What fun project are you working on? (the sequel)

[anchasta]

Cory Su had a great idea and started one of these threads a couple of years ago and it seems to have trailed off over time. Sounds like we're plum for a new one! I know we are all up to something good, especially for those of us starting to experience autumn.

I'm preparing for an Equinox gathering for this weekend, with a Norse theme! I'm breaking out my fur vests and cotton pants. There's a ren fair coming up to stitch a chemise for this October.

I've got elderberry cordial - er, I mean, TONIC setting up. It's still in the "shake and ogle" stage, a brilliant reddish purple in the jar!

I'm settling into the NC Pisgah mountains after having moved from southeastern Virginia swamps, which is an amazing change! I'm getting to know the allies in my yard, and blogging about them on http://www.swamppixieherbal.blogspot.com.

I am also churning out infused honey recipes and posting them for sale on my etsy. I've got a couple new blends, and fancy new jars that make me smile because they are all sexy and round and look like punkins!

What wonderful autumnal tricks are you up to? Are the leaves changing for you yet? Or are you in the other hemisphere...what are you planting?

Enjoy!
~anchasta~
Swamp Pixie

[cory su]

hey I like it.
I am working on a blog post about cold and flu remedies.

[wood]

Dehydrating extra vegetables for backpacking!

[anchasta]

Cory Su: Can I add you blog to my blogroll? You don't have to reciprocate if you don't want to - I hate intangible obligation - but you have great products and a great site. I'd love to point people your way for soaps and such! And thanks for letting me hijack your older post idea Is it just me, or did the traffic here really drop over the past 12 months??

Wood: What are you dehydrating? I have a jar of dried scallions, thin sliced bell peppers, and seaweed to throw into miso or chicken noodle.

[wood]

Already did the bell peppers! Going to start the peas in a few minutes! Did tomatoes earlier in the week. Probably do more peppers and tomatoes. Have corn and carrots. I'm thinking of doing up a veggie soup mix as gifts this year too. That's why I going to do more peppers and tomatoes. Can't have enough of them! I cheat and buy my onions already dehydrated. The backlash from slicing them bothers my dog and really stinks up the house. I have dehydrated wild onion and dried by hanging. Prefer the hanging. For backpacking I grind the ingredients and add spices, no chunks. 1/2 cup of mix boiled in 2 cups of water for 3 to 5 minutes does the trick. I even fix that in the house when I'm feeling lazy.

[bowengirl]

Yesterday we greatly enlarged one of our garden beds. It's hard work as the soil is VERY rocky. Lots of quartz, and the soil itself is clay. We got topsoil today and will work it in with our compost. It's been so beautiful here in the foothills of Northern California, the temperature has been mild and the air clear with that golden autumn light. I also "harvested" my sauerkraut, and it's really good! I'm excited because I just got a beautiful native flute (something I've wanted forever) and am trading massage for lessons. I've never played a musical instrument but have always been so drawn to the flute. Lori

[Lady Alinor]

Where do I begin? It's been a real busy Summer for us and Fall looks to be just as busy.
Right now though I'm canning up 48 lbs. of Pears, putting tomatoes in the freezer to can up during the Winter (meanwhile I'll use the tomatoes straight from the freezer as we need them), I still have to harvest the Leeks in the next week to dehydrate, I've got Elderberry syrup brewing (this year I'm trying Kiva Rose's recipe), We are planning another trip to my 'mountain herb garden' to harvest more Elderberries for drying and jelly. We just got the last of the Honey extracting equipment washed and put away and am now working on scraping the Bees wax and Propolis (for tincture) from the Honey supers and frames (that's a gooey job). The wax from the cappings is clean so I can now start melting it to make up some Winter Solstice gifts (the family won't get any Honey this year because the Bees couldn't find enough nectar to make enough Honey for our needs and theirs...they come first!).
I'm going to the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival on the 26th or 27th to buy some more fiber (hopefully already dyed and carded, I have a drum carder but I already have so much going on...work smarter not harder, Right?) I plan on spinning, crocheting then felting up some fiber for hot pads as Solstice gifts....well, that's what I told my husband anyway...must have FIBER!!!!! I still need to do a second Comfrey harvest, can't decide if I want to dig some roots though. That reminds me the Hops and Boneset are ready to harvest.
My GOTTA DO list grows by the day

