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March is coming to a close and I feel like a Johnny Cash song - "I've Been Everywhere." While that may be a stretch, we have seen several parts of Kansas. Early in the month we (and half of Comanche County) headed to Emporia to watch our girls' team compete in the State 1A Basketball Tournament. It was great fun and we're so proud of the girls who came home with a 3rd place trophy.
Since we were that far east, the girls and I went ahead and stayed several nights with my mom. (There's 2 towns.)
Last weekend, we headed to Kiowa so Allison could compete in Regional 4-H days. She read a selection from Roald Dahl and did very well. If you've never taken a drive through the Gyp Hills on Highway 160, you need to. Very different landscape than the I-70 drive through the flatter plains of NW Kansas. (1 more town.)
Sunday, I had the opportunity to spend a couple of days with a dear friend in Lindsborg. We got to visit about everything and nothing and had very few interruptions. On Monday, we spent time in Salina running errands and playing. We ate lunch at the Wood Fashion Cafe in downtown Salina. They use local meats, cheeses and vegetables when possible. Very good and reasonably priced. Next, we headed to On the Pot to paint our own pieces of pottery - I'm so excited to bring mine home. Tuesday, it was back to work. I had about 700 pounds of beef and pork to pick up in McPherson. (3 more towns).
This morning, Kurt, Anna and I were off to Dodge for a doctor's appointment and a little ATV shopping. (1 more town.)
Added to this deliveries in Pratt, Wichita and Coldwater. (3 more) Oh, and forensics in Bucklin and Spearville bring my total up to an even dozen!
I love my home state and rarely have the desire to live anywhere else - except when the wind gusts to over 50 mph. After driving home yesterday in a fully loaded suburban with Kansas crosswinds, I was wiped out.
You're always welcome to stop by the farm and see what's going on. We recommend you call or email ahead of time to make sure someone is around. If you come out in the next 4-6 weeks, there will be all kinds of exciting things going on. Our chicks are scheduled to start arriving in a couple weeks. We have a puppy on the way - a former student had a litter of puppies. No, no, no . . .her dog had the litter and she's finding homes for the lab/shepherd/??? mixes. We think Yeller would like some company. 4-H goats are also slated to come in April and this year our herd is doubling. Allison is planning on raising goats as a 4-H project again and Natalie asked if she could take care of a goat too. She's not in 4-H yet but we're tickled she has an interest in caring for an animal. If Allison and Natalie each have goats, you can almost bet that Anna will want to be in on the fun!
We'll have calves on the ground in the next few weeks as well - I love to "drive pasture" with Kurt and see all the new babies running around. Kurt also prefers calving this time of year as opposed to in the dead of winter. Never once during the bitter cold days did I hear him wish we were calving. We've talked and the cows seem to have an easier time and the calves seem less stressed when we calve in the spring. The final addition to our barnyard family will be two sows. Last year, we bought young feeder pigs and raised them. This year, we're going to start with two bred sows and see what happens . . .
We were thankful to get almost an inch and a quarter of rain on Saturday. Grass (or weeds in the case of our yard) was starting to green up but after this rain, everything is starting to explode - we're almost verdant - or as verdant as our desert ever gets.
The warmer weather and rain have us thinking about our garden. There are probably several things that should be in the ground already but the next two weeks may delay that a bit. We're scaling back just a bit this year - hoping to do a smaller garden and do it well. Kurt thought I was getting carried away as I'm apt to do - I'm planning a separate pumpkin patch. With this extra space, Kurt was sure we would have more square footage than last year. It's not - it's smaller - only 63% the size of last year. Yep, that BSE in mathematics still comes in handy. I won't bore you with the calculation details but you can only imagine the look I got when I tried to explain to Kurt how nicely the numbers worked out - I was without a calculator and the calculations were elegant . . . if you peek in a mirror, that glassy-eyed look you see is the same one Kurt had - sorry, I digress. New in the garden this year, turnips for the pigs and peanuts for the Dales.
Today (Wednesday)is Bill, my father-in-law's, birthday. Except for four years at K-State and a stint in the Marines, he has lived his entire life (81 years worth!) on the farm and probably knows this particular piece of ground better than anyone. In a world where people move often, I find this fascinating and refreshing and I swear again to Kurt that I'm never moving again.
While at my Mom's house, I made my first batch of soap. I wanted another adult around for two reasons: 1) to watch the girls and keep them away from the soapmaking and 2) to lend a hand if I ran into problems. Turned out I needed Mom for both. I managed to work at nap time which helped but this first batch was anything but textbook. The recipe said stir for 10-20 minutes until the soap traces (I'll let you look that term up because I'm not quite sure I know what it is yet). I stirred for one hour and thirty-five minutes! There were some other issues - not limited to my goggles fogging up - but I'm proud to report that my soap hardened, lathers and doesn't burn my skin off. All pluses for a first time in my book. I've tried a second batch but still have lots more to learn! Hope to have some bars available this summer at the farmers' market using some by-products of the farm.
I mentioned earlier that I brought home about 700 pounds of meat this week. We're pleased to have ground beef, hamburger patties, jerky, roasts and bacon back in stock. We have a handful of fillets but will have to wait until June for steaks. I'm most excited about the new products I brought home. We now have beef snack sticks. There are 4, 1 oz. sticks per pack ($5/pack). We also brought home sliced roast beef and ham ready for a great sandwich ($7.75/pound package). We had some pork made into zesty breakfast sausage ($3.50/pound) - we still have the sweet sausage, spicy sausage and ground pork. Finally, we had some pork beer brats made with beer from Tallgrass Brewery, located in Kansas. We don't hardly know where to begin sampling!
I know it seems early but it's time to start thinking about reserving your chickens for the 2011 season. We'll have chickens available on June 2, 16 and 30, July 14, September 22 and October 4. We do have some chickens left in the freezer - a few whole ones and several cut up chickens as well as some parts - if you find yourself running short or want to sample some before the new season starts.
We've got just a few quarters left for this spring - if you're interested, please let me know ASAP. We're also taking reservations for quarters (or wholes and halves) for the fall. If you reserve yours by April 15th (with a $100/quarter deposit), you will lock in the current $1.10/pound liveweight price. If you wait until fall, our price will go to $1.20/pound. Please email me if you have questions about how our quarters are priced.
I am the subject of ridicule in my house (I mean, more than usual). I left Sunday afternoon and told Allison to keep my NCAA bracket up-to-date. By early evening, I get a text "Your bracket is toast." What Kurt and Allison failed to mention is that their brackets are in pretty sorry shape too. Every year, I try to pick teams, get involved in the games, bet with Kurt and LOSE. Someday, I'll learn - I have learned NOT to pick the #16 seeds.
I think I'll close with the story of two cooks - I'll let you decide who is Cook 1 and Cook 2. Cook 1 wanted to make doughnuts for the family, found a recipe in a really cool cookbook (The Lost Art of Real Cooking), let other family members participate in making the dough the night before, and then fried 50 doughnuts (in lard), one at a time. Cook 1 was lauded all day for these wonderfully light and tasty doughnuts. Praises were heaped upon Cook 1, even the most gracious of comments, "these are as good as Don's (the local cafe owner)," hoping that this culinary feat would be repeated.
Cook 2 needed to make sure the family was fed and chose to prepare a meal everyone would enjoy - pancakes. However, Cook 2 was lacking in one key ingredient - baking powder. So under the advisement of others, Cook 2 tried a substitution of baking soda. On-line, it was suggested to use 3 times as much soda as powder (a side note: Cook 1 was pretty sure that it was a mixture of soda and cream of tartar but was not in the kitchen and chose not to interfere). Unfortunately, Cook 2 chose to use the adjustable measuring spoon that goes from 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon and apparently it unknowingly shifted once or twice. The resulting pancakes were a disappointment. To quote our eldest daughter, "The first batch (off the griddle) looked like pancakes but were full of batter. Batch two looked like pancakes all the way through but tasted awful! Like baking soda!" Our faithful dog and eater of all scraps wouldn't even eat them until they were dressed up with a little bacon grease. Dinner turned out to be a few leftovers and lots of bacon. To Cook 2's credit, the recipe was attempted and mastered again the next morning and everyone left the breakfast table with happy tummies.
I'll leave you to ponder the identities of these two cooks - I will add that Cook 2 was laughing to the point of tears during the retelling of the pancake disaster.
Enjoying the spring,
Andi
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
February 2011
I have horrible writer's block this month. Pretty sure it's because February is a short month and I'm feeling pressured to get something written on time. There's lots of product information to share but other than that, it's been a relatively boring month - no great livestock stories to share. I told this to Kurt, the resident optimist. His response, "The surest way to guarantee a run of bad luck is to talk about how you haven't had any lately." We'll see what March holds.
The rest of my soap making supplies arrived by FedEx this week. I'm hoping to make a batch or two this weekend - if something goes wrong, that may be my story for March! If all goes well, I hope to have a product to share by this summer.
The weather this month has been nuts. The girls have had several "snow" days - mostly they were frigid days with very little snow. One morning, the outside thermometer read -20 degrees. It may have been colder but that's as low as the thermometer will register. The next week, the car thermometer read 82! Crazy! The extreme cold and big swings in temps have stressed our poor hens and they've slowed down considerably. Hopefully, the longer days and more stable weather will encourage more egg-laying.
During the brutally cold morning, we lost power for a little over an hour - just long enough for the pump to freeze. Kurt was smart enough to put a heat lamp out the night before but that hour without heat was too long. Thankfully, it didn't take much to get water moving again once the power came back on. We were ready to flip the generator on about the time the lights came back on. The big girls thought it was a bit of an adventure - especially when they found out school was closed. Anna, on the other hand, was really bothered that there weren't any lights - anywhere. She'd walk from room to room making forlorn announcements: "My bedroom doesn't have any lights." "No lights in the bathroom." "Sissy, you don't have lights."
