Pay It Forward...

I've only been blogging for about five months now, and I'm hooked...it's been fun sharing how we live with you, and  I have enjoyed reading blogs from all over...I like to see how people live in other parts of the country and beyond...it's quite fascinating, really!  Growing up and living within fifteen miles of where I was raised is great...but the world is so much bigger than all that!

Last evening, I was reading Eden Hills's blog , and Teresa had what I thought was a fun idea to get to know some fellow bloggers...so since I'm relatively new at this, I figured I'd give it a try! 

Here are the guidelines:

*  Create something hand crafted for the first five people who leave a comment on this post who say they wish to participate. 

*  To play along one must be willing to likewise repost these instructions and also create something handmade for the first five people who comment on their post.

*  All gifts are to be created and handed out during 2011.  

*If you choose to participate, please be sure to send me some contact info.

I'm thinking of the possibilites...and they are endless!  It could be something related to scrapbooking...it could be homemade salsa...it could be some of those kitchen scrubbies my sister taught me to crochet a few weeks ago...it could be???

It's time to get those creative juices flowing!  It's simple, really.  And there's plenty of time!

In the meantime...I'm thinking about the wintry mix that we're to get overnight tonight, and thinking that tomorrow might end up being a good day for something homemade here!  Maybe some bread or some chocolate chip cookies...since my baker will possibly be home from school.  Again.

Spring is only 48 days away!

Sunday afternoons...

It's really tempting to just stay inside and curl up with a book on Sunday afternoons when it's cold outside, but for the past two Sundays, this family has gone out and had some fun!

Today we went snowmobiling with Jim's cousin.  Our 14 year old is now hooked, and thinks we just HAVE to get a snowmobile!   (he's going to be sorely disappointed!)  I rode behind him, and learned a few things; 1) he has "the need for speed" and 2) he's respectful enough to slow down when his "old" mother asks him to!  It was beautiful out there, riding through the fields!  I didn't have my camera on the snowmobile, so you'll have to take my word for it!

Last Sunday, we went for a winter hike with my sister's family.  It was downright cold, but once we got out and got moving, we warmed up pretty quickly. There are a lot of beautiful, hidden places in the river hills of Lancaster County, if you just know where to find them!

Our cameras are with us whenever possible...

 Our budding photographer...she takes some great pictures with that camera!

The girls taking a break, waiting for the guys to show up after bushwacking their way through the woods...most of us followed the "rules" and took the trail...

"We are invincible...we will NOT fall through the ice..."

 A few minutes later...

That rock covered in beautiful icicles is where we're headed...

Taking a break on the hike out, for some "refreshment"... while the guys ran full speed for the van, since the oldest and wisest (?!  :-)  ) of the cousins fell in up to his waist!  Not too good for the well being of his cell phone!

It's tempting to want to stay inside when we spend most of our days out in the weather, but we're glad we got out and had a great time with family...this is what memories are made of!

I wonder...

Will this corner of the kitchen ever be mine again?

My gut tells me..."not until spring"!

(those cast iron radiators sure are great for drying wet winter wear!)

Creativity in the snow...

It's been made crystal clear today that winter is definitely not over in our corner of the world! 

We woke to steadily falling snow ...but alas the school busses were already full of secondary students before the school district realized how slick it was out there!  Our district already had an early dismissal planned for today, so the school day went on as planned.  By the time the kids were dismissed, there was a window of "clear weather" and roads were passable...God's gift to bus drivers and concerned parents alike!

When our kids got home, we "encouraged"them to go out and enjoy themselves...and this is what they came up with...

Hmmm...a snowman?  What's so special about a snowman?  They made this snowman out back behind our elderly neighbor's house...right where he could see them working...and he can enjoy the finished product for days to come! 

Even the most common things are made more enjoyable when they make someone smile!

"Pazutski"...

One of the daily jobs that needs to be done, regardless of the weather, is cleaning out the cow gutters and spreading "pazutski".

Have you ever heard of "Pazutski"? 

Pazutski is another name for cow manure, cow poop, or anything else you might want to call it!  I have no idea where the word came from, how to spell it for sure, or if it's even a word...it's just what my family has called it ever since I was a little girl...

We don't have a manure pit, so each morning, Jim backs the manure spreader under the elevators and turns on the barn cleaner.  Behind each row of cows is a gutter about ten inches deep.  Laying in the gutter is a heavy chain which makes a complete circle...through the barn, up the elevator and back down again.  Paddles are attached to the chain about fifteen inches apart.  When the chain moves, the manure moves through the barn, up the elevator, and falls into the manure spreader.  Jim stands on the edge of the spreader and scrapes the paddles clean.  Then we spread corn fodder or straw in the empty gutters.  This makes more bulk and helps the manure to move up the elevators more easily.  It's also great for the soil...



