It is May! We have the May Flower full moon right now. The clouds parted long enough for me to get a good view a short time ago.
The last weeks I've had produce, enough to be preserving or cooking some of it pretty much everyday.
I've had so many things going that my kitchen was a sticky mess from jam, quince paste, baked quinces... cakes and more.
The chooks have enjoyed a continuous stream of all the odds and ends.
This week I decided I needed to slow down and get out of the mess. I sorted fruit and stored in the fridge a few things to buy me more time.
On Monday and Tuesday I got my kitchen in order and it's too bad I didn't take a photo as it's not like that anymore. So that was short-lived! On Wednesday I went back to preserving and using produce up in cooking. I harvested my fourth cutting from my basil and made three batches of Pesto.
Chloe's family don't eat nuts. I just make nut free pesto for them and they love it.
Then I made two more batches, some for myself and some for my younger daughters family.
I have jars of jam lined up waiting for labels. This was more Quince and Pear that I made on the weekend.
Then I dehydrated a tray of figs. I have the opportunity to pick a lot more next week.
With these I did an experiment and made my favourite Date Loaf... except with dried figs instead.
Well, it worked out! It was delicious and yes it tastes like fig instead of dates but it is equally good. So now one of my plans next week is to dry a years worth of figs.
Each week I have really marvelled at the produce coming in. I have shared a lot too. I thought what a wonderful run, what an opportunity to build up my pantry and help feed everyone! But also I thought this is bound to come to an end soon.
Not so!
Apart fro the figs to pick I had a box of lemons arrive...
And a box of apples! These are ripe, they are green cooking apples. I think people have passed them over thinking they haven't turned red yet.
By now my one at a time plan disintegrated as we are going to Lucy's and I had more things I wanted to take than days to make them. So yesterday I made a huge spaghetti sauce (with zucchini included) and a big try of meatballs, cherry tomatoes, capsicum, tomato sauce and cheese...
My own container of left over pasta with pesto and a couple of meatballs and cheese has been delicious!
Tom came and I told him I am in mess with too many jobs and not enough time. He was happy about that as he feels important helping. One thing he did while I watered was top up my celery bed with manure. He did two (of his) wheelbarrows and it made a world of difference.
I got all may seedlings watered.
In the evenings my blanket for Chase has grown.
Today in town I took things to church and the swap tables and came home with another huge haul of tomatoes.
I quickly made a batch of honey crackles to also take tomorrow as the kids love them.
I also have eggs and some school lunch box treats and a list to remind me to take spaghetti sauce, pesto and meatballs. And Mum is coming and she has cooking too!
More lemons and apples are available. My friends and I are going picking. There are just so many things to make with both of these fruits! The apples can go in the crisper and hopefully will keep a fair while giving me time to work through them.
The prices of produce here are high. ie one tomato is a dollar. One potato is 95c. Once cabbage $8.80. One lemon $1.66. One apples is $1.38 . One passionfruit is over $2. And packaged things look like they are from Honey I shrunk the kids. Next week I am going to share the prices of preserves. It is INCREDIBLE!
I am going to feature at least one helpful video each week (as I remember). I love
Farmers Wife Homestead. I chose this episode as carrots are still affordable... especially if I buy the odd shaped ones. But she has a ton of videos on how to make and preserve so many things! Please mention the channels you enjoy and learn from.
I hope it has been a good week for you. How did you build up your nest? We love to hear. xxx
Since it was May 1st this week, I did most of my major grocery shopping. I purchased ten pounds of ground beef that I vacuum sealed in 3/4 pound portions and made four meatloaf mixes with, vacuum sealed other meat purchased for the freezer also. Harvested my first asparagus and did a few light jobs in the garden. I am still recovering from a health issue so am still resting a lot between light work. Julie V
ReplyDeleteDear Julie, You did really well! The portions of ground beef, the meat loaf mixes... all so good to have ready to go.
DeleteFresh asparagus is beautiful. I have some in its third year and hope I will be picking some soon. I hope your recovery continues to go well, that was a great week, with love Annabel.xxx
Thank you for Sharing the Farmers Wife video, I learned so much.
ReplyDeleteTom looks precious as always. I love how you use every available container to grow in.
I will be planting more carrots next year since I know how to freeze them.
I look forward to your post every Friday .
Blessing to you and all the Bluebirds.
