Fishing today was a huge success! Nice trout will adorn our table tonight...well, all but one. This fish is destined for the wall!
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| Cap'n Ahab |
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| Cap'n and his First Mate |
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| The whole catch of the day! |
Saturday, August 21, 2010
FOR SALE: ~Soaps~ ~Jams & Jellies~ ~Farm Fresh Eggs~ ~Gift Baskets~
Creating all natural handmade soaps was a hobby years ago...now it is back! I've created a soap that fits everyone.
For sale, we've got soaps for sensitive skin, dry skin, normal and oily skin. We've got soaps that relax, soaps that invigorate, soaps that help keep bugs at bay, working soaps, and soaps that simply just smell good. We even have a special pet soap that helps keep the flying creatures that bother Scout and Gambino.
There are descriptions for each of the soaps on our website...we try to update as new soaps are made.
Jams & jellies are also available for sale. We can't promise to have the kind you'd like on hand, but we try!
Gift baskets are available upon request.
An order form is available here.
Video: Scout
Scout of Storybook Farm
Scout, our WPG, is my most favorite dog of all dogs. I'm not saying I didn't absolutely LOVE my other dogs, Scout just happens to be the ONLY dog that ever actually listens to me when I call.
Scout joined our household with only one indoor nineteen-year-old cat who taught him fine manners around feline friends. A year later he helped that cat teach three kittens how to behave. He learned how to get along with the llamas, not to chase chickens, and to stay out of the horse's way. He is brilliant. Yes, brilliant.
Scout loves chores. Every morning he assists with Gambino's breakfast and waits patiently while I clean up the paddock. He marches by my side to do a chicken check and says good morning to the llamas. But, best of all, he brings us our morning paper. Check him out and you will have to agree...Scout is BRILLIANT!
Day Trips
Over the past couple of weeks we've been spending a day here and there visiting places we've never been...those within our two hour travel window. Living on the farm has many wonderful features, but the ability to just get up and go isn't one of them!
A couple of deep sea fishing expeditions allowed us a freezer full of Striper. Yummy. We smoked a couple of Bluefish, which turned out fabulous, but they've been eaten...er, uh, devoured. Smoking in our Weber grill has turned out to be an easy way to smoke foods. We are very lucky to have friends with plenty of Hickory on their property.
We visited the Baseball Hall of Fame one day. It was a beautiful ride, drizzly and cool so Scout got to come with us. After circling Cooperstown a couple of times we landed a perfect parking spot right up front under a tree. Scout snoozed whilst we wandered through the museum. Let's just say I'm not a fan of sports, but it was pretty neat to see the collection of baseball memorabilia. A few new Yankee shirts and a baseball cap ended our visit and we headed for home. Lunch in town would have been crazy, so we opted to pick up a couple of grinders and a six-pack for the ride home. Overall, a great day.
Another day we took the bike to the Berkshires and visited the Botanical Garden in Stockbridge. We got some super ideas for our own landscape here at home. Looks like Gambino's riding ring is going to have a center garden! I'm planning a medicinal/herb garden which I can utilize in my soaps.
Saratoga Racetrack was a place we've never been, so we recruited our buddy to join us. We took the tram tour which takes you back near the stables and training areas. We hadn't had breakfast so we were hungry, but I didn't want to miss the tour. Our tour guide, Zeta, rattled off the rules one of which was no eating. Well, at one point we were standing right in front of a food stand where the two sneaks purchased two breakfast sandwiches. They thought by hiding behind a trailer they'd avoid being snagged by Zeta. No such luck. It was very funny.
The racetrack itself is beautiful and we had a fun day. The ongoing joke was how fat my Gambino is, expecially compared with the racehorses. I just know that given the opportunity to take one of those skinny horses home I could have them fattened up in no time! The number of people there was astounding. Imagine a fairgrounds on a busy day...that was the Saratoga Racetrack. Unbelievable.
It is a safe bet that we won nothing. Enough said.
Freshwater fishing in the area was pretty good this week. Smoked trout was on the menu earlier this week, and, if luck is with us, we'll have it again tonight!
A couple of deep sea fishing expeditions allowed us a freezer full of Striper. Yummy. We smoked a couple of Bluefish, which turned out fabulous, but they've been eaten...er, uh, devoured. Smoking in our Weber grill has turned out to be an easy way to smoke foods. We are very lucky to have friends with plenty of Hickory on their property.
We visited the Baseball Hall of Fame one day. It was a beautiful ride, drizzly and cool so Scout got to come with us. After circling Cooperstown a couple of times we landed a perfect parking spot right up front under a tree. Scout snoozed whilst we wandered through the museum. Let's just say I'm not a fan of sports, but it was pretty neat to see the collection of baseball memorabilia. A few new Yankee shirts and a baseball cap ended our visit and we headed for home. Lunch in town would have been crazy, so we opted to pick up a couple of grinders and a six-pack for the ride home. Overall, a great day.
