It took some convincing but...

We have MEAT BIRDS!! I am very estatic we have meat birds. We went into Tractor Supply Thursday for animal food. As soon as we walked through the door we could hear peeping. It is always tempting to buy chicks when Tractor Supply has them in.
I was so happy to see they had meat birds!
We now have 6 Red Rangers and 6 Cornish Cross chickens.

Now to just convince him to get a pig and a cow.....🐷🐮

Visit and a little DIY

Saturday my parents stopped by for a quick visit on their way to Grammie's from GA. They gave the boys some fresh peaches. (I dont like peaches but all of my boys loved them) Thanks Mom❤❤

Tuesday I plan on going up and visiting them before they head back Wednesday.
Today I made dishwasher tablets for the first time and they worked really well!

I am so impressed that I made these. Silly as it sounds, I do not have to worry about running out and can even make some for gifts.
I plan on making laundry soap as soon as I get a covered pail big enough to mix it in. Thanks Mom for the recipe and explaining how to make it! 

Wednesday my blueberry order will be in so I will be busy making jam, pie mix and freezing some.
Im hoping this week a lot of my tomatoes ripen so I can begin canning sauces. I have a few that have ripened but not enough to begin canning.
Our pumpkins are turning orange! I plan on canning some pumpkin and making pumpkin pie over the colder months.
I have wanted to farm/homestead for years but I really didnt care about the self-sufficiency part of homesteading. I guess I never thought about how the two go hand in hand. My next big goal for myself is essential oils.
Enjoy your night and I will post pics of my laundry soap when I make it.

Berry picking

Today while the 4 older boys were helping their dad at work the youngest two boys and I picked Raspberries and then they picked Blackberries. We only picked a quart of each but it certainly was enough to make Taspberry Jam and Blackberry Jam.

For supper tonight I made a chicken stew with potatoes from our garden.

Today I met up with my childhood friend and was given lavender she grows. I can not wait to make tea and soap with it. Maybe even a lavender/vanilla candle. Part of me is not ready for cooler weather but another part of me cant wait to do crafts!

Canning

Today I am in the middle of canning 4 pints of peas. I was planning on blanching and freezing them, but I had a last minute mind change.
This weekend I plan on finish packing up my homeschool stuff for my cousin. This paat weekend she got half of the boxes I had packed awhile ago.
Once all that is done and the boxes are gone I will be organizing shelves with my craft stuff.
One book case down there will have all of my canned fruits, veggies and jams on it.
Later this morning my youngest 2 boys and I are headed up to the high school to see if the blackberries are ready to be picked. With those i will freeze a couple quarts and make jam out of the rest.
I plan on going to a place in Corinth to pick raspberries. I wish I knew of a place near here where they grow wild but I also dont mind supporting a local farmer.
We have around 8 pumpkins growing and I can not wait to can pumpkin pie from them.
Each morning I have been going outside to the garden and picking the tomato horn worms off my tomatoes and feeding them to my chickens.
I suppose, I need to watch the canner. After that I'm meeting a friend who grows her own Lavender as she is giving me a bunch.
Have a great day!

A First For Me

Today I am using a pressure canner for the first time!! I am going to be canning 5 quarts of purple/green beans.
I am very nervous using one without my mom or grandmother here with me but, I've read the instruction manuel twice. My glass top stove manuel said I am able to use a canner on it. This canner is able to be used on glasstop stoves so the stove top should survive!
Once I've done it the first time I'm sure I will be ok canning from now on.

Next I plan on canning beets.