Lately

We've been getting lots and lots of milk from Missy. We've had so much lately that we've run out of bottles, so the outside fridge has also been filled with pots and bowls of milk. We've made cottage cheese, are experimenting with yoghurt and I've just now made my first 'butter ball'. It feels good to take a bit of cream, that I milked with my own hands from a cow I raised, and so easily turn it into butter. I liked patting the butter with my 'butter bats' (read two spatulas) and rinsing it until it was free of all the butter milk. We've got to order some cultures to make some other cheeses too. Then we'll be faced with what to do with all of the whey! Although we have been told that it is very nutritional for gardens and fruit trees, as well as chickens! Who knew?

I've been getting up earlier than usual and trying to get all of the animals fed and watered before the really hot part of the day arrives. Summer is coming. Sometimes I'm a little unrealistic and also imagine that I can cram a whole day of farm work into a only few hours. Needless to say this never happens.

I've been using Rilla to free-graze the sheep, something we both enjoy immensely. The sheep enjoy it too.

It's been dry, so very very dry. The little bit of green you see is the few acres we have under irrigation. But nothing makes grass grow like rain - hopefully we get some soon.

We've been planting cucumbers and tomatoes and beans and salads for summer. We've also put in two different sorts of raspberries - a tropical summer fruiting type and a heritage autumn fruiting one. I'm hoping they both do well. 

I've harvested the last of my carrots, aside from four or five that aren't ready yet. I didn't manage to grow nearly as many as last year, despite efforts to grow more. But the ones we did have were delicious.

What's been happening in your world lately? 

Do share in the comments below!

Sarah x