Monday
Linda
We have spent a wonderful week here at Pot Hole Farm with my family. My parents and my sister came from Delaware for a visit. Harold and Clarissa arrived on Friday after work. The air mattresses and extra chairs were pulled out of storage as well as the spare coffee percolators. You have to have the rousing aroma of coffee wafting through the house to get this crowd moving in the morning.
Duke was introduced to his great grand parents and great aunt from my side of the family. We’re a loud bunch when we get together and you better be able to take a lot of teasing. If you need some laughter therapy just come on over.
Yesterday Sonny, Harold and Clarissa got a good bit of wood cut and stacked. They worked in the front pasture clearing some of the fallen trees and brush hogged the overgrowth. It looks much better. While they were hard at work Duke kept us old ladies entertained. My Dad swept and put the porch in order (a job I have been meaning to get around to) and supervised the wood collection.
The meat smoker project is finally finished and tested. Saturday Sonny and Harold and John connected up the wood stove and used the left over concrete blocks from the root cellar project to make a wind break. They fired it up and tested it to see if they could get the smoke chamber up to the required temperature for smoking the hams. We’ll smoke the hams in another couple of weeks.
Ready to smoke the hams.
Last night John and Carol joined us around the stone fire pit. It was just cool enough to be able to cozy up to a warm and bright camp fire. We all savored the flavors of Pot Hole Farm coffee, with a slice of homemade pumpkin or chocolate pie. It was memorable evening to end a week of great fun.
Tomorrow I will tell you all about the first day my family arrived and the story of the flat tire that could have frustrated even Ghandi to the point of a few choice words. Life is good!
Off-Grid in West Virginia 
hey do others with SMOKERS have problems with bears? Just curious. Still can’t help but wonder if a bear would try to get into the smoker.
I would imagine that if the bear came around there could be problems. The smoking will take about 8 hrs and will need constant attention. If I need to have the shotgun near I canals that happen.
bear would be least of your problems if i get a wiff of ham smoking