Farming & Knitting

I have been deliberating on what to do about the other blog I maintain. Last year around this time we moved in with my parents and started a small hobby farm, Hamberg Family Farm. For the first part of 2012 and most of the summer I attempted to keep multiple blogs thriving. This fall I realized that it wasn't working out writing three blogs (Knitted Together, Hambergs in the Kitchen, and Hamberg Family Farm) so I focused my efforts where I had readership--here.

Starting today I will be posting all three blogs here on, Knitted Together. I have formulated a plan to keep me focused and give me direction. Most of my posting will still be about knitting and mothering, but you will also see more cooking and farming related posts. The following list is not set in stone, but a guideline. Some weeks I may post on all the days listed, on other weeks only a few.

• Monday or Tuesday :: Weekend Wrap-up
• Mostly photos like this post
• Wednesday :: Yarn Along 
• Books, knitting, yarn, and designing. On this day I link up with Ginny at www.gsheller.com
• Friday :: Farm Friday
• Updates on what is going on at Hamberg Family Farm
• Thursday :: From the Kitchen
• Recipies, failures, and food photos
• Sunday  :: Year of Projects Update
• Knitting and planning, this is a way to keep myself focused on specific things I have been wanting to knit. You can find my list HERE

I have a short photo journal of the farm HERE so that you can get to know our little farm.

2nd Annual Harvest Party

am not a jelly maker. I pickle things and make relish, I mash things up to make sauce, I may even blanch a few things to freeze, but I don't make jelly. The reason, I'd rather eat a strawberry than turn it into jam or jelly. Oh, I like jelly, I eat toast with jelly and pb&j all the time, but I don't like making it. Other people like making it and I have eaten the fruit of their labors many a time.

With jelly in mind and gallons of tomato relish at my side I ran across a blog that mentioned a jelly swap. Wouldn't it be nice, I thought, to swap some relish for jelly? I posted an inquiry on fb and asked family and friends if they'd be interested. They were and a date for the First Annual Harvest Party was set. I was so excited, I felt confident that someone would bring jelly.

The day of the party my mother and I rearranged furniture, set out some mums, got the voting jars ready, and cleared of the kitchen island in preparation of pot luck goodies. My excitement mounted, I'd have home made jelly to bring home, I just knew it! The four families arrived (my parents and us made a total of six families) and the preserved goods were set out and displayed.

No jelly. Not one family in six brought any. I think, perhaps, because people gaurd their homemade jelly and ration it out. Or maybe use it at Christmas gifts. Though I did not go home with jelly I did bring home: Kosher Dill Pickles, Tomato Soup, Apple Sauce, Apple Butter, Pickled Beets, and Pear Butter.

We spent the afternoon tasting, voting, and then eating supper. We went home with our loot and were happy to add the new items to our cupboards.

This year we are having another party. I am still hoping for jelly. Jelly and some homemade baked goods. This years party will be on Oct 6th at 4pm at the Hamberg Family Farm. I am hoping that eight families will join us this year.

If you would like to participate, drop me an email or contact me on fb.

Here are the rules!

1. Whatever you share needs to be packaged and ready to be tossed back into the freezer or put on the shelf.
2. Bring 11 of each item you wish to swap with (10 jars of jam, 10 gallon bags of pears) PLUS one to open for tasting --if you item is frozen please prepare a thawed batch for tasting
3. If your item is unique or not usually preserved (I am thinking of my Mom's frozen pears) please type or neatly write a recipie on how to use it
4. Label your items with your name, what the item is, and what month and year it was preserved
5. And this one is obvious --preserve with care we don't want anyone sick!