Summer of Maintenance & Repair: Garden Shed

 We didn't plan much project-wise for this summer. Food production and preservation are ongoing, of course, as are seasonal chores. Even though our infrastructure projects are pretty much finished, maintenance and repair are ongoing. This summer we decided to focus on upgrading appliances and working on things like fence maintenance and other repair projects. 

One such blog worthy project was the new driveway gate. Another one is repairing the garden shed foundation.

We got the shed our first year here, purchased with tax return money. Ten years later, we moved it to put up my clothesline. 

photo from June 2019

When he moved it then, Dan used pallets for the base. This worked well for awhile, but eventually the pallets began to break down. The floor became mushy and the building began to list.

photo from May 2024

This wasn't unexpected and we knew we'd have to replace it someday. Two years later was even worse. 

photo from July 2026

You can't see it in the above pic, but something dug out underneath it! We've had families of groundhogs and skunks live under there from time to time. Finally, this summer, Dan has been able to repair the foundation. 

After sliding the shed off the old foundation, Dan cleared away the pallets and then used cap blocks as footers to build the floor framing upon. The frame itself is outdoor treated 2x4s and one-inch OSB board.

To deter diggers from making new homes under the shed, Dan cut corrugated metal panels to use as skirting. They are buried about 6 inches underground. The exposed OSB (which makes a very nice step) is coated with roofing tar. Flashing protects the OSB edges from rain damage.

Here's how it looks now. . . 

The path on the right goes directly to the garden.

It's wonderful having a firm floor under it again. Once again it can become useful for storing garden and seasonal items. 

So nice to have another repair project done. 

Summer of Maintenance & Repair: Garden Shed 

© Aug 2026 by Leigh at https://www.5acresandadream.com

August is Applesauce and Vinegar Month

 The apple harvest is at hand. 

It's been a good year for apples, and that has meant my afternoons are spent making and canning applesauce. 

I'm made applesauce two different ways in the past. The first is to quarter the apples, simmer them till tender, then run them through the food mill. But then I learned how to make vinegar, and changed my prep method to save the peels and cores for making apple cider vinegar. 

The peels and cores go into a glass gallon jar, covered (submerged) in water, and allowed to ferment.

After a couple of weeks I'll strain off the new vinegar, jar it, and lid the jars to let it ferment a few weeks more. It will keep until we use it. The leftover peels and cores are fed to the goats.

The peeled and cored apples are simmered with a bit of water until soft.

Apple chunks simmered to softness with a cinnamon stick.

Once the apples are cooked, I can either puree them in the blender for smooth applesauce, or mash them with a potato masher for chunky applesauce.

The apple puree is scraped into another gallon jar. I work on this several hours every afternoon and when I have a gallon's worth, I sweeten if needed and add water or juice for applesauce consistency. Then I water bath can it in quart jars.

2026's first batch of canned applesauce.

Elderberry harvest is in progress as well, and the first of the muscadines are beginning to ripen. Cheesemaking continues, although production is slacking off. Busy days ahead. 

What's everybody else up to? Staying busy, or staying cool?

August is Applesauce and Vinegar Month 

© Aug 2026 by Leigh at https://www.5acresandadream.com

In Which We Again Become a 4 Cat Homestead

 After we lost Riley, we were down to three cats. I thought, 'Well, three cats is plenty.' 

And then, a few months later, this. 

So what's her story? One morning, I was in the garden and heard a scolding mockingbird. I looked around and didn't see anything. Then I heard a faint desperate "mew." It kept mewing and I saw a tiny kitten near the wood chip pile by our garden. On the inside of our garden fence. How in the world???

She was scared and didn't want me to catch her. She didn't run away but tried to hide, and she gave me a tiny hiss when I picked her up. Gosh but she was squirmy. We're not in a location where a tiny cat could wander far. That corner of the garden has a farm gate off our semi-busy road, so it's possible she crept under the gate, but how did she get there?  None of our close neighbors have cats. I can't imagine a tiny kitten wandering off farther than that.

I didn't know what to do with her. I couldn't leave her there, tiny and scared, so I took her to show Dan. Dan has an incredibly soft heart when it comes to critters. His response was, "Well, we lost one . . . "

She had a weepy eye and a patch of skin torn from her muzzle, but antibiotics soon made those right. What do the other cats think? Sam (13 years), Katy (also 13), and Meowy (10) are all slightly disgruntled at the kitten's presence. She's interested in them but none of them want to be bothered with her, and they warn her off. 

Dan has asked around the neighborhood and we've watched for "lost kitten" posters but nothing so far. Now that she's not scared anymore, she's friendly and sweet. There's plenty to catch around here, and our senior cats are slowing down a bit. So another good mouser wouldn't be amiss. This one is certainly feisty enough for the job.

How could something so small have such a large presence in the house?

It would seem to be our destiny to have four cats.

In Which We Again Become a 4 Cat Homestead 

© Aug 2026 by Leigh at https://www.5acresandadream.com

Muscovy Mom and Her Ducklings

 Three video clips of Mom and her day old ducklings.

Mom made her next at the bottom of the hay loft ladder, where she was protected from goat feet and invading chickens. They are several days old now and it's amazing, actually, that the goats haven't stepped on any of them! Everybody seems quite content with the arrangement. 

Muscovy Mom and Her Ducklings © July 2026

by Leigh at https://www.5acresandadream.com

Fun For Cats! Rywell's Portable Outdoor Catio (A Review)

Sam did such a good job of helping me review the Rywell pet cooling mat, that I had the opportunity to try out and review Rywell's 3-Tier Outdoor Catio!

