Garden Craziness

Pin It Pin It After doing my feeding chores this morning I decided that I better get in the garden and get some work done before the weeds ate it alive and the rain came again (suppose to be flash flooding and what not for the next week). I wish I had taken a before photo, but I didn't. Any how, I jumped in feet first and got the tiller started on the second or third pull. Yeah!! First time I had tilled by myself this season. The hubby did it the first time this season.

I tilled half the garden up and went to take a break and get a some water. It sure is a hot one out here today. Look at what I see when I look down. First time I had noticed it and we've had it for many years.

Sticker on hood covering the tillers tines. 

Isn't that just cool. You can still buy American made products and they do last. Like I said  I've had this tiller for many years but before that it was my grandma's (my parents bought it for her several years before she passed). 

Anyhow, this is what I got done up till my break. 

Can see majority of the garden in this shot. 

Part of the garden I got the  most done in

I only had six rows to finish which included the tomatoes and beans. I came back from my break gassed it up and gave it a few pulls and it wouldn't start. I know its just something simple like not having the choke and run switches in the right place. Then I went to pull again and be damned if the stupid handle that we just replaced didn't come off in my hand. I hate those stupid things. I don't know why they can't make the replacements to last longer. I know the hubbins is going to laugh when he gets home and have it fixed in no time with no costs. Its just taking off the cover and tie-ing the cord to back to the handle. Grrr! I just wanted to get it all done before the wet weather came.

Any how, I did fertilize the tomatoes and peppers. When it cools off this evening I will run back out and plant a few more sweet potato plants, pumpkin patch and maybe a little more corn. Since the deer and the in laws calves keep mowing it down. I need to get some fishing line and bags put around the garden to keep them out. 

The garden is well on its way I've already picked some peppers and have more to pick. Green beans will be on in the next few weeks. I'll take what I can get from the garden and be very thankful! That's about all that anyone can do. 

Anybody else garden in their bare feet or flip flops? Normally I'm barefooted but when I'm running equipment I like to have some kind of shoe on even though flip flops give you no protection. I need to do a little better and start wearing tennis shoes.

Boy those are some dirty feet. I do believe that those flip flops are not worthy of anything but running around the yard and garden. 

It's starting to cool down better get out in the garden and get things finished. I'm hoping for some rain. I don't want to have to water the garden out of our well. 

Happy gardening everyone!!

~ Farmgirl

Slow Cooker Vension Roast

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Venison roast slow cooked with layers of flavor.
Simple and tasty.

3 pound venison roast
small onion, sliced
small bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
1 serving of prepared SOS Mix or 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

Layer half of the slices of onion and bell pepper in the bottom of the crock pot, top with venison roast and remaining onion and bell peppers. Sprinkle with soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and pepper.

In a small bowl combine onion soup mix and prepared SOS soup; mix together and pour mixture over venison. Cook on low setting for 6 hours.

Enjoy!
~ Farmgirl

Brown Sugar Carrots

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Break away from the normal plain carrots. Super easy to prepare and can. Great for beginners to get started in using their canners. I originally came across this recipe on a Canning group on facebook. I'm so glad that I did. My family prefers these over plain ones.

Makes 8 pints

5 pounds carrots, cleaned and sliced
8 tablespoons brown sugar
8 pinches of canning salt
water

Fill each sterilized jar with carrots to 1 inch headspace.

Add a pinch of canning salt and  1 tablespoon brown sugar per jar. Fill with water to 1 inch headspace.

Wipe rims of jars, affix two piece lids and pressure can 30 minutes @ 10 lbs pressure.

~ Farmgirl

Quiet

Pin It Pin It There's a weird quietness in the air here. I hear no televisions playing back the hallway, no radios and no video games. This only means one thing.... I'm children less!! I'm not complaining one bit. Although I will miss them fighting between the two of them and their bull-headedness with me and what not and their silliness. This is the only time of the year when they are off to camp together. They both enjoy 4-H camp. It was the best thing we signed them up for. No matter how old they are getting they both come home and talk about it for weeks.

