm85QzwCc1KmC8nApiOJF6LcPtivsozllZpWn7EWbsCLf5cVqsciZ0kJmnylo7ZYn_kWQ0TctPKNy-_qjB1bwsHiq3r2ptutwSxV6J7IXkIkZCaCWgNMltgvpRvzXdiQFAzygnPbU3gDaFW5yC8uz0s2XDko7wyKVsQ/s16000/peppers-in-the-greenhouse-nov2023.JPG" /></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">
These are two green pepper plants I dug up from the garden and potted.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: left;">Everything in it is doing well. so far, but the real test will be January
and February, which are typically our coldest months. Even though it's still a work in progress, the greenhouse holds promise as a winter garden. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Progress on the exterior continues slowly . . .</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO8xUfGZorwhfBtVYseVt4QVQew11UJxw1ZZmzAcYCTQnR-Ap84_SzhLFzea7m5xmIBewPxk0U_2aVEy17eJdKD4paU3KcKmjs1w2Zd9fmiappy3OGRNLsHeOS3DU87zmsEbU6akjEBqRyjlBd19vl1lPgtGC-93y0FFuzy7UdWflxOtzTMPvn4wD83Js/s450/greenhouse-2023Nov.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO8xUfGZorwhfBtVYseVt4QVQew11UJxw1ZZmzAcYCTQnR-Ap84_SzhLFzea7m5xmIBewPxk0U_2aVEy17eJdKD4paU3KcKmjs1w2Zd9fmiappy3OGRNLsHeOS3DU87zmsEbU6akjEBqRyjlBd19vl1lPgtGC-93y0FFuzy7UdWflxOtzTMPvn4wD83Js/s16000/greenhouse-2023Nov.JPG" /></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">
I reckon this will be my new winter garden.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: left;">Dan finished the siding below the windows with cement board in a barn board pattern. What
there is of it. Then I painted it. Currently, he's recaulking the old
windows, and then we can finish up with their coats of paint. </p>
<div>I showed you the cherry tomatoes, and we still have a few slicing tomatoes
that I picked green before the frost.</div>
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJS6SNqrmHeyo-6QTLeN3xMoZ3MFIpXeczS-Rr6XgkoYhyFRc9QCx_bu-3bNQVZEfxPIeW5jzBA4iDoyiEDG-HIlsFYu8rXM4gzJcLeYbihP_vXgb-WrJ3c35gGergDw2Q7A6yMUj72_nBl4leuZEuAR4fLwGHVrKZj6sE9HIxvLi-de0sIB9hDdnmQgE/s450/last-of-the-green-tomatoes.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="349" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJS6SNqrmHeyo-6QTLeN3xMoZ3MFIpXeczS-Rr6XgkoYhyFRc9QCx_bu-3bNQVZEfxPIeW5jzBA4iDoyiEDG-HIlsFYu8rXM4gzJcLeYbihP_vXgb-WrJ3c35gGergDw2Q7A6yMUj72_nBl4leuZEuAR4fLwGHVrKZj6sE9HIxvLi-de0sIB9hDdnmQgE/s16000/last-of-the-green-tomatoes.JPG" /></a>
</div>
<br />
<div>
These are truly survivor tomatoes. They made it despite common tomato disease
and a long dry spell. Looks like we'll enjoy fresh garden tomatoes on into December. </div><div><br /></div><div>I thought this was going to be a short post, but it turned out a bit longer. Does anyone else have gardening news to share?</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2023/11/garden-notes-november-2023.html">Garden Notes: November 2023</a> © Nov. 2023</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span>by </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254">Leigh</a> at </span><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/">http://www.5acresandadream.com</a></div></div>
Leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-18016450395985809012023-11-23T00:00:00.009-05:002024-01-12T05:33:15.601-05:00Things I'm Thankful For<p>
Originally, I'd hoped to have a picture post, but I've run out of time, busy
with family things. But I do want to take advantage of this traditional time
of year to count my blessings. I know how easy it is to complain. Some default
setting of human thought and emotion? I find that focusing on gratitude and
contentment is so much happier!
</p>
<div style="text-align: left;">I'm thankful for:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>
My husband, who is truly a partner on all levels: physical, mental,
emotional, and spiritual.
</li>
<li>
My family. I'm proud of my adult children, their spouses, and their
children.
</li>
<li>Our little piece of land.</li>
<li>
Our goats and the milk they provide. I'm thankful for their antics too!
</li>
<li>
Our poultry. Everybody seems to be getting along better now that we've
thinned the flock.
</li>
<li>Our four mousers (it takes that many around here).</li>
<li>
Our garden and all its struggles to produce for us despite our often
uncooperative southern weather.
</li>
<li>The greenhouse (progress update soon!)</li><li>That so much of our Thanksgiving feast is homegrown: turkey, cornmeal for the cornbread stuffing, green beans for the green bean casserole, winter squash for the "pumpkin" pie, and goat cream for its whipped cream topping.</li>
<li>My new sewing room.</li>
<li>
My table loom (thanks to my dear friend Terry) and the ability to weave
again.
</li>
<li>A cozy fire in the woodstove.</li>
<li>A warm lap cat on a chilly evening. </li>
<li>
My blogging community. I'm thankful for each of you who visit my blogs and
take the time to comment. I'm thankful for the blogs you write, because
you help keep my life interesting with your diversity of projects,
personalities, interests, ideas, and opinions.
