Yesterday late afternoon, a family drove three hours (through rush hour) to pick up the goatie girls. After a long and mostly fruitless search for the right new family for my Nigerians, I am happy to say they will be the future star milkers for a family of seven.
Father, mother and two of the five kids showed up in a Suburban and we toted the girls to the back where the kids had left them some nice fleece blankets (in her favor, the mother never even winced as the girls christened the blankets almost immediately). The son (about 8) was quite smitten with Sage and said that she was "his". I pointed out that she was very shy and skittish (then had to define skittish) and he looked at me very solemnly and said, "Don't worry - I will be so nice to her that she will have to like me."
I couldn't bear to watch them drive away, so I threw the sheep some hay instead. I would have gotten pictures, too, but, darn it, there was something in my eye and I couldn't focus the camera. Sigh.
The sheep have been very quiet (highly unnatural for Norman). I imagine they are trying to keep a low profile, lest another large vehicle pull up and cart them away.
Saturday, June 7, 2014
Friday, June 6, 2014
First Salad.
I've been limping along, trying to ignore my craving for fresh green things, forEVER. Today I put together my first salad from the garden. I almost wept with relief. Waiting for seasonal foods can really stress you...
From left to right: spinach, red mustard, red romaine, lovage, parsley.
Not wanting to waste even the teeniest bit, I nip off the root end of the (millions of) dill upstarts in my beet bed and chop them and freeze them in ice cubes. This, I find, comes in handy when you're looking for a quick zing in your soup. The minced dill is also very nice in my egg salad - on which I've been living for the past week. I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but there is no going back, once you've started growing and eating your own food. Everything pales in comparison, and you can eat with a clear conscience. You know exactly where your food comes from.
From left to right: spinach, red mustard, red romaine, lovage, parsley.
Not wanting to waste even the teeniest bit, I nip off the root end of the (millions of) dill upstarts in my beet bed and chop them and freeze them in ice cubes. This, I find, comes in handy when you're looking for a quick zing in your soup. The minced dill is also very nice in my egg salad - on which I've been living for the past week. I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but there is no going back, once you've started growing and eating your own food. Everything pales in comparison, and you can eat with a clear conscience. You know exactly where your food comes from.
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Squash in a Bag.
You remember me saying that I, once again, had run out of room in my garden? You know, after I decided to cut back and downsize? After I planted all my plants and seeds -- I ended up with summer and winter squash with no place to go! Poor squashies!
The solution:
Thanks to the Pillagers of the Landscape (aka the power company minions), I have mountains of chips. And, while I know it is optimal to wait until they have broken down for a year or more, I was faced with the clock ticking down on planting time. I will put a layer of aged mulch over the top of the raw chips, once the vines start growing. I also put pumpkin, another hubbard and a butternut in the pile o' black gold by the goat barn. I foresee a bumper crop of squashes.
Now to figure out what to do with the dozen tomato plants I have leftover. I think a listing on Freecycle is in order...
The solution:
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| Click to biggify. Hubbard and butternut in back bag. Zukes and yellow squash in front bag. |
Thanks to the Pillagers of the Landscape (aka the power company minions), I have mountains of chips. And, while I know it is optimal to wait until they have broken down for a year or more, I was faced with the clock ticking down on planting time. I will put a layer of aged mulch over the top of the raw chips, once the vines start growing. I also put pumpkin, another hubbard and a butternut in the pile o' black gold by the goat barn. I foresee a bumper crop of squashes.
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| Using what resources I have - an endless supply of wood chips. |
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
I am so bad.
You know - one of those people who bakes crispy, sweet, semi-gooey nummies then refuses to eat them herself, and pawns them off on her friends and neighbors. Sure - she saves her arteries, but is that truly friendship? So far, no one is complaining. In my own defense, I am at an age where the old adage: "Over the lips and onto the hips" is painfully true. And it ain't as easy to get those saddlebags under control.
I tried out two new cookie recipes on the barn crew - a pretty safe bet, as they will consume anything that contains sugar. The more, the better. The first recipe is for a chocolaty, fudgy, non-baked confection that is way more like fudge - with fiber. They are from Taste of Home Magazine. (I am going from memory here, so brace yourself.)