Here's a video from back in 2010 from final counsel circle. Click here

I wish I had experienced camps like this when I was a kid.If you have youngin's check into 4-H. The meetings are only once a month. The kids projects go to the fair as exhibits and its not all about animals there is plenty of other cool projects. Just all around good thing for the kids to do.

Have a wonderful day everyone!!

~ Farmgirl

One person's trash is another person's treasure!!

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This maybe a golden oldie but it works just great for this girl. I had a fairly nice one but as my son was putting it away and dropped it. It no longer worked with a busted motor. Boy they don't make them very well anymore. He picked me one up at the thrift store a while back ago but it only had one setting that worked. Man that was a pain in the rump. I got this one from my mother. I bet it has sat on the shelf in her basement for 10 plus years. They couldn't figure out how to use it or the settings (too many buttons I recon). LOL Anyhow, they were going to pitch it and I rescued it.

I used it today to make Hot Pepper Butter. It was FANTASTIC!!

What's one of your best freebie scores?

~ Farmgirl

Hot Pepper Butter

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Makes 8 pints or 16 half pints

4 cups banana peppers, finely ground (36 large banana peppers or 40 medium banana peppers or 50 small banana peppers) can use any combination of peppers that you like

1 quart prepared yellow mustard

1 quart cider vinegar

3 -1/2 cups sugar

1 -1/4 cups flour (or 1 cup clear gel)

1 -1/2 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

Seed and chop peppers finely. (use gloves and food processor to chop the peppers tiny). Mix together sugar, salt, vinegar and peppers in stock pot. Boil 5 minutes.

Mix together flour  clear jel and 1 cup water; to make slurry. Add yellow mustard, remaining 1/2 cup water and slurry to boiling peppers.

Cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Ladle into hot sterilized jars, cap with two-piece lids and process in a hot water bath canner for 15 minutes.

** Note Canning with flour is highly forbidden. I am conveying the recipe as it was orginally written. 

I had a request for this a family member and didn't have any on the shelf. Seems like this happens a lot around here now that the kids enjoy hot foods. Good thing I noticed a few peppers ready in the garden to add with the ones I got at the store the other day.  For the photo above I used 3/4 cup jalapenos and 3 1/4 cups of hungarian wax peppers.I think I need to make either some soft pretzels or summer sausage so we can enjoy a fresh jar been a while since we have had some around the house.

Be sure to use latex gloves when working with the peppers. 

Happy Canning

~ Farmgirl

Tangy Spaghetti Sauce

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This is a very mild spaghetti sauce. Thick and chunky just like we like it. I make this with the vegetables we grow from our garden. I have tried many different sauces and this is the first one that has wowed my DH. 

Makes 6 to 7 quarts
3 medium onions, chopped
3/4 cup banana peppers, chopped (Hungarian wax chili peppers)
3 tsp. garlic, minced
16 cups tomatoes, peeled, cored and chopped
2 cups green and red bell peppers, chopped
3 (12 oz) cans tomato paste
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 cup sliced portabella or button mushrooms
4 tsp. canning salt
2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. ground black pepper
lemon juice (per jar)

 Add all of ingredients to stock pot.

Heat to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer, partially covered, for 2 hours. Stirring occasionally.

After it has simmered, add 1 tablespoon lemon juice per pint jar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice per quart, ladle sauce into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space cap with two piece lids. Process pints 35 minutes and quarts for 40 minutes in a boiling water bath canner.

If you choose you can cool then ladle into freezer containers and freeze.

I also have this recipe posted on my food.com account. If you care to read the reviews you can see them here.

~ Farmgirl

Crazy Cake ~ Review

Pin It Pin It So many recipes floating around and now circulating on facebook lately. Seems like the new craze. Beings I promised my husband a cake since none of us liked the previous cake I made and it was one I found on another facebook page, I just can't remember what one, at the moment, anyhow I made him another. Thinking I can't go wrong with chocolate.

So one of my facebook friends (Heather) posted Crazy Cake ~ Wacky Cake from It's a MOM thing yesterday. It looked pretty simple, I have all the items in my pantry and it is a one pan deal. Perfect size considering i'm trying to limit the sweets that I make and we consume. Not to terribly a lot of sugar either.

