April 2012 - even though I'm a few days late. . . .

I really had most of this newsletter/blog post ready around the end of April. Then I started substitute teaching and now I'm about 10 14 days behind. . . .

April must be one of my favorite months on the farm. Baby calves are plentiful. One of the highlights was getting to watch a calf being born one Sunday afternoon. Kurt saw a momma just about to deliver a few weeks ago and he rushed back to the house to get the rest of us. Five Dales crowded into the cab of his pick-up (we won't be able to do this much longer). We drove the 1/4 mile to the corner pasture and didn't have to wait very long to meet the newest herd member. Back when we calved in January/February, I'd witnessed a calves being pulled but I'm just sure this was the first time I'd ever watched a momma take care of things on her own. Wow!

We've also had several shipments of chicks and one batch of turkeys arrive this month. One chick managed to escape the brooder and survive on her own for a couple days - how she avoided cats, dogs and other potential predators, I have no idea but she's a keeper for sure. It took several tries to finally catch her and reunite her with the flock. Allison was very patient one afternoon but wasn't quite quick enough to catch it. Fianlly, Saturday afternoon, we heard some peeping over by the patio. I managed to scare the little bugger into open county and Kurt impressed us with his line backer skills from high school. The chick went left and then right. Kurt anticipated and tackled her! Thankfully, the chick wasn't crushed or frightened to death and Kurt didn't pull anything in the process.

Spring beeves are just about ready to go - they have been getting fat on this green grass. Kurt will haul them to McPherson on Thursday. We still have a few quarters left. If you'd like to put your name on one, let me know ASAP. By the way, this wouldn't be so urgent if I wasn't soooo far behind!

Last weekend, Allison and Natalie took their rabbits to Pratt to a 4-H workshop. Natalie wasn't too interested in the sessions on breeding or tattooing but fell in love with Snowball, her white rabbit, during the session on showmanship. Kurt helped for awhile but then Natalie was ready to handle the bunny all by herself. That afternoon, she spent lots of time out at the hutch loving on her bunny. Since then, Natalie has not had to reminded once to care for her bunny.

I'm feeling just a little scattered this spring (and running a bit, or a bunch, behind). Three weeks ago, I started a long term subbing position at the middle school. I've enjoyed my time around the students again but am wise enough to know that there is not enough of me to do all these three jobs for any length of time.

When I sat down to start this newsletter, Kurt wanted me to bemoan the fact that it was drying out again. . . that same evening our area was hit with severe weather. Lots of exciting stories and close calls and not quite an inch of rain. We were very thankful that we avoided the hail and damaging winds but know several in the area that did have some damage. (Update 1-2 weeks later. It's drying up again. Not bad yet but when your soil is sandy and the winds blow, rain doesn't last long.)

Not only did the pasture but our garden (which is officially in!) appreciated the rain. I can't explain why but for some reason water that comes from the sky seems more beneficial than water that comes from a hose. I said our garden is in - that's not exactly true. Kurt's got the biggies in but I keep hoping to squeeze a few bean plants in along the fence. We tried lettuce again but it's been a no go. So. . . . .I have several containers on the patio. I started some lettuce seeds there. They're up! Kurt and I have also gotten smarter over the years. Instead of planting all my herbs out in the garden where I'll forget about using them, they're on the patio instead - right near the kitchen. I'm in love with cilantro right now but am anxious to try the basil, oregano, mint, rosemary and thyme! The only thing that would make the patio "perfect" would be new cushions on the patio furniture. I had visions of recovering them for this summer but then reality hit and unless I can sweet talk my mom into helping making them for me, I'm looking for a deal on cushions.

Sunday, I turned the calendar to May (see I told you I was way behind!) and the month looks pretty open. This past weekend was full of state forensics in Salina and Memorial Day weekend is the big reunion weekend here in Protection. Ball practices, graduations and field trips will fill in quickly, I'm sure (and they have!)

Last month saw a few experiments in the kitchen. I made yogurt for the first time and it was a hit - and easy to do. If you're interested in my "recipe," let me know and I'll share. I'm also attempting apple cider vinegar. We've been using ACV with our chicks and the real deal (not the colored, flavored, ultra-pasteurized stuff) is expensive in the store. This one is pretty easy too - shove cut up apples in a jar, cover with water and a cloth and let nature happen. However since I'm not sure what's supposed to happen, it's hard to know when I'm done. All the "recipes" I've seen say taste it to see if it's done. Ummmm . . . don't think so. Maybe I can talk Kurt into being my taste tester. (Update: Not too sure this one is going to work - may have to take a do over.) The one experiment I haven't got to is tallow/beeswax candles. Next month!

For those of you that are planners, we've set the date for our 2nd Customer Appreciation Dinner - September 29, 2012 at the farm. We'll have a similar format to last year but hope to add a few things - maybe some music and definitely a pasture tour. We're also looking for a more exciting name for the event if you have any great ideas.

The fifth grade was at the farm a couple weeks ago. This was the first school group we have hosted and we would definitely do it again. The students enjoyed the day we had planned but their favorite (and anyone who comes to visit) was Yeller. Except for the wind, it was a perfect day. I also think Allison enjoyed showing off the farm and her animals to her classmates. Unfortunately, the first group of turkeys and the pigs hadn't arrived for the 5th graders' visit.

Kurt's still trying to scare up a few feeder pigs for early fall. The two sows that just arrived are due the first of July. Until then, we are well stocked with sausage, beer brats, and zesty breakfast links but are all out of bacon, pork chops, ham and tenderloin. We may go through bacon withdrawl. I know it's a ways off but let me know if you'd like me to put your name on a half or whole hog.

This hot and cold weather has been hard on our broilers. They are doing well but would prefer more consistent temperatures. Our first batch will be ready on/around May 24 - perfect for your Memorial Day barbeque. We still have several left - please email me if you'd like to reserve some. We are also taking reservations for the chickens that will be ready on/around June 15 and June 29. This year we are not planning on offering chicken parts. The past two summers I've cut lots of chickens up, sold out of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and we've eaten a lot of wings and thighs. Not that we don't enjoy the parts but it's not very economical. Instead, this year, if you'd like your chicken cut up, let me know. I'll cut them up and bag them however you'd like. To cover my time and the extra bags, we'll charge $2/chicken to cut them up for you.

