Garden update and weathermen are paid to lie!!!

The weather here has been insanely hot and humid for weeks now. We've had rain, but it's been very sparatic and never lasts long. The forecast calls for rain starting tonight and lasting all of next week. While I don't want to lose a week of working on things here and some other projects that need done elsewhere, we really need the rain. The garden is doing fairly well, but with how late things went in, and the lack of rain, it could be doing a lot better. It still needs to be finished with weeding, but the heat and humidity has kept us out of it for nearly a week. I weeded 4-5 rows on Sunday night while Lisa picked, and I was soaked in sweat. She did manage to get quite a bit picked considering all the factors we have against the garden doing well right now. We got 4 1/2lbs yellow squash, 5lbs green beans,4 3/4lbs cabbage, and 10/4lbs zuchinni. Not to bad considering how dry it's been. If we get this rain, things will most likely explode and canning time will start with a roar. With all this in mind, I took an inventory of canning supplies and we're actually pretty well set, other than being a bit short on wide-mouth lids and rings. Those are cheap, so we'll get some in a week or so just to make sure they're on hand when the time comes. With the diet change, more awareness of processed/grocery store food, and trying to save money, we plan on more home canning this year than ever before. Yep, it's going to be a busy, busy canning season.


Earlier in the week, I was supposed to help my uncle take down two trees over at his place, but we weren't able to because his neighbor didn't leave the keys in the lift,(he owns a tool rental an brought home a 60ft boom lift), and because of the heat. He's FINALLY realizing that he is 75 and can't do everything he wants to. He's not giving up and just sitting, but he's not pushing himself either. While we were there, we took a walk to the back of the place simply because Lisa has never seen the whole property. We all talked about what he has done to it over the years, and he began to talk about what else he wants to do. He knows that we have pretty much dug up every available & usable square foot of our property, so he wants to clear a spot, plow and till it, so we can use it next year. He said he wants to finish clearing another area so he can fence it in for us to use as a pasture, then he said he wanted to dig a pond next to that area because the neighbor had offered to do it for him for nothing. It was funny to hear him say that with a pond, he could put in a pump that he already has so we would have irrigation water for whatever we had planted. We're thinking corn & wheat but we aren't 100% positive. He's actually fine with the idea of a couple goats and meat birds next year. I know we've talked about it before, but we're pretty serious this time. I'm going to slowly start gathering materials for a couple of buildings there.


It's hard sometimes to have those talks with him. He wants to do things for us for when he passes and we take over, which is greatly appreciated, but it's still him talking about what will happen when he's dead. While it will be an honor for me to be the 3rd generation on the land, I don't like thinking about it much, let alone talking about it. He even talked about putting up some fencing and building a pole barn because he knows that we would need it. I love the fact that he is thinking of us and how we will treat the place, but it's sad to know that he has to die before we can move in. I should just feel honored that he chose me out of my sister and my 2 cousins to take the place and not just money, but it's still hard to think about. I don't want to lose my uncle. I just hold on to the fact that I'll be the next line of W's to be there since 1929. I'll do my grandparents and uncle proud when we take over. I just wish my dad felt the same, but he thinks we're nuts. Ah well, can't win em all.


Today I scored close to 70 free cement blocks which I'll be using for more raised beds. I already used some to raise the height of the outoor sink/chicken station since it was just too short. Anytime I spent a few hours out there cleaning chickens, my back was killing me from that slight bend over the table and sink. Not anymore!! We also got another dozen FREE chickens this evening...as if we really needed them. The plan is to keep the majority of the young ones and thin our flock of the older ones. I'll be using the older hens for soups, (they're not quite 2), and buthering the last five freebie roosters tomorrow since they're finally big enough to be processed. Between all of the freebies this year so far, we'll have a total of 20 chickens either in soup or in the freezer. YAY on beating last year's record already. I'm positive there will be more. I can't wait for the carrots to be ready so we can start making giant batches of soup to can. MmMmMmMmMm


Today it rained off and off again. (yes I started writing this a few days ago lol) I think I would almost rather have no rain than these quick 2-5 minute showers. C'mon already. Give me a good steady all night rain. We hit a good downpour on the way back with the twelve chickens this evening, but of course, as soon as we got closer to home, we drove out of it. UGH this is frustrating. I can water with a hose if I really have to, but it would take me all night or more to get a decent soaking on everything. The forecast had said rain on Saturday afternoon-nothing, Sunday was supposed to be rain all day-again nothing. Monday and today said the same and we got a few random sprinkles here and there. Arrgghh. When I *don't* want rain-we get rain. Just my luck. DRATS