There is a lot of talk and, well to be honest, complaining, going on at the farmers markets all across the state of Tennessee.  There are some new rules and regs on the books at the Tn Dept of Ag that are hurting a lot of small farmers and business owners.

As consumers, we take a personal responsibility to choose our vendors carefully, and wisely, when purchasing our home made products. We all have our own reasons for shopping Farmers Markets, other then supporting our local economy, and getting locally grown and made products. From getting the freshest of the fresh, to getting good, old-fashioned, home-made products that you just can’t find anywhere else.

So, why is the Dept of Agriculture stepping on toes? Why pick on the little guy that is just trying to make a living the way our families have for years? With the newly passed Bill for Domestic Kitchen Facilities for Non - Potentially Hazardous Foods, you will begin to see a decrease in your old favorites that you have always been able to find at the Farmer’s Markets. And these rules only cover jams, jellies, candies and baked good. This does not cover your salsa’s, pickled products, canned veggies, meats, or other specialty items.

More people get sick from buying store bought canned veggies and other foods, then those that buy from the Farmers Markets.  For those of us that do our own canning, extra care is taken when we work. Not only do we eat our own foods that we prepare, but we also support our farms with the surplus. Allowing you to get the benefits of great tasting, fresh products all year long.

As a producer of these products, we take extra care to make sure the products are good. We don’t allow for any tolerance of rat hair, we don’t have employees just out for a paycheck. Our reputations are on the line every day.

Michigan has a bill for Cottage Food Operation, that needs to be adopted here as well, before we lose all of our Farmers Markets and so many small, family operations and put more people in the turmoil of today’s economy. Allowing for small operations to continue what we have always done. Supplying the public, with fresh, quality products they prefer to get at a local Farmer’s Market.

If there is such a thing. Life has been pretty hectic around here. But, things are starting to slow down again. The blackberries have all but passed. Now, we are just picking for ourselves, and enjoying the fruit in pancakes, muffins,  & syrup. If I get to make any jams or jellies, it will be after Aug, when our humidity has come down, and it jells up right.

The garden is still coming along nicely, though the grass and weeds have taken over more then I like. I’ve learned several lessons this year with our garden. I’ve learned that the tomatoes need to go on the high side of the garden, the corn needs to be planted in more rows, and the cucumbers really should be strung up!

These pictures were taken early July 2010:

Squash and Zucchini, right after planting

Tomato plants are really taking off!

From the back door, our garden in early July

It’s been a fun year with the garden, and very productive. We have made several batches of Salsa and speghetti sauce already, I’ve even got some stewed tomatoes for later in the year, and more still to ripen and pick. Our green beans are slowly coming on less frequently, and so are the cucumbers. But, I think I have more then enough of those to last me the year lol.

Nathan is loving the fresh veggies, and all that I make. We had one squash and a couple of zucchini to come in and were picked. I made him a nice salad with cucs, tomatoes, squash and zucchini, added some balsamic dressing and he totally loved it with his steak done on the grill.

Our hummingbirds are all hanging around. I’ve moved the feeders to the porch, under the roof, and they really seem to enjoy it. It seems like every time I fill the feeders, a new hummer shows up! It’s so fun to sit there and watch them, very relaxing, and enjoyable. They are curious little creature, and such a territorial bird! I never knew that hummers chirped, until I was able to bring them closer to the house.

Our feeders hand from the corner of the porches, right behind the front posts, now I have to think about getting one to put on my window in the dining room where I do my sewing. I already know I need to get a couple more out front.

Recently added the front porch with roof

As I sit by my kitchen window this morning, doing some sewing for the Farmers Market next weekend, I was being checked out by our hummers! They are now use to sharing the porch with our dogs, who don’t mind sharing with them.  Even I can sit out there and they just hang around and even check me out closer. Like I said, curious little creatures!

I really enjoy this little porch, and Nathan did an awesome job on it’s construction. We have even moved the dog kennel up under the porch, so when the weather permits, the dogs can be outside all day, enjoying the weather, and getting some fresh air.

Working to get the sign in place

Written by Dianne Noyes

It was hot digging in the dry soil along State Route 25/70 to complete installation of “Wolf Creek Trailhead“ signs for Special Trails Ranger Gray Buckles and Back Country Horseman volunteers, Herb Heinze, Tom Conner, Robert Slagle, and Dianne Noyes.

