A beautiful day~

this was an absolutely glorious monday!!  It was almost 80 degrees and sunny and just sw mi perfection!~!~ these are what our summer days are and we throughly enjoy with no humidity! 

After running a few errands this am my precious boys and I took a nice long nap this afternoon and sat outside and enjoyed the weather on our deck.

The weekend was about as miserable as they get at market.  Saturday was our big blueberry festival in South Haven and it was just terrible outside.  I got there around 5 am so I could get my booth set up before the storms were coming in, it was thundering over the lake and by 5.15 the lightning was actually scary and striking all around us, I got the canopies up and everything unloaded and the rain started, it was a downpour!!  My neighbors and I had secured our canopies down but the wind kicked up so hard it ripped a side and bent the pipes on their canopy.  We held it down but it still broke. 

The rain stopped for a short time and by daylight it looked like the sun might come out and it was clearing up... we could at least dry off a bit but oh no.........rain started up again and then just a steady downpour!~! it was like that for a couple of hours and by 11.00 they were saying there was another storm coming thru with high winds and torrential downpours.  We packed it up!  Enough was enough.  rain and baked goods just dont mix LOL

Here are some of my cheddar sweet pepper foccacia loaves

For my thursday market

I made some eggplant casserole!  YUMMY.  I am not an eggplant fan but I would definetly eat this for supper.

Blueberry bread loaves cooling off

Blueberry cheesecake bars these have been a big hit at makets~

 squash, peppers and brown rice simmering for my stuffed peppers

My stuffed peppers for market

This was a new recipe and will definetly be made again it was a keeper and super yummy!!  Blueberry and cream cheese filling in sweet bread braided. 

My blueberry cheese filled bear claws

Blueberry crumb cakes

Blueberry and peachy blueberry mini pies

braided bread loaves

After market on saturday I met my hubby and boys and my inlaws out at the campground.  It was nice to camp overnight.  We are goin back this comin weekend and we cant wait.  We have projects out at the flywheelers to finish up before the big antique engine and tractor show in sept!  That is our yearly vacation and we have a blast!  There are some great people there and my family and friends and best part my butt is in a tractor seat almost all week! LOL

So hope yall have a wonderful monday and I will try to post regularly, just have one more big market week for labor day and things will slow down!  YEAH!! I am exhausted these days.

Thursday is Allegan Market

Friday is Saugatuck Market

Saturday is South Haven Market

Thanks for stopping by!

HUGS

Darlene

~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

Apples, turtles and kolachky oh my!!

Hey yall!! happy monday mornin!! 

What another beautiful michigan fall weeekend we had! Hope yall enjoyed yours and it was just as nice out as ours!!

We cut and stacked lots of wood, hubby tilled the gardens, and we spent lots of time with our boys!! yeah!~! great weekend~

So I made my grandma Rose's apple walnut bread pudding for market sat and it was gone quickly.  A creamy cinnnamon sauce was also included in a cup when you buy the pudding. 

Chopped up french bread and some of our egg bread too.

Ready for baking complete with egg custard and chopped walnuts.  Love the taste of walnuts with apples.

These pretty red MacIntosh apples were used for the pudding and the dumplings and I did caramel apples with some others drizzeling melted white and milk chocolate on top and added some cute halloween sprinlkes!!  Sorry I didnt take pics of them but will surely make more this week for Allegan Market on thurs!!

Apple dumplings just out of the oven!  Oh if you have ever baked with apples and cinnmaon yall just know that wonderful aroma in the kitchen!! OH love it!!

Each one came with a cinnamon syrup to drizzle ontop of them and maybe then serve with some wonderful vanilla bean ice cream~  YUMMO!~

I also made some of my mothers sloveninan Kolachky cookies!!   The dough is very simple to make and easy to work with.  Just being sure to chill dough overnight, or at least a few hours.   The ones I made for market this past week were filled with homemade orange marmalade and red raspberry preserves.

After they cool they got a treatment of my "farmgirl bling" some pretty sifted confectionary sugar. 

