Photos

Here are the beets all canned and will be ready to eat in a few weeks. There are 3 large jars and one medium.
We planted some beetroots that werent a purple colour and have been mixed through all the jars so it will be interesting to see how they tast.
This was from one punnet of seedlings and I even pulled some up while they were growing to cook up and eat. so I am happy with the result. I have got another punnet so I will be planting those as soon as the sun goes from the raised garden patch.
see ya

todays harvest

Ok dont know why blogger doubled up on the photos, buy hey here they are!
cucumbers in the fron, zuccinins in the middle and the tops of the beetroot in the back. I will lightly cook the beetroot leaves and then toss some olive oil and vinigar through them for a nice salad.
The tomatoes have heaps of fruit but because the temps have been low they are not ripening. I have been bringing them in when they turn orange and let them ripen in here.
it really feels like autumn here, not summer and I wonder if I will get alot from the garden. But they are growing well so the heat will have to hit eventually and then it will be all stations on deck to deal with the glutt, I hope.
I am hoping the weather is better in your part of the world, and that your harvest will be plentiful.
see ya

Zucchini Galor

 Lots of Zucchinis from the garden so I baked lots today. First zucchini slice for tea tonight.

Zucchini Brownies.

and Savoury Cheese, bacon and zucchini muffins. Still have zucchinis to go so I will cook some up with a cabbage I got gifted and freeze it for use in casseroles.
If anyone has a fav receipe for zucchini please share it with me. all these receipes were from the internet.
see ya

garden catchup

 My tomatoes are ripening, yummy we should be able to eat some in a few days.

 the potatoes in pots are going gangbusters, hopefully they are making spuds as well as leaves.

My herbs are taking off again, we even had some in a potato salad the other day.

 the tomatoes, zucx and cucumbers in the front.

 More tatters in the forground, with the beans being the second row.

and here we have the beetroot and onions with tomatoes in the background. All are growing fantastically.
At this rate, we might be able to get a second crop in before the end of summer.
see ya

First harvest.

this is the first Zucini for the season, and there are more babies on the way.
I took a photo of it near the phone so you can see how big it is. I will have to go out everyday now and check them. they grow so quickly.
Its very exciting when the garden starts to produce again.
see ya

Fruit trees

 Since everyone loved the photos of the vegie garden here are some shots of the fruit trees. This blurry one is the cherry tree

 This is the apricot tree out the front, we have fruit trees out the back and some out the front.

This is one of the plum trees out the front.

 This is the pear tree out the back

and one of the apple trees out the back.
We have lost a few trees to too much water, ironic as I have established and keep alive all these trees through the drought.
It looks like the two peach trees out the front, the almond and the nectarine trees are gone. I will leave them till Im absolutely sure. Its very sad as they were all producint nicely.
Dam weather!

Garden update

Look there is a little baby tommie, this is one of the two cherrie tomatoes I planted in pots. I hope to be eating tomatoes well before christmas.

 As I was overseas this year I missed out on seed potatoes, these are ones leanne had in her pantry. Ive planted them in big pots and will add more organic soil as they grow. the plan is when ready I will just upend the pots and collect the spuds.

 These are some potatoes i had in the pantry, I cant remember what they are called but their the ones with the pinkish skin. These are in the raised garden bed. again dont know how they will go but its all about experimentation. Will mulch these very soon.

 My bush beans, these little things dont grow very big but give about 2-3 kilos of beans over the season. I just love them!

A shot of the tomatoes planted a few weeks ago. They were just over the first cross bar then. Look how much they have grown!
I hope your garden is going as well as mine seams to be, Time to plant the next lot in succession me thinks
see ya

Frugal lunch

Today I wanted something a little different for luch, so I decided to use up the left over pumkin and a couple of potatoes. I always have light coconut milk and curry paste  from aldi in the cupboard so I made spicy pumkin soup.
You just cut up your pumkin, and a couple of small potatoes add enough water to cover and boil. when they are nearly soft enough to mash, add some curry paste. Boil until they are ready to mash and water level has reduced till almost ready to burn level. But not quite! Add the can of coconut milk and mash the vegies. Bring back to boil and simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes, till the coconut milk is cooked and the tast isnt too overpowering.
And viola spicy pumking soup, servered with homemade bread its delish, but I didnt make any so some toast is just as nice.
Warms you up on a chilly and rainy day like we are having today. And there is enough for hubby and babygirl to have some for their dinner too.
Hits the spot!
see ya

Preserving the Harvest

Today I spent the morning cutting up the the tomatoes and beans and added onion and capsicum and cooked it all up. These will go into the freezer to be used in the slow cooker with meat from our paddocks. 

