This Weekends Wrap Up

So what did we do this weekend? I started early and cut up a pound of mushrooms that I got marked down and got them in the dehydrator. I also started two more quarts of yogurt. Phil and I had put up all the fence beams yesterday and today he worked on putting on all of the pallet slats. I feel so lucky that he didn't need my help with that because it is hot, humid and miserable outside and the mosquitoes are loving me when I am out there. I really can't get a good picture of it but it goes from the house up the hill and over to the greenhouse. He did not have quite enough slats and I have put some wire over the unfinished part with some pots against it so the ducks can still go out all day until he can get some more pallets.

The ducks are definitely loving their freedom though Romeo is not real impressed with the fact that he can't go over in the woods.

I spread another bag of grass seed just as a storm was coming over us and, of course, it spit drops at us and passed on.
I, then, went to my good friend's house down the road who has a tiny garden that produces more than mine does (though she does have full sun and a couple of boys to tend it). She sent me home with some goodies that I helped her pick!

Felt that I had to do something today with all those hot peppers even though it was after 4:00 p.m. because the next time I will have time to do something with them will be next weekend and I would rather have them fresh. I saved the jalapenos. I may make poppers with them.  I strung up some of the pretty red ones to dry and grind up to make red pepper with later. They are pretty hanging there by the garlic.

With most the rest of the green ones and a few red I made hot pepper relish. I haven't made it before but found out what my friend puts in hers and between her recommendations and the Internet I have some hot pepper relish.

 Here is the recipe:

Hot Pepper Relish

Approx. a quart of hot peppers
2 large onions
2 Tbsp. salt
2 cups sugar
2 cups white vinegar

Cut off the stems of the peppers (if you are like me and you're not going to wear gloves-and I'm not- don't touch the cut end of the pepper, don't touch the metal part of your knife, and for Heaven's sake don't touch your FACE, EVER, while cutting these!) and toss them in the food processor. I am sure you can chop them up by hand but even I will use my noisy food processor for these. Cut your two onions in pieces and put them in there as well. Sprinkle the salt on top. Turn it on and run it until everything is chopped up. Leave it sit for 2 hours. After the 2 hours is over, put the vinegar and sugar in a pan and turn on the heat, mix it until the sugar is dissolved. Add your pepper/onion mixture. Bring to a boil. Turn it down and simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, for approx. 45 minutes.  Place in your canning jars (I used half-pints) leaving approx. 1/4 inch head space. Adjust caps. Boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

For supper I had another package of mushrooms and cut up the pork tenderloin and just cooked them together. It looked and smelled so yummy while cooking that I took a picture. I had homemade macaroni and cheese with that and green peas.

The rest of the day was spent running to the incubator, running to the incubator, running to the incubator and I am still running- waiting for that last duckling to hatch. You'll all have to wait until tomorrow for a picture as I want them all in the brooder together.