And to the turtle part of the day! Chocolate pecan turtles filled with my homemade caramel.   These are so yummy I have to package them as soon as they cool so I wont be tempted to eat too many!!  They are really good!~!  I will put some on my etsy site for sale soon!  and my caramel candies too!  Those are just melt in your mouth creamy yummyness!! 

Well that was about all of the things I got done friday and I also made some decorated sugar cookies for halloween, I have a set left and will have to take some pics they were just too stinkin cute!! A ghost, a witches hat and a pumpkin were packaged up in a clear bag tied with some raffia!

I will be doin them for xmas too maybe a snowman head, a mitten and a gingerbread man would be cute and they are just too fun to decorate!!

So have a beautiful fall day!! I will be back soon to share more with yall~~

BLESSINGS

Darlene

~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

Happy happy harvest time!!

WOW~!~ the colors outside are just truly breathtaking!! LOVE IT!! As yall know Fall is my #1 favo time of the year!! well I love summer and spring is just absolutely stunning and the snow oh my the snow is gorgeous too!! LOL but fall is my cup of tea!!  So I decided to "farmgirl bling" up some of my shortbread cookies with orange and white colors and filled them with a chocolate ganache filling!!

And since my boys like fall to I did up some of their treats fallish for them!!  I am taking some to market so the boys will have some spending $$$$$ to buy stuff at petco!!  LOL they love goin in and pickin out new toys! 

My bluebery muffins werent exempt from my "bling:" either they recieved a nice drizzel of lemon glaze and the red raspberry muffins got the same treatment. 

Here are some pics on my way home one night last week.  The leaves have been blowin off the trees the last few days so they are leavin us quickly.  The weather though has been exceptional for october.  You know hubby and I got married in late october and I insisted on gettin hitched  outisde at my parents in the orchard that day was just perfect!! 82 degrees outside so noone had to wear jackets or mittens either!  We rented a big canopy, had cornstalks in bundles tied all around, fall leaves hangin with sunflowers and red gingham bows around (my favo red gingham and denim) the aisles were straw bales, fall colored mums everywhere, our unity candle sat on a bed of fall leaves ontop of an old rusty milk can we had on our porch, the alter was wood my hubby made an outline in the shape of a barn, complete with raffia and field corn bundles.  My mom and I saved old metal cans, from like veggies and tied a denim strip around the middle with a bow of red gingham and filled them with cut mums in them for the reception tables.  And i was able to buy red gingham fabric table cloths to go on each table.  In fact I use those table cloths now at market for my tables.  LOL just reminiscing bout that day as we are approaching our 10 year anniversary next week.  October 21!  Cant believe it already!! LOVE ya babe!!!

So another reason i Love fall!! 

Better run and get things packaged up for the last South Haven farmers market of the season is tomorrow!!  Well for most of the farmers Young Earth Farm and I are gonna be goin thurs afternoons november thru april in the hardware parking lot!! email me for more info if ya like!!

Have a blessed evening yall!!