The trusty old Farmall M is the work horse for this job.  Jim's dad bought the tractor many years ago, and it's still going strong!  (It's a 1950 something)  It has no power steering, so it's a bear to steer, and it's the only tractor we own that  I don't know how to start or drive.  I'm happy to keep it that way...that way I can avoid doing this job!  :)

Regardless of the weather, this job needs to be done.  So, you can imagine that in the winter time, this can be a challenge.  Sometimes Jim has to plow a path under the elevators and through the field to get the tractor and spreader through.  In the single digits this morning, he said it was FREEZING on the tractor!  Right now he's spreading on some rental ground about a mile away, so has a cold ride!  On his way home, he's usually heading into the wind, and is glad for the cold weather gear!



So...as long as cows keep making pazutski, we'll have something to do!  It's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it!

A Granola Making Day...

I had a bit of free time today, so I decided to make some granola.

 A friend of mine (thanks Sue!) used to make this for Christmas, and we learned to love it.   I’ve taken a few liberties with the recipe (some in our family don’t care for sesame seeds or coconut, so I added more dried fruit instead!)  It’s very simple to make... the baking is a bit time consuming, but it's worth it! 

 If you have a lot of inside work that needs to be done...you can fit it in between "stirrings"...just so you're close enough to hear your timer go off!  I got my laundry folded and some bookwork (yuck) done while it baked this morning.

MAPLE GRANOLA

Combine in a large bowl:

                 2 lb 10 oz rolled oats (large container)

                2 cups wheat germ

                1 cup chopped almonds (I use the raw, slivered almonds)

                1 cup chopped raw (or unsalted) cashews

                1 cup raw (or unsalted) sunflower seeds

                several cups bran flakes (optional)

Combine and pour over dry ingredients:

                2/3 c. vegetable or canola oil

    2 + cups pure Maple syrup (I use maple flavored pancake syrup, since the real stuff is so expensive!)

                1 tsp. vanilla

Combine and set aside until after baking:

                1 -2 cups dried fruit (craisins, pineapple, papaya, apricot, etc)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pour onto a well greased jelly roll pan. (This recipe is large enough that it will take at least 3 jelly roll pans full until you're finished, so plan when you have a large chunk of time!)

Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

Remove when lightly browned.

Add dried fruit and cool.

Store in an airtight container.

The second pan is almost finished in the oven…and it’s beginning to smell pretty good in here!

Here’s the finished product…   

We'll be eating granola for weeks! 

Hummies...

We arrived home last night just before the snow and freezing rain started!  It's a good thing, because the roads are a mess this morning.  The kids have off school, much to their chagrin;  now they have to go on Friday, which was supposed to be a day off.  I guess it's all part of being flexible!

I must say, while I was thrilled to be away for a few days,  I was glad to go back to the barn this morning!  I actually missed my hummies...and I think they were glad to see me too!

They stick their heads out of their hutches to greet me whenever I appear.  I suppose it has something to do with the fact that I usually am bringing them food...

Outside is the best place for the calves, even in the dead of winter.  The fresh air does wonders for keeping them healthy.  They are in a protected spot, out of the wind, with the open end of their hutches to the south.  We bed them up with sawdust and straw. When it's really cold, they wear insulated coats.  I think it makes them look like little sheep...

They'll be cozy in their hutches today...munching on hay and feed, eagerly waiting to see us again this afternoon! 



Mini vacation...

This weekend the kids and I and my Mom had a chance to take a mini vacation...

We headed to Virginia for a quick trip to visit my sister and her family.  It was great to be able to sleep in, look at other people working on their farms as we drove by, hear my brother in law preach, sleep in again, and spend time with family.  We would have loved to have him along, but Jim stayed home to hold down the fort.

Here are a few pictures from our weekend...


Shenandoah Valley sunrise...from the back yard...

 Virginia chickens are just as happy as Pennsylvania chickens...

Today (Sunday) we drove to Reddish Knob, one of the highest points in western Virginia.  It's located on the Virginia - West Virginia state line.  This first picture is looking east into Virginia.  If you use your imagination, you can see Massanutten  peak in the distance in the haze.

Along this ridge you can see the road, which follows the state line.  To the left is West Virginia, and to the right is Virginia...

Looking south at the beautiful mountains...

 
Looking west into West Virgina...

The weekend has gone by way too fast, but we've had fun with family.  We have enjoyed the chance to relax, and tomorrow we head for home.