Lynd
Dear Lynd, Thank you! When I crochet in the evening I often watch one of her videos and learn some more! It's very inspiring! Thank you for your kind words!! With love Annabel.xxx
Deletehi annabel, you sure had a lovely and productive week. here it can't decided if it wants to be spring or winter. a few weeks ago we had temps in the 80's and all the trees blossomed, now we are getting frosts and temps in the 30's. several places lost fruit to this late frost. our peach tree was full of blossoms, now nothing. i must cover garden tomorrow because of chance of frost. at least we get a heads up. you asked for the name of channels we enjoy, i have several i follow-----gathering basket homestead----whipporwill hollar----homesteading with the zimmermans. these are just a few that i have enjoyed learning from, hope the bluebirds enjoy them too. have a great day and take a break now and then. bonnie in southern pa.
ReplyDeleteDear Bonnie, I am haring a vast area was hit by the frosts and the fruit crops are going to b wiped out. Just awful. Thank you for your suggestions... I know thee last two but not the first one so tonight I will check that one out. I love having quite a few because sometimes you have to wait a while for the newest edition! I hope you got things covered and this frost period is over now! With much love Annabel.xxx
DeleteYou at such a greet example of work hard - winter coming. Of course in our case work hard flood inflation is here
ReplyDeleteAll your produce looks wonderful, what greet example you set for us
And look what you are teaching Tom. - they s a blessing so many times over.
Love the video all this helps as we are facing drought / Summer heat
Thank you so much! Floods are just th last thing anyone needs! Food continues to go up so much without adding natural disasters!! We were very worried as we had rain and grass come up then weeks of warm weather and wind... drying everything out. At the last minute rain has come and revived the green. It is just terrible when drought comes and now Ive been through it this really scares me. We keep doing what we can do! With love Annabel.xxx
DeleteThank you again for your Friday letter. I like to watch Mustard Seed Homesteading for her gardens and produce. We are doing what we can which isn't much but trying.! ........Nancy
ReplyDelete...........
Dear Nancy, Oh thank you I ill check out this channel! I love finding a new one! Have a good new week! With love Annabel.xxx
DeleteWow, Annabel, if that's how you slow down, I'd hate to see how you speed things up. Actually, that's not true. I love seeing you and the rest of the Bluebirds in git-er-done mode!
ReplyDeleteAwhile ago I posted that I was hanging up my garden gloves this year due to age and arthritis. Um...I planted 35 new strawberry plants on Wednesday. And I have a helper coming Sunday who will dump my compost bin into the other raised bed. I'll be planting butternut squash there. I'm also planning to let a couple of tomato volunteers come up and maybe plant a few green beans (gotta have green beans). Oh, the best-laid plans of mice and men!
When I buy a Costco rotisserie chicken, I cut it in half with kitchen scissors and freeze half. The other day I thawed half a bird and ate some for dinner. Yesterday I deboned the carcass and used the bones and skin to make stock in the Crock Pot.
The only other frugal/prepper thing I did last week was to rip a torn flannel sheet into rags. It was a fitted sheet so I just used the sides which don't get any wear. Something to do with my hands while I am watching baseball on TV.
As always, best wishes to you and to everyone here.
Dear Maxine, I love flannel sheets for both dusters and for when someone is sick soft handkerchiefs which can be thrown away. They are much softer than tissues.
DeleteI am really glad you are gardening. Stopping doing things is a downhill slide. I hope you get great harvests and enjoyment! Thank you for your kind words! With love Annabel.xxx
Hi Annabel
ReplyDeleteYou had so much produce, what a blessing. I looked up the Australian dollar to pounds sterling conversion and it's crazy how much produce is costing you! A garden is such a good resource, we need them more than ever now. I could do with Tom and his wheelbarrow in my garden!
I haven't broken any bones in my foot, just strained the tendons which is quite painful enough. Hobbling on. I planted out cornflowers, nicotiana, snapdragons and sowed seeds for dill. I bought a perennial for the cut flower bed, I saw it on a bench at the garden centre for £12.99 and just around the corner on a different bench exactly the same plant cost £8.99.
I took clothes to the charity shop and decluttered our dog supplies. I started sorting paperwork and shredding it. This is going to be a long job.
We used purple sprouting broccoli and cauliflower from the garden. I cut tulips and wallflowers for the house.
I cut more iris, sweet rocket and catmint for a hostess gift.
I prepped and froze mushrooms I knew I couldn't use up in time.
My husband broke a garden fork then mended it with a new handle himself.
I stocked up on tinned tuna on a deal and used a voucher for 10 per cent off a big grocery shop and a voucher for £1.50 off in another supermarket. A big bag of potatoes was half price.
I batch cooked more mini quiches for my granddaughter and used up the leftover pastry and the remains of a jar of mincemeat to make a dessert for us one evening.
Thank you for the video suggestions too.
Best wishes to all Bluebirds.