Right now, we are running a special on our Hot Diggity Dogs. We think our all beef, no added nitrate/nitrites hot dogs are great and we've heard that you do, too. Now, through the end of March and while supplies last, any time you buy 4 packages of hot dogs, we'll give you a pack for free to share with a friend.
I'll be in Greensburg, Pratt and Wichita on Tuesday, March 1st if there's something you need. We should be back in town sometime again this month as we plan spring visits with Grandma.
We have a great variety of pork right now - roasts, 2 types of pork sausage and ground pork, pork chops, and hams - perfect for Easter dinner. Questions about any particular cut, let me know.
Kurt took the last of our hogs and two beeves to McPherson last week. We're going to have a few new products made this time. We're going to have beef sticks made in 4ounce packages, pork beer brats, breakfast sausage and some ham and roast beef deli meat. We're also restocking hamburger patties, ground beef, roasts, beef jerky, fillets, all beef brats and bacon.
We're starting to plan our garden for the spring - I always have big, big plans. . . this year, we've scaled back a little and hope to have more success. We've even ordered a few early turkeys to help us keep a handle on the grasshoppers. I'm also hoping the girls are big enough to be more effective helpers - time spent teaching now will surely pay off in the future. Kurt also plans to help more since he won't be spending all his time in the hay field.
I'm starting to visit with other interested people about the Farmers' Market in Coldwater - we'll keep you posted with the details. I'm excited about the interest we had last year!
I think one of the things I enjoy about the winter - it's certainly not the cold - is the dark evenings. Kurt comes in early because it's too dark to work outside, the girls are in bed at a decent time and both Kurt and I end up with our noses in a book. His book usually ends up on his nose when he falls asleep in the recliner . . . When I've not been studying up on soapmaking, I've been poking around in a couple of cookbooks: The Lost Art of Real Cooking: Rediscovering the Pleasures of Traditional Foods One Recipe at a Time and The Little House Cookbook: Frontier Foods From Laura Ingalls Wilder's Classic Stories. Cooking without a hard and fast recipe intrigues me. I've gotten much better through our married life at this type cooking. Actually cooking, in general if you ask Kurt. There are several go-to recipes that I don't measure for anymore but baking - no way. I'm trying to decide how adventurous I'm ready to be - sauerkraut? Sourdough bread with "wild" yeast? I'll keep you posted.
And then there's the book I ordered for myself that Kurt latched onto - Deeply Rooted: Unconventional Farmers in the Age of Agribusiness. It's three farmers' stories and how they are using their own set of rules. They seem to ignore farm policy of the 70's - "get big or get out." Very thought provoking.
It's time to start thinking about reserving your quarter, half or whole beef. To help us plan for the spring, we'd like to know by April 15th if you'd like beef this spring. It will be first come, first serve - if we've talked about it, go ahead and send me an email to confirm. Animals are scheduled to go to the processor on May 13th and they'll be ready 2-3 weeks after that. Go to our price page or email me if you have questions about pricing on beef.
If you're not quite ready for beef right now, you may want to think about a fall animal. Currently, we charge $1.10 per pound live weight plus some freight and you pay the processing fees - a quarter averages around $450 total for approximately 100 pounds of meat. If you reserve part or all of a fall animal by April 15th, you can lock in our current price of $1.10 per pound. We are asking that you put down a $100 per quarter for a deposit to guarantee your beef. Animals purchased after April 15th will be priced at $1.20 per pound live weight - this pencils out to about a $25 per quarter increase in price.
I'm not sure how many of you follow the commodity cattle markets but they've been climbing steadily for several months. Other commodities are also rising and this has been reflected in the grocery store prices. Currently, the price for a finished commodity steer is about $1.10 per pound. We believe that the beef we are producing is better than anything you can get on the commodity market. In order to remain profitable, we will be raising the price of our quarters, halves and wholes to $1.20 per pound after April 15th. Kurt and I have agreed that if the price of beef in the commodity market drops significantly, our price will reflect that as well - something that rarely occurs in the grocery store.
Family updates:
Kurt - He's figuring and planning. Every morning, I find him at the kitchen table "ciphering." I think he likes that time of the day because it's the one time of day that the house is quiet and he's not tired. He's planning cattle movements through paddocks or trying to decide cutting instructions for the processor.
Andi: The last month has been full of forensics which I thoroughly enjoy. I also started taking a "Holy Yoga" class which has been wonderfully relaxing.
Allison: She's been playing basketball - her peewee team is much more confident this year! She's also been spelling like crazy trying to get ready for the spelling bee. Update - she made it to the 4th round and was eliminated on "integral."
Natalie: Her gymnastics class got to perform at a high school game. I'm her momma so I can tell you how good her cartwheels were - what a strong little girl!
Anna: I'm remembering that 3 is a much harder age than 2! Anna is just sure she can do almost everything "all by herself!" Someday, this independent streak will serve her well - someday. Anna is also the entertainer (hmmm. . .. could it be because she's the "baby?") Always trying funnies out on new audiences and then laughing gleefully if she can get you to join in.
One more family story. Last Sunday, we had caught the basketball bug and headed to the school gym to shoot some hoops (one of the benefits of living in a small town). Unfortunately, we could only find one ball - next time, we'll take our own. Hmmm .. . what to do with one ball - play a game of 2 on 3, of course! Kurt and Anna vs. Allison, Natalie and myself. The teams would have been pretty fair except Kurt had to lift Anna on his shoulders every time she shot. That made rebounding a little tricky. The game also moved a little too fast for Anna which isn't saying much. Soooo, we switched to 2 on 2. Kurt and I against Natalie and Allison - full court. They had the short basket and we took a regulation goal. I think it was at this point that Kurt realized I hadn't been exaggerating all those years I said I was not a basketball player. He believes me now. (When I read this month's Rattle out loud to Kurt, he laughed loudly at this point. He won't say I stink out loud but we all know.) We had a good time even with Anna's tears. Next times, we'll take a short hoop in for Anna to play with.
Hoping you're starting to see signs of spring.
The rest of my soap making supplies arrived by FedEx this week. I'm hoping to make a batch or two this weekend - if something goes wrong, that may be my story for March! If all goes well, I hope to have a product to share by this summer.
The weather this month has been nuts. The girls have had several "snow" days - mostly they were frigid days with very little snow. One morning, the outside thermometer read -20 degrees. It may have been colder but that's as low as the thermometer will register. The next week, the car thermometer read 82! Crazy! The extreme cold and big swings in temps have stressed our poor hens and they've slowed down considerably. Hopefully, the longer days and more stable weather will encourage more egg-laying.
During the brutally cold morning, we lost power for a little over an hour - just long enough for the pump to freeze. Kurt was smart enough to put a heat lamp out the night before but that hour without heat was too long. Thankfully, it didn't take much to get water moving again once the power came back on. We were ready to flip the generator on about the time the lights came back on. The big girls thought it was a bit of an adventure - especially when they found out school was closed. Anna, on the other hand, was really bothered that there weren't any lights - anywhere. She'd walk from room to room making forlorn announcements: "My bedroom doesn't have any lights." "No lights in the bathroom." "Sissy, you don't have lights."
Right now, we are running a special on our Hot Diggity Dogs. We think our all beef, no added nitrate/nitrites hot dogs are great and we've heard that you do, too. Now, through the end of March and while supplies last, any time you buy 4 packages of hot dogs, we'll give you a pack for free to share with a friend.
I'll be in Greensburg, Pratt and Wichita on Tuesday, March 1st if there's something you need. We should be back in town sometime again this month as we plan spring visits with Grandma.
We have a great variety of pork right now - roasts, 2 types of pork sausage and ground pork, pork chops, and hams - perfect for Easter dinner. Questions about any particular cut, let me know.
Kurt took the last of our hogs and two beeves to McPherson last week. We're going to have a few new products made this time. We're going to have beef sticks made in 4ounce packages, pork beer brats, breakfast sausage and some ham and roast beef deli meat. We're also restocking hamburger patties, ground beef, roasts, beef jerky, fillets, all beef brats and bacon.
We're starting to plan our garden for the spring - I always have big, big plans. . . this year, we've scaled back a little and hope to have more success. We've even ordered a few early turkeys to help us keep a handle on the grasshoppers. I'm also hoping the girls are big enough to be more effective helpers - time spent teaching now will surely pay off in the future. Kurt also plans to help more since he won't be spending all his time in the hay field.
I'm starting to visit with other interested people about the Farmers' Market in Coldwater - we'll keep you posted with the details. I'm excited about the interest we had last year!
I think one of the things I enjoy about the winter - it's certainly not the cold - is the dark evenings. Kurt comes in early because it's too dark to work outside, the girls are in bed at a decent time and both Kurt and I end up with our noses in a book. His book usually ends up on his nose when he falls asleep in the recliner . . . When I've not been studying up on soapmaking, I've been poking around in a couple of cookbooks: The Lost Art of Real Cooking: Rediscovering the Pleasures of Traditional Foods One Recipe at a Time and The Little House Cookbook: Frontier Foods From Laura Ingalls Wilder's Classic Stories. Cooking without a hard and fast recipe intrigues me. I've gotten much better through our married life at this type cooking. Actually cooking, in general if you ask Kurt. There are several go-to recipes that I don't measure for anymore but baking - no way. I'm trying to decide how adventurous I'm ready to be - sauerkraut? Sourdough bread with "wild" yeast? I'll keep you posted.
And then there's the book I ordered for myself that Kurt latched onto - Deeply Rooted: Unconventional Farmers in the Age of Agribusiness. It's three farmers' stories and how they are using their own set of rules. They seem to ignore farm policy of the 70's - "get big or get out." Very thought provoking.
It's time to start thinking about reserving your quarter, half or whole beef. To help us plan for the spring, we'd like to know by April 15th if you'd like beef this spring. It will be first come, first serve - if we've talked about it, go ahead and send me an email to confirm. Animals are scheduled to go to the processor on May 13th and they'll be ready 2-3 weeks after that. Go to our price page or email me if you have questions about pricing on beef.
