Homestead Goings-On

Hello, friends.  Last week, I made corn-free baking powder.  I realized it typically has cornstarch in it, so made my own.  The recipe I followed was 2 parts cream of tartar, 1 part baking soda, 1 part arrowroot powder.  I used it in making GF berry cobbler, which used our blueberries, blackberries, and some store bought blackberries.  J is always happy when there is dessert to be enjoyed.  As the temperature dropped early in the week, I canned vegetable broth one day, then pulled our green peas out of the freezer, and canned them the next day.  Most days, I found two tomato hornworms in the garden, which were fed to the chickens, along with garden greens.  I've been putting ice in the chicken waterer in the hot afternoons, and making little puddles for them, in places they've wallowed out for dust baths.  I'd read that their feet help regulate their temperature, so standing in water is supposed to help.  We still lost one of our hens, we assume from the heat.  She acted normal, when I brought their mash in the afternoon, but was gone when J closed them up around 6.

I harvested cabbage, cucumbers, basil, oregano, blueberries, blackberries, lambs quarter, zucchini, eggplant, and the first tomatoes.  The lambs quarter was blanched and frozen.  To mix things up, I made a different slaw with our cabbage this week, one that both of us could eat.  J planted more green bean seeds, as all our plants died, from either the drought or moles/voles, we're not sure which.  Interestingly, the lima beans are right next to them, and doing well.  As tomatoes have died, J has replaced them with seedlings I started.  We still have a few seedlings left.  There were a few tomatoes and peppers that needed stakes, which J placed, and we tied them up with twine.  We also ran twine on the trellis for the tromboncino squash.  

I've mostly been harvesting cabbage as I could use them, but worried they might begin splitting,  so harvested nine of them Sunday.  The smallest ones were left in the garden.  We'll eat some fresh, and I plan to can some once the weather cools again.  Our eggplant, onions, garlic and one tomato were used in a dish.  We enjoyed watermelon with neighbors that were visiting, and sent them home with garden produce, as well as cat supplies, and a chicken book.  They brought us a cantaloupe, and a hydrangea bouquet.  Our potatoes were steamed for dinner, then potato salad made for J.  I just enjoyed them steamed, along with our sauteed chard.  We each got a cherry tomato to try, and look forward to all the tomatoes to come.  Be well, and stay safe out there.