Wandering Moose Farms

Homemade bread can be taken for granted

2012-02-01T10:33:00.000-08:00

It becomes very easy to take things for granted. When I lived in Connecticut, I took for granted that I could get a pizza delivered to the house at one o’clock in the morning. I also took for granted that that pizza was going to be a thin, New York style pizza with fresh mozzarella cheese and fresh basil with marinara sauce that did not come directly out of a can.

When I moved back to Vermont I realized that I would be giving up some of these conveniences in order to live in a rural setting with fresh air, no traffic and the opportunity to see more than two stars each night.

Now that I have been making fresh wholesome meals for me and my family, I had taken for granted the sheer delic-ee-ousity of homemade bread. I make bread twice or three times a month for DH and I. Additionally I make cookies, rolls, pies, cakes, etc. as need or desire warrant. This weekend I had made fresh bread for the week and tried a new recipe for crusty rolls (like the kind I could get at any deli in Fairfield County, CT or Westchester County, NY; but you can’t find anywhere in VT).

While we were waiting for the rest of dinner to cook, DH and I broke into the still warm loaf of wheat bread resting on the counter. I had taken for granted how fantastically delicious a slice of warm, fresh baked bread with a slab of butter can be.

I ended up eating less dinner and I now have to make more bread for this week.

Dreams of things to come

2012-01-25T18:35:00.000-08:00

I thought about what great things we will grow this year as I walked beside the prize winning entries at the Vermont Farm show earlier this week. With the weather being unseasonably warm and the packages of seeds arriving almost daily, it was hard not to start cleaning out the greenhouse and heading to the farm store for seed starting mix.

It is always exciting to receive a package in the mail and this year more than most as I try to remember exactly what was ordered and from which company in between the fog of 3:00 a.m. baby feedings and the pile of new seed catalogs from new seed suppliers, some organic, some for feed seed, some heirloom so that seeds can be saved for next year (don’t tell Monsanto), and some with specialty products that you can’t get from the place you have used forever.

This year the search for seeds started while lying on the couch growing the next generation of farmer. The company we have been using forever has increased their seed prices more than twenty percent on several of their products. We have always been happy with their seeds, germination rates, flavor and production but their prices are getting too much for this fledgling farm to support. So the exploration began. Blog perusing, book reading, garden forum lurking, list surfing, etc.; new companies were located and catalog requests were completed. Next year I hope to do much more online seed shopping, but knowing I would have a brand new little man occupying much of my time and my train of thought this year, I requested paper.

Dear husband and I went through each catalog marking varieties we wanted to try, some brand new and others which were tried and true; a couple new flowers, some new varieties of melons and seed to grow food for this year’s pigs and with any luck a new venture with another furry creature as well. Between feedings and doctor visits and mom’s subsequent hospitalization, we managed to get them ordered.

Visiting the farm show, opening plain brown boxes and envelopes containing bright beautiful packages of seed, and lovely warm weather have inspired dreams of the farm and working outside this spring and summer. Much work remains to be done this winter on the apple trees and acquiring materials for new raised beds, expanding the greenhouse and new farm buildings (the temporary garage blew away in a windstorm while I was in the hospital with our new son). Each dream remembered adds another project or great flower idea to the ever growing list of things to research or buy. We were even discussing an ATV or perhaps a bigger tractor, although, this particular model might not be in the budget for this year.

37 days & Two new roosters

2012-01-23T20:00:00.000-08:00

37 days ago my son arrived. Life has been a ball of wonderful, frightening, emotional, joyous, tearful, scary, thrilling, tender, amazing moments.

Today we welcomed a leghorn and a leghorn/bantam cross rooster to the flock. 40 degree weather today had me wondering if we shouldn't be firing up the incubator now. Just like the seeds that came in the mail, they will have to wait for the change in the calendar and not just this short reprieve of warmer weather.

These are exciting times on the farm! I know that this year is going to bring about great things!

'Must Have' Technology, Handmade, Recycled...

2011-11-21T12:27:00.001-08:00

For the past 20 weeks I have been on bed rest growing the next generation of northern Vermont farmer, I hope! Since I do not sit still well, I have spent much of my time crafting, knitting, crocheting, and planning next year’s farming projects including pigs, expanding the greenhouse, vegetable garden, etc. Before I turned the computer on this afternoon I was working on a sweater which I hope will be a well received holiday gift. Last week I finished one for my sister-in-law and I have also been working on a couple of items which will keep my son cozy and warm this winter.

As I lie here knitting with the television on in the background, I am amazed by the onslaught of marketing messages for ‘Black Friday’ deals and Thanksgiving sales. Perhaps I have always been working or I hardly ever have the television on so I have never noticed the insanity with which the advertisements come flying out at you. Knitting the next row, I laughed out loud at the woman in the hideous red jogging suit training for the ‘Black Friday’ madness. The morning news show I was watching while I ate my breakfast was discussing the ‘must have’ technology items for this holiday season. There was a time when I couldn’t leave the house without my car keys, my wallet and my cell phone. Today, I don’t own a functioning cell phone.

The other day we received a package via traditional, non-express, non-overnight delivery from the U.S. Postal Service. Hard to believe, I know! Inside that package was something for the baby; however, it didn’t come from any store. Inside was one of the most useful of handmade gifts – bibs. These were no ordinary bibs; however, they were made from boring, inexpensive, white washcloths. One corner was removed and a tie was sewn on using multi-colored bias tape. The bib protects from spills, wet the washcloth and clean up baby boy and his high chair, then throw the whole thing into the laundry. The usefulness of this simple gift which took some time and a little sewing ability was worth far more that that ‘must-have’ technology item from the store with the whacko woman who has been training for over a month now. Many of the clothes that we have received for the baby have been recycled either directly from family or at a tag sale. One of my favorite gifts is a plain, off-white blanket embellished with baby patches and appliqués, not available at 12:01 a.m. Friday morning in any chain store.

This year's holiday gifts are all either handmade or recycled; knitted sweaters, homemade jams, jellies and pickles, and if the baby is late - homemade cookies are an annal favorite. Yarn for a crocheted scarf and a cookie jar, which are wrapped and waiting for the holidays, came from box lots at local auctions this summer. Maybe after 'Black Friday' that woman spilling frosting all over the floor will realize that holidays are for being thankful and spending time with family and friends. Giving gifts is not saved only for holidays; being thankful for all that we are blessed with and sharing it with others should happen each and everyday!

Irreplaceable baking tool

2011-11-17T12:56:00.001-08:00

My paternal grandmother was not a great cook; she had several basic meals that she prepared which I thought were delicious, and since have learned differently. While they were not going to win any awards for flavor or presentation, they were good, hearty, stick to your ribs meals which would keep you going throughout the day’s hard work until time for the next meal. The one thing that she did make which I could never get enough of, were her incredible dinner rolls.

As soon as I was tall enough to reach the counter of the antique baking cabinet (which I rushed into by using an old milking stool), I was allowed to sink my hands into the warm, silky soft, floured dough and help shape the rolls for their last rise on special occasions such as a holiday meal or my grandfather’s birthday dinner. She used two pieces of baking equipment which I consider irreplaceable in the baking process, a stoneware bowl and an old fashioned baking cabinet.

When I moved back to the family farm, the baking cabinet remained in the kitchen. I don’t know that I ever remember my grandmother keeping flour and sugar in the sifters, but I remember rolling out lots of dough on the enamelware surface. Today, the flour sifter is full and used almost daily for bread, pie crusts, cakes, gravies, or any other recipe which requires the white fluffy powder. The sugar sifter remains unused as I think it stays fresher when stored in a sealable container. Summers keep the enamelware counter full of freshly baked pies or breads bound for farmers market. Dough for the loaves of bread rolled onto that counter came from one of the several stoneware bowls which I have acquired over the years at various yard sales and antique stores.

I have scoured antinque stores, online auctions, yard sales, and some very obscure little stores in the middle of rurality looking for my own baking cabinet only to discover that several hundred pie sales will be required before I am able to make that acquisition. In the meantime, I will cherish the memories of four-year-old Jen, perched on a wobbly milking stool, shaping dinner rolls with my grandmother each time I roll out another pie crust or knead another loaf of bread.

Piggles

2011-11-16T14:04:00.001-08:00

The farm started looking more like an actual farm becoming home to its first livestock in more than 40 years this fall. Bacon and Pork Chop arrived on the farm from a dog crate in the back of a minivan. So began the journey into swine.

It started with a facebook posting from a friend who said he would have piglets soon. Salvaged fence posts, chicken wire, roofing paper, pallets, an old tarp, and some insulating plastic were collected and assembled into a pig pen and shelter in a fairly dry spot across the driveway. A washtub for a feed bucket and the bottom of a chicken feeder for a water dish, we were ready for our swine right after the last powwow.

The pen worked great for the first few weeks until the piglets got bigger, more curious and apparently that much hungrier. Under the side of the fence and through the tar paper, they came across the driveway, behind the garage, and took up residence underneath the back porch of the house. Two hours later with a little elbow grease, some persistence, some more cunning and then a lot of squealing the two pigs were securely back in their pen.

