Time flies....when your having fun...are we having fun yet!?

Where has this summer gone!? It really seems like just last week we were putting in the garden. It has been slow growing...however it is FINALLY coming in. Actually I am glad it took it's time....I have been so busy working out at MUTC again. Roll playing as a displaced citizen....after a nuclear explosion. It is a lot of fun for the most part....but it was hot..and we walked a LOT this year. Up at 04:30..out to the barn by 5 am...feeding, watering, opening doors, then in the house by 05:30 and on the road by 06:00. Work until 7 pm, home by 7:30 most days...chores at 8 pm, and not getting to bed until 12 or 1 am...after chores, shower, dinner, packing my bag for the next day...whew! The company we worked for supplied us with snacks, mid morning and late afternoon. Apples, Bananas, and peaches. Well....the last day we were told to take what we want. SWEeeeeeeet! I walked away with about 100 pounds of Green Granny Smith Apples.

The bag on top I made 8 pints of apple sauce and 8 - 1/2 pints of apple butter. That used about 20 pounds. I still have about 80 pounds yet to do something with. Apple juice, cider, jelly, PIE!! I also got about 40 pounds of mostly rotten banana's. I was able to put a few bunches in the freezer for banana bread later...and dried 5 trays of chips. The rest went to the pigs...and they were in HOG HEAVEN!

Now that I am finished working out there, for a while..I am trying to catch up on the farm chores that were let go. I was able to dig one row of potato's so far. Not the best yield, but I am happy with it. From a 15 ft row, I yielded about 25 pounds. One more row to go, maybe tomorrow. Our Concord grapes began to ripen fast! I picked one tray on day one...got about 5 gallons. This gave me 7 quarts of juice.

A week later I picked the rest, only about 3 gallons this time and got 5 quarts and a pint of juice today. I always leave some on the vines for the birds. Keeps them happy, and out of my tomato's! I also made up a small batch of tomato paste and started another crock pot of apple butter. I also had time to put up 11 pints of bread and butter pickles today. Whew! Busy in the kitchen all day today. I need to get as much done as I can, another job coming up soon...Whew!