Dog Days of July

Monday, July 19, 2021
Hello friends,
For the dog days of July, this isn’t too bad. It could be a lot worse outside. The grass, and in particular the crabgrass, is growing like crazy. The rain and subsequent sunshine have sparked ridiculous growth. The garden is growing, the weeds are growing, and to Bill’s chagrin, the lawn is growing.
The cucumbers are in full swing, and I found a recipe online for refrigerator pickles that we just love. They are crunchy and flavorful, and ready in 24 hours. I am ramping up pickle production to use all those perfect sized cucumbers. No canning needed, so no heating up the kitchen with the canner, or using those particularly hard to find canning lids. Every time I have looked on a shelf where they should be stocked, there is a limit sign, and no lids. With these pickles I can recycle a lid or use a plastic lid. If you are interested, here is a link to the recipe: https://www.aspicyperspective.com/best-homemade-refrigerator-pickles/

Wet, Dry, and Back to Wet Again

Monday, July 12, 2021
Hello friends,
Wet, dry, and back to wet again. We got the needed rainfall… and then some. More mud in the high traffic areas, and lots and lots of grass growing everywhere else. A little cloudy weather today and the cows are perfectly happy. We could do a lot worse for the middle of July.
Now that we are only milking 6 of the cows, with Vivian, Makenzie, and Reba on break, it is more important than ever to make sure you let me know before you make a trip out here to pick up milk. We are trying to utilize the milk in the best way to make sure you get fresh milk, as well as make the yogurt and other fresh cheese. On hold are the big batches of aged cheese. There seems to be a large number of people going on vacation this summer. Wow! Please be considerate and let me know your plan to skip milk if you are going out of town so we can make plans for it…..

Happy Independence Day!

Monday, July 5, 2021
Hello friends,
Happy Independence Day! I hope you had a safe holiday. We had a rather quiet weekend. A few friends over yesterday afternoon for a cookout and watching fireworks from a distance. There are quite a few people that live in the city and have property here in Linn County. This was a great weekend to come down and shoot fireworks over their lakes and ponds. Unfortunately, there are a lot of pesky trees in the way.
The rain has revived the pastures, and the cows are chowing down again. Not that they ever really slowed down except that they felt more like hanging around in the shade than foraging in the sunshine. Bill was finally able to mow the lawn on Saturday. It really needed it. He taught me how to use my mom’s little push mower so I could collect grass clippings for mulch. I was sweating buckets! Even with self-propelled front wheels. It won’t be long, and we’ll have to cut it again….

Lots of Rain!

Monday, June 28, 2021
Hello friends,
Lots of rain this past week! We welcome it right now because it has also cooled things down a bit and the grass has come out of dormancy. Moderation is the key. No need to wash out the driveway or overflow the gutters. Friday was a deluge with 4 inches in our rain gauge and up to 6 in a nearby neighbor’s. It is nice not to have to water the garden though.
Regan has come home. All on her own. The cows were in lane 9 on Saturday and when we went to get them for evening milking, there she was with our herd. No guarantee that she will stay, but I think the grass is better on this side of the fence and she has Champ and Patty, her same aged friends, in the herd with her now….

Absolutely Gorgeous Day!

Monday, June 21, 2021
Hello friends,
Ahhhh! What an absolutely gorgeous day! We endured the heat of last week, and finally get some “do anything you want outside” days. Only a half inch of rain fell, so we were glad we had watered the night before, and it actually worked to our advantage. We toiled and sweated to dig out the remaining peonies that we chose to come to the farm yesterday, yes on Father’s Day. Then a little rain softened the soil, but it was not too much. We had an easy time putting the plants in the ground today. That’s it, we are done digging flower beds and moving peonies. Now we just have to keep them comfortable this summer. We added a shade cloth to the rock bed peonies in the front, and ordered another cloth that should arrive later this week for the second bed. These plants normally best tolerate moving in the cooler fall temperatures, but we don’t have a choice. Closing is the 30th!
The cows were a little dehydrated last week and their milk production was down. We certainly provided water for them, but they just were too lazy to go get a drink. Or too hot. Consequently, the milk has been a little more concentrated and especially richer in butterfat. It’s great for cheese yield. I wouldn’t want it all the time because obviously all that heat is a stress on the cows, but there is an up side. Hopefully, things will level out this week….

Hot Dry Weather!

