Boys milked early; Jacob got to go with them to see how it all works. Dad worked on Sunday School treasurer stuff for a big chunk of the morning, and then he took a crew outside to dig LOTS of potatoes. When the boys got home, they fired up the cider press and cidered a few bushels of apples. Inside, we girls did our routine coffeecake and egg casserole prep as well as a quick sewing project that I was glad to get done. We got the kitchen cleaned up just in time to go see the first row of potatoes piled on the first potato screen, and then we were back inside to can 7 gallons of apple juice while Dad and his crew dug the other screen full. They look really really nice – no scab like last year, and no knobby small ones like a few years ago; most are nice and big with a smooth thin skin. Dad was a little disappointed there was as much green (sunburn) as there was, but overall it’s a great harvest and we have much for which to be thankful. I guess to avoid sunburn next year we should hill after every rain. (?) Not sure if that’s even practical or if it would help. Anyway, after all that was done, we had a quick lunch, Levi and Jesse went to milk again, and Dad took Kate and Jewel with him to Morton to do payroll, a quick run to CIT, and pick up Papa Murphy’s for supper. With Joshua napping, the rest of us here read, played computer, played with kittens, chased butterflies, or blogged (that’d be me). Choretime for everyone, and we had pizzas ready at 6:00 when the boys got home from milking. After supper, everyone went out to help box potatoes, and then we spent all evening outside, enjoying the beautiful weather (still a bit humid, though) and our wonderful farmstead. Inside for baths, Bibletime, and beds.
The day in pictures:
One hill! It’s kind of amazing how that one seed potato (bottom left of the pile) produced all the rest of these.
Another hill.
Another hill.
Hard workers.
Dad says this is about half the crop for the year (about 3 of 6 rows).
Our grand grape crop :)
That’s a LOT of potatoes…all Grade A.
Grade B potatoes.
No rain in the forecast, so we left the potatoes out overnight to dry off a little more before we put them into the shed for storage.
Our wagon ride started out at the crabapple tree and took us all over the farm.
Most of the kids were in the tree anyway, so I rounded up the missing ones and got a pretty neat picture. Hmmm, but maybe I’m a little bit prejudiced? Probably, and a little bit sentimental too. This ol’ tree has provided hours and hours and hours of learning fun for the kids over the years, and it’s still standing strong – filled with nails and nail holes, and abused beyond belief; sure, it’s standing strong, but there are very few actual crabapples on it. Although it certainly wouldn’t qualify for any beautiful tree prizes, it would definitely be in the running for the most-loved tree, if there were a prize for that.
The treehouse was torn out awhile ago; tonight a crew started building a new one.
Serious carpentry going on here.
Joshua’s big brothers and sisters have taught him (by example) to say, “Whoa,” whenever he sees this digger. As in, “Whoa, that thing is huge!” It’s so cute to hear and watch him…he really likes big machines.
This is the Jon-A-Red branch that broke under the weight of all the apples. They are still growing, though, and they look really nice yet. There are a LOT of apples on this one big old branch, and it’s really a shame that we didn’t prop it up sooner.
I’m so glad our kids like these apples – because they’re so good for them, and because there sure are a lot of them.
Golden (or Yellow?) Delicious is bearing good after 10 years.
Jewel was so thrilled to find this little toad hopping in the yard. Actually, barefoot, I think she stepped on it. I’m glad it was her and not me.
She was very quick to agree that it would be a good meal for the snapping turtle.
And it was. That’s all I’m going to say about that gruesome fact of life. Yes, they tell me, it’s nature’s way; but why do they enjoy watching it so much?? It sounds horrible, from what they told me; I had NO desire to stay and watch the deed.
And that’s all; good night.
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