Tiny eggs

Those hens have finally started laying, and my they are the cutest little things!  Now if only I could convince Isabelle that we don't have to keep every little egg for next Easter...

a july garden and the new composting system

This garden (our community garden shared with our neighbors), as expected, is now bursting at its seams.  Two weeks gone by without weeding and it is a jungle, corn is standing tall, and zucchini is most definitely coming out of our ears.  Our other garden is filled with ripening fruit...eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, beets and oh so much more.  These days are good days.

 

garden stir fry night!

And with the over abundance of extra produce we were happy to welcome our two newest farm girls.  They are a barnyard mix...duroc mixed with something or other and are happily easing into their new life as composting machines.  A third young man will join the ladies next week (he was a little late getting the old snippity snip treatment).

our new compost.

Our pigs are, as you likely expect, not pets...oh no...not long term pets that is.  They are hard at work packing on the pounds and destined to nourish our bodies over the winter.  In the mean time they will be loved and once they let us (if they let us) get close enough for a back scratch, they will get plenty.  Last year eating chicken all the time got pretty old.  So here we are raising three pigs... a pig for our family, a pig for my parents and a pig for the neighbors (the neighbors of course are doing equal work in keeping these ladies happy!).  Wish us luck!

The barrel man

In search of a barrel to convert into a watering system for our newest farm girls (more on the squealers later) we, my neighbor and I, found ourselves at "the barrel man". This infamous Vermonter is passionate about two things (from what I gathered...) the holy power that god provides (sun) and barrels. Equally eclectic and god fearing, this man new a thing or two about barrels and liked to share his knowledge on the subject. We walked away with a good story, some great pictures and a barrel (one of those orange ones to be precise).

vermont has a lot to offer....from cool summer nights to the barrel man...i like this place an awful lot.

field trip!

This week I had the pleasure of chaperoning my first field trip!  Off to the polar caves we went, a back seat full of lanky 5-8 year olds and a whole lot of giggles.  I love seeing Isabelle in her school element, she plays so freely with her friends and is oh so independent of mama.  Here are a few fleeting shots of our first of many field trip adventures.

keeping up with the group (no time to stop and take a photo)

no mama help needed...

i even got to improvise a little gnome story...of course i told them all a story about pine cone and pepper pot...our two favorite gnomes...

a condensed version of my story was:All gnomes have long pointy hats and at the tippity top there is a glimmering light.  When the gnomes travel deep into the rocks to look for special gems their glimmering light atop their hats glows brightly for them and makes a path of light.  So when you are down below in the rock caves and you see little shining or twinkly rocks (which we did!) it just might be a fleeting gnome cap!

***

these are days when being a mom really sinks in...it is weird....really weird...but so amazing.

Being a mom with lots of silly gnome stories up your sleeve sort of always rules.

nature's pacifier

a chicken wing....

no...we won't be putting owen down for the night with a hunk of grilled asian style chicken wing...but gosh...doesn't that sounds delicious and sticky?

weekend warriors

In my early 20's the term weekend warriors was reserved for late nights, dance hall reggae, too many drinks and hangovers. ..now...in my late 20's (the last year of my 20's oh my!)...the term is still used but in a far different context (even though i somehow have become a lover of late night whisky and yes...i still pump dance hall reggae obviously...).  Weekends are filled with gardening, animal tending, lots of sweat, child entertaining, sprinklers, building new animal structures, neighborly love and of course a whole lot of food prepping (and eating!).  This weekend we had "garden dinners" both Saturday & Sunday night...and folks.....it is good....real good.  This whole neighbor thing is really working out... having 3 gardens between 2 houses combined with lots of inspiration to get rid of the zucchini we make some damn fine food.  This weekend we ate:

Saturday night:

flatbread & ratatouille (Alice Water's - art of simple food)
(the ratatouille was better day 2, just as my girl Alice had said...especially with a couple of poached eggs on top!)

smoked chicken

oh yes...and there is usually beetle catching these days

a man shakin some amazing...

....zucchini frites and lemon basil mayo!

plum gallet...drool

smoked chicken slathered with some homemade mango bbq sauce

he was that excited about the smoked chicken...

smoked beets atop goat cheese & flat bread....
amazing...
this bite looks sort of sad (2 beet eyes and a cheesey frown)...but it made my belly so happy!