No Bake Chocolate Oat Cookies
2 cups sugar (I did cut it down to a cup and a half)
1/2 cup fat-free milk (I used raw, skimmed)
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (I only had crunchy and it was better than fine)
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
1 tsp vanilla
Put sugar, milk, butter and cocoa in a heavy bottomed, large saucepan and heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla until well blended. Stir in oats and coconut. Put rounded tablespoonfuls on waxed paper-lined cookie sheets. (Right here is where they give you the icing. I think that would be like gilding the lily, myself, but here's the icing recipe: 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, 1 tsp shortening - put in microwave proof bowl and heat until chips are melted. Stir together and drizzle over top of cookies). Put cookies in the refrigerator to set. Store leftovers (hahahaha) in an airtight container. Makes about 3-1/2 dozen.
Next off the baking sheets was a recipe I picked up off a bag of Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Oats. These babies were so sweet, they made my teeth hurt. (Why, yes, I ate one. You don't think I'd send them off without making sure they were safe, do you? What kind of a friend do you think I am??)
Gluten Free Oatmeal Toffee Cookies
from Bob's Red Mill
(Obviously, if you do not have to follow a GF diet, use regular flour and delete the xanthan gum)
1 cup Toffee Baking Bits
1/2 cup granulated sugar (I would suggest 1/3 cup)
1/2 cup brown sugar (ditto)
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 egg
2 tsp water
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 cup all-purpose GF baking flour
1-1/2 cups GF rolled oats
Whisk together dry ingredients except oats and toffee and set aside. Cream shortening and sugars together. Add egg, vanilla and water and mix until well blended. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Stir in oatmeal and toffee bits.
Cover cookie sheet with parchment paper and place rounded balls (small walnuts) of dough about 3 inches apart on the sheet. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool before removing from sheet.
Quite surprisingly, I do not have a photograph of the chocolaty-fudgy-buttery cookies. They seem to have disappeared before I could get my camera out - disappeared down the road, that is. Those babies were not staying in the house!
I tried out two new cookie recipes on the barn crew - a pretty safe bet, as they will consume anything that contains sugar. The more, the better. The first recipe is for a chocolaty, fudgy, non-baked confection that is way more like fudge - with fiber. They are from Taste of Home Magazine. (I am going from memory here, so brace yourself.)
No Bake Chocolate Oat Cookies
2 cups sugar (I did cut it down to a cup and a half)
1/2 cup fat-free milk (I used raw, skimmed)
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (I only had crunchy and it was better than fine)
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
1 tsp vanilla
Put sugar, milk, butter and cocoa in a heavy bottomed, large saucepan and heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla until well blended. Stir in oats and coconut. Put rounded tablespoonfuls on waxed paper-lined cookie sheets. (Right here is where they give you the icing. I think that would be like gilding the lily, myself, but here's the icing recipe: 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, 1 tsp shortening - put in microwave proof bowl and heat until chips are melted. Stir together and drizzle over top of cookies). Put cookies in the refrigerator to set. Store leftovers (hahahaha) in an airtight container. Makes about 3-1/2 dozen.
Next off the baking sheets was a recipe I picked up off a bag of Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Oats. These babies were so sweet, they made my teeth hurt. (Why, yes, I ate one. You don't think I'd send them off without making sure they were safe, do you? What kind of a friend do you think I am??)
Gluten Free Oatmeal Toffee Cookies
from Bob's Red Mill
(Obviously, if you do not have to follow a GF diet, use regular flour and delete the xanthan gum)
1 cup Toffee Baking Bits
1/2 cup granulated sugar (I would suggest 1/3 cup)
1/2 cup brown sugar (ditto)
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 egg
2 tsp water
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 cup all-purpose GF baking flour
1-1/2 cups GF rolled oats
Whisk together dry ingredients except oats and toffee and set aside. Cream shortening and sugars together. Add egg, vanilla and water and mix until well blended. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Stir in oatmeal and toffee bits.
Cover cookie sheet with parchment paper and place rounded balls (small walnuts) of dough about 3 inches apart on the sheet. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool before removing from sheet.
