Sunday, September 11, 2011

Up, up and ready for wet laundry!

With some help from the big kids, we hoisted the drying rack into the ceiling and finished the project.  It will need to be tweaked, I would like it higher up (ladder not high enough) that can wait until we are ready to paint and have scaffolding.  The plan is to do laundry in the evening to benefit from the lower hydro rates, and dry the clothing overnight while taking advantage of the cookstove heat. 

Drying Rack Loaded With Wooden Pins

















I have a beautiful garlic braid to hang in my kitchen!  It's been years since I had a garlic braid, nothing this substancial.  It's only a fraction of what we use as a family for cooking and medicinal purposes, but doubles aa beautiful piece of garden art.  As I get a bulb or two of organic garlic from our CSA share, I dry it and stash it away, same goes for the white onions.  After the herbs are all settled in for the winter, my next project will be working on the cold room space.
Fish Lake Garlic Braid From Pathchwork Gardens     

Friday, September 9, 2011

La La, La La la la.....

Bonjour!
South Facing Window
Been busy, not with anything overly exceptional unless you call living exceptional.  I'm on track with almost all the need to get done before the snow falls list, like south facing window winter ready for herbs, sprouts and wheatgrass, you can't see the whole window but there is two more shelves, one in the transom and one in the windowsill below the last shelf (5 - 33" shelves) 
Kids Stuck In The Drying Rack



















Almost finished the clothes drying rack that will go up with a pulley system, just need some more rope to launch it into the ceiling (catapult?)   It's approximately 8' x 4' should be ok for  3+ loads of laundry.  I'll attack a string down the centre that will be used for little tings like socks and undies.

I told the kids I'd make them a  basket on a pulley so they can send it down for snacks, wipes and lego? 
My LEM Dehydrator













I'm trying to rely less on my freezer and more on ways to preserve foods that don't rely on good ol' hydro.
Cauliflower, Red Peppers, Tomatoes, Potatoes and Zucchini














I have many jars of organic veggies dehydrated and ready to make some tasty soups like cauliflower & cheddar soup, minestrone soup and hearty garden vegetable soup/stews.  Tones of zucchini for lasagna and muffins... and they make great chips for munching on, seriously they really taste like chips! I've got a few bushels of organic tomatoes coming in the next week or so to put up pasta/pizza sauce and salsa.  Apples will be arriving next week for apple butter and apple pie filling for Christmas and into early new year.  Fruit leather is always on the go I manage to make enough to last for three or so days, would be nice to get ahead of the kids and stash some for a rainy day.
Soup Mix, Eggplant, Garlic & Onions, Basil














Life is Good!
Zee