Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Monday, October 10, 2005
Thursday, October 06, 2005
Monday, October 03, 2005
Sunday, October 02, 2005
wow, our first order. Twenty one, nasturtium/black pansy jelly, twenty one black pansy sugars and eight red clover blossom pancake syrups. Delivered to PA on wednesday. Fortunately I still have some nasturtiums and black pansies growing. Arianna will be happy xmas money for her, as the sugars are her product.
Friday, September 30, 2005
harumph, well, I've been diligently covering the nasturtiums and black pansies to save them fora few more batches of jelly. Convinced that nothing could or would kill the portulaca and that there would be portulaca until the end of october for garlic butter, aahh not so. The minus three with an inch of white frost destroyed the portulaca. Now I am craving portulaca butter and since it was such a good seller and I wasn't concerned with the life span of the supply I have none for myself. hmmm.
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Monday, September 26, 2005
The artist in the family has come up with an exceptional label. The computer science guy, is putting together an exceptional website and the process engineer will have to come up with an exceptional process to reduce the labour costs on our products. Nice to have so many talented people in the family. Special note to lynette, when Ang comes out next, I will send some goodies for your family to try. i would have sent something this weekend, but didnt read your comment until to day.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Well, Max the neutered dog, seems to think he still has something to prove. Cadbury the old lady doesnt seems impressed. Life for Max is a new challenge, the farm has a lot more things to bark at and chase than town does. It will be interesting to see what happens when one of the things max chases, turns around and chases him back, particularly if it turns out to be a porcupine or a skunk.
Thursday, September 15, 2005
well, life at the farm is interesting, wet lately, quiet and has the distinct disadvantage of forcing me to go back to dial up internet. aaaaargggh. Oh well. we have an exciting plethora of products for the giant flea market in melfort on saturday. such as the likes of roasted dandelion root coffee, black pansy jelly, stinging nettle tea, black pansy sugar, garlic portulaca butter, creamy chickweed salad dressing, nasturtium and lemon butter, nasturtium cream cheese spread, toasted evening primrose seeds, nasturtium and jalapeno jelly, red clover blossom pancake syrup, all purpose extra special salve made with cocoa butter, jojoba oil, rose hip oil, tea tree oil, dandelion, portulaca, red clover, plantain infused oils, vitamin e, ecchinaccea, st. john wort and natural bees wax.
Monday, September 05, 2005
Thursday, September 01, 2005
Max, the dog, has a cone on his head. Quite humurous actually, the spaces between the posts on the side of the deck have become an enormous challenge for max, previously he was able to simply jump between the posts and land on the ground. Max is also quite confused when playing fetch as the ball has a tendency to roll between his cone, and his front feet, as the cone is clear it allows max to see the ball but not pick it up. This is funnier than the comedy channel. Oh yes, I must comment on the Nasturtium and sweet pepper jelly, yummy,yummy, yummy. Should be a resounding hit at the farmers market.
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
moving is such fun, and particularly when one is moving two households at once. or at least attempting to coordinate such a feat. Yet, I must feel thankful for the choas of the move as at least my house is not under water or in a pile of wood akin to toothpicks. Yet, I feel compelled to ask the question, would one not consider living below the water level, yet right next to the water, a bit of a risk, relying solely on man made devices to hold back the water, and the powerful forces of nature. Nature has often flaunted her power by destroying man made devices.
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
chickweed is such a nice refreshing drink, an infusion of chickweed is akin to a tonic, revitalizing and energizing, almost better than coffee. Perhaps what chickweed needs is an expert marketer, one who will change the perception of chickweed from that of a garden weed worthy of only the biggest bottle of killex possible to that of a must have can't live without it everyday hot tea or cool refreshing drink, hmmmm I wonder what the budweiser girls are doing these days
Sunday, August 28, 2005
Saturday, August 27, 2005
hi, ho, hi ho, off to the market we go. with pansy syrup and petunia jelly off to the market we go. well, we certainly need to make more product for next week. the butters and spreads seem to be particularly popular. gerald has proven to be a talented redclover blossom pancake syrup salesman, competing quite effectively with the wasps. tricky you know, handing out pancake syrup samples past a quick witted, sharp stinger, yellow jacket wasp or two.