Then there was the rain and a lot of it. Our fairly dry spot was filling up with water and each day was a losing battle to reinforce the sides of the pen against the rooting swine. Not that I blame them, I wouldn’t want to sleep with my head in a pile of wet muddy hay either. We tried several quick fixes and none of them drained the water from inside the pen; it was looking like this was going to be some expensive pork if we had to start over or purchase a shed to house them for the remainder of fall. Finally, a relative break in the weather combined with a visit from my stepdaughter. The three of us together with the tractor, backhoe, some PVC pipe, shovels and two loads of muddy laundry; the drainage problem in the pen was solved with no escapees.

Now approaching 125 lbs each, the piggles are getting bored in their pen and are starting to look for a way out again. Bacon and Pork Chop are freezer bound around the first of the year at about 160 lbs each. While it is the perfect size for starting pigs, our salvaged materials pig pen will not be sufficient to house two full size sows or a sow and boar. We have already started salvaging additional materials to build a larger enclosure, with better fencing, for the spring pigs. We learn something new everyday on this farm, in the meantime we wait patiently for cooler weather and a freezer full of our own farm raised pork.

Slow-Cooker Success

2011-11-04T11:29:00.000-07:00

I am a huge fan of the slow-cooker – dump in a pile of ingredients the night before, remove it from the refrigerator in the morning, set the cooker on low for 10 hours and when you get home from work, not only does the house smell delightful, but you have a delicious, wonderful and often nutritious meal waiting.

This was not always the case. For years I thought that the only thing that could come out of a slow-cooker was a grayish-looking, meat-like substance which once resembled chicken or beef – Forgive me, Mom. She cannot be blamed for the shortcomings of her early slow-cooker meals. The slow-cooker, or Crock-Pot® as many of us know it, was introduced to America in the early 1970’s. It was a gift from the heavens to those working and single mothers who came home tired from working all day only then to have to cook a meal for their eagerly awaiting children. When it was introduced, however, I don’t think sufficient re-education was provided. Slow cookers retain much of the moisture which is present in the item being cooked; it is rarely necessary to add additional water or broth. This was contrary to how many generations had been taught to cook.

Much of my cooking instruction came from my mother, including how to use my Crock-Pot®. I don’t remember exactly when I was taught or read that additional liquid didn’t have to be added to my culinary creation in order for it not to burn; but today, unless I am making beans, soup or chili, I rarely add any additional liquid. The meat simmers in its own juices rendering even the toughest cut of chuck into a delectable slow roasted delight.

I need to thank Jenna over at Cold Antler Farm for reminding me that I can use my Crock-Pot® to slow cook my tough old laying hens. For several years I have been boiling them in order to de-rubberize the meat so that it could be used in a casserole or chicken and biscuits. Recently Jenna posted about slow roasting her old hens, de-boning the meat and using it in a pot-pie. The light bulb went on and I thought to myself, especially since it is fall and we are culling our non-layers to make room in the coop for winter, duh – I could be doing that too.

Two days later, out came the slow-cooker and in went one of the old frozen hens marked for stewing. That afternoon the de-boned meat went into a chicken, cheddar and rice casserole. Dinner was met with rave reviews and – “Wow, you can actually chew the chicken this time!”

Thanks again, Jenna!

So many projects, so little time

2011-10-25T08:45:00.000-07:00

Do you ever get the feeling that when you start one project that you end up doing six others before you start the project you had planned on doing first? That seems to happen all the time here at the farm.

The Farm is Still Here!

2011-10-24T12:05:00.000-07:00

Spring flooding and torrential rains haven’t washed us away. A drier than usual summer hasn’t managed to blow us away. Even hurricane Irene didn’t manage to budge this small farm from its foundation. So, then why haven’t we heard from Jen?

April was progressing really well, even though mechanical troubles with the van and tractor slowed our progress. Several projects had at least gotten started and we managed to hatch 17 of 33 eggs in the incubator. Even my passion for cooking was alive and well. All that, however, changed during the third week of April. Perhaps it was a spring cold, perhaps it was a stomach virus, perhaps I was just plain over tired…

NOPE!!!

Several expletives later I emerged from the bathroom with a thorough understanding of the causation of my recent medical issues. Doctors appointments were made, ultrasounds completed and all the while the spring projects continued at the farm – and then Jen slept.

Christmas trees arrived – DH dug holes and planted several hundred trees a day. Jen planted 100 then went and slept.

In mid-May the brooder box for the new baby chickens was built – then Jen slept. DH moved the babies into their new home and subsequently out to their chicken tractor. In September they joined our regular flock of layers in the chicken coop.

All of the transplants were ready in the greenhouse in early June – Jen didn’t even try to plant them in the garden; she came home from her regular job and slept. DH started the garden and did his best throughout the summer to keep it producing.

They say the second trimester is always better – something to look forward to!

The fourth week into the second trimester Jen went to the emergency room - thankfully nothing was wrong with the baby! Jen, on the other hand, was relegated to bed rest just 16 weeks into the pregnancy.

DH has been doing everything he can to keep up with the farm while taking care of me. I can help with small household tasks like laundry and dishes but the lion’s share of the chores have fallen on his shoulders. The baby is doing well despite its mother’s difficulty and the farm continues to produce despite the lack of attention.

Thanks for hanging around for this first year of blogging – it should get much more interesting with the new addition to the family!!! So far he is scheduled to arrive just before Christmas.

Grilled Tomatoes

2011-04-24T01:38:00.000-07:00

The weather has hinted at being a little bit warmer lately and my thoughts are turning to fresh garden vegetables. In their absence, I must resort to that which comes from the grocery store. DH and I use our grill all winter long, but the fresh steak and grilled tomatoes from the grill last week was just delicious.

Grilled Tomato Ingredients

Vine Ripe or Plum Tomatoes - or whatever is fresh out of the garden later this summer

Mozzarella, Parmesan, Cheddar, Pecorino (or other favorite) Cheese

Salt & Pepper

Olive Oil

Garlic

Preheat grill, spray rack with cooking spray

(be careful it will flare).

Slice tomatoes in half, season with salt and pepper - grill on both sides till almost tender.

Place sheet of aluminum foil on other half of grill - or if you have one of those vegetable holders for the grill that will work too - add some olive oil and garlic.

Place tomatoes skin side down onto foil/holder.

Top with shredded cheese - close grill cover, cook for 1 - 3 minutes until cheese is melted.

I suggest tongs to remove tomatoes, it also helps them hold their shape so they don't fall apart.

Depending on the thickness of your steak, you can use 1/2 of the grill to cook the tomatoes and the other half to cook your steak. Of course these go great with pretty much anything or even sandwiched between two slices of crusty italian bread by themselves.

Steak, haricots verts and grilled tomatoes - not bad for a healthy meal!

Weather woes, project delays

2011-04-23T01:28:00.000-07:00

Spring in Vermont is full of unpredictable weather. In 2010, it snowed on Mother’s Day, almost 10 inches. In 2007 it snowed on Easter and in 2006 it was over 60 degrees they day after Valentines Day. 17 of the first 22 days in April have had temperatures below normal and 14 of the first 22 have had precipitation. It has put a damper on the spring projects around here. I have managed to get seeds started and while slow to sprout with the below normal temperatures, they are finally poking through – definitely need to include some supplemental heat in the plans for expansion later this summer or next spring.

Several of my projects include repair and painting. My grandparents had two beautiful wood and iron benches. I don’t know the story behind them, but they are heavy, solid (save for a couple of missing bolts) and both of them unique in the ornate details. One has been in the garage since before we moved in, in 2006. As we were cleaning out a spot for the chicken brooder (which I still haven’t started) I decided that I would start with this one. I started out gung-ho in the latter days of March as temperatures finally rose to the mid-forties; removed all the wood from the iron frame, sanded it all down and applied the first coat of stain. I have tried once since then to apply polyurethane to the wood portions of the bench only to have it bubble and then dry unevenly. This project remains in the garage waiting for two or three days of forecasted good weather.

Another project DH has tried to complete remains in pieces. This is a garden cart we picked up as part of a package deal, final cost of about ten dollars. It needs some support, some metal patching, a new tire, a good sanding and some fresh paint. This may seem like a lot of work, but it is a very useful tool. New tires were ordered, which didn’t fit. The search is on for a piece of pipe to replace the current axle so that the new tires will fit. If we are not successful this week, the tires will be returned and new tires purchased from a store a mere 50 miles away. Weather has also hampered DH’s work on the cart as paint and epoxy sealer do not dry on wet rainy days.

We did purchase an incubator and added the eggs on Wednesday. Now I have to get the chicken brooder done otherwise I will have no place to put baby chickens in eighteen days. The chickens are scheduled to arrive at about the same time as this year’s Christmas tree transplants. Weather permitting, we might have the old pasture prepared in time.

Farm equipment - today success, tomorrow...

2011-04-18T02:48:00.000-07:00

Lawn equipment, tractors, backhoe’s, splitters, chainsaws, etc. are all valuable pieces of equipment for the small farmer. They are loud, they often smell a little, they require yearly or more frequent maintenance; and they make our lives that much easier. Making efficient use of the time I spend around the farm is essential. Working off the farm to make ends meet means less time on the farm working toward that self-sufficient lifestyle I yearn for. To be able to stay home and work hard for myself and my family is the end goal of this adventure. My equipment allows me to keep the grass in check between the Christmas trees, clean up errant dead wood for boiling maple syrup, cut some cedars to make raised beds, trim and prune fruit trees, carry soiled hay to the compost pile and so much more. Without these machines, I would not be able to get nearly as much done in four hours per day.

