Weaning, a whole new meaning

Year before last we brought my dear mother here to the farm from a nursing home for her final journey.  We knew her time was short.  As we approach another anniversary of her arrival here and her passing and another year of weaning our lambs from their mommas,  I felt compelled to share something that happened during my mother's short time here.

On July 28th 2018, the day before she left this life, John and I were weaning the lambs from their mothers. The window of my mothers room looked out over the pasture where we were.  In the process of separating the sheep, I looked up (my heart and mind during those days were never far from her)  toward her window and room.  At that instant, I couldn't help but feel the magnitude of what we were doing...separating the babes from their mamas.   

To WEAN: accustom (an infant or other young mammal) to food other than its mother's milk.  accustom (someone) to managing without something on which they have become dependent or of which they have become excessively fond.

 We knew my mother was shutting down and that it wouldn't be long.  At this moment I felt the arms of mother nature comforting me.  Yes, it brought tears but in that moment I felt my mother communicating with me through nature as if to say, it is a fact in life, it is real,  and it is happening.  Sooner or later we must say good bye.

This year weaning will be no easier then it ever has for us.  We don't like separating them and for several years we didn't.  What we observed when we didn't wean is healthier lambs (less stress) but the mothers will drop from exhaustion trying to feed their babes and combat the heat.  Either choice is difficult and we make our annual determination based on environmental factors (heat, humidity etc) and weigb in the added stress...because it is real!  This year we've had such extreme heat I'm thinking not, for now.

I will never, ever,  take this process lightly.   I never did.  Especially now.   Nature speaks to me all the time.  Many of her messages bring me to tears.  This one...well, it really got me and will stay with me.

Strawberry Balsamic Basil Pops

A mouthful in word and flavor!

This time of year we’re all blessed with the bounty of glorious juicy naturally sweet seasonal fruits exploding from the gardens. Blessed with a basket of fragrant strawberries…plenty enough to make my ‘current’ favorite jam, Strawberry Rosemary. I still had plenty left.

What to do with the rest?

Make a strawberry pie, muffins, my new ‘current’ favorite Strawberry Cake, my grandmother’s strawberry shortcake, more of my new favorite jam (cause I never have enough)…..hmm, what shall I do?

Then I remembered my new pop sickle molds! I googled strawberry pops! I had no idea the number of results that would come up. Apparently strawberry pairs with a lot , even black pepper which I’ll try next time around.

Sooooo many combinations. Adding ice cream or yogurt, sugar, no sugar or sugar substitute, no dairy, straight fruit, water, lemon or lime juice…they’re all good.

A food processor, blender, or hand blender…strawberries (or any fruit really) some liquid (you choose what and amount…regardless they’ll freeze) ice cream or yogurt if you choose and herbs, if you choose.

Blend

Pour in molds

Freeze

Yum

Most of all I want to impress upon you….these are sooooo easy and I think a yummy refreshing treat to have around! The molds are inexpensive. And if you prefer really healthy they are so adaptable…again, everything freezes!

Start with about a pint of Strawberries. Remove stems. Throw in the blender or food processor. Add sugar, 1 Tablespoon to 1/3 Cup depending on your desired sweetness. Add about 2 cups of liquid or dairy or combination of. Blend. If you don’t want texture in your pops, blend alot…if you do want texture…don’t. If your adding herbs I like to wait until everything else is the consistency I want and then add the herb, blend just enough to have tiny bits throughout

If you’d rather specific directions to refer to…My favorite so far is Strawberry Balsamic and Basil…I just added about 1- 2 Tablespoons of Balsamic vinegar about 3/4 cup water and 4 Tablespoons fresh lime juice to the strawberries and sugar and threw in freshly torn basil leaves at the end. Each brand of pop sickle molds hold different amounts of liquid so you might have too much liquid. I adjusted my water and lime juice. More then once I’ve had extra liquid. The pops go fast so I cover and save the liquid in the fridge and when one pop disappears I refill and freeze!

Easy Peasy

Collard Salad

Who knew this southern green staple, collard greens, aka collards could become something other then a slow cooked slippery mass of greens swimming in liquid, aka pot liquor?  I didn’t.  This ubiquitous bowl of greens, commonly served with cornbread, can be found most anywhere in the south.  If not served, they sure know somewhere close you can go get some!

