Dylan's Candy Cottage

With Great Thanksgiving!

So many things to be thankful for this year! Such a wonderful Blessed Life I have been given! Scott recovering from his Bowel resection in May and he is finally feeling his old self again. He is so much stronger these past few weeks with more interest in the farm again! A growing healthy ACTIVE grandson who keeps me young and is such a joy in our lives! A daughter who is expecting her 2nd child and is starting to glow! Plenty of food to eat (and share), animals growing towards butcher, fresh eggs everyday from my flock of 14, a bountiful harvest - even with all the rain this year! PRAISE BE TO GOD!!!! Amen

Shopping

With Fall here it is time for me to get serious about my "store". I am a plan ahead girl. We are always prepared for most anything but I like to have lots of extras on hand so we don't have to just make do, but rather go on as usual (or close to normal) even during an emergency situation.

One of my favorite places to shop and stock is Stoney Ridge Store. The stroe is in Sugar Valley (one valley over from us) and is Amish owned and operated. The new manager is the nephew of my good friend Susie Lapp. Besides basics, they have a great deli.

Autumn is here!

Spent a few hours today getting the chicken coop and the mini chicken coop ready for the colder nights and shorter days. I have quite a selection of hens right now and they are laying about 70 percent. I would like to see production get up to about 80 percent but time will tell.

My "mini chickens" are two pairs of tiny chickens. A rooster & hen each. I have them living together in a large dog carrier fenced next to my coop. I strapped a tarp all around the carrier to keep the wind out and I fastened a wooden dowl rod across the vents for roosting. They seem cozy in there but I still need to make some sort of laying box for the girls.

Frost on the pumpkin!

The snow melted away as fast as it came! The cold seems to be here to stay though. We had a heavy frost this morning and I couldn't resist snapping a photo. Tomorrow my piggies will get a treat of four big pumpkins that I have decorating the lawn.

Happy Halloween!

Are we ready?

Our first snow of the season fell yesterday! It's still here this morning as I drink my coffee and enjoy a lovely sunrise on the patio! The temperature is 29 degrees. I am seriously not ready for the long cold winter yet - but then I never am! Our farm could use some extra work before the ground freezes but as my dear husband always says "it is what it is".

I put some extra hay in the pig shelter last night and the chickens got some too. I know we will have much colder weather in a few weeks but by then we'll be "adjusted" and it won't seem so harsh - I hope!

Happy to announce that we picked up our latest beef from the butcher on Friday and she was the biggest we have had had yet! Finished off at around 1200 pounds with a hanging weight of almost 700! Yipee! We sold 3 quarters and kept a quarter for ourselves.

Made T-Bones from the new beef last night and they were I think the best yet! Cannot wait to try the burgers tonight!

Country Road

God has given us so much in this world! Even when leaves start to change and blow away - I am always amazed at how lovely each season is. Our evenings here in northern Pennsylvania are cooling down and it looks like freezing temps later this week. Today the sun is shining and a nice breeze is drying up the mud that we have gained in September!

Apple Crisp & good living!

Apple crisp is just plain good living! So yummy warm from the oven or even cold for the next day's breakfast! Makes the whole house smell like Fall and I always make enough to share with neighbors and even one for the freezer!

Harvest Time

It's that time of year again when our neighbors bring in the corn. What an awesome sight it is.

Growing girls

Scott and I are spending the day doing some much needed winter preparation. We have several heifers almost ready to go to the butcher. The barn stalls need cleaned and fences mended. Rocks picked and hay stacked! Hopefully the weather cooperates!

Autumn Approaching

It's a crisp "autumn" like morning! The sun is blazing and the air is so fresh! I am meeting some old school friends for breakfast in town. On the way home I plan to stop at the Amish grocery/deli to pick up some needs. By this afternoon I hope to be spreading manure!

There is a free range chicken in my fridge waiting for some stuffing and a good roast for dinner. I am thinking some pan gravy and a cranberry salad to go with. If we end up with company, I'll make potatoes too.

Mud on the tires

After over 10 inches of rain here on one September day in north central Pennsylvania, I am sad to report that many of our friends and a few neighbors are still suffering great losses. The flooding of the small creeks and streams was such never seen before. Many lost everything. We know one family that got out just before their house collasped. The children were in their pajamas and had only flip-flops on their feet. No house, no furniture, no memories, no flood insurance.

We are very lucky here at Green Acres Farm to have only the loss of autumn grasses (livestock feed) and muddy fields to deal with. Our prayers go out to all who lost so much last week.

The piglets are here!

Pigs are so much fun to raise! We have 11 this year.

Dominican Republic Trip

Just back last night from a relaxing trip to the Caribean! We enjoyed a gloriuos vacation in a private villa by the sea in Puerto Plata. Met lots of interesting amigos and amigas. Ate much Dominican food and gained 3 pounds! Oh well my garden has grown lots of weeds while I was away so hopefully getting it back into shape will do the same for me too!

Warm Sunday Sticky Buns

Looking for Batman

Grandson Dylan & I often take a drive after lunch. We like to look for Batman because Dylan believes that someday soon he will find the Bat Cave. Yesterday as we searched on a dirt road we came to this incredible overlook! It was on a Gap Road but I can't tell you which one, because we were on so many.

My supper

Supper fresh from the Spring garden and the chicken coop!

Springtime Supper Fixin's

All fresh from the garden this morning and almost everything I need for a wonderful Springtime supper! With so much rain this year the gardens are not doing so well, but we will sure enjoy what we do harvest!

Feeding Time

Feeding time around here for the cattle is always easier when our 4 year old grandson helps out!