I will be headed east on May 18th and will plan on going through Greensburg, Pratt, Hutchinson, Wichita, Lindsborg and McPherson. Email me if you'd like to place an order. I'll be headed to Dodge on May 29th and 30th also.

I'd include family updates but those would probably take me another week to write at the pace I'm going. Enjoy the spring weather!

March 2012

This March is looking much different than last March. It's been relatively wet and there is green everywhere! We know it may still be a dry summer (that's what all the long term forecasts look like) but it's so nice to see vegetation growing. However, the wind has been blowing just a bit - a gentle 20-50 mph.

At Kurt's recommendation, I've been reading The Worst Hard Times by Timothy Egan. I'm only about a third of the way through the book but it's fascinating - I could quote entire paragraphs here but you'd enjoy it more if you read it. It's about the area where we live as well as the Oklahoma and Texas panhandles and into Colorado and New Mexico. Egan writes about the Dust Bowl of the 1930's and the events and farming practices that led to the dust storms. Adding to the history lesson is Kurt's folks. They were born in 1930 and remember the drought and dust storms. Kurt's mom grew up in Stanton County which he describes as "Ground Zero" when it comes to the dust storms. It just dawned on me as I was typing that Kurt's folks would have been just a little older than Natalie before they experienced a green, growing spring. Everything in their first 7-9 years was drought and dust. While conservation practices have changed over the last 80 years, it's not hard to imagine that this land is much better suited to buffalo/cattle than wide-spread tillage.

I'd like to report that the garden is all in except for the warm season plants but alas, it's not to be. . . .there are several rows of onions but that's about it. Kurt assures me that there are still 3 weeks until our last frost date and we don't want to rush thing. Potatoes are sitting in the dining room trying to sprout - next step is to cut them up and plant them. Lettuce and carrots are ready to go just need time to get them in the ground. We've scaled back just a bit this year but are hoping to have great success with what we do plant.

Lots of changes are showing up on the farm. Last fall, Kurt and his dad had an old pond cleaned out - droughts are perfect times to do this work since the water all dries up. This pond is spring fed and is slowly filling up again. In another part of the pasture, we had another well dug so cattle could water in more than one place. Kurt purchased a solar pump that is pretty cool. Right now, he has it mounted on a post and can move it to one of the other wells in the pasture as needed. It's finally starting to sink in that the less time and money we spend on permanent infrastructure, the more flexible we can be. When things can be altered, move or transformed, we are freed from the mindset that "we've spent so much on _____, we've got to use it" - even when it might not work for us in 5 years.

Kurt's corrals are just about done and will be ready if/when he needs them to work cattle this spring. I think the only thing he's purchased new for the corrals is wire. When proofreading, Kurt corrected me and said he's also bought old oil field pipe - key word being "old." Posts have been constructed from an old irrigation system and gates were made from more scrap. Sometimes, it really does pay to let "stuff" lie around until you can use it.

This isn't really quite farm related but Kurt and the "big girls" set the fire pit he got for Christmas. Kurt was in charge of the glue and the girls carried the stones to their daddy. That night, we roasted our hot dogs and marshmallows over a fire. It wasn't quite as idyllic as it sounds. Allison accepted an invite to supper with a friend, Yeller stole at least one hot dog right out of my hand and we had trouble getting the marshmallows just right. Anna decided a raw marshmallow was better than a black one. We're looking forward to several evenings out there this year and plan to incorporate it somehow this year at our customer appreciation dinner in September.

We're about to look like a "real farm" again - well mostly, Natalie claims we don't have a real farm because we don't own horses, and probably never will because of her momma's allergies! Allison bought and brought home two 4-H goats last weekend. She's already plotting and planning. For the first time, she bough does instead of wethers and is trying to figure out how to get them bred so she will have kids here that SHE can sell! We'll get our first batch of chicks next week with another shipment of chicks and a batch of turkeys to follow shortly after. Bred sows will be here in a week or two and cows will begin calving very soon. Hmmmm . . . what else? Oh yes, bunnies! Natalie wanted to do an animal project this year in 4-H - a HUGE shocker! And. . . . since horses are out of the question we opted for rabbits. Thankfully, there is a great 4-H project leader in the area 'cause we're pretty much shootin' in the dark here. I wasn't at the meeting but somehow, we'll be getting a male and a female rabbit. Allison AND Natalie are doing the rabbit project. With a 31-day gestation period, how many bunnies do you think we'll have if we're not careful?

Kurt and I are looking forward to our delivery trip on Monday (today). We've got stops in Greensburg, Pratt, Wichita, Olathe and Topeka. It will be a good time for us to sit and visit since we haven't had much time to sit and plan lately.

It's time to start thinking about reserving chickens for the summer. Fresh chickens will be available on May 25, June 15 and 29, July 13, September 21, and October 5. Even though it seems way too early to reserve turkeys for this fall, it's NOT. I had to turn down about a dozen customers the two weeks before Thanksgiving. We're also taking reservations for Spring beef. Kurt will be taking animals to the processor in mid-May and the beef will be ready the first of second week of June. Let me know if you have questions about ordering a quarter, half, or whole beef.

The 5th grade is headed to the farm in a few weeks. Farm Bureau arranged the field day so that kids can see where their food comes from. The irony is that Farm Bureau won't insure parts of Dale Family Farms and we probably don't use farming practices that they often lobby for. That said, we are really looking forward to our day with the kids. We'll have lots to show them by then and I'm sure they'll have great questions.

Oh, I wanted to mention a couple new products that are sure to be a hit. The first is zesty breakfast sausage in a one ounce link. They come 12 to a package are are great in the morning. The other product we're really pleased with is sirloin cut and ready for k-bobs - amazing!

The second half of this week will be full of soap and candle making. I'll let you know how my beeswax/tallow container candle turns out.

Quick family updates:

The girls: They have been spending more and more time outside this month. Natalie is less afraid of our black lab. Everyone seems to get a long better outside. I think it's because there's more space to spread out and Mom can't hear what's going on. With the daylight lasting longer, it gets harder and harder to get supper on the table at 6 and in bed by 7:30-8:00!

Kurt's been busy tending cattle, working on corrals and picking up my slack.

