Relish

Relishes are usually made with cucumber but I have found that a relish is a condiment, which is something we use to flavor or compliment and thru just looking through books they can be made with all kinds of veggies.

This year I have made a couple of relishes from veggies that I had extra but didn't want them to go bad.

I used cucumbers, zucchini, and peppers mostly for now, but you can make chutneys which from what I can tell is another name for a relish but with fruit added.

The two relishes I have made this year are from zukes that were bigger than you would want for a stir-fry but not to big that the seeds were developed to much. I suppose you could use ones like that as well just not the seedy part. The cucumbers I used were ones that I didn't have enough to justify making pickles but I didn't want to go bad.

It is hard sometimes to use every single thing that pops up in our garden and sadly some things can and do go bad before we have enough to make a batch of something or we go out of town etc. A relish is something that is quick I made my 2 kinds while I was also making dinner.

The first is zucchini relish it has a sweet aroma that we all loved.

2 cups chopped zucchini

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped sweet green pepper 

 1/2 cup red sweet pepper

2 T salt

1 3/4 cups sugar

2 tsp celery seed

1 tsp mustard seed

1 cup apple cider vinegar

Combine first 5 ingredients and cover with cold water. Let stand for 2 hours. This smells heavenly while it is soaking. Drain and rinse thoroughly. Combine remaining ingredients in a large stockpot. Bring to boil, add veggies; simmer for 10 minutes. Pack hot relish into hot jars, leaving 1/4 headspace. Remove air bubbles. Adjust 2 piece caps. Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath.

Dill Relish

8 lbs  pounds pickling cucumbers chopped

1/2 cup salt

2 tsp turmeric

1 qt water

Place this in a bowl and let stand for 2 hours then drain and rinse thoroughly

1 lb yellow onions peeled and chopped

 add cucumbers and onions together along with 1/3 cup sugar, 2 T dill seed and 1 qt white wine vinegar into a large pot; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Ladle hot relish into hot jars, leaving 1/4 in headspace. Remove air bubbles adjust caps and process 15 minutes in a boiling water-bath canner.

The dill relish some of the chopped cucumbers were chopped zucchini to round out the 8 lbs. It all turned out yummy smelling and now I am waiting a couple of weeks to let them pickle and then we will see how they taste.

Blessings,

Erika

A Furry Family Walk

The other day we took the furry children to a romp in the field. The dogs love running around in the woods and the field most of the time we have a cat or two with us running with them. Especially the two in these photos.

But on this day we also had the goats with us.

Ms Amelia has a shaved belly for awhile since she was fixed a week or so ago. Pippin really did not like her for awhile but now they are buddies they love playing with boxes and running with the dogs.

Amelia hasn't gotten into to much trouble lately she did get a cactus splinter in her nose while we were in Florida and was stung by something again and had her face swell up.

We love seeing all the babies running around and enjoying themselves in the sunshine and green grass.

What things do you enjoy to see while you walk?

Playing in the rain..

We need rain and boy have we been getting it. It has been so dry and dusty but for a little over a week now it has been raining daily.

The goats dislike being wet ALOT but the ducks think it is the best thing since sliced bread. They run around playing in all the puddles. This is the only picture I could get of them playing. They might waddle but they waddle fast.

I used to love playing in the rain when I was younger now it makes for a great time to curl up with a good book or a nice long nap while I listen to it on the metal roof on the front porch.

What kind of weather bring those deep instincts of napping, recouping, and reenergizing to you?

Growing Up...

Do you remember being an awkward teenager? I do, I remember never seeming to be able to be as good at dressing, fashion, hair,fads, etc as everyone else. I'm still like that but now I just don't care what other do or think of me I just enjoy being me, a beautiful creation.

 This little guy and another has found our birdfeeders on the back porch. While it was raining the day before I saw them I thought that they were two females that were just soaked and a little frazzled.

 Then I took a good look the next day and I saw that he is in that awkward stage all living creatures go through.

 He looked so cute though and just as curious about me behind the glass as I was of him. One day soon he will look like this handsome fellow below. I hope he keeps visiting so we can see him in all his phases of beauty.

