Triple Digits

It seems Summer is not giving up yet (SIGH).  I let myself be fooled by all the Fall decorations in the store, and the displays of school supplies, forgetting that August is our HOTTEST month.  We had temps of 101 yesterday, and a high of 100 for today and each day this week.  I want to cry :(

PH dug trenches around our two peach trees.  They were looking rather ragged, though I water them in the morning.  So deep trenches around the trees so that I can fill them with water is now the plan, so that they can prayerfully survive the heat.  My garden is so over grown with weeds, and I am not looking forward to clearning it out to plant the Fall garden in a couple of weeks. 

Continuing to get prepared food wise for the coming food shortages, and normal Winter preparations.  Organizing the pantry, and working on my LDS order which will be placed on Sunday.  The hens are still laying and I get about 7 dozen eggs a week.  I have a couple of customers, but I have been cooking eggs more for PS#2 breakfast, and baking more.  Trying to determine what I need in the pantry is very hard, I am out of so much.  The SHTF here, budget-wise, and I have had to cut down my grocery budget from $300 a month to $100 month.  I did splurge and purchase a 1/4 share of beef (105 lbs), which will last us a good while, plus getting ready to place my Freedom Ranger order.  That will give me chicken to eat.  So far, we are doing good with eating what we produce, and what I can find locally.  My $100 goes for dairy and baking supplies.  I strongly urge everyone reading this blog to consider stocking up, and if you already do, encourage others you know.  It is only going to get worse!

Molly, my Charlois heifer, is getting big, and is sometimes pretty feisty.  She butted me this morning wanting something to eat, and I have a nice bruise on my arm.  Boy did it hurt!  Poppy, one of this year's doelings was hurt last week.  Our big buck Larry somehow got her back, right hoof caught between his horns.  It was wedged in there pretty good.  I heard her screaming like someone was eating her, and went out to see him yanking on her leg.  I slowly approached them, and was able to get her foot out.  She promptly sprang up and ran away, but did begin limping rather badly.  PH was worried her leg was broken, but it was hard to tell.  It did get pretty swollen, but she managed to keep up with the herd, and is still eating and drinking.  She has actually been putting her wait on it, and running around, so I am assuming she is going to be fine. 

We have confined the pigs to the back pasture connected to the pond.  By making a small opening from their pen into the pasture, they are able to come and go out of their pen, but cannot make a mess around the house.  They have about 3 acres to roam on, and love eating the cat tails in the pond, and wallowing in the mud. 

With my 1/4 share of beef, I received several pounds of beef bones for soup.  I plan to make beef stock and can it.  I really have a difficult time coming up with items to can.  I am just not a creative thinker in this regard, and often go to Kris' blog http://www.krissimplyliving.blogspot.com/ to get ideas.  I am not an adventurous eater like she is, and neither is my family, but it gives me a jumping off place :)

The "farmer" across the road from me planted cotton, and it is about ready to harvest.  I can see the white bolls.  This means they will be spraying herbicide soon to kill the foliage.  I hate it! I wish I had known what was going on around the property BEFORE we bought it.   I love the land, but having the crop duster fly over several times a year makes me sad.

Watermelons seem to have done great around here, if the road side stands are anything to go by.  Everyone and their brother is selling watermelons out of the back of their trucks.  Mine didn't do anything, which was surprising.  The watermelons and cantelopes did the best last year.

Well, off to get PD#1 from my sister in town.  Talk at you later!