It’s been a busy month, as we’ve been rushing around trying to get several things done before the weather turns cold and wet. We spent so much of the summer working on the chicken coop that now we’re rushing to catch up on other stuff that “had to” be done before fall. On that list was resealing the decks, staining the board and batten cedar on the basement’s exterior, painting the windows, finishing the deer fence (so that we can plant out more trees/shrubs), and getting perennial beds and grass started on the front side of the house. We managed to get some of those things checked off our list, and some are still being dealt with. A week of dealing with a nasty flu bug didn’t help matters.
Here are a few other highlights:
In the garden, it was the year of the mini’s:
Wee watermelon…
…and bonsai corn.
They may have been tiny, but they were delicious!
I was really pleased with the Rosa Bianco eggplants. They produced quite well, and the pale flesh looks really nice grilled (it even has a cute ruffled edge when cut into rounds).
We used some of the pallets that came with various building materials to make a woodshed, which we filled with trees that were either bent or broken by last year’s record snowfall.
My mom and step-dad went to the Okanagan (the province’s hot spot) for a holiday several weeks ago, and came back with 75 pounds of organic tomatoes, and 40 pounds of apples (the tomatoes I canned, and the apples are in cold storage). With the difference in price between buying them there and buying them here on the coast, I think it might be worth taking a trip up there to stock up every fall.
The girls are doing well, but no eggs yet. They’re 18 weeks today though, so it shouldn’t be long!
And here’s the latest addition to our menagerie…”Lucky” the bunny. My husband’s coworker moved into a new apartment and was unable to keep her, so rather than see her sent to the SPCA, we agreed to give her a home (yes, that would be a “sucker” sign on my back). She’s exceptionally cute, and is already doing her part to fertilize our garden. Did I mention that you don’t have to compost rabbit poop before using it in the garden? Yes, I was swayed by the poop – how sad.
This weekend is Thanksgiving for those of us in Canada, and I am thankful for all of the things I just mentioned, and then some. I wish you a weekend filled with things that you are grateful for, even if you’re not going to spend it eating yourself silly.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Related
It seems there are many reasons for you to be thankful. The bonsai corn is darling. Enjoy that sweet little bunny.
Happy Thanksgiving to you too! (My favorite holiday of the year.)
Good luck buttoning up the house and grounds before that foul weather hits: I do swear it's like spring madness all over again when you feel that distinct chill, isn't it?
Our girls are just beginning to lay, too, and we're getting a lot of double yolks which crack us up. Have fun, and start collecting those egg recipes now!
Things are looking pretty good on your end in B.C. Happy Thanksgiving.
LOL on the bunny poop. Our younger ladies started laying towards the end of September and we got them in April. You are probably getting real close 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving! A wonderful month.
I love how you evaluated the bunny adoption based on the use of poop for your garden! Gorgeous bunny, too!
For me the trip to the Okanagan is worth it. Sometimes the difference in price is triple or more if I were to buy the stuff here. I just make sure I buy a ton when I go through…tomatoes, 25 lb bag of onions, apples, zucchini, squash, sometimes potatoes. All keeper stuff.
Denise – Isn't the corn cute? Almost makes me wish it always grew like that (almost).
El – One of my favorite holidays too – all the feasting of Christmas without the stress.
We just got our first egg yesterday, I can't wait for a double yolker!
FCH – I hope you had a great Thanksgiving!
Jessica – You were right, we were very close! I can't wait until we're getting them on a more regular basis.
Annie – I'm coming to your place next year, your dinner looked amazing!
Freelearners – She's adorable, isn't she? And yes, "fertilizer" is a very important consideration when your soil's as poor as ours! 🙂
Carla – I think I might have to to start doing the same thing – what a price difference!
Rabbit poop as fertilizer–I have been looking for a reason to add "bunny" to our grounds!
As for the chickens, know that they won't lay in winter. Ours begin the decline in production around late October (I have 7 chickens and am getting 1-3 eggs a day now and it's the 1st of November) and by American Thanksgiving I am having to buy a few dozen eggs for baking. But come spring, the eggs are bountiful once again!