There is an art in the family that appears on the buffet line at every family gathering...the Jell-O.
In our family, the Jell-O rarely comes plain...there's always an additive. The additive makes it stretch further, and gives it some sort of health(maybe). The Amazing Farm-Wife tells me she will only use a couple boxes of the gelatin concoction...so the additive is that much more important.
Here's the Jell-O's we know best:
Lime with cabbage shredded in
Lime with cottage cheese mixed in
Orange with cottage cheese mixed in
Orange and Lime both got carrots and sliced celery
Pineapple mixed in with just about any flavor
Our family has a special list of favorites, because there's people that we have had over for dinner that do not understand/like the wonderful taste of cabbage shredded into their Jell-O:
Raspberry with Raspberry Pie Filling
Peach with Peach Pie Filling
Blue with Blueberry Pie Filling
Strawberry with (did you guess it?) Fresh strawberries!
Old-timers remember Jell-O plain gelatin with veggies and hard boiled eggs in a wonderful visual display, but it takes a little getting used to for younger people...
Regardless how the Jell-O comes, it's always served with love, laughter, and a whole bunch of great people!
Showing posts with label hospitality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hospitality. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Country Hospitality: Example E
Part of Country Hospitality is making sure that you don't care what the other person looks like...the Wife had just gotten out of her robe and thrown her hair helter-skelter(not suburb ready by any means, not even a lick of make-up on!) The neighbor was a little more polished than the Wife. She had been to the store.
She lives down the road quite a way.
She drives past the farm everyday, saw that we were outside and thought, "Today is it! I'm stopping!"
So glad she did.
She grew up on a beef cattle ranch in N Dakota. Where her oldest brother(who just turned 80) carries on. His son, in his 60s is trying to convince his dad it might be time to take it a little slower. At least, just ride the ATV, instead of the horses, to check the fence lines. She's the youngest of 12 children! Most of them still live in N Dakota, she's one of the few who doesn't and misses being there with the family.
She made this comment, I think you'll love: "Farming works this way. You clock in when you're five and you clock out when you die."
She's right. I gets in your blood. The hardwork, the ethic, the appreciation, the smell of fresh air, the quiet of the breeze and sound of the grass.
It's a great place to raise a family, that's for sure!
Now her son, grown with a family of his own, raised on his parents small farm down the road-lives in town. Guess what he does every weekend? Takes his children to the farm. So they can grow up with a taste of what he grew up with, which is what she considered so important, with a taste of what her father considered the most important way to raise his family.
Apparently she's familiar with Country Hospitality...because she drove up in the driveway and popped out to have a chat.
She lives down the road quite a way.
She drives past the farm everyday, saw that we were outside and thought, "Today is it! I'm stopping!"
So glad she did.
She grew up on a beef cattle ranch in N Dakota. Where her oldest brother(who just turned 80) carries on. His son, in his 60s is trying to convince his dad it might be time to take it a little slower. At least, just ride the ATV, instead of the horses, to check the fence lines. She's the youngest of 12 children! Most of them still live in N Dakota, she's one of the few who doesn't and misses being there with the family.
She made this comment, I think you'll love: "Farming works this way. You clock in when you're five and you clock out when you die."
She's right. I gets in your blood. The hardwork, the ethic, the appreciation, the smell of fresh air, the quiet of the breeze and sound of the grass.
It's a great place to raise a family, that's for sure!
Now her son, grown with a family of his own, raised on his parents small farm down the road-lives in town. Guess what he does every weekend? Takes his children to the farm. So they can grow up with a taste of what he grew up with, which is what she considered so important, with a taste of what her father considered the most important way to raise his family.
Apparently she's familiar with Country Hospitality...because she drove up in the driveway and popped out to have a chat.
Friday, April 8, 2016
Dear Farmer Gets Comfy
When the day is done, and the work is at a point where Dear Farmer can sleep(because work is never actually done), Dear Farmer comes inside the house all excited.
The woodstove is still blazing, the weather outside is muddy and wet and cold (spring in the North! Yippee.), and Dear Farmer begins the process of getting comfy.
Aching joints and sore muscles get oiled. Bumps, bruises and nicks are identified and patched up. And then he sits down in front of the stove.
Off come the wet socks to be hung behind the stove, wool is a wonderful material! It's kept his feet warm and dry all day!
Off comes the crocheted hat from the Farmer's Daughter (also wet), to be hung to dry. He loves this hat! It's his favorite!
Off comes the flannel button down shirt. It's also dripping wet. We make sure we take everything out of the pockets...the pens, the notebook, the index cards(his field and herd logs), and the immense amount of hay. Into the laundry it goes. He's now down to his T-shirt. He goes and changes this for a dry and clean one for the rest of the evening.
And finally the pants come off. No, this is not a strip-tease! The pants are covered in muck and mud, poop and hay, and don't forget the occasional egg that he's sat on accidentally while working on the chicken coop.
(Seriously, would you want your husband sitting around the house in these pants???)
To put everyone's mind at ease...he's wearing polar fleece PJ pants under his work pants, so he's not in his undies! So, the pants go into the wash as well.
And now, Dear Farmer is officially comfy.
With all the work clothes off, the house shoes on, lounging in a T-shirt and PJ pants...he's ready for some good conversation and coffee.
Sounds like it's time for some Country Hospitality!!!
The woodstove is still blazing, the weather outside is muddy and wet and cold (spring in the North! Yippee.), and Dear Farmer begins the process of getting comfy.
Aching joints and sore muscles get oiled. Bumps, bruises and nicks are identified and patched up. And then he sits down in front of the stove.
Off come the wet socks to be hung behind the stove, wool is a wonderful material! It's kept his feet warm and dry all day!
Off comes the crocheted hat from the Farmer's Daughter (also wet), to be hung to dry. He loves this hat! It's his favorite!
Off comes the flannel button down shirt. It's also dripping wet. We make sure we take everything out of the pockets...the pens, the notebook, the index cards(his field and herd logs), and the immense amount of hay. Into the laundry it goes. He's now down to his T-shirt. He goes and changes this for a dry and clean one for the rest of the evening.