Sunday night:

we recruited the two cutest sous chefs

and put together a little mid summer turkey feast....
brined & smoked turkey
gravy made with pan juices...holy yumminess
cranberry-mango salsa
ginger-garlic-soy green beans
beet salad
zucchini gratin

zucchini gratin

dessert...
ben & jerry's ice cream topped with:
frozen s'mores (substitue gram crackers with golden grams...yes please)
homemade magic chocolate shell
and dino sprinkles...

NOTE: All this delicious food was not prepped by just myself.  You know those neighbors I keep bragging about...yeah she made at least half if not more...and her man willingly and patiently built a pig house (with job site scraps) with my man.  Yes, you should all be terribly jealous of my neighbors....we are in neighbor heaven.  

lakeside dinners

There is something so "summer" about last minute changes to evening plans and routines...a day's stress can melt away with the phrase "let's just go to the lake for dinner!"  In the winter I lean on routine  and rhythm...in the summer we fight it....looking for any excuse to get out of the house (maybe this is just our summer routine?).  We are lucky enough to have some friends that are just as  fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants as we are....they are usually always up for dinner and the lake to wash away a days worth of sticky.  This week two mamas without kids played a little hookie and made some grilled pizza and met our men at the lake (babes in tow).  This was a good move for us mamas...who rarely get a moment to have a complete thought (let alone sentence) with each other.  And this lake...while it is far from salt water...fills me up and cools me down.  

grilled pizza w/ summer squash, corn, red pepper, mozzarella & feta

dinner lakeside

nivi, owen & isabelle
just for a reference....owen & nivi are practically the same age...yes...my boy is a peanut!

sandy toes

a juicy melon

my three favorite people

melon smiles

check out owen's serious face

purl

The neglected stitch.  Everyone always talks about knitting...but you know what I want to talk about?!  Purling!  It is a shame when I hear new knitters (and even old) talk about the dreaded purl stitch.  Don't worry purl...I got your back. It is possibly because I knit continental that I have such a soft spot for this stitch...when I am in full steam purling an entire row I feel like my fingers are a well oiled machine.  So hats off to you purl, you could take the knit stitch any day.

new hat (for me!)
yarn: mink (brand...don't remember)
patter: rustling leaves/Coastal Knits 

leaves up close

My recent dive back into knitting, and rant on purling, is all due to my new pal Mariah who has graciously reminded me of how much I love to knit purl!  Not only has she reminded me of how much I enjoy knitting, but also gave me the little push I needed to join a weekly knitting group.  It is just what this mama needed and to top it off there is a cute little bar with some perky male waiters that have deemed us regulars.  Knitting and a beer once a week - yes...mama heaven.  

And while I am being so selfish with these weekly dates, I decided to take it a step further.... After much internal debate (baby sweaters i love you so) I have dedicated the next few projects to myself.  Since my knitting karma hasn't exactly paid off yet it is time to knit myself a few treats.  First that hat and now this sweater - I am certainly due for a little self purling indulgence.

sweater (for me!)
yarn: berroco remix
(i know i know...a fiber girl taboo...it's not 100% wool...but i love it and it is made from recycled fibers, is washable, durable and soft!)
pattern: abi

At the river

Nothing quenches life like the river on a humid day...

'booch

So here it is folks, my recent "spare" time has been gobbled up in kombucha making.  Yes, the oober hip kombucha (or fermented tea).  I am hooked...quite possibly addicted to fermented bubbly.  And, while the drink may have some controversy...i will spare no time talking about that.  What ever you decide to put in your body is your business...but right now my body is loving its daily dose of homemade kombucha and it is delicious!  Health benefits aside, this drink is a perfect companion on a hot day and it is darn-tootin' easy to make.  And while I do know there are plenty, if not hundreds, of demos and recipes online here is my take on 'booch makin...enjoy loves!

Supplies

Tea (I use 2 tbs of black or green…but go ahead get crazy….i would not use any flavored teas)

Sugar (I use refined)

SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria & Yeast) & starter tea (tea from the last batch)

Gallon glass jug (or ½ gallon depending on how much you make….)
Sealable jars for bottling

Flavor stuff….ginger/herbs/fruit…you name it you can booch it (maybe…)

Make the tea

For 1 gallon of booch I bring 14 cups of water to a boil and turn off, add a cup of sugar and 2 tablespoons of tea (I have also experimented with adding dried rosehips at this stage), stir and let it cool. Once cooled, pour into your glass jug (make sure you strain if you are using loose tea without a bag), add a SCOBY and approximately 2 cups of tea from your last batch.

