South Carolina Peaches

Usually here at Growing Boys Farm we try to eat local. Ya know food we or friends at the farmers market grow. But today we are eating peaches that have been shipped in. Gasp you say. Yes they were shipped in all the way from Ridge Spring, South Carolina in the back seat of my Aunt's car. Our family from Ridge Spring is in town and they brought peaches. We love when family comes to vist. It gives us an exuse to all get together and hang out around the kitchen table to talk about what's going on in the world, what's new with family and to remember good times from the past. But man sitting around a big bowl of peaches and ice cream makes it so much better. Or it could be peaches and angle food cake, or peaches and bisquits for breakfast, or just peaches with a little sugar on top.... Any way you fix them peaches from Ridge Spring are the best. So if your every in South Carolina stop by the little town of Ridge Spring and say Hi to Mayor Pat. The Town of Ridge Spring, South Carolina boasts five antique shops, its own meat market, a pecan specialty store, and an unforgettable restaurant, but best of all they have peaches.

Don't Count Your Chickens

You know the old saying "Don't count your chickens before they hatch"? Well I counted them probably more than once. Our flock of Chickens has not faired so well in the past week. We had a hen "Buckeye" sitting on a nest of eggs and we were so excited about the prospect of baby chicks. Then some friends ordered chicks of which we got five. The grand total of chicks that I wasn't supposed to count yet...21. Then the worst thing happened. We forgot to shut the door to the chicken coop. The next morning our son went to check on Buckeye and her chicks only to find they had all vanished. They were gone, she and the chicks the eggs and even the eggs I had forgotten to collect the day before, gone. Thankfully our other hens and the rooster got out alive. But wait that's not the end. We decided to clean out the chicken coop only to find a bee hive under the water tank. The littlest growing boy found it the hard way. So after much ado and several ice packs we decided to call in reinforcements...Daddy. Daddy came home from work took care of the bees and finished cleaning out the chicken coop. All was right once againg on the farm. But wait that's not the end. A few nights later the chickens decided not to go into the chicken coop to roost but instead to spend the night on top of the swing set. Bad idea to let them spend the night on the swing set cause guess who decided to come back for another chicken dinner. Yep he ate another hen. We're not really sure who he is but we are bound and determined not to let him eat the rest of our little flock which now numbers 4. I guess it's time to call up the hatchery and order more baby chicks. I don't think I'll count them at all this time.

Farmers Market

Every Saturday we pack up what seems to be the entire garden, half the house, all the kiddos and head off to the farmers market. We spend all morning among friends old and new selling our vegetables and flowers. Our display changes from week to week, lettuces in the spring tomatoes in the summer corn for fall but always lots of flowers. The flowers are my favorite. The boys run and play eat homemade bread and ask lots of question. Sometimes at market there are strange things to see and we get to discuss them on the ride home. Oh the ride home tired and hot but usually with enough spending money to stop for a weekly treat..A much deserved ice cold drink.

BLTs anyone?

199 Tomato Plants and Baby Bibb Lettuce

BLTs anyone? Well you'll have to bring your own bacon. Pigs are on my list of things I'd like to have here at our little farm but for now the veggies are coming in full force and that's about all we can handle. Spring has been good to us here at Growing Boys Farm. The Sunflowers are about a month early but they sure are beautiful in full bloom across the field. Now I just have to figure out how to keep them from blooming on Tuesday and get them to bloom on Friday (we have to cut for farmers market on fridays).

Who Needs Vick's

For the past few days I've had a sick kiddo. Fever, cough, the whole shebang and to top it off we ran out of vicks. We are big fans of the menthol rub on the feet trick for a cough. Did you know that one, you just rub the bottom of the kiddos feet down with menthol rub, put on socks and instantly no more cough. So I decided to make our own menthol rub.
2oz olive oil
1tbsp beeswax
20 drops Eucalyptus essential oil
Heat the oil and beeswax in a double boiler until it's melted then add the essential oil. Pour the mixture into a jar and let it cool. Once it's cooled slather up those tootsies and enjoy cough free night...I hope.

Spring Fever

OK it's official. We have Spring fever. Sunday and Monday were both beautiful days. We played outside, rode the 4wheeler (which Brian got stuck in the creek :) and hung laundry on the line. Monday was a perfect day to hang out laundry...warm and a little windy. The garden also got turned and so we are ready and waiting to start planting. Now if only spring will come soon.

Ice Storm

During the past two weeks the storms in our lives sure have raged. We had two grandparents to die within a week of each other so much of the past two weeks has been spent at the funeral home. As if that weren't enough we also had a winter storm that brought with it lots of ice. Ice that made the trees look beautiful,dangerous (a piece fell on our truck and broke the windshield)but beautiful. We lost electricity for three days but at least we have a fireplace so we didn't freeze. Many other neighbors and friends are still out of electricity but I know the line worker are doing all they can to get every body up and running and we appreciate it very much. Today is the start of a new week and I am sure things are looking up for us!!