Another day we took the bike to the Berkshires and visited the Botanical Garden in Stockbridge. We got some super ideas for our own landscape here at home. Looks like Gambino's riding ring is going to have a center garden! I'm planning a medicinal/herb garden which I can utilize in my soaps.
Saratoga Racetrack was a place we've never been, so we recruited our buddy to join us. We took the tram tour which takes you back near the stables and training areas. We hadn't had breakfast so we were hungry, but I didn't want to miss the tour. Our tour guide, Zeta, rattled off the rules one of which was no eating. Well, at one point we were standing right in front of a food stand where the two sneaks purchased two breakfast sandwiches. They thought by hiding behind a trailer they'd avoid being snagged by Zeta. No such luck. It was very funny.
The racetrack itself is beautiful and we had a fun day. The ongoing joke was how fat my Gambino is, expecially compared with the racehorses. I just know that given the opportunity to take one of those skinny horses home I could have them fattened up in no time! The number of people there was astounding. Imagine a fairgrounds on a busy day...that was the Saratoga Racetrack. Unbelievable.
It is a safe bet that we won nothing. Enough said.
Freshwater fishing in the area was pretty good this week. Smoked trout was on the menu earlier this week, and, if luck is with us, we'll have it again tonight!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Living the Dream: The Storybook Farm
It's been a busy summer. New chicks hatched...we've got 21 little ones running around. It seems like every time we turn around one gets out and is madly peeping to be let back in with the others. Eggs are plentiful...the girls are doing their job.
We had two chicks that hatched out of sequence...meaning they didn't have brothers and sisters to grow up with which was unfortunate. As a result of my maternal chick instincts they both imprinted on me. One has turned out to be a rooster, who we've named "Little Jerry" (any Seinfeld fans out there??), the other we believe to be a pullet...no name as of today. These two follow me all over the yard and will fly up to perch on my shoulder whenever I let them. They will be a unique pair!
Our piglets are due to arrive next weekend. Everyone loves a piglet! Names will soon follow their arrival.
The llamas are being bred this summer. We are long overdue in having a baby or two or three! All things going well, we should have babies next summer.
Gambino is learning to work again. He's been "parked" for several months and as a result became very spoiled. He's getting back in shape and perhaps his Auntie Shannon will be eventing him soon!
As for the garden, well, we're up to our elbows in squash, cucumbers, potatoes, beans, and soon our tomatoes will be turning...all at the same time. The usual summer canning will be taking place just in time for school...oh, joy. Several different kinds of jams and jellies are all done and ready for sale.
Last, but not least, handmade soaps have entered the farm picture! Let's just say we've got quite the selection....something for everyone, from gardeners to pets! Check out the website for what is available. We are even doing gift baskets for those interested in giving a unique gift.
Looking forward to the new school year. It is always fun meeting my new students every year. In the spirit of my new/old found horseback riding, I've decided to no longer refer to myself as a teacher. I'm calling myself a "trainer". A sixth grade trainer of math and science. Yes, that just feels right.
We had two chicks that hatched out of sequence...meaning they didn't have brothers and sisters to grow up with which was unfortunate. As a result of my maternal chick instincts they both imprinted on me. One has turned out to be a rooster, who we've named "Little Jerry" (any Seinfeld fans out there??), the other we believe to be a pullet...no name as of today. These two follow me all over the yard and will fly up to perch on my shoulder whenever I let them. They will be a unique pair!
Our piglets are due to arrive next weekend. Everyone loves a piglet! Names will soon follow their arrival.
The llamas are being bred this summer. We are long overdue in having a baby or two or three! All things going well, we should have babies next summer.
Gambino is learning to work again. He's been "parked" for several months and as a result became very spoiled. He's getting back in shape and perhaps his Auntie Shannon will be eventing him soon!
As for the garden, well, we're up to our elbows in squash, cucumbers, potatoes, beans, and soon our tomatoes will be turning...all at the same time. The usual summer canning will be taking place just in time for school...oh, joy. Several different kinds of jams and jellies are all done and ready for sale.
Last, but not least, handmade soaps have entered the farm picture! Let's just say we've got quite the selection....something for everyone, from gardeners to pets! Check out the website for what is available. We are even doing gift baskets for those interested in giving a unique gift.
Looking forward to the new school year. It is always fun meeting my new students every year. In the spirit of my new/old found horseback riding, I've decided to no longer refer to myself as a teacher. I'm calling myself a "trainer". A sixth grade trainer of math and science. Yes, that just feels right.
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