Wow! More Snow

We had two days of above freezing weather. 

Snow melted, dripped and slid off many of the roofs. 

Then we had more snow - a lot more snow.  Although snow did settle and levels dropped, we still have a lot of snow.  This is a pig panel.  Usually I can't step over it.

These nest boxes are usually a real stretch for me to reach into to pick eggs.  Now I am bending over to pick eggs.

It was a sticky snow, so it stuck to trees, 

our rock by the drive, 

and even fences 

and a chicken transport cage

Here is an early season photo of Ken's bowling balls

and a photo of them taken today.

I can walk under these arches when we don't have snow.

And here is a photo of our own bobsled course - the driveway

For a sense of scale here is a photo of a five gallon bucket on the drive and an egg basket on the bank of the drive.

Morning in the Kitchen - Mostly Local Food

This morning began in the kitchen.  

First I got some chicken legs in a barbeque sauce of our tomato, Ken's hot sauce, our onions, some of Ken's dark honey, our garlic, some of the last of our semi dry chipotle and other peppers, Ken's apple vinegar - all from our larder.  

Then I started some long grain brown and wild rice - not from our larder. 

Ken had smelled an off onion smell the other day so I sorted onions and squash and cleaned them up. 

And cleaned some of our greens and sprouts with kefir herb dressing with some purchased feta cheese.

I started some kefir from milk from a friend.

Since the chickens are laying, I made some custard - our eggs, a friend's milk, our maple syrup and purchased salt and vanilla.  I had to use the "savory casserole" as our dessert casserole is at a friend's farm.  Hope there is no garlic bread residue!  

With the extra egg whites I made macaroons (purchased coconut and organic sugar, but our egg whites).  Although I had filled the rack , some have gone with Ken on his errands.

And finally a layer of chocolate cake for Ken to have with the custard and some frozen fruit.   He likes plain cake - sometimes a glaze.  We had chocolate cake and our frozen strawberries with yogurt for Valentines Day, and I planned to bake the slightly dried out left over cake in some custard, but no leftovers.  So I took out some frozen organic cherries for his dessert tonight.

CSA Newsletter

After plowing the drive

Greetings from the Garden!  This box has salad mix, cabbage, onions, garlic, shallots, squash or pumpkin, potatoes, beets and carrots, celery root, kohlrabi or rutabaga.

Field Notes.  Ken has been planting micro greens all winter.  This week he starts planting full season crops like leeks.  Soon, depending on the weather he will be working in the greenhouses.  And so the season starts anew.  The days are lengthening, and the hens are laying eggs again.  Spring is just around the corner.

Ken has been clearing and cleaning.  as the produce became more and more year round, there was less time to sort, clear and toss out stuff.  He now has a permanent space to do yoga - this is a big thing for a farmer's health!

From the Kitchen.  Eggs.  I made an egg dish I had years ago at a friend's house.  He had had this as bar food in Spain.  He used cooked potatoes, but I am sure you could use any cooked vegetables like kohlrabi, rutabagas, or frozen broccoli.  It is like a crustless quiche.  Heat fat in an iron skillet.  saute some onion, add potatoes to heat, and then pour beaten eggs with salt,  pepper, and crumbled herbs like sage or thyme over the vegetables to cover and top with grated cheese.  I cooked covered on a cool spot on the cook stove and then transferred uncovered to oven to brown the cheese.  good warm or room temperature.

One of my favorite growing projects is to take a couple roots like a rutabaga or a couple beets, and cut the top at the shoulders and place in a dish of water.  

Soon leaves sprout and grow.   i usually get a couple pickings.  the rutabaga greens are like kale or cabbage and the beet greens are sweet and have the texture of chard.

'Til Next Month, 
Judith

Fish or Cut Bait - Weaving

People in the Midwest sometimes ask a person whether they intend to fish or cut bait.  This winter I have been clearing, cleaning and organizing rags for rugs.  

I have been cutting the seams out of garments so they are ready to cut into strips and sew into long strips.

Here is a pair of corduroys - seams and pockets removed

I took a dyeing class

And now, finally I have begun weaving.  So far I have the space for fringe and have just started the body of the rug.  Hurrah.  I am not just a "cut bait" type after all!

Local Food

 Eggs are back!  After a brief vacation during the darkest month, the hens are laying again.  I celebrated with this one pan dish.  Saute onions, add some of the wrinkly red peppers we still have from last fall, crumble in some dried sage, add some cooked potato cubes, surround with beaten eggs with salt and pepper, top with grated cheese.  Place in oven to bake and brown cheese.  A friend made the cheese - otherwise it all came from here - except the salt and pepper

Great hot or as a leftover.  Gave a slice to the mailman who brought me a package along with a slice of cornbread.