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">I truly have a lot to be thankful for.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2023/11/things-im-thankful-for.html">Things I'm Thankful For</a> © November 2023</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span>by </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254">Leigh</a> at </span><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/">http://www.5acresandadream.com</a></div></div>
Leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-17934181439111365232023-11-20T08:06:00.003-05:002023-11-20T09:46:28.174-05:00Product Review: Fresh Keeper by Luxear<p>
I don't often do product reviews, but when I was contacted by Luxear<a href="https://luxear.net/" target="_blank">,</a> I was
really interested in doing this one. <a href="https://luxear.net/" target="_blank">Luxear</a> is the same company that makes
those fantastic
<a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2022/06/product-review-luxear-cooling-blanket.html" target="_blank">Arc-Chill cooling blankets</a> that I love. So I already have confidence in their products and this one, <a href="https://amzn.to/47Duzls" target="_blank">Fresh Keeper Refrigerator Storage Containers</a>, sounded like a must have. With a garden like
mine, something to help keep things fresh would be a real bonus!
</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizD0cCRkquO5RiVazd2WIL4KRAaERFW6dHX4mi2ZqzDE74NGPl9Jyd3LL4rmems9Gq7BeTT4EXFtkAFdrdaYGY6YCQosbNhrgBpwHQBmcI-6nhYVIKw5mI4UrPqtJroypx91sO2GbFbCAU8jf5fLP2DAp_1QMepCLXjhNQ2bGpKKzpOWWhl1OIDLT2QI0/s400/fresh-keeper1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="339" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizD0cCRkquO5RiVazd2WIL4KRAaERFW6dHX4mi2ZqzDE74NGPl9Jyd3LL4rmems9Gq7BeTT4EXFtkAFdrdaYGY6YCQosbNhrgBpwHQBmcI-6nhYVIKw5mI4UrPqtJroypx91sO2GbFbCAU8jf5fLP2DAp_1QMepCLXjhNQ2bGpKKzpOWWhl1OIDLT2QI0/w339-h400/fresh-keeper1.JPG" width="339" /></a>
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>The box contained a set of five storage containers with lids.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8IhCQV8YJxAVHIrJocxqU_H43o24XPGVXfHITtArovEJegeDzvOSeoSzUMORgNd6lJV64A0Os1rZF8Rl3w1Krpe9P9Z5kSxfGiDBDRk-7GpiIy-wFHzr2_snL0ZMNJMeSen2dVwBvFBVYZdiR9zhVu2BXi6dK4prEU7_JB9wn3BfW_utcTl6NdkXapo/s450/fresh-keeper2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="314" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8IhCQV8YJxAVHIrJocxqU_H43o24XPGVXfHITtArovEJegeDzvOSeoSzUMORgNd6lJV64A0Os1rZF8Rl3w1Krpe9P9Z5kSxfGiDBDRk-7GpiIy-wFHzr2_snL0ZMNJMeSen2dVwBvFBVYZdiR9zhVu2BXi6dK4prEU7_JB9wn3BfW_utcTl6NdkXapo/s16000/fresh-keeper2.JPG" /></a>
</div>
<div><br /></div>
These included a good range of sizes:
<div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil85-ZqXS9HiBAdXOXFw7ObyRFNWwMGhj4CZal1AG52-Is6fnd7Vt0lJTbcddNfcy5c5LBEAiB1OGa9m9GPQnGPrWeqX0acFVjqfruBPOyBsYdZdu4OexbJA9_1sla3EM7jzuN7GZEZwCy4wuGIl4HepQcsYbQc0izwvkKULqHbcMQyyM9oOWzorCHYbs/s450/fresh-keeper3.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil85-ZqXS9HiBAdXOXFw7ObyRFNWwMGhj4CZal1AG52-Is6fnd7Vt0lJTbcddNfcy5c5LBEAiB1OGa9m9GPQnGPrWeqX0acFVjqfruBPOyBsYdZdu4OexbJA9_1sla3EM7jzuN7GZEZwCy4wuGIl4HepQcsYbQc0izwvkKULqHbcMQyyM9oOWzorCHYbs/s16000/fresh-keeper3.JPG" /></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">
196 oz, 129 oz, 78 oz, 46 oz, and 24 oz.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br />
</div>
<div>I like the lids, both the carrying handle and the way they snap on.</div>
<div><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bVsAXrHOFmA2M08otoVWK16ZRE4xsWrqJdd1OoNByoIV_UlCBjY4aCrJZnAre-49Hf6maaPUKGpxYYzgWWOG0_hOmO8tpP1lnqU8TSLfGAkQKiIgkFrpPZTYkZ5FdcF9_D3OcVTdI9KeYToVTNBDKoEoIX2FysqrYANXA1SNVEH03bZeMp5RQMDkUEE/s450/fresh-keeper4.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="356" data-original-width="450" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bVsAXrHOFmA2M08otoVWK16ZRE4xsWrqJdd1OoNByoIV_UlCBjY4aCrJZnAre-49Hf6maaPUKGpxYYzgWWOG0_hOmO8tpP1lnqU8TSLfGAkQKiIgkFrpPZTYkZ5FdcF9_D3OcVTdI9KeYToVTNBDKoEoIX2FysqrYANXA1SNVEH03bZeMp5RQMDkUEE/w400-h316/fresh-keeper4.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The removable colander is nice for rinsing produce before storage.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div>
I'm going to confess here, that I wondered if the freshness wasn't due to some
sort of chemical additive, but no. The fresh keeping is just simple common
sense.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIBnnpGZqd1_Lv35HPtvbUe8wSa6qYhxzTnL4WUT2ie7mpnlZXpbq9Og6LgnJd82Nci_cpQFcMU0gB05daCUUtIwNE2jGeq5pFtEyCO8ytOz50vrxk7ss3v2uUUOMfC53kNir_317yc6BjhutX4ewBbDLETqrzIFzBxlOU-nwOTboKZGSxI0QJ0sbgBcg/s450/fresh-keeper5.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIBnnpGZqd1_Lv35HPtvbUe8wSa6qYhxzTnL4WUT2ie7mpnlZXpbq9Og6LgnJd82Nci_cpQFcMU0gB05daCUUtIwNE2jGeq5pFtEyCO8ytOz50vrxk7ss3v2uUUOMfC53kNir_317yc6BjhutX4ewBbDLETqrzIFzBxlOU-nwOTboKZGSxI0QJ0sbgBcg/s16000/fresh-keeper5.JPG" /></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">
The inner colander lets moisture drip off<br />and allows for air flow
to keep foods fresh.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br />These can be used for any fruit or vegetable, so for my test, I chose fresh picked garden greens. I washed them well, shook
off the excess water,and divided them into thirds. One third went into the Fresh
Keeper, one went into a ziplock bag, and the other will be wrapped in a paper
towel to store.
