Wednesday, February 20, 2013

LOTS OF HASH BROWNS IN OUR FUTURE!!!

                                                                                                                                                                     
Can't begin to imagine how many little potato eyes are in 600 pounds of potatoes, but it will probably be more than a days work cutting them up, letting them crust over a bit and plopping the pieces in the ground. In years past we have run out of potatoes smack dab in the middle of the summer crop harvest, just when it is time to throw a steak on the grill, with some summer squash and tomato halves, and there has not been a freshly dug baking potato to be found. With the" new to us" walk in cooler, we will be able to plant more and store more. The Farmer and Son have been putting the finishing touches on the 2nd hoop house. They  are going to plant the first of the tomato plants this week. The seedling trays are flourishing, lots of varieties of greens coming up. The dairy does are languishing in limbo, waiting for the kidding season to begin. They all seem bored to tears! When you see a goat bopping her head against the trim on the shed for hours at a time, just to hear the noise, her life is at a standstill.Our calculations were a little off, in determining when the buck started his Honeymoon Holiday. We know the date we ended his celebacy, but apparently the girls had other ideas! They have all become divas, and insist on all the preliminaries, a little good food to share, a little moonlight, a tickle here, a nuzzle there, and that  slobbery, blubbering noise that he makes in their ears, who can fault them for that? We anticipate the goat milk should start in early March. MARKET HOURS: Friday from noon until 4:00 PM and Saturday 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM. Special appointments can be made throughout the week for dairy pickup. From our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!!!

Sunday, February 10, 2013

WHO GARDENS IN FEBRUARY?.....WE DO!!!!

As the sisters that live in New England are blanketed with three feet of snow, and we are teased with a few shirt sleeve days here and there, we are reminded why we chose an out of the way little farm plot on the north end of the great state of Texas. Year around farming!!! The Farmer and Son have been "making hay" while the sun shines, and  even when it doesn't, preparing for Spring planting. The biggest decision of the day is "Do I put my coveralls and toboggen on, or is it just a jacket and cap day". The slower pace of winter on the farm is coming to an abrupt end as so many preparations are being made for the coming year. The strawberries are being weeded, the fruit trees have been pruned, the old beds in the hoop house have been replaced by slick, shiny new ones, the asparagus patch has been mowed, the fields have been plowed, the onions have been planted, as well as the first of the seed trays. It will soon be time to plant the potatoes, carrots, beets. The does are in the last stages of preparing for the coming kidding season. Busy days and sleepless nights are in the not so distant future. We can hardly wait! Decisions are being made as to what direction we will go this year with our dairy and produce. What will we experiment with this year? The Farmers son wants to expand with aquaponics and fish. We just might have some farm fresh Tilapia. Our mushroom experiment last year was a bust. Upon further research he has come up with a new plan. Something about logs, spores, climate control. Hopefully some time this year, our steaks will be smothered with our own sauteed shitake mushrooms. The olive trees survived the mild winter, although it is a little early to buy an olive press. We shared in the raising of pigs this past year, furnishing spent squash, watermelons, pumpkins, etc., with the number two Brother. The Farmer took five to the market this past month. As we are feasting on fresh cured ham, lean bacon, and gently seasoned breakfast sausage, it was decided we would go ahead and bring the pig operation home to the farm. We have plenty of out of the way corners, a ways away from the homeplace to built a pig pen. If the odor becomes a little offensive, a fresh slab of bacon will be thrown in the skillet to remind us why we are raising pigs..... here....on the farm....within throwing distance......right under our noses...... Our CSA program will resume. We will post information in March regarding applications, at which time we will be able to have a guestimation of how many shares we will be able to provide each week. MARKET HOURS: Friday from noon until 4:00 PM, Saturday from 10:00 until 4:00 pm. Special appointments can be made throughout the week for dairy pickup. From our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!!

Sunday, February 3, 2013

A DIFFERENT HAT!!!

Often times in the hustle bustle of everyday farm life, the outside world goes unnoticed, as each day is filled with the immediate needs of each animal, the fields, the machinery.... . The other simple pleasures of life often breeze by. The Farmers son and  I were called to duty by the number 1 granddaughter, to participate in the annual school Father/ Daughter Valentine dance. Her Father was working his 24 hour shift at the Grand Prairie Fire Dept., so with a fierce determination not to miss the dance, and a very ascertive phone call from a hopeful little girl, the mantle was passed to Uncle Chris. Yes, the onions could wait another day, the tractor could be serviced tomorrow, there is all of next week to weed the strawberries.  Now, a girl cannot expect to go to a dance without some special flowers on her wrist and in her hair, so Ganny (my grandmother moniker) pilfered through the attic, drug out the tubs from the bygone flower shop days, put on the Florist hat and apron, and whipped up a little number suitable for a little girls first dance.  Now as one of his other hats, the Farmers Son taught dance at one of the Arthur Murray dance studios, so he was anxious to see if he could still cut a rug! A great time was had by all, they closed the joint down, it was said that they finally had to turn out the lights, as no one wanted to stop and go home. The granddaughter shed a few tears when her magical night came to an end..... but was assured by Uncle Chris, the Farmers Son, that he would most definately be available as an escort again next year!  From our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!!! (By the way, anyone need a corsage, give a shout!!!)