Sunday, July 14, 2013

Garden News and Goat Jewels


Friends, I'm not going to lie to you.  I'm bragging. 

These two tomatoes are HUGE. 
The one on the left Keith estimated at 2 pounds easily. 


Yes, two could have benefited from another day on the vine, but my gosh... we are going to be buried in tomatoes. 

I have a great recipe for smoky tomato jam from 1840 Farm found here that I am going to try tomorrow.  I only want a small batch, so I think we can git'er'done. 

Yesterday, I bought some nice cucumbers from a lady at the Basehor Farmer's Market.  I had bought yellow squash and zucchini from a man at the feed store.  He told me that his garden is almost finished producing, except for tomatoes, because of lack of rain.  He said most of his plants are giving up, and his ground is hard as rock. 

He must not have ducks. 

Today, I made refrigerator pickles and then cut some up for cucumbers and onions, yummmm... which we just had with dinner. 

Keith is taking a day off tomorrow to volunteer at a golf tournament, and when he comes home... we go straight to a T Bones game.  I'll be eating marinated cukes and onions in between making the tomato jam. 


Here's the horse trough corn.  


Here's the sparser garden bed corn, but take a look!  Tassels!!!  

This was an experiment, really, so it will be interesting to see if I get any ears off it.  The empty bed you see next to this corn has pumpkins planted in it. 


The little guys have new jewels... collars on them now!  However, Kody's was just a little too long, so I have taken it off him to trim it.  Tuesday we are going to attempt hoof trimming on our own for the first time, and we wanted to be sure to have something to hang on to with them. 


Kaycee's needs trimming, too. 


The lens didn't quite open here, but I thought this was a cute picture of Kody, waiting for me in the henyard.  He loves to lay there and chew his cud while he's waiting. 


Mary, the elderly white chicken, is still with us, two weeks after I figured she was a goner.  Just proves... what the heck do we really know? 


Hopping and skipping around here, the melons are doing great. 


The ducks are great (pond pre-bailing out status). 


The little guys are getting lots of exercise. 


And Lilly Ann hopes you had a great weekend.  

She is going to visit Dr. Tom's office tomorrow morning for her semi-annual cleaning up.  She won't let us brush her, she snaps at us and means business when she does.  She lets the vet techs do it, though, so twice a year, in she goes to be cleaned up good.  I will drop her off in the morning, early, and go back in the afternoon.  

I hope everyone can say a prayer for Donna and Kevin of Our Forest Haven.  Donna is having surgery on Thursday in Atlanta, and they have traveled there for the pre-op tests, etc. .  This is an ordeal that we pray she will only have to go through this one last time.   Let's all think positive thoughts this week for Donna's surgery and her quick recovery! 


14 comments:

  1. I like those collars--I use them on all my goats. They have bells too, so I can hear them in the woods.

    Your boys are sure growing up!

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  2. Saying a prayer for Donna & Kevin, G-d bless them both.

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  3. Wow, those are some perty tomatoes!

    Are you going to post about the jam?
    It sounds interesting.

    Prayers for Donna and Kevin.

    :o)

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  4. I went over to Donna's blog after reading your post and wished her well and sent a prayer.



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  5. Sending positive vibes Donna's way

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  6. Wow those are huge. Love the pictures of your garden and critters. Blessings from Wisconsin.

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  7. The plastic chain collars are great for the goats, I love them! Those are some beautiful tomatoes, can't wait to see your jam. My friend's garden has been producing a LOT of cucumbers this year and she has been sharing. I have been putting them in potato salad, sliced fresh on sandwiches, cukes & onions, and cukes with lime juice and chile powder. I hope your friend's surgery goes well this week.

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  8. I will be saying a prayer for your friends. Hope you have a wonderful Monday!

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  9. we are sending positive thoughts and prayers to your friend. Your little goats are so sweet and we just want to hug lily. We also want to come over and have supper with you!
    stella rose

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  10. I read her blog and will be thinking of them.

    I freeze ripe tomatoes whole. Don't do anything to them. Just load up a freezer bad. Then when I need them for a soup, chili, etc. I put them in hot water for a few seconds and slip them out of the skin. Then chop them up.

    Works good for me cause I'm too lazy to can them.

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  11. Your tomatoes ARE huge!! Nice seeing all the animals - that tree stump is perfect for the goats and Augie crosses his paws just like Lilly Ann! My girls laugh at Augie when he crosses his paws this way!!

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  12. The tomatoes look wonderful! I keep checking mine, hoping one day soon... It might help if I would quit eating all the red cherry tomatoes while standing in the garden. The goats look so happy and healthy. Guess I better go check their sisters hooves. They probably need trimming too. Have a great week Mary Ann!

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  13. Good luck on the hoof trimming. I suggest you give them lots of peanuts for standing like good boys.

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