Hello, everyone. I'm still visiting my parents in Pittsburgh, so I have no news of the homestead, but for those wannabe homesteaders, you really can do a lot in the city. My parents are in their 80s, and both had heart surgery within a month of each other last year. They're doing okay, but when my dad grumbled about not doing his garden this year I brought him a dozen tomato seedlings I'd started and a bunch of seed. His garden is about 20'x20'. He never turns the soil, just collects leaves from all the neighbors in the fall and spreads them all over the garden. Then he pushes aside the leaves in the spring where he wants to sow something. He grows his tomatoes around big cages which hold compost which serves to fertilize the tomatoes. Well, his tomatoes look far better than mine, and his zucchini plants are enormous and still bearing. My mother has filled the freezer with tomatoes, tomato juice, zucchini bread, zucchini soup, etc. She didn't want to do any canning this year, so I canned three quarts of sauce right after I got here. Then because I hope to leave tomorrow and the temperature's going down, this morning I harvested most of the tomatoes--about 2 bushels. I canned 14 quarts, one red, the others green. Felt right at home! I'll be taking several sacks of green tomatoes with me to deal with when I get home. The message is, I guess, that homesteading really is a state of mind, not just a location. I sure am looking forward, though, to getting out of the city and going back to the country. Have a good week everyone!

-- Katherine in KY (KyKatherine@Yahoo.com), October 14, 2001

Answers

Ok I kinda hate to admit this but ive been had by my 8 yearold great grandaughter. the other day someone wanted to know how to regulate the crowing of their rooster. and my grandaugher was reading the post with me. and she said granpa tell them to just hit the snooze button. well what i didnt know was she had got the mail that morning and the new issue of cs came she hid it in the guest room whitch is her room if she visiting. so when she went home she said granpa heres you magazine aand a coupla days later i found the cartoon so yes lol i have been had. hope you all had a good laff. other than that hafd this weekend off looking forward to going to San. Antonio next week end. gardens done just spent today burning brush piles and general cleaning. going to have some bratworst and sour kruat for supper. you all be good to each other and miss me next weekend. BOB SE,KS.

-- Bobco (bobco@kans.com), October 14, 2001.

It has been hot here...so the fog we have today feels pretty good. I need to pick the last of my tomatoes today...and get them canned up. Was given a bag of peppers..so I am all set to can the last of the salsa this year....4 big batches this year. No matter how much I can each year it is never enough for the year...but I try. 2 of my sheep will be getting sheared in the next 2 weeks (the Icelandics) and also my angora goat wether. My 21 year old son has been building me a little greenhouse this week. I can hardly wait to fill it up!! I got my little hay shelter built...really appreciated all the tips and ideas from you all on how to do it. It will hold about 4 bales, and will be perfect for now. Who am I kidding...that is probably the one I will have as long as we live on this place!! haha Got 6 new baby chicks this week..I am enjoying watching them grow. My second small batch this year. Usually I do 25 or 30 at a time. This has been a very different year. We are having BBQ steak tonight...a great end to a nice week. I hope you all have a good week coming up!!!!

-- Jenny (auntjenny6@aol.com), October 14, 2001.

Things certainly have cooled off here in Illinois. We have had several days of rian this past week also.My garden is just about finished, there are a few green peppers,brussel sprouts and a half of a row of carotts left, that is about it. These cool days have me thinking about winter, snow and a big pot opf soup simmmering on the stove. At least it is cool enough to get back to baking! I hope eveyone has a good week. Keep warm!

-- Barb in Wc IL (Barb43@countrylife.net), October 14, 2001.

