What Kori and Debby had for dinner on Friday

The title of this post is quite different from my usual and I don't usually post photos of food but that is what you are going to get today.

First though because I don't like to do posts without critter pictures, here are the turkeys.  They are getting to be a bit of a pain as they like to roost on everything.  Not that the roosting is so bad, but they have to leave a little something behind wherever they pause.

Now, back to the food thing.  I had the privilege to represent our farm at the Sprout MN's Summer Harvest Dinner as a featured farmer.  Kori came along with me while Kevin stayed home and milked the goats.  Kori took pictures of each course.

I will start with a photo of the menu.  Many of you probably know that you can make the image on your screen bigger by holding the the control key and scrolling your mouse, but if you didn't now you do.

Course by course as the dinner was served the chef, sommelier, and featured farmer each took the microphone for a minute or two.

First course:

This was the tapas course - Kori was actually missing one item but she did get it.  The mini taco was so good - two bites!

Second course:

This was awesome, and I got to eat Kori's mushrooms - her loss!

Third course:

The bun for the slider was made with our Turkey Red whole wheat flour

 Fourth course:

This lamb was really excellent although we were getting a little full by then. 

And dessert, this is the course that I was the featured farmer for:

I do not have the words to describe just how amazing this was - and this was made with our flour too! 

Everything was just delicious.  Everyone there appreciated good, healthy local foods and the people who produce it.  I was just so happy to be there!

Thank you for reading our blog and being interested in our farm.  Kevin and I really enjoy sharing our experiences with you.  Until next time, be well friends!

Vacation ??? Week

This week was much different than our normal routine.  Kevin and Kurt took time off from their jobs and went to camp with the scouts.  I took time off from my town job too but just stayed home and worked here.

They swatted bugs, slept in tents, tubed down the river, and had campfires.  I rendered lard, made soap and lotion, then made more soap and more lotion.  I did get over to my cousin's place - Righteous Oaks Farm and harvested some calendula flowers.  At home, I dehydrated them.

Before: 

 

After:

At some point I plan to infuse some oil with them and make a batch of soap. 

Here is an updated view from the milking stand - the Turkey Red winter wheat is ripening but is not yet ready to harvest.

This evening we checked the rest of the grain.  This is the spring wheat which is planted in a field just down the road that is rented from a neighbor.  It's looking pretty good.

And this is the barley - not looking that great - this is also in a rented field, a different neighbor but near by.

 This is what those grains look like close up.  Barley on the left, the spring wheat on the right.

The buckwheat is blooming like crazy - the bees love it!

I will finish up this post with the turkeys - they are growing quickly and are much less shy.  They tend to stick together and stay close around the house and out-buildings now.  We thought there would be a second batch of poults, but something has taken all of Penelope's eggs and she has rejoined the flock.

That's it for this evening friends.  I should be back next week - until then, be well.

Poppy - Profile of a Little Goat

Name:  Flower's Ole Lake Poppy

AKA: Poppy
 
Born:  April 8, 2019

AKA: The Instigator

AKA: Houdini

Born to: Berube's Split Rock Vinca

Sired by: The Sweet Escape Bold Ranger

Twin to:  Tamarack

Favorite Food:  MILK!

Hidden talent:  Digging and burrowing 

Motto:  Why let a little thing like a solid wooden fence get between me and MILK!

It's It's been a fun week!  Until next time, be well friends!

Mostly a Garden Update

The kids haven't been in the blog much lately, but they are all still with us.  This weekend we separated them from the does - there are a bunch of unhappy goats around here!

Their new paddock adjoins the does' pasture so they can visit.  They made short work of a low hanging branch - but doesn't Vinca look crabby in the background!

So many people ask "what's that stuff you have growing by the road?"  It's the buckwheat and it is just starting to bloom.  Kevin mowed most of it down today.  We don't know if it will regrow or not; it's an experiment to see what it does.  If it doesn't grow back Kevin will disc it in and replant the field with something else - most likely winter rye.

Now for the garden update. 

Kevin pushed the sprawling piles of woodchips into one bigger pile.  I've gotten some of it hauled in to the garden and spread around - less than 10 % I would guess, but it's a start.

 One of the garden circles contains kale and swiss chard - I've been harvesting the baby leaves and today mulched it with grass clippings.

 The other circle has some small tomatoes in the middle and bush beans around the edge.  In both of them the soil has settled quite a bit.  Next year I will be adding a few more inches.

The straw bales seem to be doing ok - all of them have some grain sprouting from them - some more than others.  This isn't really a problem as it pulls right out.  They are planted with squash, pumpkins, tomatoes, and peppers.

There are more tomatoes in pots, and I have this old tank planted with arugula and lettuce.  The arugula is doing well and I have been picking little leaves from it already, but the lettuce didn't come up very well.  Today I replanted and covered it with a shade cloth.  Maybe I will get some fall lettuce out of there.

That's probably enough for this post.  Until next time, be well friends.

July 1, holiday week

Well, you may have noticed there wasn't a post last week.although I normally have a new one weekly at this time of year.

I have a good excuse. I was sick.

It  began with some sore muscles on Saturday (the 22nd) that had no reason to be sore.  Then on Sunday, fatigue, head ache, more soreness  and the beginning of the fever and joint pain.  I wasn't too bad that morning when I had a visit from a nice fellow by the name of Riley Nelson.  He was here to interview me for  a video he is making for Sprout - that's the organization that puts on the market that we vend at in the fall/winter. When that video is done and available I will be sure to let you know.  

 He takes a pretty good selfie, but then he is a professional!

Anyway, things went downhill from there and by afternoon I knew I was sick and had a pretty good idea what it was - one of those tick things. A visit to the clinic on Monday and an antibiotic, lots of rest and by Friday I was pretty much back to normal.  Blood work isn't back yet so don't know which nasty I have.

We have aquired some big piles of woodchips that will be moving into the garden to cover up all that black plastic.  It's pretty slow going, especially having been sick, but it'll get done (and thank you Jan H for sharing your woodchip pile!)

Tuesday was a pretty big day around here too, although I missed out on it.  Two staff persons of Senator Tina Smith's were in the area visiting farms and our place was one of their stops.  I hear that Kevin did a nice job of giving them a  tour and explaining what he is doing to promote soil health.

A turkey update - Peanut's poults are really growing.  Our other turkey hen, Penelope seems to be setting again; hopefully there will be a better outcome for her this time.

Three days of views from the milking stand - Friday - pre-hay cutting.  Do you see the little white specks out there?

How about now?

That's Peanut and her flock.

Saturday morning - the hay has been cut.

Sunday morning - the hay is in the barn.  Not as much as we had hoped for, but there should be a second cutting this fall.

A couple of random pictures here - took this one along the highway on my way to work Friday morning.  I have a very pretty drive and I mostly enjoy it but must be vigilant at all times for deer. Can you see all three fawns?

And this one son Kurt took out the window - those hens always seem to think I have a treat for them - spoiled!

I'll close here with a wheat update.  It's looking good -  tall, chest high on Kevin. 

Enjoy the holiday, celebrate our fine nation's independence safely, and be well friends!