My Crazy Life as a Farmers Wife

Pickled Asparagus...

 

Grace was the most pleasant little assistant...we finally got all of that asparagus pickled. She loved being my helper...we'll see if she feels the same when the real canning season comes around :)

 

 

 

Gardening..

Gardening season is now in full swing here in Idaho...the kids and I have been working hard to make sure everything is ready to go for a great year. We can't wait to see all of the fruits of our labor.

Our corn is coming up...as I mentioned before, we plant a whole lot of corn for everyone in our family to eat fresh and to freeze. David and I were in the back yard checking on it's progress...I love these shots of David and his little side kick...

 

 

 

 

 

Grace and I spent most of the afternoon finishing up our planting in the garden...we are thrilled to be done! Poor Russell has been super sick with the stomach flu, so he stayed in bed all day. Lily and Kate did help us out though...they spent most of the time make-believing and digging in the dirt...I had to yell at them a few times because they were digging where they shouldn't be ;) We're looking forward to having something grow besides weeds...because at this point, that seems to be the only thing growing quickly. Don't you wish the good stuff would grow like weeds???

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are a few other random pics...

 

 

 

 

 

Don't foret to visit Grace's blog...she finally updated!

 The kids are officially out of school! YEAH! I can't tell you how thrilled I am! I love having my whole brood home...and together. We have so much more fun when Grace and Russell are here all day, and the little girls play so much better when they're home! We're especially excited to have my lil sister, Shelby, with us on this long holiday weekend. Heres a look at what we've been up to...

We planted all of our annuals in our pots...

 

The kids ran through the sprinklers... 

 

 

 

 

We celebrated my mom and dad's birthdays (and David's dad)...their birthdays are all three consecutive days... 

Grandma Sheri played a joke on the kids. She found grandpa's old duck decoy in their storage shed, and she snuck it into the little pool in the chicken run that our ducks and geese use. Grace was shocked...and confused, until she realized it was a joke :) 

We accomplished round one of visiting graves for Memorial Day... 

The kids did their chores...which includes feeding the animals... 

 

 

And of course, more loving the animals...this happens throughout the day... 

 

 

 

Spending time on the playset...we had my friend Andrea and her husband Casey over for dinner, and their son taught my kids a new trick. He showed them how to climb up on the outside of the slide and jump onto the trampoline (which is buried)... 

 

 

The kids talked me into taking crazy pictures of them jumping off the slide (from below)... 

 

 

  

Asparagus...

I love it when David comes to pick up the girls and I while the older two are at school. He takes us with him in his truck to check all of his pivots and the water and on his fields (yesterday, the very first potatoes poked out out of the dirt). I especially like to take my camera to sneak pictures of him...he doesn't think it's very funny though. Yesterday, after checking all the fields, we ended up on an asparagus hunt. I have hunted asparagus ever since I was a little girl. It grows wild here on the ditch banks, and it is always an adventure to find it. I hunted for asparagus all the time with my grandma Russell, and I still enjoy it today. I found it ironic that as I was checking some of my blogs earlier, that Robyn posted a similar post...I guess great minds think alike.

And BTW...yes...he's wearing a polo again...but he does have on his rubber boots. I can't believe how many emails I got about this the last time I posted a picture of him working. Everyone was like "Farmers wear polos to work"? What do you think they wear??? Bib overalls and a straw hat? It's 2009 people...he drives a tractor with a GPS guidance system to make his rows perfectly straight. He has satellite radio and an MP3 connector in his tractor.  He checks weather conditions on the internet via his cell phone, and just like any other business, he works with a lot of people (chemical and equipment reps, buyers, fellow growers etc), so he doesn't want to look like a total slob ;)

Some of the aspragus stalks were a bit overgrown, but I'll eat them anyways... 

 

 

 

 

I think we found about 15 lbs. total. It was a good day : )  Now I just need to get busy and can some of it. My favorite way to eat it, is fresh...I just boil it until tender and then squeeze on some fresh lemon juice, butter and salt and pepper. It is sooooo yummy  this way! But with the extras, I usually make pickled asparagus...you can also read about my asparagus post from last year. 

 

And just in case any of you are interested in the Pickled Asparagus Recipe, here it is...

Pickled Asparagus

 Trim and clean asparagus (to height of jar).

-1 c. canning salt

-1 quart apple cider vinegar

-3 quarts water

Bring to a boil to dissolve. In bottom of pint jar, put 1/8 tsp. alum and 1-2 cloves garlic, just less than 1 tsp. dill seed and dill weed. Add 1 slice jalapeño (use smaller for less heat and larger slice for more heat). Stuff jars tight. Pour liquid over asparagus leaving ½” head space. Process for 15 minutes in hot water bath.

NOTE: A double recipe of liquid fills 12 quart size jars that are packed tightly.

I'm having a bit of a problem with finding time to post on my blog lately...as always, I have lots of pictures, and lots to share, but I've just been so busy with the yard, garden, house and kids' end of school year activities, that I just haven't much extra time to get online. So...once again, I have a long post ahead...

Lily graduated from preschool (round one of three). I thought I would send her to two years of preschool, and then come to find out, she just barely misses the deadline for Kindergarden, so she'll still have to go to two more years of preschool still. She was really shy at the graduation and wouldn't participate. She is not shy at all though...so I can't figure out why she did that. I had to sit next to her the whole time. Thanks to her teacher for being so patient with her...she just loves Kelli!

  

The Kindergardeners (Russell) had a singing program...

 

Grace's Fiddling group had an end of year picnic and concert at the park...

 

 

 

 

The kids have been busy playing outside while I've been busy in the garden and yard...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We finally separated the Roosters from the hens, and the Roosters are now outside roaming the yard. Lily just runs and runs chasing them through the yard and trying to catch them. Those poor things...they run extra fast when they see it's her...

 

 

  Russell is obsessed with the red Rooster...he calls him Ruger...

 

 

Grace had her dress rehearsal for dance last night, and she is looking forward to recital...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This past weekend, the weather got into the 80's, so the kids talked David into starting the slip and slide up for the season. I thought they were crazy...because the slide uses canal water, and the canal water is basically run off from the mountains, and there is still snow in the mountains...but they proved me wrong. They were real troopers...the went all afternoon...