January 20th, 2020- Ice Age, the Second Glaciers

Ice Age, the second glaciers Our predicted ice storm fizzled out into torrents of rain that left everything under water.  Hauling hay has been an exercise in finding a fairly dry place along the fence, dumping a bale over with the Bobcat and backing out quickly before the Bobcat gets buried up to the axles.  …

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January 13th, 2019 — Ice Age

Ice Age I’m writing a day early, while we still have power.  Tomorrow, my usual day may be too late. Or maybe not, the American and European models couldn’t agree on the storm’s path so I still don’t know if we’ll be just Biblical amounts of rain, enough ice to down any power line or…

January 6th, 2020

Recovery Things have been slow so far this winter and I am not complaining.  Warm weather means mud and mud means we can’t drive out in the fields to cut wood unless we want to leave big ruts, which we don’t.  But the wood shed is still pretty full so we can wait until colder…

December 30th, 2019– After Christmas

After Christmas The gift wrapping bags are all folded and stored for next year, the stockings have been emptied and I’ve packed all the food goodies away in a basket where I can’t see them so I can make them last and the pounds not gather on my hips. This morning I cleaned the chicken…

December 23rd, 2019– Wrapping Up a Green Christmas

Wrapping Up a Green Christmas I am done for Christmas preps.  Done with planning, shopping, buying and wrapping.  Wrapping is the easiest part because of what we did years ago to simplify things. I had one of those lightbulb moments that come along all too rarely for me.  I was tired of spending money on…

December 9th, 2019– Diversity

Diversity There was a story from ABC news this morning on my news feed about the alarming loss of genetic diversity in farm animals.  Australia is particularly hard hit. Their inability to import new pig genetics for example means they have to keep their existing breeds viable because once they lose something it’s gone for…

December 2nd, 2019 — Power Out Preps

Power Out Preps Since we’re farmers and always keep an eye on the weather we usually have some warning that we might lose power.  Sometimes, not always. No power means no water. No water means no toilet flushing, water trough filling, laundry, dishwashing, showering.  Anything that requires water is a no go. I have a…

November 25th, 2019 — Our Local Thanksgiving

Our Local Thanksgiving We’re big on local; shopping local, eating local and making the holiday local.  This year we’ll start with the centerpiece of any Thanksgiving, the turkey. Our turkeys’ are grown by Kyle’s co-worker, Pete.  Pete’s turkeys are so fabulously delicious, flavorful and moist that after having one you’ll want to march back to…

November 18th, 2019– What My Day Is Looking Like

What My Day is Looking Like It’s Saturday and the store will be open so I’ll be sticking close to it for the morning but I still have a lot done.  By 7 I had a fire going and a pot of chili cooking for the day. I started soaking the beans Thursday, a longer…

November 11th, 2019 — Hygge

Hygge It’s 5:30 in the morning and the thermometer reads 19 degrees.  That gave me a start for a minute or two but then I looked around me and saw a fire burning brightly in the woodstove.  My breakfast of cocoa and toast from bread I made, spread with butter. Real butter made from real…