And finally the pants come off. No, this is not a strip-tease! The pants are covered in muck and mud, poop and hay, and don't forget the occasional egg that he's sat on accidentally while working on the chicken coop.
(Seriously, would you want your husband sitting around the house in these pants???)
To put everyone's mind at ease...he's wearing polar fleece PJ pants under his work pants, so he's not in his undies! So, the pants go into the wash as well.
And now, Dear Farmer is officially comfy.
With all the work clothes off, the house shoes on, lounging in a T-shirt and PJ pants...he's ready for some good conversation and coffee.
Sounds like it's time for some Country Hospitality!!!
Monday, March 28, 2016
Cousins, Aunts, Uncles, and a Birthday, oh my!
We have been absent for a little while, but for good reason...we were off celebrating the Amazing FarmWife's Birthday!!!
We had pre-arranged to meet cousins in Dixon and bring a celebration with us! The choice for dinner was Ice-Cream Sundaes (make-your-own!). And we thought that some birthday balloons would hit the spot!
Wouldn't Grandma have an amazing time?!
So, we packed people up, packed up food for (actual) meals, packed up children, drove to Illinois, stopped at the store to get toppings and miscellaneous needs(really, who doesn't NEED headphones?Which child left shoes back at home?), pick up the balloons, and deposit everyone and everything at Fabulous Aunt and Uncle's home.
A quick call to Uncle Photographer to arrange for a drop off for the Amazing FarmWife to attend her party, and we had the weekend in full swing!
Night one: play outside with the Reese's Pieces Cousins, welcome the Amazing FarmWife and Uncle Photographer, eat ice-cream sundaes, stay up late talking
Day two: play outside, eat an actual three meals, go to park, play outside, Welcome MorMor and the Amazing FarmWife, stay up late talking
Day three: good-bye to the three Reese's Pieces Cousins, play outside, welcome Uncle Yoga-Ranger, eat three actual meals, go to park, stay up late talking
Day four: go to church, have dinner with Dear Farmer's whole family, plus Uncle and Aunt Bike Doctor and Mac-Amazing, Uncle Yoga-Ranger, Uncle Photographer, Fabulous Aunt and Uncle, Twin-Cousin#1 and her cousinettes and the Amazing FarmWife. Eventually Dear Farmer's entire family has to go home this afternoon...{sigh}
if you are reading and get the feeling that Fabulous Aunt and Uncle have a revolving door...you are correct. That is what happens when the family comes home, but ooooooooh, how much fun we all have!
After this weekend, it may take the Amazing FarmWife a little while to recuperate. She deserves a little rest.
Happy Birthday, Grandma!
We had pre-arranged to meet cousins in Dixon and bring a celebration with us! The choice for dinner was Ice-Cream Sundaes (make-your-own!). And we thought that some birthday balloons would hit the spot!
Wouldn't Grandma have an amazing time?!
So, we packed people up, packed up food for (actual) meals, packed up children, drove to Illinois, stopped at the store to get toppings and miscellaneous needs(really, who doesn't NEED headphones?Which child left shoes back at home?), pick up the balloons, and deposit everyone and everything at Fabulous Aunt and Uncle's home.
A quick call to Uncle Photographer to arrange for a drop off for the Amazing FarmWife to attend her party, and we had the weekend in full swing!
Night one: play outside with the Reese's Pieces Cousins, welcome the Amazing FarmWife and Uncle Photographer, eat ice-cream sundaes, stay up late talking
Day two: play outside, eat an actual three meals, go to park, play outside, Welcome MorMor and the Amazing FarmWife, stay up late talking
Day three: good-bye to the three Reese's Pieces Cousins, play outside, welcome Uncle Yoga-Ranger, eat three actual meals, go to park, stay up late talking
Day four: go to church, have dinner with Dear Farmer's whole family, plus Uncle and Aunt Bike Doctor and Mac-Amazing, Uncle Yoga-Ranger, Uncle Photographer, Fabulous Aunt and Uncle, Twin-Cousin#1 and her cousinettes and the Amazing FarmWife. Eventually Dear Farmer's entire family has to go home this afternoon...{sigh}
if you are reading and get the feeling that Fabulous Aunt and Uncle have a revolving door...you are correct. That is what happens when the family comes home, but ooooooooh, how much fun we all have!
After this weekend, it may take the Amazing FarmWife a little while to recuperate. She deserves a little rest.
Happy Birthday, Grandma!
Sunday, February 21, 2016
Preparing for Fabulous Uncle and Aunt To Come Into Town...
Checklist in preparation for Fabulous Uncle and Aunt's visit...
- clean Dear Farmer and Wife's bedroom with a black trash bag.
- vacuum bedroom and vent grates.
- remove cobwebs that have been turning hallway, stairwell, light fixtures into "haunted house" look.(Because if I leave them there small children will be scared to get out of bed and come to mine. Well, it was worth a shot.)
- clean stairs(Smallest Farmer's Daughter painted them with nail polish. She's a very abstract artist.)
- repaint stairwell and hallway(would you look at that, she didn't keep it to just the stairs...and nail polish remover removes paint. Learn something new every day.)
- Get the laundry under control...it's over flowing into the hallway.
- Change the bed-sheets.
- Make breakfasts to pull out in mornings(Who wants to cook in the morning?)
- Lecture children on manners.
- Remind children to load dishes into dishwasher as soon as they are done eating(So Fabulous Aunt doesn't spend the whole visit washing dishes by hand.)
- Plan out meals. Really easy, child friendly meals.
- Make sure everyone knows their chores and jobs for the week.
- Lecture children on not arguing with chores and jobs.
- Set out towels, washcloths, and soap for Fabulous Uncle and Aunt.
- Write note reminding them not to leave out soap or children might use it to make the slide "go faster!".
- Lecture children about not using soap to make the slide "go faster!"
- Pray the mud dries or freezes before Fabulous Uncle and Aunt get here!
- Be the first one to get hugs from Fabulous Uncle and Aunt!!!
Friday, February 12, 2016
The Goats are Messing Up the Barn
Dear Farmer is in the midst of a frustrating situation. The Goats are being goats.
They are climbing his hay like mountains and while doing so, they are making a mess of the hay.