<div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIPWrAOTUmaD5GIvZYHlxpYVWIoeaZW7swnHZ6KlBzuIbLDRbWld2QaUuWSjA7q-63fxCY36sXgPYlOzl2ch2KUeeIoDVB3CjxFwxoH3vUbQ8akYRAcF87fkGPHtiIsMOvWrW9vRjRbVq5vQaxT_Go6cVwECRCFj-xsCPbUNIGrw4aKFotZ6TO6LCHpTM/s450/fresh-keeper7.JPG"><img border="0" data-original-height="299" data-original-width="450" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIPWrAOTUmaD5GIvZYHlxpYVWIoeaZW7swnHZ6KlBzuIbLDRbWld2QaUuWSjA7q-63fxCY36sXgPYlOzl2ch2KUeeIoDVB3CjxFwxoH3vUbQ8akYRAcF87fkGPHtiIsMOvWrW9vRjRbVq5vQaxT_Go6cVwECRCFj-xsCPbUNIGrw4aKFotZ6TO6LCHpTM/w400-h266/fresh-keeper7.JPG" width="400" /></a>
</div><p style="text-align: left;">
Then I popped them all into the fridge. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZQNPQohbAkfUbMrkGsdGyOCjjXAQFbnYTHWlsANKWyYYVquG41yew8vo5OfrbAITvGKoPDYwEeUiSuQPtbsZnDNSmWZOEwWnYmUd6YTK3Dc-lrW3kDObcVjXDAtrK6TSK7JB9zaieuVQoCYrfZ0ViUl_RsuhK721rC5c6yMpbUbC33D_Q7FIFyskvb24/s450/fresh-keeper8.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="297" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZQNPQohbAkfUbMrkGsdGyOCjjXAQFbnYTHWlsANKWyYYVquG41yew8vo5OfrbAITvGKoPDYwEeUiSuQPtbsZnDNSmWZOEwWnYmUd6YTK3Dc-lrW3kDObcVjXDAtrK6TSK7JB9zaieuVQoCYrfZ0ViUl_RsuhK721rC5c6yMpbUbC33D_Q7FIFyskvb24/s16000/fresh-keeper8.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day 1</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;">I checked them daily. Of course, the greens on the paper towel wilted the quickest, so the real competition was between the greens in the plastic Ziploc bag and the Fresh Keeper. After 7 full days, the difference started to show.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYoGZ81C6xPWiD5HTxHSCfQmNe3VQ4M4VPX5qBb_qGSE1EnqylNWQ9fkuZVYisq8hjIJRtY7pCRJEzEjbNogDyFrzF2ufl4-J8XxAbLBiLHfhuk4BRnjNwVJP_T-yuJdWcghyJO5mYX3y50snsxQbIm5NYTE9mpgL_b95eZSUFHPS0Il1rYPubwowzgBQ/s450/fresh-keeper9.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="301" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYoGZ81C6xPWiD5HTxHSCfQmNe3VQ4M4VPX5qBb_qGSE1EnqylNWQ9fkuZVYisq8hjIJRtY7pCRJEzEjbNogDyFrzF2ufl4-J8XxAbLBiLHfhuk4BRnjNwVJP_T-yuJdWcghyJO5mYX3y50snsxQbIm5NYTE9mpgL_b95eZSUFHPS0Il1rYPubwowzgBQ/s16000/fresh-keeper9.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day 8</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The greens in the ziploc were beginning to lose color and wilt. The greens in Fresh Keeper were just as fresh looking as the day I picked them.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Conclusion? Fresh Keeper is definitely a keeper! The Amazon link <a href="https://amzn.to/47Duzls" target="_blank">is here</a>. And the good news is that Luxear has given me a 10% Amazon discount code to pass on to you. They're currently running a Black Friday Deal, so the discount will count on top of that!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Seller Rywell Direct:</span><b>4QL428NE </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Seller LUXEAR Inc:<b>ETUJOFJH</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Expires 12/31/2028</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(Not in the US? You can order directly from <a href=" https://luxear.net/" target="_blank">the Luxear website</a>.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With the discount, these would make great holiday gifts. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2023/11/product-review-fresh-keeper-by-luxear.html">Product Review: Fresh Keeper by Luxear</a> © Nov 2023</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span>by </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254">Leigh</a> at </span><a href="http://www.5acresandadream.com/">http://www.5acresandadream.com</a></div></div></div>
</div>
Leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-9823555204241659442023-11-15T00:00:00.006-05:002024-01-12T05:33:59.201-05:00A Return To Homemaking<p>I feel a need to preface this post by defining my terms. That is, after all, what Mortimer J. Adler says a good author does (<i><a href="https://amzn.to/3QzjpZg" target="_blank">How To Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading</a></i>). To that end, I have several terms that I'd like to clarify as to how I personally use them, to establish context for my post title.</p><p><b>House:</b> a structure built for people to live in, i.e., a human dwelling.</p><p><b>Home:</b> one's personal house; where one lives, keeps their possessions, and maintains their lifestyle.</p><p><b>Household</b>: the collection of items belonging to a house and the persons dwelling there.</p><p><b>Housework:</b> the work of maintaining a home. Includes a collection of chores such as dusting, vacuuming, washing dishes, making beds, doing laundry, etc.</p><p><b>Housekeeping:</b> the skill of overseeing and managing a household.</p><p><b>Homemaking:</b> the art of creating and maintaining an ambiance, i.e. environment and atmosphere within the home that is conducive to the comfort and mental/emotional well being of the people who live there.