First straw bales!

Just test setting and making the small bales to fit into small gaps. Phew. We have begun.

Homemade custard

Jan made custard from scatch. The free range eggs from our hens are so yellow that it looks like there's colouring in the custard.

500ml milk ( nice to use 50ml of cream too)
1 vanilla pod - split
4 eggs yolks only
2 level teaspoons of Cornflour
2 heaped tablespoons sugar

Simmer vanilla pod in the milk. Remove the pod once hot. Beat cornflour, eggs and sugar until smooth. Add the milk slowly to the eggs stirring as you go. Return to pan over low heat and stir until thickened.
Yum!

It went over nutmeg and cinnamon stewed apples.

Abundance in the gatden

These christophene (chou chou) and limes came from 1 tree/plant in a friends garden. I think this is the red batch of lines and the tree is still full. It is about 1.8m tell and only a few years old.
The Christopher plant is a come and has run rampant through their garden. Probably around 100 fruit still on the plant.
So dinner tonight has christophene salad- thinly sliced like cucumber and dressed with lime, salt and olive oil.

Plant some!

Doggie bed

My 2 girls needed a carry- inside bed. My solution is a feed bad stuffed with shavings from a local workshop and of course a cuddly blanket. Shavings can be easily changed and the old ones dumped on the compost heap. I tacked the bags closed with a large darning needle and thick cotton. Lucky dogs!

Jerusalem artichokes

Such abundance! So easy to grow with so many uses- from early season windbreak to wonder warming food for humans and animals.

Indian rainbow corn seed harvest

I planted a small square of Indian rainbow corn to see how late I could plant. That was in February. I harvested the ears a few days ago and was pleasantly surprised by how well they did. I took them off the plants too early but the birds were attacking them and every day it seemed like more arrived.

Such a pretty food! They are sweeter than white mielies and very starchy. I love eating them. I think the Capie prefers sweetcorn. I am going to try grinding them when they are dry. Polenta or porridge. Keep you informed...

Cluster of cats

They know there's a big storm coming tonight and are planning ahead. Batten down the hatches for 13m/sec wind with rain!