The Goats are jumping and romping up the steep cliffs of the bales as though it were nothing. They bounce around like they have anti-gravity-hooves. They are healthy, happy, and energized Goats.
Gone are the days of Dear Farmer having the barn all to himself, the hay remaining neatly stacked until he fed it...the Goats are terrorizing his solitude. The Goats seem to have no concern for the neatness in the hay bales.
Dear Farmer is aghast!
He comes inside at night shaking his head and moaning..."my hay. they are wrecking my hay bales..."
The Wife looks at Dear Farmer.
She has two children hanging on either leg, snotty smiles and giggles. She is holding a baby who needs a diaper change(again). The living room is covered in legos and children. An art project is strewn out on the table with more children. There is lots of activity inside the house. Yelling, laughing, thumping activity. Happy and healthy, energized children.
The Wife offers to Dear Farmer, "I'll send the children out to the barn to help you clean up from the Goats."
Dear Farmer actually looks around, at the Wife, at the house, at the children.
"No...I'll go clean it up later." , he says.
And Dear Farmer goes back out to his barn...and the Goats. It's really not that bad of a mess down at the barn.
They are climbing his hay like mountains and while doing so, they are making a mess of the hay.
The Goats are jumping and romping up the steep cliffs of the bales as though it were nothing. They bounce around like they have anti-gravity-hooves. They are healthy, happy, and energized Goats.
Gone are the days of Dear Farmer having the barn all to himself, the hay remaining neatly stacked until he fed it...the Goats are terrorizing his solitude. The Goats seem to have no concern for the neatness in the hay bales.
Dear Farmer is aghast!
He comes inside at night shaking his head and moaning..."my hay. they are wrecking my hay bales..."
The Wife looks at Dear Farmer.
She has two children hanging on either leg, snotty smiles and giggles. She is holding a baby who needs a diaper change(again). The living room is covered in legos and children. An art project is strewn out on the table with more children. There is lots of activity inside the house. Yelling, laughing, thumping activity. Happy and healthy, energized children.
The Wife offers to Dear Farmer, "I'll send the children out to the barn to help you clean up from the Goats."
Dear Farmer actually looks around, at the Wife, at the house, at the children.
"No...I'll go clean it up later." , he says.
And Dear Farmer goes back out to his barn...and the Goats. It's really not that bad of a mess down at the barn.
Monday, February 8, 2016
So you want to be a farmer? The Reality of Being Organic and Sustainable
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work."
-Thomas Edison
If you thought that recycling made you sustainable and organic meant that you didn't use deodorant, then we're a shocker for you. We take that to a whole new level!!!(Yes, we do use odor protection.)
Sustainable means we put up enough hay in the summer to feed the herd in the winter, and we're planning on growing the grass again next year. So we mow it when it goes to seed-head. It's not a nice lawn look all year. Sometimes during the summer it may look quite shaggy-depending on rainfall.
It means when there's an apple tree in the field, we pick it and sauce it so we have food in the winter. We don't complain the apples are the size of your thumb. Sometimes sustainability can take on the same look as common-sense...a chicken gets used four different ways. First as a vet for the cows as it cleans the pasture, next as an egg layer, third as a stew bird for dinner, and lastly as chicken broth preserved for later. We use the sun and air we breathe to dry our clothes, for light during the day and that "fresh air" smell on our sheets.
Everything that's sustainable is hard work, there's no skating by. Burning wood for heat means cutting the wood, splitting the wood, and stacking the wood-sometimes in the coldest day of the winter.
But it's so worth it!
Organic means we don't use anything God didn't create for fertilizer, animals, and food. We use our own animals to fertilize the pastures, then give them a dose of watered down compost for good measure. We don't breed animals to have the biggest body-parts for show or production, we take them as God made them and use them right. That's why our goats have horns, cats have claws, and chickens have bone and skin! We let the animals eat the grass, the apples, the leaves, the herbs-and we don't peel back an ear of corn for them. This is the way God meant it to be.
Before you think this is all daisies and roses, can I be quite frank? Because of this life we live...there are things you may want to consider...wear mud boots(real ones, not fashionable ones) to get to the door. There's chicken poop everywhere. Why? They have wings, they fly any where they want to. That means to the house, not just in the barnyard.
There's a goat who will greet you at the car door, and will gladly display for you how she can urinate on your foot and poop all the way to the front door of the house.
The cats like to leave "gifts" everywhere. Dead mice, voles, ground squirrels, chipmunks...
Be prepared for dirt. The windows are open in the house and it coats the furniture...really, I dusted it off six times today from the dark wood piano! The dirt covers feet, shoes, clothes, and gets under nails. It sticks to the cobwebs created overnight, and onto the faucets where children were washing it off. It doesn't matter how we attempt to get rid of it, it comes back. A magazine cover will never show the reality of farm life dirt.
The mess. There's a plethora of misc. tools, equipment, toys, and vehicles that don't run. The reality is, we're busy staying alive, there'll be a time to make it all clean(when the dumpster is here), but right now isn't that time. So, if you're OCD(which I find I am) take a deep breathe and close your eyes as you walk past it. The mess won't change the taste of dinner, and it also won't make the photo shoot for the magazine cover(thankfully). So just move on. Lastly, prepare yourself for a new brand of sweat. I promise, we do use odor protection, but it doesn't help the amount of sweat we produce. It doesn't matter what time of year it is, there's hard physical work we're doing. Whether it's under the hot sun or bundled in the dead of winter-people around here are sweating! No need for aerobics class, we pitchfork hay around for hours. Snow-shoeing and cross country skiing are means for checking the fence lines. Walking miles is a form of transportation, not relaxation. And when you see people standing around this kitchen with dripping hair or frozen hair and wet shirts and socks, covered head to toe in dirt and poop-laughing about the day they just had...know that they've accomplished the "Organic" label that went on that product in the store. AND LIFE IS GOOD!
-Thomas Edison
If you thought that recycling made you sustainable and organic meant that you didn't use deodorant, then we're a shocker for you. We take that to a whole new level!!!(Yes, we do use odor protection.)
Sustainable means we put up enough hay in the summer to feed the herd in the winter, and we're planning on growing the grass again next year. So we mow it when it goes to seed-head. It's not a nice lawn look all year. Sometimes during the summer it may look quite shaggy-depending on rainfall.