Monday, June 14, 2021
Hello friends,
I’m done with this heat and it’s not even officially summer! We transplanted those peonies and then we get all of this hot dry weather. Yes, there was a front of some sort came through last Friday, but can you believe that we didn’t even get any rain from it? It just went around us. Blue Mound got a tornado, and the power is still out! We have purchased a few spray nozzles for watering the garden and the flower beds, but of course you have to stand there for a long while. I knew we should have saved some of that rain from a month ago.
Vivian is now on her pregnancy vacation. Her calf is due in two months so she can have some time off from milking. We milked her once a day for a few days instead of the normal twice, then we milked once and skipped twice a couple of times, and then finally just stop. Any milk left in her udder will eventually be absorbed by her body. Now all her energy will go into calf development and nutrient storage in her body to get ready for the next lactation. Makenzie is the next one scheduled for vacation. Then we will be making a little less cheese which is okay by me. We will still have plenty of fresh raw milk for everyone…..

Peony Transfer

Monday, June 7, 2021
Hello friends,
Round one completed of the peony transfer from Mom’s house to the farm. We worked very hard last week moving big rocks from the rock pile behind the creamery. That is the pile that remains from the cheese cave dig out, after landscaping in front of the creamery and down by the sign. It took the tractor, a dolly, a t-post, and several shovels to get them from point A and positioned aesthetically to point B. Then two heaping tractor scoops of compost from the lower 20 where the cows ate hay and, um, completed the digestive cycle. Twelve 40 lb. bags of topsoil and a few more rocks, and finally we were ready to go to Mom’s house and dig up 12 or 13 most beloved peonies. This morning we put them all in place and watered them in. Next, we get another bed ready for the remaining plants before closing on the 30th.
Instead of amber waves of grain, we have green seed heads of grass. The pollen is falling off, and the seeds are forming. Soon I will have to empty my muck boots of the grass seeds in the mud room and pick them out of my socks! The cows will actually eat the tops. It takes a lot of grass seed to make a mouthful, but they don’t seem to mind. This warmer weather has the cows looking for cool places to rest during the day. They don’t get poison ivy, but we have to be careful not to get it from them…..

Happy Memorial Day!

Monday, May 31, 2021
Hello friends,
Happy Memorial Day. It sounds kind of odd if you celebrate what the holiday is about. It’s not really meant for happy, but for honoring those who paid their lives so we can enjoy the freedoms we unfortunately take for granted. It is hard for us to understand what these brave men and women have done for us. Surely, we can take a day and think about those families that lost loved ones and say thank you.
Hey, no rain today, or at least just sprinkles, and Bill was able to mow the lawn in this little window of opportunity. I don’t usually think it needs it when he announces that it is in dire need of mowing. Then when he is done, it looks so much better. Thank you, Bill. We have contacted someone to put gutter guards on the house, and some parts of the garage and creamery. He hasn’t been able to come yet, because of the weather. Part of the deal is that he cleans out the gutters for us. Unfortunately, the maple tree seeds that have been clogging the gutters have sprouted into 4 inch tree sprouts. I just had to climb out on the roof and clean them out, before we had Jack and the maple tree stalks. Nature is always trying to take back territory!….

More Rain!

Monday, May 24, 2021
Hello friends,
Did I start the newsletter with rain last week? I did? Well, more rain! It’s a little ridiculous. It was not raining this morning so Bill was waiting for the grass to dry out before he could finally start mowing. About halfway finished, and it started raining again! The grass on the downhill side of our laterals is still too wet so we left it. One year, Bill got the lawn mower stuck in there and we had to pull it out with the tractor and a long chain! The strawberries are ripening, but there is rottenness in the center of the bed where it can’t dry out. I have really good drainage in my raised beds, but I noticed that some cantaloupe sprouts were damping off at the soil line. Nothing I can do about it. Just pick asparagus and lettuce and be thankful for it……

Yearling Heifer on the Lamb

Monday, May 17, 2021
Hello friends,
Rain, and more rain. I think we have been dodging the major portion of it, but we still got 1.3” this morning. I hear reports of much more than that, so I’m thankful. Looks like there is more rain in the forecast for the rest of the week too.
We had a yearling heifer on the lamb since last Thursday. Just all of a sudden disappeared. She has had a terrible habit of getting through the front pasture fencing and joining the big cows. Annoying, but not serious since we just put her back. This time, she wasn’t with the big cows, and there was no sign of her. She is just 14 months old and about old enough to breed, but the deed has not been done yet so she could have come into heat and gone looking for company. Actually, I wouldn’t have been overly upset about that. Would have saved me the trouble of AI-ing her. It was the not knowing if something happened to her. We called our neighbors to the west and farther west and down the street, then east, but couldn’t get a hold of the neighbors to the north who don’t actually live on that property. Well, low and behold, we finally got through to them this evening and Reagan is with their Angus herd. Stinker. Tomorrow we will have to get her and figure out what to do to keep her on our side of the fence! Anyone want to buy a Jersey heifer?….

