July on the Farm

Welcome to the farm!

Am I the only one who thinks July feels like being on a hamster wheel? At any moment I might misstep and go flying around the circle. Everything is in full swing. Vacations, picnics, family events, you name it and it’s probably happening in July. But all things considered, I love the wild feel July brings.

What I’ve been up to:

We started the month with one of my favorite holidays - Independence Day. We enjoyed a cookout at my sister and brother-in-law’s house; complete with burgers, games, quilts in the yard, and fireworks. It was a lovely and relaxing time.

This time of year, the garden quickly turns into a jungle if unattended (please don’t ask me how I know this…) but the garden is offering her finest. Carrots, red beets, cauliflower, green beans, onions, cabbage, tomatoes, broccoli, and garlic are filling the shelves. Produce in the kitchen, spills out of baskets and piles on countertops. It all needs preserved before it is past prime. It's hard work, but I love seeing vegetables stored away for winter.

In my spare time I decided to enter photos in the state fair. I entered three photos. Sadly, two of them did not score. On a positive note, I won a second place in the Still Life Category with a photo of home canned goods. Below you can see the photos I submitted.

Caleb and I also had the opportunity to go to the beach for a week. We enjoyed time away with family, as well as bike rides, naps on the beach, fresh caught crabs, and of course lots of Spikeball tournaments. If you’ve never played Spikeball you are missing out. My family is very serious about their Spikeball and think it should be an Olympic sport!

For my book this month I would like to recommend In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer by Irene Gut Opdyke with Jennifer Armstrong. This is a heavier read than I would normally recommend, but it touched me in a deep way. Irene was an ordinary young woman, who stood for what she knew to be right, even when it meant risking her own life. Her courage and outlook are so inspiring. I would highly recommend this book if you’re looking for a true story that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

What Caleb's been up to:

Caleb has been working hard. He helped a friend bale and load straw and woke up at 3:30 AM to help load pigs… I have one thing to say about this job - it STINKS! Caleb’s clothes go right into the washer and he heads for a hot shower and baking soda scrub the moment he gets home.

Caleb is helping me in the garden this month. We dug up carrots and picked green beans. Then we washed, peeled, snapped, cut, and canned our veggies. He also helped me dig up the garlic and onions and created a drying rack for them to cure.

When he wasn’t doing farm work or garden chores, he built a separate pen onto the chicken coop/run. This way I can (hopefully) breed hens and raise chicks. I might be slightly biased, but he did a fantastic job and it came out better than I envisioned. I am so thankful to have such a hardworking and thoughtful guy. He definitely spoils me!

What Tucker's been up to:

Tucker was happy to be invited to the 4th of July party. He played with his friend Forrest (a Norwegian Elk Hound) and was not a bit bothered by the firework display. In fact, he dozed in Caleb’s lap during the show.

Tucker got to spend vacation with family. According to their report, he was pretty good, with the exception of the day he found a small hole in the fence and weaseled his way outside onto the street. Luckily, he didn’t get far before they got him back inside. Tucker may have a future career as an escape artist.

What the others are up to:

We added 2 roosters to our flock: one Buff Orpington and one Easter Egger. I am enjoying hearing them crow in the morning. We still haven’t thought of good names for them. If you have a name suggestion, please leave it in the comments below.

We hope you had a wonderful month!

Thanks for reading,

Caleb, Abby, Tucker, and the others