Thanksgiving Oyster Mushrooms

We had the family in Lynchburg, VA for Thanksgiving and in the morning I took Cooper on a scouting walk for some deer in the city limits.  We ended up finding these good looking oyster mushrooms on this old dead log. 

 

These were the first oysters I found and just to be sure, I took a spore print.  A spore print is simply placing the mushrooms (cap side up) on any surface to allow you to see the expected color of the spore and covering them (with a pot, bowl, etc) to create a controlled environment.  In this case, oysters have a pearly to white spore print and this was confirmed on the purple construction paper in the morning.

Pennsylvania Grouse Hunting

Couple great pics of the dogs working some dense Pennsylvania grouse woods. 3 German Shorthairs and my good ol Lab Cooper.

2014 Sauerkraut

The annual family tradition - cabbage from Somerset County and spending time with the kids stomping kraut for New Year's and 2015.  We expanded this year and did a couple hundred pounds of cabbage in a few different crocks.  Going to be a healthy 2015!

Chestnut Trees

Jack and I were walking around the yard while digging potatoes and Jack found a chestnut that fell from the trees my Grandfather planted about 20 years ago in our yard.  It got me thinking that I should take these chestnuts and try to regrow a tree from one of the seeds.  So we picked up the handful of nuts that the deer hadn't found yet and I took them home.  I put them in some damp potting soil that I will keep in the fridge for the next 4 months.  More to come on this experiment....

Digging Potatoes

It was that time of year to go up to my Mom's in Donegal and dig potatoes.  Fresh giant potatoes are the highlight of the harvest season and nothing can top fresh cut french fries!  I needed a helper and decided to take Jack for the afternoon.  I dug em and Jack put em in the wheelbarrow.  Quite the tandem!  Here are a few pics from the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomatoes!

 Picked our second batch and took a couple pics.  We had a bumper crop of tomatoes this year on a limited number of plants.  We ate, steamed, juiced, froze, pureed, roasted, etc. 

Chili and pizza and pasta sauce!

Working hard or hardly working?