Banana Bread

Today Zack decided that he wanted to use up the two remaining banana's that we had.

 

                                          I was impressed he did the whole thing all by himself.  Normally I need to  help get something or read the instructions but not today.

                                           Into the oven

                                         And the finished product.  He took a little piece of the top to taste test it.

Test Garden Soil

For a couple of years Arron has been wanting to get the soil tested in the garden. But one thing or another always comes up and it doesn't get done. We'll this year it finally got done. After a long day of planting the garden Arron and Zack sat down and tested the soil.  Not the best time to have chosen to do it since everyone was so tired from the planting but at least it got done.

 

                                          Watching and waiting for the results of the nutrients test

                                            Comparing the results to the color chart of the Phosphorus test

                                          Mixing

                                             Waiting. This was the worst part for Zack.

                                          Mixing anther test

                                         Waiting for the PH test results

                                          Shaking the test tube for the PH test

                                          Getting the PH test ready

                                          Getting his soil ready to begin testing.  End result is the soil to pretty good for where it's at according to the results. A little low on the nutrients but can be easily fixed next summer.

Garden Finally Planted

Every year for the last four year that we've lived here we've planted the garden and something comes up and it does okay but not great.  This year we sat down and changed things a little to see if it will work out better.  Each kid picked 3-4 things that they wanted to be in charge or planting, watering, weeding. I'm hoping this way we'll stay ahead of the weeds this year.

                                          The garden is just about 5,000 square feet. And after Arron and Zack mapped things out this year. It is the first time we have ever run out of space. So Madison had to plant her pumpkin plants along the side of the garage this time. Not sure how that's going to work out.

                                          Zackary planting the tomatoes that he's in charge of

                                          Madison is on planting bean duty while Arron makes the row for her not sure what A.J is doing.

                                          A.J looking at the huge worm Zack found

                                          A.J's covering the potatoes while Zack uses the tiller to make the next row

                                          Ginger waiting for someone to throw a rock into the blue bucket so she can catch it. And she does every time.

                                          Arron watching Zack use the tiller

                                           Everyone working. We started planting the garden at 9am and didn't finish till 2pm. And that's with everyone working together. But it was a great day for it no bugs and the sun was shining for a change. And I'm the only one that ended up with a sunburn.  Can't wait to see how the garden grows this summer.

Pig Have Arrived

This year we got 3 pigs and my Dad has 1.  This is going to be an interesting year. But we've moved the pigs to a new location and made a stronger bigger pen so we'll see what happens

 

                                           Dinner time

                                           They started rooting around right away

 

                                           Because it has rained for just about 8 days we haven't had a chance to build them a house yet. So they are using my turkey cage. 

                                          Good to the last drop.  These pigs are smaller than the ones we got last year.  I believe we ended up with 3 girls and 1 boy.

Zack's Sewing Projects

This year Zack did some of the sewing classes that Madison did. He didn't enjoy them one bit but here are some of the things he made.

                                           His 5 gallon bucket seat worked great at the fishing derby's. I didn't have to sit on the ground.

                                          Four pot holders

                                          His handbag. That he doesn't use not that I thought he would .

                                         And  a pair of PJ's that he says he'll never wear. And he hasn't yet.
Sewing was something that I wanted Zack to try. Some of the projects he did try and others he didn't.  Angels dog bed not pictured here was one of the projects that he is most proud of. It's in another posting.  And Angel loves it she sleeps on it every night beside Zack's bed,

Garage Cleaning

                                          Zack posing Marco his new Sable Point Buck he got at the Topsfield Show

                                         Cleaning the rabbits trays and cages in the garage.

                                          Before picture

                                          He makes sure he gets every spot cleaned when he does a cleaning.  Every time we more rabbits and cages out of the garage more seem to move back in. Normally the top of the hutch is covered in cages as well. But he's been cleaning some of this rabbits out saving up for some new stock.

Time To Make The Doughnuts!!

Now that the kids are older it nice to see them in the kitchen cooking. And I don't have to stand over them as much. 

                                          Just getting started

                                          Mixing the dough

                                          Adding the flour

                                          Cutting out the doughnuts and the middles

                                           Working on the glaze

 

                                          Mixing the glaze

                                          Zack decided to use the lard we made from the pigs last year instead of vegetable oil

                                         Cooking the doughnuts

                                           First batch done

                                         Turning them over

                                         Finished finally this recipe took forever.

                                          And lastly the taste test.

Moving Outside

                                          1 month old and we moved them to their outside pen today.

                                          They loved all the room

                                          Checking out their new home.

First Trout of the Year

 

Now that A..J has a fishing/hunting license and a car the boys don't have to wait till Arron gets home to go fishing.

                                           Here are the first trout that they caught of the year

                                          Zack likes the cleaning part almost as much as the catching part

                                          More cleaning

                                          I made him look the parts over before and after cleaning on a few of the fish. That way we could make a science lab out of it. He wasn't happy about turning something fun like fishing into school.