HUGS

Darlene

~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

Hot pepper jelly

Well I just got back home from the kitchen and am taking a bit of a break before goin outside to plant some things.   My mom went with me this am and we made a couple of batches of our hot pepper jelly, and hot hot pepper jelly!!  I forgot to take my camera with so no pics right now for ya!! SORRY!!  We also made up 12 dozen tater-n-cheese stuffed pierogi for market and orders for this week.   This time I did saute the onions first in butter and added a bit of seasonings and used yukon gold and reg ol baking taters, which is a nice combo.  Sharp cheddar, mozzarella, parmesean and some fresh guyere cheeses are all awesome together!!  I will note we decided to only take the pasta machine up to number 4 as they were just too thin on 5 and way too thick on 3 maybe it depends on the humidity in the air with this particular dough but it was vey thin today.   I also make mixes up for the week for some muffins and carrot cakes and some coffee cakes.  WHEW too I am a bit on the tired side and really would like to go in the 5th wheel with my boys and take a nap!!  Actually NO naps round here this week it is gonna be a busy one as I start my sunday market this week.  Everyother sunday that is but still 3 markets this week.  FSAM fulton street arrist market and I will be bringing some baked goods and a few of my altered signs too.  I cant wait they started today!!  
It is a bit on the chilly side out, I had a tshirt and one of hubbys flannel shirts on too and was comfy.   Thank goodness we didnt get the storms last nigth that were predited it sounded bad!!  The sun is 1/2 out and 1/2 behind some clouds so not too hot at least!  The boys are all on the couch with mommy! LOVE our nice big ol couch for them to be up on here next to me!!  I dont spend enough time cuddling with my boys lately so need to change that !~!~ and soon~~!   I so wish I could take them everrywhere with me~~
Market yestetrday was awesome!! Thanks everyone that came out with the weather being so crummy it was a busy day!!   Hot at 4 in the am then some rain early  then the fog came in quick and brought really cool air and a breeze then sunny and hot and humid in afternooon!!  We sold out of pierogi by 9am and also ravioli were gone just as quick.  I am still making asparagus cheese and froze about 30 pounds plus pureed for ravioli this summer and winter.  Next i am gonna try  spinach and cheese.  I bought some awesome lookin spinach from my friends at VISSER FARM so will start using that up~~  Ok well hubbyo just came in and announced he wants to get to the store soon so I better get my butt ready! NO nap right now, maybe on the way to the store!! LOL
HAVE A BLESSED SUNDAY YALL!!
See u tomorrow!~
with pics too! LOL

HUGS!!
Darlene 
~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

MONDAY~~

Oh what a BEAUTIFUL fall day outside!! I got out of work around 10.30 this am and am loving this monday!!! GORGEOUS DAY !! The sun is shining and IF I COULD SEND YOU ALL A BIT OF IT I WOULD!! and IF i could post pics of these absolutely stunnin leaves i would do that too!! BUT still havent found my dig camera and am sooooooooooooo bummed out!! I am afraid we are gonna have to get a new one and that one I LOVED we bought it in jan this year and it took great pics!! OH well my crazy busy life has really affected my mind lately I guess!!

SO no pics again today!! I did make some darling pumpkin sugar cookies and put them on a stick then decorated with some frostings and CUTE CUTE CUTE! so did up some little ghostys on sticks that had white frosting sprinkled with some purple sanding sugar and then I used 2 small chocolate sprinkles for they eyes!! also did up some dark purple bats with green sprinkle eyes!! too cute i must say!!
The sourcream pumpkin streusel coffee cakes were a big hit at the markets and they pumpkin spice shortbread cookies went fast!! I need to come up with a different shortbread for the winter holiday season thought about a minty shortbread using andes mint candies crushed in the batter, dip in chocolate and top with some crushed mint candies for a nice look. Then package them in some chinese take out boxes decorated with snowflake paper!! Oh yepper time to get to thinkin about xmas!!

Also this week I had made some of my Grandma Roses' pumpkin spice bread, some chai butter cookies, cardamom mini coffee cakes, banana pineapple cakes ( these were adorable!! I made them in my mini bundt pan then topped them with some browned butter frosting and some fall sprinkles) and yepper that combo of naners and pineapple is really yummy!! Made some chocolate cappacino mix and packaged them in clear bags with a cute tag and some gingham papers complete with a gift tag.
ANDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD I was able yesterday after working to come home and work on some primitive fabric snowmen snowcones!! Gosh not ready at ALL for any outside SNOW!! even though it has sure been cold enough!! NOT READY I TELL YA!!! LOL
Well have a blessed monday and cross your fingers that I might find my digi cam today while tidying up a bit inside!!

HUGS
Darlene
~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

RAINED OUT weekend!!

This doe was in our front yard only about 20 feet away from me. I am so glad I had my dig cam with me in my pocket. she seen the flash and took off quickly!! but not before i snapped this pic!!