Having these machines to make our lives easier sometimes comes with a price! The tractor just returned from having its hydraulic system repaired (they still haven’t sent me the bill – it must be REALLY bad!) and the other equipment is migrating across the dooryard to the garage for spring maintenance. Change oil in push mower, drain old gas, add fresh gas, check spark plug and air filter – done. Pull cord – VROOM. A battery is required to keep the riding lawn mower running so we will grab that in our travels this week. The chainsaw will need a new chain soon, but appears to be running well. The weed whacker runs, but needs something, we will have to look into that as the grass gets taller. Things were going really well…

Somewhere in my educational process, my father, grandfathers, uncles or someone, taught me how to read schematics (blueprints); for that skill, I will be forever grateful. We took the push mower out to trim the lower field of Christmas trees – pull cord – sputter, die. OK, prime it a little, pull cord – sputter, die. OK check the spark plug – no spark – it is brand new – GRRR. It could be the coil (DH suggestion), maybe it isn’t getting enough air or too much gas, maybe it is the carburetor (my suggestion). We are over thinking this. Inside to get the manual which I cannot find anywhere. Thank you Internet! Download and save manual in two places. Try all the trouble shooting options – check spark plug, fresh gas, air filter – yep already done that. Head back out to the lawnmower and notice a frayed cable. Back inside to the manual, follow schematics down to switch which controls fuel to engine. Back outside to lawnmower – DH holds switch manually while I pull cord – VROOM. Jerry/Jimmy Rig fix so that lawnmower will run – head back to the Internet to order replacement cable.

“Hun, while we are ordering parts, can we look at the hand held brush hog? I think it needs a new throttle cable…”

Even though the parts come with a price, it is so much more efficient than cutting four acres of lawn and in between 5 more acres of Christmas trees with a scythe.

First Ever Maple Syrup!

2011-04-16T23:31:00.000-07:00

Thirty six and change years into this life, I joined a long tradition of Vermont farmers and made my first ever maple syrup. There was a little trial and error in the process, but it is all part of the learning process.

We tapped a wise old Rock Maple in the middle of what used to be the cow pasture and what will this year be a Christmas tree field as well possibly a firewood landing (this one isn’t my project, thankfully). A few drops fell pitifully into the buckets and after three days of perfect sugaring weather we had an amber colored twelve ounces of sap. Anyone who knows anything about maple sap (which of course I didn’t) knows that maple sap must be clear and slightly sweet. The bitter amber colored liquid was discarded. DH and I discussed the neighbor’s daily yield of over 400 gallons; it was time to consider relocating the taps or giving up on this project.

Five of the six taps were relocated to another, slightly younger, although still well over a century old, Rock Maple and its companions a little further into the pasture. We watched in amazement as the beautiful, clear liquid poured from the tap hole before the drill bit was even removed. Three hours later we emptied half full buckets of sap. Back to the house with 40+ pound buckets of what would soon be liquid gold; the sap was filtered through a strainer and stored in gallon jugs until the fire was ready for the boil. Each day of good weather yielded just over five gallons of sap from the six taps.

Sap should be boiled as soon as possible after collection to produce the best quality syrup. Time and off farm work schedules provided me with one day per week to boil. With only five taps producing sap, it doesn’t take too long to run out of gallon size storage containers. Out to the barn we went, in search of something big enough and with enough surface area to evaporate the water from the sap. No evaporator was found lurking in amongst the years of stored treasures; a ten or fifteen gallon washtub would have to suffice. Washed and scrubbed clean of the years of collected dust, the washtub was placed over the maple fire on a metal grate. In elementary school I learned that water weights over eight and a half pounds per gallon. I knew that the salvaged grate would need a little help holding up over 100 pounds of maple sap. Back to the barn again, we found a couple of pieces of rebar which we placed across the fire pit to support the weight of boiling liquid. Sap was strained through cheesecloth into the washtub and set atop the fire pit.

The first day we boiled, it was windy and cold, but standing next to the warm, delightful smelling liquid for six hours was not at all un-enjoyable. On the second boiling day, the sun shown brightly, DH started the fire early and the boil began. While boiling I was able to get a little yard work done and cleaned up some more stones which were deposited from the driveway onto the lawn during snow removal this winter. Ten hours later and facing imminent darkness, the so-close to syrup liquid was removed from the fire, strained through more cheesecloth and into a 16 quart saucepan. Inside to the stove top for finishing.

All-in-all this first-ever attempt at making maple syrup was a success. Ten quarts of varying grades of syrup have been sealed into glass jars and stored in the cool basement awaiting a gift giving occasion or simply to be added to the Maple-Oat-Wheat Bread which we make every other week or so. The first batch yielded what I would guess would be a medium A grade amber syrup. The second batch was much darker, although I think tastes even better, and is a solid grade B.

A hobby sized evaporator will be in the plans before next spring and while a pipeline is not in our immediate future, we will be looking into expanding our sugar production a little each year. Someday I might even have my own sugar shack. This weekend; however, I will be having pancakes with fresh – HOMEMADE – maple syrup!

Stuffed Chicken Breast - Prosciutto & Provolone

2011-04-16T09:13:00.000-07:00

This recipe has become another go to recipe here on the farm. Eventually I would like to say that all of the ingredients came directly from the farm, but it will be a few years before we build a cave for aging our own meats and cheeses. Until then, the chicken and basil comes from the farm and the cheeses from the grocery store.

Ingredients

Chicken breast - pounded flat

Sliced prosciutto - from the deli department

Provolone cheese - available in chunks in the cheese department or sliced from the deli

Grated Parmesan cheese

Fresh Basil or dried chopped basil

Salt & pepper

Toothpicks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place cast iron or other oven safe skillet on stove top and turn on to low/medium heat. Add olive oil and garlic.

Season chicken breast with salt and pepper

Layer one slice of prosciutto, one slice of provolone and one large or a couple small fresh basil leaves on the chicken breast. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan. (I was out of fresh basil so I substituted dried instead).

Roll up and hold closed with a toothpick.

Place in heated skillet with olive oil and fresh garlic (optional). Brown all sides until rolled breast holds its shape.

When browned on all four sides, place skillet in the oven for 10-15 minutes until chicken is no longer pink.

These chicken breasts are great served with garlic and herb pasta or a fresh garden salad.

Perhaps this one will be come a favorite at your house.

Enjoy!

Content

2011-04-05T14:07:00.000-07:00

Walking up the hill my shoes squish in the layer of mud which was once my driveway. The rain/snow mix falls gently from the sky ‘ticking’ off my jacket. Passing the pond I startle the mallard duck pair who was hiding in the cattail reeds. Off they fly across the driveway to the other pond looking back at me as if to say, “You have some nerve lady!” Closer still to the maple trees and the woodchuck hiding behind the old spring snickers at me and lumbers away; somehow knowing that I have no interest in bothering him. Puddles hiding underneath last year’s grass suck in my foot as I cross the field to the maple trees.

Walking ever closer to the trees, I wonder how much sap awaits inside the glimmering silver buckets. I set down my collection container, remove the top and voila – ½ bucket full of beautiful clear maple sap. Four more buckets await, actually five, but one of them is almost always empty; we probably should have moved the tap, but we figured the damage has already been done. No need to injure another tree so that we may benefit from its sugary sap; she can keep it this year. Three buckets emptied and my five gallon collection container is dangerously full. Final bucket – filled right to the tippy top, the sap rippling gently at the rim in the light breeze – just in time! The final sap bucket emptied, it will be a slow walk back to the house because I didn’t bring the lid to the collection bucket.

Before lifting the 40+ pound bucket and walking back to the house, I pause looking down the hill over the farm. The rain/snow now dripping from the hood of my jacket, the sap spilled on my jeans getting that much colder, and the moisture seeping through my worn out winter gloves; I stare contently back toward the lake. Even from the top of the hill I can hear the rooster crowing from the open door of the coop, almost complaining about the precipitation which is keeping him inside today. Brush from the recently trimmed apple trees rests beside them awaiting the return of the tractor to be picked up and either added to the campfire wood pile or chipped for mulch around the garden and flower beds. The brook has risen today with the weather and cruises at a dull rumble through the pond and down towards the lake. Although the ice is almost gone from both ponds, that which remains on the lake is holding on till the very last minute. The dog stares out at me from the bedroom window as if to say, “You are NUTS for going out in that weather.” Freshly sprouted pepper plants shiver slightly in the greenhouse, wondering if I am going to turn on the small heater to chase away the chill of this Vermont spring day.

Standing at the top of the hill, moisture permeating all of my outerwear, long walk back to the house with a heavy bucket; there is no where I would rather be.

It may be over

2011-03-20T01:22:00.000-07:00

She may once have looked as nice as this one, but today she sits in a mud puddle in the dooryard with a broken water pump. For five years she has transported us to powwows; hauled Christmas trees large and small; taken produce, tents, tables, preserves and fresh baked goods to farmer’s market; been shelter from down pours; and even hauled stuck tractors and UPS drivers out of ditches here on the farm. Twenty one years old, somewhere near 200,000 miles, rusting body, some other minor electrical problems; DH and I are faced with the dilemma of keeping the shaggin’ wagon on the road or retiring her and looking into another vehicle. The decision to purchase a new vehicle or even new to us vehicle is a major one. Going into debt for a farm vehicle is not an option.

