Catching You Up

Sorry I seem to have been away from the blog. My business really picked up for a short time, and that was followed by more apples, pears and grapes that needed jamming. I'm rushing to restock the very little there is left to do this time of year. As you know, the autumn harvest is heavy, but its short!

Next week also happens to be the NC State Fair. This is huge, the whole state and even surrounding states show up for the fair every year. There are tons of competitions to enter.... from canning... to baking... to animals... to produce... ect. So I have decided to enter 8 of my most popular jams, 1 of my favorite salsas, a batch of my most popular biscotti and I'm even entering my favorite rooster Alpha (a white bearded silkie). So I have 4 different days I have to go up to the fair grounds to get my entries in and judged. Plus I need to make time to take my daughter for the rides on one of those days. My neighbor's business is going to be at the fair from open to close the entire length of the fair (Oct 14-24). That means hubby and I will be their animal care takers. They're dogs, cats, chickens and rabbits need feeding.... and I'll have to water their fall crops as well.

This is all just to warn you, if I disappear again... I will probably return with blue ribbons in a couple weeks! :-D

To catch you up whats been going on at the homestead, other then the above preparing of business and competition, I've found after the recent flooding, a few of my lingering tomatoes finally bulked up what was left on them. I got a few ripe ones, some ripening and a bunch of green. 13 lbs of green ones alone (and if you recall, I've pulled out more then 1/2 of the tomato plants that were done last month). So I'm hoping some time in a cardboard box and tissue paper with finish ripening the harvest. If not, we'll be having green tomato chutney to can soon.

If anyone is interested, I still have 3 Black Tailed White Japanese Bantam roosters looking for a good home. Because if they stay here, they're going to be dinner!

Here's also a sneak peek at some of our newest jams that will be available soon... but not all yet ;)

Plum & Sliced Almond Jam

  

Vanilla Pear Butter