Penny in the UK
Dear Penny, I am really glad your foot isn't broken. But as I discovered when I had a bad knee.... it is really hard to stay off the injury so it can heal. I wish I had realised using a walking stick even if just in the house helps or even using crutches as it just reduces the weight of each step. And strapping.
DeleteI hope the shredding can become mulch or compost then you will get a great use out of it.
I think arriving anywhere with flowers and herbs is a beautiful gift. Your husband did a great job mending the fork!
Your Granddaughter would be loving your baking! So helpful. I still think cooking for someone shows love and care.
Knowing the prices of things certainly has made me 100% committed to using everything and taking every opportunity to pick fruit/trade etc. I am hoping tomorrow to be picking apples! (All things going right...)
Your garden is going to be flourishing with all you have planted! With love Annabel.xxx
As always Annabel you had such a productive week! How satisfying seeing all the jam jars lined up. I absolutely love Chase’s blanket. Lucy must love when you and Pat visit, especially with all the treats you bring!
ReplyDeleteWe had a short week due to ANZAC day on Monday. It’s been sunny all week so I’ve been able to dry all the washing outdoors.
I have been rethinking dinner recipes to make sure most nights our meals are fairly cheap to produce. For example, I can serve chilli over rice or with corn chips. The difference just between using rice or corn chips is around $14. Of course, everyone would rather have chips. But as a regular meal we’ll be having rice, and maybe once a month I’ll buy chips.
Likewise with baking, cocoa is very expensive so I limit how many chocolate recipes I’m making. I went to the supermarket yesterday and found butter for $3.99/500g! It has been over $7/500g for the last few years. So obviously I bought a lot more butter than I’d planned too.
I have broken my no-craft-spending rule. On the 2nd of May. I saw some 100% cotton yarn for $5 a ball. 7 balls, beautiful colour, free shipping. Retails for $15 a ball. Enough said really, I decided ‘Annabel would jump at that’. And that is how I justified buying it!!! So I guess that makes you an influencer lol. I mean, I did get through 4 months without spending. For me that’s quite an achievement!
I’m experimenting with seriously reducing my sugar intake to see how it affects my energy levels. It’s only been a week, I haven’t noticed much change but figure it’s worth a shot.
Enjoy all your lovely produce! It couldn’t have found its way to a better person.
Jen (NZ)
Dear Jen, The video I posted... she is from NZ... northern north island somewhere. She just did a stock up video and mentioned a particular store several times. In this she mentioned the price of sausages. It is worse than our price. I nearly fell over.
DeleteI am glad you bought the cotton. It is not going to get cheaper in price. That was a great deal. A good investment. I feel the same on any really good deal on quality food or needed items. ie sheets. Nice ones are a shocking price. We know sooner or later we need new ones. On a huge deal is when to get them. And towels and any other necessary thing.
You are a very busy Mum.... so it would be natural to be tired but my first suspicion in all women is iron. As soon as your iron is a bit low life is a struggle energy wise. Ive been through this and my daughter has followed. It is a very sneaky thing!
Great buy on the butter!! Butter is maybe $8 for 500g mostly here. The only thing Ive been able to do is make some when I have been given cream (which is bliss) but now and then I used to see cream on special and now I never do.
That is a huge difference comparing using rice vs corn chips. I am testing a recipe which is a tray bake with rice and chicken... if it works I'll share it. Rice can be so delicious as it absorbs flavours so well. If you buy a pack of corn tortillas ... get one of the kids to cut them into small triangles. Spray with oil and bake them until golden (or fry) you can add spices if you want. Voila... cheap corn chips. They are good with dip!
Thank you for your kind words. I HOPE to pick apples tomorrow.... if all goes right! With love Annabel.xxx
What a week of abundance! You must be exhausted trying to keep up with it all!
ReplyDeleteI love the sound of the fig loaf, I would probably prefer that to the date version.
That young Tom….gosh I’m proud of him, what a remarkable young man.
I love the blanket style and colours you are making for Chase, just gorgeous!
I’ve been preserving this week too, I pressure canned some black beans and I pressure canned 7 quarts of beef stroganoff for the shelf for camping meals or easy dinner nights.
The other thing I have been working hard on is decluttering. I have felt the strongest urge to minimise…we have had some developers sniffing around our property (at our encouragement) we are not officially on the market but our neighbour is and between us we have a big valuable parcel of land in town that could be developed. Anyway I got to thinking if we moved we want a small house with big sheds…quite the opposite of what we have now! The idea of fitting all our stuff into a smaller home is….well not possible haha! And I know we have a lot of stuff that never sees the light of day, so there is only one thing to do about it!