I love birds and cardinals are one of my favorites which one is yours?

Meet Cricket

This is Cricket, he is 9 weeks old  and is now Wyatt's new roomie, well at least after hes housetrained.

Canning Meat...

This post has pictures of raw meat if you don't like the sight of raw meat skip this post.

Ok, as most of you know I have been hired to look after and can someone's garden. This is something I enjoy doing though it has added a lot more to my days since I am gardening for 2 gardens and canning 2 gardens. Their garden isn't as big and their surplus to can isn't that much so that has been a blessing.

Last week I was asked to can some rabbit meat for them, its just like chicken meat and since I do that in great quanities every year from our meat birds we raise, this was easy. I thought I'd share what I do since I have been asked alot about canning meat and I have realized most of the things I do others have forgotten that at one time it was done all the time and was a standard thing in american households

They had 8 rabbits to process they only gave me the legs to can with the meat on the bone the backstrap of the rabbits they kept to fry up fresh for dinner.

Since they wanted the meat on the bones this meant I was going to raw pack it. You can hot pack with I usually do.

The difference is one is raw and packed into hot jars and canned without broth. The other, hot pack, I cook the meat 3/4's of the way done,, debone and pack meat into hot jars top with hot broth.

With wild game like rabbit and squirral you want to soak the meat for an hour in salted cold water. What I canned was not wild but I still followed the directions for rabbits. While this was soaking I washed the jars and put them in a warm oven to keep them hot. I usually put them in at about 150 which is my warm setting, this keeps them sterilized. I put the lids and rings in a pan of simmering water, you don't want to boil the lids just warm them so their sterilized.

Then I stuff the meat in the jars, you'll need 1 inch head space and because of the bones that made it a little hard. We use a pair dikes which cuts metal we find these work great when we are slaughtering animals to cut through bone, also tree trimmers for larger bones. I would suggest if you do this to have tools just for this purpose and good sharp knives and know how to keep them sharp. We both have good skinning knives we love and keep them extra sharp I always nick myself at least once during our cleaning sessions.

Now meat must be pressure canned so if you don't have one its better to freeze and yes you can freeze in your jars. When I have a jar that doesn't seal for whatever reason I put it in the freezer for later use. This doesn't happen often so no worries there. With raw pack you just add salt to the jar if your doing chicken the rabbit I soaked the meat in salt so didn't have to add it.

I have 2 pressure canners one holds 14 quarts and the other 7 when I have large batches of things this comes in very handy. But a 7 quart is the perfect size, I have had smaller but the 7 worked better as my canning became a bigger operation.

Follow the directions that came with your canner for loading it and adjust for altitude.

And here is the finished product we can alot of chicken and we do it in pints this lasts us a year and the meat is just as good a year later as it was a day after. You can can any meat just follow the directions in your ball canning book. If you don't have one I highly suggest one since it has been a good tool for me when a question arises though I might not use exactly what they have in there for recipes. I buy a new one every so many years to keep up with new canning guidelines. They sell them with the canning supplies at Walmart.

I also read blogs of people can or web sites but I research what I'm doing first before jumping into it to keep things safe you don't want your hard work ruined by bad canning procedures.

If you have any questions please ask or have ideas on what you do share.

Blessings,

Erika

Our Week

Ashley came home with this from girls camp...Of course it is fake and she took it off that night before we went to church the next day. She turned 18 while at camp and is growing up. Of course she has grown up with 2 parents with the real deals on our bodies and she has seen them everyday of her life. This is as wild as I think she will get when it comes to body art, but for a few days she was stretching her wings getting ready for the day when her choices alone will affect her daily and eternal life.

I think we have raised her to love the Lord since she has such a knowledge and love for the scriptures, a testimony she lives, and a faith that far outweighs mine. We have always been upfront and honest with her about our lives pre children etc. As they have gotten older we have let them see  glimpses more and more of who we were so that they aren't blind to the world or our faults. This has made them such compassionate people who love helping those most turn their backs on. Ashley sees the speck of goodness in the worst of mankind and only once has she let her dislike of someone show, but this was after years of trying to find that speck in them.

