It's been a busy week.

Yep we've been busy this week between working on apples and fencing. DH and I went and picked the apples Tuesday morning and then got started right away in the afternoon getting them processed. That day we just made 7 qts of sliced apples and got them canned but between the next two days we got 30 qts of apple sauce made up and canned and finished off the apples by making a fresh apple pie.

DH would help me cut up the apples and then go out and work on the fence he has been working on for a while now, and I'd cook the apples, make them into sauce and can them, then start all over after lunch with another batch. I'm so thankful for DH's help on cutting them up, as it saved time and my hands from becoming to painful. We don't have near as many jars of apple sauce as my Mom said they have done but it should last us a while...and I have to admit, I'm tired of messing with apples for another year now. *giggle* Unfortunately I still have pears to do...but will put them off till next week now since we had apples this week. I want to get some apple leather (fruit rollup's) started this afternoon from some of the applesauce we had left that I didn't put through the canner...since there wasn't a full load.

As much as I enjoy canning when there is a bunch to do all at once, it's not as fun. LOL I think making jelly is the funnest...and yet we don't eat enough of it to make it worth making a bunch...go figure.

The fence DH has been working on was to be another area for the goats...but alas this week a friend contacted us and offered a Heifer for a cheap enough price and even said she would throw in a blind calf she had if we would buy her...which will make good eating once we raise it up and save on our beef bill...not that we spend lots on beef, especially with the deer, but both love it, so will enjoy having more of it around next year sometime.

Anyway since we couldn't pass it up, we agreed to buy them and so they will probably be going in the new pasture DH almost has fenced...the goats can join them some, I'm sure they will get along as both cows are young yet. It's going to be different having a cow around here...not having grown up with them I'm a bit intimidated by them when they are big, but hopefully that will change. :)

My Great Grandpa and I think DH's Grandpa both had some white faced Herefords that they milked, so while they aren't truly a milk cow, we are planning on training it to milk, once it has babies so I can make butter instead of buying it all the time. Yes BUTTER, that nasty stuff some people like to say is bad for you, but to my way of thinking it's way better than that almost plastic substance they call margarine, least it's something that isn't entirely man made. Plus butter coming from grass fed cows should be better for you than the stuff you buy in the store (although I'm sure I'll still be using olive oil for things to)...that is of course if we can train her to let us milk her...I'm still unsure about milking a cow, they are just to darn BIG! LOL

I'm sure I'll get some photos and will try to share one of the new addition, sometime next week. Who knows, maybe I'll actually start to like cows for more than their butter and meat. You may get tired of seeing calf photos on my blog instead of just being tired of baby goats...but that will be awhile as this one has to grow up some before we can have her bred. I think baby goats will always be my favorite though. :)

Well I've gotta get busy, just thought I'd ramble a little bit about our week, have a great weekend and if you are interested watch for photos of the new addition sometime next week, that is if I don't get swamped with pears! LOL