Maybe a move is our pivot….😉
I’ve got seedlings to plant out this weekend, there are gaps everywhere in my garden and as you rightly point out produce prices are soaring!
Have a lovely week everyone
From Cheryl 🪺
Dear Cheryl, A house with a wonderful pantry! And garden! It sounds like you have some possibilities to consider. Yes it could be a major pivot! You added to your shelves and would have your seedlings in by now, hopefully filling those gaps. I have some gaps to fill too. Im working on it!
DeleteThank you for your encouragement on the blanket. I have Lily's to finish next then I am up to date on Grandkids. I will have left over yarn for some pram rugs and knee rugs.
I am hoping to have more fruit gathering to report Friday. Yes prices are just shocking... every creative thing we can do has to be a help! With love Annabel.xxx
We go to the store beginning of next week and I'm going to get everything for crackles. I can't wait. Thanks for the recipe.
ReplyDeleteYour baking and produce just look delicious! It's still very cold with a freeze warning tonight but soon it will warm up to plant the garden. I'm so glad you are getting such a harvest.
Have a great day.
Dear Vickie, I hope you like the crackles! The kids will! The chewy bit at the bottom is the best bit! It has got colder here and Ive lit the fire. We are getting colder as you get warmer. I still am getting fruit! I cant believe it! The week is going fast! With love Annabel.xxx
DeleteOh Annabel how blessed you have been with produce and being able to pick fruits elsewhere too. You have made such good use of everything and all your meals/jams/dehydrated figs for yourself and family look delicious and love how your blanket is coming along too for Chase.
ReplyDeleteWe have been out quite a few days this week but we did manage to turn 10 x 600ml bottles of cream into salted butter which we will package today. I was lucky enough to get 12 x 600ml bottles of thickened cream for free from an op/food shop at the end of the day when we were in there having a look so I froze them temporarily till we could get to them. Figuring it out we should get around 5 - 6 500g blocks of butter for the freezer saving $35 - $42 over buying butter in the shops. We also froze some buttermilk to use to make pancakes and other items in ice cube trays. The rest of the buttermilk we used in our hot chocolates in the mornings as we had near to 2lts of buttermilk left.
I so understand how your kitchen becomes a complete mess after you are making items for the home. Being the first time we made butter we had a few spillages of buttermilk oozing from the bowl of the Kenwood mixer and then of course buttermilk splashing on floors too lol. Like you all cleaned up and another floor mopping and lots of washing up dishes and kitchen benches ensued.
Have a wonderful week ahead Annabel and all Bluebirds.
Lorna.
Frugal Measures have great ideas.. Becky is amazing.
DeleteDear Lorna, Oh my goodness re the cream!! Now you know what time to visit that op shop! The first time I made butter I had buttermilk everywhere! Oh goodness the minute the butter ball forms it is sloshed around and I also had a heck of a mess. I still lose so much buttermilk... I have a big towel over the mixer even though I have a lid/guard now some still gets out. That is a fantastic saving and I am thinking of some frozen cream I have and I must act on it.
DeleteI like Frugal Measures too! There is so much to learn.
This week is speeding by and with both rain and more produce. I hope a good week for you too! With much love Annabel.xxx
Your slow week looks like very busy week to me. As usual you have your little helper as Tom gets older I think he will be a very hard worker.
ReplyDeleteIt’s been a very busy week here, mostly medical appointments for hubby. I spent most of my spare time in the garden.
I have sown courgettes, french beans, runner beans and a selection of flowering edible plants. I also planted out some more peas and beetroot. Now all I need is some rain we have had 1.6 mm this months, my water butts are empty.
I bottled some beetroot in vinegar and some sauerkraut. Cake making tomorrow and house work.
I had to take hubby to the dentist on Friday and while I waited for him I sat in the car park with my book it was wonderful the sun filtered through the trees and the pied wagtails on the grass.unfortunately it is on the end of the runway of the local airport but fortunately only one plane took off while I was there. The book was Laurel's kitchen a book about the journey to vegetarianism in 1976. It is something I have struggled with.
Keep safe
Chris
Dear Chris, Appointments take a lot of time but how nice to be able to sit quietly and read while waiting. The beetroot and sauerkraut are wonderful to get preserved. Your garden is going to be very productive I hope it all does very well. I absolutely LOVE vegetables but also eat meat. In an idea world I would just eat meat and veggies... but alas my weekness is cake lol.
DeleteI really hope you get some rain and your water storage gets filled up too! With much love Annabel.xxx
You do a lot of work in a week. I wish was that productive. It is so wonderful that you have such a great helper. I am in the US and I hope that we will have as much produce you have had. Where I live it is still too cold to plant out the hot weather plants. We are having come cold nights right now.
