Escape to the Farm

New Kind of Resolution

2011-01-02T10:19:00.000-08:00

If you’re like most people, two weeks from now you won’t even remember what your New Years’ resolution was. Or, you’ll remember what it was but feel incredible guilt at not living up to it.

Although most of us could benefit from losing a few pounds, exercising more, or spending less, I think it’s time to start a new kind of resolution. I’ll go first.

My New Year’s resolution is to enjoy small luxuries more often.

Note there is no time line associated with this resolution like “every week”. There must be no guilt or sense of failure associated with this new kind of resolution.

The beautiful café au lait cup and saucer in the picture is one of two I purchased years (decades?) ago in St. Pierre, a small French island off the east coast of Canada.

It is part of a small group of china, linen, clothing and bath products that I’ve been saving “for good”.

Based on how long ago it was since I’ve used this cup, apparently I’ve been saving it for the Twelfth of Never.

Now that I’ve taken it out of its back closet hidey-hole, this cup is going to hold my morning coffee on Monday.

What forlorn luxuries do you have hiding in your closets and drawers that you haven’t been using? Silky lingerie? Linen napkins? Gift with purchase hand lotion?

It's a new year. Live it!

Just One Gift

2010-12-07T16:01:00.000-08:00

Everyone knows that Christmas is a family oriented time of year.

Children squeal in delight over new toys, and try to fall asleep early on Christmas Eve despite their excitement over Santa’s impending visit.

Parents are busy trying to co-ordinate decorating, shopping, holiday events, and cooking.

In some homes the Christmas cheer is a little harder to come by.

I have friends who lost their teenager this year in a terrible accident.

I have several other friends who are dealing with their child’s medical issues, hoping there will be an improvement next year.

For these parents and others like them, there’s only one thing they really want this Christmas.

Just one gift, but not one that can be wrapped and put under the tree.

Give a special hug this year to your relatives, friends and neighbours who may be hurting in this way.

Bless all the mommies and daddies.

“Cliché, c-l-i-c-h-e, cliché”

2010-11-28T09:43:00.000-08:00

I started my career in the ‘90’s wanting to be a modern version of Mary Tyler Moore’s TV character.

Then I met a great guy, fell in love, and got married.

He wanted to be a farmer. I was expecting a baby, and was willing to nest somewhere nice and quiet - like a farmhouse.

So I traded in my briefcase for canning jars (figuratively, not literally, as the briefcase is still around here somewhere).

I’m sure this gave my friends and family moments of great amusement.

Now I have taken things one step further away from the original plan for my life.

I have started to homeschool my child, Kitten.

I’ve become a farm wife who homeschools the young ‘un!

I am such a cliché!

I’m Kitten’s teacher (I think I can do it).

I’m Kitten’s teacher (hooray).

I’m Kitten’s teacher (uh oh).

I’m Kitten’s teacher (SOMEONE HELP ME).

Send reinforcements, send a real teacher, send someone creative, and send more coffee!

Send someone who knows what that accent over the “e” in “cliché” is called.

Operation Peaches

2010-09-05T16:28:00.000-07:00

We picked all the peaches from our tree, which yielded about 60 pounds of the things. Usually, peach canning day is a time when Big Guy and Kitten know they should take cover and stay out of my way.

It does not put me in the best of moods. However, in the last few years, things have gradually changed so that canning peaches is not the headache it used to be.

Air conditioning in the house improved things immensely. Also, the fact that Kitten no longer bites me on the back of the leg when I’m spending too long in the kitchen is a help (sorry, Kitten, I know it’s been years since you’ve done that).

My canning books say you should cut the peaches in half, put them in boiling water for a few minutes, then in cool water, to slip off the skins. Then take out the pit and slice each half.

This, I have to say, takes forever.

So now I throw the book to one side, and just peel the peach like I would an apple. I cut the peach into chunks, or slices, whatever is easier.

This approach may not result in beautiful blue ribbon worthy jars, but I come more from the “just get it done” school of thought.

If you or someone you know is busy with canning this time of year, I have one important piece of advice. No, it’s not about sugar, heat or fruit flies.

It’s simply this – after a long hot day of cutting, measuring, stirring, and lifting hot jars, what a canner really wants is to be taken out to dinner. It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive; it just has to be one less thing to stir around on the stove.

Chill out

2010-08-21T08:43:00.000-07:00

For most people, the end of August means a mad rush to the mall to buy back to school clothes. For others, it's time to squeeze in another camping trip or time at the shore. Here on the farm, it's time to bring out the freezing and canning equipment.

Most vegetables can be prepared for freezing by first boiling, then cooling them. It's very easy to do, and saves time later as the vegetables are already washed and prepped.

A guide to freezing vegetables, along with recommended boiling times by vegetable type, can be found on the Canada Produce Marketing Association's site - click here.

Here are a few extra tips from Missus:

1. Make sure the vegetable is one your family will enjoy eating. If they won't eat cauliflower now, it's not going to look any better coming out of the freezer in December.

2. Consider the cost of freezing now versus buying the same vegetable during the winter. I only freeze corn because it's virtually free for us. If I had to buy corn on the cob for freezing, I couldn't match the price I'd pay later for already frozen corn niblets. The opposite is true for bell peppers - they're cheap now, expensive later.