When I saw this recipe for collard salad the northerner in me was apprehensive.  Did I say NORTHERNER?  No need to worry or get confused that this shepherd living and farming in the south is not the person you thought you knew… I am not a true northern but  a confused mix of both.  Most of my rearing took place in the south.  After all I  born in the south.  I cannot get too far away from the fact that both my parents were northerners and I spent a lot of my youth in the north.  My mom was a northerner  so that’s how we ate growing  up.  My mom also was adventurous and would be the first to honor any culture so we did eat southern foods from time to time but mostly like a northern transplant might.  She DID, as so many northern folk do, put sugar in her cornbread, not much but enough to know she could not be a southerner.  I have one of her old cookbooks and my story is evidenced by her handwritten “cornbread” recipe on the back cover.  Yep, sugar!

So in my round about way I’m saying collards are not and never were a common item on any menu in my house.  I eat them and enjoy them once a year, New years day.

On one particular Saturday in May at our weekly farmers market I was gifted a bundle of collard greens.  Grateful yes.  Unsure what I could do; so true.  Unable to waste anything =challenged.

Who better to help with this deeply southern food group then Vivian Howard.  I luckily own her first  cookbook, Deep Run Roots.  I journeyed through several of the recipes when I first got the cookbook, everything I tried was good.  Her deviled eggs with buttah, blueberry BBQ sauce, and her Party Magnet Cheese ball (as featured in Garden & Gun Mag)  all were hits.  Anywho, gifted with a bundle of collards I decided to try one of the recipes and ended up choosing the collard salad.  What a surprise, what a treat.  I usually ALWAYS commit to making a recipe exactly as written the first time but I just did not have pineapple on hand.  I did have collards though!  The heated dressing  wilts and tenderizes and the overnight marinade brings out the wonderful flavors.  The greens keep a “green” texture which allows it to be considered a salad I suppose.  I honestly say the pineapple was not missed and the idea of it has me a bit confused.  Alas, out of my desire to respect all recipes as written I shall try the pineapple next time.

Shearing Day was not a washout!

There are certain farm chores that come with the territory. On a sheep farm one annual task we have is shearing. Most folks shear their sheep annually although some of our sheep need it twice a year.. A great deal of our farms success depends on the wool our sheep provide so it’s an important date on our calendar.

Shearing Day

Regardless, the shearing must be done.

Several years ago we decided to make an event of it and include the public. That’s it, we’ll invite folks that have never had the opportunity to see sheep loose their winter coats. Some folks have never even seen a sheep before. As the annual event has progressed it has turned into quite a big ordeal. Hundreds of folks each year come to the farm to see, learn and enjoy the farm setting.

This year will go down as one we’ll NEVER forget.

Shearing for us always takes place in late February or early March. We plan as far out on the calendar as we can but generally cannot set the date too far in advance because setting that date depends on a few things out of our control. Number ONE, we’re dependent on the shearer. As you might imagine, shearers are not easy to come by. When you find one you like you do your best to work closely with them and develop a relationship you both can depend on. Once you get your shearer to agree to a date all the event planning begins. We cater lunch and offer other activities for folks once they get here. How do we know how many people to plan for? Well we don’t really. We generally go by the previous years attendance and add a buffer. So, we order food ahead. We plan help. We commit to a band. Yes a band; there is something special about sitting on a blanket looking out over a pastoral setting, listening to some musicians pickin’ away.

OK, check, check and check. Everything is in order.

The last thing we’re dependent on is the weather. Yup. Counting on the weather is like tossing a coin in the air. Mother Nature is going to do her thing regardless of how much time, money and effort you’ve invested. Once you’ve set the date (as far in advance as you can for obvious reasons) there is no turning back. We’ve all seen a next days weather forecast change or even sun when Al Roker said rain!

Well 2019 shouldn’t have been a total surprise what with the onslaught of rain we’d had. Weeks before and leading up to the day…the rain did not let up. From the first day the extended 10 day weather forecast is posted on television and smartphones, I am tuning in. First thing each morning even before coffee I am reviewing every weather outlet to see the latest predictions. Thursday, before this years event, they had predicted rain all day. THE SUN CAME OUT! Me, the eternal optimism kept imaging Saturday would be the same. Under my breath I also muttered, “it is going to be what it’s going to be”. I knew we’d have to deal with it.

The caterer called giving us the option to cancel or reduce our quantities. A few of the band members came by to say it was OK if we wanted to cancel. Alas, the event had been advertised and the shearer was coming…THE SHOW MUST GO ON.

Saturday began with more rain then I had seen any day that week, POURING! Even if it stopped before the gates opened we’d have mud galore.