My trusty Ford Taurus is also getting up there in years and mileage. In its lifetime, it has hauled picnic tables and 10 x 20 portable garages on its roof, moved my apartment in almost its entirety twice, plowed through 12+ inches of snow on my road and 6+ inches on may way home from work countless times this winter, carried gravel in the trunk, and been rear-ended three times. Her trunk leaks from the rear end damage, she is starting to rust, she needs a new EGR sensor, new tires, and after these spring roads, she will probably need some front end work.

Starting a farm can be trying even on the healthiest and wealthiest among us. I am blessed with a loving husband, my health, a relatively structurally sound body, some great animals, a roof over my head, and food on the table. We are thrifty, making our own detergents and not spending on new threads, dinners out, new electronics, etc. A towing bill, gas for the borrowed Jeep, time spent trying to change tires while lying in a mud puddle, fighting with dead batteries and finicky battery chargers, and more postponed farm projects have taken their toll on me this week.

The search will begin for a trusty farm rig (a.k.a. an actual pickup truck) and a new travel vehicle. Something that will tow two to three thousand pounds plus its cargo, four-wheel drive to haul wood, rocks, Christmas trees, produce, and equipment around the farm, and maybe has a plow mounted to it for our beautiful but snowy Vermont winters. A removable cap would be good for farmer’s market days, but also so it can haul a refrigerator, or be loaded with gravel, manure, hay, etc. She needn’t be pretty, but she must be solid and prepared to work only maybe half as hard as DH and I do around the farm. We will also be keeping our eye out for a replacement over the road vehicle. Something that will make the trips to see family in Maine and Connecticut four or five times a year and the 60 mile round trip commute to work five days a week.

Today, I hope to clean up from the messes of muddy shoes, pants, jackets, gloves, etc. and do all the household chores that didn’t get done after two days of mechanical mishaps. Then I am going to catch up on some much needed sleep before I go back to work tonight.

Mechanical woes, chicken nesters & spring cleaning

2011-03-17T23:28:00.000-07:00

Check Engine flashed on the dashboard at about the same time as an unearthly squeal starting coming from underneath the hood and bonnet of the old, but reliable conversion van. Rack the mechanical brain: alternator belt, alternator, tensioning pulley, water pump, engine belt, other pulleys, fan, air conditioning system. Headlights dimming, battery gauge fluctuating; yup, I am going with alternator. DH is traveling; I am working overtime at my ‘real’ job. Perhaps the mechanic fairy will come to visit. In the absence of his/her visit, I will be calling the shop in the morning hopefully their schedule will allow it to be fixed before I head home. I am a fairly handy person and a half way decent backyard mechanic. Attempting that kind of repair after working 12 or 14 hours will not be good for me or the van. Sometimes it is worth scrounging together the cash to have someone else fix it for you.

Two days, two vehicles. The little orange tractor was taken away yesterday to repair a problem with the hydraulic system, the correction of which was beyond my realm of mechanical ability. I am certain given enough hydraulic fluid, a heated garage, some pneumatic air tools and a manual; I might have been able to figure it out. But there is also that little issue of time. That is one of those commodities I don’t have right now. We are shorthanded at work and all of us have been working overtime. The field where the new Christmas trees will be planted will not prepare itself. Hand-digging the hill in front of the house for the new retaining wall would probably put both DH and I in the hospital. Moving gravel and topsoil with a shovel and a wheel barrel, while great exercise would be much more efficient with the tractor. Someday I will have enough time and not need the money so that I could enjoy the workout of hand-digging the next level of the retaining wall or carrying rocks across the field in the wheel barrel.

Mechanical problems aside, we are making progress towards spring. Two new nesters were installed in the chicken coop in hopes of allowing our broody hens to become mommas, there were six eggs in one of them this morning. The outdoor chicken pen has received its repairs after a hard, snowy winter, although since the snow hasn’t all melted no one wants to go outside. The extra roosters have been removed so that the girls can get a little rest. Cleaning out of the garage has begun to get a little more organized and to make room for the brooder box in the corner. Last year I had the babies inside the house – what a dusty mess their mash makes. This year, they will be outside!

The salvaged, insulated pool cover was trimmed down to size and fitted over the greenhouse today. I will be a week late in starting my seeds, but with even the slightest bit of sun the greenhouse is heating to at least 50 degrees and with the new cover it was still almost 60 in there when I left for work tonight at 10:30 p.m. If all goes well with the repairs to the van, I will be stopping at the local supply store on my way home from work to pick up seed starting mix. I combine ½ seed starting mix with ½ compost and our starts seem to do really well.

Great Book Source

2011-03-08T03:20:00.000-08:00

This journey into farming has been an exciting adventure; one which I hope to experience for several years to come. Each day I learn something new (this morning - don't try to drive through a four foot snowbank and expect to get traction on a half-thawed dirt driveway). Much of my learning this winter has come through books. I recently posted a review on a great book by Gene Logsdon and now am here to report that I have found a great publishing company.

It didn't occur to me at first, I was simply looking for books, websites, blogs, etc. which would help me learn to do all the things I want to do to facilitate a more self-sufficient lifestyle. If I can make a life a little easier by selling some of the excesses, that would be great too. I came across a used copy of Making Your Small Farm Profitable by Ron Macher not too long after I moved back to Vermont and was renting about two acres in a neighboring town. Next came a country wisdom bulletin on chickens. Then it was Building with Stone by Charles McRaven. Most recently it was a book from the library Storey's Guide to Raising Rabbits.

WHAAAACK!! - Like a smack on the back of the head from Gibbs in NCIS it came to me - the publishing company on every one of these books is Storey Publishing. If you are looking for research on country living - I would suggest these guys as a great place to start!

They promised snow

2011-03-07T09:26:00.000-08:00

and we got some snow.

This is a standard size sliding glass door.

That is about 25 inches and as you can see, it is still snowing.

Thoughts of Spring - then More Snow!

2011-03-06T07:16:00.000-08:00

Friday morning was spent planning for spring and the garden. With the 'growing guide,' a calendar and the trusty Old Farmer's Almanac by our side we sat down with the seed inventory and scheduled the planting dates for the vegetables, flowers and herbs we are going to start in the greenhouse and the seeds that get set directly into the garden. The basic outline established, we discussed the arrival of this years Christmas trees, the average date of last frost in the region, the cash flow for the repairs that have to be done on the tractor, the fencing that needs to go up around the garden and the prospect of including some sort of initial retaining walls for the expansion of our garden up the sloped hill in front of the house. We re-arranged a few of the dates in the schedule and then I entered all the information into our farming spreadsheet.

Discussions moved to sap and syrup which has been negligible since the weather turned cold again. But forecasts of temperatures in the low 40's for Saturday and Sunday kept us hoping for the best. Sugaring will wait until the grand old maples we placed our six buckets on decided to wake from their winter slumber.

The calendar lay on the table between us open to the month of April and we discussed the broody hens, when we should allow them to start keeping their own nests and the brooder that needs to be built before any new babies arrive. As we wrapped up our disucssion on several projects we discussed DH's upcoming trip to Maine for the End of Winter Gathering in Newport and the various vehicle repairs which need to be completed before he leaves. Finally, we checked the most recent forecast to see when in the next ten days would be good for accomplishing even a few of the tasks we covered this morning. UGH - more snow!

This morning as we were finally able to see the Christmas trees again, we are getting more snow. Old time Vermonters call this Sugarin' Snow. I call it another drive slow drive to work. The turkeys don't seem to mind it as they peck at the grass which was relinquished from its long winters slumber under the snow only to be covered again today. So the pots will remain in the greenhouse enjoying the warmer days when the sun graces us with its presence, raising the temperature in the greenhouse to a balmy 50 degrees. It will too soon be 85 degrees with 90 percent humidity, and we will long for the last remaining, calm days of winter before the flurry of activity on the farm takes the shape of projects instead of frozen precipitation.

Refrigerator (clean-out) Meatloaf

2011-03-04T00:30:00.000-08:00

I have been asked a lot recently about the meatloaf that has become a staple in our household. It all started with cleaning out the refrigerator. Recently I had a little bit of everything in the refrigerator but not enough of anything to make an entire meal. A little bit of sausage, a little bit of hamburger, two tomatoes that were getting soft, some mushrooms, shredded cheddar cheese, 1/2 can of sliced mushrooms, 1/2 pkg of fresh spinach, three slices of bacon, half of an onion, a couple cloves of garlic, and of course plenty of eggs. I could have made an omlette, but I wasn't in the mood for eggs.

Refrigerator Meatloaf was born.

In a large bowl I combined the sausage, ground beef, tomatoes (chopped), onion (chopped), mushrooms, bacon (chopped), cheddar cheese, one egg, some breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup of grated parmesan, and 1/3 cup of quick cooking oats. Italian seasonings are a favorite for DH and I, we add a little oregano, basil, marjoram, rosemary, salt, pepper - whatever your tastes are.

In a skillet, the spinach was wilted in some olive oil and sauteed garlic cloves. Add the cooked spinach to the meat mixture. Combine thoroughly, shape into a loaf and place in 8 x 5 x 4 or 9 x 6 x 2 baking dish. Cook for 30 - 45 minutes at 375 degrees until the meat is no longer pink.

Serve with fresh baked italian bread - delicious!

One Down...