S.C.O.B.Y
(or snotty mama)

Ferment

Cover your gallon jug with a clean dishtowel and secure with a rubber band.  I’m into a sweeter tasting booch so in this weather I am doing my first ferment for 4 days at the most.  To find out what you like…use a straw and slurp up a taste as it is fermenting…just be sure not to back wash!  In colder climates this step will most certainly take longer - taste daily to make sure it doesn't get vinegery.

Bottle

With clean hands remove your SCOBY…separate if she has become a monster (the old mama can be passed to a friend, composted, eaten by your chickens...or i have even seen a recipe for candied SCOBY...totally not going there...but if you do, let me know!)… Put your new mama in a jar with 2 cups of that batch tea.  Using a funnel pour your booch into bottles (we like the grolsch style…but you can use anything as long as it is glass and creates a good seal).  Leave about 2 inches or more if you plan to use fruit or just 1 inch head space if you don’t plan to add anything else.

jug of fermented tea getting ready to be bottled and flavored with lemon and grated ginger

Flavor

Add anything you want.  I would clean any fresh fruit or herbs you decide to throw in.  So far we love raspberry/lime/ginger, strawberry/mint, lemon/lavender/ginger,  blueberry/lime/ginger, strawberry/rhubarb.  When I made rhubarb I cooked the rhubarb in a little water and then strained it…you could do that with any of the fruit if you were looking to get fancy and not have globs of fruit floating in your booch.  Really do whatever sounds fantastic in your head…the sky is the limit

Ferment

After you have flavored, clean off bottle tops and cap.  Let sit on counter (in this weather) for 2 or more days.  Move to the fridge once she is ready!

Drink

The most obvious step!  If you put whole fruit in you will want to strain it (or not)....i like to use a little tea strainer to catch all the globs!  Oh and side note...the batch of late obsession is ginger-lavendar-lemon...and she is delightful paired with a splash of rum and a lime sqeeze!

the final product
(this was raspberry lime ginger)

NOTES

•Always use clean hands and bottles.  I run my bottles through a cycle in the dishwasher…that is as sterile as I get.

•Keep your fermenting batches out of direct sunlight (a cabinet or dark corner is ideal)

•At first booch can be tricky and then once you have it “figured out” the season will change and you may have to play with your fermentation time a bit.  If your first batch comes out crappy you can always go down to a ½ gallon batch at a time…that is what I did until I “nailed it”.

•There are a million and more sites online that give comprehensive picturesque demonstrations…if this isn’t enough…google it.

•If your SCOBY ever looks funny (green/black/really white or fuzzy) throw her out…there is no hope for her. Find a friend...with a SCOBY and get a new one!  If you don't have a friend with a SCOBY there are several online resources...google it!

•From what I have read there is a chance that your booch will have over the legal limit of alcohol content…that being said…it is probably very minimal…I have never had a booch hangover!  I’ve read that the second ferment with fruit is where the alcohol level may be affected…so maybe a shorter 2nd ferment is the way to go if you are worried about it. 

•If you are so excited about your booch and want to share it with everyone make sure you don’t inundate someone with too much booch…”they say”….to gradually increase consumption starting at maybe 4 oz a day…..basically don’t let grandma chug 16 oz the first times she has it.

•Keep your fermenting jugs covered at all times to decrease your likelihood of contamination and keep other fermenting goodies (like sour dough) and compost heaps on the other side of your kitchen

•I’ve read booch can hang in your fridge for up to 2 months safely (probably longer)…if you don’t go through it so fast then it might be worth labeling with a date.

camping

in style

dishing out the goods

night one: sausages/smoked white fish potato salad/homemade mustard/cornbread and a scrumptious caramelized onion lentil and rice dish i am failing to remember the name of...

there were games too...of course with the perfect accessories (bug eye glasses)

camping braids

evidence of a little too much night time fun

bug collecting

swimming

baby love

watch out mama...

the biggest cornball i know

no camping trip is complete without a foot shot

taco prep station
ever wonder what to do with all that extra juice from fresh salsa...?....strain it and make it into a cocktail!

hand pies...my new favorite neighbor makes hand pies....did i say she was my favorite neighbor!

Hot dogs are a thing of camping past people.  With this group of food enthusiast, this weekend excursion was more of an epicurion delight rather than camping in the woods.  There was no shortage of sausages made by our friends new employer, breakfasts to please the gods & goddesses, fish tacos that were simply finger lickin' good, and hand pies...oh my...those hand pies.....

Oh yes, and there was the camping part too.  We stayed in our dear friends cabin again up in Sugar Hill and, as usual, had a blast.  Great company, swimming, a little too much fun at night and thankfully no (really bad) hangovers - camping in style success!