I've been swamped with high school forensics. We've had several meets this month and a One Act Play to pull together. We're about done for the season except for the state tourney in May.

May this March be full of April showers to bring the May flowers.

February 2012

February is only a day or two shorter than the other months this year but it seems to be gone in such a hurry!

We have been blessed this month with some additional moisture. It's by no means wet, but I've cleaned mud up in the utility room a LOT this month. Still not complaining though. Pastures are not bursting with green, growing grass yet but they look like they want to grow instead of die this year.

Pigs have been gone for several weeks but I still find myself checking the trees for a glimpse of them rooting and digging out there. We're trying to locate a few feeder pigs for this summer. We'll have 3 bred sows show up this spring but that will mean no pork until fall. Our freezer is well stocked with sausage and other pork items for now though.

Kurt and I have sat down with the calendar and made plans for chickens this summer. Chickens will be available on May 25, June 15 and 29, July 13, September 21, and October 5 and will be $3.50/pound before October 5 and $4.00/pound after. Chickens can be reserved at any time. This year we will not be cutting up near as many chickens. If you'd like your chickens cut up, please let me know and I'll do it for a per bird fee.

With the warmer weather, the girls have had a chance to ride the zip line a little more. Kurt still has a platform to build though. Right now, the only way to ride the zip line is to climb on the bed of the pick-up and jump off the cake feeder on the back - check out our facebook page for some pictures. The top of the caker is about 7-8 feet off the ground - I'm too chicken to jump! At least this way no one goes for a ride without supervision.

I've thought and thought the last few days trying to come up with a great farm story. You know one that will leave you rolling on the floor or snorting with laughter. I got nothing. I know I've laughed until I cried this month - I just can't remember why. I'm sure some of them have to do with Anna telling knock-knock jokes but those you gotta see to fully appreciate. Example:

Anna: Knock-knock (it goes down hill from here)
Any sucker who will respond: Who's there?
Anna: Boo
Sucker: Boo who?
Anna: Boo hoo hoooooo! I'm crying. (Her take on a classic)

See what I mean, just not funny in print - you have to be able to see her face. Since I can't crack you up with our antics, I'll share another facet of our weirdness. A like minded friend (who's thinking seriously about getting bees) has agreed that we'll carpool our kids to counseling while they talk through all the "weird" stuff we've subjected them to. We made a big purchase this month - an ice maker! Not a little one for the freezer but a real, deal commercial ice maker. After some serious calculating, we figured we go through 3000 pounds or more of ice a summer. It was one of those dream items we've been watching for. The opportunity to buy a used one presented itself and we jumped on it. Now, when you pick up your chickens or frozen items, you won't have to stop at the Quick Stop first. Instead, you can pick up your ice at the farm.

A reminder that spring bulk beef will go to the processor around mid-May. Cattle need to get fat first on green growing grass. It will be ready for your freezer early to mid-June. If you'd like to reserve your beef before March 15, it will be $1.45/pound liveweight and after March 15, the price per pound will be $1.50. If you received a Friend of the Farm discount postcard, you can always use it on a purchase like this. Go to our FAQ's page for an breakdown of the total price for a full, half or quarter beef. It really ends up being a pretty good deal when you average it out - about $5.25/pound for ribeyes! Bulk beef can be reserved for $100/quarter and we operate on a first come, first served basis.

Our beef and pork by the cut prices will also be adjusting March 1st. Go to our price page on or after March 1st for updated prices.

I'm so proud of the soap I've been making and have had some great feedback on it. Just like there's a huge difference between our meat and what you find in the store, you'll be able to tell a difference between our soap and the detergent bars sold in the store. To give you an opportunity to try a bar, we're running another soap special this month. Place an order for $40 or more and get a large bar of soap to sample - you choose the scent, based on availability.

I'll be headed into Wichita, Greensburg, Pratt and McPherson on March 7th. If you'd like to place an order, please email me by Monday, March 5th.

We're also thinking about making a trip into Olathe in March/April but need to know if there's enough interest. We need to have at least $800 in orders to make the trip. Email if you or friends would like to place an order.

Kurt and I are also looking to start some type of buying club in the Wichita area. We're still looking into what it might look like but we would set delivery dates about every 6 weeks through the end of the year. Instead of making 12 individual stops, we would pick 1-2 drop locations. We would require a minimum total order per drop point to make the trip. The benefit for our customers would be a more regular delivery schedule which allows you to plan your meals/month better. Right now, we're still in the brainstorming phase and would love some feedback - would you be interested? Do you see some other benefits? Potential pitfalls?

Quick family updates before I close for the night. We'll go youngest to oldest this month.

Anna: Her favorite way communicate right now is "sign language." Her most common sign is a thumbs up. Ask her a question about her day and she'll smile and give you a thumbs up (which took awhile to master) and then in case you're confused she'll clarify with "that means good!"

Natalie: I'm so proud of this little stinker! She participated in 4-H days this year! She picked out a favorite book and then read it in front of a crowd (10-15 pages)! This is the same little girl who would NOT sing in front of an audience when she was in preschool. Were you willing to read in front of adults and big kids when you were 7? Me either!

Allison had another great showing at 4-H days. She also shared a reading, played a piano solo and for the first time did a demonstration talk. She did very well, earning 3 blue ribbons and qualifying two events for Regional 4-H Days. One of the highlights of the day though was getting to share the evening with Grandma Billie.

Kurt (ok, a little out of order here) continues to work on his corrals (the project that never ends!) and will go collect our cattle on Friday from their winter vacay spot in the Flint Hills. They've been well cared for but we will be glad to have them home. Kurt's also starting to gear up for the gardening season. It's only taken us 10 years to figure this out but Kurt is much better at growing things (plant or animal) than I am. He has taken over garden leadership and I've pledged to do whatever he tells me to. We'll see how this plan goes - can't be any worse than last year!

Me: Wow! What a month! It's been full of forensics and the farm. Oh and I've been reading - too much! If you want some new perspective and something that generally messes with you, check out "7" or "Interrupted" by Jen Hatmaker or "Barefoot Church" by her husband, Brandon Hatmaker.

Hoping spring comes early with lots of spring showers!