So what's a Catio? It's an outdoor cat patio, i.e. a screened cat tent. I think this is a fantastic idea for indoor only cats to spend some time outside. I wish we'd had it when we lived in a second-story apartment and could only let our cats out on the balcony (except one kept trying to jump off).

The Catio is portable, so everything came in this sturdy carrying bag. That makes it perfect for family outings, travel stops, picnics, camping trips, visiting friends, or vacation.

I was amazed at how much heft the bag had to it. But everything is metal and stout tent material

No tools are required for assembly! I'm not very mechanical but the design is pretty clever and the instructions to set it up were clear. All I had to do was follow the steps. 

Pull the cords on top and pull out the telescoping legs till they click.

Collapsible rods on the sides add extra support.

And the soft fabric shelves have a pocket for the included floor support boards.

The last things to do were to secure the feet with the metal (not plastic!) tent stakes and add was the sun cover.

Now I'm ready for some cats!

The first to stop by was Sam, who only had time for a quick in and out inspection.

"Hmph. No food."

Katy, however, gave it a good tryout.

Katy loves her hidey places and so really likes it. Even as an outdoor cat it offers a cozy safe place for lounging, watching birds, taking naps, or spying on the other cats. It would make a great indoor cat clubhouse!

I like that it has three zippered mesh doors that offer quick access to the shelves, just in case. 

Once again, here's the link

Rywell 3-Tier Portable Catio

It's cat approved so definitely go check it out.

Fun For Cats! Rywell's Portable Outdoor Catio (A Review) 

© July 2026 by Leigh at https://www.5acresandadream.com

A New Driveway Gate

Five years ago Dan built a pergola for our bedroom window and afterward made a gate for the driveway.

Photo from August 2021

The gate has served us well, both for privacy but especially for keeping wandering dogs out of the yard. We used to have a problem with this, and have lost chickens and ducks to dogs people let roam because we're outside of town limits. And also it helps keep our chickens, turkeys, and ducks from wandering into the front yard and into the street. So it's been a good addition.

Earlier this summer one of the gate posts became very wobbly. When Dan pulled it out it was quite rotted where it had been in the ground. So he took down the gate and we discussed how to replace it. After a lot of ideas for a new wooden gate, we finally decided the quickest and easiest thing to do was to install a farm gate. 

This met the need to keep critters either out or in, but we both missed the sense of aesthetics and privacy the other gate offered. So I cast about for ideas. 

First I found this

These are perforated aluminum panels that came in 2 by 3 foot sheets. I found them at Home Depot. I got five and Dan attached them with zippy ties.

The muscadine vines on the pergola shade the window from the afternoon sun.

A little better but what about something decorative on top?

I found the flowers at Hobby Lobby and the birds on Etsy. Dan figured out how to attach them! I even got a bit of a breeze when I was taking pictures, so I can show you this . . .

The flowers are whirligigs!

We're pretty pleased with it. 

A New Driveway Gate © July 2026 by Leigh

at https://www.5acresandadream.com

A Feast or Famine Garden Year

We didn't plan on a big garden this year, because of Dan's surgery. Of what we did plant, tt seems that we've either gotten nothing or else we've got a surplus!

Birds got all my cherries and mulberries this year. Pears and peaches are taking a break (although I got enough peaches for a pie). Groundhogs ate my snow peas, lettuce, and strawberries, so all of that was a bust. Also, they keep eating the leaves off of my sweet potato plants which is worrisome. We've had a heck of a time with them this year, more so than ever before.  Dan has caught and re-homed 5 or 6 of them so far and more have moved in to the vacated den under the raspberry bushes. And built a new den in the Jerusalem artichoke patch! Unfortunately, our next door neighbor feeds them. And the deer. They're eating his garden too and he's even said feeding them isn't a good idea, but he keeps doing it! Watcha gonna do?

So what's doing well? 

Tomatoes

I have 3 varieties plus the volunteer cherry tomatoes

1st batch of tomato sauce!

Blueberries are going gangbusters. I've frozen 5 gallons so far.

I have cantaloupes in the keyhole garden - 11 at last count.

Breakfast

I've only half-a-dozen okra plants, which is plenty for the two of us.
Some things I plant just to eat fresh but not necessarily to preserve.

The variety is Jing. I think they are very pretty. They are green when cooked.

My sweet potato squash are producing well too. That's welcome because we haven't
gotten many the past year or two. When fist size or smaller, we eat like summer squash.

I think we'll get a fair harvest of apples this year.

And here's a new thing we tried - Indian Snake Cucumbers from Baker Creek.

This one is a little over 12 inches, but the description says they
grow up to 4 feet! I'm going to wait till it's a little bigger to try it.

The description also says they thrive in temps up to 95°F (35°C) which is exactly what we're getting. They are holding up well. I don't know how they'd do for pickles, but I don't need to can pickles this year. Flavor will determine whether they're a keeper. 

What's amazing to me is that everything is either producing nothing, or producing an abundance. It's keeping us plenty busy. Between all the produce and all the milk, every day is busy with food. 

I know it's terribly hot everywhere. How are you all surviving? This hasn't been our hottest summer (so far) but it's definitely hotter than it's been the past several years. But we're doing good on rain, so I can't complain about that. 

A Feast or Famine Garden Year © July 2026

by Leigh at https://www.5acresandadream.com