March came with warm temps and loads of sunshine but also some very curious pigs. Let me set the scene. We were busy weeding the garden until about dusk and I went to feed and let in our pigs. And they were not snorting impatiently at the gate. I called for them and nothing, no pigs. I hollered at Art and after zero signs of them after searching the woods, hillside, fields, and door knocking on the homesteads nearby. We went to bed without the pigs tucked safely inside their

The hens are laying again. We are back up to 17+ eggs a day. We also had 11 new chicks hatch and then a sparrowhawk decided to have three too many snacks. Art had to build a new chicken run over the mama hen condo to protect them from aerial assaults. The enclosure was a success. It prevented another attack and all eight chicks are accounted for. Mama hen is recovering from the trauma. Art continued building... a frame for a new greenhouse to add to the garden. The frame is

February came with sunshine, flowers, and new guests. We were busy bees this month here at Homestead Albania. Our Orchard Guard Tower ...

Build it and they will come is our dream for 2025. Over the last seven years we've been asked about accommodations here at Homestead...

November was stunning. We had mostly warm beautiful blue skies and sunny days. A vast changed to last years three week gloom and rain...

That's right, Art and I have called Homestead Albania home for six years this month. I left a fancy IT job in New Zealand and moved to...

September was a very busy month but oh so tasty. We've picked figs all month long. This makes our longest fig season in six years. We are...

Here in northern Albania it's always a bit of a mood during February. This year the mood is blue skies and sunny days but super chilly...

I, Kim, returned after a month away to a very different landscape. The mountains are capped with the fresh snow. The homestead has been...

Last year, we attempted to dry whole persimmons but the outcome was tossed in the compost pile. But with the purchase of a small five...

As the holiday season kicks off across the pond we are still enjoying the last little taste of fall. Our fall meals change as the garden...

In the last two weeks, we have made four rounds of plum jam, plum preserves, grape mushti (grape juice with a kick), grape pekmez...

August always comes in with a variety of colors and changes throughout the homestead. Our fig trees are on a daily full five gallon...

We are officially in our window of 95 (35°C) and sunny everyday for three months. Now that's tolerable most days because of the low...

The mulberries are ripe and ready for picking. We laid down the plastic and my husband Art climbed up the tree. My sister in law stopped...

It's nearly here. Spring. Our garden is popping with little bits of color and more are nearly ready to blossom. In order: Plum Flower,...

Art and I have upgraded our scythe/shovels to a dom dom (tiller) with various attachments. It was in large part due to maintain the grass...

I politely suggested to Art that we have enough trees for 2021. Just this week we've planted 25 blueberry trees, over two hundred...

We wrapped up our raki brewing season with an additional seventy liters from our grape harvest. Art has really mastered the art of raki....

I, Kim, spent nearly two months stateside visiting friends, family and completing a small book tour. Meanwhile Art kept the homestead up...