Hey there - we're back! After taking July and August off from recording new episodes, we're here to talk about progress on our 100 year old farmhouse fixer over the summer, plus what's going on in the garden. AND we recorded it for you as a video so we could add photos!
Of course, neither the house or the garden is quite finished - there's always something else to do in the summer - but they're getting there. One of the things we've thoroughly enjoyed this year (after the deer got everything last year...) is eating the garden's vegetables, and you can hear what was cooking in our oven as we recorded this. "This is Really Cool" is back, too - find out about both a coffee and travel discovery that we're loving. We hope you enjoy this - as always, let us know your thoughts!
You can download this episode from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and TuneIn Radio – or listen to it below right on your computer! Then use this page to check out any links, notes, or photos we talked about in the episode. Note: If you’re reading in a feed reader, you might have to click through to the post to see the player below.
Prefer reading? Use the PODCAST TRANSCRIPT! Click here to open in a new window and read.
OR watch the video version below (which includes more photos) - choices, choices!
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Summer Farmhouse Recap
This is the wood wall that was revealed when I pulled off the wallboard, which also is the backdrop to the video of the podcast.
Are you wondering why I did this? Two reasons. The first and most important was that I wanted to see if the wood walls were useable as is. Were they shiplap that we could just paint?
So far, while all the walls we've uncovered have been wood, none of it has been usable shiplap (tongue and groove) and the living room walls turned out to be the same. And actually worse than the other walls we've uncovered - multiple doorways covered and originally built with any random wood pieces they seem to have, ha! In the video you can see that the wood on the left side (just outside of view above) is actually cut into 3-4 ft strips nailed next to each other.
So, no, we can't use this as is. But we can take the inspiration from the house - it was built with wood walls and wood ceilings, so we will try and replicate that wherever we can.
The second reason I want the wallboard gone or covered up? It was done in the last decade and the texturing is super modern looking, which just bugs me. Sometimes I think life would be so much easier if I didn't care about these things, but there it is, ha!
Things We Accomplished
Farmhouse Remodel
- Rough Electrical permit passed
- Framing permit passed
- All insulation installed (calling for permit soon!)
- Consulted with builder about kitchen remodel
- Started removing wallboard
Farmhouse Garden
- Completed deer fence and gates (still need arbor and all lower areas to ground covered with chicken wire for ground squirrels)
- Completed more raised beds
- Started on a garden "coffee patio" using broken concrete
- Harvested and enjoyed it!!
Here's that link to the Garden Tour Year One where you can see the whole garden and plans for the future.
What's Cooking
Grilled garden vegetables!
Here's how we do it - you can do a bunch together like shown above (great for using up) or just one or two, like the green beans and onion I mentioned.
Tomatoes!
Our 10 plants (down from my 18-20 I'd grow in our last bigger garden) are producing enough for us to eat fresh in simple salads like this, BLT's and more - plus preserved as:
- Incredible Roasted Tomato Sauce (this is what I call "marinara" in the podcast)
- Thick & Easy Canned Salsa
- Addictive Tomato Chutney
- Pizza Sauce
This is Really Cool!
Brian: Aeropress Coffee Maker. This makes wonderful, lower acid tasting coffee in one large cup or two small. We'll be taking it on our next trip, since it's small and light for travel!
Jami: Pacific City, Oregon. My favorite town on the Oregon Coast (and that's saying a lot if you've visited our coastal towns) because it's off the main highway, has amazing beaches with a Dory Fleet and huge dune (Cape Kiwanda) you can climb up and run - or surf - down.
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