If you're not quite ready for beef right now, you may want to think about a fall animal. Currently, we charge $1.10 per pound live weight plus some freight and you pay the processing fees - a quarter averages around $450 total for approximately 100 pounds of meat. If you reserve part or all of a fall animal by April 15th, you can lock in our current price of $1.10 per pound. We are asking that you put down a $100 per quarter for a deposit to guarantee your beef. Animals purchased after April 15th will be priced at $1.20 per pound live weight - this pencils out to about a $25 per quarter increase in price.
I'm not sure how many of you follow the commodity cattle markets but they've been climbing steadily for several months. Other commodities are also rising and this has been reflected in the grocery store prices. Currently, the price for a finished commodity steer is about $1.10 per pound. We believe that the beef we are producing is better than anything you can get on the commodity market. In order to remain profitable, we will be raising the price of our quarters, halves and wholes to $1.20 per pound after April 15th. Kurt and I have agreed that if the price of beef in the commodity market drops significantly, our price will reflect that as well - something that rarely occurs in the grocery store.
Family updates:
Kurt - He's figuring and planning. Every morning, I find him at the kitchen table "ciphering." I think he likes that time of the day because it's the one time of day that the house is quiet and he's not tired. He's planning cattle movements through paddocks or trying to decide cutting instructions for the processor.
Andi: The last month has been full of forensics which I thoroughly enjoy. I also started taking a "Holy Yoga" class which has been wonderfully relaxing.
Allison: She's been playing basketball - her peewee team is much more confident this year! She's also been spelling like crazy trying to get ready for the spelling bee. Update - she made it to the 4th round and was eliminated on "integral."
Natalie: Her gymnastics class got to perform at a high school game. I'm her momma so I can tell you how good her cartwheels were - what a strong little girl!
Anna: I'm remembering that 3 is a much harder age than 2! Anna is just sure she can do almost everything "all by herself!" Someday, this independent streak will serve her well - someday. Anna is also the entertainer (hmmm. . .. could it be because she's the "baby?") Always trying funnies out on new audiences and then laughing gleefully if she can get you to join in.
One more family story. Last Sunday, we had caught the basketball bug and headed to the school gym to shoot some hoops (one of the benefits of living in a small town). Unfortunately, we could only find one ball - next time, we'll take our own. Hmmm .. . what to do with one ball - play a game of 2 on 3, of course! Kurt and Anna vs. Allison, Natalie and myself. The teams would have been pretty fair except Kurt had to lift Anna on his shoulders every time she shot. That made rebounding a little tricky. The game also moved a little too fast for Anna which isn't saying much. Soooo, we switched to 2 on 2. Kurt and I against Natalie and Allison - full court. They had the short basket and we took a regulation goal. I think it was at this point that Kurt realized I hadn't been exaggerating all those years I said I was not a basketball player. He believes me now. (When I read this month's Rattle out loud to Kurt, he laughed loudly at this point. He won't say I stink out loud but we all know.) We had a good time even with Anna's tears. Next times, we'll take a short hoop in for Anna to play with.
Hoping you're starting to see signs of spring.
Monday, January 31, 2011
January 2011
It feels like Spring today (I started this entry a couple days ago) but I've looked at the forecast and winter is headed our way again (it's here) - hopefully, there will be some moisture in this front.
January was a full month but the super most exciting event was becoming DEBT-FREE (except for the house). Four years ago, Kurt and I took a Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University class at church and shortly after that, we made the decision to not borrow money and pay off the debt we had incurred - mostly loans on machinery and repairs. During the last four years, we made changes in our thinking and our focus. On Friday, we called into the Dave Ramsey Show to celebrate. Attached you'll find the MP3 of our phone call. Free is certainly the right word - we are out of the too common cycle (especially in agriculture) of borrowing operating money until the harvest, just to pay the bank back. At one point it seemed like there was some note that had a payment due every month. Never again! The week before we called in, we celebrated with the girls with a standing rib roast (oh my!) and they can tell you why we had a party - now Natalie might get the words mixed up (we're deadly!) but she knows what we're talking about.
The sale of our last two pieces of haying equipment allowed us to pay off the last of our notes. Kurt made the comment as I got ready to write that he's out of the haying business (something he's always done) and now in the grazing business. I'm so proud of him for taking this step in faith! He'll now spend more time planning grazing and moving livestock - sometimes daily. He's studied and read and planned - that's what he does at 4 a.m. - and will do some mob grazing this summer. Mob grazing is just what it sounds likes; he'll graze the herd in a big mob - increasing the stock density and mimic how cattle/ruminants travel in nature. This will improve our soil quality and forage supply. If you're interested in more details, you'll have to talk to Kurt.
Our kitchen is almost back to normal, all we lack is a dishwasher. . . the weather on the East Coast has affected shipment and delivery. That said, our kitchen has been a hopping place between cooking birthday meals (the birthday season is now officially over) and lard rendering. Yes, I said lard rendering. We started using lard in some of our cooking about 4 months ago and been very pleased with it - I don't plan on going back to Crisco. Do a little research and you'll find that lard from pastured pork, those with access to green, growing grass is much healthier than shortening. I was so excited when the processor said they'd save the pork fat from the last three hogs we took. I was able to bring it home a few weeks ago. Last week (after much on-line studying), I rendered my first batch of lard and it really wasn't too hard AND the house doesn't stink like grease. I've done three batches and have 3 more to go. I'm willing to share the wealth if you'd like to give lard a try. So far, I have about 2.5 gallons in the freezer which had me thinking the other day. . . .what are we going to do with all this lard? I hate to throw it out . . . Once again, I headed to the computer and began some more research. Lo and behold, my new project. SOAP! Lard has been used to make soap for generations. I could share lots more tidbits but I won't overwhelm you with information. I've ordered (and now received) two books on soap making from Amazon.com (my second favorite site after google). I don't think I'll make soap using lard as my only fat/oil but it can be used as one of them. I hope to make my first batch in the next week and I'll keep you posted. It takes about 4 weeks for a batch of soap to cure - another lesson in patience. If any of you are soap makers, I'd love some words of wisdom.
Another kitchen project this month was dog biscuits. This one was dreamed up by Natalie. Last weekend, I announced I was making biscuits (we had leftover buttermilk) and Natalie asked if they were dog biscuits (she's not the biggest fan of my cooking). The biscuits I had planned were for us but we did a quick google search and found a recipe for Yeller. I made a few modifications and we had a Sunday afternoon project. Allison thought the dough was pretty gross (I'm not sure why she thought molasses and garlic would be a tasty combo) but Yeller loved them! I can honestly say I've never baked for a dog before. We all got the giggles though when the recipe told us to use our dog's favorite cookie cutter. 1) Yeller would probably EAT the cookie cutter - he's a lab and 2) Yeller ate the biscuits so fast he never saw what shape they were - the girls picked hearts, by the way. Follow up: Several days later Natalie said "I'm going to see if Yeller wants a dog biscuit." Kurt and I both assumed, wrongly, that she was going to holler out the door, "Yeller you want a biscuit?" Instead, Natalie went to the patio door, opened it and in her biggest, deepest voice yelled "BOW WOW WOW WOW?" We didn't know she spoke such fluent "dog."
Two weeks ago, Kurt and 4 other ranchers left Protection before 5. They were on their way to Junction City to hear Greg Judy speak on mob grazing. Kurt said they had great discussion and felt like he learned a lot. Unfortunately, he missed all the excitement at home - it always seems to work this way. The morning started out with a confused washing machine - turn the knob to cold for hot water and to hot for cold. Thankfully, that's been straightened out! While I was waiting on the repairman, I started on one of the day's projects - washing the front windows. We have such a pretty view, I like to be able to see it. We have those nifty windows that open up into the house to make it easier to clean - yeah, right . . . . Actually, I've done it several times in our 4 years here but that day was not my day. I got started on window #1 and somehow, when I went to lower the top half of the window, it turned funny and the whole stinkin' pane came out! This at the exact moment the washer repairman showed up at the back door. I fiddled with the window for awhile - I could see which pieces needed to go together . . . but not how to make them get to that position. I finally decided the most efficient solution was to call my father-in-law, a mechanically gifted tinkerer. After about an hour and a half and a complete disassembly of the window, we got everything back together. This all before lunch! Sounds like a pretty exciting day, right? Nope, this was the boring part! After naps, my mother-in-law offered to watch the girls and give me a break - not sure why she thought I might need it. We loaded up the car, sometimes a 10 minute endeavor. I put the car into drive. Got ready to pull out when I spotted a PIG in front of the car. Dum de dum dum. . . .I now know the fastest way to get Kurt to call me. Thirty seconds after I texted "Pig out," I got a response. I don't remember all the details - the adrenalin got in the way and I'm sure if I try to recount what happened during the next 20 minutes (it felt like 2 hours), I'll miss some key point. I do remember Bill, my father-in-law (remember the guy who rescued me and my window earlier), Allison and I working very hard to get the escaped pig back in the pen only to have both pigs escape a second, maybe a third time. Following this was a flurry of activity that involved sorting sticks (Allison had to punt and use a yard stick instead), patching fence, running (mostly by A and Bill) and quick thinking (also mostly by A and Bill). Oh, and I do remember a 300 pound pig running right at me once. I'm sorry to say I didn't stand my ground very well. I think I was supposed to turn it so it would go towards the pen but I was never clear on my job during the rodeo. Later, Allison, who has much more experience handling livestock than I do, told me, "It's ok Mom, you did the best you could." Humbled by my 10-year-old. Lessons learned: 1)Pigs are smart and do not herd well. 2)ALWAYS fix the fence before trying to put livestock back in - it will save time and headaches. Oh and for those who might be wondering where Natalie and Anna were in this point in the story - they were still in the suburban hiding from the pig. Kurt's not leaving for a looooonnnng time.
