Spring Time

I love this time of the year but it always gets away on me. I have this long list of stuff to do before the Spring time gets here. I try so hard to get everything done inside before all I want to do is play outside. WELL I missed it again. Here I am inside cleaning out rooms and I want to be outside building a new chicken coop or planting veggies.

Today I was inside cleaning out my daughters room. I'm not sure where all this stuff comes from but she is doing well at helping me get her big room the way we want it.  Next will be paint and putting stuff in the right place. Something she needs to learn. She is all about horses, dance and flowers. Just a mini me.

Next I will be cleaning out the rest of the house, working out what I can sell, upcycle or give away.  One day I would love to have everything where I need it and in it's place. No more stuff coming in the house, but food and no more leaving. I don't need half the stuff I have. I'm not sure I use it all anyway.  Been here two years and still feel like we just moved in.

Making Butter

I thought this process was going to be really hard and not work. I know sometimes I have no faith in myself. I have been thinking about it for a while and have been wanting to give it a go and with the prices of butter going up I keep thinking it maybe cheaper and better to make it myself.

Well today was the perfect day for trying it out. The morning started with a trip to an reuse place, but it was closed when we got there so we thought we would find a local dairy farm I had heard about.  We were hoping they had a store where we could get some great products.  But it was better than that. The owner was right at the door when we walked in and he gave us lots of products to go home with including cups to have a drink in the car. Chocolate Milk of course.

So once home I made my butter.

I used 4 cups of whipping cream,

Place cream in a food processor or kitchen aid and beat. It took about 15 minutes and at this time the butter is separate from the liquid (whey). I put it in a cheese cloth and got all the liquid off. At this point knead and mix in salt. (if you are adding it) and wrap in paper.

It is very easy and taste wonderful.

Goals for this year

Wow it is almost March and I have not sat down and wrote my goals. I have thought alot about them and what will get done vs dreams.

1. First we need to get a temp fencing system around the garden. I'm not sure how big I would like it in the end so I don't want to make it hard to change.

2. My strawberry patch will need to go in very soon. I plan to order them next week. I can't wait for my own strawberries and no more worrying about sprays.

3. Chickens to get more chickens or wait until next year. The question is in the air.

4. Plant Swap. Oh I love my annual plant swap, making it bigger and better this year.

5. New Chicken Coop. That will have to be done before we get more chickens

6. Goats. Just two that is all I want.

7. Canning. I would love to do some much more this year.

8. Grow enough potatoes to get us through the whole year.

9. Finish the wood stove.

There is more to add but this will work for now.