January 2012

Wow! What a month - it's aged us all a little bit - some literally, some figuratively. Natalie, Anna and Allison have all celebrated a birthday since I last wrote. Here's a little puzzle for you - the math teacher in me loves these things. The three girls combined ages is 22 and the two younger girls' ages add up to Allison's. How old are all three girls? Can you solve it? Algebraically? Me, either.

I finally got the DFF store up and running this month. Woohoo! That added more than a few gray hairs on this head. Here's the link: Store Share it with your friends! I'll update it as I add to my soap inventory. I've only listed what's cured and ready to ship. We also have beef sticks, summer sausage, and jerky available in our on-line store. We're sticking with those items that don't need to be kept frozen. However, if we're headed your way or you want to order other cuts of meat, just shoot me an email and we'll get you what you need, just like we have before. Generally, delivery is cheaper than shipping.

Those of you that made larger purchases last year should have received your Friend of the Farm discount postcard(s) in the mail this week. We will continue this program in 2012. If you purchase over $500 in DFF products, you will earn 5% off one purchase in 2013. Make over $1000 in purchases and you earn 5% off two orders in 2013.

In February, we'll be running two specials:

*Buy two summer sausages and get 20% off chicken wings, thighs and/or drumsticks. Remember, chicken has to be picked up on the farm. Perfect combo for a Super Bowl party!

*Buy three sampler sized soaps (.75 ounce bar), get one free while supplies last. Available scents: Lavender, Tahitian Vanilla, Vanilla Select, Rosemary Mint, Ocean Rain, Green Irish Tweed, Bay Rum, Dutch Clover.

In addition to these, I have unscented large bars of soap and Rosemary Mint shampoo bars. Also waiting for Vanilla Oak bars of shaving soap to cure.

Kurt and I had the opportunity to visit with the grade school last week while they celebrated Kansas Day. Kurt shared some of the Dale history in Comanche County - 125 years on the same land. He also had the kids think about how life has changed in the last 151 years (the length of time Kansas has been a state). Then, he challenged the students to think about what's still the same. The kids had great answers and it was a good segue into how we raise our hogs. Then, I shared some about how we've been saving and rendering lard to make soap. We also talked about how pioneers made soap from ashes and lard or tallow. Pretty cool!

Speaking of hogs, our last hogs went to the processor today - they were nice looking hogs! We're trying to scare up some pigs to have ready in August. Otherwise, we won't have halves/wholes again until November. Our freezers will be stocked with pork for awhile but plan ahead if you want a ham for Easter!

Kurt and I took Allison and Natalie to see STOMP in Ark City for their birthdays. Anna was so sad at first to be left behind but she had a great time with Grandma and Grandpa. We knew she would NOT enjoy the drumming - she covers her ears at band concerts or when I run the vacuum. I've caught Natalie drumming several times since the concert. Definitely worth the drive.

We still have a few pre-cut quarters available in you want bulk beef now. Otherwise, we won't have quarters, halves or wholes available until mid-May, after the grass greens up - yes, we are anticipating more rain than last year. After much discussion, prices have been set for spring beeves. If you reserve your spring quarter/half/whole by March 15, the cost of the beef will be $1.45/pound liveweight plus freight and processing fees. After March 15, the price per pound will be $1.50/pound. To reserve your beef, we ask that you put down $100/quarter.

Here is a breakdown based on a 1100 pound beef processed at Krehbiels in McPherson. Please keep in mind these are approximate figures. We weigh our animals when they leave the farm and calculate final price based on that weight.

Cost of beef at $1.45/pound: $1595
Cost of freight to processor: $ 100
Cost of processing based on hanging weight: $ 400
Total: $2095

A half a beef will be approximately $1050 and a quarter $525 if reserved by March 15.

If you have any questions about pricing on bulk beef, please contact me. The drought from 2011 has raised our expenses considerably. We love what we do and are proud to raise good, healthy food for our customers but at the same time, we need to make sure we earn an honest wage.

I will be in Greensburg, Pratt and Wichita on Monday, February 6th and Dodge City on Wednesday, February 8th. Send me an email if you'd like to place an order.

Kurt has been busy this month working on a set of corrals here at the house. He's used old irrigation pipe for the posts. Recycling has saved him a lot of dollars but taken lots of time to cut pipe and weld it back together. He's anxious to have that winter project done.

Allison's month has filled up with basketball and piano playing. Her first peewee game is this Saturday and she's looking forward to it. Allison had a first this month. She took a piece to piano contest. I was so proud of her. She spent a lot of time preparing. Once she got to the performance room, it was like Old Home week. Her judge was Kurt's music teacher from grade school who had given piano lessons to Kurt's sisters. The judge in the other performance room was Kurt's high school band teacher!

I swear Natalie is growing by the day - she's been sleeping and eating more and I'm pretty sure I can see her grow taller while she sleeps. I'm also sure she's getting stronger by the day. Last night, I watched her do a handstand without anyone spotting her! Next thing I know, she'll be walking on her hands!

Anna informs me daily that since she turned 4, she is no longer little. Anna has also turned into quite the little, excuse me, BIG comedian. After she tells a joke she thinks is funny (often a non-sensical knock-knock joke), she'll follow up with "Now that's what I call a joke." We can't help but laugh at this last line. She usually misinterprets this as laughter because of the joke. Anna's current mentor - Fuzzy Bear from the Muppets. Oh yes, I know his name is really Fozzie Bear but I've given up arguing with her.

What have I done this month? I am beginning to master our website program (remember to check out the store!) and am taking a class on Quickbooks, our accounting program. I should have paid more attention in high school accounting - the perfect answer to "When am I ever going to use this?" Autodidactism in action!

In between all this screen time, I get to hang out with a bunch of really cool high school students - the forensics season has begun. I don't get paid near enough to cover my gas and time but these kids are delightful people 96.3% of the time - which if I'm honest, is probably a higher percentage of delightfulness than I achieve most days.

There is rain in the forecast for the end of the week. A good, wet spring would make our farm much more hospitable to life.

