The Color Red

Where did August go? Or September for that matter? Time has been flying this fall and I have done a lot since my last post. I’ve decided to balance my ‘To Do’ Lists with forgetting about lists and remembering all I have done already. Rushing ahead to the next project without reflecting on what I’ve already accomplished is something I am oh so good at. But, then I hardly feel a sense of accomplishment or proud of what I have done. So, here goes what I have been doing and let it be known I have been busy as the bees producing things sweet as honey.

On the Food Front: I have frozen stuffed peppers for a quick winter dinner. We have had a couple of frosts already so we picked all the basil and peppers. Instead of pesto, I dried the basil for culinary use. I also dried oregano, parsley, and summer savory. This was done both ways- hanging in bunches and laying the leaves on a screen for a few days. I’ll let you know which technique works best.

After raspberry picking at Howden Farm in Sheffield, I froze 2 pints and used the 3rd to make ice cream.  A little goat milk, sugar, lemon, arrowroot, and berries…a real treat for those warm September afternoons. Serving suggestion- it goes really well with chocolate mousse.

I made pepper and onion relish last night for all those hot dogs and hamburgers I eat….ha. My Grandmother used to make relish, which was delicious, so I tried it out and I am happy with the product. I had to strain it because it had too much liquid. The biggest challenge will be eating all the canned goods I’ve made since they are so beautiful, and really…how many pickled things can I eat in the winter? Well, they do make great gifts!

Margot brought a 15 lb bag of basil to my house last night to make pesto. She barely dented the garbage bag, but pesto all winter for sure.

I also went apple picking at Windy Hill Orchard in Stockbridge, but I ate all the apples fresh because they were delicious. Applesauce and apple butter are my next projects on the ‘To Do’ List, which I must not refer to yet.

On the Goat Front: They are looking really healthy and happy these days. All the sunshine, dry air, and good food is what they love most. As it gets colder and they are later in their lactation period, their milk gets richer with more butterfat. It’s as if they are fattening up their kid for the colder winter months. Nature continues to stun me. The cheese is higher and fat, too and very tasty. I have to watch out, I’m no kid that needs fattening up this winter.

Another positive note is I have decided to stay another season at Rawson Brook Farm working for Susan. I’m not ready yet to leave this wonderful place that is teaching me more each day. I want to be here for kidding season this spring since I have connections with the goats now. Susan and I are quite a team and we appreciate one another very much. We are lucky to have found one another.

Only one monarch hatched at the farm, but she sure was worth the wait.