How should we prepare? Would people even come?

via GIPHY

Although the attendance was certainly down we had some real troopers out here! No one seemed bothered. Most were fully aware what to expect from the weather. Some learned their water resistant clothing wasn’t as water proof as they thought!. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves! Everyone understood I couldn’t ‘warm’ it up or move the puddles.

We sheared, we ate, we got wet and shivered a bit together and somehow, in the midst of all the rain and mud I so enjoyed the day with way more folks then I’d anticipated. In many ways, I didn’t realize it was raining until I removed my wet clothes!

I had several memorable interactions.

The interaction I most wanted to share is the young girl and her parents who together had been discovering the world of knitting. They had decided, to buy some wool and take it through the process of washing, carding, spinning and finally knitting. They were picking a freshly shorn fleece to buy and I encouraged them while here to pick a sheep and really connect the wool to the source. The family was able to deliberately pick a sheep that attracted her. They were able to pet the sheep and watch the sheep get shorn. With a tear in she and her mother’s eye they shared with me how that experience touched them! They will always connect with that finished handmade piece in a way that cannot be matched! I learned of the girls grandmother in Switzerland that would be so happy to hear their experience.

I will never forget that experience and I will never forget them!

Win, loose or draw with the days finance report…it doesn’t seem to matter after a day like this!

The life of a sheep!

Gabby

I was in the barn the other day and our eyes locked on each other.

My mind raced back over our years together. I was amazed at the many facets of this pretty gals life here on the farm.

The daughter of Willow, another of our very photographed and storied gals here on the farm. Gabby was born several years ago. A real beauty of a lamb! Shiny black and long strong legs with a very happy bounce that took her about the barn and pastures. One day during barn chores I noticed her mother, Willow, seeming to talk to me, she kept baaing at me and standing in one place. I followed her cue and found Gabby, clearly not feeling well. Her wonderful momma kept nudging her with her nose. Gabby didn’t have the strength to even nurse her mother, which of course was her life blood. Long story short, we almost lost Gabby. After weeks of constant attention and TLC she survived and was soon romping again about the pastures.

As a shepherd you become especially connected to sheep you’ve spent such heart rending time with. Anyways, I always noted a sort of smile on this little girls face (she’ll always be a little girl to me).

The first 18 months of her life she got to enjoy just the frolic! Then at her almost 2nd year of life she had a baby of her own but poor Gabby freaked! Her instinct, so viable in the Navajo breed , brought her to a wooded area to have her lamb. She gave birth with ease. As she stood over her newborn trying to put two and two together my husband John spotted her and went to check on her. She saw him coming. A little freaked already, his approach was just too much and she bolted, never to accept her little girl again. We tried and tried but to no avail.

Some farms/shepherds might decide it is time to move her along I felt I couldn’t. One might say the situation was contributory. To our wonderful surprise the next year Gabby raised a beautiful healthy lamb!

As we share this moments glance my human self is sure she too reflects back over our many emotional moments together.

Silly human!

Lamb Liver Paté

Lamb Liver Pate'

I love our customers and I love it when they share what they’ve created or how they’ve used our products. At the market last week someone shared his very successful rendition of liver paté using our liver.  He’d made it over the holidays  Not only did it sound yummy I thought, why haven’t I done that?  I decided to try paté with our lamb liver instead of the ubiquitous chicken liver.   Lamb liver is much milder then beef liver and much healthier then all liver.  For those who declare they don’t like liver I’d suggest you give this a try.

I’ve made paté before but most often I enjoyed it while sitting at one of my favorite restaurants enjoying their paté with the traditional accompaniments of coarse mustard, cornichons and caper berries with toasted baguette slices.  One of my sisters brought some to our recent holiday festivities, same accompaniments but, to be expected, made with chicken liver. 

Well my life has been changed FOREVER!

So easy.  So good .

Hey, did you know lamb’s liver is one of the worlds richest sources of B vitamins, and an incredible source of iron, zinc, copper, vitamin A and D.  

Ingredients

• 1 shallot, minced

• allspice 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon, depending on your tastes

• peppercorns, whole 3 teaspoons

• creme fraiché or cream, 2 Tablespoons

• port (or brandy) 1/8 to 1/4 cup

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 3/4 pound lamb liver

• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced or 2 teaspoons dried crumbled

• 3 tablespoons fresh thyme, minced or 2 teaspoons dried

• ½ cup butter, melted

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• ⅛ cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Saute the shallots in the butter and cook for 2 minutes on medium-high. Add the garlic and cook for a minute. Add the liver, sprinkling with the herbs. Cook until no longer pink in the center. Add the port and cook just to incorporate. Remove from heat, and place contents into a blender or food processor with the butter and all other ingredients except peppercorns. Process until it forms a paste, adding more port if too thick. Add the peppercorns and pulse until they crack.

