Is that even a sentence? There must be about four grammatical errors in that title! However: the broccoli is up. The cabbages, leeks, celery and onions are sown.
And the first wave of tomatoes have been sown too. The gardens have begun. No spring in sight but I can see the beginnings of the spring garden.
I let the sheep into the barn corridor yesterday to clean up all the bits of hay that fall when I am feeding out. Or feeding IN as the case may be. 
Mama is growing. But her babies still have plenty of room in there. I saw one doing a somersault as I was capturing this picture, I am surprised that her belly is in focus. 
I have taken Daisy back to twice a day milking for the mean-time. She is more of a twice a day cow. Her milk production remained very strong, and she just got skinnier. It is a difficult balance to try and get a cow to cut down on her production for once a day milking. And her problem quarter, that has been a problem since day one, began to act up. So I have had to rethink my objectives. She is happier and healthier coming in twice a day.
I have added a cup of kefir to her daily diet. I was given some kefir grains just recently so we are all drinking a cup of milky kefir each morning. If you are close by and want some grains let me know and as it grows I can collect some for you. The grains are hard to come by.
Decisions …
Decisions.
Decisions. 
Decisions. And all of them FUN. 
Have a lovely day.
It is a Farmy Homeschooling day today and we are going on a field trip to the library to find some books on chickens. This weeks animal to study is a chicken!
Have a lovely day. Take care now.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
54 responses to “The Kitchen’s Garden’s 2013 Garden has Begun.”
Gosh, so much has been happening on the farmy while I was away. Mama looks BIG to me…several babies in there I think. And how amazing it must be to see one do a somersault! You’re way ahead of me on seedlings and I’m loving how the coupe is coming together, how exciting. I saw the show of the view on FB showing the fields and it reminded me of the sea. I guess it will be a sea of green very soon. Terrific new header, too. Have fun with your research today, Celi.
She is big isn’t she! Huge! Poor darling. c
I haven’t even thought about seeds yet. Good for you! Love watching the house going up!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com
I just bought Miss A a few books on involving chickens for her book order this month. I also got one of a peacock, because it made me think of Kupa. Have a great time schooling today!
Maybe some day you guys could pop down for a visit! Miss A could see a real peacock and cuddle a real chicken!! c
We would love that. I just know the kids would be in heaven!
Well, the moment we get some babies, I will let you know and we can make a plan! Like last year I have no idea when Mama will have hers, or even if Mia will. We are about a two hour drive for you.. c
That would be lovely! 🙂
I have been scratching around in the garden looking for signs of spring Celi. Some kinds of bulbs are poking through the soil. But, the big excitement is the garlic showing at least an inch above the ground. Being a prairie girl the concept of planting seeds in the garden in the autumn is an oxymoron. Come on garlic !! V..
hi there fellow prairie girl!! c
The spring garden sounds lovely. I planted my garlic in the fall and I’ve got my fingers crossed they will work out.
Home grown garlic is divine! I hope our ours works out too, last years was fantastic but no two years are alike.. c
What does your kefir taste of, Celi? Interesting link
Slightly tangy milk.. tasty.. it is an easy medicine!! c
Spring is about to sprung – and if that’s not grammatically incorrect, I’m a Master Builder!
Well you are a master decorator!! c
Not going to lie, but I like the kefir stuff in the stores. it’s delicious. I hope Daisy likes it!
oh it would be great to be able to buy it as well! .. c
What a fun blog! You took me right back to my childhood with kefir, because that was a daily drink for most of us in Estonia and we must have made it ourselves? Thanks for the reminder I better begin my autumn seedlings . . . . And doubt Mama is all that thrilled about her acrobatic offspring-to-be . . . Wish I had been in your chicken class too . . . DO hope it was a good day 🙂 !
My goodness Eha, Estonia is OLD, an ancient country, such history, you must have the most amazing recipes!! If I thought that the kefir grains would last the trip I would send you some.. c
Beautiful lady, if i REALLY looked around the bigger supermarkets, perhaps I could find some mass-produced! I guess I have been satisfied with homemade yogurt and buttermilk and we’ll see as to the rest! Hugs!! Actually Estonia’s central position in NE Europe has led to a multicultural food mix way before THAT word was ever invented: nothing very exciting: Scandinavian, Russian and German – beautiful Russian soups for sure!! . . . love . . . .
Oh those soups .. and borscht ..do you make borscht that even has kefir in it.. do you have an estonian borscht? with a scandinavian influence? wonderful.. ask the old people! c
Give me time: I just may bore you!!!!! What do you mean ‘ask the old people’: mmhh – how shall I put it delicately, the Matriarch and I would probaly get on awfully well together 😀 ! Do know most of these things myself; that is before I ‘got all Asian’! . . .
Hope you enjoyed your field trip! 😀
How hopeful it must be to see those little seeds coming up and to start planning the new garden.
Celi, I was given some Kefir grains today…….sadly there just in a jar with milky liquid, not frozen. Do I wash the grains well in water, the add to milk to ferment the kefir.
What amount of kefir grains do I add to what volume of milk. e
no I don’t think you need to wash them, in fact you shouldn’t but I would strain your grains out and then pop them in the bottom of a clean glass jar, add milk to the jar three quarters full, I pop a tea towel on top of mine (keep it dark) and leave it on the bench, give it a swirl or a stir every few hours. Then strain and do that again each day until the culture wakes up. Mine took a few days to get going.. I use a quart jar. Hope that helps. the longer you leave it the stronger it gets.. let me know how it goes.
Oh Miss C, have taken your good advice and wow! my kefir has doubled in size in 8 hours…..do I strain off the grains and use the liquid at this stage?
There were about 3 tablespoons of grains I added to 1 pint of milk.
yes, at 8 hours it will be a lovely drink, just strain then refrigerate the milk (to drink later today) and begin a new one. As those grains get bigger you can divide and give half away or start a new one, mine is very slow growing so far so i do not know when we can start that process. I make i, is a pint and a half jar which makes two drinks a day. You can leave it up to 24 hours to make a stronger drink and it seems that each level of strength has different properties so varying the fermenting time may be advantageous. You must have lovely strong grains, I wonder if we can trace the history of our grains, that would be interesting.. c
Your project is coming along nicely! I found out the reason why my plants do not do well outside and that is due to the salty sea breeze from the ocean so I have brought them all inside. I love your little seeds sprouts.
hope you had fun at the library
There’s a few signs of Spring here – looking forward to the real thing. While you study chickens I shall continue to eat them. Now I feel bad.