I also got a bag of home grown apples from my father in law and one from my mother in law. I added the apples from my tree and I now have 6 containers in the freezer waiting to be made in apple crumble during winter.
So I have 6 main meals and 6 desserts. The only things not from home will be the rice served as a side dish and the flour, sugar, coconut and butter for the crumble.
Not bad I think.
I just hope we dont have anymore freezer problems, when the spare fridge whent it took alot of frozen produce with it.
I hate wasting all that hard work.
see ya

From the garden

 The garden hasnt been the best this year with the weather being all over the place. We have harvested a few beans. This is the third lot we have collected and I have blanched and frozen them for use in stews during winter.

 The tomatoes have finally started to ripen. We have lost of green ones on the vines, but the weather has been to cold for them to ripen. cucumbers are doing well and the capsicums and chillies are starting to come on too.

And finally for dessert, fresh strawberries. Yummo!
We pulled the last of the lettuces as they had gone to seed and fed them to the piglets and chooks.
so even though the weather has forgotton all about summer, we havnt done too bad.
see ya

In a jam!

 My wonderful sister in law gave me a heap of plums so I made up some jam. For those in the USA plum jelly.

 I only used up half the plums she gave me and I got 10 jars, and lots still left to eat.

Warning this is what happens when the jam spits at you. Very painful and Im sure I will get a scar as a reminder.
but all in all the jam is worth it as I am onto my last jar from last years crop.
see ya

Meet Laverne and Shirley

Laverne is the red one and shirley is the spotty one. Arnt they cute!
They are still alittle scared of us but Im sure soon they will be happy when they see the nice lady that feeds us and we will have fun then.
see ya

This little piggy

Yesterday hubby and I travelled to Morwell to get us a couple of baby pigglets. Arnt they cute! We decided to get two girls this time and not keep them as long as we kept spit. If you have been a long time reader of this blog you would of met spit. when we took him to be butchered the guy told me that he was a very fat pig and that I had overfed him. I am a wog mama we overfeed everything!!
So as soon as I get some photos of the new girls I will not tell you what I have decided to call them. And no its not after food.
So for now I have two new babies to look after and as soon as they get used to me they will be allowed to free range out the back with the chooks. Can anyone tell me if the girls will damaga my fruit trees? I am a bit worried about them. I will have to just keep an eye on them then.
see ya

double yoker

 This is the double yoker before next to an average egg the girls usually lay, wasnt sure it was a double yet but would find out very soon.

 

Here it is in the pan, and yes definately a double yoker. 

And here it is on toast ready to eat. Yummy!
My first ever double yoker and I had it for sunday breakfast. Very nice indeed!

Vegitarians Look away now

 Remember Our Lambs and Cows that we got two seasons ago.

Well here they are on the BBQ. Fresh meat from our land and raised on pasture without chemicals.
It is sad that they had to die, but I am a meat eater and at least I know that they had a good life, were treated well and were trully loved.
Not in the way you think!! Hahahah
I believe that if you eat meat, and you are able, you should take responsibilty for how the animal lives and is butchered.
So this meat was not only extremly healthy, but worked out at less than $5.00 a kilo for the beef and much less for the lamb.
So a tick in every box really.
Ok let the abuse begin.
see ya

Eggs for sale

No these are not the same eggs photographed in three different ways. They are all the eggs I had in the fridge yesterday. And I collected another 12 in the afternoon. Luckily I was able to sell off 4 dozen last night and this morning.
when I let the chooks out a little while ago there were another 6 eggs for me.
At least by selling the excess I now have enough money to go and buy another bag of feed for them.
So anyone else want any eggs?
They are oh so yummy! Think I'll go and scamble some for morning tea.
see ya