Maps and Apps Class 1

Zack and Madison with a bunch of other kids from our school group went to Conway for a Maps and Apps class. There are two classes total.  This was the first class and it was a lot of sitting time looking at maps and talking about things found on a map.

 

 

                                           You can see how happy Zack is to be in the class.

                                         Madison is in the front row with her back to me in the blue sweat shirt.

How Times Have Changed

It use to be when the kids were little they would carve there pumpkins and we'd put them outside till around Thanksgiving time. And then throw them away. Now they only remove the seeds from the pumpkins.  Seeds from the big pumpkins are dried and saved for next year. All the other seeds the kids cook and eat.  Then the pumpkins are cut up and thrown to the pigs for their breakfast.  No carving scary faces just removing seeds.  But they still had a blast doing it.

 

                                            Inside A.J's pumpkin he found two seeds that had already split and were sprouting.

                                          There was a whole lot more playing going on then removing seeds.

                                           At least one was working hard.

                                          Not sure what Madison's goal was here.

                                           This was Devin's first time carving a  pumpkin

                                          Zack wanted to lay down and remove seeds.

                                          And A.J worked hard to get all his seeds.

Next Step

Zack decided to try and tan the deer skin.  It took him hours to scrap all the flesh off the hide.  A.J was helping a little till it was supper time then he left. But Zack wouldn't eat his supper till he got this all done.

 

                                         

                                          Before working on the skin it was cutting up the meat and packaging it.

                                          Bumpa was there telling and showing the boys were to cut

                                          Zack did most of the work from the killing it to hanging, cleaning it out, cutting it up and working with the skin. 

Turkey Day!!!

I post the picture's of us processing the animals for 2 reasons. 1 some people are curious as to how we do it and the other reason is Zack can count some of this for school and I need proof that he was there and did want he wrote down. So on today's list is the turkeys. Thankfully we got them mostly done.  We were only left with 4 to do another day.

 

                                          It was Zack's job to cut their throats

                                          Everyone was in charge of plucking feathers,(thankfully we didn't have many to pluck. Since most of the turkey's were being turned into ground turkey we got smart this year and skinned them.

                                          This was one of the big boys we had. Zack had all he could to carry him over.  It weighed 48 pounds.

                                          Zack getting ready for the next step after the bird is hung up.

My Full Pantry

We've worked so hard all year and have a full pantry to show for it.

 

 

                                          One full milk crate of potatoes

                                           Another one

                                          Dill and Sweet Pickles

                                          Salsa, and Blueberry Jam with one jar of applesauce in the middle

                                          raspberry, strawberry jam

                                          Maple syrup and more pickles and some blackberry jam

                                          Pickles

                                           More maple syrup , Apple sauce and last years pickles

                                           And more pickles.  Can you tell how many pickles we eat?

Sandwich Fair 2013

 

As always the kids enter things into the Sandwich Fair.  The week leading up to the fair drives me crazy but in the end it is so worth all the hard work. 

                                            Madison made cupcakes for the cupcake contest. This was another last minute. She and Megan planned out what they wanted to make but because of the day of the week that they had to be made Megan was unable to come over and make them so Madison decided to try something else.

                                          One of the many pumpkins Zack grew.  This one was entered into the vegetable building

                                           The ribbon Zack got for the Farm Display

                                          As always Zack and Madison made a white yeast bread

                                          Madison's cupcakes

                                         The Farm Display

 

                                             The rabbiteer's display

                                           The rabbiteer's educational display

                                          The voyager's display

                                          Zack's giant pumpkin

                                          And of course BIG BOY.  He ended up weigh 54 pounds by Thanksgiving.

Madison's 12th Birthday

Birthday's never work out for us. No matter how much planning we do something goes wrong and it ends up changing last minute.  This year we had Sandwich Fair set up on Madison's B-Day.  Then she ended up staying at the fair and riding the rides with Megan and then slept at her house for the night.  So the next night we had cake and ice cream.

 

                                          It's hard to believe that she is 12

                                          She had her mind set on lighting the candles herself

                                          HAPPY BIRTHDAY MADISON!!!!