What the heck?

So most of Saturday and all of Sunday was a day of rest for me. I wrote, I read, I made cheese, and made a nice little list of projects for the week ahead. The chores have all been manageable, and last night I made a nice dinner at an early 6:30 rather than the usual 9pm. We finished eating and I tell you I was ready for bed. I forced myself to stay up until 8:30 and then at 8:30 I laid down with a my Western Ridding for Beginners book and by 8:45 the light was off and I was in la la land. Am I getting all senior?

I hear the older you get the more sleep you need? Is that just a crock. Maybe I need to take a nap after lunch, so I can stay up until 9:30 which is practically torture these days. Or maybe I need to shut up and just get this rest while I can. The last few nights we've been playing dominos. and I suppose it might be time to pick up the ol'Martin again and play some tunes. It might even be time to pick up a new hobby like knitting. Naaah

The pups are doing well they are paying more and more attention to the sheep in the next pen. I just go out to feed them and give them fresh water. But I am telling you it is so hard. Still no heat, but the space heaters are doing the trick and everyday I look at Craig's list for a wood burning stove, hoping for a deal I cant refuse. but so far nadda. If we get a couple of private parties I'm in business. But its winter and the belt is so tight its cutting off circulation but that's how its got to be. Hopefull the repair guy will come today and if not I'll call someone else.

Guardians

They don't look like much now but two of these little fluff balls are going to become live stock guardians. We picked them up on Sunday from my friend Judy at HLA acres http://www.oklahomarawmilk.com/ She had read a post a couple of months ago when I was in Coyote hell and let me know she had a litter of pups she had two left and did I want them?

So these are a Pyrenees/komondor mix. Two very strong dedicated dogs that are very fierce but friendly to humans. That's the temperament I need on this busy farm.

They have a way to go until they will be up to the task but for the time being they'll be in with some lambs and I'll have to start working with them without cuddling or playing with them and that is going to be so hard. Can you imagine having something so cute and not being all over its cuteness!?

See, I messed up with my other Pyrenees, they are 6 years old now but as puppies I treated them like my dogs, playing and bonding with them. If they didn't want to be in with the sheep they didn't and that has really hurt me six years later. They do guard the property and they go after anything unusual and if you are a stray dog its not pretty, but they are bonded to me not the sheep. So here is my chance to do it right. From all the articles and I've read about it I might have a fighting chance if I don't get my emotions in the way.

So this is what they will look like in three years!

The pups dont have names yet, we havent really gotten to know them. A few days on the farm and I'm sure they will have chosen their names.

Pumpkin blueberry pecan pancakes with caramel peach sauce

That's right its Sunday! Local peaches, blueberries, bacon and our farm raised, eggs, milk, yougurt! whola! I'm in love with my life!

For the pancakes ( this makes 12 cakes 1/2 the recipe if this is too much).

1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons sugar

1 1/8 cup milk

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

2 country eggs

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup blueberries

1/8 cup pecans chopped

mixy mixy but not too much, a few lumps are fine.Cook as you would regular pancakes.

Caramel peach sauce enough for two

2 cup frozen peaches

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons brown sugar

pinch of nutmeg

melt the sugar, nutmeg and butter together then add the peaches cover and cook on low until peaches are soft and sauce is like hot molten lava you want to roll in!

save some for the pancakes

This might not be somthing you want to eat everyday but on a beautiful fall Sunday after thanksgiving oh yea! A walk might be in order after breakfast followed by a sweet nap!

general report from the farm

I’m grateful for many things but right now I’m most grateful for electric blankets and space heaters. Still no heat and wont expect to see anyone until Monday. So much for planning ahead and calling someone two weeks ago when it was 79 degrees out. But with two space heaters we remained very comfortable. And well the electric blanket is a sure way to get to chores late.

In spite of these last two frigid mornings the greenhouse remains unaffected. I did put fabric covers over the rows and I’m sure that helped to hold the heat and moisture in. I was happily surprised when I opened the door yesterday morning and warm steam came out. Oh thank god! For the last CSA I drop off I was able to harvest about 170 pounds of greens, which were actually the thinnings of crops like broccoli rabe, arugula, boc choi. I couldn’t believe what production I was able to get. Amazing! But because it’s been such a warm fall things are almost too big. When things are small like baby lettuces they can freeze solid and once the temp comes up be completely un-fazed while a mature head of lettuce will turn to mush. I have full grown stuff in there, so I’m a little nervous. But as far as things go I am seriously impressed with winter growing and think I may make a habit of it!

