CanyonCreek

Thank you- The Pacific NW Indian summer has truly been a blessing - an acquaintance of a friend gifted us with an apple press so we're breaking it in well this fall!

Amazing seaberry harvest this year- DH is determined to save time by juicing the seaberries "in one fell swoop" in the apple press. Mixing with apple juice to sweeten (probable sugar or honey, too:)

Does anyone have tried-and-true methods for storing potatoes? I've read about storing in boxes filled with hay or sand -- DH wonders if kitty litter (non-scented, non-clumping) would work. We're located in the Pacific Northwest so freezing isn't as much of a problem as moisture.

I'm noticing a number of smaller businesses (primarily bistros & cafes) in the extended Seattle metropolitan area quietly closing - one business owner told me yesterday that if he thought the economic downtown had "hit bottom" he would have held out but there were no indications that was so, particularly with the addition of the Boeing strike.

We're a bit behind harvest-wise in the Pacific Northwest (partly from a slow, cool summer) so I just canned my first batch of applesauce and baked & froze zucchini bread. Still waiting for tomatoes...

Hi Westie!!!

And another egg today! We've been raising chickens for about 15 years - (just a small flock, no incubators yet). This really has boosted my confidence in taking care of my feathered friends- yeah for herbs, and the "soft" splint we applied!

One of our hens- a Blue Andalusian- was attacked by a neighbor dog. My DD and I nursed a hen back to health several years ago and decided to try with this one since her injuries weren't too serious although one leg was pretty strained. We isolated her in a large dog kennel with a covered outdoor run which she began using last week as her leg healed. The kennel and run were placed in an area near a comfrey plant --our hens have always nibbled on the blossoms and leaves. Today, 3 weeks after her injury, she is walking nearly normal, laid an egg and has started integrating back in with the flock! Definitely worth the effort on our part since she is our best layer!

Tracie: Thanks for the Vitacost link a couple of weeks ago--I received my order right away

3-4 feet--they tend to grow up so probably need to shape by pruning for more of a bush shape.

Have fun!!! Waterbath times can be found on the Ball website-- 20 minutes for pints or quarts (following is link to their applesauce canning recipe http://www.freshpreserving.com/pages/all_r...pe=126&recipID= ) I look forward to making jam every summer - it's always been a family ritual in our home & I recall fondly my little ones (now two college aged DD!!) studiously "smashing" the berries with a potato masher - it was very serious work and the jam always tasted better for it! Recently, my DH smashed the raspberries and we talked about how the circle will be complete for us when we have the next generation of little ones helping with the jam making!

About 8' (we bought them in gallon containers 4 years ago)--not nearly as full this year as in the past because of transplanting. The leaves are silvery-green and the thorns are on the second "woody" growth. Bushes are deciduous so not so good as a privacy hedge although they'd be a deterrent because of the thorns.

We transplanted the seaberries to a fence line this spring but the slower, cold growing season this year plus the transplanting has taken it toll since the bushes are not nearly as full as in previous years. This morning DH and I discussed their value as a living fence compared to prolific, but invasive, blackberries which cover our western property line. Either the seaberries or blackberries would be a deterrent except to the determined with a good machete. The seaberries are definitely easier to keep contained than blackberries. We will transplant new growth, especially from the female plant which berrries. The berries remind me of large orange huckleberries, but seriously tart! 1181-Seaberrybushes.jpg 1182-SeaberryBushesCloseUp.jpg

A few years ago, I planted sea buckthorn bushes--also called seaberry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea-buckthorn). It's originally from the Mediterranean area where it's sometimes referred to as "Russian orange juice." The berries are very tart & have a high vitamin C content and other medicinal uses as well. I'm going to try my hand at juicing the harvest this fall.

We are also prepping with the thought of sharing/building in community with a small group of friends & family -- they know to come to our home & they each bring various skills ranging from medical training to innovative, out-of-the-box thinking, skills & energy!