</p><p>All of these are relevant to our life here as homesteaders, but I confess that there hasn't been much actual homemaking going on for quite awhile. Why is that? Well, we bought this place in 2009 as a fixer-upper. We made that choice for two reasons. The first was to have a lower mortgage payment. The second was make it suitable for our chosen lifestyle. And because we chose to do all the repairs, updates, and remodeling ourselves, our house has seemed more like a construction zone than a home these past years, with various rooms taking turns being storage units for whatever other room we are working on.</p><p>On the one hand, we've had the benefit of doing things exactly the way we want them. But it's taken a long time because we had so many outdoor projects as well: fence making, outbuilding construction, tree planting, garden establishing, critter keeping, etc. The problem with this is that one gets used to living conditions as they are, as though stacks of packed-up boxes in the dining room are actually a thing. </p><p>This began to change, however, when I wanted to carve out a little space for my sewing machine and creative projects. I was willing to just shove boxes aside to do it, but Dan said "let's finish the room." (That adventure started <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2023/05/sewing-room.html" target="_blank">here</a>.) It was one of the last two rooms to do, and he wanted to take another step forward to finishing the house. So the smaller one finally became <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2023/08/sewing-room-done-at-last.html" target="_blank">my studio/sewing room</a>. </p><p>The other day I finally got the last of the storage boxes out of the dining room. As I cleared off the hutch, table, chairs, and corners and began to dust and clean, I thought about <a href="https://leighsfiberjournal.blogspot.com/2023/10/table-runner-1-is-done.html" target="_blank">the table runner on my loom</a> and recalled another one that I made years ago, when I first started weaving. What's the point of pursuing creative arts, I thought, if it isn't reflected in my home? Maybe it's finally time to switch my brain from storage mode to homemaking mode.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNdtwf7Yfn09KUcziOBbJeIQWZPBOsPe6aUATqSf_zAfUd6lPSAXiDN4PzGiUGIQzFDdqC6LpRE9fURgj4oCP4CktQzWs0ZQmLxme8fBndgpS66TKsoQoatByUxNY1qPbm_DiEmaZVYZbwSJBqMoJHyPDSEpxChnmk2bE5I8J2dkKIRo9X8LGpPbkguGg/s450/dining-room.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNdtwf7Yfn09KUcziOBbJeIQWZPBOsPe6aUATqSf_zAfUd6lPSAXiDN4PzGiUGIQzFDdqC6LpRE9fURgj4oCP4CktQzWs0ZQmLxme8fBndgpS66TKsoQoatByUxNY1qPbm_DiEmaZVYZbwSJBqMoJHyPDSEpxChnmk2bE5I8J2dkKIRo9X8LGpPbkguGg/s16000/dining-room.JPG" /></a></div><p>When we bought the place, this was the only dining area in the house. It only became a "formal" dining room when we <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2012/11/kitchen-remodel-announcement-done.html" target="_blank">remodeled the kitchen</a> and carved out a little space for <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2012/10/kitchen-remodel-last-project.html" target="_blank">a dining nook</a>. Truth be told, I use the dining table a lot; previously for projects before I got <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2023/08/sewing-room-done-at-last.html" target="_blank">my sewing and crafting table</a>, now, for a place to cure produce or to dry and sort garden seeds for saving. So it rarely looks like that photo.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj42MhI05j9od6ZdU1xzJQJu4WYgGUOFY__4DpTMTd63UPex_IOgigUzEiakFMrE619KJ5ni2-gOYtW7-IUem7ORH9Yin4sFLg5ZMwJo7DjV5WM0VvdS3WuKiZFTUrKvlhnK4cfwCDFe0Su1i1rDzNiJapzSuzY_ksixtpVMubIemX9HPOTZbhpXYUaIqI/s450/rustic-hemp-table-runner.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="339" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj42MhI05j9od6ZdU1xzJQJu4WYgGUOFY__4DpTMTd63UPex_IOgigUzEiakFMrE619KJ5ni2-gOYtW7-IUem7ORH9Yin4sFLg5ZMwJo7DjV5WM0VvdS3WuKiZFTUrKvlhnK4cfwCDFe0Su1i1rDzNiJapzSuzY_ksixtpVMubIemX9HPOTZbhpXYUaIqI/s16000/rustic-hemp-table-runner.JPG" /></a></div><p>The table runner will forever be memorial in my mind because it was one of the very first projects I produced on my loom. I think someone gave me the yarn, a fuzzy singles (one-ply) hemp yarn that was nearly impossible to work with because it stuck together and tangled so. Somehow I managed to win and for a beginning weaver's project, I think it turned out really well. And it's perfect for autumn decorating. </p><p>It's amazing how this impacts the atmosphere of the entire house. And it's nice to think that when someone comes to the front door, it offers a backdrop of tidiness and care. At least I'd like to think so. Keeping it tidy is another story! It's amazing how much dust accumulates in a 100-year-old house with wood heat. But it's fun to think of myself as a homemaker again. It's been worth the wait.