The Cole Homestead

So long since I have written

My husband had this week off from work.  Time to get many odd jobs done up.  The chicken coop recieved another coat of paint and so did the overhang on our house.  The last of the garden put in and went Havana ( town not the country) for some strawberries.  We are still working on them.  We bought 48 quarts and are canning most of them for us and chirtmas presents.  I did freeze a bit of them for shortcake through out the year.  This is my frist year canning with a no sugar pectin.  So far seems to be working well.  I did buy some regular from the amish people though to have a varitey. 

A few days ago went decided to take the day to run a few out of town errands and do a little visiting.  I am pretty sure that our daughters favorite part was when we stopped to feed my Uncles goats.  They just love Nalla waffers.  Also the tastes of our clothes and hair.  I am sure there is a goat or two in her future.

As soon as the strawberries are done then I can start working on the dress and skirts for my daughter and I.  Also the diapers for my son.  Poor daddy is left out again.

I have also started using my wringer washer again now that the weather is better.  It uses so much less water and energy.  I moved the washer to the back porch next to the back door.  This system has been working well for us.

I will write more as soon as I have a moment or two.

Untitled Comment

07:56, Thursday, May 31, 2007 .. Posted by Charity

My Dad and his wife uses a ringer washer too. They use very little electricty. They use laterns for light. When we visited last summer I think he said his electricty bill was $8.00. I wouldn't mind having bill like that myself.

Untitled Comment

04:23, Wednesday, June 6, 2007 .. Posted by kayinpa

Hi

Thanks for your help with the Jam....it wasnt Sure Jel, it was Ball's brand....it has been so long since I made jam I had forgotten about Sure Jel (which is what my mother had always bought and I had too).

Some of my children used plastics bags when we went picking so some of the strawberries "sweated"....I wonder if that had anything to do with it also....otherwise the berries werent over ripe! I did use unsweetened apple juice, next time I think I will try just water. I dont usually buy juice, but I know that most of the "sugar free" recipes (Like in Canning & Preserving w/o Sugar) use fruit juices, so I thought I would try it. I think now I should have just used water!

Thanks again.

Kay