We are cleaning out the freezers and shuffling our stock. I found 6-7 packages of short ribs that are over a year old. I don't feel right selling them but they would make great beef stock. Let me know ASAP if you'd like some. Next week, Kurt and Anna are hauling 2 beeves and 2 hogs to the processor. We'll be restocking our roasts, jerky and hamburger supply and trying out beef sticks - we are pretty sure they'll be amazing! We are well stocked with pork chops, bacon, sausage and ground pork, pork roasts, hot dogs and several other cuts. We are low on steaks right now though and it will be spring before we will have animals that will be ready to make quality steaks. We do still have chicken cuts in the freezer.
We were excited to send out "Friends of the Farm" post cards to several of our customers this month. Those customers that purchased at least $500 in DFF products received a post card good for 5% off one order in 2011. Those customers who purchased over $1000 in DFF products received two such post cards. Quick calculations show that's only about $20/week in meat. For the price of a family's meal at a fast food restaurant, you could have quality grass-finished meats for several meals that week.
Staying true to form, I'll finish with some family updates and since this has been the month of birthdays, I'll share a little about those.
Natalie's birthday comes "first" - first after Christmas, that is. We took three of her friends roller skating in Pratt. It's much harder to keep someone else upright on skates that it is yourself. Her special birthday meal - hot dogs. Nothing special but at least they were ours.
Anna's birthday was next and she had three friends over to play. She knew she was big now - a "real" party. She didn't really pick a meal but thoroughly enjoyed the brats her daddy picked out for supper. Anna helped me make her cake but when it came time to eat it, she just didn't have the time.
Allison's was last weekend and she stepped it up a little. Her special menu: fried chicken! While labor intensive, it was a great meal. Definitely a treat for all of us.
Hope this newsletter finds you in good health!
January was a full month but the super most exciting event was becoming DEBT-FREE (except for the house). Four years ago, Kurt and I took a Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University class at church and shortly after that, we made the decision to not borrow money and pay off the debt we had incurred - mostly loans on machinery and repairs. During the last four years, we made changes in our thinking and our focus. On Friday, we called into the Dave Ramsey Show to celebrate. Attached you'll find the MP3 of our phone call. Free is certainly the right word - we are out of the too common cycle (especially in agriculture) of borrowing operating money until the harvest, just to pay the bank back. At one point it seemed like there was some note that had a payment due every month. Never again! The week before we called in, we celebrated with the girls with a standing rib roast (oh my!) and they can tell you why we had a party - now Natalie might get the words mixed up (we're deadly!) but she knows what we're talking about.
The sale of our last two pieces of haying equipment allowed us to pay off the last of our notes. Kurt made the comment as I got ready to write that he's out of the haying business (something he's always done) and now in the grazing business. I'm so proud of him for taking this step in faith! He'll now spend more time planning grazing and moving livestock - sometimes daily. He's studied and read and planned - that's what he does at 4 a.m. - and will do some mob grazing this summer. Mob grazing is just what it sounds likes; he'll graze the herd in a big mob - increasing the stock density and mimic how cattle/ruminants travel in nature. This will improve our soil quality and forage supply. If you're interested in more details, you'll have to talk to Kurt.
Our kitchen is almost back to normal, all we lack is a dishwasher. . . the weather on the East Coast has affected shipment and delivery. That said, our kitchen has been a hopping place between cooking birthday meals (the birthday season is now officially over) and lard rendering. Yes, I said lard rendering. We started using lard in some of our cooking about 4 months ago and been very pleased with it - I don't plan on going back to Crisco. Do a little research and you'll find that lard from pastured pork, those with access to green, growing grass is much healthier than shortening. I was so excited when the processor said they'd save the pork fat from the last three hogs we took. I was able to bring it home a few weeks ago. Last week (after much on-line studying), I rendered my first batch of lard and it really wasn't too hard AND the house doesn't stink like grease. I've done three batches and have 3 more to go. I'm willing to share the wealth if you'd like to give lard a try. So far, I have about 2.5 gallons in the freezer which had me thinking the other day. . . .what are we going to do with all this lard? I hate to throw it out . . . Once again, I headed to the computer and began some more research. Lo and behold, my new project. SOAP! Lard has been used to make soap for generations. I could share lots more tidbits but I won't overwhelm you with information. I've ordered (and now received) two books on soap making from Amazon.com (my second favorite site after google). I don't think I'll make soap using lard as my only fat/oil but it can be used as one of them. I hope to make my first batch in the next week and I'll keep you posted. It takes about 4 weeks for a batch of soap to cure - another lesson in patience. If any of you are soap makers, I'd love some words of wisdom.
Another kitchen project this month was dog biscuits. This one was dreamed up by Natalie. Last weekend, I announced I was making biscuits (we had leftover buttermilk) and Natalie asked if they were dog biscuits (she's not the biggest fan of my cooking). The biscuits I had planned were for us but we did a quick google search and found a recipe for Yeller. I made a few modifications and we had a Sunday afternoon project. Allison thought the dough was pretty gross (I'm not sure why she thought molasses and garlic would be a tasty combo) but Yeller loved them! I can honestly say I've never baked for a dog before. We all got the giggles though when the recipe told us to use our dog's favorite cookie cutter. 1) Yeller would probably EAT the cookie cutter - he's a lab and 2) Yeller ate the biscuits so fast he never saw what shape they were - the girls picked hearts, by the way. Follow up: Several days later Natalie said "I'm going to see if Yeller wants a dog biscuit." Kurt and I both assumed, wrongly, that she was going to holler out the door, "Yeller you want a biscuit?" Instead, Natalie went to the patio door, opened it and in her biggest, deepest voice yelled "BOW WOW WOW WOW?" We didn't know she spoke such fluent "dog."
Two weeks ago, Kurt and 4 other ranchers left Protection before 5. They were on their way to Junction City to hear Greg Judy speak on mob grazing. Kurt said they had great discussion and felt like he learned a lot. Unfortunately, he missed all the excitement at home - it always seems to work this way. The morning started out with a confused washing machine - turn the knob to cold for hot water and to hot for cold. Thankfully, that's been straightened out! While I was waiting on the repairman, I started on one of the day's projects - washing the front windows. We have such a pretty view, I like to be able to see it. We have those nifty windows that open up into the house to make it easier to clean - yeah, right . . . . Actually, I've done it several times in our 4 years here but that day was not my day. I got started on window #1 and somehow, when I went to lower the top half of the window, it turned funny and the whole stinkin' pane came out! This at the exact moment the washer repairman showed up at the back door. I fiddled with the window for awhile - I could see which pieces needed to go together . . . but not how to make them get to that position. I finally decided the most efficient solution was to call my father-in-law, a mechanically gifted tinkerer. After about an hour and a half and a complete disassembly of the window, we got everything back together. This all before lunch! Sounds like a pretty exciting day, right? Nope, this was the boring part! After naps, my mother-in-law offered to watch the girls and give me a break - not sure why she thought I might need it. We loaded up the car, sometimes a 10 minute endeavor. I put the car into drive. Got ready to pull out when I spotted a PIG in front of the car. Dum de dum dum. . . .I now know the fastest way to get Kurt to call me. Thirty seconds after I texted "Pig out," I got a response. I don't remember all the details - the adrenalin got in the way and I'm sure if I try to recount what happened during the next 20 minutes (it felt like 2 hours), I'll miss some key point. I do remember Bill, my father-in-law (remember the guy who rescued me and my window earlier), Allison and I working very hard to get the escaped pig back in the pen only to have both pigs escape a second, maybe a third time. Following this was a flurry of activity that involved sorting sticks (Allison had to punt and use a yard stick instead), patching fence, running (mostly by A and Bill) and quick thinking (also mostly by A and Bill). Oh, and I do remember a 300 pound pig running right at me once. I'm sorry to say I didn't stand my ground very well. I think I was supposed to turn it so it would go towards the pen but I was never clear on my job during the rodeo. Later, Allison, who has much more experience handling livestock than I do, told me, "It's ok Mom, you did the best you could." Humbled by my 10-year-old. Lessons learned: 1)Pigs are smart and do not herd well. 2)ALWAYS fix the fence before trying to put livestock back in - it will save time and headaches. Oh and for those who might be wondering where Natalie and Anna were in this point in the story - they were still in the suburban hiding from the pig. Kurt's not leaving for a looooonnnng time.
We are cleaning out the freezers and shuffling our stock. I found 6-7 packages of short ribs that are over a year old. I don't feel right selling them but they would make great beef stock. Let me know ASAP if you'd like some. Next week, Kurt and Anna are hauling 2 beeves and 2 hogs to the processor. We'll be restocking our roasts, jerky and hamburger supply and trying out beef sticks - we are pretty sure they'll be amazing! We are well stocked with pork chops, bacon, sausage and ground pork, pork roasts, hot dogs and several other cuts. We are low on steaks right now though and it will be spring before we will have animals that will be ready to make quality steaks. We do still have chicken cuts in the freezer.
We were excited to send out "Friends of the Farm" post cards to several of our customers this month. Those customers that purchased at least $500 in DFF products received a post card good for 5% off one order in 2011. Those customers who purchased over $1000 in DFF products received two such post cards. Quick calculations show that's only about $20/week in meat. For the price of a family's meal at a fast food restaurant, you could have quality grass-finished meats for several meals that week.
Staying true to form, I'll finish with some family updates and since this has been the month of birthdays, I'll share a little about those.
Natalie's birthday comes "first" - first after Christmas, that is. We took three of her friends roller skating in Pratt. It's much harder to keep someone else upright on skates that it is yourself. Her special birthday meal - hot dogs. Nothing special but at least they were ours.
Anna's birthday was next and she had three friends over to play. She knew she was big now - a "real" party. She didn't really pick a meal but thoroughly enjoyed the brats her daddy picked out for supper. Anna helped me make her cake but when it came time to eat it, she just didn't have the time.