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2023/11/i-finally-had-to-replace-my-excalibur.html">A Return To Homemaking</a> © Nov. 2023</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span>by </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254">Leigh</a> at </span><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/">http://www.5acresandadream.com</a></div>Leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-38951034490593184982023-11-10T00:00:00.001-05:002023-11-10T00:00:00.132-05:00I Finally Had to Replace My ExcaliburDehydrator, that is. <div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjta_Kp1H2otNsCF7BpwKSBZHCpkc92C-qJYbRvxvLP225FOiYBTumygGd9hoVUBLQQrnszEQRzuFK0KjAulmXJhnv0-TGQtXrCy87ZQRTFS70XetooexxbEZEQhyphenhyphen4vY6Dp2E-KtgfvjMc3Gl_n7r3f4XaP7DDP6VHuuLM9LxdUqvIHmiT9BTEBrZJ6h98/s413/blueberries-drying.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="374" data-original-width="413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjta_Kp1H2otNsCF7BpwKSBZHCpkc92C-qJYbRvxvLP225FOiYBTumygGd9hoVUBLQQrnszEQRzuFK0KjAulmXJhnv0-TGQtXrCy87ZQRTFS70XetooexxbEZEQhyphenhyphen4vY6Dp2E-KtgfvjMc3Gl_n7r3f4XaP7DDP6VHuuLM9LxdUqvIHmiT9BTEBrZJ6h98/s16000/blueberries-drying.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2009/08/dried-squash-and-other-goodies.html" target="_blank">August 2009</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>I knew this was coming because <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2023/09/garden-notes-september-2023.html" target="_blank">in September I tried to dehydrate pear sauc</a>e and never could get it crispy enough to powder. Considering that I bought my Excalibur in the late 1990s, I can't complain about its service life! Even so, in the past couple of years the plastic trays had begun to crack.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy90b-TOWf28lHH6pFvt5flas45W4Gyd0bzROk-uWNEfl07BRUdOTV_Y2Rni9-DO_vtXUvqDxCr6sqAugNnnawYmUMgyvWtuecQ3Xq_6WY0KAal1kfqYqrxFg0KHm85RVPrFMlFQdLEUbmimXyakVqPJMtpwGDx8FPIsGqWz1aaQIwScQnf3NBdMYCtH0/s450/Excalibur-cracked-tray.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="450" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy90b-TOWf28lHH6pFvt5flas45W4Gyd0bzROk-uWNEfl07BRUdOTV_Y2Rni9-DO_vtXUvqDxCr6sqAugNnnawYmUMgyvWtuecQ3Xq_6WY0KAal1kfqYqrxFg0KHm85RVPrFMlFQdLEUbmimXyakVqPJMtpwGDx8FPIsGqWz1aaQIwScQnf3NBdMYCtH0/w400-h283/Excalibur-cracked-tray.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>But that's typical of plastic and they were still usable. Having the heating element go, however, pretty much meant the end. </div><div><br /></div><div>I spent some time looking at various makes and models of new dehydrators. Even though I have no complaints with the Excalibur, being all plastic plus having a higher price point caused me to exclude that brand from consideration. Lots of the new ones are stainless steel and less expensive. I compared prices and reviews and finally decided on one that had a promotional discount as well.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoPkbNajk2Dw4X7V08Hece9bmE2RXMkSU4yMDxbJAMnsNIgcfjL2dViAnYiAJPym6ksjCvEZkBu7lzvIeMkyoUi3375RoS1l3OAYbZ8a0sHxyqlYRmLM11jPwvEbiSysSYOuai9auAlFCOVtBlFYU_Uv5u8I1eH7fhyphenhyphen_wVHroV2wQvw33eSiyuUBAA270/s450/new-food-dehydrator1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="417" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoPkbNajk2Dw4X7V08Hece9bmE2RXMkSU4yMDxbJAMnsNIgcfjL2dViAnYiAJPym6ksjCvEZkBu7lzvIeMkyoUi3375RoS1l3OAYbZ8a0sHxyqlYRmLM11jPwvEbiSysSYOuai9auAlFCOVtBlFYU_Uv5u8I1eH7fhyphenhyphen_wVHroV2wQvw33eSiyuUBAA270/s16000/new-food-dehydrator1.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The brand is <a href="https://amzn.to/49j2zFk" target="_blank">Ultrean</a>. You can get the specifics at that link. I wasn't especially keen on a digital control interface, but they're all made that way now.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlfkgorwnGsAAa1th8dCwW6W3cI4ikz_shepAJmoyi-KJta7fibktLJtTqDhgeJnTz4XDax1XR5m0TAirO0r2hVR-6EjOF5u3b8-i8AbJRvHVkCYXSCwwPiOpT-gfdSSPf62oNumlySd68b-Yn8E_sULoViWRp3A0Le-O5gPppphM7WbNzI-hG8nsA3Oo/s450/new-food-dehydrator2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlfkgorwnGsAAa1th8dCwW6W3cI4ikz_shepAJmoyi-KJta7fibktLJtTqDhgeJnTz4XDax1XR5m0TAirO0r2hVR-6EjOF5u3b8-i8AbJRvHVkCYXSCwwPiOpT-gfdSSPf62oNumlySd68b-Yn8E_sULoViWRp3A0Le-O5gPppphM7WbNzI-hG8nsA3Oo/s16000/new-food-dehydrator2.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div>Except for the control panel and viewing window, the entire unit is stainless steel, including the trays. I much prefer that to plastic. It's definitely heavier than the Excalibur. Also, this one uses 600 watts as opposed to the Excalibur's 400 watts for the 5-tray model.</div><div><br /></div><div>It included one mesh liner and one fruit leather tray.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUbNYSpjbwFveKi6LIHFl9ENg-I5X60YwxNSzpaAHfIj1J2VoaBAIi9ZF3S0pNgGGJku0RWJ5wRSgGH7ipLdCM7rb9s4VDjG7dzX7mSx4IfVpCiBJLVB0Au5zfaCFF9FyB6Rmvfvl9lYz41xFBf6aUrHqNEDPQk83unkxuzT5wqy0R6D3LY8CaiXRa-Q/s450/new-food-dehydrator3.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="304" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioUbNYSpjbwFveKi6LIHFl9ENg-I5X60YwxNSzpaAHfIj1J2VoaBAIi9ZF3S0pNgGGJku0RWJ5wRSgGH7ipLdCM7rb9s4VDjG7dzX7mSx4IfVpCiBJLVB0Au5zfaCFF9FyB6Rmvfvl9lYz41xFBf6aUrHqNEDPQk83unkxuzT5wqy0R6D3LY8CaiXRa-Q/s16000/new-food-dehydrator3.