1. Garnish with some fresh herbs parsley 

2. Serve with thin baguette slices and cornichons and coarse mustard.

YUM, just sayin’

BTW, it freezes beautifully.  DH isn’t fond of it so I have a bit, freeze the rest for a time I want a bit of decadence or just to feel really healthy.  It’s a great protein source for morning needs.

 Since my original post I’ve had quite a bit of feedback! One of our fans (a chef by trade) suggested adding a caramelized pear….2 DIE FOR! Another of our friends decided to use the lamb liver but created her own pared down version…first for simpler makings she roasted the liver, tossed with some EVOO. Then she blended simply with lemon zest, and the caramelized pear idea. She brought some for me to try. AGAIN, 2 DIE FOR! The lemon zest added a brightness that was so refreshing.

I guess the moral of the story is, use good quality ingredients and combine to your hearts content!

Pokeweed, Friend or Foe?

A picture of Pokeweed blossoms being pollinated.

Pokeweed flowers bloom on racemes that curl up while flowering and droop down when heavy with fruit, making it the perfect roost for birds to perch and eat.  Several years ago I had a Pokeweed plant appear outside my office window.  Many times I would think I must go dig that up or cut it down, it's out of place!  With each passing day that I didn't deal with it the "weed" got bigger and bigger, reaching a whopping  6-7 feet tall. The view from my window was now consumed with the ever reaching branches of this relentless “weed”. Then, to my amazement, I noticed the birds were feasting on the berries, one berry at a time.  If you've ever seen a Pokeweed plant you know there are many berries to be consumed, and that equals loads of entertainment!   I saw all kinds of songbirds and thrashers.  What really sealed the deal for me, an Indigo Bunting appeared and returned every day!  It was then I realized mother nature had yet another message for me...these "weeds" as we refer to them, serve a purpose...yes!

They pop up in the most unexpected places and ruin "order" but order does not  apply in nature and I think we just need to readjust our lenses! 

Pokeweed certainly has alot to offer but it is also true there is need to exercise caution around this plant, especially with children.  

 I am certainly not an expert on this plant and my take away might differ from others.  What we do know is we should all be aware what we're dealing with.  I totally related to one article I found on the internet, The Weed, The Myth, The Legend.   The author goes over the plant in toto, offering the facts and the legends so that we approach the plant with the knowledge necessary to enjoy it, safely.

My husband, in his youth ate the leaves (Pokeweed Salad) but knew that those leaves must be picked at a very immature stage and cooked several times,  otherwise he knew he could be very sick.  While researching Poke Salad I found a wonderful recipe/article in Saveur mag that made reference to the song, Poke Salad Annie and many famous recollections of the "weed" .

"Though mostly obscure to the mainstream, poke sallet, which is sometimes referenced as "polk salad" or "poke salet," has occasionally dipped its toe into the pop culture pool. Most notably, in the lyrics of "Polk Salad Annie," by Tony Joe White, released in 1968: "Everyday for supper time / she'd go down by the truck patch / And pick her a mess of polk salad / and carry it home in a tow sack." The song about a rural Southern girl and her family peaked at Number 8 on the Billboard Top 100 in 1969, and was later remade by Elvis in 1970, and put into regular rotation at his live shows. Country legend Dolly Parton even mentioned in her memoir that she would use crushed poke berries for lipstick as an adolescent, since her parents forbade her from wearing makeup."

As a child I remember going to my grandparents home and my forever attraction to a yew tree (or bush...it looked like a  TREE  to a small girl) .  I don't recall whether it was the fragrance or the way they POPPED but I did enjoy them...yet I had heard, ..."DON'T EAT  THE BERRIES".  Somehow I recall every time I approached that bush,  I heard the voice of an elder...

I love that I  learned more about the plant as I shared this topic with you!

I hope that you enjoy all the history, lore and environmental benefits this plant has to offer.  These are probably not "landscape" plants but they sure have alot of benefit in their natural settings.

I for one sure plan to let Pokeweed have more of a presence in my landscape!

Cucumbers Galore

A garden offers so many wonders.  Whether growing a patio tomato or the whole produce department, you know the feeling.... sitting down to eat the bounty from your plot of earth, big or small.  There is nothing like biting into something that you nurtured day after day to it's maturity.  Sharing the gardens riches with friends is another of the garden perks.  Pickles, preserves or baked goods made from what I've grown and nurtured are a true gift of love... to give and receive.  