I’ve had some die off however with the lettuce caused by moisture and the heat, nothing I could do about it and it wasn’t unexpected but I will experiment with some other varieties. The next harvest will include baby chard, spinach, kale, mizuna, and more arugula and boc choi. That is pretty exciting! My camembert made and it looks lovely, I’ll wrap it and start the aging process today, so CSA members should each get a wheel of Camembert by Christmas. I think that should make for some happy CSA members!

The goats are really starting to slow down in production. Everyone has a little baby growing inside them so they being the ultra intelligent species on the farm know when they need to reserve their resources and keep warm, I’m getting about 1 and ¾ of a gal a day so that’s half of what I was getting a month ago. We’re milking 6 girls. This is pretty typical for winter, which actually works out perfect as far as what I need for cheese and CSA members without having too much left. The milk is incredibly creamy more than I ever remember it being. I had a glass right out of the chiller from the mornings milking and I thought I had just taken a mouth full of heavy cream! The goats will get dried up Jan 1st so I’ll be working on some aged cheeses to get us through January and February. They kid early march along with the ewes. March should be a very _______(fill in blank) month.

The weather has just begun to act characteristically like its old self. Winter is only now on its way but March seems so close. Time has just been speeding by like a rocket. It’s not even December yet and I’m sitting down making some serous plans for next year. I feel so great about the future right now. Gosh that’s a good feeling. One I haven’t had in a while. And as of right at this moment there are no tragedies to report. There are no failed systems that need to be reworked and as of right now there are no hard lessons to be learned. I don’t know how long this will last so I’m going to embrace this moment with utter delight.

Today will be spent making cheese and tending to greenhouse business, what a beautiful life.

staying warm

I’m sitting in the kitchen the sun is peeking up behind the now leafless oaks. The grasses stand tall, frozen. Both ovens are open and the red glow of the burners makes a nice warm light. The heater is not working. Two weeks ago when we found this out we weren’t concerned but days and a week went by until someone could come out to look at it, unfortunately they weren’t able to fix it and had other jobs ahead of us so here we are 53 degrees in the house, 17 outside. I slept in a couple of layers and stayed toasty in soft clean bed. I count my blessings. I had a deep and joyful thanksgiving and have more blessing than I can count. And 53 isn’t that bad, really.

I do hate being at the mercy of these things, but I find it hard to complain. I know eventually the heater will get fixed a few cold nights and mornings can’t take away the amazing blessings I have all around me. I’ve been watching the John Adams series, I love the show and I love all the details of it down to the black soot flame marks on the walls from the sconces that actually provided light. No light switch, no heater to crank on. That was a lot of work when you think about it, but at the same time I’m so drawn by the self reliance of it all. There is a lot of that I crave deeply.

This is the first time in many years I have not had a wood stove. Several years ago when I lost power for two weeks after a terrible ice storm I stayed warm and was able to cook all of my meals on the stove. I lit with oil lamps and made out quite fine. I had filled many buckets and 5 gal water totes with water. I had to boil water to do dishes. I had to conserve water as well. I had just enough for the animals, I had a lot less animals than I have now so it really wasn’t that difficult. I had been accustomed to heating with the stove so a thing like losing power had very little affect on me. I actually rejoiced in absent buzz of appliances.

I suppose I can honestly say I don’t want to live in a time without refrigerators and modern comfort. I think it’s that I just don’t want to be completely dependent on them. But right now I am. If I lost power I would be out of commission completely. No heat, no water, no way to cook (other than the camp stove). No way to chill the milk, on and on. This dependence worries me. It gives me a great heavy feeling in my heart. I don’t know where this comes from. If its arrogance, independence, fear, past life, what? But I fret over it.

