I've Discovered Herbs

I have done a lot of gardening before, I've grown and canned a lot of veggies. But, I've never raised my own herbs. I've always used the dry herbs you pick up in the store. I've always been interested in the flavor that fresh herbs would give food. So, after looking around at several different places, I found a great selection of herbs for $1 each (some came in containers of 4 plants). Since I really don't have a spot made for a large garden right now, I decided that putting them in containers would be the best thing, plus I can move them into my kitchen this winter.  I will be learning as I go!

So far I have 6 herbs, but would love to plant more.

Emily loves to help with them, her job is to water them when needed,

we're still working on the "do not drown them" part, though.

Emily was holding a small leaf from the Chocolate Mint plant.

She was amazed at how yummy they tasted!

Aside from having fun with my green thumb, cheese making has been keeping us hopping! Thankfully we've been able to consistently make a batch each week, and those batches have been close to 150 lbs. each. This week we made cheese on Tuesday, and we'll be making again on Saturday. Since we are actually out of cheese that is aged long enough to sell we'll have to skip farm markets this week. Hoping by next week we'll have a couple of cheeses to cut up and sell. 

We have also entered in a competition with our cheese, it is the World Jersey Cheese Awards 2010, and it is held on the Island of Jersey in England.  We sent one lb. of each of our cheeses. We will see how it goes! It was an "invitation only" competition, so we're thrilled to receive the invite! It's amazing to have our cheese go up against some of the cheesemakers of Europe!

So glad that summer is now almost here. Our weather has been so humid lately, it almost feels like July or August! The heat is here early this year.  The flowers are really blooming, and Emily has been taking advantage of the nice weather to play outside everyday! Glad to, she can run off a lot of her energy!

Our clematis is blooming, they are so pretty!

One of my older hens out enjoying all the grass

and bugs she can find!

Emily having some fun on her swing just outside

of our cheesehouse.

Cooling off in her wading pool.

Well, I see by the time it is getting to be, and the yummy smell in the house that it's almost time for dinner.

I ran across a really good Shepherd Pie recipe in the Gooseberry Patch cookbook, Farmhouse Kitchen.

I've never made this before, but it really is making me hungry as it bakes!