Canning and Car problems

Well I canned 18 quarts of tomatoe sauce.  My car died at Staples.  Possibly needs a new starter.  David went to Seattle to work Pikes Place Market and deliver cheese to the restuants today.  I milked the does this morning and then had to try and give the big dogs some antibiotics due to ear infection.  My daughter got fired from her job at the Credit Union where she has worked for 9 years.  So now she can be home with her kids and possibly draw unemployment and sue the crap out of the credit union.  They fired her with lies. 
So alls well here at the dairy today.  I have been planning the pie attack for our Thanksgiving dinner.  So far there are about 20 diffent pies I am making.  Well my daughter, Heather, is going to try and come up one day and help make pies.  And our adopted grandma is going to help make some too. 
We are doing the Steilcoom Apple Squeeze Festival this Sunday and I am praying we sell lots of cheese and make lots of money to pay to get my car fixed and to pay a few of our bills.  The markets havent been paying the bills very well. It would be nice to have a really good one.  Anyway it is all in Gods hands.
Got to go do chores will write more about our Thanksgiving Dinner and the preperation process to make it all come together - inbetween milking, cheese making, a cheese class, and packaging cheese.

Well its wet and wild at the dairy today.  I am canning beans, so far about 42 quarts.  I have one more box to can before this next weekend. 
I am going to make some chevre this evening.  And I will try and package some cheese for the farmers markets this week. 
The septic is working great.  My old stove is wonderful and Danyel will not be riding the train anytime soon to Seattle.  Alls well here.
David fixed a new gate to the meat goat pen... its easier to open and shut.  He also got the houses set up for the goats to have shelter. 
I also sent off some marinated feta to Florida this morning too.  Its pretty exciting when I get an order from our web page.
My nigerian dwarf that I am milking is dropping off fast, I am getting about 1 cup.  I am going to move her to everyother day milking for a bout a week then stop milking her.  I will be getting a buck here this month so I can get those 6 nigerian dwarf does bred.  Thier milk will be a very nice addition to my chevre.
Danyels pet rat died this weekend.  He was a good pet.  But I have one more to go -Ali's and then the basement will be ratless.... one less critter to clean up after.
Well have a great day and remember the rain brings green in Washington.

Trip to Mt. St. Helens and septic cleaned

Well so far so good today.  The septic tank will be drained to day around noon.  I ran over and got some milk from Rocky Run Farm.  I will make cheese this afternoon when I get home from a motorcycle ride up to Windy Ridge on Mt. St. Helens.  I feed the goats and watered this morning and Danyel milked.  I also checked on my feta draining and will work it this afternoon too. 
I am going to enjoy the rest of the sunshine and have a relaxing afternoon.  You all do the same thing.

Bad things come in Three's

Well yesterday was quite the day.  Danyel and I got up at 6am to do chores.  She milked and I did the watering and graining.  Danyel came up from the basement and said there was water in front of her bedroom door.  I asked is it coming from the bathroom and she said she didn't think so but it was to much water for the dogs to have made.  I told her to get some towels and put them over it and I would check later.  We left to go to the train station - Danyel was taking the train to Seattle to see Taylor her boyfriend for the day.  Alls good.  I ran to the farmstore to get some grain as we ran out and had to short the girls in the morning of thier grain.  Its 12:30 and I am home.  I looked at the peaches and pears and thought canning those today were in order.  But I figured I could do that while the milk was pasturizing to  make the Grande Rosa.  So I go out and get the pasturizer going then head back in to can the fruit.  Went downstairs to get some more jars and thought about the water...... Lordy!  I opened the bathroom door and there was standing water on the floor and in the shower.  So I thought that maybe the shower had dripped and the drain was plugged ... so I got the plunger and proceeded to  use it.... yikes water comes shooting up and over flowing more and now its going fast out the bathroom door.  So I put the plungger back onto the drain to try and slow that flow down.  Ran up stairs and grabbed all the towels to put down to block the flow from spreading all over the floor.  So I get that sort of under control and head back upstairs to wash jars and start canning.  Phone rings, its a good friend who had told me she was coming over for a visit on Sunday - I forgot.  I said great see you soon.  No big deal I can do all these things at one time ---- right*  Then the phone rings again and I have some local people that want to come for a tour at 1pm, I said sure.  So the friend shows up about 12:15 and visited while I cut up my peaches and got them into the jar.  I put the teapot on the stove to warm water up, but realizing the water in the canner wasn't to hot I just dumped the water from the teapot into the canner and put the teapot back onto the burner ( I didnt realize but I hadn't turned the burner off).  Then the tour came and we all went outside to do the tour.  I checked on the pastuizer to see where I was and then we went to the milk parlor to get my friend some milk for her dog that has arthritis and the milk seems to help.  Then she left and I went on with the tour.  I thought I should go check the canner but then decided it would be alright.  OK, I came back to the house to get spoons for sampling to find the teapot had cooked and the plastic had melted ontot he stove and there was black smoke everywhere.  I opened the window's and doors and turned the fans back on.  I played it off with the people for the tour as not a big deal.  The breaker had flipped so that was good.  After the people left I assessed the damage.... Good by stove I had fried something.  It wouldnt turn on.  Ok no big deal we have an old stove in the barn we will clean up and bring in.  Its about 3:35 now and David should be home in about 1/2 hour.  I didn't tell him anything until he came into the house.  He went down stairs and checked the basement and called our plumber.  Then came upstairs to check out the stove.  Yup I killed it.  So he started getting it pulled out from the wall and then he went and got the old stove out.  I started chores its 5pm.  I thought about Danyel and she should be getting ready to board the train for home and would be here to do the feeding and watering this evening about 7pm.  I was cleaning the parlor when David came out and said Danyel missed the train.  And it was the last one for the day to get back home.  She was going to stay with a friend down in Seattle.  But now I would  have to do all the chores.  Ya!  So I did.  I also had to take down the chevre I had hanging too.  During this time David and the Plumber guy are out trying to find the top to the septic tank... to no avail... now its dark and they decide to tackle it this afternoon.  David did some of the chores this morning and I milked and did the rest.  He is heading to Seattle for a special resturant order delivery and to pick up Danyel.
I cant use water or flush the toilet in the house.  We are going to have to have the septic pumped out.  Oh joy.  $$$$$ its always about Money.
I am going to start a batch of feta today and clean out the bulk tank.  Just to let you know the light at the end of the tunnel is a bike ride to Mt. St. Helens tomorrow on the motorcycle.

