Linda's Lunacy

Faith, Home, & Family

Saturday On The Farm

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Saturday on the Farm

This week I worked on preserving some of our harvest.  This is part of what my husband carried in the other night night.

This is one huge tomato! That’s my hand holding it, granted, I have small hands, but it’s a huge tomato!

Oh boy, was it ever delicious!

I blanched and froze the green beans I told you about last week.

I got 5 quart bags of the greasey beans.

I also worked on the yellow squash. I filled 3 dehydrator trays with the seedy parts of the squash. I do use these in soups in the winter, but I also re-hydrate and feed to the goats and chickens during the winter.

I blanched and froze the yellow squash, also.

I got 5 quart bags, and I still have a pile of yellow squash waiting to be processed.

Here’s the dehydrated squash still on the tray.

Three full trays dehydrated down to less than half a quart jar.

The other night, a neighbor brought us some “goose beans”. I had never heard of them before. He said you cook and eat them like green beans as long as the pods are green. When the start turning pink, you can’t eat the pod. Then you dry them, and  you cook and eat the dried bean, not the pod. We’re going to save some for seed, also, as our neighbor said you can’t buy goose beans anymore.
I cooked some of the green ones, and they taste like a green bean. They are much larger than a green bean, though.
I threaded the ones that were pink, or turning pink so they would dry.

I’ve always wanted to try this. I think the beans look so cool hanging there. Apparently, I am greatly amused by hanging beans. lol

I have a big bowl of green ones still, that I’m going to blanch & freeze. If I feel better, I might break out the pressure canner and can the beans, and the rest of the yellow squash.

I’m going to freeze the little onions whole. If I do break out the pressure canner, I might can them. Can you say creamed onions for Thanksgiving and Christmas? yum

I put the flower pictures in another post. It works better to split the pictures up, instead of one super long post.

Ok, it’s time for the Saturday on the Farm Carnival!

To participate, just write a post about your homestead, farm, farmette, or the tomato plant on your deck. Your cows, goats, chicken, or your favorite kitty cat.

In your post, include a link back to me. Then enter your link below.

It’s that easy! Hope to see your link below!

For more gardens, visit Weekend Warriors at It’s a Blog Party. and Tuesday Garden Party at An Oregon Cottage and Oh, How My Garden Grows at Just Trying to Save Money.

Also visit Outdoor Wednesday at A Southern Day Dreamer.

It’s Friday!

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Welcome to Linda’s Lunacy!

If this is your first time visiting Linda’s Lunacy, Welcome!  I’m glad you stopped by for a visit.

This week, from my kitchen, I shared my menu plan and a recipe for Pumpkin Cinnamon Chip Cookies. I also shared how to test eggs for freshness.

I shared what I’m reading this week and I continued the Read the Bible in 90 Days program.

I joined Word Filled Wednesday as well as Wordless Wednesday.

I also updated my 200 Sit ups Challenge.

And, of course, I was at the Saturday on the Farm Carnival, and in the garden.

Friday’s mean a chance to meet new people at these blog hops:

friday-follow

New Friend Fridays

Fun Follow Friday

Thanks for stopping by to visit! There’s lots to see here. You could start with my “About Me” page at the top. There are more links in my sidebar.

Hope to see you again soon!

W.W.W. Wednesday – My Reading List

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* What are you currently reading? –    Spiritual Mothering by Susan Hunt The Titus 2 Model for Women Mentoring Women   –  So far, this is an interesting read. I think I’m going to learn a lot from this book.

* What did you recently finish reading? – Healed Once and For All by Rod Parsley – from the back of the book – In this comprehensive study, you will find the answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding healing.

The Price of Love by Christine S. Drake This is an older book, published in 1993, that my daughter brought from a local library (not the public library). I enjoyed this book,I thought it had a good story line, and believable characters. One of the main characters that refused to believe throughout the book, believes at the end. A good book, if you can get your hands on a copy.

* What do you think you’ll read next? – Becoming a Woman of Influence Making a Lasting Impact on Others by Carol Kent From the back cover – In this book you will learn 7 simple life changing principles Jesus used to influence others. Sounds good!

In addition to reading the above books, this week I continued a  Read the Bible in 90 days program. So that’s keeping me busy reading, also.

To see more reading lists, visit Should Be Reading.

Blooming Flowers

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We’ve had quite a bit of ran this week. We needed it, though, our creek had dried out. In between the rain, I managed to take a couple of pictures.
The Hibiscus bushes are in full bloom. This is bush number 1.
Bush number 2 has pretty pink flowers.
Bush number three is the biggest bush.
We usually have to tie the bush together, but we haven’t yet this year. Considering all the rain we’ve had, the bushes are holding their own, only a couple of droopy branches.
The Butterfly bush is living up to its name, and attracting lots of butterflies. This one is on the big white butterfly bush right outside our front door. It’s pretty cool to be able to look the living room windows and see lots of butterflies on the bush.

If you want to see pictures of our vegetable garden, visit Saturday on the Farm.While your there, join the Saturday on the Farm Carnival.

For more flower pictures, visit Tuesday Garden Party at An Oregon Cottage.
Flaunt Your Flowers at Tootsie Time.
Also visit Outdoor Wednesday at A Southern Day Dreamer.

Farm Fresh Eggs

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We’ve had our own chickens for a few years now. The appearance, taste and texture far exceed any eggs you can buy in the store. Even organic and cage free eggs. Did you know that cage free means there is a door and the chickens could go outside, even if outside the door is only a couple of square feet for all the chickens to walk around in. They may not be in a “cage” but the certainly aren’t free to roam as the term cage free implies.

A Dozen Cage Free Brown EggsImage by consumatron via Flickr

Sometimes our chickens like to hide their eggs. So when we find them, we’re not sure what day the chickens actually laid them. So we have to test them to see if they are fresh.

To check for egg freshness, place the egg in a bowl of water. Make sure the water is a couple of inches above egg. If the egg stays on the bottom, it’s good. If the egg floats, it’s bad.

This test comes in handy for store bought eggs, also. If your eggs are near or have passed the expiration date, you can test them to find out if they are still good. No need to throw good eggs away.

For those of you that buy your eggs in the store, Dr. Mercola has an interesting article on Why You Don’t Want to Buy Organic Eggs at the Grocery Store.

(I had to use someone else’s picture of eggs, as our chickens have gone on strike because of the heat, and aren’t laying. Can’t say as I blame them!)

For more kitchen tips, visit Tammy’s Recipes.
For more frugal ides, visit Frugal Friday.

Bible in 90 Days – Week 3 Update

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I’ve now completed two weeks of read the Bible in 90 days. I’m right on schedule, reading in Deuteronomy. I have been able to finish my reading every day. Most days, I read the section straight through. There have been a couple of days where I have split the reading up, though. Reading the Bible at such a fast pace is new to me. I keep having to stop myself from reading the notes, or looking something up in the middle of reading, like I usually do.

I do find Leviticus and Numbers hard books to read through. We started celebrating the Biblical Feats last year, so I do enjoy learning more about them every time I read the Bible.

But the names! Oh, how I get stuck on the names! Reading to myself, it’s not as bad, but when I have read these chapters out loud to the kids it can get quite interesting! lol I can never seem to pronounce a name the same way twice! lol

To see more Bible in 90 Days updates, visit Mom’s Toolbox

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