F L E X I B I L I T Y ...

Here are a few thoughts on a subject that I struggle with daily...

Forget what your plans were for today…(that water line has to be fixed NOW!)

Learn to roll with the punches…(I haven’t got this one down yet!)

Everybody has their own ideas about how something should be done…

eXpect the unexpected…(sometimes cows have their calves on Christmas morning!)

Is the weatherman going to be right this time?  (we just mowed hay and now it looks like rain!)

Because they could…(that’s why the cows got out just when you were planning to go away!)

I t doesn’t have to be done today…(the housework will still be here tomorrow!)

Live within your means…(when the milk prices drop, put that project on hold!)

Is it really 3:00 already?  (but we haven't eaten lunch yet!)

Time is relative...(15 minutes can easily stretch into half an hour or more!)

You’re much better off if you learn to be flexible early on!

Snow...

This is what greeted us when the sun rose this morning...

Somehow, everything looks better when covered in several inches of fresh snow!  That's the same path that you saw Belle walking on several posts ago...but it was muddy then!

This little bit of snow was enough to make travelling a bit treacherous this morning.  The kids had a two hour delay, so we actually had time for a hot breakfast before school!  It was nice that we found out about the delay last night already...they could just shut off their alarms and sleep in a bit. 

The chickens were not impressed with the snow, however...

They're funny birds...they will go outside in rain, wind and the heat of the summer, but snow?  No way!  But...that chicken on the far left in the doorway... I saw her eating some!

I must admit...much as I am a "fair weather' fan...the snow is beautiful!  Winter just wouldn't be complete without a little bit of the white stuff! 

Bread recipe...

I'm sitting here this morning, trying to get myself to pull on my insulated coveralls and head out to the barn.  I'm imagining what all could happen today...

It's supposed to snow...the kids could get home early from school...they might want to go sledding...the dogs will have a blast with unexpected playmates...the hot water might be on for hot chocolate...

And wouldn't the smell of baking bread top it all?!

Here's a recipe that a friend from Church gave to me last winter.  It's the simplest, most forgiving bread recipe I've ever tried. 

3 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. dry yeast
6 1/2 cups unsifted, unbleached flour  ( I use 4 cups white, and 2 1/2 cups of something else...oat flour, whole wheat, etc.  He suggests adding sunflower seeds or flax...)

Mix together until incorporated.  (add flour or water as needed)  It will be a sticky dough.
Let rise for 2 hours minimum at room temperature.
(at this point you can bake it, but it handles better if it rises a little longer)

Divide the dough in half and shape into two cantalope sized balls.  Let it rise on a pizza pan coated with cornmeal.  Let it rise for 40 minutes.

Place a baking stone on the middle oven rack and coat with cornmeal.  Place a shallow pan on the bottom oven rack.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  (time it so that oven is ready at the end of the rising time for your loaves of bread)

Dust the top of the loaves with flour, and make of a couple of slices on the top with a serrated knife.  Transfer to baking stone in oven.

Immediately pour about a cup of water into the shallow pan.  This creates steam to make a nice crust.  Bake for about 30 minutes, or until crust looks and feels right.

So...if you're feeling adventurous, or if the smell of fresh baking bread appeals to you...give it a try!  A slice a warm, fresh baked bread slathered with butter and homemade strawberry jelly...sounds good to me!

Thanks, Leon, for the recipe!



Bullies...

The past few years, we've been hearing alot about bully prevention in the school system.  I was reminded tonight about how we have bullies right here in our barn!

When the weather turns cold, we watch the temperatures closely.  When it gets very cold and windy, like last night and this morning, we shut off some of the water lines in the west side of the barn.  This means that we then have to fill water tubs with a hose, in order for the heifers to drink...

Tonight, as I was filling the heifers' water tub (wishing I was inside watching the Eagles game!), I got really angry!  We have six animals in what we call the "outside pen" right now...a springing cow, a steer and four heifers...

I expected that the cow would be the first one to drink...she drank the water as fast as it would run out of the hose!  I expected the steer to be next...and then the two biggest heifers, followed by the two slightly smaller ones. 

But what made me so angry, was that the cow, when she was finished drinking, stood there and pushed all the others away.  She didn't need any more water; she just wanted to be bossy!  I chased her away, and then had to do the same with the steer.  The two larger heifers wouldn't even let the two smaller ones inside!   

We are so much like animals!  Or...are they so much like us?!  God must get so frustrated with us when He sees us acting so mean to each other...throwing our weight around "just because we can!"
It all turned out fine for those heifers...Jim and I were able to pen the larger animals outside temporarily so that the smaller ones could eat and drink in peace!  I just wonder why they have to act like that?! 

