So...maybe it's time to share a recipe!
Anything chocolate...or even remotely related to chocolate...catches my attention. So when I saw this recipe from a friend on Facebook this week, I had to try it!
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Nutella Brownie Cups...
I've been in a bit of a funk this week...nothing has jumped out and said "you've gotta blog about this!" We've been busy with things that wouldn't really be exciting to write...or read about...
So...maybe it's time to share a recipe!
Anything chocolate...or even remotely related to chocolate...catches my attention. So when I saw this recipe from a friend on Facebook this week, I had to try it!
So...maybe it's time to share a recipe!
Anything chocolate...or even remotely related to chocolate...catches my attention. So when I saw this recipe from a friend on Facebook this week, I had to try it!
Monday, November 14, 2011
Gleaning...
What a beautiful day we had today!
On days like today, don't bother looking to see if my house is clean...or if my dishes are washed...or if the laundry is folded and put away...it's time to be outside while the weather is still warm!
Today I decided to spend some time gleaning the soybean and corn fields to supplement our chickens' menu.
When the soybeans were harvested, some beans were left along the edges of the field...
There was a significant amount of ear corn left in the fields. There could be several reasons for this...the hot spell we had while the corn was pollinating left some weakened "stems" where the corn is attached to the stalk, which caused some of the ears to fall to the ground...Hurricane Irene left numerous patches of downed corn in some fields...and if the combine driver goes too fast during harvest, ears of corn can bounce around and fall to the ground!
This morning I made piles of corn and filled feed bags, but I soon discovered that a bag full of ear corn is WAY too heavy to lug around, so this afternoon I switched to five-gallon buckets. That went much better...
I had some help this afternoon from two adorable neighbor boys and their Mom...thanks guys! :)
I lost track of how many buckets of corn I gathered, but it was somewhere between twelve and fifteen! (And that was only from one field!) I then dumped the corn into feed bags, and stacked them inside the empty corn crib. They'll be under a roof and stay relatively unaffected by the weather...
The first time I ever threw ear corn to the chickens, they looked at me like I was nuts..."what are we supposed to do...work for our food? Aren't you gonna shell that for us?!"
Well...it didn't take them long to figure out how to help themselves...they pick the soybeans right out of the pods...
On days like today, don't bother looking to see if my house is clean...or if my dishes are washed...or if the laundry is folded and put away...it's time to be outside while the weather is still warm!
Today I decided to spend some time gleaning the soybean and corn fields to supplement our chickens' menu.
When the soybeans were harvested, some beans were left along the edges of the field...
There was a significant amount of ear corn left in the fields. There could be several reasons for this...the hot spell we had while the corn was pollinating left some weakened "stems" where the corn is attached to the stalk, which caused some of the ears to fall to the ground...Hurricane Irene left numerous patches of downed corn in some fields...and if the combine driver goes too fast during harvest, ears of corn can bounce around and fall to the ground!
This morning I made piles of corn and filled feed bags, but I soon discovered that a bag full of ear corn is WAY too heavy to lug around, so this afternoon I switched to five-gallon buckets. That went much better...
I had some help this afternoon from two adorable neighbor boys and their Mom...thanks guys! :)
I lost track of how many buckets of corn I gathered, but it was somewhere between twelve and fifteen! (And that was only from one field!) I then dumped the corn into feed bags, and stacked them inside the empty corn crib. They'll be under a roof and stay relatively unaffected by the weather...
The first time I ever threw ear corn to the chickens, they looked at me like I was nuts..."what are we supposed to do...work for our food? Aren't you gonna shell that for us?!"
Well...it didn't take them long to figure out how to help themselves...they pick the soybeans right out of the pods...
...and clean off those ears of corn in no time at all...
The price of a 100 lb. bag of layer mash is close to $23.00, and our chickens were going through a bag in less than three weeks! The layer mash has the protein and nutrients that they need to produce good eggs, but the ear corn will help to supplement their diets quite nicely!
And since that corn and those beans would literally go to waste...why not give the chickens a treat?!
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Farm Memories #4...The Allis Chalmers D-17...
I had a fun surprise this morning!