Today, June 3, 2010, Cherokee National Forest Special Trails Ranger Gray Buckles was joined by a cadre of Back Country Horsemen of Eastern Tennessee volunteers to complete installation of “Wolf Creek Trailhead“ signs along State Route 25/70 leading into the back country of the Wolf Creek Cherokee National Forest in Cocke and Greene County’s. It was a hot, dry day for the completion of this project begun earlier this spring. The Back Country Horsemen volunteers have already racked up 400 hours of trail work this year, clearing forestry trails and building new trails for equestrians, hikers and hunters. Reflective tape on the familiar brown forestry signs direct trail enthusiasts to the newly completed parking lot at the Wolf Creek trailhead to access the spectacular natural beauty of Wolf Creek and its waterfalls. For detailed maps of this natural wonder visit the Cherokee National Forest Service at 344 Ashville Highway (SR 70), Greeneville, Tennessee or call 423-638-4109. Wolf Creek is just one of a number of trail systems maintained by the Back Country Horseman in the Cherokee National Forest. For additional information or directions contact Herb Heinze of the www.bchet.org at 423-787-7476 or heinze2@netscape.com.

I was reminded today just how bad heat can be. Our little Terrier mix, Boo Boo, escaped her kennel today, and went next door to play with our neighbors Dobies. I was out back mowing, which was badly needed. Sometime while I was out back, she and Henry (the beagle) escaped. I only had to holler for Henry once, and he was back on the front porch, knowing he had been bad! Boo Boo, on the other hand, I had to go get.

We are not sure how long she had been over there running the neighbors fenceline, as they had just gotten home. They had her tied up for a bit, but only had a small clasp on the line, which she immediately broke and went back to running.

By the time I got the phone call, and got over there, she was very close to having a heat stroke! This girl really scared me. It’s for her love to run that we do NOT let her run freely. She just does not know when to slow down and rest!

Boo Boo and Henry

With her giving me such a scare, I wanted to remind everyone to keep not only themselves safe during the heat of summer, but their pets also. And here are some tips to help you and your pets through the summer months. If your not sure about how your pet is handling the heat, or you think they are in trouble, immediately call your vet for advice!

These are some simple, common sense things that sometimes go overlooked. But leaving your pets out in the heat for even a short period of time can be very dangerous.

1. Make sure your pet has plenty of shade and water while outdoors. When the temps start to rise, consider putting some ice-cubes in their water for them. You may even want to consider a kids wading pool for them if they do not have access to a pond or creek.

2. Never leave your pet in a vehicle on a warm day. Temps inside a car can reach 110° within 30 minutes, even on days that are fairly cool.

3.  Watch for signs of Heatstroke: panting; dehydration; warm dry skin; failure to respond to commands; rapid heartbeat and collapse. IMMEDIATELY move the animal to a cool place and offer lots of cool water. Seek IMMEDIATE medical attention when necessary.

*”Do not soak your pet or immerse them in cold water because their body temperature can plummet and they could develop severe hypothermia,” warns Dr Tim Hackett, who heads the Critical Care Unit at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. “Get your pet to your veterinarian as quickly as possible.”

4. Summer is great for gardening, but read instructions carefully on fertilizers, insecticides and herbicides. Many of the products may be harmful or toxic to your pets.

5. Many pet owners like to clip their dogs and cats during the hot summer months. This is not always a good idea, as short clips can lead to sunburns.

6. Puppies, kittens, obese and geriatric animals are more susceptible to warmer temperatures. Longhaired cats, short-nosed breed dogs and pets with respiratory disorders are also more susceptible to heat stress. So take steps to be sure that they are kept cool.

7. If you have pets that like to roam the fields, or woods, be sure to groom regularly and check under the tail and armpits and in the ears for ticks. Ticks can cause many health issues for your pet.

** These tips also apply to livestock, and it is our job to keep our animals safe and healthy whatever the season may be.

*** This post is sponsored by Diamond M Enterprise, Fastrack Distributors ~ For the Health of your pets!

We took this video over the weekend while we were camping with the BCHET for the Spring Roundup. This is exactly why we choose Fastrack over the many others that are on the market!