Her and I were very busy this week, we went to the upick farm early (6am) it was so nice and peaceful. Then we spent the week canning and doing LOTS of other things. As a reward for her hardwork when we finished we went to a movie and ate chinese.

Black was her fingernail color choice this year for camp usually it is blue or something. The YCL's went to the temple the day before camp started and had so much fun and learned so much. She loves going there so this was such a treat for her.

She was asked to take care of a friends animals during the week; 2 very spoiled horses, cats, and since it is so dry water the garden and flowerbeds. So for 7 days we went over I watered while she did everything else she loved taking care of the horses one is 30 years old the other is bossy but she had fun brushing them etc.

Everyday we had this little fella sitting by the water hose...can you see him laying there in the grass. A bunny, the water line at the house leaks a little so it is wet there even when the hose is off so the ground is nice and cool this little guy was laid out there cooling himself we could almost walk right up and touch him before he would run off into the pasture. Such little blessings to remind us of the bigger picture.

I hope all have a wonderfully blessed day we have a week an a half more of craziness but I have not forgotten my pen friends or blogging buddies! Until next week...

Love,

Erika

Busy Work......

I have been so busy that I have not been able to post or read any blogs. So friends I have not read any of your posts or have skimmed through them on my phone.  Ashley was at girls camp this week and Wyatt and I canned, watched quail hatch, gardened, and just stayed busy.

Ashley above picking blueberries, we are still picking these and hope to slow down soon. Wyatt had quail eggs in the incubator he saved up for, Tuesday they started hatching 14 all together cute little things. He also, on Wednesday bought 40 more from a friend.

We cut up and froze green peppers, made tomato soup, and tomato sauce. The soup recipe is from here and is yummy so we made up a couple of batches to can. Then we canned several quarts of sauce. This week we will be making salsa, diced tomatoes, and hopefully digging potatoes.

I want to get this all done before our 4 day trip to Florida to camp with family. Sadly Andy will be home working and taking care of things at home. This week the boys will be at scout camp, Andy is on vacation but will be back and forth since he doesn't need to be there 24 hours a day. Maybe we can get his help digging potatoes.....

I hope all have a wonderful week and I hope to post some this week....hopefully.

love,

Erika

Poor, Poor Kitty

Amelia is down a life or two last week she came in one day drooling, like someone turned a faucet on in her mouth drooling. That lasted about an hour which was good the last two cats I had that did that drooled for months.

 Two days later she came in and her face was swelling the picture is right after she came inside. Just her upper lip was swollen but she wasn't done it spread to her nose and forehead as well. The next morning it was gone. She only seemed uncomfortable at first but after that she acted fine.

She has not had anymore run ins with lizards, toads, or wasps since then. Maybe she learned her lesson. I did forewarn Ashley that her cat might not make it to a year old if she keeps going like this.

She(the cat) has decided through all the canning of blueberries that she likes them and went around Monday with a blueberry blue nose. Since sugary blueberry jam a best eaten off her person's finger even if it is messy and stains white fur.

I hope you enjoy your day and weekend as much as Amelia seems to be enjoying life with all it wonders drool and all.

Love,

Erika

Blueberry Heaven

I have been commissioned to can someone's garden this summer as well as do other garden chores. We started this week by weeding and picking blueberries. Ashley picked a 2 gallon bucket of them on Monday and Wyatt and I did Tuesday, but the family also had bags of them frozen from last summer so we brought those home as well.

This is one of my water bath canners almost full of blueberries, don't they look divine?

Yesterday morning we had three cases of jam and syrup ready to take to them when we came back yesterday we canned another case of pie filling. They looked so pretty all lined up on our hoosier I had to take a picture in the morning light.

This is this morning's canned stuff and below is one of the jars of pie filling. This filling was so yummy that I had a hard time keeping myself from eating the entire pot!

I wanted to share some of the recipes we are using so that you too can have a variety. Freezing or jam seem to be the way alot of people preserve these beauties, but if you are one of those who use them in all kinds of ways share in the comments and give us all some great ideas.