Allison's was last weekend and she stepped it up a little. Her special menu: fried chicken! While labor intensive, it was a great meal. Definitely a treat for all of us.
Hope this newsletter finds you in good health!
Thursday, December 30, 2010
December 2010
I thought I was going to be able to write about how quiet December was on the farm - our livestock numbers are down quite a bit. We're down to just cattle (Kurt would argue that it's not "just cattle"), two pigs and our layers. However, December has kept us hopping between a trip to Indianapolis, Christmas preparations, pork pick-up, family visits and of course, the beginning of the birthday season.
Kurt and I spent 4 days in Indianapolis at the ACRES conference. We had a great time. This was the first time we had flown in a long time and except for the threat of being snow bound and only 15 minutes to change planes in Cleveland, everything went very smoothly - even carrying our bags on. We were able to find our "bus" from the airport to Downtown Indy and walked everywhere - except one frigid evening we caved and hired a cab. Kurt and I talked this week and tried to think of a highlight to share and there were several. I think the best part of the week was having our thinking challenged by people who are doing the same type of things as we are. The diversity of the conference attendees was vast and while there was a great variance in religious/political beliefs, sizes of operations, experiences, geographies. . . there was a sense that everyone there was interested in doing agriculture smarter, healthier, safer and raising good food to nourish people.
One of the highlights for me was getting to hear Shannon Hayes speak - twice! She has written 2 cookbooks and Radical Homemakers. Very thought provoking sessions and I have her keynote session on CD if anyone is interested in listening.
Because we flew, we weren't able to pack any of our own food - many attendees did - and ended up eating most of our meals out. We missed our kitchen! One evening we went to the Weber Grill Restaurant. This was our ONE nice meal out. To give a bit of history, Kurt has owned a Weber kettle-style grill for almost 20 years - he can give the actual date of purchase - and loves it dearly. When we camp, the grill goes with us because the camp site grills don't measure up. And, rather than replace it, Kurt has welded handles back on and made other repairs over the years. When a small tornado took down a tree in our back yard - the Weber remained standing - with ashes still in the pan. Kurt estimates (yes, he really did the calculations) that he's cooked around 1000 meals on the grill. Sorry to rattle on - just needed to set up the love affair Kurt has with Weber grills and why it was so cool to eat there. The grills used in the kitchen were about 4-5 feet in diameter and grill lids were used as part of the decor throughout the restaurant. Kurt ordered a hamburger and I tried pizza on the grill. While both were good meals, they didn't hold a candle to the food Kurt prepares on our old Weber - I think it's a combination of ingredients and cooks.
One of Kurt's favorite sessions was led by Cody Holmes, a rancher in Missouri. Cody spoke about mob grazing and has a new book out called Ranching on Three Hours a Day. The idea being that a good deal of your work should be spent reading, learning, planning and not necessarily working hard for 12-15 hours a day.
While Kurt and I had a great trip, life was a little rockier on the home front. This was the longest Kurt and I had been away from the girls - EVER. We divied up child care duties while we were gone. My mom stayed with the girls 2 nights - one of which Anna had the flu. The next 2 nights the girls stayed with Kurt's folks and Allison and Natalie got sick - it's hard to be sick when you're not at home and your momma's gone! We may never get to leave the state again! We were so grateful to have grandparents who took such good care of the girls. Thankfully, Kurt's folks never got sick. My mom, Kurt and I were not so lucky.
Our trip to Indianapolis gently nudged us to finally make some big changes. As of now, we are no longer in the hay grinding business are slowly moving out of the hay business. We (really Kurt) will use the cattle to graze more forage and hire out one cutting of hay per year. So far, Kurt has sold a tub grinder and a hay rake - there's no turning back now. Interested in a John Deere 4850 tractor (that's read forty-eight fifty for you tractor neophytes - years ago, I would have called it a four thousand, eight hundred fifty. Let me tell you, Kurt hee hawed for weeks over that) or a baler? Let me know and I can set you up.
Our beef stores are a little lower but we are well stocked up on pork - chops, hams, roasts, bacon (it's amazing - we have to ration ours) and various sausages. We have two more hogs to take to the processor in February and we're going to try some beer brats, zesty breakfast sausage and German sausage. We'll also be taking two beeves in February to restock our all beef brats and jerky supply. We're also going to have some beef sticks made.
We are now out of whole chickens. There are still cut up chickens and wings, thighs, breasts and drumsticks left. I also have three bags of carcasses that would make the most excellent broth - perfect for a soup base this winter.
Oh, one more story from Indianapolis I almost forgot. Kurt talked to Mrs. Holmes about a milk cow! We're not ready to get one yet - Kurt has been adamant about not wanting to milk and I'm not sure if I'm brave enough yet. But the fact that he started a milk cow conversation with someone (while I was not present) is a huge breakthrough. I'll keep you posted.
Once again, we desperately need moisture - the forecasters keep teasing us with the possibility. Nothing yet though.
Christmas on the farm was good - all three girls got new-to-them bikes. At first, I was uneasy about giving them "previously owned" bikes. Kurt found out about some program that cleans up abandoned or confiscated bikes and gives them away. No reservations now. The girls have been outside move in the last 5 days than the last month! Allison is gaining confidence and Natalie is about to be an independent rider with training wheels.
The highlight of my Christmas dinner was the turkey - Kurt's was the gravy! Next year we'll raise a few more turkeys for us to savor throughout the year. We were able to enjoy Christmas dinner with Kurt's parents, four of his brothers/sisters and their families and my mom - I think there around 20 at the table.
Next week my kitchen should be back to normal and we'll be done doing dishes by hand - I'm counting the days!
Today begins the birthday season at our house - 3 birthdays in 3 weeks! Natalie is sure her birthday is first and will argue with anyone - hers is first after Christmas but not first in the calendar year. This morning, Natalie woke up and began issuing edicts in third person: "The Birthday Girl would like pancakes for breakfast." "The Birthday Girl is ready to open presents." "The Birthday Girl would like some milk." You get the picture. A couple of days ago, "The Birthday Girl" took a few friends roller skating - oh my. Kurt and I worked hard trying to keep everyone on their feet!
Anna will turn 3 in two weeks and assures me she's not little any more - hopefully 3-year-olds are big enough to move their training potties into the bathroom!
In 3 weeks, Allison will be 10 - double digits! She started basketball practice this week and is excited about the pee wee season.
Hope this newsletter finds you healthy. Many blessings in the New Year!
Kurt and I spent 4 days in Indianapolis at the ACRES conference. We had a great time. This was the first time we had flown in a long time and except for the threat of being snow bound and only 15 minutes to change planes in Cleveland, everything went very smoothly - even carrying our bags on. We were able to find our "bus" from the airport to Downtown Indy and walked everywhere - except one frigid evening we caved and hired a cab. Kurt and I talked this week and tried to think of a highlight to share and there were several. I think the best part of the week was having our thinking challenged by people who are doing the same type of things as we are. The diversity of the conference attendees was vast and while there was a great variance in religious/political beliefs, sizes of operations, experiences, geographies. . . there was a sense that everyone there was interested in doing agriculture smarter, healthier, safer and raising good food to nourish people.
One of the highlights for me was getting to hear Shannon Hayes speak - twice! She has written 2 cookbooks and Radical Homemakers. Very thought provoking sessions and I have her keynote session on CD if anyone is interested in listening.
Because we flew, we weren't able to pack any of our own food - many attendees did - and ended up eating most of our meals out. We missed our kitchen! One evening we went to the Weber Grill Restaurant. This was our ONE nice meal out. To give a bit of history, Kurt has owned a Weber kettle-style grill for almost 20 years - he can give the actual date of purchase - and loves it dearly. When we camp, the grill goes with us because the camp site grills don't measure up. And, rather than replace it, Kurt has welded handles back on and made other repairs over the years. When a small tornado took down a tree in our back yard - the Weber remained standing - with ashes still in the pan. Kurt estimates (yes, he really did the calculations) that he's cooked around 1000 meals on the grill. Sorry to rattle on - just needed to set up the love affair Kurt has with Weber grills and why it was so cool to eat there. The grills used in the kitchen were about 4-5 feet in diameter and grill lids were used as part of the decor throughout the restaurant. Kurt ordered a hamburger and I tried pizza on the grill. While both were good meals, they didn't hold a candle to the food Kurt prepares on our old Weber - I think it's a combination of ingredients and cooks.
One of Kurt's favorite sessions was led by Cody Holmes, a rancher in Missouri. Cody spoke about mob grazing and has a new book out called Ranching on Three Hours a Day. The idea being that a good deal of your work should be spent reading, learning, planning and not necessarily working hard for 12-15 hours a day.
While Kurt and I had a great trip, life was a little rockier on the home front. This was the longest Kurt and I had been away from the girls - EVER. We divied up child care duties while we were gone. My mom stayed with the girls 2 nights - one of which Anna had the flu. The next 2 nights the girls stayed with Kurt's folks and Allison and Natalie got sick - it's hard to be sick when you're not at home and your momma's gone! We may never get to leave the state again! We were so grateful to have grandparents who took such good care of the girls. Thankfully, Kurt's folks never got sick. My mom, Kurt and I were not so lucky.
Our trip to Indianapolis gently nudged us to finally make some big changes. As of now, we are no longer in the hay grinding business are slowly moving out of the hay business. We (really Kurt) will use the cattle to graze more forage and hire out one cutting of hay per year. So far, Kurt has sold a tub grinder and a hay rake - there's no turning back now. Interested in a John Deere 4850 tractor (that's read forty-eight fifty for you tractor neophytes - years ago, I would have called it a four thousand, eight hundred fifty. Let me tell you, Kurt hee hawed for weeks over that) or a baler? Let me know and I can set you up.
Our beef stores are a little lower but we are well stocked up on pork - chops, hams, roasts, bacon (it's amazing - we have to ration ours) and various sausages. We have two more hogs to take to the processor in February and we're going to try some beer brats, zesty breakfast sausage and German sausage. We'll also be taking two beeves in February to restock our all beef brats and jerky supply. We're also going to have some beef sticks made.
