To Everything A Season

There is typically a somewhat predictable flow of seasons.

I don't just mean seasons on a calendar though they play a significant roll in what happens with the other seasons. 

So what on earth do I mean by that?

Well, "typically" we are finished up with wood burning season about April,

and we begin wood gathering season.

This year has been a little off.

We still had a fire burning into May. 

After our extreme winter which came complete with avalanches,

we were ready for spring.

But we weren't able to go get wood.

They made our road what they termed as "passable" but only to the last occupied house about 3 miles up the road.

Beyond that, the avalanches stayed to thaw as Mother Nature determined.

Mother Nature was apparently in no great hurry.

That meant we had to wait to get wood.  We have about 2/3 of what we need.

We are hoping to get another load soon as it is now fire season,

and they could shut down the forests at any given moment.

The other off bit is last year I was canning peas the end of June.

This year they ran about 3 weeks later.

That doesn't sound like a great deal of time, but if you think about the work load and how much you can do in 3 weeks, it might make a little more sense.

We've also had our first picking of green beans 

so I've been canning those as well.

My M-I-L gave me 9 (yep 9!) boxes of apricots.

I luuuuv dried apricots.

This year, I'm storing them in canning jars 

so they don't need to go in the freezer.

I did have to purchase the jar sealers, but they work pretty quickly,

and are a nifty thing to have and use.

I thought I was on my last round of dehydrators when my mom gave me another box so I'm still at it.

At one point I had 4 dehydrators going to get them all done before they spoiled.

Salmon season didn't really happen this year.

They decided not to open the majority of the rivers in our area

which means no stock pile of fish.

We still have several jars from last year so we'll use those sparingly.

Between Mr. LB and myself, we did draw all six tags, which if we can fill most of them come hunting season will save us quite a bit on beef.

(Tags: bear, deer, elk)

I have yet to get an elk so that's not something to bank on.

I've already heard that we are supposed to have another hard winter.

Our seasons seem to be stumbling over each other rather than pacing themselves so slow-pokes like me can keep up.

(I like to plant a few wax beans to throw in - adds a bit of a jewel to the jars.)

I now have peas done, we'll be picking another batch of green beans in a day or two, and once again think I am finishing up apricots.

Hopefully, I can get these things finished up then move onto corn

which is already on - early.

We've been running from one end of the day to the other, and our kitchen is a flurry of big bowls, canners, and various implements.  

The nice part is that our pantry shelves are beginning 

to look a little less anemic and at night, I almost literally fall into bed.
Aside from our seasons tumbling down upon us,
we are well.
And thankful mind you, that we have the provisions, skills, and ability
to do as we are doing.
We don't take that for granted.

                                                      

Total Garden Decimation!

This is so difficult to even write.

Last Sunday, we were called out of town for the day.

It wasn't an emergency or anything bad, just circumstance.

We did as we have been doing for the past several weeks

as far as the lambs are concerned.

Needless to say, they got loose and found the garden while we were away.

It wasn't entirely their fault or ours.

It's just what happened.

I am guessing they got their heads into the tomato trellises

and from there the rodeo was on.

The bird bath was tipped over and is broken on one side.

We had been enjoying salads nearly every day.

The beans were just ready to pick.

And the tomatoes were just coming on strong.

The lettuce, kale, chard, spinach, beet tops, and carrot tops

have all been mown.

The beans are destroyed.

There are a few that we might be able to pick and eat for a meal,

but not enough to can.

I am hoping that maybe the beets and carrots will still grow.

I will admit I cried a little that night.

We both work away from home full time.

We have poured a lot of sweat and time into those four plots.

They might not be fancy or valuable to others,

but for us, it is a large part of our winter food supply.

To many, I'm sure I sound completely ridiculous.

Yes, we could just go to the store and buy food.

But our food is "real" food we believe in.

It doesn't support Monsanto, require astronomical amounts of fossil fuel to transport, or involve foreign slave labor, and it is as organic as can be.

We amend the soil each spring with the compost we have made

 from the previous year.

We believe in this food so much we are willing to sacrifice

evening and weekend hours of our lives tending it.

In addition, there is money lost - not a lot, but some.

The real money lost will be that spent at farmers market purchasing

the things that were growing right out our back door.

(Our farmers market doesn't even have one organic booth
 but is semi-local at least.)

It's really not about the money though.

It's about believing.

When you work hard towards something only to have it trampled upon,

it hurts.

I have no doubt others have stories far worse.

We are not in harms way, we have a house to shelter us, and

for all our blessings I am extremely grateful.

But I cannot lie in saying I can't wait for butcher day.

I did right the tomato trellises, and get the tomatoes upright.

I added composted chicken poo around their bases and watered it in

with a really good soak.

They didn't actually eat those so I will remain hopeful.

I also found some organic green bean seeds and planted those.

I don't know if they will have time to grow,

but I had to try.

I still believe in our real food.

                                                        

We love these 3 cup jars, especially for things like green beans

that don't can as compact as things like corn or peas.

It's the perfect amount for the two of us.