So far...

Blueberry Jam---this I followed the directions on the pectin package but basically its 1 1/3 c crushed blueberries, 1 1/2 T pectin bring to boil let boil still it won't stir down. Add 1 2/3 cup sugar or 1 cup sugar for light sugar recipe 3 T lemon juice. Boil till sugar is disolved and won't stir down. Can in 1/2 pints or pints. Process in waterbath for 10 minutes.  I used my blender to crush berries and this worked great.

Blueberry Syrup------this is from my Ball canning book which you can buy at Walmart or other stores that carry canning supplies. 2 qts blueberries, 6 cups water divided, 1 T grated lemon peel, 3 cups sugar, 2 T lemon juice.  Wash berries, drain, crush. Combine blueberries, water, lemon peel in saucepan simmer for 5 minutes. Strain through a jelly bag or several layers cheesecloth. Combine sugar and 4 cups water in a saucepot; boil to 230 degrees (adjust for altitude).  Add blueberry juice to sugar syrup boil 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Ladle into hot jar leaving 1/4 in head space. Process 10 minutes in waterbath canner. makes 3 pints. This will be thin as syrups are but if you want to make it thicker when you get ready to use it. Combine 1 cup syrup and 1 T cornstarch in a small saucepan Bring to a boil cooking till syrup thickens.

Blueberry pie filling---Now I found this recipe online and will do it differently next time using Clear Jel instead of cornstarch. But the recipe was so yummy it was great right out of the pot warm. So if you want to make it beware the cornstarch might break down later. I know when I make more of this I will use Clear Jel it can be bought online.  10c blueberries washed and dried, 1/2 c water,  1 1/2 c sugar, 6 T cornstarch, 6 T lemon juice. in stock-pot add water sugar, corn starch, and lemon juice. Bring to boil, add blueberries a little at a time coating them with mixture once all the blueberries are in stir while the blueberries release there juice.  The mixture will become thick, glossy, and blueberry colored.  Can in quart jars or pints I used pints. Leave 1 inch head space waterbath or 30 minutes. 

I have had fun canning all these berries and trying new things. Next we'll make Blueberry Conserve which has oranges in it. mmmmm!

Have a wonderfully blessed day!

Erika

Plain and Simple

 Ashley and I worked on our cottage garden a week ago while Andy and Wyatt worked on Wyatt's new quail setup. They put them in a run type pen so that they are on the ground and can scratch, take dust baths, and eat bugs and grass. All the things birds do, rat snakes killed two a few weeks ago and scared all of them eggless. They stopped laying but now in their new home they have relaxed and he found an egg yesterday.

We have been planting herbs and butterfly/hummingbird attracting plants. As well as bottles as we find them around one of the flowerbeds. When this one is done we will start on the next.

It has been cool at night and the mornings so the zinnia, cosmos, and trumpet flower seedlings are slow in growing.

Ashley and I also started the walking path we are going to make through the garden from one trellis to the other. It will take alot of concrete a bag at a time is how we will do it but I think it will be nice when we are done. Maybe by the end of the summer, no hurry a bag or two a payday.

I started a ginger plant from some I bought at the store for cooking. It started sprouting on the counter so I thought maybe it will grow. Well it is and I had Wyatt put it in a deeper pot it seems to be a happy camper.

I went to work with Andy one afternoon, hes a gravedigger for those who don't know. Here he is squaring off the grave after digging it.

Scripture study has been such a delight outside in the cool morning air with only cats and goats as my company. I walk a couple of miles in the morning and study the scriptures. This cat is Tiger he was purring quite loudly when I took them.  I found there wonderful scripture journals at The Red Headed Hostess, I bought my journals at Amazon but she designed them I have had fun using them to record my thoughts and things I learn while studing.

Hucklesberries are coming in and Ashley, the goats, and I went berry picking the other day. We took the 4-wheeler, she carried one baby and I carried the other they didn't seem bothered by it at all. They seemed to love investigating the places we stopped.

We are making a huckleberry syrup for hubby who has terrible night vision.  We also learned that the branches are good for high blood pressure and blood sugar but we are going to research it a little more before trying it.