[anchasta]

Wood: You know, that's clever! My dear love is NOT a veggie eater overmuch, so grinding dried veggies and making soup, or adding it to broth, is a great way to get some good vitamins in his diet. I've not done much backpacking, but I plan to now that I live in the mountains. It's gorgeous here in Carolina and I want to get to know it better.

Bowengirl: Flute music is lovely, and it feels good to pursue a pull to make music, doesn't it? I bet it is gorgeous up there - We almost moved to California this year, but chose Carolina since it's closer to our starting point. Oh, and quartz and clay sounds like what I'm learning to work with, too! I've never done a garden bed before, only potted plants, so this is new to me. I'm about to take a Master Gardener coop class to learn how to work with local soil and identify native plants, so that should help bolster my confidence.

Lady Alinor: Woah! You are living my dream! I'm a budding canner, newbie gardener, enthusiastic tea maven, hand-spinner, and soon to be bee steward (next spring). The honey crop is low here in NC this year from too many rains washing nectar away before the Girls could harvest it. I've got to get my pressure cooker tested since it sat a couple of years in an attic before I got it. Hey...wait. You can freeze tomatoes?? *lol* I never thought of that! You rock my socks.

[Lady Alinor]

Anchasta...Yup, I wash, dry and plop the tomatoes into gallon size zip-lock bags and toss into the freezer. I also have a gauged pressure canner and since our County Extension doesn't have the money to test the gauges anymore I buy a new one every year...it's just $20 and well worth it to me as it saves me time and money since the only other option is too either drive to the next county or send the gauge off to Presto fror testing. If I drive to the next county I not only use up valuable fuel but I also have to stop and eat something, then if I pass by any thrift shops, quilt shops or book stores well there goes more money

I've been thinking about infused honey...something besides Garlic infused. A couple of years back we attended our local Ren Faire and we met some ladies (their 'shop' was called the Queen's Three Crones) and they had several kinds of infused honey. They were mostly aimed at helping a woman entice a man ...some were quite tasty.

[Cat of the Moonlit Wood]

Trying to find a peaceful, spacious, sunny new place to live, where I can have a small herb garden. I'm getting discouraged at the choices and rent prices in the area, though.

[Lady Alinor]

I didn't need another project but I started one ....
I was going through my "Viking Patterns for Knitters" book and found a wonderful pattern for a knitted backpack that uses circular needles, this is knitted in the round, and has a beautiful cabled pocket. So in between canner loads of Pears I'm knitting when I should be outside harvesting Tomatoes and Brussel sprouts and a dozen other chores.

[cory su]

I love that this thread has taken off! Very cool.
Today I put up holy basil honey and hot pepper vinegar.
I'm getting ready to make a frank & myrrh meditation perfume also.

[quote="anchasta"]Cory Su: Can I add you blog to my blogroll? You don't have to reciprocate if you don't want to - I hate intangible obligation - but you have great products and a great site. I'd love to point people your way for soaps and such! And thanks for letting me hijack your older post idea Is it just me, or did the traffic here really drop over the past 12 months??

Sure I would love to trade blog links. I just started following your blog also.

[cory su]

By the way I admire all you canners out there. I'm a little to intimidated to try pickling okra after my orange jam making flop 2 years ago.

[Lady Alinor]

Cory Su...get back up on that horse and try again

[cory su]

Cory Su...get back up on that horse and try again

You are right I should. Next year I promise! I was eating okra everyday and I kind of got tired of it. Otherwise I would probably be trying it right now. The excess okra we have will go to families in need, so no worries.