So here's what I think about about. Minimal dishes to wash (awesome), all staples in the pantry (even better). Chocolate (a way to my husbands heart is through his stomach). Cook time was spot on for my stove. Cake raised and was fluffy and moist (I really love that). Excellent flavor!!  Four thumbs up from my family.

So here's the recipe

Crazy Cake ~ Wacky Cake

1-1/2 cups flour

3 Tbsp. cocoa (unsweetened)

1 cup white sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp. white vinegar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

5 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 cup water

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix first 5 ingredients in a greased 8" square baking pan. Make 3 depressions in dry ingredients - two small, one larger (see in photo #3 above). Pour vinegar in one depression, vanilla in the other and vegetable oil in third larger depression. Pour water over all. Mix well until smooth.

Bake on middle rack of oven for 35 minutes. Check with toothpick to make sure it comes out clean. Cool. Frost with our favorite frosting. Enjoy!

Tip- You can double this recipe; just use a 9x13 baking pan.

Have you tried any of the recipes you've seen on facebook lately? Share here some of your favorite recipes.

~ Farmgirl

Another rainy day

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I don't know about where you are at, but here in West Virginia its been raining pretty good since yesterday afternoon. We are suppose to have more rain throughout the day and evening. It may come down pretty hard at times. So, I was just telling a friend of mine that when it does dry out the garden is going to be over taken by weeds, it probably will look like a jungle in my front yard. I don't like weeds it takes forever to weed the garden or at least it feels like it to me.

Garden as seen out my front door.
You can even see the rain on the screen door.

I heard from an old man at one of the feed stores saying we are going to have an unusually wet summer. If that's the case we may not get anything out of the garden. It may all rot before it can be harvested. I'm hoping he was wrong but you know these old men most of them hit the nail on the head. 

So how's the weather where you are and how is your garden looking at the moment?

~ Farmgirl

Whiskey Marinade for Beef, Chicken or Pork

Pin It Pin It I use this on pork loin chops and it yields a very flavorful and juicy pork chop.

1/2 cup whiskey
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper

Whisk all ingredients together. Pour over meat and seal tightly and give a shake or two to coat meat.
Place meat in refrigerator, let marinate at least 3 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
Cook meat on grill.

Original recipe from food dot com

~ Farmgirl

Lazy Day

Pin It Pin It Been a rainy day off and on. So we pretty much stayed in the house and just enjoyed our time as a family. Our daughter did go over and get a few of the bunnies and brought them over for play time. One of them has had an issue with its eye. I don't think that it ever opened, so I cleaned it with some warm water and mineral oil. Now it can see just fine.

I got to cuddle with this one for a bit. It is only 16 days old and such a chunk. Its a lot bigger than its sibling. These are the only two out of the whole bunch made it.

Look at that size difference! I'm trying to talk the DH into keeping on of them for our stock. I'm not sure if its working just yet.

This is the smallest baby buns foot. Isn't it so cute.. This bunnies fur feels like velvet. Well besides doing some house work and cooking this is pretty much all we did all day. Was nice to just veg out.

Hope everyone had a wonderful day.

~ Farmgirl

Hearty Macaroni Salad

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This salad speaks summertime to my family. Very refreshing and packed full of flavor. You can't stop at one serving.

4 cups cooked elbow macaroni
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup sweet red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup cucumber, seeded and chopped

Dressing:
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
4 teaspoon vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dill weed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons sugar

In a bowl, combine macaroni, celery, onion, peppers, carrots and cucumber.

In another bowl, combine the dressing ingredients until blended. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Cover and chill for several hours before serving.

Yield 8 servings.

~Farmgirl

Feet Up

Pin It Pin It It's been a very busy few days for us here on the farm and away from the farm. Sunday and Monday my daughter and I went and visited my parents over in Ohio. I helped my mother plant her garden. We put in 120 tomatoes and 48 pepper plants. They had to cut their garden back because of some septic work they are about to have done. It's weird seeing only half of it planted as she cans a lot also.