Quite surprisingly, I do not have a photograph of the chocolaty-fudgy-buttery cookies. They seem to have disappeared before I could get my camera out - disappeared down the road, that is. Those babies were not staying in the house!
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Beauty Secrets from the Farm.
Long for the look of bee-stung lips? Want to see stars? Think you have to go to Hollywood for both? Think again. Here's how you can achieve those Julia Roberts lips without a trip to the plastic surgeon.
Take one large hen turkey - approximately 13 pounds, give or take. Add a closed-in space, roughly the size of a chicken coop. Wear no protective gear, other than a pair of gardening gloves. Make a lunge for the turkey at precisely the same time she heads north (this is very important).
Voila! An upper lip the size of a small peninsula and an entire galaxy of stars. Botox my hiney.
I decided to save us all the pain of viewing that selfie, and will leave you with this thing of beauty instead (I did promise a daily photo - but I didn't promise it would be a GOOD daily photo):
I finally managed to find a hanging plant that meets all my (rigid) criteria: beauty and sustainability and function and drought resistance. A small local grower had this lovely strawberry plant with beautiful dark pink flowers - which evolve into luscious berries.
Take one large hen turkey - approximately 13 pounds, give or take. Add a closed-in space, roughly the size of a chicken coop. Wear no protective gear, other than a pair of gardening gloves. Make a lunge for the turkey at precisely the same time she heads north (this is very important).
Voila! An upper lip the size of a small peninsula and an entire galaxy of stars. Botox my hiney.
I decided to save us all the pain of viewing that selfie, and will leave you with this thing of beauty instead (I did promise a daily photo - but I didn't promise it would be a GOOD daily photo):
 |
| Notice the professional way I place my shadow right across the main image? Ansel Adams, eat your heart out. |
I finally managed to find a hanging plant that meets all my (rigid) criteria: beauty and sustainability and function and drought resistance. A small local grower had this lovely strawberry plant with beautiful dark pink flowers - which evolve into luscious berries.
Monday, June 2, 2014
Her spot. An update on Lovey.
Lovey is fitting like a glove on a hand. Even the cats now tolerate her cold, wet nose in rude places. Mostly. She and Scrappy get along well, both stealing each other's chewy bone - since we all know the other guy's is always so much better....
And then, there is the sofa.
Apparently, one SIDE is better. Or so thinks Lovey.
She had a few firsts this past weekend - first siting of a cow. First close up of a chipmunk. My farmer's cows (along with a relieved Jasmine, Alice and Rosebud) are now out on the pasture - up to their udders in nice, green grass. This makes for a bucolic sight as we walk along the road to the farm. While the cows no longer strike terror into the heart of Scrappy (unless they are on the wrong side of the fence), Lovey reacted as if aliens had abruptly landed in her world. Tail between the legs, ribbon of fur upright along her spine, Velcroed to Scrappy and wanting very badly to be heading in the opposite direction. Then the cow bellowed and that was that. She led the way as we were catapulted towards home.
Chipmunks, however, are a lot more fun. There was a cheeky devil that sashayed across the deck while we were all out enjoying the sun. He ran under the woodpile and Lovey spent a busy 20 minutes trying to unearth him. This seems to be the Year of the Chipmunk - there are tens of them darting about, little buggers. I am hoping that I am able to beat them to my strawberries, but the odds in my favor are not looking good.
And then, there is the sofa.
Apparently, one SIDE is better. Or so thinks Lovey.
She had a few firsts this past weekend - first siting of a cow. First close up of a chipmunk. My farmer's cows (along with a relieved Jasmine, Alice and Rosebud) are now out on the pasture - up to their udders in nice, green grass. This makes for a bucolic sight as we walk along the road to the farm. While the cows no longer strike terror into the heart of Scrappy (unless they are on the wrong side of the fence), Lovey reacted as if aliens had abruptly landed in her world. Tail between the legs, ribbon of fur upright along her spine, Velcroed to Scrappy and wanting very badly to be heading in the opposite direction. Then the cow bellowed and that was that. She led the way as we were catapulted towards home.