It means when there's an apple tree in the field, we pick it and sauce it so we have food in the winter. We don't complain the apples are the size of your thumb. Sometimes sustainability can take on the same look as common-sense...a chicken gets used four different ways. First as a vet for the cows as it cleans the pasture, next as an egg layer, third as a stew bird for dinner, and lastly as chicken broth preserved for later. We use the sun and air we breathe to dry our clothes, for light during the day and that "fresh air" smell on our sheets.
Everything that's sustainable is hard work, there's no skating by. Burning wood for heat means cutting the wood, splitting the wood, and stacking the wood-sometimes in the coldest day of the winter.
But it's so worth it!
Organic means we don't use anything God didn't create for fertilizer, animals, and food. We use our own animals to fertilize the pastures, then give them a dose of watered down compost for good measure. We don't breed animals to have the biggest body-parts for show or production, we take them as God made them and use them right. That's why our goats have horns, cats have claws, and chickens have bone and skin! We let the animals eat the grass, the apples, the leaves, the herbs-and we don't peel back an ear of corn for them. This is the way God meant it to be.
Before you think this is all daisies and roses, can I be quite frank? Because of this life we live...there are things you may want to consider...wear mud boots(real ones, not fashionable ones) to get to the door. There's chicken poop everywhere. Why? They have wings, they fly any where they want to. That means to the house, not just in the barnyard.
There's a goat who will greet you at the car door, and will gladly display for you how she can urinate on your foot and poop all the way to the front door of the house.
The cats like to leave "gifts" everywhere. Dead mice, voles, ground squirrels, chipmunks...
Be prepared for dirt. The windows are open in the house and it coats the furniture...really, I dusted it off six times today from the dark wood piano! The dirt covers feet, shoes, clothes, and gets under nails. It sticks to the cobwebs created overnight, and onto the faucets where children were washing it off. It doesn't matter how we attempt to get rid of it, it comes back. A magazine cover will never show the reality of farm life dirt.
The mess. There's a plethora of misc. tools, equipment, toys, and vehicles that don't run. The reality is, we're busy staying alive, there'll be a time to make it all clean(when the dumpster is here), but right now isn't that time. So, if you're OCD(which I find I am) take a deep breathe and close your eyes as you walk past it. The mess won't change the taste of dinner, and it also won't make the photo shoot for the magazine cover(thankfully). So just move on. Lastly, prepare yourself for a new brand of sweat. I promise, we do use odor protection, but it doesn't help the amount of sweat we produce. It doesn't matter what time of year it is, there's hard physical work we're doing. Whether it's under the hot sun or bundled in the dead of winter-people around here are sweating! No need for aerobics class, we pitchfork hay around for hours. Snow-shoeing and cross country skiing are means for checking the fence lines. Walking miles is a form of transportation, not relaxation. And when you see people standing around this kitchen with dripping hair or frozen hair and wet shirts and socks, covered head to toe in dirt and poop-laughing about the day they just had...know that they've accomplished the "Organic" label that went on that product in the store. AND LIFE IS GOOD!
Friday, February 5, 2016
The Farm-Boys Cut Wood
Today was one of those unusual days this time of year..clear blue sky and enough warmth to make you think spring wasn't so far away.
It was also unusual because we had all our farm-boys home, Honorable Sons 1&2, the Keeper of the Flame, the Pied Piper, and the Farmer's Shadow. The bigger boys had returned home for a day of woodcutting...a labor of love for their parents. The day went smoothly, the little Farm-boy Trio had the opportunity to keep up to the bigger brothers and they had great joy in working with the BIG BOYS.
The wood is stacked in neat rows, enough for the next few weeks.
Later that night we all sat down to dinner together. No electronic devices, just home-cooked food, and home-cooked humor. The dinner table was happy, the house was warm, and the parents were blessed. A truly wonderful way to end the day.
It was also unusual because we had all our farm-boys home, Honorable Sons 1&2, the Keeper of the Flame, the Pied Piper, and the Farmer's Shadow. The bigger boys had returned home for a day of woodcutting...a labor of love for their parents. The day went smoothly, the little Farm-boy Trio had the opportunity to keep up to the bigger brothers and they had great joy in working with the BIG BOYS.
The wood is stacked in neat rows, enough for the next few weeks.
Later that night we all sat down to dinner together. No electronic devices, just home-cooked food, and home-cooked humor. The dinner table was happy, the house was warm, and the parents were blessed. A truly wonderful way to end the day.
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Country Hospitality: Example D
In Dear Farmer's world, when it comes to hospitality, you should be the first offering before it's asked.
So, before a neighbor asks you to watch his farm while he takes a day off, country hospitality dictates that you should anticipate the need and offer to watch the farm so he can take a day off. Simple enough and incredibly difficult! Wouldn't you know, Dear Farmer is a professional at this one!
The family just spent the weekend at Fabulous Aunt and Uncle's home. They were descended upon by oodles of family from the north, south, east, and west. It was wonderful, it was fun, it was a weekend of country hospitality.
While there, the Amazing FarmWife!(Grandma) exhibited this bit of hospitality when she called in the troops to set up for the retirement home's Christmas party, because she saw that the manager was dealing with another(more important) issue. She organized and rallied all the Grandmas and Grandpas to take charge of the situation (unbeknownst to the manager). Tables and chairs were moved, tableclothes on, place settings set and centerpieces placed. She saw a need, and she jumped into action...Country Hospitality at it's finest even in a retirement home.
Fabulous Aunt and Uncle opened the doors of the house, sent out invitation texts and cancelled plans, all to host an impromptu small family gathering of 30 people...Country Hospitality at it's best on the spur of the moment.
Folks!This is what life is supposed to be full of, and the Wife is loving it!
So, before a neighbor asks you to watch his farm while he takes a day off, country hospitality dictates that you should anticipate the need and offer to watch the farm so he can take a day off. Simple enough and incredibly difficult! Wouldn't you know, Dear Farmer is a professional at this one!
The family just spent the weekend at Fabulous Aunt and Uncle's home. They were descended upon by oodles of family from the north, south, east, and west. It was wonderful, it was fun, it was a weekend of country hospitality.
