September snuck in and slipped out.

    It is astonishing how quickly the months and days fly by upon reflection, but each day, at the moment, seems to drag.  Days were filled to overflowing with canning, preserving, drying, and projects. It was a hodgepodge month to say the least.  Many tiny things that felt like they added up to nothing, but all contributed to the greater need to finalize summer.  As always, for everyone thing that was managed, two or more things seemed to get added to the 'to do' list.

   

The garden was still full of tomatoes at the beginning of the month, but it was quickly showing signs of disease, stress, and of just being plain tired. The beans had long since given up, and were trimmed at the ground to let the remaining pods dry on the vine for next year's seed.  The tomatoes were also cut off at the ground to allow all remaining energy to go to finishing any ripening on the vine. Any fruit that showed signs of redness, were sent to the ripening counter and placed under towels to finish before being processed into marinara sauce and canned.  I left the zinnias alone, even though they were being overrun with prairie weeds, as the migrating hummingbirds were using them as an evening resting place and refueling station. I couldn't bare to take that away from them.

The dirty dozen pullets are now going strong, and it is not uncommon for us to collect 14-18 eggs a day from the hen house. It's an incredible number for only 20 laying hens this time of year. 

We've had so many eggs that I have decided to scramble and dehydrate them for the freezer, when light levels drop too low this winter for them to lay.  I've heard they aren't great for re-hydrating and eating, but perfect as a 1:2 ratio for baking (egg water). So we shall see.

Speaking of hen house, a long awaited project was finally completed, which added another to the list, but allows me to move on with yet another needed project that had to be done in order.  The northeast window wing on the chicken run, which was previously like its mate on the southwest wall-a wood frame with a plastic roofing panel as the window covering, was long overdue for replacement.  There was nothing structurally wrong with it. However, during the winter it allowed far too much air exchange at the roof line and both the bottom and the ends had to be insulated to prevent snow and wind ingress.  The insulation was permanent for the winter, and didn't do a banner job of keeping out the wind or the snow. 

I came up with a better, permanent solution.  A plywood wall with inserted windows.  The windows can be opened when the day is nice, and closed when it's not.  They are covered in tiny hardware cloth to protect the birds from predators.  The center window does not open.  I may decide later to build small over hangs for rainy days, and the blaze of the summer sun.  We shall see.

That project had to be finished before the main event could even be measured for.  The lower run needs a new roof.  The underlayment on one corner, which was a scrap of common board, has rotten and needs replaced.  The shingles, which were purchased for $1 a bundle at Habitat, have dry rotted, and routinely blow off in a good storm. I'm tired of chasing them.  So a new steel roof will go on as soon as I measure and place the order.  Then we wait for a nice day to install it.  But that window wall needed done first so I could custom order the proper length for overhang at the end.  

Wet cool days crept in on occasion as well.  It was a dry month, and warm, but at least it felt like Fall.  The clouds came, but not much ever came from them.  Thunder chased the dog into her hiding spots a few mornings, but very little moisture accompanied all the flash and bang. 

Speaking of the dog.  She is healing well. She has her achy days, but who doesn't?  She has her final post-op check-up in early October, so here's hoping they clear her for long walks in the squirrel park.  She naps so well after those.

Chilly mornings of late September, mean the beginning of field harvest season is upon us.  The wildlife starts to move from field to field as the turkey hunters lurk about and the combines gobble up row after row.  The heavy fog this time of year sits just below us in the morning, hiding all but the tops of the tallest trees in the valley. As the sun slowly rises, the air warms and slowly begins to move, causing the fog to look like a giant blanket being fluffed across a giant bed by an invisible hand, it's top rolling and undulating in the dawn. 

The nights are clear, crisp and still allowing for amazing views of the Milky Way.

All of this signals apple season.  As our own trees let us down, yet again, I went up to Martin's as I do every fall, a jar of fresh jelly and a dozen eggs in tow in exchange for tree help and information.  I spend several minutes filling my apple basket with a couple of choice varieties, and head home to process them into apple butter.  The best apples go into the bottom of the climate controlled (moisture controlled) drawer of the refrigerator for snacking. 

My favorite variety from this orchard is the Rosalee.  A tart, and sweet, apple that is great for fresh eating, does not do long term storage well, nor is it a good baking apple.  So fresh it is, with all of its glorious juice dripping down your arm.

By the end of the month the garden has had it, and quite frankly, so had I.  I'm tired of tending, weeding, plucking, canning, begging and pleading.  It's tired and I'm tired.  I trimmed the grape back as far as I dared and gave the bits to the grateful noodle necks.  Any tomatoes that showed any sign of whiting, were picked, wrapped, and placed in a ripening box in order or current ripeness. These are checked weekly and when enough are red, are processed and canned.  I should be doing tomatoes until the end of October.  The dehydrator has been running most days. Did you know you can put 10 pounds of diced onions into a quart jar?!  So far we have dried mixed veg, yellow onions, white onions, spring onions, jalapeno peppers, apples, and celery.

The cattle next door are doing nicely and greet us when they come up the hill on their daily circuit of their grazing grounds.  We still cannot figure out how one had a butterscotch colored calf.  She's a white face and daddy is a black Angus, or is supposed to be.  Nope, he's not an albino, or pigment challenged.

He's butterscotch and lemon marked like a Holstein.  We figure a neighbor's bull must have jumped the fence at some point.  He's a pretty little thing.

Nothing left to do but finish out the month by spreading alpaca manure, gypsum, and chicken manure on all the garden rows and locking the gate behind me. Next year's garden has been planned and the seeds ordered and delivered.

See you in October!