2011-03-02T09:56:00.000-08:00

I spent two and a half hours this morning while it was snowing and finally finished the scanning project. Anything that was paper that could be saved electronically has been. It is such a great feeling to finally cross a BIG project off the to-do-list.

Soon, until then...

2011-02-26T02:30:00.000-08:00

The farm is hibernating, waiting for some sustained warmer weather to burst forth with new growth. Two year old Christmas tree tops just peek out from their cozy white blanket, teasing the deer with the bounty they hold inside their buds. Keeping the snow machines out of the tree fields has proven slightly more difficult than keeping out the deer so fencing may be in order this year for both human and animal alike.

We have been making progress on a few pre-spring projects; getting organized two weeks ago has certainly helped in that direction. Like many people this time of year, our thoughts have turned towards spring and summer. I completed revisions to fliers and contracts for an August pow-wow we help with in Dummer, NH. The seeds have been added to the inventory. Crop planning and tracking is the next step; right now I don’t know which crops are doing really well for us and which ones we should stop working on altogether.

Educational opportunities abound and are pretty the underlying theme for project planning. I have learned either weed killing spray or mulch is required as we do not have enough time keep the grass in check in the Christmas tree fields and weed the gardens. Our attempts at remaining as organic as possible will probably dictate mulch in the garden over herbicide in the trees. Changes will be required over the summer as water from melting snow which drips slowly off the garage roof has managed to infiltrate the chicken coop. Fencing is also in the planning stages as we lost some of our squash, corn and other vegetables to wayward chickens not to mention to resolve the deer and snowmobile problem. Lists of tools, supplies, fertilizers, nails, staples, sealers, etc. that have been scribbled on scraps of paper are starting to come together into project outlines.

I am beginning to ‘see the light at the end of the tunnel’ with the scanning project. As I sat at the computer this morning, DH snapped a couple of pictures of the wildlife which has ventured out from the woods. Whether they are running out of food in the woods or they were just happy with the momentary availability of the lawn poking through the snow, it is neat to see them just a few feet from the house. The cats don’t quite know what to make of these big birds on the lawn. Two of them watch, perched on half of their favorite chair which only now can be enjoyed as so much of that paper has been scanned and recycled.

The taps are in

2011-02-16T13:28:00.000-08:00

With temperatures below zero this morning, the thought of tapping the maple trees was a little ominous. DH spoke with our neighbor yesterday and he already has over 400 gallons of sap from the little bit of warm weather we had this past weekend. Northern Vermont is predicted to have temperatures in the 40s and maybe even 50 over the next couple of days. So out we went this morning, trudging through the feet of snow that have accumulated this winter and tapped our trees. This particular task was not as daunting as it sounds as we are only tapping six buckets. Our first venture into syrup has begun. Boiling will take place over the outside fire pit on my days off. If we are successful at making even a syrup-like substance then we will look at obtaining more buckets and taps for next year. An old barrel woodstove is stored in the basement and I have found plans for making a homemade evaporator for this exact type of stove. I will keep everyone updated on our sweet sticky journey.

These two buckets are on two different trees, one behind the other

Great Read & Time for Sugaring?

2011-02-15T00:57:00.000-08:00

One of the blogs I follow is that of a determined young woman in Jackson, NY just over the Vermont line. She is becoming a sheep farmer. 27 yrs old, single, a graphic artist and author, away from family, but surrounded by friends; she is a farmer. She purchased a small farmstead this year. She tells of her wins and her ~~losses~~ learning experiences, appreciation of the little things and of each new adventure she has taken. Jenna writes of an inspiring book which my sister gave me for Christmas this year. Gene Logsdon’s The Contrary Farmer. His writing is delightful and his common sense, practical, albeit ‘contrary’ approach to small farms is refreshing. He reminds us that there was a time when farming was done by hand and by hoof. There was no need to spend tens of thousands of dollars on equipment when a little people power and a little time was all it took to get the job done. Highly Recommended!

Jenna and Gene remind me that it is the little steps that get us to where we want to be. Every step in the journey has learning experiences and more importantly moments which require savoring. It has been four and one half years since I have been back on the family farm. There have been trials and tribulations, but in the end I can say that I am content. Some days it is difficult to get motivated and there are days when the wind is howling and the snow is blowing that I want to stay cuddled warm within the covers, but the chickens, cats, dog, husband and I all need feeding. Today teased us and started out nice and warm with southern breezes tipping the thermometer to just over 40 degrees this morning. As I got ready for bed this afternoon, the winds has increased and the rains were falling. I thought about the sap buckets and taps which DH had washed earlier this week which were still not on the side of the trees. Tonight as I was leaving for work, the temperature had fallen below 20, the winds and snow were blowing and the weatherman forecast tomorrow’s high at 13 degrees. The end of the week is predicted to be perfect weather for sugarin’, daytime temps into the 40s and nights below freezing. Those taps will be in tomorrow or the next morning early! If we can make maple syrup for all of our household needs this year, next year we will plan on cleaning up some older sugar bush and building a small evaporator for farmers market syrup in 2012.

Deadlines

2011-02-08T00:13:00.000-08:00

The seeds have arrived, nestled snuggly in their box on the pile of mail, and are waiting patiently for me to go through them and add them to the garden plan for the spring. A purple flag blinks at me each time I open my inbox warning me that the download of my tax software still has not taken place. A maturing rooster calls forth from the chicken coop each day, his song now fully formed and while not robust, at least finally sounds like a rooster and not a teenager whose cracking voice resembled a dying bird instead of the beginning of a new day. He reminds me that the brooder for the spring pullets remains only doodles on paper and hasn’t yet progressed to lumber in the garage. Patches and Dylan eye me with disdain as the scanning project still occupies their favorite kitchen chair, not that they are hindered from lounging in the sun on top of the wealth of gardening, cooking and farming information stored within those pages.

The evidence of looming or missed deadlines becomes none more obvious than the RAT in the garage this week indicating that we didn’t get everything picked up or cleaned out this fall and the critter controls usually instituted when the weather starts to turn cool were missed completely. I have forgotten my lists and been flying by the seat of my sizeable pants. My organization plan has fallen by the wayside with a trip to CT, a planned trip to Maine that was hampered by weather, chickens with some sort of foot infection, looking for a tool which turned into a three day shop cleaning expedition, a not-so-well-thought-out decision to start college classes again, and lots more overtime at work.

I am determined, after a brief trip out of town tomorrow morning, I am going to take my days off this week and get re-organized, see what I can add to my to-do list, and make some marked progress on those looming deadlines. I was also thinking it might be time to fashion a plow for my Taurus.

Getting Organized

2011-01-05T14:07:00.000-08:00

One of my goals in the new year is to get a little more organized. Short of hiring a professional, I must force myself to sit down and go through the mountains of paperwork, the drawers of files, the binders of stuff that I have managed to collect. Some of this information is extremely useful as it relates to crop production, farm planning and plant care. Some of it is just pretty pictures of things I might like to incorporate into the house I hope to build on my 2.5 acre piece of heaven just a short 1/4 mile away.

The last couple of days have been spent organizing the seeds, getting the seed order ready and cleaning up the little corner of my kitchen I call an office. The seed catalogs came in so in addition to putting the saved seeds into envelopes, I managed to get an inventory of our current seed store done as well as the order set for this year. It will be a week or so before we have the cash to actually place the order, but it is ready and waiting in my shopping cart.

The overflowing bookshelf has been tamed. Articles, clippings, research and magazines which contain too much information to cut out have been organized and placed into binders. The miscellaneous computer parts and pieces have been either stored or discarded and the labels, extra copy paper and business card stock have found an organized space. The scanning project continues. I have managed to complete 6 days in a row of an hour a day.

Tonight is relaxing with a glass of wine, a sausage, beef and spinach meat loaf with tomato gravy and perhaps a movie, relaxing on the couch with DH. As the snow flurries abate, the day comes to a close with a beautiful sunset.

What are your organizational plans for the new year?

Research Storage Project

2011-01-03T00:33:00.000-08:00

In an effort to clean out my house of the never ending amount of clutter I have managed to collect in my 36+ years on this planet, I have been scanning anything I do not need to save a paper copy of. Certain things, your car title, birth certificate, your children’s crafts, need to be saved. Other things, like the one year of utility bills, bank statements, etc. that you need for taxes or proof of purchase for warranties, can all be scanned into electronic format and easily purged with a stroke of the delete key at the end of the year. Earlier this year I had a computer hiccup which crashed Windows Vista. My scanning project got put on hold. It is amazing how much stuff I save! Windows 7 now installed and updated scanner software drivers downloaded, the project is back on track. Each morning of this new year I am trying to spend one hour tackling the mountain of paper that I have managed to save.

Besides the monthly utility bills and receipts, I have collected a small library of research on my dream. Magazine articles, publications, lists of books which I would like to read, something someone said to me which might be relevant someday – all squirreled away in a file for future reference. Reviving a farm which has been retired for forty years is no small project. My grandparents, who had successfully run this farm, have now passed. My father and his brothers who worked on the farm into their late teens have all moved on to other pursuits in life. Local farmers are emptying their haylofts, selling their milking herds and retiring or looking outside the farm for employment. Intimate resources are becoming few and far between. Books, magazines and the internet have become invaluable learning tools for me as I take this journey.