While there, the Amazing FarmWife!(Grandma) exhibited this bit of hospitality when she called in the troops to set up for the retirement home's Christmas party, because she saw that the manager was dealing with another(more important) issue. She organized and rallied all the Grandmas and Grandpas to take charge of the situation (unbeknownst to the manager). Tables and chairs were moved, tableclothes on, place settings set and centerpieces placed. She saw a need, and she jumped into action...Country Hospitality at it's finest even in a retirement home.
Fabulous Aunt and Uncle opened the doors of the house, sent out invitation texts and cancelled plans, all to host an impromptu small family gathering of 30 people...Country Hospitality at it's best on the spur of the moment.
Folks!This is what life is supposed to be full of, and the Wife is loving it!
Thursday, December 3, 2015
As We Prepare for the Onslaught of Company
It's the most wonderful time, of the year....
Dear Farmer's theme. We've spoken of country hospitality(see May and July 2015) and Dear Farmer's LOVE of it. This is the time of year when we get to really be hospitable...fling the doors open and have a steady stream of people!
Everything has to be done to prepare...bathrooms cleaned, bedrooms disinfected, floors mopped(and scrubbed, and mopped, and scrubbed). Dusting, vacuuming, straightening, wiping, and organizing. The house, we hope, will shine from top to bottom. By the end of December, it will badly need it again...but we'll cross that bridge when we get there.
We'll be making food...lots of food....lots and lots of food. Breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks and desserts. There is no other month that food is needed in quite this amount. Gluten-free, organic, dairy and egg-free..we've got you all covered. Seasonal foods, kosher foods, fermented foods, and sinful foods-we're eating them all! And then we plan on taking the New Year off of eating or cooking altogether.
And Dear Farmer will be grinning from ear to ear! Happy as a cat in a chicken factory, he'll open the door and greet friends and family. People we haven't seen since yesterday will be greeted as though we hadn't seen them for years. People we haven't seen in years will be welcomed as though we saw them yesterday. The oldest and dearest friends will laugh at all Dear Farmer's jokes, even though they've heard them all before. Cups of Hot Cider and seasonal music will indulge our senses. Dear Farmer is looking forward to having you here...and when you get here, we'll be ready for you!
Dear Farmer's theme. We've spoken of country hospitality(see May and July 2015) and Dear Farmer's LOVE of it. This is the time of year when we get to really be hospitable...fling the doors open and have a steady stream of people!
Everything has to be done to prepare...bathrooms cleaned, bedrooms disinfected, floors mopped(and scrubbed, and mopped, and scrubbed). Dusting, vacuuming, straightening, wiping, and organizing. The house, we hope, will shine from top to bottom. By the end of December, it will badly need it again...but we'll cross that bridge when we get there.
We'll be making food...lots of food....lots and lots of food. Breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks and desserts. There is no other month that food is needed in quite this amount. Gluten-free, organic, dairy and egg-free..we've got you all covered. Seasonal foods, kosher foods, fermented foods, and sinful foods-we're eating them all! And then we plan on taking the New Year off of eating or cooking altogether.
And Dear Farmer will be grinning from ear to ear! Happy as a cat in a chicken factory, he'll open the door and greet friends and family. People we haven't seen since yesterday will be greeted as though we hadn't seen them for years. People we haven't seen in years will be welcomed as though we saw them yesterday. The oldest and dearest friends will laugh at all Dear Farmer's jokes, even though they've heard them all before. Cups of Hot Cider and seasonal music will indulge our senses. Dear Farmer is looking forward to having you here...and when you get here, we'll be ready for you!
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Dear Farmer's Favorite Holiday-Thanksgiving!
Why? Because there's no gift giving involved. Because there's a focus on gratitude to God. Because there's a meal involved, with turkey! Because we have one super-amazing family that gathers together and doesn't pretend to have a good time, they actually are having a good time! Because it marks the end of the busy season, and the beginning of rest.
Our tradition is to go to gather with family where-ever the Wife's Grandma (the Amazing Farm-Wife) is. As the matriarch of the family, where-ever she goes is designated "the Family Thanksgiving" house. Some years ago she traveled to our cottage for Thanksgiving, and then to our farm...so we hosted. Nowadays she stays closer to home and the family gathers at Fabulous Aunt and Uncle's home. That is where we will be this year. It will be a small crowd...Dear Farmer and the Wife. Honorable Son #1, The Farmer's Daughter, the Hausfrau, the WhizBang! Farmer's Daughter, the Keeper of the Flame, the Pied Piper, the Farmer's Shadow, the Little Farmer's Daughter Trio, The Millibilly Cousins and their 9 Millibilly Children, the Bike Doctor and the Doctor's Wife and Grandson, Donald Duck-Uncle and his boys, Huey and Duey, Un-Cool Photographer, The Overcomer Uncle, Great Uncle, Great Aunt, Great Cousin, Fabulous Aunt, Fabulous Uncle, Awesome Grammy and The Amazing Farm-Wife-Grandma. Just a small contingent of the broader mob we call FAMILY.
Happy Thanksgiving from Dear Farmer's Family to you! We hope you enjoy your day as well!
Our tradition is to go to gather with family where-ever the Wife's Grandma (the Amazing Farm-Wife) is. As the matriarch of the family, where-ever she goes is designated "the Family Thanksgiving" house. Some years ago she traveled to our cottage for Thanksgiving, and then to our farm...so we hosted. Nowadays she stays closer to home and the family gathers at Fabulous Aunt and Uncle's home. That is where we will be this year. It will be a small crowd...Dear Farmer and the Wife. Honorable Son #1, The Farmer's Daughter, the Hausfrau, the WhizBang! Farmer's Daughter, the Keeper of the Flame, the Pied Piper, the Farmer's Shadow, the Little Farmer's Daughter Trio, The Millibilly Cousins and their 9 Millibilly Children, the Bike Doctor and the Doctor's Wife and Grandson, Donald Duck-Uncle and his boys, Huey and Duey, Un-Cool Photographer, The Overcomer Uncle, Great Uncle, Great Aunt, Great Cousin, Fabulous Aunt, Fabulous Uncle, Awesome Grammy and The Amazing Farm-Wife-Grandma. Just a small contingent of the broader mob we call FAMILY.