One vegetable that I adore growing is the good old cucumber. That good old cucumber gives us pickles, dill or sweet, whole or sliced and relish.  How about soups; gazpacho and chilled cucumber with yogurt, YUM!  How about some raita served with grilled unleavened bread?  I could eat that duo for every meal!  As kids I remember eating marinated cucumber and mayo sandwiches!  Last but not least, how about that ever popular, never a southern summer table without, bowl of sliced cucumbers with a bit of dill, a pinch of sugar and vinegar? 

  Because there are so many things a person can make with cucumbers, size doesn't really matter BUT if pickling is your intent, it can be tricky harvesting cucumbers.  Since the very best pickles are made from cuc's right off the vine you want to be able to pick enough of the same size all at one time.  Unless you have quite a few cucumber plants it's not likely you'll find the quantity needed in one picking.   When a few cucumbers are ready to be picked the others are still coming.  That is why I love this  DILL Pickle recipe from a previous blog post...all you need is enough cucumbers to fill one quart jar at a time. 

Alas, you invariably end up with some cucumbers that sit on the vine too long.  And, as those of you who've grown them before know, there is always that one hidden cuc you discover that has been growing for goodness knows how long.  Yikes!  A great option for those cucumbers is my Cinnamon Pickles from a previous post

This ongoing struggle with my cucumber harvest has probably been the source of my love of them today.  I do not like to waste anything so no matter the size or shape; I had to create!  I'm loving a pantry full of edibles for my table, gifts of love for family and friends and what better then a homemade gift for a host/hostess.... straight from your kitchen!

Today, I'm talking relish!

This was my first attempt and I can't say enough about the ease and results.  One thing that did jump out at me was the color of the results...why wasn't my relish green?  I now know they add blue dye to relish, EEK...no need, just change your expectation...it is so worth the small effort.

I adapted this recipe from Genius Kitchen

Tangy Pickle Relish

makes 6-7 1/2 pint jars

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 lbs cucumbers , peeled and seeds removed
• 2 -3 sweet onions
• 1⁄4 cup pickling salt
• 3 cups white vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 5-6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons dill seeds
• 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
• 2 teaspoons celery seeds
• 1⁄2 teaspoon turmeric
• red pepper flakes to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Finely chop cucumbers and onions. I use a food processor and do smaller batches to be sure not too fine.  Place in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt, stir well. Let stand for 1 hour.
2. Drain mixture in a colander, rinse under cold water and drain again, pressing out any excess moisture.
3. In a large pot, bring vinegar, sugar, garlic, dill seed, mustard seed, celery seed, and pepper flakes to a boil.
4. Add cucumber mixture, bring to a boil again, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. 
5. Remove from heat, add the turmeric and mix well.
6. Pour into sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Seal with lids and rings. Process in boiling water bath in canner for 10 minutes.

Mother Nature's Lessons

It is with a heavy heart I say good bye to my beloved Ares.  Of all the happenings on a farm, dealing with death and loss is the most difficult.  It happens often in a farmers world.  We are careful to watch over the sheep, chickens, and llamas but sometimes you just don't know what might happen.  Often it's a predator but sometimes they just go down with some unusual affliction.  Very often, it's sometime before your vet can get there and you have to do the best you can.   From the raccoon eating chickens, the snake stealing eggs and eating chicks, the buzzards coming in on your lambs or the parasites that take the weakest sheep...each death is sad.  

Some just hurt worse then others.

This boy got me.

Towering over me, this gentle llama stood with majesty and grace. 

Walking the Walk

Scrolling about on social media today I came across a fantastic video of Rebecca Burgess speaking at a conference in California.  For those not familiar with Ms. Burgess, she has emerged as a pioneer in the soil to skin movement.  A few years back Rebecca vowed to spend one year wearing only garments sourced within 150 miles of her doorstep. Her journey is a wonderful story but also a wake up call for all of us.  She realized one day she was "talking the talk", not "walking the walk".    

As I listened and pondered her story I realized I could easily say the same in my life.  

In some instances we can play the naive card.  I hadn't really thought about fossil fuels in my clothing and furnishings.  Here I am though, farming and promoting all natural, humanely raised, sustainably produced wool products and I'm not "walking the walk in all areas of my environment.   Once we have the information though, we need to make the changes in our lives.  I now know.  For the sake of our own integrity but also for our good of others.

And, let us not forget...

Our Planet!

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