Cheese festival at Madison Market

Well  yesterday I went to Seattle to Madison Market and did a demo with like 9 other cheese makers or reps. from thier farms.  It was pretty fun.  It was busy so time flew by.  I demo'ed my chevre.  I made a chevre fondue and a balsamic vinegar and honey reduction with dates in it for another and then the garlic and dill chevre.  These were served with crackers and bread.  I used  2 quarts of fondue and it was all gone by 3pm.  It is really good.  I took a regualar fondue and substitued my chevre for the cheese they called for.  It was so tasty.
So yesterday was quite crazy in the morning.  I got up at 5 to clean the parlor and the girls, Danyel and Katie (her friend) got up at 5:30 to load the goats and to feed and water.  I started milking as soon as they had the girls penned.  Danyel had the Olympia market to go to and David went to Proctor in Tacoma.  So the girls got thier car loaded and animals taken care of and they came out and relieved me a t 6:30 so I could get dressed and load my car up for my trip to Seattle.  I left at 7am and the girls were done milking at 6:50am.  They came in and got dressed and left at 7:30 for Olympia.  I got home about 6:30 pm and went out and cleaned the milk parlor and then started my chores.  David got home a little before me and Danyel just a little before David.  I knew if I sat down I would be asleep.  So I hurried and got my chores done.  I might add I was alittle ticked - no one was helping.  David was counting the money and doing the books.... Danyel had a friend over and was talking....So when I got done - after I vented a little _ I went to the neighbors to have a glass of wine and get away from the farm.  I came home about 10pm and went to bed.
Today Danyle milked the morning cause she is taking the train to Seattle to hang with her boyfriend who is going to college up there.  She will be home tonight about 7:30 and will feed and water the goats.  I will milk the girls.
I have to get two batches of cheese made today.  I have 45 gallons of milking pasturizing for my Grande Rosa batch and then I will drain the bulk tank and make feta this evening.  I also have peaches to can today and pears and also try and get some strawberry jam made.  The house will be quiet so I should be able to work hard today.  Then tomorrow I am going on a motorcycle ride up to Windy Ridge on Mt. St.. Helens with John our adoped grandpa. 
Well got to go get Danyel off on the train and then run and get some grain for milking tonight then back to the cheese making, canning and of course dishes washed.

Labor Day

Today we are changing our front room around. We found a good deal on a new older couch and a recliner. So we moved the old couch outside and I shampooed the carpet. The new furniture will be here this afternoon.
I have found some rennet... right in my back yard - Seattle. The cheese connection. They are actually bringing it to me on thier way out of town. A gallon! Ya! so they are going to tour and taste my cheese too. Then I have some people coming from Shelton for a tour today too.
I am planning on making some Chevre today and then tomorrow make some more feta.
I did all the milking yesterday as Danyel went and spent the day with her boyfriend and his family. David was at the farmers market.
It was quiet here and I didn't do a whole lot. Just caught up on some of my house cleaning.
I have cancelled the Sept. 17th cheese class - due to my over booking events. I will be in Seattle at the Madison Market for a Cheese Festival. David and Danyel will be at farmers markets.
Our Nigerian goats are slimming down and starting to look like they are suppose to. Scarlet is the one I am still milking. She doesnt have to be led anymore she knows they way to the stanchion by her self. Knight the llama is being a good boy and is gentle. I am still scared of him though.
Our dogs are all doing well too.
I thought labor day was a day off, but it seems we are working more than usual. Such is farm life. David is out scraping our driveway and smoothing things over. It looks good but is really dusty and noisy.
I milked the goats this morning and then came in and visited with Danyel about yesterday. She had a good time.