My father in law walked into the barn around 6:30 and handed me a slip of paper with this story written on it. I had asked him a few days ago if he'd write me another story about farm memories...this time about the Allis Chalmers D-17...and he came through again! Thanks Lloyd!
My father purchased this Allis Chalmers D-17 tractor in the late 1950's, when it was almost new...
It wasn't a big tractor, but I sure thought it was! The D-17 has about 55 horse power. The Allis Chalmers tractors had a very quick governor, which means when it started working hard, the engine sped up quick as a wink.
Before the D-17, I plowed with a Ferguson TO30. The D-17 pulled a three-bottom, 16" plow, which it pulled very well in corn stalk ground. It had a snap coupler hook up, which pulled from the center of the tractor, which made the plow easier to pull...
Another unique feature the tractor had was a hand clutch that we called the "big stick", which had a high and low gear, with neutral in the center. This made it easier for my wife Norma to drive. She drove the D-17 to bale a lot of hay. When she came to a groundhog hole, she would pop the big stick into neutral, and motion for me to drive around the hole for her. I would say, "Just go slow!". Norma would just smile at me and motion for me to drive around the hole!
The D-17 went from my father to me...and then I sold it to my son. (Jim) The D-17 is still running! When I go back to the farm, I enjoy using it. I have a lot of memories on it!
To sum it up, I really liked the tractor and so did Norma. It was very easy to drive....
...although one day when I was very busy, I asked Norma, "Do you want to harrow, or put the cows out?" Norma said, "I will harrow." After some time, I saw her and the tractor, stopped at the far end of the field. I thought, "What could be wrong?" When she came in, I asked "What happened up there?" Norma replied, "I just got sleepy and took a little nap!"
Better than hitting a tree! :)
*to see another thing we use the D-17 for, click here.
*Linking to Farm Friend Friday and Farm Girl Friday !
 |
| retired farmer and "author" |
My father in law walked into the barn around 6:30 and handed me a slip of paper with this story written on it. I had asked him a few days ago if he'd write me another story about farm memories...this time about the Allis Chalmers D-17...and he came through again! Thanks Lloyd!
A Story From A Guest Blogger...
My father purchased this Allis Chalmers D-17 tractor in the late 1950's, when it was almost new...
 |
| Jim and Eric ( age 1...on the newly painted D-17) in 1997 |
It wasn't a big tractor, but I sure thought it was! The D-17 has about 55 horse power. The Allis Chalmers tractors had a very quick governor, which means when it started working hard, the engine sped up quick as a wink.
Before the D-17, I plowed with a Ferguson TO30. The D-17 pulled a three-bottom, 16" plow, which it pulled very well in corn stalk ground. It had a snap coupler hook up, which pulled from the center of the tractor, which made the plow easier to pull...
Another unique feature the tractor had was a hand clutch that we called the "big stick", which had a high and low gear, with neutral in the center. This made it easier for my wife Norma to drive. She drove the D-17 to bale a lot of hay. When she came to a groundhog hole, she would pop the big stick into neutral, and motion for me to drive around the hole for her. I would say, "Just go slow!". Norma would just smile at me and motion for me to drive around the hole!
The D-17 went from my father to me...and then I sold it to my son. (Jim) The D-17 is still running! When I go back to the farm, I enjoy using it. I have a lot of memories on it!
To sum it up, I really liked the tractor and so did Norma. It was very easy to drive....
...although one day when I was very busy, I asked Norma, "Do you want to harrow, or put the cows out?" Norma said, "I will harrow." After some time, I saw her and the tractor, stopped at the far end of the field. I thought, "What could be wrong?" When she came in, I asked "What happened up there?" Norma replied, "I just got sleepy and took a little nap!"
Better than hitting a tree! :)
*to see another thing we use the D-17 for, click here.
*Linking to Farm Friend Friday and Farm Girl Friday !
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
And More Fodder...
We're still baling and unloading corn fodder!
The past few days have been gorgeous...perfect for drying the fodder and comfortable for baling and unloading. Jim estimates that we have at least 2000 bales so far, and he hopes to bale four more loads tomorrow. Those wagons won't be unloaded...he'll back them into the barn and we'll use the fodder right off the wagons...they won't be needed anyway until next spring
This scene kind of reminds me of a runway full of jets waiting to take off...
