We’ve been pouring cement all afternoon in preparation for more usable space in the bottom of the barn, a remodeled ‘Puppy Pen’ where a Mama Dog can stay with her newborn pups, or if we need to isolate an injured dog or in-heat female. I was ‘released from duty’ to tend to supper for Beau and the two local boys that are helping him.
My new chicken coop is going in there, too, so I am waiting another season before I get hens, unless the Humane Society has any that need homes. ;)
I broke down & bought veggies. I found a greenhouse that had Mucho Nacho jalapeños so I bought one. Bonnie Plants has a “Mammoth” jalapeño that people seem to like - bought one of those, too. I also have one marked “Jalapeño Hot Pepper” & I am trying to start some “spice” ones from seed - they are red, yellow & orange, with orange being the hottest.
I have not been able to make jalapeño pepper jelly the last 2 years. The jalapeños I was getting from the local greenhouse were an unknown variety & were very short & stubby - horrible for poppers. They also got brown stress lines when green & the few that managed to turn red were not something I wanted to use for jelly. The years prior to that, I always had lots of nice jalapeños (got them from the same greenhouse). Go figure!
People are getting “desperate” for jelly - my brother uses it for a glaze on grilled salmon & his wife uses it as an appetizer over a bar of cream cheese or brie wheel. If I can’t manage a couple of batches of jelly this year, I may have to move to another country.
Hope your barn project turns out well - future chickens are exciting - maybe we’ll end up with some about the same time.