Spring is Here at Patchwork Acres

Haven't posted in quite a while...again! Too much going on. We're getting lots of delicious goat milk and I have been making lots of mozzarella and ricotta cheeses, only because they are the quickest to make. I did make cottage cheese last week and it's almost gone. I also made some mild feta cheese because a couple of folks at church asked me to. I'm hoping that once the farmers markets start (next Saturday is the first one!!!) that I will pick up a few more milk and/or cheese customers. Will make more mozzarella, ricotta, and some strong feta this week.

Spring is finally here!!!!!! And it's been rather windy lately, but at least it's warm now. I've been working in my garden in between making soap, slicing soap, wrapping soap and my regular chores....laundry, cooking, baking, trying to clean house. I had to replant my peas because the first ones didn't come up. Probably because I planted old seed; so I bought new and hopefully they will be sprouting up this week. The spinach mustard and the radishes are up, as well as lettuce and Chinese cabbage. Still have lots of gardening work to keep me and my family busy all summer. If you garden, you know it's an ongoing job.

A funny thing happened last week. I've always heard that calico cats are only female and sterile. But the vets office told me that calicos can have babies. Well, our calico cat had her first and last litter of 5 kittens on April Fool's Day! I say last because after her babies are old enough, Cali will be going to the vets to be fixed and the kittens will get new homes.

The red lacy cotton cardigan I knitted for my daughter is finally finished except for weaving in the ends and sewing on 2 buttons. I'll have to take a picture and post later.

A couple of weeks ago, I set up with one my farmers' markets at a Home and Garden Show. We met lots of folks and sold a lot of soap. I'm looking forward to the farmers' markets starting again.

And since today is Easter Sunday, I hope everyone had a blessed day in celebrating, remembering how our Lord Jesus died for our sins and the best news: He ROSE from the dead! The tomb is empty! Jesus paid the price for our sins and some day we'll be in Heaven with Him! Jesus is Risen! Alleluia, he is risen indeed!

Until next time!

What's Happening at Patchwork Acres?

Our last pregnant goat finally gave birth yesterday to twins!  Seems like the poor thing was pregnant forever.  Mama and babies are doing well and we'll start bottle-feeding in a couple more days.  

It's been so rainy, cold and chilly this last week!  Last Saturday my family and I left the Saturday morning farmers' market early because of the cold.  There were only 5 vendors and about that many customers.  Three more weeks to go and the markets will be over until we start going to the once-a-month winter market in St. Louis, which we are looking forward to.

I do have Christmas shows that will be starting soon, so I have lots of goat milk soaps to make and wrap.  In fact, next week I'm attending a planning meeting for one of my Christmas shows.  I have a new scent, Magnolia Magnifique, to add to my list.  If you like florals, you'll probably like this one.  I have shaving soap in the molds that I will take out once I finish blogging and checking email. 

Speaking of blogging, I attended an Agritourism Celebration this week and one of the speakers talked about using social media for advertising.  She said that blogs are supposed to be updated 2 or 3 times a week.  I guess that means I'm a bad blogger because I don't update my blog that often.    Anyway, about 95%  of the meal was locally grown foods and the chef did a wonderful job preparing them!  Delicious!!!!  Go local foods!

I have a new passion!  I bought a mountain dulcimer yesterday from a local man.  His price is so reasonable.  Better than buying on the internet and again it was from someone local, who I'd rather support any day.  It was the last one he had in stock.  So now he'll have to make more for the next customer(s) who want one or two.  Oh, it is so gorgeous! It's made of sycamore wood, which is a light, multi-colored wood.   I could hardly wait until after supper so I could sit down to start learning how to play.  It is so easy and so much fun!!!!  I used an electronic tuner to make sure it was in tune.  Let me tell you, that was so easy to do.  Traditionally, mountain dulcimers, or lap dulcimers, are played with a quill.  Since my son has a stash of feathers from one of our farmers' market vendors, I asked him for one.   It works as well as a plastic guitar pick, which my daughter is loaning me until I get back to the music store to buy some picks for myself.  I'm eyeing several (5 or 6) dulcimer music books on internet, so once I buy them, I should be set on PLENTY of music to play.  The only thing else I could really use is a music stand so my music can be directly in front of my at about the same height as my dulcimer on my lap.  This will make it easy to look back and forth between the music and the dulcimer.   Hhmmm, will have to add that on the list next to the guitar picks.  

My daughter and I have also joined the local Cat Ranch Art guild.  I know some of the members and 2 in particular have been trying for while to get us to join.  We attended their Cat Ranch Round-up two weekends ago, where we sold soaps and I demonstrated spinning on my Babe production spinning wheel.  People were amazed that I was spinning wool on a wheel made of PVC pipes and a wheel chair wheel.  So since my daughter and I are both artist, creative types, and we "caved"  haha! and joined the guild last week.  The folks we have met so far are really nice and very encouraging of everyone's talents.  And the Guild is already planning on next year's Cat Ranch Round-Up.  It's going to be bigger than ever, with lots of activities and music, and most important, the members artistic creations will be on display and for sale.  Stayed tuned for more info!

I have to go now and wash dishes and then I'm going to make mozzerella cheese because I have lots of goat milk now.  I made mild feta cheese for my husband and yesterday it was ready to eat.  However, he likes marinated feta, so I put in several jars with Italian dressing.  Once it sets for several more days, it will be ready to eat.  As long as it stays covered with the oil, it will keep indefinitely.  As least that's what my recipe book says.  Marinated feta never lasts long enough around here to know for sure how long it will keep!  

Until next time.