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div>These are plastic. Also noteworthy, the Ultrean's trays are smaller than the Excalibur's but there are eight of them instead of five.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHIB3m7BfY071hdFl0FgfWSbeLB8reZ9f5p9mMilk7Q8YIITt_XOUMzfURgToLl_nFl61aYKdTh6KVsp4VgLY2K9n70QJcv-MidoaqNOqO0WX_HZ3W3KW_Mz5zxC8rXPb5R4YRCZiMoabhRSbBnZlciUrGhxQGoMgM6M6qDMLdULEJODkdP6Zni3LDo4k/s400/dryer-tray-comparison.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="389" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHIB3m7BfY071hdFl0FgfWSbeLB8reZ9f5p9mMilk7Q8YIITt_XOUMzfURgToLl_nFl61aYKdTh6KVsp4VgLY2K9n70QJcv-MidoaqNOqO0WX_HZ3W3KW_Mz5zxC8rXPb5R4YRCZiMoabhRSbBnZlciUrGhxQGoMgM6M6qDMLdULEJODkdP6Zni3LDo4k/s16000/dryer-tray-comparison.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div>I gave it a try with the last of the green peppers, <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2023/10/garden-notes-october-2023.html" target="_blank">harvested in anticipation of our first frost</a>. Because the peppers didn't have time to grow and mature, my pieces were small.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs8skijt7EmjYfixdrNvbFoHj_GcP1X8MBhxJPMeMJjKr4FmImYnwgr2AyjyHBMJJ_hfwLmYxe3mdIDp_b4dubWQ_kRxbEjqhYeKb7RRVirWd_x27COxUH5fHu442O9R7y-xABHtqaFmlCKezxJ4GbOMynU4FJo5somZbKLw58azwFbOR81uXxlD-npHA/s450/drying-peppers1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs8skijt7EmjYfixdrNvbFoHj_GcP1X8MBhxJPMeMJjKr4FmImYnwgr2AyjyHBMJJ_hfwLmYxe3mdIDp_b4dubWQ_kRxbEjqhYeKb7RRVirWd_x27COxUH5fHu442O9R7y-xABHtqaFmlCKezxJ4GbOMynU4FJo5somZbKLw58azwFbOR81uXxlD-npHA/s16000/drying-peppers1.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The necessity for the finer mesh trays is immediately obvious!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhQ7aVmqCyKuGb-r_1xPCO_yWopYaiocqAH1FlTfPaDxtcPlEr14l_mD4M_qYWBGKmk1ZU8VysYGDv1fcwdFCFOJX-RrHz3_3NZ9ewrEnVM4NFsWCpStOl3PFFvQ-8TGT7g65W6f3GXXW7pqf1KUJmxamF4cRiix1Oj4DGxDIed-Uu2PnhzZFY9SDBKow/s450/drying-peppers2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhQ7aVmqCyKuGb-r_1xPCO_yWopYaiocqAH1FlTfPaDxtcPlEr14l_mD4M_qYWBGKmk1ZU8VysYGDv1fcwdFCFOJX-RrHz3_3NZ9ewrEnVM4NFsWCpStOl3PFFvQ-8TGT7g65W6f3GXXW7pqf1KUJmxamF4cRiix1Oj4DGxDIed-Uu2PnhzZFY9SDBKow/s16000/drying-peppers2.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div>Since I only had the one to start, I put it on the bottom rack to catch pieces that fell through. </div><div><br /></div><div>Choosing the settings and getting it started aren't as intuitive as turning a knob, but that's just something I'll get used to with use. Of the plastic mesh liners, I plan to cut down the old ones from my Excalibur. Those plus the one included will give me six. I'll need to get more fruit leather trays, however. The <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2022/11/silicone-dehydrator-tray-liners.html" target="_blank">silicone ones I recently bought</a> for the Excalibur are too large. </div><div><br /></div><div>All in all, I'm satisfied with my purchase. A food dehydrator is a staple piece of equipment for me, so it gets a lot of use. The bonus is that in winter I dehydrate overnight in the kitchen, to capture the heat generated during the drying process. Every little bit helps. Hopefully, this one will last as long as my Excalibur did.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2023/11/i-finally-had-to-replace-my-excalibur.html">I Finally Had to Replace My Excalibur</a> © Nov 2023</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span>by </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254">Leigh</a> at </span><a href="http://www.5acresandadream.com/">http://www.5acresandadream.com</a></div></div>Leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-78219901888136493972023-11-04T05:53:00.001-04:002023-11-04T05:53:08.816-04:00Inside the Greenhouse: What Do We Need & Where Will It Go?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdu7B5xJPswdxIUOde2fm4XUxsS1ChLJB0gBeqhsDzOK7TLCF3vHOqQB167blg0mKlbWpphqkwXQB1zSJPzFPoFA1zsmJ4IGlsq-vNiWFfnXRnKBFfAJydLW866RwI_IJsKtYNgR9BO9tjBgjQdLIU9ntJR9plszn7vgcqXhoAt4tM08oKf1aqRuAFMsg/s450/calendar_Nov.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="450" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdu7B5xJPswdxIUOde2fm4XUxsS1ChLJB0gBeqhsDzOK7TLCF3vHOqQB167blg0mKlbWpphqkwXQB1zSJPzFPoFA1zsmJ4IGlsq-vNiWFfnXRnKBFfAJydLW866RwI_IJsKtYNgR9BO9tjBgjQdLIU9ntJR9plszn7vgcqXhoAt4tM08oKf1aqRuAFMsg/w400-h378/calendar_Nov.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>November already! </p><p>The <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2023/10/more-progress-on-greenhouse.html" target="_blank">exterior of the greenhouse</a> is pretty much done and painting has commenced. Next it's time to start looking at the interior. And that means deciding what we need and how to set it up. So far, I have a wish list:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUdkWZrwyjShn4HoryALJ6atCztzY1VhNzOJtHLG-Ra-1n6Cu4YhtxWLqNfrMA5pTvn_4WXT8YxCHPej7pOOJCgRuCP4f2DXCPNtWfpCsTCmsY3oQNuAw3WcxJmTfbB1wRlLresrkl-ylGdkBcCDu_Tl_nBtP_F6atT6c3uTX_pYag8GENKaX9xrm7gIs/s500/greenhouse-planning-list.