Hi Suzanne,

Living in the woods as you do,are there any fruits/berries/nuts/fungi you collect in the autumn?

Last weekend down on the farm,apart from apples ,pears and medlars from the orchard,we went out into the forest and the hedgerows,filling baskets with all natures free bounty.We ended up with Chestnuts,Hazelnuts,Crabapples,Field and Forest Mushrooms,Rosehips,wild Garlic Elderberry and Sloes.Much to much for me to use.I just brought back some apples ,pears,mushrooms and Sloes to make Sloe Gin.

Be interested to know what you ladies collect

Chris

Hi Cindy,

Sloes are small wild plums,quite bitter.I prick them all over place them in a jar,cover with sugar to draw out the juice.Then cover with Gin.after a few months drain off and drink

Chris

Im sure there must be lots of goodies for you to collect.I am sure Georgia could advise.The one thing I would advise you to seek  particular knowledge about is mushrooms.Several poisonous varieties. How about the creek? Trout,Freshwater Crawfish might be worth investigation. Hunting Season? Not that I am suggesting you do it personally,but a few Venison haunches would be nice.Perhaps next year when you are more established.Mind you might need a new store cellar!

Chris

Thought you might be interested in this old German poem:

DOG> She feeds me

           She grooms me

           She worries about me

           She must be a Goddess

CAT>  She feeds me

           She grooms me

           She worries about me

           I must be a Goddess

Alternately,legend has it Sir Winston Churchill is reputed to have saidthat he did not like dogs because they fawned on peple,Hated cats because they looked down on people.But respected pigs  because they treat you as equal!!

In the very short time ive been a member of your blog,I never cease to be amazed at your ingenuity and determination to live the "Good Life".It must be in your genes,handed down from your pioneering forbears Apart from being a mother,in somewhat arduous conditions,and I dont gloss over that lightly.You farm,can,craft,write,photograph,make cheese,yoghurt.Have I missed anything? A small proportion of those tasks would make most urbanites quake in their boots.I have the utmost admiration for you and some of the other ladies also living the dream on smallholdings.

When you have time…. next year when you are up and running,you might like to consider getting or better still building a smoker.unless you intend to smoke large amounts,a box will do.If you have a sawmill nearby you can get free Oak,Beech Maple sawdust.Then you can smoke Hams,Bacon Cheese,Fish.By then I would think you will have most methods of food preservation covered.

Finally I will come clean,come out of the closet and admit Im a Country and Western fan I have just come across a song called "A Country Boy can Survive".Which mentions West Virginia.Replace Boy with Girl, and you have got yourself a theme song.

Incidently you now have four OAPs voting for you from the UK

Hi Suzanne, Its done it again… I posted on "Love Note" this morning after no.4 its down as .a. I was then thrown off. and have spent the next 3 hours trying to get back ;

1. It does not recognise Toph as my user name

2.It refused my password.

3 Informed me my e-mail address was already being used!!

This happened after the last time I added a comment on your daily farm blog.

I got up to 50 posts this time

So… Im now ChrisUK,Toph as was,lets see how far I go this time?

I know this is a very busy time for you .Sam-e and all.So don't worry about it. Im happy that I am back. This is really to let you know that Toph has not really disappeared into the ether,or gone off in a fit of picque