ReplyDeleteI like to watch Jogardener TV on Youtube.
Cindy D
Dear Cindy, Thank you for the You tube suggestion I have not heard of this one and will check it out! I hope once this cold passes you have a great growing season and loads of produce! Vicky is in Ohio and said it is still too soon as they get late frosts... it is a big risk. With love and thanks, Annabel.xxx
DeleteDear Annabel,
ReplyDeleteYour baked goods, jams, and produce look amazing. Bless Tom for helping with the gardening. Your blanket is coming along nicely!
We have had chilly weather. I'm waiting to put my seedlings out in the garden.
So thankful that my chickens are in full production. I'm selling eggs now. What a blessing egg money can be!
I've been helping a friend clean up an old building so she can sell it. Now I'm in demand as a cleaner! Two ladies want me to clean house for them. This will help us meet the mortgage. God is good!
My second daughter moved home from college for the summer. The move went smoothly as the heavy things were moved one evening then the smaller personal items and bedding the next. Lots of laundry today.😉 But that's okay.
Glad to have a good washing machine!
I have been adding to my pantry by cooking pears in the crockpot and canning them. One more box to go. Whew!
So excited to start harvesting my rhubarb! Had some strawberries to use up and found some rhubarb ready to go with it. We enjoyed the preserve on top of waffles.
I waved to my two princesses as they hurried off to prom! I was glad to help curl hair and pass out compliments.
Blessings to you all,
Leslie in Ohio
Dear Leslie, Oh that is great how well your chooks are laying and you are able to sell eggs!
DeleteYou are working very hard with the cleaning but I am glad tis helps pay the bills for sure!
Oh prom! What a special time! How lovely. I am sure they looked beautiful!
Beautiful to have rhubarb too and strawberries! Delicious!
Ive had another week of produce... it's quite miraculous. With much love Annabel.xxx
Please check out ...a working pantry blog...
ReplyDeleteThank you! I love Patsy and she has conducted preparedness classes in my Tuesday Afternoon club. A very good suggestion!xxx
DeleteThe Farmer's Wife (different from the one you mentioned) is a good vlog as well as Frugal Queen in France of course and FYI = Brandy at the Prudent Homemaker is blogging again and always has some great tips, along with tips from all the regular readers.
ReplyDeleteYou always have a busy, busy week and Lucy will be a very lucky recipient of so much goodness.
Tom is always so adorable and what an amazing helper he is!
My apt, is a bit of a mess at the moment - my kitchen from a lot of cooking - and my living room from all the paperwork to do with filing my taxes. Trying not to get too stressed and just working my way through it bit by bit. It's shaping up as a busy week both personally and at the office so I'm giving myself grace to be back in shape by the end of the week.
There have been a few bargains on produce this week but other items are a bit ridiculous - paid $1.30 for each kiwi - bought two as a treat and a small punnit of organic raspberries for $7!!!! The were amazing but I need my head examined for paying that much. They are imported of course - still too chilly here to really start any planting so homegrown produce is all from a greenhouse at the moment.
I did get ground pork at a good price and some chicken thighs so stocked up on those. Trying to go much more low carb but boy - meat and fish are so expensive! I pad things out with as much veg as I can so that does help. I need quinoa but have added more dried lentils, chick peas, beans and barley to my pantry. A lot of things are still in the original packaging so my plan is to sterilize a number of mason jars this week and get these items dry canned and put away for future use. Also got a good deal on my favourite tea so bought some extra boxes along with some coffee, all for the pantry. I spent a lot of extra money in April on stocking up so May will be a lower spend month.
Have a lovely visit with your daughter and grandchildren.
Dear Margie, Those fruit prices are similar to ours! Thank you for telling Mme Brandy is blogging again. I followed her for so long and next thing Winter was married with a baby! Frugal Queen in France I really like. The other farmers wife... I will look her up thank you!
DeleteHaving a good deal on the tea you love is great. I always want to have a supply of my tea... life would be not good without it! With much love Annabel.xxx
Dear Annabel, gosh you have had an amazing week. I think it is wonderful that you and your Mum were taking all that cooking to Lucy. How lovely. What a wonderful family. Chase’s blanket is lovely! I love seeing all those jams lined up. How clever to change the date loaf to using figs. I think these small changes really add up. It’s something I need to work into my menu planning, these small changes add up. Lots of love, Bridget
ReplyDeleteDear Bridge, Thank you! Yes sometimes small substitutions can save a lot.I also loves seeing jars lined up, pretty labels and tops too. And they make lovely little gifts. I hope to be picking apples tomorrow, all things working out! I hope you are having a good week! With love Annabel.xxx
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