With the late start this spring, we've harvested very little from the garden. In fact, about all we've harvested is herbs and berries, and most of the berries, like those pictured, are wild berries. I have not canned a single thing yet. My canner and equipment are sitting untouched in the closet. It is sad.
Not as if I know when I'd I have time to can anyway. This summer has been a whirlwind of activity. We've had friends and family in. We are going weekly to a farmer's market, and just trying to catch up from the month or more of work time lost with Tim's melanoma treatment. Maybe it is a good thing I don't have beans or tomatoes ready to harvest yet.
In other happenings around the farm, we have a new foal, which I have yet to get a picture of, and we have lots of kittens. Anyone have a suggestion for how to get our feral females to stop reproducing? Our current overload of cats goes way back to our two original females. We mistakenly thought it would be fun to allow them to have kittens one time.
At least the feral mommas do bring their kittens to the chicken house once they are a few weeks old. The new kittens are fairly tame. Want one? or two? or a half dozen? Lydia took this adorable photo. I have to say this kitten is one of my favorites.
How is your summer going? Did I ask if you wanted a kitten?
Good morning:
ReplyDeletere: Feral cats
Oh, do I know this problem.
I used to live in a nice row of houses. Across the street, surrounded by a large unkempt yard, was a house. And in this, on this, by this, surrounding this house were cats. And more cats. And even more cats.
We used to make a game of how many we could count in the evening. One summer evening we had over 150. Now admidettly (sp ) it was a lovely evening and perhaps some cousins had arrived.
And then some horrible disease started and cats were dying in the streets, upsetting everyone in the neighbourhood. Except the owner who was aged and seemed to take comfort in a bottle.
With the uproar that ensued the ASPCA came in and did what they had to do.
It really was quite a dreadful few months.
We have since moved but our former neighbours tell me that all is more or less fine now. The owner's family had him move in with them in another part of town. The new property owners gutted the house and yard and it is now the epitome of urban niceness. And there is one beautiful tabby sitting on the front stairs. Spayed.
So, all of that long story to say, will the ASPCA come and give you advice?
150?! Well it isn't that bad yet.... Cats do multiply quickly don't they?
ReplyDeleteMaybe trap and take all the boy kitties to the SPCA. "Fixing" all those kitties would be so expensive.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad Tim is doing better and that the Chemo is finished. Those berries look so good!
I would love a kitten! Too bad we are so far away.
I did my first canning last night after work. I was up until midnight canning 13 quarts of green beans. I wish that I could say that they came from my garden but I bought them from a local farmer. I didn't even try to plant green beans this year. Perhaps next year when we are on our own farm.
ReplyDeleteKittens and cats outside are not a good idea. They are responsible for millions of bird deaths each year. That did not used to matter when there were more birds and fewer people, fewer cats. It matters now. Please consider an alternative.
ReplyDelete