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="290" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUdkWZrwyjShn4HoryALJ6atCztzY1VhNzOJtHLG-Ra-1n6Cu4YhtxWLqNfrMA5pTvn_4WXT8YxCHPej7pOOJCgRuCP4f2DXCPNtWfpCsTCmsY3oQNuAw3WcxJmTfbB1wRlLresrkl-ylGdkBcCDu_Tl_nBtP_F6atT6c3uTX_pYag8GENKaX9xrm7gIs/w233-h400/greenhouse-planning-list.JPG" width="233" /></a></div><p>And a rough sketch:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3nzawIqkLaQJK-WYnmQfBAev8slgbs0znsuje1nhQ9UPT9ywF6ksUTkvcbJAzwJIcENtVzAmIAElvrHyp-EP70nPvbA1j2VTeermIErtddXVIc34FiiiF4Xawg9maPJHYrcGO9IcSAgHaZZKCaMBPC9aVITXKE6oevUlomj3AGFseYZzuav_fomBLw_4/s450/greenhouse-planning-sketch.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3nzawIqkLaQJK-WYnmQfBAev8slgbs0znsuje1nhQ9UPT9ywF6ksUTkvcbJAzwJIcENtVzAmIAElvrHyp-EP70nPvbA1j2VTeermIErtddXVIc34FiiiF4Xawg9maPJHYrcGO9IcSAgHaZZKCaMBPC9aVITXKE6oevUlomj3AGFseYZzuav_fomBLw_4/s16000/greenhouse-planning-sketch.JPG" /></a></div><p>These have been hanging on the kitchen bulletin board since we <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2022/10/greenhouse-planning.html" target="_blank">first started planning</a>, so they are a little out of date. For example, we've already decided the door to the house will go on the right side instead of in the middle. And Dan only has two 55-gallon drums, so I don't think I'll get my three rain barrels. At least not in the beginning.</p><p>Also, I've been collecting ideas <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/5acresandadream/greenhouses/" target="_blank">on Pinterest</a>. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfShcYgXTh1DkuwSYOoB63thiBGtn2SW0wtZs03GxkNNbOtZd3uItn0J2r4bxot7VHtY0NQVCocECLdxn8nO4a4nyKwJKMWmk5NyY2CWG1BnPEPBOVS9hpTKaiuY7dylj9iTnljCnGkCxv09u9vuhlS6boy2w8T_XVFdz9KjPzQQuUlcnzUaNX-xlbcUM/s450/greenhouse-planning-pins.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="290" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfShcYgXTh1DkuwSYOoB63thiBGtn2SW0wtZs03GxkNNbOtZd3uItn0J2r4bxot7VHtY0NQVCocECLdxn8nO4a4nyKwJKMWmk5NyY2CWG1BnPEPBOVS9hpTKaiuY7dylj9iTnljCnGkCxv09u9vuhlS6boy2w8T_XVFdz9KjPzQQuUlcnzUaNX-xlbcUM/s16000/greenhouse-planning-pins.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So now it's time to decide what we need and how to set it up. At least weather will no longer be a work deterrent.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm not exactly sure where Dan plans to start, although I suspect it will be with setting up the rain barrels. Or maybe it will be the house door. It all depends on what strikes his fancy first. After getting the outside mostly done, he's definitely got his second round of motivation. So hopefully, I'll have lots of progress to show you this month.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2023/11/inside-greenhouse-what-do-we-need-where.html">Inside the Greenhouse: What Do We Need & Where Will It Go?</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">© Nov 2023 <span><span>by </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254">Leigh</a> at </span><a href="http://www.5acresandadream.com/">http://www.5acresandadream.com</a></div></div>Leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1694364001063554832.post-91106597996556506542023-10-30T00:00:00.023-04:002023-10-31T19:23:34.327-04:00Garden Notes: October 2023<p> <b>Rainfall </b></p><div><div><ul><li>12th: 0.55"</li><li>14th: 0.33"</li><li>16th: 0.01"</li><li>20th: 0.31"</li><li>Total: 1.2 inches</li></ul><div><b>Temperature</b></div></div><ul><li>range of nighttime lows: 38 to 59°F (3.5 to 15°C)</li><li>range of daytime highs: 59 to 84°F (15 to 29°C)</li></ul></div><p><b>Weather Notes</b></p><div style="text-align: left;">About mid-month the mornings were getting cool enough to switch to my winter work schedule. That means I do my garden and outdoor work in the afternoons. Mornings are indoors. That's when I used to do most of my writing, but now I mostly weave and sew (which I talk about on <a href="https://leighsfiberjournal.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">my other blog</a>).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">According to the weather forecast, a cold front will push through any time now. Our first frost looks extremely likely after that. </div><p><b>Planted</b> (all early in the month)</p><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>carrots</li><li>daikons</li><li>turnips</li><li>lettuce</li><li>kale</li><li>Egyptian walking onions</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: left;">It's been pretty dry, so many of my seeds sit dormant in the ground. Maybe they'll make for an early spring garden.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Transplanted</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>hazelnuts </li><li>chestnuts</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: left;">These are saplings I traded <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2021/01/my-first-hopniss-harvest.html" target="_blank">hopniss</a> tubers for.