Trusting in God's providence,

Andi

December 2011

Where did December go? Or 2011, for that matter. Even though the days seem to fly by, this is down time of the farm. We're down to a few pigs, laying hens and cattle. The days are much shorter so Kurt's in the house pretty early in the evening and we all get to hang out together more. It's also a time of year to work on those projects that get shoved aside during the busier, longer days. For me that means some deep cleaning and crafting - this is the winter the basement storage room is beat into submission and Anna gets a baby book. For Kurt, it means construction begins on corrals here at the house. I swear he has gone through reams of paper, sketching plans and figuring costs. Kurt teases me about my need to plan but I've seen the time and energy he's put into these corrals.

Extra time means more time for food preparation and savoring our meals. We have eaten well this holiday season. Earlier in the month we enjoyed a rib roast, my favorite cut EVER, at the Dale Family Farms Christmas Party. I had a friend ask about this: "Oh, I didn't realize you had a company Christmas party now." Sheepishly, I had to admit we didn't have a "real" party - it was just a semi-formal meal for the 5 of us where we spent a little time reflecting on the year. For clarity's sake, semi-formal at our house means everyone under 10 had all their clothes on for the entire meal. For dinner Christmas evening, we enjoyed a pork tenderloin. Oh my! My new favorite cut of pork!

Another highlight of the Christmas season for us was Santa Claus Day. For those of you residing in less rural areas, Santa Claus Day is where Santa comes to town, usually on the back of a fire truck - no malls out here for kids to go see Santa. There are also sack and 3-legged races for the kids. Everyone under 12 gets a bag of treats with a piece of fruit, peanuts and candy. Another highlight is that Santa Claus Day almost always includes a few carnival rides from Dodge - the "infamous" tubs and a carousel. Kurt remembers back in the day, there used to even be a greased pig contest. Good times! Even though the day was chilly, our girls had a grand time racing around town. Kurt was in charge for several hours while I spent time cozy inside working a booth at the bazaar. We finished up the day with a bowl of soup and a piece of pie.

December has also been good to us in the moisture department. We're no longer exceptionally dry but are now only extremely dry . . . . go figure. We could always use more moisture but the rains we've had since October have been great for the winter wheat, one of our staple forages in the winter. Kurt's much more optimistic about grazing possibilities this spring. However, he continues to remind me that we must be mindful of our native pastures which will take several years to recover. I have vowed to not complain about the mud and am working hard to be thankful every time I sweep up a mess.

I have been busy restocking my soap supplies. I still have several bars of Lavender, Rosemary Mint, and Honey Oatmeal. I've also played with making 1 ounce sampler bars. Over the holidays, I ordered a few new scents: Vanilla Select (a more true vanilla than the Tahitian Vanilla), Dutch Clover, Green English Tweed, Ocean Rain and Bay Rum. A few are more masculine. I intend to have these made and cured by the end of January. I'll also be making another batch of shampoo bars and trying my hand at a shaving soap for Kurt.

By the end of the month, we also expect to have our on-line store up and running. It will be linked to our website and we will offer our soaps, jerky, beef sticks and summer sausage for purchase on-line. We are more than willing to ship these nonperishable items. Frozen meats though will continue to be delivered or picked up on the farm. We've explored shipping our frozen products but it cost prohibitive and moves us away from our ideal of knowing your farmer.

I'd like to remind you that we are equipped to receive payments using PayPal. If this option is more convenient for you, let me know when you place your order. I can email your invoice along with the payment link. There will be a 3% service charger for this service to cover the PayPal transaction fee.

As I write, I'm pretty sure my mom is at home resting after a week of the Dales. Not only did my mom come for a short visit at Christmas, she also took each of the girls for 1-2 nights for special grandma time.

The Christmas season is coming to a close for many of you. At our house though, Christmas-time signals the beginning of the birthday season. Natalie is 7 today (12/30) and the other two will both have birthday s in the next 3 weeks. By this time next month, we will have 11, 7, and 4-year-old girls. All three are very excited about being another year older, although some are a little more cool about it than others.

How do you spend time with your significant other? Here on the farm, we load up and go visiting - not neighbors or family but livestock. Two weeks before Christmas, Kurt and I took a little day trip to check on our cow herd which is wintering in Chase County. It was a tough decision to move them off the farm but it's much more economical to move the cows than hauling in hay. We spent close to an hour with the herd and the ladies are being well cared for. Kurt spent time checking out each cow and watching her walk. Apparently you can tell a lot about a cow's overall health from watching the way she moves. He was pleased with their overall condition and looks forward to bringing them home in a few months. Here's a bit of trivia for you. Know how to check to see if a cow is getting enough protein in her diet? Test the pH of her urine - bet you didn't see that one coming. In case you're wondering how one does that, in case you ever need to perform this feat yourself. You must wait for the cow to pee and then test the wet grass in the area with a pH strip. Waiting for a cow to pee while sitting out in the cold is an awful lot like waiting for a toddler/preschooler when they're potty training - only you can't bribe the cow with M-n-M's. We had to do this not once but 3 times to get a good sample! Twenty years ago I NEVER would have guessed this would become an activity that wouldn't even cause me to raise an eyebrow.

I'm on the road again next week. This time to bring home pork (more bacon!!), jerky and summer sausage - just in time for your Super Bowl parties. I'll be through Greensburg, Pratt, McPherson and Lindsborg if you'd like to place an order. We'll also be in Wichita and Dodge later this month - I'll send out separate emails for those trips.

A few more informational items:

*We have a few pre-cut quarters still available. Holler if you're interested. Once these are gone, we won't have quarters, halves, wholes until late April. We do still have plenty of cuts in stock.

*Kurt will be taking the last of our hogs to the processor the beginning of February. We still have some halves available. Let me know ASAP if you are interested.

Family updates:

Anna: This almost 4-year-old had a big, big first this month. She stayed with my mom all by herself - no momma, no sisters and no hiding under a blanket! She had a great time and cried on the way home because Grandma wasn't coming with us.

Natalie: Between Christmas and her birthday, Natalie is an artistic, crafting fool. She's been making jewelry, drawing, scrapbooking and loving it all!

Allison: Basketball season started this week and Allison's been shooting baskets and watching college ball on TV. She was out the door this morning to shoot baskets but I think that was as much about escaping her sisters as it was shooting baskets. She's also enjoyed testing and refining the homemade zip line. Kurt and I gave the girls for Christmas. By next month, I should be able to describe the finished project. Hopefully, my storytelling will NOT involve any ER trips!