Well blueberry festival is over and thank goodness!! My mom and I got soaked and not just once but i had to change 2 times sat!! I got there at 5.15 am on sat am and in like 10 min it started pouring down rain, it let up so I along with a few others set up our booths. We had to use our canopy since we were kicked out from under the pavilion for the pancake breakfast. SOOOOOOOO what a day!! After being all set up it was still rainin a bit but had to park so danged far away and haul everything by the time i got back to the booth my socks, shoes, jeans and jacket were soaked. SO went to change in clean dry clothes, the sun was starting to come out and it looked like it was clearing up outside..........NOT it started getting windy and all of a sudden a complete downpour came down on us!! we were packing things in containers so it wouldnt get too wet, it came down so stinkin hard and fast there literally was a POND in our booth and we were standing there in it!! My poor mom was standing in the back of the booth waiting on a customer when all of a sudden.........splash on her head!! a pocket in the canopy above her head collapsed and down came the water!! poor thing she was drenched!! Yes I am and was laughing and she did too!! at that point there was no sense gettin upset it was just a speed bump ya know. The rain continued so we along with a few others packed up and just sat under the safety of our canopy. OF COURCE now we still had customers and they were buying things but boy it was a long day. By the time we were all packed up it was actually pretyy dang nice outside just a bit hot and humid but at least we got rain!! and lighting and lots of thunder sat!!

So on to new things!! I am making some peach jalapeno preserves, pumpkin spice dip mixes, funnel cake mixes, some peach praline bread, worked on another new recipe for blueberry orange bread, and a spiced cake with cinnamon buttercream frosting, and well that was it for the last 2 days. We are knee deep in beans and corn right now so maybe i will can some more dilly beans for fall. I do want to comment on what alot of customers are saying at the markets and honestly I dont rightly blame them at all!~ They are complaining about prices at the local markets and why is it so much more to buy at the market directly from the farmer than at grocery stores that are also stating they are carrying "locally grown produce"/? I seen corn for $5.50 a dozen?? and beans for $3.00 a pound!!??? WHAT!!>> we set our prices at home and for the things i take to market judging by what we would pay and what is fair. LISTEN NOW i am out to make a living too and keep our farm producing and growing but come on!! What are peopl thinking charging this much for produce!!?? Doesnt it seem nuts to you too??? I have noticed alot of folks dont come to market each week like some used to and then there are some now that dont even come but i see them in local grocery stores buying fresh produce. I am very thankful that the big chain stores around us are making a big deal by buying local! But what is this trend doing to the farmers markets and what are the high prices gonna do but scare customers away!! OK I am done ranting now!! LOL it really blows my mind!!

Here is a pic of my black eyed susan vine. I planted a bunch of these guys in a big ol terra cotta pot, stuck a big tomato cage on top and let them go! they are so cool and it is now growing well over 7 feet tall!!

So I am off to print up some labels for this weeks goodies and work outside a bit in the veggie garden. Hope yall have a super duper night!!

!!HUGS~~

Darlene

~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

Flyin by friday!!