We had intended to buy a wood stove and be heating with wood this year, but I wasn’t able to find one used and didn’t have the funds to buy a new one with all of the piping required. I’m sure next year we’ll be able to, but watching our pennies is of utmost importance to us. So we’ll bundle up and do the best we can. I’m sure the repair guy will come back today before dark and put an end to this crazy meandering on self reliance, or rather increase my obsession of it.

Calamity Jane

I'll never be a Calamity Jane, but sometimes I try to channel a little bit of that brave spirit when I'm faced with some unusual circumstances. I don't hang out in bar rooms or have a need to protect my self in such ways she felt necessary but often times I need to pull out the strong woman card. stand solidly on two feet poised for any action warranted.

The action I use against my adversaries is a solid straight look and a deep wide loving smile. Full of compassion and empathy. That usually does it.

One warm summer day I pulled up to my local gas station to fill the F150, on the other side of the pump was a young man probably around twenty and shirtless. What covered his entire back was a homemade tattoo of the confederate flag with a noose overlaid and the words JUSTICE underneath.

This kid of maybe twenty looked at me and sort of smiled, one front tooth gone, he looked in bad shape, skinny, unhealthy, pail. I immediately felt uncomfortable. Did I look too butch, could he tell I wasn't exactly like him, would he follow me, burn a cross on my front lawn? The fearful thoughts of what this little fellow might be capable of flooded my mind. He has hate tattooed on his back. There was no arguing the meaning.

So I did a really strange thing. I smiled back really big and said, I'm ready for winter! these 105 degrees is for the birds. Is that a border collie? I just got an English Shepherd pup, they're supposed to be good. Suddenly he wasn't 20 he was 9. He loved his little bowe best dog ever. And yea, he's hot. "Air conditioners broke". The conversation lasted 20 seconds. But I walked away in peace.

I live among a diversity of beliefs. I have been very fortunate not to have experienced any ill will waged against me. Times have changed, there are no so called "Indians" that threaten my security as I rob them of their lands and freedoms. In the new world I'm the new Indian, the threat to their ideas and beliefs. I just want to live in peace I want to live apart from man made tragedies of poverty, ignorance and malnutrition. Even if it means pulling out old Calamity Jane once in a while. But seriously, I want her outfit!

A Turkey tale

Several years ago my vet asked me if I would be interested in adopting Lincoln, a broad breasted bronze heritage turkey. He is a pet and I must agree not to eat him. So I met Lincoln and he and I got off to a brilliant start. He was absolutely the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. Later that day we brought him home and he settled right in with our chickens. He was so sweet and friendly and would follow me everywhere. He loved cat food so I would give him little cat food treats every once in a while and he really liked that. He ate right out of my hand.

He didn't like sleeping in the coop with the hens so he would fly up and roost on the roof of the chicken coop. One very cold evening with an ice storm coming my then partner got the ladder out, so she could put him in the coop where he would be warm and safe. She reached up got a hold of him and started to lift him down. They both hit the ground with a loud thump. Lincoln weighed an unexpected 40 pounds! not like our two -three pound hens. That Turkey was huge!

During the summer we had a big birthday party, Buffalo-Fitz was the musical entertainment and put on a great show. Lincoln was roosted on top of the coop and at the right moment would let out a loud gobble or two just like he was part of the band. It was hilarious! But not all was right with our relationship with Lincoln. He had started attacking the ex. At first I thought it was really funny. But then he started attacking kids and dogs and then me. I was hurt. I took this very personally. Yes I could understand him attacking everyone else they didn't love him like I did. But me why would he bite the hand that feeds him?

A little history;

I did remember doc telling me the dogs stayed clear of him and I thought at the time this to be good and also Lincoln once had a kid down flat on the ground and was stomping him. 40 pound turkey stomping a 3 year old sounded hilarious. No so much for the parents watching or the person who has to tend to the wounds on the small now hysterically screaming crying child. That kid will look at thanksgiving dinner in a whole new light. And then there were the cars he began attacking and that's what led to the need for a foster home. A vet clinic is busy and one of those cars will surly bite back.

When Lincoln began attacking me I tried to work with him to no avail. He was clearly unhappy with us. I really wanted to put him in the pot but I made a promise. So I called Doc and we found him a new home. I have never looked at thanksgiving the same way either.

Gobble......gobble