Kurt has been enjoying some extra time with family - both here at the house and by taking helpers on errands with him. He's also trying to figure out where/how to install the fire pit I surprised him with for Christmas. Those that make it out to the Customer Appreciation Dinner in 2012 will get to enjoy it with us. I also think he's been reading up on how to do some cowboy cooking.

Me: I'm sure I could give you a laundry list of what I've been up to but that wouldn't be very interesting and I don't have any great stories to tell on myself. Unless you want to hear about the bear in out front yard. Christmas afternoon I had the house to myself. I looked out the front door and saw the hind end of some animal being chased by the dog. The hide was a dark red and all I could think of was BEAR! BEAR? It's at this point, I need to insert how our oldest was up at 11:30 pm Christmas Eve ready to open gifts. She went back to sleep and everyone was up between 4 and 4:30. Soooo . . . .I was just a bit sleep deprived and had NOT had too much egg nog as someone else suggested. After just a moment, I realized it was a pig in the front yard. Thankfully, it put itself back inside the fence and we didn't have a pig rodeo that afternoon.

I do also have to tell you that I have discovered a new favorite TV show. Kurt and I really don't watch much TV - mostly news and sports. Not much seems worth our time now that "24" is off the air but this show makes me laugh out loud repeatedly during a half hour episode. I mean where else can you hear lines like "I feel like an inverse tangent function approaching an asymptote." And yes, I do realize that by sharing this sentiment, I have revealed what a colossal math nerd I can be.

One more story for the month and I'll call it a night. This holiday season we've played a lot of cards - mostly Crazy Eights, Slap Jack and a new one, I Doubt It (aka, Liar, Liar or BS). I'm anxious to start playing Hearts or Pitch but we've got to start somewhere. Anna's done a great job BUT let me tell you playing with an almost 4-year-old adds an entirely new dimension to card playing - especially when she's on your team and likes to share with everyone what's in your hand. OR draws so many cards she can't hold them so she lays them out on the table. Then yells at you for looking at her cards. The best one though is how she plays Slap Jack. Anna loves the jacks but is a little fuzzy on the rest of the rules. She has to slap the jacks and keep them for herself. She'll let you have the rest of the cards as long as she can keep the jacks in her pile. Her sisters struggle with this - do they make her play "right" or keep all the cards for themselves and duke it out at the end.

May your new year be filled with love and laughter.

November 30, 2011

It sounds a bit cliche', but our November was full of turkeys. Everyone of them found a table for the holiday, though. Well, except for a few who may have escaped and joined the wild turkey flock roaming the countryside. We're not sure if the very white turkeys running with the wild ones belong to us or a neighbor. Kurt figures if they are tough enough to run with the big boys, he's not going to try and re-domesticate them. Honestly, I don't see them surviving much longer. White tends to stand out on a very dead, brown landscape. Almost like they are advertising a free turkey dinner to all the predators in the neighborhood.

I was surprised by the number of turkey inquiries I received less than 2 weeks before Thanksgiving. The earlier you reserve your turkey, the more likely you are to get one for Thanksgiving.

The longer we raise turkeys, the smarter we seem to get. You might say our turkey IQ that first year was somewhere around 60-65. Three years later, we've learned to keep the turkeys off the porch at night and how to scald them without displacing all the water in the scald tank. If I had to self-assess, I'd say our turkey IQ might be nearing 100. . . . there's still so much to figure out.

Watched the weather this morning and Comanche County is sill exceptional. Go us! Oh wait, the weather people meant we're still suffering from exceptional drought. Thankfully, we've received 2.5-3 inches since our customer appreciation dinner but it's still dry and it will take a few years for the grass to fully recover from the stress of this summer. The winter wheat and cool season grasses are growing slowly and it's nice to see a little green. I've made Kurt promise that he won't complain in a month or two if we end up with record snowfall.

We were overwhelmed by the response to our summer sausage - it flew off the shelves! It will be back in stock by the end of the year - just in time for college bowl games and your Super Bowl parties. These ship nicely if you're interested. Also perfect for football entertaining; our all beef brats and beer brats. For those who are a little braver, we also offer a hot link - Kurt tells me they're addictive. I wouldn't know. My first bite produced tears! Or. . . I have some beautiful slabs of ribs if you want to go all out in your entertaining.

A couple of months ago, I officially took over our website. My mom created our site several years ago and updated it as needed. We decided it was time for me to take over and she assured me that it wasn't much different than Microsoft Publisher, a program I always seem to struggle with. I've dinked a little with easy changes. While Mom was here over Thanksgiving, we sat down and went over how to move and add items. Guess what? It's all coordinate graphs - MATH, something I understand! I'm all over this now! If you get a chance in the next month, check the site out. We'll be changing some family pics as well as adding directions to the farm, etc.

I was humbled when after placing an order for gift certificates, a customer wrote "So tired of buying gifts that really, probably don't matter, but I KNOW this one will be much appreciated and used."

Besides gift certificates (for any amount), DFF has several other gift ideas that matter:

*Soap - I have Wake-Up Rosemary, Lavender and Honey Oatmeal in stock. So excited! Before Christmas, I should have Fresh Linen, Vanilla and Unscented in stock as well. Maybe if I get brave enough, I'll share a picture of me in my soap-making gear. It's not quite as scary as the picture I put up on Facebook of me bundled up to do turkeys!

*Samplers - We offer a Grilling Sampler, Country Comfort Sampler, Steak Sampler and the Best of the Farm. Check out our price page to see what all these include.

*Beef Quarters - Kurt and I had a few quarters processed and stored last month - a great family gift!

*Beef sticks and beef jerky are great stocking stuffers!

I'm about to make the people at Krehbiel's chuckle again. I'm going to make Kurt ask for the tallow off the beef he's taking up next week. I know you're thinking, "Andi, what will you do with that tallow?" I'm going to give container candles a shot, of course! I have no desire to go into full-time candle production and will leave scenting them to the professionals but I am curious to see what we can do with our animal byproducts.

Looking for that perfect holiday meal? We have a variety of steaks in stock; sirloin, t-bone, ribeyes, and my favorite, fillets. We also have several lovely pork tenderloins. Or, if you're feeding a larger crowd, we have chicken or beef bones for stock or stew meat - all perfect for great soups!

