Old is Good!

My best friend Elaine, at Heaven Scent Farms, gave this antique butter mold as a gift on the occasion of Penny's arrival at the farm.

Using a handcrafted tool given by my oldest friend made today's chore feel more meaningful.

Honey Bee Bee

Last week my favorite hive swarmed, which means they felt crowded so the queen left, taking a small army with her, while others stayed behind to hatch a new queen and continue about their business.
I was heartbroken. I couldn't believe that when I had done everything right, this would happen. After all, the book said bees swarm in early spring!
Well, I rushed out to buy a new hive and a bucket on a long pole in order to catch them, but they were gone when I got home.
I added that new hive body to another of my hives who needed more room.
But it was too late.
That hive swarmed four days ago.
They've been up in the oak tree. We rushed out (again) to buy ANOTHER hive and some bee lure, and set everything up under where they're swarming, hoping they'll simply move into the fresh new hive.
Here is a photo journal of Big Dan's advertising campaign to convince the bees to move from the oak limb into the new hive.
I expect them to make a decision soon!

Fun Food Preservation

Big Dan has had some extra time off of work lately, so he and I have gotten into the habit of going to a local farm to visit with the farmers (and their myriad cats and kittens!) and buying produce to put up.
Last time it was 8 quarts of green beans. Today it was cucumbers, more beans, and corn to eat fresh.
Next week, the girls and I will get 100 ears of corn to blanch and freeze. I'll try canning some too.

Here's the fruit of tonight's labors: 14 quarts of pickles, some dill spears and some secret recipe sweet dill chips, a 2 pound queso fresco cheese, and a pound of freshly washed butter!

This kind of counter cornucopia makes farm chores rewarding.