We are now out of whole chickens. There are still cut up chickens and wings, thighs, breasts and drumsticks left. I also have three bags of carcasses that would make the most excellent broth - perfect for a soup base this winter.
Oh, one more story from Indianapolis I almost forgot. Kurt talked to Mrs. Holmes about a milk cow! We're not ready to get one yet - Kurt has been adamant about not wanting to milk and I'm not sure if I'm brave enough yet. But the fact that he started a milk cow conversation with someone (while I was not present) is a huge breakthrough. I'll keep you posted.
Once again, we desperately need moisture - the forecasters keep teasing us with the possibility. Nothing yet though.
Christmas on the farm was good - all three girls got new-to-them bikes. At first, I was uneasy about giving them "previously owned" bikes. Kurt found out about some program that cleans up abandoned or confiscated bikes and gives them away. No reservations now. The girls have been outside move in the last 5 days than the last month! Allison is gaining confidence and Natalie is about to be an independent rider with training wheels.
The highlight of my Christmas dinner was the turkey - Kurt's was the gravy! Next year we'll raise a few more turkeys for us to savor throughout the year. We were able to enjoy Christmas dinner with Kurt's parents, four of his brothers/sisters and their families and my mom - I think there around 20 at the table.
Next week my kitchen should be back to normal and we'll be done doing dishes by hand - I'm counting the days!
Today begins the birthday season at our house - 3 birthdays in 3 weeks! Natalie is sure her birthday is first and will argue with anyone - hers is first after Christmas but not first in the calendar year. This morning, Natalie woke up and began issuing edicts in third person: "The Birthday Girl would like pancakes for breakfast." "The Birthday Girl is ready to open presents." "The Birthday Girl would like some milk." You get the picture. A couple of days ago, "The Birthday Girl" took a few friends roller skating - oh my. Kurt and I worked hard trying to keep everyone on their feet!
Anna will turn 3 in two weeks and assures me she's not little any more - hopefully 3-year-olds are big enough to move their training potties into the bathroom!
In 3 weeks, Allison will be 10 - double digits! She started basketball practice this week and is excited about the pee wee season.
Hope this newsletter finds you healthy. Many blessings in the New Year!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
November 2010
Yep, this is the November edition of The Cattle Rattle. I've sat down a few times this past week and all I could do was stare at a blank piece of paper - maybe the after effects of tryptophan? Oh, and yes, I'm dated. With all the technology available, I still sit down and write our newsletter long hand and then type it up. Old school, I know but it's how I learned to compose many moons ago and it works for me.
And, the writer's block hasn't been my only obstacle the last few days. The chaos unfolding in our kitchen - the center of our home - has put a few hiccups in my ability to focus. Tuesday afternoon, I discovered water leaking from our dishwasher (that's what I get for getting on the floor and scrubbing it). Apparently, it's been leaking for awhile now. Kurt pulled up some flooring and we've had a fan going while we've waited for the insurance company. I'm still trying to breathe deeply and am very thankful we still have almost full use of our kitchen (unlike a dear friend of mine who experienced a deluge in her kitchen last month). I'm about to swear off dishwashers for life and am contemplating what would fit in the hole left by the dishwasher.
Tuesday was a frustrating day for me between partial deconstruction of the kitchen floor and the passage of the Food Safety and Modernization Act of 2010. Others have written more eloquently about the problems with this bill and I suggest you do some reading. We are thankful that the Tester-Hagan amendment was included and the bill still has to make it through the house - so contact your representatives. If this Act does become law, we'll keep you posted on how it will affect our ability to provide you with safe, clean food. (Update since I wrote this a few hours ago. Apparently, the senate wrote an unconstitutional bill - they tried to raise revenue with the bill and that's a big no no. Interesting to see what happens from here.)
Enough gloom and doom in this season of thankfulness and celebration. We had a very quiet Thanksgiving at home which was exactly what we needed after handling turkeys, beef and pork in the last 2 weeks. Not to brag, but we had the most amazing turkey this year. We brined one of own turkeys and then roasted it Thanksgiving day. I stuffed it with apples and rubbed olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper on it. Natalie and Anna kept sneaking pieces of turkey while we were getting the meal on the table. I think they ate more ahead of time than they did at the table! Best turkey I've ever had. Pretty sure I should have saved one more turkey for us to enjoy later this winter. Looking forward to the one my mother-in-law will have at Christmas.
We were very pleased with our turkey harvest this year. We were better prepared and had a better idea of what to expect. Kurt and I worked 4 days and processed over 1/2 the birds ourselves - we were a pretty good team. We also did a much better job of gauging weights this year and I think the staggered harvest helped. Two days before Thanksgiving we cleaned the last of them for those customers who wanted a fresh turkey. We had some extra help and all went smoothly. If you had a Dale Family Farms turkey for Thanksgiving, we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.
Dale Family Farms will have pork for sale in about 2-3 weeks. Check out our price list to see what we have to offer. If you're interested in a ham for Christmas, let me know and we'll see what we can do. We also offer some great sampler packages and gift certificates if you're looking for the perfect gift.
We still have chicken in the freezer - most of the whole chickens are gone but we still have cut up chickens and other pieces if you need some to last you the winter.
We enjoyed the most heavenly fried chicken last week. After processing our 1st 2 hogs of the season, we were able to procure 2 pints of rendered lard from the processor. Kurt talked me into frying a chicken using lard for the fat - oh my goodness! I found a great recipe and it was amazing. My great grandma would have been proud. A little tidbit from my research on lard: if you get the temperature of the lard high enough (somewhere around 350 degrees, I think) the coating on the chicken seals in the chicken and very little grease is absorbed. You should end up with about as much lard in the pan as you started with. I also used lard in my pie crusts and rolls for Thanksgiving - both received high praises from my most important food critics - my family. "Momma, you're the best cooker!" Good food starts with good ingredients. The most exciting piece of this whole "lard saga" is that I get to make my own from our hogs. The processor is going to save the fat from the 4 hogs we took and I'll render the lard at home. Laura Ingalls here I come!
Who knows what other "crazy homesteader ideas" Kurt and I will come home with after next week's ACRES conference - beekeeping, a milk cow, cold frames for the garden. Oh wait - I've already had those ideas! We're really excited about going to Indianapolis next week and expect to be fully overwhelmed by the information available. Kurt's strategy is to avoid sessions where he's not familiar with most of the terms used in the description. I think it's a good plan. I am sure we will have travel stories to share next month. Kurt and I haven't flown in over 10 years and are trying to travel as economically as possible. Right now, a minor point of contention is whether we should check our bags. At $35 per bag, I "won" this battle. I'm confident we can pack smart and make this work - it's only 3 and a half days. Kurt won't be able to pack his 10 pairs of spare undies though. Not sure how many times I've heard "That $35 will seem cheap at some point next week." Such an optimist. We have cordially agreed to concede defeat when the other one is proved right.
The farmstead seems pretty quiet now that the turkeys, meat birds and 2/3 of the hogs are gone. While we're ready for a break from the chores, some of our entertainment is gone until spring. Whatever will we do to keep us out of trouble?
Wow! For suffering a mild case of writer's block, I sure had a lot to share. Quickie family updates:
Anna is no longer my baby and daily finds ways to express her independence. She's quick to smooth ruffled feathers with lots of extra hugs.
Natalie is almost reading! She can sound out lots of words and given the right text, she can read whole sentences. It's been so cool to watch her grow as a reader - she's worked hard at it.
Allison is looking forward to the beginning of Pee Wee basketball - I'm not sure if she enjoys the activity or the fellowship more!
Kurt has been busy cutting firewood, grinding hay and tearing up my kitchen. He's so good about coming to the rescue when I need help. I think I'll keep him.
And me, I'm spinning my wheels as we prepare for our trip and for Christmas. Every time I'm ready to tackle something on the to do list, some other emergency seems to pop up. Guess my house won't be spotless for the holidays.
Praying that these weeks of Advent help you to prepare for the coming of the Savior.
Blessings!
Andi
And, the writer's block hasn't been my only obstacle the last few days. The chaos unfolding in our kitchen - the center of our home - has put a few hiccups in my ability to focus. Tuesday afternoon, I discovered water leaking from our dishwasher (that's what I get for getting on the floor and scrubbing it). Apparently, it's been leaking for awhile now. Kurt pulled up some flooring and we've had a fan going while we've waited for the insurance company. I'm still trying to breathe deeply and am very thankful we still have almost full use of our kitchen (unlike a dear friend of mine who experienced a deluge in her kitchen last month). I'm about to swear off dishwashers for life and am contemplating what would fit in the hole left by the dishwasher.
Tuesday was a frustrating day for me between partial deconstruction of the kitchen floor and the passage of the Food Safety and Modernization Act of 2010. Others have written more eloquently about the problems with this bill and I suggest you do some reading. We are thankful that the Tester-Hagan amendment was included and the bill still has to make it through the house - so contact your representatives. If this Act does become law, we'll keep you posted on how it will affect our ability to provide you with safe, clean food. (Update since I wrote this a few hours ago. Apparently, the senate wrote an unconstitutional bill - they tried to raise revenue with the bill and that's a big no no. Interesting to see what happens from here.)
Enough gloom and doom in this season of thankfulness and celebration. We had a very quiet Thanksgiving at home which was exactly what we needed after handling turkeys, beef and pork in the last 2 weeks. Not to brag, but we had the most amazing turkey this year. We brined one of own turkeys and then roasted it Thanksgiving day. I stuffed it with apples and rubbed olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper on it. Natalie and Anna kept sneaking pieces of turkey while we were getting the meal on the table. I think they ate more ahead of time than they did at the table! Best turkey I've ever had. Pretty sure I should have saved one more turkey for us to enjoy later this winter. Looking forward to the one my mother-in-law will have at Christmas.
