Fall farm life...

 Horses are out to pasture, in our yard!  We've let them loose and they haven't wandered far.  I  figure it's such a long winter for them that a little green grass before they are penned up was a good thing.

 Our 5 geese wondering around being noisy and messy.  We hope to get 3 of them butchered soon.

 Kevin borrowed a tractor and tiller and got our new garden tilled.  We put it near the high tunnel with hopes and dreams of someday putting another high tunnel over it.  The high tunnel we have is 24 x 72 feet and this  one is about 32 x 100 feet.  It looks so small.  When you start planting the space goes fast! 

 Yesterday, we had a big clean-up day and got the fences for peas down, weeds, plastic, tomatoes and peppers that were outside, etc, etc, all put away and ready for winter.  The kids were reluctant but even admitted that it felt good to get so much done.  The pool got washed up and dried and put in the garage.  This is the main garden in the back. 

 Here we are expanding the strawberries just a little bit.  Jordan has asked why?  I said give me good reason why not?  She thinks she can come up with lots of why nots, but the strawberries will all get eaten, we just have a bit more weeding to do :) 

 Another view of the strawberry patch.

 My next expansion project for next year is berries and fruit trees.  Kevin is now on the east side of the high tunnel and putting in 4 rows that are 75' long.  I plan to get currants, honeyberries, blackberries, elderberries, chokecherries, plums and apples to plant here in the Spring.  I've always wanted to do more but haven't know where they would go and this spot is perfect.  I'll put 75' of soaker hose the first year under a layer of plastic and that way we can hook up the hose to water each row one at a time without having to drag a hose over there and lay out.  It'll be so great. 

 Once the berries are all established I hope it will look like this.  These are the grapes we moved this summer.  I love that they are edged and have rock.  It should be a snap to take care of this next year.

The ducks foraging in the grass.  They blend right in with the fall looking colors (or absence of color).

Our high tunnel bounty...

 Picking tomatoes last week in the high tunnel.

 Jordan is picking green beans.  After we got the poly up the beans that looked almost done were revived!

 A revived bean plant!

Some beans just planted 4 weeks ago!

 Lettuce that was planted also 4 weeks ago. Not all of it germinated though.

 Here was our haul of tomatoes then.  I was able to put up 33 pints of salsa, 16 quarts of tomatoes and we still have some left over to make something else this week.  It's fun to see the high tunnel produce something, we didn't get to can much in August partly because we were busy but also there wasn't anything to put up.

Can you spot the mistake?  We didn't until the birthday party was done!  

I guess we need some spelling lessons.

Purchasing organic foods...

 I was researching some recipes last night on a website and came across the dirty dozen and thought maybe someone might be interested in this.  I need to keep a copy handy to remember this when I'm looking at the sales in the store.

Whether you are on a budget and need to prioritize your organic purchases, or you would simply like to know which type of produce has the highest pesticide residues—and which do not—the following guide from the Environmental Working Group will help.

12 Most Contaminated Peaches Apples Sweet Bell Peppers Celery Nectarines Strawberries Cherries Pears Grapes (Imported) Spinach Lettuce Potatoes   12 Least Contaminated Onions Avocado Sweet Corn (Frozen) Pineapples Mango Asparagus Sweet Peas (Frozen) Kiwi Fruit Bananas Cabbage Broccoli Papaya

Grandpa Sam's Birthday...

 

We had Grandpa and Grandma and my brother and his family over for chili, home made bread, apple crisp, and Aunt Christine's carrot cake. It was great!

 

Here he is with all of his grandchildren!

Wedding Bliss...

 Caleb and JoyAnn.  We went to their wedding yesterday.  I really wanted to stay home because we have been so busy but I am glad we went.  Another beautiful couple to find each other and bless us all with their joy!

If you have seen the movie Fireproof, you may recognize the cross in the background above.  They also had the salt and pepper shaker on top of the cake to symbolize together.  If you try to take one of the shakers off you will break the other.  Beautiful.