Kurt will be taking hogs to McPherson next week. Please let me know SOON if you'd like to reserve a half or whole hog. We have just a few left.

I will be through Wichita, Pratt and Greensburg on December 22nd and Dodge on the 12th and 20th if you'd like to place an order for the holidays.

Family updates:

We enjoyed Thanksgiving at home and it was nice to just take it easy after the busyness of turkey wrangling. My mom was able to come for a longer visit and the girls took turns competing for her attention. I can't count the number of times I heard, "Grandma, watch this!" Numerous rounds of Cray Eights and Slap Jack were played and Anna is turning into quite a competitor. However, I don't think she fully understands that the objective of Slap Jack is to get all the cards. When she would slap the jack, she would keep the jack and let her opponent take the rest of the cards in the pile. Oh, and she gets really mad if you happen to slap one of her jacks! Her sisters struggled with deciding if they wanted to enforce the rules with their 3-year-old sister or have fun. Fun usually won out - usually.

The other highlight of our vacation was a trip to the movies. First, it needs to be said we've NEVER been to the movies as a family outside of the county. This was a big, big deal. So, what, you might ask, was worthy of a trip? "The Muppets," of course! If you have any good memories of the Muppets as a child, GO SEE THIS ONE! We all laughed out loud. I must confess Anna covered her ears a few times and claimed I was laughing too loud. Good, clean, family fun. The only downer of the night was that Anna left Cow in the theater. The manager was amazing though. We couldn't go back and look for Cow because the next showing had already started. I did get a phone call after we got home and the manager let me know Cow had been found and would be placed in the mail on Monday morning. Anna's sisters were very empathetic and were generous enough to share their favorite stuffed animals with her while we awaited Cow's return. The celebration was grand when Cow showed up in a box Wednesday morning. Cow and Anna danced and danced.

Allison was great help at the Coldwater Bazaar and she'll get to go again next year. To be honest, I took Allison mostly for back-up - another body to man the table if I needed a bathroom break. She really stepped up though. She helped unload the car, set our table up, made sure displays stayed well-stocked and even made a few sales when I did have to take a break. So proud of her!

Poor Miss Natalie has been a sickie some this month. Actually, everyone in the house has had the stomach bug that's going around - except me!! Natalie was the only one to get sent home from school though. Poor kid was pretty green when I picked her up. She and Anna were both troopers the day even though they were both sick. It helped that we set up an infirmary in the living room - complete with mattresses and TV. Went they weren't getting sick, they thought they were really living the life! In fact, I think the matresses (and TV) stayed out there for 3 days!

Thankfully, Kurt didn't get hit (again) with the flu and the girls were better after Nat and Anna were sick. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to enjoy his early Christmas gift - a trip to Olathe to see his brothers and a Chiefs game. Unfortunately, it was one of the games the Chiefs forgot to show up at. Natalie spent a good part of the game scanning the crowd for her daddy. I assured her it was a good thing Dad didn't make an appearance on TV.

My November has been full of turkeys, soap and prayer although not necessarily in that order. My soap was such a hit at the Coldwater Bazaar that I've been scrambling to make more for Christmas orders and gifts - the soap takes 2-3 weeks to cure so I gotta get on that one! Turkeys - I got to help dress and package turkeys 4-5 days this month. The work doesn't stop there though. It's my job to arrange transportation, etc for all of them. And prayer - there's been regular family and personal prayers but we have also started a Moms in Touch group that I'm so excited about. Several moms and myself spend time each week praying for our kids, their teachers and the schools.

In the busyness of this holiday season, may you find the peace that only the Prince of Peace can offer,

Andi

October 27, 2011

October started on a couple of high notes. Not only did we get an inch of rain but about 70 of you can out to celebrate with us on the farm. To make things exciting, these two events happened during the same weekend. Because it hadn't rained much at all this year (maybe you remember me bemoaning this fact), we really couldn't complain at all. Instead, we did what you learn to do on the farm - adapt and thank God for your blessings even when they aren't quite what you expected. Kurt's brother was able to rent an event tent in Topeka and we had a few other tents up in the yard and all was good. The heavier rains even held off while we had company. Except for a little mud in the house (I knew we laid laminate for a reason!), it was all good. Kurt and I and his family enjoyed visiting with many of you we usually on converse with through emails. Thank you again for coming! We've already picked a date for next year - Saturday, September 29th - and we hope to show you what it looks like after a year of normal rainfall.

The weekend after our party, we headed south to Waynoka, OK, for a field day. Usually, when Kurt and I go to something like this, we find a place for the girls and head out. Our invite though said that children were welcome so we loaded up the 'Burban and made a day of it. The entire day was spent outside and it was a perfect fall day. Kurt will remember to pack a hat next time though - I think his whole head peeled! We had the opportunity to tour an established farm that has been doing what we're trying to do. They're also in the process of including the next generation. It was good to spend the day thinking and visiting - especially since the girls were so well behaved - that might have been aided by Kurt's promise of ice cream on the way home if they were good. Allison, who is drawn to animals of all kinds, has fallen in love with a new breed of pig - Mangalista. Look them up if you need a chuckle. I can only imagine the menagerie that child will manage when she's grown! She has a patience with animals that many adults haven't mastered.

We are so excited to offer summer sausage this upcoming holiday season. We have two varieties available - mild and jalapeno cheese. The 12 oz. sausage runs $5 a piece and we are willing to ship anywhere in the U.S. for whatever it costs to mail the package. Along with the summer sausage, we are able to ship our beef sticks and beef jerky.

Here's a gift idea for the dog in your life - pet jerky! Kurt and I have been smoking strips of beef liver and then cutting them into smaller pieces. Our dogs love it! Yeller has always enjoyed raw beef liver and can eat a pound in about one swallow. This is an easier way to store it and give him a smaller, nutrient dense treat instead of an entire meal.

Our turkeys are pretty much sold for the season. We have a few "spares" but we're going to consider them predator insurance since we still have a few weeks to go. If we end up with any turkeys left, I'll put it out there for those who might interested in one for Christmas.

On November 3rd, I'll be making deliveries to Greensburg, Pratt, Wichita, McPherson and Lindsborg. If you need something, please email me. On my way home, I'm picking up meat and we will have steaks and beef roasts in stock again.