We were very pleased with our turkey harvest this year. We were better prepared and had a better idea of what to expect. Kurt and I worked 4 days and processed over 1/2 the birds ourselves - we were a pretty good team. We also did a much better job of gauging weights this year and I think the staggered harvest helped. Two days before Thanksgiving we cleaned the last of them for those customers who wanted a fresh turkey. We had some extra help and all went smoothly. If you had a Dale Family Farms turkey for Thanksgiving, we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.
Dale Family Farms will have pork for sale in about 2-3 weeks. Check out our price list to see what we have to offer. If you're interested in a ham for Christmas, let me know and we'll see what we can do. We also offer some great sampler packages and gift certificates if you're looking for the perfect gift.
We still have chicken in the freezer - most of the whole chickens are gone but we still have cut up chickens and other pieces if you need some to last you the winter.
We enjoyed the most heavenly fried chicken last week. After processing our 1st 2 hogs of the season, we were able to procure 2 pints of rendered lard from the processor. Kurt talked me into frying a chicken using lard for the fat - oh my goodness! I found a great recipe and it was amazing. My great grandma would have been proud. A little tidbit from my research on lard: if you get the temperature of the lard high enough (somewhere around 350 degrees, I think) the coating on the chicken seals in the chicken and very little grease is absorbed. You should end up with about as much lard in the pan as you started with. I also used lard in my pie crusts and rolls for Thanksgiving - both received high praises from my most important food critics - my family. "Momma, you're the best cooker!" Good food starts with good ingredients. The most exciting piece of this whole "lard saga" is that I get to make my own from our hogs. The processor is going to save the fat from the 4 hogs we took and I'll render the lard at home. Laura Ingalls here I come!
Who knows what other "crazy homesteader ideas" Kurt and I will come home with after next week's ACRES conference - beekeeping, a milk cow, cold frames for the garden. Oh wait - I've already had those ideas! We're really excited about going to Indianapolis next week and expect to be fully overwhelmed by the information available. Kurt's strategy is to avoid sessions where he's not familiar with most of the terms used in the description. I think it's a good plan. I am sure we will have travel stories to share next month. Kurt and I haven't flown in over 10 years and are trying to travel as economically as possible. Right now, a minor point of contention is whether we should check our bags. At $35 per bag, I "won" this battle. I'm confident we can pack smart and make this work - it's only 3 and a half days. Kurt won't be able to pack his 10 pairs of spare undies though. Not sure how many times I've heard "That $35 will seem cheap at some point next week." Such an optimist. We have cordially agreed to concede defeat when the other one is proved right.
The farmstead seems pretty quiet now that the turkeys, meat birds and 2/3 of the hogs are gone. While we're ready for a break from the chores, some of our entertainment is gone until spring. Whatever will we do to keep us out of trouble?
Wow! For suffering a mild case of writer's block, I sure had a lot to share. Quickie family updates:
Anna is no longer my baby and daily finds ways to express her independence. She's quick to smooth ruffled feathers with lots of extra hugs.
Natalie is almost reading! She can sound out lots of words and given the right text, she can read whole sentences. It's been so cool to watch her grow as a reader - she's worked hard at it.
Allison is looking forward to the beginning of Pee Wee basketball - I'm not sure if she enjoys the activity or the fellowship more!
Kurt has been busy cutting firewood, grinding hay and tearing up my kitchen. He's so good about coming to the rescue when I need help. I think I'll keep him.
And me, I'm spinning my wheels as we prepare for our trip and for Christmas. Every time I'm ready to tackle something on the to do list, some other emergency seems to pop up. Guess my house won't be spotless for the holidays.
Praying that these weeks of Advent help you to prepare for the coming of the Savior.
Blessings!
Andi
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
October 2010
Wow! Where did October go? It's finally starting to feel like it might be fall. Now, if we'd just get a hard freeze and more rain, weather would be perfect on the farm.
The chickens (meat birds) are done for the season and it feels good to have this work behind us for another year. If you had told me three years ago that we would be raising 550 chickens this summer, I'd have thought you were crazy - now I'm pretty sure others think we are - I never know what to think when people in town call us the "chicken farmers." I'm learning to consider it a complement. We were really pleased with the response to our End of Season Special and will think about offering it again next year. We still have some whole chickens, cut-up chickens, wings, thighs, drumsticks and breasts. I also have 4-6 bags of carcasses for those of you interested in making some truly excellent broth.
I'm so excited - Kurt and I are headed to Indianapolis in December for the AcresUSA conference. We hope to learn lots during the 3-day conference. If nothing else, conferences and workshops like this give us a great opportunity to meet/visit with other people doing the same types of things we are. I'm a little nervous about flying though - we haven't flown since '98 or '99 and I have a little studying up to do on the new flight regulations before we pack.
Inspired by out upcoming trip, I've put down my fiction for awhile and have been reading lots of other good stuff - Joel Salatin, Wendell Berry, Farm City by Novella Carpenter, and Made from Scratch by Jenna Woginrich as well as a few books and blogs on gardening/homesteading. All thought provoking and helps reinforce that we're moving in the right direction, we just need to keep moving.
I have been floored by the number of new inquiries we have received during the past month. It's exciting to think that people (including myself) are starting to be more aware of where their food comes from. I wonder if there's been a specific article/news story or just a growing awareness.
This year's calves have been weaned - several times. The first time, neighbors helped and the calves were weaned across the fence, i.e. there was only a hot wire between the calves and their mommas. Apparently, several weren't really ready to be weaned and took down the hot wire. Kurt and a friend re-sorted them 2-3 days later. Kurt thought all was good - even moved the calves down the road a mile so they could enjoy a diet of older standing alfalfa, weeds (that's what our neighbors call them, we call those plants forage), and volunteer wheat. However, a couple (we're hoping that's all) young ones must not have liked the arrangements because they've found their way back to their mommas. Even with these minor frustrations, Kurt has commented more than once how much he prefers weaning across the fence to weaning calves in a dry lot (a bunch of calves standing around on dirt all day getting lots of feed hauled to them) - the animals seem less stressed and healthier.
A highlight of this month was the pig roast we hosted a few weeks ago. Kurt's brothers hauled a smoker from Topeka (a word to the wise, the turnpike charges you for a third axle no matter how small the axle might be) and we smoked a pig to celebrate Kurt's 40th plus a few months. We had a great time and the pork was amazing - definitely shaping up to be an annual event at the farm. A friend of Kurt's came 2-3 days ahead of time and did the butchering. I had flashbacks to Little House in the Big Woods - any Laura Ingalls Wilder fan know what I'm talking about - although I didn't make any head cheese. Ten years ago as a younger farm wife, I would have thought anyone who processed their own hogs (and chickens and turkeys) was nuts - meat comes from a store, right? However, something about raising this hog and processing it on the farm felt very right. While I wasn't actively involved in the process (this time?), I did go out several times that evening to observe and the "Ewww factor" just wasn't there for me. Later, there was a sense of thankfulness and bounty as we enjoyed the feast and shared leftover with many people (there's still 6 gallon baggies of pulled pork in our freezer!!)
Five more of our hogs are getting closer to being finished - a little later that what we had originally anticipated. All part of the learning curve, right? Kurt has plans to take them to the processor in December - they should be ready mid-Januaryish - if that's a word.
The turkeys aren't having any problem growing! Last week we decided it was time to get serious in our planning - it was no longer viable to let them all go until Thanksgiving. We needed to figure out how big the turkeys would be if we dressed them out now. So . . . I did a little research on dressed weight vs. live weight, bought a bathroom scale, had Kurt catch a turkey, weighed Kurt and the turkey, weighed Kurt, subtracted and figured our anticipated dressed weight. For my former students, this is an example of problem solving in action. Aren't you glad I never made you catch a live turkey?!
Anyway, I digress. If you reserved a turkey, expect a phone call in the next week. We've picked several dates and will harvest 5-7 on each of those dates. We know several of you were looking forward to a fresh bird for Thanksgiving. We also know that most of you are not interested in a 30 pound bird. We got these turkey as poults on the last delivery date available from the hatchery - two weeks later than we did last year. Next year, we'll order earlier (so we have a bigger choice of delivery dates) and make sure to go 2 weeks later. Joel Salatin says "anything worth doing is worth doing poorly at first." While I certainly hope you don't think we're doing a poor job, we'd agree that we are learning lots - sometimes more about what not to do than what to do. That said, we have about 10-12 turkeys still available. If you're interested, let me know. Turkeys (like chickens) have to be picked up on the farm. However, we have turkeys headed to Wichita and Olathe with family if you'd like to make a connection there.
I have decided that I have a new job description. Instead of telling people we farm and ranch (which we do), I have decided to tell people we raise healthy food for families. May not seem like a big idea on paper but it's part of the paradigm shift - we're not just raising a commodity product, we are raising quality food for for people.
I got to participate in a rodeo of sorts on Wednesday. Kurt had football practice and was going to be gone until after dark. Anna, Natalie and I were headed to town and found a calf out (one of those that had to be weaned multiple times). I knew he probably wouldn't go far, his buddies were just across the fence but I also knew Kurt wouldn't be able to check on a black calf after dark. So. . . .I turned the suburban around and began to think about what to do - trying to recall all the livestock handling directions I've received (very little) and wishing very hard Allison was with us - she knows what to do. I got out of the sub and was thinking hard about how to proceed - lower the fence first or go after the calf - when our neighbor comes down the road. At first, I think he thought my wave was just friendly and then he slowed down when he realized that my wave actually had just a bit of frantic farm wife in it. Thankfully, he answered my plea -I still owe him a piece of pie.
"Jerry, what can I do to help?"
"Just hang here." (To translate, that's polite farmerspeak for "stay out of the way or you might screw this up.")