Chipmunks, however, are a lot more fun. There was a cheeky devil that sashayed across the deck while we were all out enjoying the sun. He ran under the woodpile and Lovey spent a busy 20 minutes trying to unearth him. This seems to be the Year of the Chipmunk - there are tens of them darting about, little buggers. I am hoping that I am able to beat them to my strawberries, but the odds in my favor are not looking good.
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Taking the bait.
Carolyn over at Krazo Acres, has dared her readers (who are bloggers) to join her in posting a blog a day during the month of June. Since I have been feeling a vague sense of slackness (and it has nothing to do with gravity or middle-aged-ness), I am seeing her challenge and raising her a pic a day! So, if I bore you to tears by the end of the first week, we can blame it on Carolyn...all my bases are covered.,..
Today, the first day of June, is perfect. It is picture perfect. There is not a cloud in the sky, it's not too hot, the humidity is low, the biting insects haven't found me yet. (JINXED) After enjoying the ambiance of the last Firehouse Breakfast with my parents, sister, and great friends C and M, the family part of the group came back to the LLF to inspect my garden, scritch sheepies, admire the dogs, and sit on the deck under the lovely blue sky. It was also an opportunity to commandeer my sister into helping me put my dining canopy together (on deep discount at our local feed/farm store). This will allow me to enjoy my deck all summer. It's fabulous! My sister is a great one off of which to bounce ideas - she has much more focus. We bantered for a while and I figured out how to anchor this baby down, so that it doesn't end up in the sheep paddock with the first gusty day.
After they left (all too soon), I cinched my belt, pulled up my BGPs and dragged out the collapsible table (another deep discount find). I poured myself an hibiscus herbal iced tea and commenced to skirt the most recent fleeces (fleeci?). Other than the amount of vegetable matter (I'd say a half-bale of hay), they were in pretty good shape.
I am in awe of the great amount of talent and knowledge that some of you have when it comes to all things fleece. I am not in your class by a long shot. I look at fleece and fiber like I look at art - I may not understand it, but I know what I like. I am extremely fond of Juno's fleece - she's gone from solid black, to a wonderful blend of black, brown and grey. And the lanolin! A definite benefit from skirting three large, lanolin-y fleeces is a pair of soft hands.
Lots more went on this weekend, but I am going to stretch it out and squeeze every last bit of drama over the week. And remember - if you're snoring in your tea whilst reading this blog by Friday, it's Carolyn's fault... :)
Today, the first day of June, is perfect. It is picture perfect. There is not a cloud in the sky, it's not too hot, the humidity is low, the biting insects haven't found me yet. (JINXED) After enjoying the ambiance of the last Firehouse Breakfast with my parents, sister, and great friends C and M, the family part of the group came back to the LLF to inspect my garden, scritch sheepies, admire the dogs, and sit on the deck under the lovely blue sky. It was also an opportunity to commandeer my sister into helping me put my dining canopy together (on deep discount at our local feed/farm store). This will allow me to enjoy my deck all summer. It's fabulous! My sister is a great one off of which to bounce ideas - she has much more focus. We bantered for a while and I figured out how to anchor this baby down, so that it doesn't end up in the sheep paddock with the first gusty day.
After they left (all too soon), I cinched my belt, pulled up my BGPs and dragged out the collapsible table (another deep discount find). I poured myself an hibiscus herbal iced tea and commenced to skirt the most recent fleeces (fleeci?). Other than the amount of vegetable matter (I'd say a half-bale of hay), they were in pretty good shape.
Norman
Linden
Juno
The set-up
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| And, yes, that is an (air) rifle in the far right corner. Damn groundhogs. |
I am in awe of the great amount of talent and knowledge that some of you have when it comes to all things fleece. I am not in your class by a long shot. I look at fleece and fiber like I look at art - I may not understand it, but I know what I like. I am extremely fond of Juno's fleece - she's gone from solid black, to a wonderful blend of black, brown and grey. And the lanolin! A definite benefit from skirting three large, lanolin-y fleeces is a pair of soft hands.
Lots more went on this weekend, but I am going to stretch it out and squeeze every last bit of drama over the week. And remember - if you're snoring in your tea whilst reading this blog by Friday, it's Carolyn's fault... :)
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