Happy Thanksgiving from Dear Farmer's Family to you! We hope you enjoy your day as well!
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Landscaping Plan for 2016
The Wife was planning out what to do for landscaping...she thought, "Ooooo, a garden of planters!" She planted herbs in the pots and planters, she fastened a small fence around the area, dreaming of a trellis for the opening (someday). Then the chickens came....and the chickens loved the pots to sit on and nibble herb dinners and the planters to poop in. The children saw the fence and they used it as hurdles in games of tag and the "jail" in kick-the-can.
New plan...those tiger-lilies look nice around all the trees, perhaps they aren't so haphazard as she thought they were. We could expand the tiger-lilies, get some other colors (besides orange) and feel very "old lady"-like. Then the goats came...and the goats thought the tiger-lilies were candy, and they ate and ate and ate them to the ground. Well, scratch that one.
New plan...the Wife thought,"The children jump and run through fences, the goats eat plants, the chickens poop on everything and nibble the herbs...what can I plant that will be safe and look nice?" And then she found the joys of a yard-full of slides and swings, a climbing wall and ladders, bikes, scooters and roller blades. Yep, one full acre of playground. That's how we're landscaping in 2016.
There will be a day when the yard will be landscaped and look like no one lives here, but that will be when our family doesn't live here at all. For while we are here, when you drive past, please enjoy our landscaping.
New plan...those tiger-lilies look nice around all the trees, perhaps they aren't so haphazard as she thought they were. We could expand the tiger-lilies, get some other colors (besides orange) and feel very "old lady"-like. Then the goats came...and the goats thought the tiger-lilies were candy, and they ate and ate and ate them to the ground. Well, scratch that one.
New plan...the Wife thought,"The children jump and run through fences, the goats eat plants, the chickens poop on everything and nibble the herbs...what can I plant that will be safe and look nice?" And then she found the joys of a yard-full of slides and swings, a climbing wall and ladders, bikes, scooters and roller blades. Yep, one full acre of playground. That's how we're landscaping in 2016.
There will be a day when the yard will be landscaped and look like no one lives here, but that will be when our family doesn't live here at all. For while we are here, when you drive past, please enjoy our landscaping.
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
We live for the emergencies!
The Wives were talking and laughing about all the "emergencies" they have (respectively) had on farms this year. The laughing was a sign that all the "emergencies" turned out well. In a sense you live from one "emergency" to the next. The down-time is just getting yourself prepared for the next "emergency"...and you anticipate it will be bigger than the last, otherwise you wonder if it was an "emergency" at all.
This morning the Wife and Farmer's Daughter nearly passed Dear Farmer and a neighbor on the side of the road. Thinking it was a neighborly chat, the Wife slowed the vehicle down to wave, and found the two men were corralling a bull-calf that had escaped the paddock. The Wife did what the Wife has been taught to do: slow vehicle down and put on hazards, following behind the farmers so that the bull-calf wouldn't back-track. The Farmer's Daughter jumped out of the vehicle and was the presence on the opposite side of the road, and the neighbor's wife ran around opening and closing gates as needed. It was a team effort, and the bull-calf was back inside the pen all safe. Dear Farmer assured the neighbor this was nothing, "I had all the steers and bulls out the other night at my place. You should come over for coffee!"(See Country Hospitality Examples C & B) The neighbor dropped by some cheese curds as a thank you...they were amazing!
Usually, in farming, what is an "emergency" to one isn't to another...there's nothing new to farmers. We're doing the same thing that was done at the beginning of time: raising animals, being stewards of the earth God created, and training the next generation to do the same.
It does seem at little odd, however, that this breed of person...farmers...who seem so dull and slow...they live for the excitement, the thrill, the "emergency"!
This morning the Wife and Farmer's Daughter nearly passed Dear Farmer and a neighbor on the side of the road. Thinking it was a neighborly chat, the Wife slowed the vehicle down to wave, and found the two men were corralling a bull-calf that had escaped the paddock. The Wife did what the Wife has been taught to do: slow vehicle down and put on hazards, following behind the farmers so that the bull-calf wouldn't back-track. The Farmer's Daughter jumped out of the vehicle and was the presence on the opposite side of the road, and the neighbor's wife ran around opening and closing gates as needed. It was a team effort, and the bull-calf was back inside the pen all safe. Dear Farmer assured the neighbor this was nothing, "I had all the steers and bulls out the other night at my place. You should come over for coffee!"(See Country Hospitality Examples C & B) The neighbor dropped by some cheese curds as a thank you...they were amazing!
Usually, in farming, what is an "emergency" to one isn't to another...there's nothing new to farmers. We're doing the same thing that was done at the beginning of time: raising animals, being stewards of the earth God created, and training the next generation to do the same.
It does seem at little odd, however, that this breed of person...farmers...who seem so dull and slow...they live for the excitement, the thrill, the "emergency"!
Saturday, August 1, 2015
"What kind of animal are those?" Dear Farmer answers..."Cows."
Understanding that there is a disconnect in society between the animal and the food that is eaten, Dear Farmer is more than patient with questions from customers...
"Where do the eggs come from if you don't have roosters?"
"How do you get the chickens to go in the coop at night?"
"When do the cows know it's time to birth?"
But the best was when we had a couple of visitors pull up in our driveway, a husband and wife.
They were having an argument, and waved us over to help them. Dear Farmer and the Wife walked over to the car, pretty sure we were about to be giving them directions to somewhere else.
They were, however, arguing about what kind of animals were grazing in the fields. The wife in the car said they were cows, the husband said they were pigs.
Now, there's a first. Even in city schoolbooks we thought they had pictures of the different animals...but apparently one of them hadn't paid attention. Dear Farmer, kindly answered, "Cows." They thanked him and drove away. Just in case anyone out there drives past our fields...we'll answer your questions, no matter how strange they may seem. But we will publish the strangest ones we've ever heard in a story like this. {smile}
"Where do the eggs come from if you don't have roosters?"
"How do you get the chickens to go in the coop at night?"