If you or someone you know is still interested in purchasing a quarter or half and missed the deadline, let me know. We will have these available through the winter. You won't be able to get custom cuts - we gave pretty generic cutting instructions that include steaks, roasts, brisket and ground beef. Because of the drought and our limited forage, Kurt decided it would be smarter to go ahead and process some of our larger steers now rather than trying to feed them and maintain condition through the winter. A quarter would make a great gift for parents or adult children.

When I come home next week, I'll also be bringing bacon with me (cue celebratory music). Nothing tells me we're producing an excellent product you want like not being able to keep it in stock! So we can share the love, we will be limiting customers to 4 pounds per family. Also, we have had to feed our hogs more this fall because the forage/weeds we were counting on for feed just didn't grow (too hot and too dry). To help offset some of these expenses, bacon will be $8/pound. This is still a steal. I've been told the "good stuff" in the store is running around $10/pound and doesn't even compare to ours.

If you're not quite ready to commit to a quarter beef which is about 100# of meat, what about 60# of amazing pork - chops, roasts, sausage, hams, tenderloin (oh my!) and your own supply of bacon? A half a hog runs $140 plus $25 freight to the processor. Then, you'll pay processing fees of about $75. A total of $240 for a half - money well spent! We have about 5-6 hogs left and Kurt will take them to McPherson in early December. They'll be ready by the first of the year. We'll save some pork to sell by the cut but won't have hogs ready to go again until August 2012.

One last plug for the holidays and then I'll be done. We also offer beef bundles and samplers if you'd like to give good food but are limited by budget or space. AND, I've been busy making soap this week - Wake Up Rosemary that has a minty scent, Lavender and Unscented. All soap is made with DFF lard, coconut oil and olive oil. I won't make any specific claims but my skin isn't near as dry and Anna's eczema is better since we switched from a commercial bar to homemade soap. Bars are approximately 4 ounces and are $3.50.

I've had fun playing in the kitchen as I've made soap. The tricky part though is working when the kitchen is empty. The initial step in soap making involves lye, a caustic base. Because my kids are kids, it's best for them to be absent during the process. Usually, this means I work during nap time or after bed time. . .. I'm finally catering to my inner chemist. Next month's experimenting involves an oatmeal face bar and a Lava-like bar for Kurt.

Next week, Kurt will be loading out the remainder of our cow herd - they're headed to greener pastures, literally. The cows will be hanging out in the Flint Hills where the forage is much better than anything we have to offer in the county. They'll come home in about 3 months and get ready to calve here in the late spring. The calves will stay all winter and graze winter wheat and other stored forages.

Apparently word travels fast in the skunk community and one of them must have bragged about the free chicken at the Dales. I'm not sure how many skunks we've had the last week but there have been a bunch. it's not uncommon to have predation issues - we've seen coons, possums (ugh!), and many others. Skunks, however, present a unique set of challenges. Thankfully, no one, especially Kurt, has had to take a tomato juice shower - yet.

Last weekend, I was introduced to the wonderful cut of meat called pork tenderloin. Oh. My. Goodness. Unfortunately, only abut half of my crew could enjoy the meal because a stomach bug took up residence at our house. I was nice enough to save some for the sickies but it took willpower. I will have 3-4 tenderloins in stock this holiday season if you want that perfect meal for entertaining.

DFF will be at the Holiday Bazaar in Coldwater on November 19th AND we'll have samples! If there are other craft fair kinds of things that you are aware of, drop me a line. I'd be interested in setting up shop during the fall this year or next.

As I write, Kurt is headed off to his last football practice of the season. WOOHOO!!! I love football BUT I'm ready to eat supper before 7:30! This season has not quite been what Kurt and the head coach expected but good things have happened even if they might not be reflected in the Win-Loss record.

Allison is enjoying her time as a 5th grader. Her last big project was to build a house for a Native American tribe. Definitely a father-daughter project. I can help with these but too often I get wrapped up in what I think the finished project should look like instead of hearing what A wants to do. Kurt's approach is much more constructive. What do you want to do? What do you need me to find? And then if he sees something that is a potential train wreck, he asks a good question or two. Allison's Seminole chicki (sp?) turned out very authentic even if the only people we could find at Hobby Lobby that even remotely looked liked the people in her reference book were Jamestown settlers (including the one, the only, John Smith) and were about 2 inches too short.

Natalie is reading for real! And can read a whole book by herself from beginning to end. WOOHOO!! Going to credit Kurt with this success too. He's so faithful about reading with her after supper. The stories she's writing are also delightful. She's become brave enough to write without worrying about spelling every word exactly right and often relies on her knowledge of phonics. While her words may not be perfect, her stories are!

Anna may be my "last" daughter but over the past 3.5 years, she has provided me with entirely too many firsts - eating tomato leaves which according to Poison Control are slightly toxic, opening child safety lids that were way out of her reach, and most recently, shoving a cheerio up her nose during nap time. It was so high, I couldn't even see the sucker. After my initial moment of panic, I took a deep breath and decided I didn't really want to pay the ER copay if I could avoid it. If we headed to the ER, I'd have to go by myself since Kurt was still sick with the stomach flu. I thought we'd try to self treat, handed her a kleenx and told her to blow. Voila! Who knew I had a future in medicine? Unfortunately, I'm not sure it scared her enough to keep her from doing it again. I gave Kurt credit for the other two's success this month, I think he should take the credit for this one too. Pretty sure the orneriness and desire to push the envelope comes from her daddy and not her risk-averse, over planned momma.

When I wasn't creating back-up rain plans for our party, tending sickies, rescuing preschoolers or making soap this month, I've been tutoring a few students. I love it! I've tutored since high school when my desperate friends would call with their College Algebra questions. This is what I love about teaching - one-on-one interactions sprinkled with light bulb moments - not state assessments, faculty meetings or the myriad of other issues that get in the way of connecting with students through a subject I love.

I've also been enjoying Joel Salatin's new book "Folks, This Ain't Normal." I'm going to have to go back and reread it - there's so much to think about and consider. I may not always agree with everything Salatin writes but he always pushes me to think.

May you and I be aware of our blessings as we enter this season of thanksgiving!