So, I stayed put (mostly) and watched. I did move a little when the calf looked like he was thinking about making a break for open country. I think I just wanted to feel like I was being useful since cheering might have startled the whole herd. The calf went in with very few problems and while we were walking back to the vehicles and my disgruntled children, I tripped and ended up on my knees in a pile of stickers swearing loudly, - me, who substitutes the word "Pickles" so my girls won't pick up on bad habits. Still not sure which shattered my dignity, falling or swearing - I better make it a big piece of pie. Maybe some day, I'll be skilled enough in livestock handling to gracefully help.
Kurt and I tend to be lazy gardeners. This fall, we're taking it to a new level. We (mostly Kurt, I was making pretzels at the time) moved out the tomato cages, put up a hot wire and turned the piggies loose. It took them a few days to make their way clear over to the garden - Allison tired sooo hard that first evening to lead them. The pigs have started rooting round and munching on the old plants. We hope they'll till the garden some for us. Once they got some soil turned, the turkeys were there in full force pecking in the dirt. Not sure what they found but it must have been tasty!
A couple of things as we near the end of the year. I want to remind you of our loyal customer program. Those of you that have purchased over $500 worth of Dale Family Farms products in 2010 will receive a voucher for 5% off one order in 2011. Those purchasing over $1000 in 2010 will receive 2 vouchers for 5% off 2 separate orders in 2011. We appreciate your support.
Think about giving Dale Family Farms products for Christmas. We offer a few sampler packages or we are willing to do gift certificates for any amount you'd like.
Quickie family updates. Halloween was a good time last night and all of us joined in on the fun. Allison was a scarecrow (after thinking for weeks that she was planning on being Pippi Longstocking). Natalie was Princess Fiona dressed in street clothes for her wedding. Anna was Super Bunny - sans ears - she wouldn't leave them on. Kurt and I went as each other (see the picture and check out the details). Not sure why Kurt felt like he had to tell everyone who he was - I guess he felt like he needed to explain the capris. After a busy month, we had a good time just hanging out together.
Allison and Natalie keep growing - their momma thinks they need to stop - and had a great time running with their friends at the pig roast. Sometimes it's not until their friends are here do they fully appreciate how much room they have to roam. I think Allison enjoyed playing football most and Natalie stepped it up when Anna had an accident. Natalie and a friend took care of it because she thought I was busy. "Natalie, do you need some help?" "I have it under control."
With fall in full force, Kurt is either going to have to start cutting some firewood or Anna is going to have to start leaving her clothes on during the day!
The football team played their last game Thursday night. Kurt had a great time and even though he'll be able to get more done in an afternoon, he'll miss the time on the field. How many days until next season, Coach Smith?
Forensics season started early this year with the Once Act play - only 233 hours until our first performance and only 4 full rehearsals so far. I'm planning on being amazed tomorrow night with how many lines are memorized. I have no doubt that "The Suessification of Romeo and Juliet" will be a hit!
Hoping your fall is a good one!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
September 2010
Fall is finally here. It took a long time for the weather to cool off but the last week has been very pleasant AND we had a half inch of rain last week. The rain doesn't fix the dry weather but it helps. A recent conversation heard before it rained:
Andi: So, you think it's going to rain?
Kurt: Probably. (wait a beat) And if we're lucky it'll happen before I die.
First job of a farmer is to be an optimist - good to know Kurt has this one covered.
We finished the farmers' market season last weekend at Coldwater. We really enjoyed being in Coldwater this summer - it gave us a chance to tell local people about what we are doing and visit with neighbors. We look forward to making plans for next spring.
A quick farmers' market story. For those of you who don't know, Anna has been potty training this summer. There is a bathroom available near the park but it's a block away - a long walk for an urgent 2-year old. Soooo . . . . we've been packing the potty. Anna thinks she's hot stuff climbing into the back of the suburban to use her little potty - I'm not so sure but this was my best solution.
Anna's pretty comfortable in the car. She and I have done quite a bit of traveling this month - football games, meat deliveries, doctor's appointments, etc.
Our suburban isn't pretty - we bought it used last summer - but it is serviceable (I can haul meat, kids, meat & kids) and it is paid for (I admit, we're Dave Ramsey fans and intend to make our debt free phone call in the next 6 months). Kurt and I were on our way to Woodward to celebrate our 13th anniversary and we got to watch the odometer turn over 200,000 miles. We'd taken back roads part way so Kurt could scope out a tractor route. I made Kurt slow down and then stop and take a picture - hey, we're on a budget and are always looking for cheap entertainment. Don't know if I can get the picture off my phone but I have proof. Wonder if we'll see 300,000?
I need your help - especially those of you who like to cook. I have many, many cups of cooked chicken meat (either from leftovers or from cooking cooking carcasses after cutting them up). Any great recipes out there - something to use this chicken up? I've got chicken and noodles under control, going to try a pot pie, enjoying chicken tacos and fajitas. Any other ideas to mix it up?
Speaking of chickens, Kurt wants me to mention the great help we've had this summer and how varied they've been. The list includes: our pastor, my good friend and her son, several college students (one we didn't even know, she just came with a friend), a high school kid or two, a newspaper editor (ok, from our local paper), another mom friend and her 3 boys (who had the best time!), Kurt's folks, our girls. . . . And it seems like every time we get worried about help (ok, I worry, Kurt's an optimist, remember), someone new offers to pitch in. With all the good help, our freezers are well stocked and we've decided to offer and end of the season special. If you buy 4 chickens, cut up or whole, we'll give you a grass-fed chuck roast for free.
You have one more opportunity to purchase fresh chicken on October 9. We also have chickens in the freezer and are now offering cut up chickens. I had enough people asking me if we cut up chickens, I decided it was time to give it a shot. I'm getting faster (yes, I time myself) and my pieces are getting prettier (no metric to measure my improvement here). We're now offering several options:
*4 thighs at $3/pound
*4 drumsticks at $4/pound
*4 wings at $4/pound
*2 boneless, skinless breasts at $8/pound
*1 chicken cut into 8 pieces at $5/pound
*back/bones for stock at $1.50/pound
The turkeys are getting a new shelter today. Kurt has cleaned the back porch off enough times (they like to roost there), that he's (finally) ready to find a plan B. I think he's talked the girls into helping him herd them in at night. Allison was a very willing volunteer - she's quickly becoming our chief turkey wrangler. The turkeys have taken to hanging out in the plum thickets over 1/4 mile from the house - I think the grasshoppers are pretty thick there. Last night, I helped Allison get them across the road and then she herded almost 30 turkeys 1/4 mile through the hay field to the yard. We have more turkeys than this but they think they're chickens and tend to hang out near the hen house instead. We're still taking reservations for turkeys if you're interested.
Our layers set a new farm record last week - 63 eggs in one day. Possibly more. The pullets (young layers) are still hiding eggs in the pasture. Farm fresh eggs beat anything you can find in the store.
Kurt is getting ready to take steers to the processor in a few weeks. We've given a deadline of October 5 if you'd like to reserve a 1/4, 1/2 or whole so we can finalize our plans with the processor. For pricing information, see our FAQ's page. We'll have our freezers stocked if there's anything you need through the winter. However, 1/4's won't be available again until spring when there's green grass.
Hogs are getting closer to being ready to process. Since we purchased 3 different sizes of pigs, they'll be ready at different times. We have a few different purchasing options available: 1/2 ($120 + processing) or a whole ($240 + processing), a pork bundle ($100 for various cuts, see our price page) or by the cut (also on our price page). Pork will be a learning experience this fall - hoping we don't add many more chapters to the book on what NOT to do.
We're getting to enjoy some of the pork soon. Kurt turned 40 last month and in a few weeks we're going to celebrate with a pig roast. Originally, we were going to go old school and dig a pit. However, it's been so dry and Kurt would just soon not burn up our pastures so his brother is bringing a large smoker. I'm planning on leftovers for awhile!
We had an opportunity to participate in a tasting party in Pratt last week. It went really well and we enjoyed the chance to visit with people concerned about the quality of their food and how it's raised.
I'm sooo excited - I got a new book in the mail - The Sheer Ecstasy of Being a Lunatic Farmer by Joel Salatin. I've read several of his other books - some are specific "how to" books about poultry or farming and others are just good reads. If you haven't heard of Salatin, do a quick search. When Anna was tiny, Kurt and I had the opportunity to participate in a 2-day workshop where he was the featured speaker. Truly an amazing speaker and thinker.
About to experiment a little this afternoon. We are out of ground beef (again!) and our family will need some before our beef is ready in November. We do have some extra round steak though AND my mother-in-law just happens to have an old fashioned meat grinder in her basement. Do you see where I'm headed? Yep, going to try grinding some fajita strips into ground beef - might be a little lean for a hamburger patty but should work well for dishes that use ground beef. I'll let you know how it goes.
One more mini-commercial. We are in the process of putting together a couple of Christmas samples for $35-$40 that could make a great gift!
Family updates:
Anna has become her daddy's "lil' buddy" since her sisters started school Once or twice a week, Anna goes out to help Kurt, either going for parts, driving the tractor or her favorite, checking cattle.
Natalie has become quite the social butterfly since school has started. Any time we're out and about, someone is saying "Hi Natalie!" Her take on situations is also interesting. Recently, she asked me "Am I getting on your nerds (nerves)?" To which I could only laugh - even though she was!
Allison brought home a recorder on Monday and knows 2 notes. Today, she'll learn a song that uses both! She's very excited (involved in music in several ways) but she has to practice outside or in her room so she doesn't get on my "nerds."
Kurt is halfway through the football season. The team's record is 1-3 but boy can you see the players grow as a team and as young men.
And me, mostly, I've worked this month to keep the balls in the air - farm, business, kids, family, husband, laundry, meals . . . .and only managed to drop 1 or 2 of the balls.
Allison: Mom, why didn't you take me to Bible study yesterday (yesterday being a day we processed chickens, had gymnastics and a football game).
Me: I forgot. . .
Yep, every day provides new opportunities for this recovering perfectionist to remember she's human.
Andi
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