"When do the cows know it's time to birth?"
But the best was when we had a couple of visitors pull up in our driveway, a husband and wife.
They were having an argument, and waved us over to help them. Dear Farmer and the Wife walked over to the car, pretty sure we were about to be giving them directions to somewhere else.
They were, however, arguing about what kind of animals were grazing in the fields. The wife in the car said they were cows, the husband said they were pigs.
Now, there's a first. Even in city schoolbooks we thought they had pictures of the different animals...but apparently one of them hadn't paid attention. Dear Farmer, kindly answered, "Cows." They thanked him and drove away. Just in case anyone out there drives past our fields...we'll answer your questions, no matter how strange they may seem. But we will publish the strangest ones we've ever heard in a story like this. {smile}
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
When the GPS doesn't take you to your destination...
Had a couple of out-of-town friends coming to visit today. They had never been to the farm before-we've always met up with them at other locations(church, birthday parties, conferences). This time they were in the area and coming to our farmhome! We were excited, even cleaned the house for the occasion! Dear Farmer was on the phone with them and willing to give directions, "No", they said, "Just give us your address and we'll use the GPS." In the country, the GPS doesn't always work. Many times I believe the programmers just think "it's a gravel road/small town why put those in?" Well, people do still live wa-a-ay out in the middle of no-where...so it might have come in handy. Anyhow, the company didn't arrive. And didn't arrive. And just when Dear Farmer and the Wife were contemplating how lost they probably were...there was a phone call. The company wasn't just lost, they had landed in the next state! ( I had to put that in bold for the effect of the story...really, our farm is on the stateline, they weren't too far away.) They had plugged in our address, but incorrectly-driving past our house...and far down the road...before realizing they were totally in the wrong place. The GPS was telling them to keep going, but they knew they should turn around.
Now some of you may say, it was the fault of the person who was programming the coordinates, not the GPS...and some of you may say it was the fault of the GPS because it didn't recognize the coordinates that were programmed in didn't exist. Either way, the company did arrive. But too late to visit more than a couple moments before their next appointment. (BUMMER)
Dear Farmer did look like a very un-happy little farmer-boy...but he will get to visit with them another time. {Sigh} The house needed to be cleaned anyways.
Now some of you may say, it was the fault of the person who was programming the coordinates, not the GPS...and some of you may say it was the fault of the GPS because it didn't recognize the coordinates that were programmed in didn't exist. Either way, the company did arrive. But too late to visit more than a couple moments before their next appointment. (BUMMER)
Dear Farmer did look like a very un-happy little farmer-boy...but he will get to visit with them another time. {Sigh} The house needed to be cleaned anyways.
Monday, July 20, 2015
Flat Tires...ugh!
A flat tire on a car during road travel is a real inconvenience. A flat tire on a tractor is a real hassle. A flat tire on your hay mower-is devastating. Dear Farmer got a flat tire on his hay mower yesterday...
It was the phone call in the middle of the afternoon that alerted the Wife to a difficulty in his workday. It started with a man on the other end of the phone that sounded really tired...it ended with a "can you pick me up?" Both Dear Farmer and Wife had a little drag in their step for the rest of the day. This was not a good day to be put a day behind...the sun was shining, it was a good day for mowing. Dear Farmer had to do other things-basically there is no lack in things to do!
Not people to drag long, it was a pick-me up when Dear Farmer was able to invite a fellow-farmer over for dinner("So, I got a flat tire today, want to come for grilled pork chops?") see: country hospitality:example B . The next day the tire was fixed, and back on the mower...and it rained. Now rain...that's a whole 'nother monster!
It was the phone call in the middle of the afternoon that alerted the Wife to a difficulty in his workday. It started with a man on the other end of the phone that sounded really tired...it ended with a "can you pick me up?" Both Dear Farmer and Wife had a little drag in their step for the rest of the day. This was not a good day to be put a day behind...the sun was shining, it was a good day for mowing. Dear Farmer had to do other things-basically there is no lack in things to do!
Not people to drag long, it was a pick-me up when Dear Farmer was able to invite a fellow-farmer over for dinner("So, I got a flat tire today, want to come for grilled pork chops?") see: country hospitality:example B . The next day the tire was fixed, and back on the mower...and it rained. Now rain...that's a whole 'nother monster!
Friday, July 17, 2015
Country Hospitality: Example D
"When you're here, you're family."
I don't remember what that phrase is from(probably a commercial), but it's true around here. Country-folk need to stick together, they rely on each-other to weather storms and thrive, this is how families used to operate as a general rule.
Dear Farmer has had no problem with making people feel like family-he's just himself. Dear Farmer is nothing intimidating...he's a Teddy Bear-personality. Cute, cuddly, and large enough there's no doubt he's in control. People love to be welcomed by a big hug and Dear Farmer's stories of life. Just be ready to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly, because there's no skeletons hiding in closets around here!
Country hospitality dictates that when it comes to family, you need not conform, but be willing to be yourself and be loved for it. And most importantly, remember: family takes care of each-other!
I don't remember what that phrase is from(probably a commercial), but it's true around here. Country-folk need to stick together, they rely on each-other to weather storms and thrive, this is how families used to operate as a general rule.
Dear Farmer has had no problem with making people feel like family-he's just himself. Dear Farmer is nothing intimidating...he's a Teddy Bear-personality. Cute, cuddly, and large enough there's no doubt he's in control. People love to be welcomed by a big hug and Dear Farmer's stories of life. Just be ready to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly, because there's no skeletons hiding in closets around here!
Country hospitality dictates that when it comes to family, you need not conform, but be willing to be yourself and be loved for it. And most importantly, remember: family takes care of each-other!
Thursday, July 9, 2015
"Besquitoes": a cautionary tale
It's the time of year when our black raspberry bushes are in full production, and the Wife and the Farm-boy Trio go out every day and pick berries for a bit. We can really only stay outside picking for a couple of minutes before we get eaten alive by "Besquitoes". Do you know what those are? The Pied Piper of the Trio tells us they are: "blood sucking female insects who want to EAT ME!" No love loss here when a "Besquitoe" is sqwished.
