The Old Codger says that TonTon thinks skunks are his long lost brothers being Black and White and all. NO Ton they may be pretty but they are laughing at you.
TonTon hates the skunk off. But it is the only thing that will take out the smell.
I put up an electric fence in the field and opened the gate for the piglets yesterday, so they could get out onto the grass with my permission as opposed to tunneling under the fences without my permission.
Look into the back of this shot. The little Gilt has run straight under the electric fence giving herself a shock on the way so she does not want to go back the same way she came out. Though Ton is trying to put her back.
He has called in reinforcements.
And eventually after she had played Mouse and Elephant with Daisy for a while she was persuaded back under another fence and into the paddock where I was able to walk her back to the barn. 
Thirsty baby.
The first of the summer sauces went into the crock pot.
Ninety five percent tomatoes. I just roughly chop everything up, no peeling. Cook for about 4 hours until soft, then using my stick blender I blend it then cook on low overnight until it is a beautiful thick heavy sauce. Every summer I make a batch every 24 hours for weeks, the crock pot will run about 24 hours a day until all the tomatoes are in or the crock pot gives up. Often the latter!
Good morning. My dehydrator has been running since I took it out of the box, we are working our way through the last of the apples. Zucchini chips and celery are high on the list. If you have any hints or suggestions, those would be most welcome as this is the first year I have used a dehydrator. I am wondering now how I ever did without it.
Have a lovely day.
your friend on the farm, celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
49 responses to “Somebody has been playing with Skunks”
Started my dehydrator yesterday, drying garlic for garlic powder…it’s a new experiment. I should do some zucchini soon, for winter soups. Still waiting for the main-crop tomatoes to ripen, then it’ll be crock-pot time!
Poor Ton…for a smart dog, he sure is a slow learner where the skunks are concerned!
you know just how to cope with naughty piglets
I am fascinated with your experiment with the dehydrator. Finally one gadget it looks like I might need. Please tell us more about how you use it. Apples are a great idea!
That darn dog! What is he like? I remember the year my malamute got skunked. He stank for weeks even with the SOS, (skunk odour shampoo). 😦 I don’t know how you lived without a food dehydrator either! 🙂 I love mine to pieces especially for the over abundance of summer fruit and tomatoes. I make “sun dried” tomatoes in it and pack them in olive oil. so much more wonderful than store bought.
I loved my “Ex” by far one of the best ones around. Sadly it could not move with me. Please check into Fruit rolls ups.I am sure there are plenty of ideas on the www. the one I used was made with applesauce and gelatin. Oh BTW you do not have to get those costly silicone sheets. I used parchment paper and a little bit of tape,cut to size and you are ready go I find mine for a little over 2$ at my local market and you get a lot on a roll. it should be with the foil etc.Magic stuff I use it alot.Have fun and have a wonderful day….
Making sauces here too – yesterday was my roasted garlic (I have loads from the garden), roasted red peppers and tomatoes. Along with herbs before I can them, makes a wonderful pasta sauce!
Luckily (or have I spoken too soon) neither of my dogs have had that smell, although some mornings I go out and I can smell it in the air so know over night I had a visitor or two.
Thinking I must get a dehydrator too – my friend in NJ has one and swears by it.
Trying to type whilst my 14 week old kittens run amok – trying to teach them the word ‘NO’ LOL
Celi, I like to dry tomatoes to have them for the winter and spring. I put them in soups, add them to pasta, make dried tomato pesto of them with olive oil, garlic and nuts, snip them into salads, or just eat them plain. I cut them open like flowers with the “petals” still attached at the stem end. I would say apples and tomatoes are my favorite things to dry. I dried watermelon last year but did not like it.
Love the idea of a dried tomato pesto, I shall definitely be making some of that! thank you.. c
If you want to try watermelon jerky:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Watermelon-Jerky/
Oh the face! Poor Ton! Precious boy.
🙂 Mandy xo
Poor Ton! And your piglets are so cute. Definitely keeps you on your toes. I was planning on harvesting a bunch of tomatoes today but it’s bucketing down with rain. That will have to wait another day. I love this time of year when all the hard work comes to fruition!
I love the Old Codger’s sense of humor.
I make “sundried tomatoes” in mine. And yes, the kale chips do come out better in a dehydrator. My recipe: in a blender put a whole red pepper cut up into chunks, 1/2 cup raw cashews soaked in waterabout 1/2 hour and drained, juice from a lemon, 1 T soy sauce or Bragg’s Aminos, 1 T nutritional yeast, salt and pepper. Blend. MAssage into a big bunch of kale torn up, stems removed. Dry. yummy!
My that sounds fantastic and very healthy! thank you for the recipe maggie.. c
Never heard of skunk off. I am jumping in the car ASAP to get some for my pooch, Pops. Pyrenees golden mix. He loves nightly play dates with skunks. Our old house has window units, so we get woken up in the middle of the night with skunk perfume being sucked right into our bedroom. Yuck! Love all of your beautiful animals! Those pigs are so cute!
He even looks kind of stinky. Sorry, TonTon!
i dehydrate everything. when i get mushrooms on sale i do those to use in soups and stews. i also make my own beef jerky in it! i dehydrate strawberry slices. they are good to just eat plain!
I hope Ton’s brothers and sisters weren’t that stinky! I’ve always wanted a dehydrator, for dried fruit especially. Mmm. 🙂