Yesterday and today  here on the farm we mowed, weeded the edges of the yard and pasture. Cleaned rabbit cages and made some repairs. We also planted a row of peas, row of Lima beans, 2 pounds of onion sets, 15 hills of squash,  9 hills of cucumber, and sweet potatoes. We are about finished with the planting. I just want to add two more rows of corn and maybe another row or two of Lima beans (this fool picked up the wrong kind of Lima beans so I'm short just a little bit) and a small pumpkin patch.

Our son went and cut some small saplings so we could have some tomato stakes. We desperately needed them. I'm hoping to get the rest of them done this weekend. We got one-third of them done just before it started raining here this evening.

Just after the first small storm passed by.

I got my shower between storms and now my feet are propped up for the evening while I watch the CMT Music Awards.

Hope everyone is having a good evening.

~ Farmgirl

Crockpot Apple Butter

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One of the many comfort foods we enjoy. I love it slathered on homemade biscuits.

5 1/2 pounds apples, peeled and finely chopped (I use three different kinds of apples)
4 cups sugar
2-3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt

Place apples in a large bowl. Combine sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Pour over apples and mix well.

Place in crockpot, cover and cook on high for 1 hour.

Decrease heat to low; cover and cook on low for 9 to 11 hours or until thickened and dark brown. Stir occasionally.

Uncover and cook on low for 1 more hour.

If desired, whisk until smooth.

Spoon into freezer containers, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Cover and freeze.

Or ladle in hot sterilized jars, add 1 tablespoon lemon juice per pint, wipe rim, cap with two-piece lids and process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes.

Makes approx 9 1/2 pints

Mountain Berry Pie

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A delicious pie for any occasion. Serve it up with a dollop of whipped topping or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. 

Pastry for double-crust pie

1 cup white sugar

1 pinch of salt

1/4 cup cornstarch + tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup blueberries

1 cup strawberries

3/4 cup blackberries

3/4 cup raspberries

1/8 cup water

1/4 cup peach schnapps

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Combine sugar, cornstarch, salt and cinnamon in a large saucepan.

Stir in berries and add water, peach schnapps and lemon juice.

Cook over medium heat just to the boiling point. It should be thickened. If berries are frozen this takes a little while longer.

Pour into pie shell and dot with butter.

Top with a lattice crust or full crust with slits cut.

Brush top with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

~ Farmgirl

Good Day Everyone

Pin It Pin It Well if you haven't noticed by now there's been some cleanup going on and a whole lotta adding of new recipes to the blog. I'm actually working on my canning and recipe folders trying to get things in a usable order. So I thought I would focus on many of my canning recipes since that time of the year is just right around the corner.

I've also been asked a few questions through the comments of different posts and I was doing some research on those. I get totally sidetracked most of the time, cause I find something that looks good and what not. I think I have answered every ones questions so far. But, you will see in the up coming weeks that I will be addressing them. So stay tuned.

Another big change made to the Blog here is that you can now print any recipe off this site. The printer button is located below my post in the comments box. You can't miss it! I absolutely hate trying to get recipes off my laptop while cooking. I did some research and found the easiest way I know how to get those recipes in your  hands. Hope you all enjoy!!

Please leave feedback to any message you see here on the Blog. I enjoy your comments and questions! If I don't know the answer I will seek someone that does.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

~ Farmgirl

Corn Cob Jelly

Pin It Pin It I was very intrigued when I first saw this recipe. I had to make it just to find out what all the hype was about. I'm so very glad I did. I've been making it for many years now and I really enjoy the delicate apple honey taste.

12 sweet corn cobs, corn removed
4 cups water
4 cups sugar
1 (1 3/4 ounce) box fruit pectin

Bring water with cobs to a boil and boil for 10 minutes.
Measure 3 cups and strain through wet cheesecloth.
Pour into a large saucepan with pectin and bring to a rolling boil.
Add sugar.
Bring back to a boil and boil for 3 minutes.
Skim foam if necessary and add food coloring if you want.
Ladle hot jelly into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Adjust two-piece caps.
Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

Make 6 1/2 pints

Enjoy
~ Farmgirl