Because we go out every day and pick for just a little bit, the harvest has been just a little bit, as well. It's a little disheartening (actually) when the Trio goes out into the woods and returns with nothing in their containers and purple mustaches and beards.
Finally, the Wife had enough. There's nothing being frozen for winter!!! She cannot stand by, she hands the children over to the eldest Farmer's Daughter, gives instructions for lunch, outfits herself in blue jeans, cowboy boots and a rain slicker---off she goes into the woods, berry picking. This has now become serious business.
About ten minutes into picking berries the Wife is pleased. Gleaning is going well, at this rate, the harvest will be plentiful. Twenty minutes goes by, the "Besquitoes" begin to get a little pesky. Thirty minutes: thank goodness the Wife did put on the rain slicker, the "Besquitoes" are biting her through her jeans, but they cannot penetrate the slicker. Forty minutes: a berry bush must have at least twenty very large and bursting ripe berries for the Wife to even think of going in there to pick them. Fifty minutes: There's a humming sound out in the woods! A very steady humming sound. What is it??? It's the "Besquitoes", they are following her! One hour: the "Bequitoes" are following her, they are biting her fingers, and the rain slicker is getting very hot. Ouch! They bit her between the eyes! That's it! Is this worth it? The Wife begins to head home. Returning home after and hour and a half of picking berries, she has a little over four cups of berries in her bucket and is met by the Farm-Boy Trio. They ask, "Did you bring back berries? How did it go? Can I have one?"
"NO!", the Wife says,"I had to fight the "Besquitoes" for these berries! Don't touch them! We are going to freeze them and never, ever, eat them! They are only for special occasions. And when we do eat them, it will only be one per person!"
Late at night, when the Farm-boy Trio cannot sleep...the Wife will tell them the story of the "Besquitoes" and how they guard the black raspberries so jealously that even fair maidens are leery of the desiring fruit.
Because we go out every day and pick for just a little bit, the harvest has been just a little bit, as well. It's a little disheartening (actually) when the Trio goes out into the woods and returns with nothing in their containers and purple mustaches and beards.
Finally, the Wife had enough. There's nothing being frozen for winter!!! She cannot stand by, she hands the children over to the eldest Farmer's Daughter, gives instructions for lunch, outfits herself in blue jeans, cowboy boots and a rain slicker---off she goes into the woods, berry picking. This has now become serious business.
About ten minutes into picking berries the Wife is pleased. Gleaning is going well, at this rate, the harvest will be plentiful. Twenty minutes goes by, the "Besquitoes" begin to get a little pesky. Thirty minutes: thank goodness the Wife did put on the rain slicker, the "Besquitoes" are biting her through her jeans, but they cannot penetrate the slicker. Forty minutes: a berry bush must have at least twenty very large and bursting ripe berries for the Wife to even think of going in there to pick them. Fifty minutes: There's a humming sound out in the woods! A very steady humming sound. What is it??? It's the "Besquitoes", they are following her! One hour: the "Bequitoes" are following her, they are biting her fingers, and the rain slicker is getting very hot. Ouch! They bit her between the eyes! That's it! Is this worth it? The Wife begins to head home. Returning home after and hour and a half of picking berries, she has a little over four cups of berries in her bucket and is met by the Farm-Boy Trio. They ask, "Did you bring back berries? How did it go? Can I have one?"
"NO!", the Wife says,"I had to fight the "Besquitoes" for these berries! Don't touch them! We are going to freeze them and never, ever, eat them! They are only for special occasions. And when we do eat them, it will only be one per person!"
Late at night, when the Farm-boy Trio cannot sleep...the Wife will tell them the story of the "Besquitoes" and how they guard the black raspberries so jealously that even fair maidens are leery of the desiring fruit.
Friday, July 3, 2015
Country Hospitality: Example C
If you ever think you're just going to drop by for a quick, "howdy!" You were wrong. Dear Farmer has educated the Wife that Country Hospitality dictates a moment of visitation. The Wife has learned, the visitation usually comes over a cup of coffee.
It's a cup of coffee. Sounds really simple, doesn't it? You brew the coffee yourself and an extra cup or two, just in case the neighbor drops in.
Anything can be said over a cup of coffee and no judgement is given. Problems can be worked out and solved over a cup of coffee. Children grow up over cups of coffee, the future is planned over cups of coffee.
How simple. There's no need for weekend retreats, therapists, or prescription medication. Just plan on an hour long "howdy!" and a cup of coffee.
It's a cup of coffee. Sounds really simple, doesn't it? You brew the coffee yourself and an extra cup or two, just in case the neighbor drops in.
Anything can be said over a cup of coffee and no judgement is given. Problems can be worked out and solved over a cup of coffee. Children grow up over cups of coffee, the future is planned over cups of coffee.
How simple. There's no need for weekend retreats, therapists, or prescription medication. Just plan on an hour long "howdy!" and a cup of coffee.
Saturday, May 23, 2015
Country Hospitality: Example B
Here in the country there's a need to feed people. Where the Wife grew up people didn't bring over casseroles and there was never a zucchini drop on a doorstep. Dinner invitations, though frequent, never involved butchering livestock or stacking hay. So, the Wife had to be educated in country hospitality, where people are fed...constantly. We grow double the amount of garden produce simply to give away. This is country hospitality.
So when the Wife first asked Dear Farmer for the garden plot (there were Honorable Sons No. 1 & 2 at the time), he made for the Wife a 20x40 plot well tilled. "Gracious", thought the Wife, "Who else are we feeding?" She quickly found out! As soon as the garden was producing (and over producing) Dear Farmer began making neighborly visits. First the relatives, then the neighbors, pretty soon even for the people in towns next door. Preserving keeps your pantry stocked, but also something on the shelf to give away!
Dear Farmer also began inviting people over for dinner when he and Wife were first married. Apparently everyday is a reason to invite families for dinner:
"We're hanging laundry on the line! Want to come over for spaghetti?"
"We're butchering the layers, how about you pluck feathers? We're having BBQ Chicken!"
"My wife broke her little toe today, would you like to come over and have Chinese?"
(not one of these is a joke, all true.)
As time has marched on, the Wife has learned the joy in Dear Farmer's need to feed. It's part of good old country hospitality!
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