Good-bye Summer!

Change is in the air, even in South Carolina where the temperatures are still relatively warm.  There is less humidity and everyone feels and sees the change of fall approaching.  Hubby watched several squirrels frantically hauling off acorns as he sat in his tree stand the first few days of bow season.  The hummingbirds are visiting the feeder less.  Once the last little bit of sugar water is gone, I will be taking the feeders down.  I watched Canada geese fly over most likely heading even further South. One can only begin to feel the urgency that comes with winter. The cooler evenings are a blessing.  To me it is invigorating, energizing.  Maybe that feeling is ingrained in us so that we have one last chance of surviving winter.  We have more energy to prepare to keep ourselves warm and fed.

Unfortunately, our garden did not do well and there is very little that we harvested.  I have, instead, been canning the apples we picked up from North Carolina into sauce, butter and pie filling, canning potatoes and beans that I bought in bulk at Sam's or a local flea market.  Because the harvest was so bad, I feel I need to bring in more income somehow to cover the food costs that will be incurred because of it.  I will still be trying to build a cold frame or two in the yard to attempt year-long greens and other cole/cold crops.

We may mow one or two more times this year.  The animals will be restricted more, by keeping them in their coops, pens and cages, instead of the free-range, free-love vibe of summer where rabbits, ducks and chickens can eat from the communal blue plate.  The goats, however, are not allowed to join in until the plate is empty of all foods or put in the shed for future use.  All security measures are to be taken to protect from hungry winter predators both on the ground and in the air.  We would like to order one more batch of broilers for the fall, and this time we will add a Silkie hen or two, AND an incubator, since none of our fertilized hens have turned out broody. 



Daisy, Bo, Luke, Cooter, Millie, Mary Bird, Buffy and Rock dining

 

There is much to get done over the next few days to weeks and I will let you know what we accomplish, and what we don't.  Please tell me what you do to prepare for winter in your hometown.
Time to pull the plug on those space bags under the bed and start airing out those flannels!