This past summer I was given an incredible gift of research. My mother-in-law’s good friend moved from her longtime home and cleaned out years of publications which she had saved. I received the seven taped, brown paper, grocery bags with trepidation. I placed those bags into the van and started to close the van door when my husband told me to hold on, I turned to see two old vegetable crates full of more taped bags and some loose magazines. At the time, I accepted the ‘gift’ with a forced smile thinking that I would be piling yet more paper into my already overstuffed bookshelves, adding more stuff that I could only hope to get to someday. There are few occasions when it is nice to be proven wrong; however this was one of them. The scissors trembled as I cut into the first bag – Organic Gardening – the WHOLE BAG. Giddy I skimmed through the top few issues saved from 1993. A wealth of information. DH walked in and grimaced, ‘Oh, boy. I have lost you for the next several hours.’ I removed two issues and placed them in my bag to take to work and read during slow times. The next bag – Mother Earth News – this time DH was smiling, I can’t say happy exactly, but at least smiling. Another bag had a selection of saved information from another gardening magazine and saved pamphlets from Better Homes and Gardens. Six months later, I have gotten through all seven bags, but am still working on the vegetable crates. Maybe when I am done I can have an entire electronic library on how to choose, care for, harvest, preserve, sell or simply enjoy everything that can possibly be produced from the family farm.

If I were to keep all of that paper, I would need several lateral filing cabinets. All this research has only reserved the first few hundred megabytes on my hard disk. I may eventually hit a gigabyte, but for now I have plenty of room. I back up the computer every month onto a portable hard drive and store that in the safe. My shelves remain crammed with books on farming, raising trees, making cheese and various other farm related subjects. And there are those magazines which contain far too much useful information to tear out each and every article, but that’s why some ingenious individual created the bookshelf in the first place.

Goodbye 2010!

2011-01-01T03:33:00.000-08:00

As the temperature in my corner of Northern Vermont reached 42 degrees today, thoughts turned to the greenhouse and the garden (after a failed attempt to fix the exhaust on the car brought on by 11 years of rust). Standing in the garage, defeated by our automotive project, the greenhouse began calling from me across the door yard. Out I went, sorted all the flower pots, moved the buckets of compost and seed starting mix, and pulled left over errant weeds when my dear husband came out and said something to the effect of, 'oh you are going to be out here for the rest of the day?'

Inside I went, after another 30 minutes of procrastinating, and pulled out the seeds we had saved from the summer and fall harvest. Dreams and plans of trees to be trimmed, garden fences to be repaired, tools that need rehabilation, and seeds saved from this very farm which will sprout anew this spring.

When I went to bed this afternoon it was 41 degrees, a far cry from the 10 - 15 degree weather which inspired my most recent yarn project, a Christmas gift to my stepson who seems to forget his each time he comes over. Of course that might be a ploy to stay inside with the playstation.

P.S. - I did actually start this post in 2010, best laid plans...

Wasting Time or Mental Health Moment?

2010-12-19T03:09:00.000-08:00

With everything that has been so hectic as the holidays draw closer, working overtime for folks on vacation, decorating, maintaining equipment, the house, etc. it is nice to take five minutes out from the to do list, the regular household chores, the shoveling and plowing of snow and life in general. With a hot cup of coffee the other morning I watched with wonder and the camera.

Good Food!

2010-11-26T23:15:00.000-08:00

When I moved back to Vermont I was concerned that I would miss things like the twenty-four hour grocery store, the pizza place which was open till the wee hours of the morning, the variety of fast food places available who deliver, and a short twenty-minute drive into the Bronx for some of the best Italian food anywhere. There are days when I still miss those things; but the forty-five minute ride one way for a pizza at ten-thirty at night is a deterrent. Nothing in the nearest town was open later than 9:00 p.m.; I was forced (I use that term lightly) to start preparing my own meals again.

Fresh Pumkin Pie for the Farmer's Market

I remembered how much I love to cook and how much more I love GOOD food. My mother is a good cook and an even better baker. She was kind enough to let me help her prepare baked goods and dinners, even though I am pretty sure I was more of a hindrance than help. My father taught me to grill. I have gone through more BBQ grill elements and components that I can count, even grilling when it was snowing. Recipes like American Goulash, Shepherd’s Pie, Boiled Dinner, and Country Style Spareribs came from my grandmothers, though I have modified them slightly over the years.

These family meals quickly became staples, leftovers freezing easily and reheating quickly in the microwave. Roasted chicken easily stretched into several meals adding leftover recipes to the repertoire. Then I met my DH; I had eaten wild game before, but never so much as when we started dating. I still can’t cook it as well as he can, but I am learning. Then the garden, the first one planted, harvested and eaten all on my own, was planted in 2005. My grandfathers were the gardeners in my family and although I had watched my mother and grandmother can and preserve, I had never tried my hand at it. Amazed at how easy it was I began adding marinara sauces and salsa.

Armed with old family cookbooks, new recipes from holiday gifted cookbooks, the internet, and great, local food, the variety of meals are endless. Grilled, stuffed portobello mushrooms; ham, potatoes and green beans in a dill-yogurt sauce; carrot, apple, zucchini muffins; honey, oat, wheat bread; and prosciutto, provolone and basil stuffed chicken breast have quickly become favorites.

Ingredients for Grilled, Stuffed Mushrooms

Grilled Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Portobello mushroom tops (cleaning out spines provides more room for stuffing, but is not necessary)

Sausage, ground beef or turkey, or other stuffing of your choice

Fresh spinach, chopped

Small, chopped onion

Two medium tomatoes, chopped

Two cloves of garlic chopped

Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Brush mushroom tops with EVOO and set aside. Sautee garlic and onion in EVOO, add sausage/ground meat and brown. Remove sausage, add spinach, toss until wilted. Mix sausage back into spinach. Fill mushroom tops. Grill till mushrooms are almost done 6-8 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and cook 2 minutes more. Add mozzarella cheese and cook until melted.

Serve with fresh, crusty bread.

DH has mentioned lately that we should try to grow mushrooms as portobellos can be expensive; add one more project to the to-be-researched list. Eventually we would like to start raising our own pork, curing sausage and making pancetta. In the meantime, the butcher shop and the grocery store will have to suffice.

Dreams

2010-11-23T01:12:00.000-08:00

My to-do list swirled around in my head holding sleep at bay this afternoon (my other job is working nights). I resigned myself to come out from under the blankets and go into the kitchen and get a pad and pen so that I might expel some of the projects from my brain and onto a list for later planning. The page of the steno sized notebook was quickly full and I was finally able to lie back down and close my eyes. Sleep still evaded me and I laid there with my eyes closed thinking about what my farm will look like when it is done. “Done,” I chuckled. When is farming ever ‘done’?

A full cheese cave popped into my head, several wheels of aging cheese in various stages of repose. Next to the cave is the root cellar, full of winter squash, potatoes, garlic, onions, and carrots. Walking back towards the stairs, the shelves full of preserves and canned vegetables stand proudly in a rainbow of colors. The two freezers just past the shelves are full of frozen vegetables, berries and meat from the summer and fall harvest and hunting seasons.

Up the stairs onto the wood warmed main floor, the kitchen in front of me, cabinets and walls made from the knotty pine which my father complained blocked his view of the lake. The maple tree which stood beside my grandparents’ home provides the counter top for the island. Hours spent picking stones from the corn piece and meadows on the farm are that much more rewarding when the result is the stunning hand stacked fireplace that occupies the center of the main floor living area. Orange, yellow and red flickers from the fire provide even more warmth as we nestle into the couch to enjoy a glass of cider pressed from the heirloom trees in the orchard we rehabilitated not to long ago.

Outside, the breeze tosses up a flurry against the oversized windows which look across the deck and down over the hill to the lake beyond. The chicken coop light casts a gentle glow through the window onto the whitening lawn below. Smaller outbuildings which house the pigs, rabbits and goats did not get their desperately needed extra coats of paint this year, but perhaps some warmer weather will bless us in the next week or so.

The kids are sleeping upstairs dreaming no doubt of their escapades with the loose rabbit today. Small growls, ‘ruff’s and twitches of tail and paws accompany the dreams of the dogs chasing the moles between the Christmas trees. Gentle snores come from the husband against whom I lean with dreams of the day hunting and the conquest of deer that now hangs in the garage. Soft flute music wafts through the air as the fire burns down. I snuggle deeper into my husband’s side sipping on my cider and think to myself, ‘there is probably something I could be doing right now.’ But I think better of it and drift to sleep in my husbands arms, on the couch, in my house, on my small farm in Northwestern Vermont.

I awoke tonight with renewed enthusiasm that my vision/dream of the warm cozy farmhouse will happen. Tomorrow I will check one more thing off the to-do list with finishing the winterization of the chicken coop on one of the last warmish days I think we have left this fall although with the rain, this chicken coop too will not get the coat of paint it needs. And even though the mowing didn’t get finished, I think it might be time to put the lawnmower away. The grass will still be there in the spring.

Greenhouse from Reclaimed Materials

2010-11-12T01:46:00.000-08:00

Two years ago I was determined to get a head start on my seedlings. Scavenging around the farm, I found some old pantry shelves and a couple of extra shop lights – ‘Aha! I can start the seeds in the basement.’ A month later all the seedlings were leggy and falling over and it was still too cold to put anything outside into the ground. Throughout last summer and fall I looked around the interweb for plans, ideas, and suggestions on how to build cold frames and greenhouses. In the barn there are several (at least 30 varying sizes) old storm windows that were saved out of various farm buildings as new ones containing descriptors such as double paned, UV protected, insulated, etc. were installed. They had to be good for something besides dust collecting. My stack of pallets was getting taller as well, some of that wood had to be useful for making a door or even some gable ends. I never thought of myself as a pack rat, but I think I have become a careful saver. I started seeing the value of reclaimed wood from pallets; it makes great framing for things like nesting boxes, mudroom shelves, and display racks for farmers market.