When we're looking ahead at baling fodder, it can look like a formidable task. It's often cold outside, it's very dirty and dusty, and it's hard on the baler! But now that we're almost finished...it wasn't so bad this year!
The past few days have been gorgeous...perfect for drying the fodder and comfortable for baling and unloading. Jim estimates that we have at least 2000 bales so far, and he hopes to bale four more loads tomorrow. Those wagons won't be unloaded...he'll back them into the barn and we'll use the fodder right off the wagons...they won't be needed anyway until next spring
This scene kind of reminds me of a runway full of jets waiting to take off...
When we're looking ahead at baling fodder, it can look like a formidable task. It's often cold outside, it's very dirty and dusty, and it's hard on the baler! But now that we're almost finished...it wasn't so bad this year!
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Another Busy Day...
Once again I was reminded that fall is our busy busy time! It felt today like we were going non-stop. Finally now, just after 8pm, we're finished with supper and ready to settle in for the evening.
Yesterday afternoon Jim began raking corn fodder at the other farm. This morning he headed out after breakfast to rake at the rental ground at our neighbor's. It was chilly, and he called for an extra coat...
By lunch time, he had begun baling, and had filled several wagons...
We ate a quick lunch while we waited for the guys to arrive who were helping to unload the wagons. They began unloading and stacking the fodder in the mow at the other farm. We use lots of fodder and straw for bedding up the dry cow and heifer pens. (Fodder is our first choice, since it is much more absorbent than straw)
Jim headed back out to bale, and the wagons kept coming...and coming...
Eric is hooking up a full wagon to be pulled into the barn...
Everyone is tired tonight! Jim was raking and baling for about eight hours...and then tonight during milking he raked up some hay to be baled on Monday. The kids unloaded fodder for about five hours, and then helped with milking.
It's wonderful to have had a beautiful day to get all this accomplished! There were about ten bales of fodder left in the mow at the other farm this morning, so the timing couldn't have been better! Hopefully next week will go just as well...there's more fodder to bale on Monday!
Yesterday afternoon Jim began raking corn fodder at the other farm. This morning he headed out after breakfast to rake at the rental ground at our neighbor's. It was chilly, and he called for an extra coat...
By lunch time, he had begun baling, and had filled several wagons...
We ate a quick lunch while we waited for the guys to arrive who were helping to unload the wagons. They began unloading and stacking the fodder in the mow at the other farm. We use lots of fodder and straw for bedding up the dry cow and heifer pens. (Fodder is our first choice, since it is much more absorbent than straw)
Jim headed back out to bale, and the wagons kept coming...and coming...
Eric is hooking up a full wagon to be pulled into the barn...
Everyone is tired tonight! Jim was raking and baling for about eight hours...and then tonight during milking he raked up some hay to be baled on Monday. The kids unloaded fodder for about five hours, and then helped with milking.
It's wonderful to have had a beautiful day to get all this accomplished! There were about ten bales of fodder left in the mow at the other farm this morning, so the timing couldn't have been better! Hopefully next week will go just as well...there's more fodder to bale on Monday!
Friday, November 4, 2011
Today...
Today started out like this...
It's definitely feeling more like fall out there. Today was windy and cool...but with lots of sunshine by the afternoon.
...perfect for drying corn fodder...we're just now beginning...last year at this time we were finished!
...perfect temps for milking...in jeans, a t-shirt and a quilted flannel...
...perfect for weed-eating without breaking a sweat...
...perfect for the dogs...chasing each other through the fields...
...perfect for a cup of hot, spiced apple cider...
How did you spend your fall day?
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Surprise...
I guess the weatherman knew what he was talking about this time!
After breakfast...
Mid-afternoon...
...and it's still snowing.
It's a heavy, wet snow, and tree branches are bending under all that weight. Time to head to the barn to finish milking before we lose power!
Happy October!
After breakfast...
Mid-afternoon...
It's a heavy, wet snow, and tree branches are bending under all that weight. Time to head to the barn to finish milking before we lose power!
Happy October!
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