The Garden is Planted

Monday, May 10, 2021
Hello friends,
Hope you had a Happy Mother’s Day! I certainly did. Got to see all my children and grandchildren, as well as my own mother, all around one table. It was kind of crowded, but cozy. It’s a great holiday when you can appreciate those who have done so much for you. Even those with imperfect moms (say everyone) at least they chose life. Parenting is challenging, and motherhood is a 24/7 responsibility for a long time. Thank you to all the mothers.
The garden is planted. Last week we worked very hard when the soil was not wet, and the weather was conducive. Nothing like the threat of rain to motivate you to get those gardening projects finished. Bill even brought some hay for mulching, so the paths are nice and dry to walk on. We picked the first strawberry and pulled the first radish this evening. I guess we’ll have to take tiny bites, but they will be delicious. All the peppers and tomatoes that I started from seed are out, all the flowers have been transplanted and the empty trays are going back down in the basement. Sigh. A big job done. Now we watch things grow, or not, and pluck those small pesky weeds before they anchor their roots in the earth’s crust!….

The Peonies are Blooming!

Monday, May 3, 2021
Hello friends,
I’ve checked the forecast from two different sources, and other than a chilly Tuesday evening, I think I’m okay to plant out those “after all danger of frost” plants in the garden. The tomato plants are all out. We have quite a large variety of experimental plants this year. Purple, Russian heirloom, oval salad, San Marzano as well as the standby’s Early Girl, Whoppers, and Celebrity. I saved back a couple of each kind for just in case something happens to some, then I have some spares. If I don’t need them, well, good. I’m out of room for tomatoes.
The peonies are blooming! As some of you know, my mom is a peony hybridizer, and has been making crosses by pollinating different varieties for many years. If you see little bags on a stem, that’s where she has carefully opened a flower and gathered the pollen, then forced open another bud from the receiving plant and made the cross. The little bag is to keep the bees etc. from confusing the issue. Then in the fall, she will collect the little seeds and baby them until she has a new plant. Lots of things can go wrong so its pretty exciting when she finally gets a blossom from one of “her” crosses, and it’s a desirable flower. Right now, she is mainly working on the plants she has given me over the years, but this fall we will be bringing more of her parent plants……

“I have to mow the lawn before it snows”

Monday, April 26, 2021
Hello friends,
The snow melted quickly, rain came soon after that, but warm air came RUSHING in today, so everything is dried out again. Bill actually said, “I have to mow the lawn before it snows.” Isn’t that a strange thing to say? That’s Kansas. And quite a few other states for that matter. I have quite a few plants growing under the light table in the basement, waiting for a favorable time to transplant out. Not yet, little babies!
The peonies in the creamery flower bed have begun to bloom! The gale force winds didn’t do them any favors, but they are still looking lovely. Check them out when you come to the creamery. You may have to wade through all the little elm tree seeds that came pouring down today like a familiar recent snowfall. I sure hope they don’t all sprout!…..

Cold Snap!

Monday, April 19, 2021
Hello friends,
This is actually a late start on the newsletter tonight. After chores I normally sit down and write until it’s dark enough to go shut in the hens. They can’t be rushed after all. But this evening we ran around with row covers, rocks, bricks, tablecloths, old sheets, and grass clippings, trying to cover fruiting plants in the garden. We focused on the asparagus, strawberries, and blueberries that were blooming. The wind has picked up so I hope the rocks and bricks will hold the covers down. Always an adventure!
Bill and I have been working very hard to process (make cheese etc. with) all the abundance of milk. Wow! Hard cheeses are the one thing we make that use up the most milk at 75 gallons a batch. That will usually make 8 rounds of approximately 8 - 9# cheeses. Yogurt is next at 16 gallons to fill the vat pasteurizer. We are making a lot of yogurt lately, most of which goes into the Jersey Silk strained yogurt. So good, and people are discovering it. Then I made a 16 gallon batch of Feta which is 4 gallon jars filled with cubes. Tomorrow I will work on a 16 gallon batch of mozzarella and sneak in a 2 gallon batch of buttermilk in the house. That may be a bit ambitious. Meanwhile, Bill will be smoking 4 rounds of Gouda next to the garage. Yes, we are working very hard to utilize this beautiful golden spring milk. If you want to help us out, drink more milk!…..

More Signs of Spring!

Monday, April 12, 2021
Hello friends,
More signs of spring! The red bud trees are blooming. And tulip trees, and dogwoods, and magnolias, and lilacs! The bees are so busy in the orchard right now because the apple, peach, and pear trees are all blooming. That’s an encouraging sign, but not a guarantee of future fruit. Asparagus is beginning and the dandelions are in full swing! Bill even mowed the lawn, in particular there were some lush spots where the chicken tractor traveled, and they left a concentration of fertilizer in the corner where they slept.
You will notice the milk getting much yellower this time of year. That’s the beta carotene from the green grass coloring the butterfat. It’s also rich in CLA’s! This is the healthiest milk of the year so drink up. All this lush green grass also increases the cows’ milk production. Two weeks ago, we were averaging 28 gallons a day for 8 ½ cows, and now we are up to 34 gallons a day. (The half cow is actually one cow that we milk once a day instead of twice.) An abundance of milk, actually. I’m skimming cream for those of you who would like to make some butter……

Happy Easter!