GEEEEEEEE I just cannot believe how fast this day went right on by~!!!! WHEW!!!!
So market on thurs was a bit slower than usual but that was ok we had absolutlely GORGEOUS GORGEOUS weather!! and we had fun of cource!! EXCEPT FOR>>>>>>>>>>>>>> one of the other famers (i use the term loosely with some of them) had the nerve to come in my booth while i was still settin up in the am because she happened to notice I brought 3 bushel of corn with me to sell!! she and I quote her said " we thought you were a bakery".... well my response was of cource........we are Chicken Scratch Farm and Bake Shoppe.......why cant i be both?? She didnt answer but proceeded to ask just how much I was sellin my corn for so I told her and she went off like some ol cackin hen that just had to spread some gossip around!! She told me that she was gonna report me to the market director for selling too cheap! her words were "below wholesale and that is illegal" WHAT THE HECK DOES THAT MEAN AND WHAT NERVE OF HER!! I even though I sure didnt have to explain my method of pricin to HER stated that this is our first pickin and it is smaller ears and also it isnt our usual good corn. It is peaches and cream NOT OUR AMBROSIA (which by the way is some ROCKIN CORN) so we decided to let it go a dollar a dozen cheaper. She kept up so by this time i had it with this big bully and told her I AM NOT changin my price to match everyone elses THAT IS CALLED DICTATORSHIP!! She has a reputation of being a bully and attacks everyone with produce about their prices if they are just a tiny bit lower than her.. Remember Seinfeld? the soup guy!! well here is the "PRODUCE WOMAN" anyway we had words and I basically said I dont have time for this nonsense and that I have to finish my set up. GEEEEEZZZZZEE I just wanted to yell BITE ME!! I have had it with this tyrant.. she made the poor kid that used to be next to me nervous because before he would even get out of his truck she was right there in his face askin what his fruit prices are!!
You know I have heard rumors from a few folks at this market that she has nerve since she buys alot wholesale to sell.. I really think they should do surprise farm inspections on the farm vendors because I can write quite a book about the LIES and UNTRUTHS I hear come out of some peoples mouths whom I know for a fact sell things they dont grow!!
WAY TOO MUCH DRAMA FOR ME!! LOL
Ok done venting now.
Here is the line up for market tomorrow:
blueberry pies, blueberry crumble pie, blueberry butter cakes, a 7 up cake, Grandma Roses's Oatmeal raisin coconut cookies, chocolate chocolate chippers, choc-oat chip nut cookies, chunky peanut peanut butter cookies, 3 kinds of fresh veggie salsas, some of my infamous (he he) "cluckin spicy silly dilly beans" a new spin on my silly dilly beans, these have red pepper flakes, onions and some spices in them along with the dill. A few fresh peach pies, some garlic oregano breadsticks, cinnamon raisin bread, and OH TA DA!! A very new hot from the oven idea!! do you remember my little blueberry blossoms? well I made cherry ones today and also apple walnut!! Will try to remember to take pics of those at market tomorrow cuz they turned out just FABO!! and TOO TOO CUTE!~! and made some cheddar onion bread and more cardamom loaves. I think that is about it! oh and my recipe of cherry almond muffins, mini cherry almond cupcakes, and loaded carrot cake with praline topping. OK now i think that is it!! I have been a bakin fool lately huh!! LOL too many ideas and not enough time........for sure........
SO have a blessed evening and weekend and I will let yall know how market goes tomorrow!!
HAPPY WEEKEND YALL!!!
HUGS
Darlene
~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

Farmgirl's BLING

Here's my little HAM! MS ROSIE MAY~!~

an order for tomorrow am of a dozen muffins

Some of my chicken scratch sweet pickle slices oh they are yummy on a sandwich by the way!!

my blueberry blossoms (which are very very popular) and ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh so yummy!!

MY RECIPE!~ tootin my own horn by the way!! LOL PEACH PRALINE MUFFINS.. my absolute favo muffin now!!

ok so I have decided that I have some BLING!! well my baked goods have BLING!!

You see last night I put a glaze on almost everything we made for market.. from muffins to breads to cakes they all had a bit of a flavored glaze ontop thus..........farmgirl "BLING"

kind of catchy huh??

so market was good today the weather held out and actually warmed up by noon but until then it was chilly!! sweatshirt layer weather!! can u believe that for the end of JULY??? only 63 degrees when i went to leave this am!! BRRRRRRRRRRR.. but better than in the 90s i must admit!!

You know I have 3 Isa Brown "girls" that tend to lollygag at night so bad they are drivin me nuts!! the 3 of them every night act like little kids, one will run up the ramp to go in the coop then dart down and go get a drink or see a spot that there just might be a worm or bug and start scratchin then another one has to come back out and see what the first one was doin, then the 3rd one will take off in a different direction to distract me or something!! I SWEAR ... such shannagaans they play!! and everynight too.... plus hubby found a nest of 18 eggs laying near one of his sheds, well so today they were closed in their big pen and boy i bet they are plottin and schemeing against me so I will be "ON GUARD" while doin chores tonight!! LOL they are just too stinkin funny...

As you can see by the above pic my camera hog is "Miss Rosie May" one of our goats and she is just too darn cute too. and believe me she knows what to do with her horns too!! she sometimes chases me in the pasture and I have been known (by hubby only) to have a bruised tush!!

Anyway I better get my labels printed for my order goin out in the am and then off to do chores and shower and bed for me and the boys!! Have a wonderful night!

PS btw I will be outside doin a rain dance if you wondered... as we havent gotten any and sure need some!!

see ya.....

HUGS

Darlene

~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~