Hail and 75 Degrees, Cool Weather Crops, New Fridge, Homesteading Kitchen Gadgets

Hail and 75 Degrees-
We've had really unstable weather this last week. We had hail/corn snow Tuesday night and really gusty winds, 55 mph maybe? The hail was blowing at a 45 degree angle it was so windy! Luckily the hens all knew to go into the coop, where they were well protected. Good girls! The garden seemed ok thru it all. I'm pretty good at judging wind. Forecast was 45+ so we got it. It scared Anya, and I took some photos. Boy the clouds were black! 70's today and up to 77 next week. It was really windy all day, and Dave did a marathon of yard work. With the heavy rain last Sat. we skipped the work Sunday, just too wet. He also took off the bottom window on the lower part of the coop, and swapped their screen on. More fresh air with the warmer days. Sping is really here!

Cool Weather Crops-
I found some nice packs of curly kale, red Russian kale (yummy) and collard greens Thursday so I bought some. Last year they were hard to find as I waited too long. Ready to plant tomorrow. I already planted something else kid of fun-

Wind spinner from Target

New Fridge-

I LOVE our new fridge!!! By most accounts if the most exciting thing in your life recently is a appliance purchase I guess I do lead a rather boring life! After doing a lot of research (found out later it's recommended at Consumer Report)  we had it delivered. Here's what we did to prep-

Two nights before delivery we loaded all our freezer items into our chest freezer. I had been emptying it since we had to defrost it. First times in 3 years! Same night we put all the non-critical fridge items in coolers (without ice) since it was 30 at night and they were in the garage. Mostly condiments, fruits, and veggies.

One night before we loaded critical items, meats, dairy, etc., into our mini fridge in the garage, the old college one from the girls. That system worked great!

The delivery went smooth, it fit, and it's SO BRIGHT! Two LED lights on top and bottom. Really spacious, and nice little ice maker. Next a new counter and then the kitchen is basically done. I'll be painting the kitchen this summer, since it needs it after 10 years. I hope we can demo the counter, then I can paint, then a new counter, and I'll do the back splash. Like many people we try to do things as we can. If we'd had tons of money we could have done it all the first year. Instead we paid as we went, got a used sink from Habitat, etc., etc...

Bright and lots of adjustable shelving!

Tons of door storage

Nice ice maker

We'll move some of our frozen goods in tomorrow from the chest freezer

Homesteading Kitchen Gadgets-
I have been making lots of foods with very thinly sliced cabbage. I realized how long it was taking me to slice things, and I couldn't get them very consistent. I want to start making sauerkraut and more Curtido, so I thought MANDOLIN! I did some research and found a nice, adjustable mandolin at Target today. It holds the vegetable very safely and you can hook it over a bowl or use flat.Very sharp and a good $20.00 investment-

 Later I found a Ball Mason jar infuser-

I can make teas, tinctures, etc. I foresee lots of cool, refreshing fruit drink/tea combos this summer. $5.99. 

  

Oh, free recipes!