The project started one March weekend when cabin fever had gotten the best of me. Snow still clung in icy clumps on the lawn and the lake was still frozen over, but the temperature was forecast to be in the low 40s and sun all day – ‘Honey, do you feel like running to the lumber yard?’ With cautious enthusiasm, DH made the 11 mile journey to the lumber yard and brought back some lengths of 2x4 and some longer wood screws – 1” were not going to hold the framing together. I went out to the barn and started bringing the dusty, dirty windows down from the upper regions of the barn. Armed with several windows, a drill, circular saw, some screws and a doodle on the back of the misprinted DMV schedule we went to work on the new greenhouse.

Master carpenters we are not, but everything we have built so far has stayed together even in the worst of weather. Day one saw the completion of three walls, and a desperately needed washing of the windows. The greenhouse is not very big (I am 5’ 8”) and doesn’t have any supplemental heat, but it was certainly enough to start everything that wasn’t going to be direct seeded.

Day two gave us a roof. I was surprised that it came together with 90 and 45 degree angles. To this day I am still amazed I got a B in geometry.

Day three gave us a door and gable ends to the roof.

Each day the snow receded further and on day four shelves were installed (although I didn’t take a picture of those). Seeds were started over the next several days and by late March we had full flats of seedlings emerging. At night we covered the greenhouse with an old pool cover (another roadside saved item which we had no idea what we were going to use it for) to keep the frosts from damaging the tender leaves of the seedlings. We learned that the small size of the greenhouse requires some additional ventilation so we are going to work on a solar powered, thermostatically controlled fan over the winter. The whole project cost about $30 in new materials and there are still screws and 2x4 sections left over. Reclaimed pallet wood ended up being used in the framing as well as the door and roof supports.

It certainly is not a sight to behold, but reclaimed hinges, salvaged windows and plywood pieces make an OK little greenhouse for getting the garden started. Perhaps when a family member has leftover paint from their next project, the whole thing will get a little ‘prettier.’ For now it is functional and it grew some great veggies this year!

Fall clean up begins (a little late)

2010-10-29T01:09:00.000-07:00

Life on the farm continues, albeit with a few brief interruptions. There are certain days when you plan ahead, you have your list, all your supplies, and even back up parts and fluid for all the equipment you plan to use. Everything is ready, you have had a great breakfast, several cups of coffee, the temperature outside is perfect, the sun is shining, and you are all ready to go. Ring Ring…

Thinking nothing of it you answer the phone. And there goes that days plans. Pack a bag, make frantic phone calls to see who can take the dog and care for the birds, especially the brand new little ones which require feeding and watering twice a day. One the road we go. Five days later, everyone on the mend, the list has grown longer but the farm is still here. The birds were well taken care of and even though the dog was mad, she forgave us when she got too many treats and was able to cuddle in bed with us again.

Threat of frost looming, all the remaining tender plants needed to come inside. My grandmother kept a collection of geraniums which I am told are hundreds of years old. Each year since being back on the farm, they are carefully exhumed and moved inside to be neglected in the cooler regions of the house. When they come in, they get watered less regularly until such time as we are watering them only every three to four weeks. Very little new growth appears, but they stay green and healthy all winter long. Sometime around Memorial Day, when the soil has warmed sufficiently and the weather people are no longer predicting frost, the flowers come out from their long winters rest to spend their summers basking the sun shine and adding great color to the front flower bed.

The neglect which we had shown the lawn for several weeks became quite obvious while cleaning up the front flower bed. Thankfully we are getting cooler weather else I would have needed to get the bush hog and borrow the neighbors hay tedder. In the midst of mowing I came across these strange looking mushrooms – anyone have any idea what kind they are?

When the lawn was all done, I was gathering all of the stuff that the lawnmower couldn't cut up, along with the hay from the chicken coop and getting ready to take it down to the compost pile when I made a concerning discovery. Some kind of critter had taken up residence underneath the coop. It has made holes on two side of the coop and associated tunnels under the ground all around the building.

I am thinking they are mice, but if you have confirmation on what the tracks could be, I would be interested to know. Attempts at evicting my new tenants have been futile; including burying their holes, adding more dirt, flooding them out, and putting chicken wire down around the base of the coop. When we get ready to work on the drainage situation in the pen outside the coop it looks like we will be burying chicken wire all around the perimeter to avoid future squatters from taking up residence.

Beautiful Fall on the Farm

2010-10-04T13:49:00.000-07:00

Wonderful Fall Colors 10.3.10

Fog Clearing from the Lake 10.3.10

Getting Bigger

Saving Seeds

2010-10-01T02:16:00.000-07:00

Every year there is that one crop which is so successful there is no possible way that you or your family could possibly eat, can or preserve it all. Two years ago a friend of the family bestowed upon me some huge tomatoes after she had canned sauce, salsa, ketchup, relish, etc. and just couldn’t process any more tomatoes. These particular fruits were so meaty and delicious; I decided to try my hand at saving the seeds. To my amazement it worked! About 60 percent of the seeds that I saved grew.

Since that first attempt was a success, I tried to save all sorts of seeds last year. Cucumbers, peppers, squash, pumpkins, corn, and radish were all tried in 2009. The cucumber seeds became a moldy mess. The squash and pumpkin seeds saved well; however, only about 15 percent of them grew. The corn takes two years to dry (or so I read) so we will attempt to plant those in 2011. The radish seeds did even better than those that were purchased for this spring. Flowers including calendula, sunflowers and lupines were also successfully saved and propagated.

The adage that you learn something new everyday is no where more true than on the farm. I am learning this summer/fall on how to save seeds properly. Tomato seeds need to go through a fermentation process in order to grow successfully. Pure luck is the description for my previous success at saving tomato seeds. Squash and pumpkin seeds need to be thoroughly rinsed of the pulp and dried for several weeks. Pepper seeds are probably the easiest seeds to save.

Once the seeds are completely dry, I place them in a labeled envelope with the name, species and date. All the envelopes are stored in alphabetical order in a cool, dark storage room at the farm house.

Goals for seed saving this year include jalapenos, zucchini, blue hubbard and patty pan squash, and of course more tomatoes. With some practice and a little bit of luck we may not need to buy seeds in coming years.

Are you saving seeds from anything special this year?

Rescued Kitten

2010-09-28T02:48:00.000-07:00

This is 'Squeak' as he was called for his short visit with us. Squeak was rescued by someone I work with at my 'real job' at just 3-4 weeks old. Covered in fleas, infested with worms and shivering cold, he was a terrible sight. I brought him home for a couple days, cleaned him up, fed him and gave him a whole lot of love. I have rescued several animals and adopted them out to forever homes. Therefore I didn't think it was possible to get so attached to this little critter so quickly - was I wrong.

Several days later it was apparent that he was either going to stay with us for the long haul, a proposition which my four adult cats were not at all interested in entertaining, or he was going to need to find a new forever home. Squeak came from who knows where to my house (20 miles away from where he was found), went with us to NH (230 miles round trip) for a powwow then two weeks later he went to ME to another powwow (292 miles 1 way). He now lives way up in Millinocket, ME (another 100 miles north of the powwow grounds) with good friends of ours who we met through the North Country Intertribal Powwow - Holly and Frank.

Surprise!

2010-09-24T02:18:00.000-07:00

My husband and I had noted a marked decreased in the number of eggs we were getting from our chickens. We figured that some of our older birds were getting ready to molt and the new layers hadn’t started yet. We didn’t think much of it… until Tuesday morning.

When my husband got home from work he came inside and asked me if I had work clothes on because I needed to get underneath the porch. (DH and I are not small people). My expression must have said it all because he told me that he noticed some strange noises coming from underneath the back porch. ‘The eggs we were missing are now up and walking around’, he said.

He found eight brand new little ones running around. One of the hens that our friend bestowed upon us when she moved in June had made herself a little nest and had been hiding out under there for at least a month now. It was forecast to get down below freezing on Tuesday night. We proceeded to dig out the feeder and waterer which was put away after our spring pullets, ran out to the feed store to get some growing mash, got out the heat lamp from the workshop, and began assembling a brooder box. We took a spare cardboard box outside and I began squeezing my not so little self underneath the back porch. Momma didn’t mind so much that I was coming under there to visit her, she was used to us collecting eggs from nearby nesting boxes in the chicken coop. It wasn’t until I started removing her new babies that she got really upset with me. Imagine lying on your tummy in a two foot tall crawl space, reaching in front of you trying to catch day old pullets and having Momma peck at your hands, your head, your shoulders, etc. The pecks don’t hurt so much, but trying to protect my face from flying dirt and debris while she was dancing around was interesting.

There are still eight more eggs in the nest and she is still sitting on them. We are watching every day or two to see if any new little ones have emerged. Fall pullets were not in the plans for this year due to the lack of heat and some repairs which need to be made to the weatherproofing in the chicken coop. Apparently Creator decided that more laying birds were in our immediate future.

