Gardening
I was desperate to get the last three fruit trees planted permanently. They have been resting, heeled in in the kitchen garden...so long that they had leafed out. I decided to plant the Blackgold Cherry tree in the New Bed between the back door and the Kitchen Garden. I hope it won't get that large. I wanted the cherries close so I could keep an eye on them and also they make a very pretty flowering tree in the middle of any bed.
We (the helper and I), planted the Stanley Prune Plum and the Harlayne Apricot in the new orchard out back. We staked all but with bamboo poles instead of t-posts.
DH then mowed the whole area back there for me. If it ever warms up enough that is where I will plant the 'warm season' garden like tomatoes, popcorn, sweet potatoes, and whatever else I can squeeze in.
By the time we were finished, it was beginning to rain and did the rest of the day. It wasn't a hard, heavy rain, but it was running down the drive. South of us got more heavy rains which they certainly didn't need.
Cooking
We were out of bread so I went through my files and found this recipe that I got from another blog, Window On The Prairie
We both think it should go in my permanent Bread files.
I failed to put a direct link to the recipe here so if you go to her website, find Recipes in the side bar and scroll down to the bread recipe.
I had a buttered slice with a glass of Orange Juice for breakfast.
I also made a pan of bread pudding using the last of the sweet potato bread. I don't like pudding made with yeast bread nearly as much as that made with leftover biscuits but it is tasty with a little of Willow's cream over it.
Books
I just finished a book by Tom Franklin that I highly recommend, Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter. It is set in rural Mississippi (love all things southern) in the 1970's and covers a period of 20 years or so. It has mystery, race relations, love, and real human interest. I really enjoyed it and will be looking for other Tom Franklin books.
Random Picture
You haven't seen Willow and her 'baby' lately.......not much of a baby, but she thinks he is! She has now quit bawling since we are letting him nurse once a day when I am now milking. We are just putting off the inevitable.
That bread looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteOur weather is the same as yours, cold and wet. Willow's baby is sure growing fast. Will you be keeping him or selling him? Looks like he has some black angus bloodline.
ReplyDeleteI've been told that we can't have sweet cherries in our area; what type is the Blackgold Cherry tree you planted? We're just a stone's through away from you, near Mountain Home.
ReplyDeleteWillow's baby is about as big as she is.
ReplyDeleteThe bread sounds good-will check out the recipe. Over Easter I made Annie's Simple Bread Recipe from your site-everyone liked it.
What healthy looking livestock you have! It warms my heart to see people taking such good care of their animals.
ReplyDeleteI have a Stanley plum tree planted, also. Looking forward to when it bears something. My little old lady friends buy Stanley plums at a little grocery store in Caney and they have to pay quite a lot for a small flat of them. They have a grandson who's partial to canned Stanley plums.
Glenda, I couldn't get the link to work but I found the blog. It looks really interesting! I'm guessing the bread in the Oatmeal Molasses bread? I'm gonna try it...
ReplyDeletehttp://windowontheprairie.com/2011/03/01/oatmeal-and-molasses-bread/
hugs, Ilene
Busy farm days!!
ReplyDeleteThe bread is stunning, I must make it!
Beautiful farm, blog, cattle and well everything!
I wish I could figure out the quick edit. Yes, Ilene it is the Oatmeal Molasses Bread. Sorry abut that. Mom used to buy canned plums to make a cobbler. I am sure they were Stanleys anyway they were a dark blue plum. She also bought them fresh....that's why I wanted a tree.
ReplyDeleteLucky Lizard, thank you very much. You won't be disappointed in the bread.
Carolyn R, it is a cross between a black sweet cherry and a gold sweet cherry and does not require a pollinator. It is a risk but I'm taking it. At the worst, it will make a pretty flowering tree. I buy all fruit trees from ACN Nursery (Adams County) online. It is a good website with lots of information.
The worry with sweet cherries is too much rain as the fruit is ripening which causes cracking or splitting. We shall see...........