Monday, April 5, 2021
Hello friends,
Happy Easter! I hope you enjoyed the beautiful day that the Lord provided. We were in Atchison with the family and we also celebrated Xavier’s first birthday. Yes, it has already been a whole year. What a cutie! I noticed lots of families hanging out on their porches, taking walks, and playing in their yards. Tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils are in all their glory. Spring is here!
A pair of geese have been hanging around a lot in lane 4 pasture. Then last week Bill went back to the pond to put a heat lamp in the pump house. Yes, the water system is on, but there were freeze warnings, so we had to protect the pump. While he was back at the pond, one of the geese was out in the water making a big rukus. I suppose it was a distraction away from a nest somewhere. We are looking forward to maybe observing some goslings in our pond. Chicken eggs take 21 days, ducks are 28, and apparently goose eggs take 28 to 35 days. That’s a lot of sitting!….

Windy!

Monday, March 29, 2021
Hello friends,
Did you blow away today? Hold on to your hats! Yesterday we were driving down the highway with a 26 foot U-Haul with my mom’s furniture, and that high profile vehicle would have been difficult on a day like today. Yes, we worked hard all day, including Stephen and family, and buddy helper. Her house isn’t empty yet, but I think all the furniture we need has been moved. Now to get settled in and try for some normalcy before going back to tackle the kitchen cabinets full of dishes etc.
Bill has been working on the getting the pond water system ready to turn on for the year. He added a water line and a hydrant down by the sign. That will be so nice. I have been having to carry a watering can full of splashing water down the hill to the flowers. Of course, I only make one trip so the flowers are not fully watered, just barely alive and therefore not as vigorous as they should have been. Now I will only have to go about 10 feet! Thank you, Bill!…..

Spring is Here!

Monday, March 22, 2021
Hello friends,
We just had several days to dry out and the threat of rain is back again. Lol. Would have been nice to get potatoes planted, but it was still too wet in the garden. We took our window of opportunity to move the hens while the pasture is a less soggy. The cows are spending more and more time looking for those tender sprouts and less time eating that hay. Soon they will have plenty of grass to eat without the hay and milk production will increase! We must get ready!
The flower beds are looking a little shaggy as those pesky purple flowered Henbit weeds thrive in this weather. The back yard is a little splotchy with some really lush spots that mark where the young pullets were moving with their chicken tractor. If only we could spread that out, we would have a decently fertilized lawn. As it is, whatever grows, we mow. No dandelions yet, believe it or not. The daffodils are blooming, and the peonies are sprouting. It won’t be long now…..

It Rained and Rained!

Monday, March 15, 2021
Hello friends,
Do we need an ark? My heavens! It rained and rained yesterday! The pasture had standing water all over. There is water still running in the ditches and all the normal low lying problem spots in town are a problem. The sump pumps in our basement and in the cheese cave have been running almost non-stop. Thank God the power stayed on. Our septic system drain field is super charged and every so often the toilets glug. Gravel from the driveway has washed out into the road again. But the sun came out today and the air seems crisp and clear this evening. No sign of tornadoes here.
Remember my experiments with pasteurizing milk for mozzarella? Remember what I called the result? Farmer’s Folly. It was totally the wrong texture, a complete fail. Well, I have a new recipe from a respected cheese expert, Peter Dixon. I know I can do this! So today I tried a small test batch in the kitchen, and so far so good. Much better than my previous attempts. This will allow me to legally sell mozzarella for CSA’s, Food Hub, and other places. Trial and error, trial and success! Tomorrow I will check the flavor…

Gorgeous Weather!

Monday, March 8, 2021
Hello friends,
Oh my, what gorgeous weather! We had the whole family out at the farm yesterday to celebrate three birthdays and a little bit of Christmas (long story) and it was so nice to be able to get outside. After a big meal, we went out to the pond and tried out the fishing poles. Carl gets a big kick out of “catching” the fish in the net when someone reels one in. He gets braver every time he visits and likes to touch the fish now. The dock was sturdy enough for all 10 to be on it at once! I’m glad we added it last summer.
Farmer’s markets are getting organized this time of year but remember that we are focusing on our farm store for the next season. Upgrades are coming but first we have to finish a project. My mom is living with us now and we have a transition to accomplish to get her stuff here, and some of our stuff out of the way. When you haven’t moved a piece of furniture for several years, it’s amazing the amount of dust that accumulates under it. First, we are sorting through our stuff as we move it out of the way, and next we will be sorting through her stuff. So, pray for grace in this season!….