To-Do List Items for the Chicken Coop:

Re-seal the roof
Wash and paint the exterior walls
Remove hay insulation (doesn’t work together with leaky roof – very messy and moldy), wash down inside walls with mold preventative and replace insulation
Fix drainage problem in coop yard (we are hoping this is as simple as digging out the existing dirt and adding some layers of varying sizes of gravel and sand).
Add roof to ½ of coop yard (tarp is getting worse for the wear).
Replace coop yard fence running chicken wire 8-12 inches under soil level to deter whatever has been digging at the side of the coop yard fence and to keep the ducks from hiding their eggs under the coop itself.

Hopefully I will remember to bring the camera along as we attempt these and other fall projects around the house.

Stop taking my picture!

Do you have any interesting fall projects that you are planning to tackle?

Fresh vegetables abound

2010-09-17T05:30:00.000-07:00

Canning, canning, and more canning...

The house smells fantastic.

Brief reprieve

2010-09-14T00:56:00.000-07:00

We took a brief reprieve from the farm to enjoy friends and extended family at the North Country Intertribal Powwow in Newport, Maine. It was a wonderful week full of dancing, drumming, celebration, ceremony, and its share of really hard work. My husband has been helping put on the pot-luck feast at this event since 2004. I began helping at my first visit in 2006 and we have been working with the Littlefield and Luce families ever since to make this event better each year. This picture is of the second tipi on Friday morning just as the fog was lifting from the field before sunrise.

We also help with a relatively new powwow only in its third year – the Great Northern Moose Intertribal Powwow in Dummer, NH. This is a small event which feels more like visiting old friends then it does an organized event. The Tessiers have established a great bed and breakfast and they are working on new campground across the road from the lodge. Out in the middle of the north woods, they couldn’t have a better location to gather and celebrate the Native American culture. You can visit the lodge at http://www.greatnorthernmoose.com/.

My first powwow was in May of 2006 in Tamworth, NH. That weekend I was welcomed with open arms into ‘the family’. The powwow trail has some incredible people and my life has only been enriched by knowing and learning from them. Grandmother Two Feathers and Grandmother Awabejiwani took me under their wing and began to teach me the ways of the red road that weekend. I went to six powwows that summer and at each I gained a better understanding of who I am in addition to meeting and becoming great friends with my husband’s extended ‘family.’ Today, I pray each day to Creator for my friends and family who need help and for guidance in the choices I make and the manner in which I live my life. Sometimes I get so mired down with ‘things’ or distracted by everything on the to-do list that I feel lost. Those days I take out the sage, tobacco, cedar and sweet grass, go outside to one of my favorite places on the farm and talk to Creator. I am left with a renewed sense of vigor and almost always with answer to get myself un-mired.

There are several more powwows in New England between now and the end of October. If you are looking for a great, family friendly and even educational event, look one up. We are hoping to get to at least one more, but it is getting cooler and the fall farm chores are at hand.

May your journey be full of learning today.

Hand painted mandelas

2010-08-31T01:17:00.000-07:00

Coyote Mandela

Often my husband will place an item on the table in front of me, ‘just for a few minutes’ while he does something… Usually several hours later some new creation rests on the table in place of the original item. I often wonder if he does it on purpose to sidetrack my day or if he just knows that I need some quiet time. Painting is and has always been an outlet for expression of my feelings or a quiet time of self-reflection for me. I lose myself in the landscape, in the world of the animal or object I am painting. Anytime I try to force creativity out of my mind or hands, the result is disastrous. If it just comes to me one day, the result is usually beautiful.

One day a friend of mine asked me if I could paint a picture of her dog for her on a mandela. Mandela’s are decorative shields; symbols of protection. I did not realize how important this was to her until the day that I was inspired to paint him sitting at the kitchen table with some crafting materials on the table in front of me. The leather thong (lace) was resting in a pile next to some beads, a box of feathers and some sticks which my husband was using to craft some drumbeaters. I asked him what he had done with the tops of the branches he had cut off. He told me that they were out on the side of the garage. I grabbed a scrap piece of leather and proceeded outdoors. Two hours later, I had a great sense of calm and achievement as the mandela hung completed from the china cabinet.

Two weeks later I saw my friend and she stopped dead in her tracks as she walked past the china cabinet and broke down into tears. I have since made 10 more to give to her family and friends in remembrance of ‘Axl.’ It is not only a great feeling to make someone so happy, although I didn’t want to make her cry; but also to be able to enjoy the process of creating the craft or painting in the first place.

I realized earlier tonight as I was getting really grouchy that it might be time for me to take out the paints again!

Learning something new each day

2010-08-30T03:33:00.000-07:00

September is looming just around the corner and another summer is coming to an end. My garden has been extremely generous considering the amount of neglect that it has received. The flowers are still blooming in between the weeds. The fruit trees are still yielding a bumper crop of apples even after being assaulted by Japanese beetles. Even the Christmas trees are still growing under the mountains of hay that is growing between them. The saying that you learn something new everyday is no where more true then on a small farm. Some of the more important things that have been learned this year include:

Double rainbow from front deck

MULCH, MULCH AND MORE MULCH – The poor tomatoes are only just now turning red as they were buried under weeds for far too long. Next season, each transplant will receive a good helping of mulch in order to keep them moist and in an effort to better control the weeds.

IF IT ISN’T PLANTED IT WILL NOT GROW – May is planting time in Northern Vermont, it was also an exceptionally busy month here both on and off the farm. Lots of seeds never made it into the starter pots, let alone into the ground. Next year we will be looking at adding some supplemental heat to the little greenhouse we built out of scrap wood and windows. More seeds should be able to be started in the greenhouse and we will both be sure not to pick up any off farm projects or overtime so that the garden can be more successful.

PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE – If one does not give old equipment some TLC throughout the year, when one goes to use that equipment, it will show you how much it feels neglected. You have an hour to get a quick project done before you run out of daylight, you run out to mow at least the front two lawns; the lawn mower will not start because it is out of oil. You note the oil on the list of things to pick up on your way home from work in the morning and go to grab the tractor to run through the upper field between the Christmas trees with the brush hog; the PTO will not turn nor will the bucket lift off the ground because the little leak in the hydraulic system got bigger. You note filters and more hydraulic fluid on your list of things to pick up and warn your husband that he will need to pick up some kind of seal on his way home from work in the afternoon once you have had a chance to figure out which one is leaking. Defeated by outdoor chores, you go inside to run a quick vacuum through your car and put air in the tires and check to see if you need oil or power steering fluid (since you will already be going to the store); the breaker in the garage trips and will not re-set because the mice have decided to build a nest in the breaker box. You add a new breaker to the list of things to pick up tomorrow along with plans to clean out the mouse house. Quick projects end up taking far longer if you do not take the time to take care of your equipment, remember to put mouse traps/poison in the garage, or remember to do the simplest things like check your oil.

Chicken prints on the trunk of the car

CHICKENS – If you don’t want your chickens to get into it, it must be fenced, protected or closed. They are more curious then cats, they will get into your garage, your gardens, your raised beds, your car, your tractor, your house… I have never been so angry or laughed so much as I have with my chickens.

SCHEDULING TIME FOR RELAXATION – No matter how much is on the to-do list, we need to remember to find some time to relax, cool down, and recuperate. While trying to make the farm successful, you can get so mired down in your to-do list that you forget to find time to enjoy the little things that we should be thankful for. No matter how much there is to do; it will all still be there tomorrow.

We are enjoying the fruits of our labor from the garden and hope to be able to squeeze in a trip to Maine to visit friends soon.

Best laid plans...

2010-08-29T02:41:00.000-07:00

When we are young, we each make plans for the rest of our lives… At 22, I will get married. I will have three kids by the time I am 30. My husband will stay at home and work and I will be the head of a major corporation by the time I am 35. We will have a home in the northern United States, and two vacation homes, one on the coast of Florida and one in a foreign country if possible. I will retire early and be able to travel with my children on their summer vacations. My husband and I will be walking hand-in-hand on the beach in Florida when we are in our eighties. Oh how our plans do change!

Five years ago I found myself in my early 30’s and recently laid off from a really good paying job in Connecticut. The job market wasn’t looking that promising and my only dependents were furry and four-legged, so I made the decision to move back to Vermont. Four years ago I moved back to the farm with four additional four-legged creatures and a fiancé.

This past week, the smell of homemade bread, freshly baked pies and radish relish filled the farmhouse kitchen as I prepared for farmers market. I paused after preparing the labels for the items headed to market and watched the chickens, ducks and geese lounging in various states of repose in the backyard. They had full tummies after getting left over pie crust scraps. My laundry was drying naturally on the line. The berries which went into the pies came from the farm or from our neighbor’s farm down the road. Radishes, all from our garden, went into making the radish relish. My refrigerator handle was covered with flour as I obviously had not wiped my hands between rolling pie crusts and placing them in the fridge to cool. I though back to five years ago, living in the city, looking out my window to see my neighbors’ houses and cars whizzing by 6.75 feet from my living room window, wondering if I would ever find my place in life.

Tonight as I was getting ready for work, my to-do list running through my mind, my grocery list being jotted on an index card, my coffee spilling on the counter, the cats and my husband protesting my departure, and my cheese slicer missing from it’s rightful place; I paused to looked out the window at the moon and the lake and listened to the geese squawk in protest of being penned up for the night (for their own protection from predators) and I thought to myself, I have found my place.