August on the Farm

Welcome to the farm!

August, the last month of summer. For us, it's been filled with hot days and stormy nights. Isn't it funny to think that within two months we'll need sweaters and be enjoying cozy fires and candlelight? How does time go so fast?!? But for now, we're enjoying the warm days and soaking up as much sunshine as we can.

What I’ve been up to:

Tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes... It seems like every time I turn around, I find more ready to be preserved. I turned most of the tomatoes into sauce. I dried some and, of course, we ate some fresh. This year, I am trying a new recipe for fermented tomatoes. I found the recipe on YouTube. Fingers crossed that it's not a failure.

The herbs and flowers are in full bloom. I am currently drying Stevia, Mint, Thyme, and Chives. I am also dabbling with a few herbal infusions. Perhaps I'll write more about that later. In the flower garden there are brightly colored Zinnias, pastel Bachelor Buttons, green Bells of Ireland, pink and yellow Celosia, and fuchsia Gomphrena. I love seeing the flowers bloom their little hearts out.

For my book this month I read The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History by Robert M. Edsel. To be completely honest, it was dry. However, I stuck with it and ended up learning so much about art, culture, and the amazing story of a handful of men who helped to save Europe's greatest treasures. I would love for everyone to research this interesting part of history. It made me truly appreciative of the cultural relics and traditions that have been passed onto my generation.

What Caleb's been up to:

Caleb has declared war on an unwelcomed enemy this month. In the old tobacco barn, we started to notice signs of termites. Some of the old beams looked fine on the outside but sustained damage on the inside. So, Caleb dug around the barn and exposed the beams that were covered with dirt. He made note of what needed repair and treated the problem areas. Hopefully he was successful and we will be rid of the pesky old termites.

Caleb also spent a lot of time working against erosion. Living in a hollow near creeks and streams has its problems. Especially when you add violent thunderstorms into the mix. Unfortunately, our lane washed out and needed filled in with new stone. We've been working hard ever since we've moved in to reshape fields, add grass strips, and grade the lane to minimize erosion. As the popular phrase goes: "the struggle is real."

What Tucker's been up to:

Tucker enjoyed most of his days this month running through the creek and taking naps under the shade of bushes and trees. He's been my garden buddy, although we're still trying to work on being gentle with plants...

Tucker has a new nemesis. A Blue Heron that has been eating all the trout from the stream. Tucker tries his best to catch Mr. Heron, but he never seems to be quick enough. Quite honestly, I'm rooting for Mr. Heron on this one. Sorry Tucker.

What the others are up to:

Unfortunately, my broody hen didn't work out. By the time I moved the roosters in with the hens, she no longer wanted to sit on her nest. I'll have to hope that next spring she'll go broody again. For now, Stubbs the kitten is enjoying the empty nesting box.

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We hope you are enjoying the last days of summer. Leave us a comment and let us know what you’ve been up to this past month.

Thanks for reading,

Caleb, Abby, & Tucker