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Harvested</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>greens: kale, turnip, daikon</li><li>turnips</li><li>cherry tomatoes</li><li>slicing tomatoes (which don't want to ripen)</li><li>sweet peppers</li><li>sweet potatoes</li><li>first sweet potato squash (the others are still greenish)</li><li>peanuts</li><li>pecans</li><li>quince</li></ul><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVoaPTdS9dDsGIEp1Nxv7MKJOSdZ_TwDVpOpY_QWgPzpCAxSI5QRRP2OcVDXkSx2KTbmeXECJ4S6mHIWJD3vvuVDXU39jAk_ItKVEn-rYmqksDgWzafhgTHmkIghUK-l7W1ENkeHluHyDmvBpVyPpsStopR15UZik87ZAP_WJbuEXDuX5Fbdh8xez1FGQ/s468/2023_1st-quince.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVoaPTdS9dDsGIEp1Nxv7MKJOSdZ_TwDVpOpY_QWgPzpCAxSI5QRRP2OcVDXkSx2KTbmeXECJ4S6mHIWJD3vvuVDXU39jAk_ItKVEn-rYmqksDgWzafhgTHmkIghUK-l7W1ENkeHluHyDmvBpVyPpsStopR15UZik87ZAP_WJbuEXDuX5Fbdh8xez1FGQ/w342-h400/2023_1st-quince.JPG" width="342" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1st quince</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>I <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2021/03/taming-wild-side.html" target="_blank">planted two little Chinese quince trees back in March of 2021</a>. I've kept an eye on them for fruit, but missed this one entirely. I found it on the ground! I have no idea what to do with it yet, but I'm looking forward to learning.</div><div><br /></div><div>Okra and green bean plants are fading but still manage to put out a few. I'm letting these dry to save the seed for next year.</div><div><br /></div><div>Salads, of course.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgATCcQtSbA2-bcAzdVvtMEE_t1klIpERxTZ-F5DNCv1USNvQNBYISzh-TdMXfBgsxpiUoe91oQxYCLbnDfwk4TMHvAxg3xYmYcLhra5Pq4Ma73n3pl972UOztRkEkWs1eB_fqGoYsr8tzu9oZGzN1HIytMD4oxcdwkmt8TjRk6zbtGRnfP0CRvskuSe_w/s450/Oct2023salad.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="354" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgATCcQtSbA2-bcAzdVvtMEE_t1klIpERxTZ-F5DNCv1USNvQNBYISzh-TdMXfBgsxpiUoe91oQxYCLbnDfwk4TMHvAxg3xYmYcLhra5Pq4Ma73n3pl972UOztRkEkWs1eB_fqGoYsr8tzu9oZGzN1HIytMD4oxcdwkmt8TjRk6zbtGRnfP0CRvskuSe_w/s16000/Oct2023salad.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kale, Swiss chard, daikon greens, cherry tomatoes, green pepper,<br />and aged goat feta. The dressing is a commercial chickpea dressing.<br />It's tasty, so I want to experiment with trying to make my own.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><b>Things to do before first frost</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Harvest sweet potatoes</li><li>Harvest sweet potato squash</li><li>Bring my potted ginger indoors</li><li>Try potting one of my green pepper plants again this year. <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2022/10/garden-notes-october-2022.html" target="_blank">Last year's</a> didn't make it, but I didn't have a good place to store it. This year, I have <a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2023/10/more-progress-on-greenhouse.html" target="_blank">the greenhouse</a>, so I'm hoping for success.</li></ul><div><br /></div></div><div><b>Parting shots</b></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPigCpL719rI9gsxHRtCLU3xk2Vroe73ENZra81EpPmGeKt5_doJM7ghfIFQQuGwtW0Ktt_43ms4L_dQ24-njPdYJofThG1TOLli6Uss6hlcCdbbg2j1SxRblUt97MnT-vVGW2_CPNgvQ_kRrV6ASZUo-bO83z-zgBFC38n5N8T74GYxHWwo2b23uYaF8/s450/2023fall-color.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPigCpL719rI9gsxHRtCLU3xk2Vroe73ENZra81EpPmGeKt5_doJM7ghfIFQQuGwtW0Ktt_43ms4L_dQ24-njPdYJofThG1TOLli6Uss6hlcCdbbg2j1SxRblUt97MnT-vVGW2_CPNgvQ_kRrV6ASZUo-bO83z-zgBFC38n5N8T74GYxHWwo2b23uYaF8/s16000/2023fall-color.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not much fall color this year, but the forsythia bushes never disappoint.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVscFe-NiEyZcqKBIHjTwM_u4iZW5pffCDkLyeRs6GE4zPKi3ctPFWKFQLBfKST4Fv7JMd0E33Mz9_X9dGlc3z_WzUDeWJrqdPAuK6DnnT2bRbGosR0icGacdXjMo48aXOcQAAChTxFt1gj5-WlOd-J2G8wdknFmQrzPcjbbS490uSjrF9TBn3V_9GaMM/s450/little-frog.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVscFe-NiEyZcqKBIHjTwM_u4iZW5pffCDkLyeRs6GE4zPKi3ctPFWKFQLBfKST4Fv7JMd0E33Mz9_X9dGlc3z_WzUDeWJrqdPAuK6DnnT2bRbGosR0icGacdXjMo48aXOcQAAChTxFt1gj5-WlOd-J2G8wdknFmQrzPcjbbS490uSjrF9TBn3V_9GaMM/s16000/little-frog.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spotted this little guy on a leaf of one of my potted chestnuts.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.5acresandadream.com/2023/10/garden-notes-october-2023.html">Garden Notes: October 2023</a> © October 2023</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span>by </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254">Leigh</a> at </span><a href="http://www.5acresandadream.com/">http://www.5acresandadream.com</a></div></div></div>Leighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435811789823712254noreply@blogger.com10