(and we got to go watch the end of the Eagles game...but I should've just stayed in the barn!) 

Cock-a-doodle-doo...

Our hens finally have a rooster!

He's beautiful... 

He likes to sit on the fence, looking out for his ladies...

He's quiet...

He doesn't eat much...

He never chases anyone...

He's the nicest rooster I've ever met...

You see...he's made of copper!

When I was a girl, we had a banty rooster.  A nasty banty rooster!  He would chase us, and jump onto our heads, flogging us with his wings and his spurs!  There are lots of stories of this rooster and his eventual demise!

So...no live roosters for us! 

Our 89 year old neighbor made this rooster out of copper, and we placed him on his perch just this afternoon.  He can proudly look after his harem, and we can safely gather eggs!

Cock-a-doodle-doo!

Belle's baby...

Do you remember Belle?

She's the fat, happy cow that just loved grazing this summer.  (pictured in a previous post)

She's the oldest cow in the barn...the matriarch...the definite leader of the pack...

She should have been named "Bossy"...

She's 11 years and 7 months old...

Today she had her eleventh calf; her seventh heifer...

That's quite a record!

It's unusual to keep a cow this long...but she just keeps on going!  Belle had her first calf at age two, and has had a calf every year since then.  That's a tremendous breeding record!

She looks (and acts) half her age.

Her sire is Belltone, one of the "good old guys".  We have had quite a few Belltone daughters... He was a bull that was used often on first calf heifers because he was proven to give small calves, which results in an easy calving...and she is the only one we have left!

Tonight we checked on her before bed because she's a milk fever threat.  (see Dairy Farming 101)  Jim gave her some calcium earlier this evening, but when we checked, she was standing up chewing her cud!

Way to go Belle!  Welcome back to the barn!

Photo gallery from the past year...

It's that time of year...we're in our slow mode...and if I don't keep myself motivated, I can waste a lot of time! 

I'd like to think, though, that blogging is NOT a waste of time...so I've compiled a collection of pictures from the past year that I found interesting. 

 Some of them are directly related to farming, some of them are of family, and some of them are just beautiful scenery.  (Some may be repeats from earlier blog posts, but if you see them twice, you know I really like them!)

Enjoy!


2010 began with a bang!  In February we had two major snow storms a week apart, resulting in 40+ inches of snow...

Our neighbor's farm to the west always makes a great photo, no matter the weather...

Several years ago Jim bought a Honda 50 dirtbike like he rode when he was a kid.  Last winter he found a Honda 100, so now the kids each have a dirt bike to ride.  They use them for fun and for work...

Spring arrived, like always, and I was thrilled...

These particular chickens loved to sit on top of the fence around their pen...



Of course there was also work to do...my nephew from Chicago loved gathering eggs...



And Murphy blessed us with nine adorable puppies...but they wore her out!  They were born in June, during one of the hottest weeks of the year...



Our neighbor Joe came over every day to see them...

The laundry never ended...

Some beautiful scenes shot by Jenna...

And then of course there was some more work...baling round bales...Jim drove the tractor while the Amishman who owns the baler rode behind and operated the mechanism that released the bale into the field...

Fun...it doesn't take alot to be entertained...

We just can't seem to get away from those cows!   (photo by Jenna)

More "real" work...Eric unloading hay...



The east hay mow is almost full...



Jim's dad on his old (1950 something) Ferguson 30, just before he sold it...he used to use it for cleaning out pens...

After a dry summer, we had a LONG day of rain...over 8 inches of rain...(I forgot to empty the rain gauge before bed, so we aren't sure just how much we had, but it was a lot!)

We chopped corn the next day, and left no tracks in the field or mud on the driveway!  The ground was thirsty...

And there's our neighbors' farm again...taken out the west barn windows...



We found a little time to play...we spent an afternoon picnicking with friends at a park...

Fall work was upon us...combining corn, and loads of corn fodder waiting to be unloaded...

My dad repaired our cow trailer...he doesn't look 81, does he?!

This is where the dogs hang out while we're milking...right under our feet...

And this is where Slinky the cat hangs out...high above the dogs...

Self-service balage...or so they think!

Me and my next-oldest sister...Look behind us...I just can't get away from those cows!

And I couldn't let this one out.  We all gathered after Christmas to watch my brother in law start his old 1936 John Deere D that he, with some help from my Dad, restored.  It started up, he whooped and hollered, we cheered, and he's still grinning!  This one's for you, Marty!

And to round out the year, here's another picture of the sunrise on New Year's Day 2011...

Thanks for humoring me...do you have any favorites?