September 2012

School started about 3 weeks ago and we have a schedule - albeit a bit hectic BUT there is a rhythm to our day again!  Depending on your personality, you may or may not understand this.  For a former school teacher who lived by the bell for 31 years, it's sanity saving.

On the flip side, the start of school also brings with it practice - times two.  Kurt has football practice and Allison now has volleyball practice.  Anna and I went to A's first game last Thursday.  I'm not gonna brag but her "C" team was awesome!  A third set of practices is about to start as I get started with the One Act play at the high school.  Looks like we're going to have to be more creative about how we spend time together as a family!

I want to remind you one more time about our customer appreciation dinner on September 29th.  Also, if there's someone you know who'd like to find out more about our farm and sample our meats, bring 'em along.  Know you'd like to pick up meat while you're at the farm?  Please feel free to email your order and we'll have it ready to go.  The "farm store" will also be open that evening.  We will have hot dogs, all beef brats and summer sausage back in stock by then - we've been missing the dogs around here this summer!  If you have any questions, please let me know.  We're looking forward to a great time with Mike Benish as our entertainment.

Not only are we celebrating with you this month but Kurt and I are also celebrating our 15th anniversary at the end of the month (two days before the party to be exact).  Being the traditionalists that we are (ok, you can quit laughing now).  We wanted to do this one right but unfortunately instead of celebrating with traditional crystal gifts, we will be giving dental work this year - I need a crown and Kurt is getting fit for a mouthpiece because he's grinding his teeth (drought related possibly??)  Ah, romance is in the air. 

We always need rain so I'm just not going to talk about it - much.  The last several days, it has tried to rain but mostly just a few drops at a time or wind. 

Here's a quick look at our upcoming delivery schedule.  Many of you receive emails when we head to different location.  If you'd like to receive these and aren't please email me.

    *September 13th - Greensburg and Pratt
    *September 17th - McPherson, Wichita, Pratt, and Greensburg
    *September 20th - Lindsborg, Salina
    *September 29th - I'm not going anywhere but you can pick up orders here.  Not trying to nag but   it will be easier to pull orders before party time.
    *October 3rd - Greensburg, Pratt, Hutchinson, and Dodge City

I will send out reminders as we get closer to the dates. 

The badger is still on the loose - somewhere. We haven't seen any more evidence during the past month and we're hoping he's found a less economically devastating food source than our chickens.

Allison's goats have enjoyed their freedom since the fair.  We never know quite where they are going to end up - on top of a round bale, in the bucket of the tractor, sunning themselves on the patio or out in the trees playing with the pigs or calves. 

The kitchen has been busy this month.  I bought 40# of peaches and probably could have bought twice that.  (They'll be featured as dessert for the party.)  I also found a source of kind of local apples that havent' been sprayed.  So far, I've bought 2 bushels that I've been drying and hope to get 2-4 more bushels for applesauce and apple juice.  Now, if our tomatoes would just take off.  I'm dying to make salsa and tomato sauce - we've been 2 years without it.  If you know of someone with an abundance, holler.  I'd trade out meat for 'maters. 

Even though the upstairs needs a good cleaning - you can tell we've been living in organized chaos.  However, our basement is finally habitable.  It still needs a little work but Kurt and I have our desks back and you don't have to walk by piles to get to the couch and TV.  Don't know about you, but clutter really brings me down.  My momma is probably laughing as she reads this because she remembers my room growing up  but she also has to remember that I didn't spend much time up there either. 

I love when we can scavenge or repurpose something.  I use to be a bit of a skeptic but now I'm learning to be more creative.  Two weeks ago, the high school had their kleenx scrimmage.  After the football portion, the watermelons were drug out and a few hundred people enjoy a slice or two.  For the second year, we've asked for the rinds.  Our pigs and chickens LOVE them and it's way better than tossing them in the dumpster.  If you are local and end up with food waste like this, give us a holler or bring it out; our livestock love the treat.

Our first two litters of piglets have been weaned.  Kurt used the standard rule for weaning around here - if the piglets are roaming the yard and eating dog food, it's time.  A third litter was born last weekend.  Not sure why but piglets make me smile.

Our turkeys are also roaming pretty free - going 1/8 to 1/4 mile from their shelter during the day.  The are really keeping the grasshopper population down.  Our turkey numbers are down just a bit from this spring.  K.Z., our black lab, enjoys turkey almost as much as we do.  A few weeks ago, we had to find her a new home.  We just couldn't break her habit of chasing anything smaller than her.  As hard as it was to give her away, we think it will be a good move for her.  We have an "open adoption" and have received several updates and pictures from her new owners.  Next time we're in Fowler, we might stop by for a visit.

Several of our turkeys have been reserved for the holiday season.  If you know you'd like a turkey for the holiday season, now rather than later is the time to reserve one.

Kurt has dates reserved in mid-October for 1/4, 1/2 and whole beeves.  The price per pound live weight will be $1.50 - the same as it was in the spring.  Please reserve yours now.

Piglets are growing fast but we're still a few months from taking them to McPherson.  However, it's not too soon to reserve your half or whole hog.  I am excited to tell you though that we're not too far off from having bacon in stock again.  Kurt will be hauling a couple sows in October also.

Family updates before I close:

Anna - Shes started back at pre-school and is loving it this year.  She's comfortable enough this year that I think Miss DeAnn is starting to believe the stories I tell on this ornery little girl.

Natalie - We have had new kittens show up this week and she has decided it's her job to be their nanny.  She checks on them several times a day and conjectures about what their momma is up to.  Overhead the other day, "yeah, it's pretty much my job to help take are of the babies around here."

Allison - A has had a full week between school, practice, a volleyball game and getting her state fair entries ready.  She had a bit of a crisis the night before her cake was due - she ran out of frosting with about 1/4 of her cake left to frost.  This frosting recipe has always made enough!  A handled it better than her momma and we got the cake off safely in the morning.

Kurt - He's preparing for the 3rd football game of the season.  He loves the game and working with the boys - his testosterone boost for the year.

Me - Nothing really new going on here.  Mostly juggling the schedule, conquering the basement and preparing for the 29th - have I told you we're having a party?

Hope to see you at the end of the month!