Its rainy and windy today thanks to tropical storm Karen. A nice change from the gorgeous weather we have been spoiled with this fall. the pigs and ram lamb went into the freezer this past week Yum! Made a batch of scotch broth and its soooo good! The girls decided they were tired of waiting for me to corral them and get them wormed before breeding and got the gate open to join the ram in his paddock. So now they all have the run of the two paddocks and one in particular seems very frisky. When I go to feed them Trinity runs along and does this little skippy jump into the air. It kills me! So cute!!! She is one of my brown Jacob crosses. I did in the last of my meat birds (far too late but oh well) at the request of my cousin. Holey smokes!!They dressed out at 13 and 14 pounds. Hope they still taste good for my cousin. The garden is kaput and needs cleaning out which I had planned for the kids and I for Saturday but then I got sick. argh! So maybe later this week. The barn is no further along cuz hubby has been busy and away on business but its soon ready for inspection. I got 50 fence posts to do another paddock up (around the barn)for the girls. Life is good here on Hodge Podge Homestead. :o)

-- Alison in N.S. (aproteau@istar.ca), October 15, 2001.

Hello all, sounds like you are winding down for winter, or trying to. Here on the Olympic Peninsula in WA, fall is definately here. New snow on the mountains a couple days ago, and we've had some much needed rain. I am knee deep in apples, making sauce and butter. Just one more tree to pick. My Italian prune plum trees were loaded this year and I've made 4 batches of Chutney. Have enuf plums in the freezer for 25 more. We eat it with every meal. Still have corn to pick and freeze. Am cutting it off the cob this year as it takes less room in freezer that way and the chickens love munching on the cobs. We are still eating small yellow zucchini and the Pekin ducks enjoying about the last of the large yellow and green ones. Still picking strawberries, seems they don't rest until Thanksgiving. Looking forward to winter, sitting by the fire and planning next years garden.

-- Duffy (hazelm@tenforward.com), October 15, 2001.

Looks like I put in the fall garden too late in that we are about to frost and nothing has flowers yet to be pollinated. Trying to make a note of it in my computer for next year. It would really help me to keep a gardening journal. Not too much going on the homestead-- everything pretty much picked although we get enough for the occasional dinner side dish of peas or okra. Giving up on the peppers turning red--guess it's too cold for that.

Katherine: you are an incredibly hard worker. What do you do with all the green tomatoes? Chow-chow? Wrap in newspaper for slow ripening?

Duffy: Could you post your recipe for making/canning plum chutney? I could sure use that next year if I can beat the japanese beetles to it?

I can't for the life of me figure how you are getting strawberries now, but then, I haven't been to your area of the country (want to though, some day).

Alison: Scotch broth?What kind of meat birds are 13-14 lbs? What do you consider too late? I was thinking of butchering at 2yrs when the laying slows (stew chicken not finger-lickin').

-- Ann Markson (tngreenacres@hotmail.com), October 15, 2001.

Ann; I have Quinault strawberries. They were developed here in the Pacific N.W. and seem to not be bothered by frost. By Thanksgiving, I am sick of picking strawberries, they are everblooming and I have been picking them for 6 months. If anyone would like a particular fruit Chutney recipe, I have been collecting recipes for them for about 12 years and probably have one. This is my favorite: Fresh Prune Chutney - l c. each white and brown sugar, 3/4 c. cider vinegar, 1 c. raisins, 1/2 c. preserved sugared ginger finely sliced or chopped, 1/4 c. chopped onion, 2 cloves minced garlic, 2 tsp. mustard seed, 2 tsp. salt, 1 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper; 3 1/2 c. halved pitted Italian prune plums. Dissolve sugar in vinegar and bring to boil - add rest of stuff. Simmer til mixture thickens, pour into hot sterile jars (pints or half pints). Seal and store in cool, dark place. Use with all meats and curry dishes, also great on meat sandwiches. I make 2 batches at a time, in two crock pots. Bring it to a boil and leave lid off. That way you don't have to watch it constantly as it won't burn in a crock pot. Stir occasionally. It takes 4 - 6 hours in a crock pot. Enjoy!

-- Duffy (hazelm@tenforward.com), October 15, 2001.

Thanks for the recipe for chutney! Wow! six months of strawberries! We pick for one month ( I think--why is gardening like childbirth and babies--you forget so much later)and then break our backs the rest of the year weeding! But oh, soooo good!

-- Ann Markson (tngreenacres@hotmail.com), October 15, 2001.