While we are home we let the ducks out to free range they love eating the bugs and grass. They also love getting into the big dog bowl we have for the barn cats to drink out of, it is just big enough for 1 duck to splash around in it is quite funny to watch. You can just see them below by the little arrow I drew, they were running up the driveway. The goats roam as well they are fat little things, when we leave everyone gets penned up because of other people's dogs.

Free ranging your chickens egg bearing animals yields a healthier egg. They are foraging and eating bugs, grass, and other things that are good for them making their eggs high in Omega-3 which I have learned from reading and experience is great for depression, it is a good thing for you but my concern was my depression and turning to natural ways to rebalance my body. And upping my intake Omega-3 and lowering Omega-6 in my diet has helped tremendously.

Last week the girls saw me walk by while they were browsing and they came running after me. I was a 1/4 mile from our driveway when I heard them they came running  along with a barn cat to catch up to me.

And this is a new addition, this is Amelia, Ashley adopted her from a litter someone was giving away at a livestock auction we went to. Shes a sweetie and very full of energy the egg basket is just the size for her to play in. No one is safe from her pouncing she has taken over the house. My Pippin is very disgusted with her since he has been the spoiled baby for almost 2 years, I have been spoiling him a little more to make him feel better....He still dislikes her...She is just like him but in female form. :0)

I hope all have a wonderful blessed day.

Love,

Erika

Choosing

I've been a little busy since I last posted, hubby was home all week last week resting up trying to get over his pneumonia....again. This time he took a week's vacation to rest, he slept almost all week. He went back to work yesterday and is there today.

Since it is our church's General Conference weekend we are at home today to watch it on the internet so this morning wasn't an early morning to get to church. So the girls and some of the cats and I walked around the yard and front pasture. While we were there we picked blackberry leaves and found some ripe dewberries they were yummy in my morning oatmeal along with a couple of fresh strawberries from our little patch.

The peaches are blooming and look so pretty little leaves are popping up as well on them and the apple trees. New leaves are popping out on all the trees oak, maple, etc. It is such a pretty green.

Lately I've been thinking a lot about consumerism, isn't that a silly thing to think about? Anyway we need clothing, food, transportation, basic furnishings and things for our homes, etc etc But there is a fine line,I think, of what we need and what we want. We can go around and around about this it is something that is talked about a lot needs vs. wants but what I've been thinking of is a little different. Though I don't think I can put it in words so you can understand what I am thinking, but I will try.

Yesterday I saw this young woman with her young child they were in a car that was all decked out with gold colored trim and wheel rims, the windows were mirror tinted, the car was waxed a mirror finish. The detailing job on the car alone would fill her tank once but to her these were important details to me and my almost 200,000 mile mini van that is dusty most of the time because of where we live, it was extravagant.

A young family at the grocery store has a cart filled with boxed foods of all kinds for breakfast, lunch and dinner no fruit or fresh veggies all processed and premade. I see this alot at our local Walmart to see their food bill would probably cause a lot of stress to me.

Having a nice home is important, energy saving windows and doors, insulation, good roof...But do we need mcmansions with extravagant furnishings or a trinket from every single place we have ever been to including the local gas station.

I think our view of things has gotten so out of whack we see only things and lots of them to be life sustaining things, we look at basic needs being met as being poor.

I for one have to many things, yesterday my mom and I had a yard sale about half the items I sold were things I have bought at yard sales or the consignment shop. I get very frustrated and stressed I feel closed in with stuff, stuff I think is important to life. But its not important.

Maybe it goes back to, he who has the most toys wins, but we can't take any of it with us and our families get stuck with figuring out what to do with all our stuff. I went to a yard sale last year and the woman had her mom's doll collection in her 2 car garage, she was trying to sell them, there were hundreds of them they weren't selling and her husband wanted his garage back. She also had several other collections her mom thought were important but the woman didn't want them.

We need basic things but we can't live without having the best, brightest, most, colorful, etc etc. It is all very confusing to me how we are trapped in the never ending hamster wheel of the world. 

Have a blessed day

Erika