Cooler summer nights are finally here to stay. I just wish it would rain. The ground is so hard and the grass is brittle, if we could just get a couple inches it would revive the Earth.

On the homestead, we have been working hard cleaning up the goat barn. We plan on finishing the insulating, paneling, and painting the walls next week. I've been thinking about moving my stalls around when we rebuild. Instead of the birthing stall being in the back right corner I would place it in next to the grain room in the front right corner. Which would leave the whole back right and left corners for a larger winter stall. We also got our hay area cleaned up as our hay from over the mountain may be delivered anytime. I'm so thankful we found hay.

In the garden, I am patiently waiting for my tomatoes to ripen. The onions and my last batch of potatoes are almost ready to pull. The rest of the garden has been replanted to fall crops. In bed North 1, I pulled the peas and sowed spinach and kohlrabi. In South 3, I pulled and harvested the last of the cauliflower and sowed swiss chard and carrots. In South bed 4, I pulled most of all the broccoli, I left three plants for the fall, and sowed golden beets. In South bed 6 and 7, I dug up two rows of red potatoes, and sowed peas in number 6 and planted cauliflower and beans in number 7. Oh I forgot, I also started some carrot seeds under my indeterminate tomatoes for a winter crop, because I will be putting plastic on my tunnel in a few weeks.

In the kitchen, I finally got caught up on dishes and scoured the countertops in preparation for the canning season, which I think has officially begun. I found blueberries on sale and froze about 3 quart bags full. I also repaired and froze my first batch of jalapeno peppers poppers. And, for the first time I canned 8 quarts of potatoes in hopes of an easy dinner prep this winter. We pulled 35 red potatoes and had enough for 8 quarts and an amazing pot of potato ham soup. It was so good!

Lord God, I thank you for your grace, for without it many of us would be lost. In your name I pray, Amen.