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
well the portulaca infused oil seems to be a success, at least it smells like potulaca, I take that as an indication that the essential parts of the portulaca plant were actually infused in the oil. Will have to pick more portulaca and start a few more batches this month for it dies of for the winter. hopefully the containers for holding the portulaca salve will arrive soon.
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Monday, August 22, 2005
okay, we are trying a bigger batch of clover blossoms today. The pot we are using now today is making 8 quarts of blossoms, that sells out at about $180.00 ,but I think the pot is big enough to hold more. The next thing wewill need is a big pot with a tap at the bottom so it is easier to fill the jars. I would like to be able to can about $400 dollars a day that would give us enough product to sell through the winter.
Sunday, August 21, 2005
Friday, August 19, 2005
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
marigold muffins today, and more red clover blossom syrup. I did find some jars though, that will be exciting when they arrive, my pancake syrup will look like pancake syrup that is in the store. Let's see, I think it will be chickweed dressing and stuffed nasturtiums tommorrow, I will get to try out the new icing squeezer thingy that I bought today for three dollars. My chickweed tea should be ready now, a refreshing tonic for low energy, yahoo
Monday, August 15, 2005
thirteen and a half jars of red clover blossom syrup from one batch of flowers, there seems to be about three batches of flowers in one bag so that would be thirty nine bottles of red clover blossom syrup at $5.50 per jar. (250 ml Jar) That is not too bad, if you don't take into consideration the amount of time it takes to cook those thirty nine jars. I need to find a more efficient way to cook the syrup, hence decrease the time of the cooking and increase the profit.
Friday, August 12, 2005
wow, taste of P.A was a blast. People tasted our chickweed, red clover and portulaca dishes and loved them. Some wanted to buy our products right on the spot, everyone had an opinion and would chat with us for five or ten minutes about our funky offerings and now we are registered with the farmers market on wed and sat mornings in p.a. I think I will make some sweet rose butter to be spread on hot muffins. mmmm. yummy. special note to angela, call me when you have a moment.
Sunday, August 07, 2005
ok, so each day brings us closer to the three day event, where close to 6000 people will go thru the gates. we have 1500 food items to offer with 7 other restaurants on site. hopefully we will have enough.?? red clover blossom syrup. pasta shells with garlic portulaca butter, and finally flower salad with creamy chickweed dressing. this will be very interesting I am sure.
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
well, we have now made black pansy pancake syrup, yummy, marigold coffee cake, cucumber salad with portulca leaves, chickweed juice tonic, candied pansies (disaster) next time will use spearmint leaves, red clover lemonade (yummy even Crystal likes it) we are now trying garlic portulaca butter. need containers
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Sunday, July 24, 2005
this is very yummy Red Clover Lemonade
Herbal lemonades are a refreshing summer drink, and a wonderful way to sneak some nutritious herbs into the family’s diet.
4 cups fresh Red Clover blossoms
1 gallon water
2 cups honey (1 lb) (you can use sugar, as honey is pretty pricey these days)
1 ½ cups lemon juice
1. Gently simmer Clover blossoms in a covered pot for 10 minutes.
2. Add honey, stirring until it dissolves.
3. Cover and let steep and cool for several hours or overnight. (This makes a strong, potent tea, maximizing the calcium and other nutrients in the Clover.)
4. Add lemon juice and chill in the fridge.
Herbal lemonades are a refreshing summer drink, and a wonderful way to sneak some nutritious herbs into the family’s diet.
4 cups fresh Red Clover blossoms
1 gallon water
2 cups honey (1 lb) (you can use sugar, as honey is pretty pricey these days)
1 ½ cups lemon juice
1. Gently simmer Clover blossoms in a covered pot for 10 minutes.
2. Add honey, stirring until it dissolves.
3. Cover and let steep and cool for several hours or overnight. (This makes a strong, potent tea, maximizing the calcium and other nutrients in the Clover.)
4. Add lemon juice and chill in the fridge.
well, I now have the first bath of marigold and spearmint hand creme brewing on the windowsill in olive oil. I still need to purchase some beeswax. The clover blossoms and chickweek are awaiting their turn in the oil, I think I will try the crockpot method for some of the clover. Perhaps some cocoa butter or lanolin and vitamin E oil would be a nice touch. Now only to find some containers to use to hold the ointmint when it is ready. Baby food jars would work for samples, but would not look the prettiest.