3. Boil and cool in small batches to make sure the water can circulate freely and have the desired effect. A guideline I've read is one pound of vegetable at a time in 4 quarts of water. (What that is in metric I neither know nor care).

4. If you have a basket that you're using inside the boiling pot, set it in and take it out of the pot slowly so that the water doesn't gush out. Don't ask me how I learned this one.

4. Have lots of ice on hand. Either build up a supply in your freezer beforehand, or take my approach of buying the big bags of ice from a convenience store.

5. Timing is important, so have a stove timer or other type that will buzz on the minute setting.

6. Mark the type of vegetable and year with a sharpie marker on the outside of the freezer bag. Thank me later.

7. You may want to record the number of bags on a list so that you'll know what frozen assets you have. This is so important for gloating at the end of the season.

Battlefield

2010-08-15T13:55:00.000-07:00

Our cornfield has become a battlefield - it's us versus the birds. With prices for fresh corn as high as $9 a dozen, it's a skirmish worth fighting.

My new alarm clock has become the sound of Big Guy's shotgun just after sunrise. Usually one scout bird comes first, followed by the rest of the flock.

Today Big Guy is off the farm, so Kitten and I are in charge. Good thing I froze corn yesterday for our freezer.

The birds peck at the very tip of the cob, leaving it bare, brown and ugly. I've seen another farm advertise "bird pecked corn" as a bargain, but I can't wrap my mind around that idea myself. Would you buy that?

So how do I keep birds off the corn? Well, I don't feel confident using Big Guy's approach. You know I'd end up shattering someone's car window or something.

My approach is softer, gentler, and more low-tech. Like a lot of other things I do, it's also unconventional.

Now it would be neat to say that I take out the birdies with a birdie.

But there is no way my aim would be that good. I would be lucky to hit the birdie at all. What I actually do is walk around the block of corn stalks, banging these two racquets together.

I can almost hear the birds (and no doubt, the neighbours) laughing at me. But they fly off (the birds that is, I have no idea what the neighbours do).

It's unclear whether it's to seek quieter feeding grounds, or to report the spectacle to their little friends. (Hey, Fred, you know how we scoff at sound cannons and shotguns that try to keep us off the corn? You wouldn't believe the lame lady I just saw banging badminton racquets. Funniest thing I ever saw.)

Wishy washy

2010-07-21T20:34:00.000-07:00

These yellow and green zucchini were waiting for me at the farm wash stand this morning. The cucumbers were next, followed by fennel and spinach. There were several boxes of each waiting for their turn to be beautified.

You know that feeling when you've had company over for dinner, and you face the washing up once they've gone? That's how I felt today - a little overwhelmed.

It was a bit of a total sensory experience, actually. The cold well water in the sink was a welcome relief to the heat of the day. The radio was playing classic rock.

I had aromatherapy thanks to these little beauties - fennel.

I don't even like licorice candy - but with that scent in the air that's all I could think about.

I also had a game of chance and skill for my entertainment.

It consisted of tossing the culls into the wheelbarrow over my shoulder. If you miss, you have to go clean it up.

Apparently my jump shot needs more work.

Smoke

2010-07-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

A wild fire broke out today in a neighbouring town. We could see the billowing smoke on the horizon. Storm clouds shaded strong winds that only dried the vegetation more, after days of searing heat.

I caught the scent of smoke on the breeze. My mind instantly went back to another summer, just a handful of years ago. That long, hot smoky summer when a wild fire raged in our community, burning for weeks and claiming over 200 homes.

I recall the sound of helicopters constantly overhead, like the soundtrack to a Viet Nam war movie. The smoke blocked out the sun; the air was suddenly, unnaturally cool. Ash fell like snowflakes to the ground.

One awful night we could see the fire creep steadily closer to our farm. We received notice of an evacuation alert, to be ready to leave at a moment’s notice.

We hurried around our home that evening, wondering what few items we would save. In the end, we packed a few blankets and pillows, a change or two of clothing, our bank and insurance papers, and our wedding photo album. What would you pack in that situation?

I’m thankful our home didn’t burn that summer, which made us luckier than several hundred other people. I send all my best wishes and good thoughts to everyone adversely affected by nature’s power – be it fire, hurricane, earthquake or flood.

Make hay while the sun shines

2010-07-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

The hay has been cut and baled in the fields around our farm. Suddenly all the neighbours look to be much closer than they did when the grass was high and waving in the breeze.

The cover that smaller animals had enjoyed as protection from predators is suddenly gone. The hawks sit on the hay bales and survey their new kingdom.

A coyote passed through yesterday, looking very pleased with himself. I could almost hear him laughing.

The whole field is packed and ready to move.

Move 'em on, head 'em up

Head 'em up, move 'em on

Move 'em on, head 'em up

Rawhide

I have moved about a dozen times between leaving my childhood home and moving to this farm. But despite all that practice with packing up my belongings, I have never ever packed this neatly:

Farm Life Photos

2010-06-25T13:37:00.000-07:00

Farm Life Photo Fridays - less text, more photos

Romanesco zuchinni and red and white new potatoes

Haying time

Potato flowers

Big Guy's smart alec response "Thinking of You!" to my complaint that men don't change the toilet paper roll.

I'm baaack

2010-06-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

This poor pepper plant has been slanted sideways by unseasonal amounts of wind and rain, then weakened by insufficient sun. It looks how I feel.

I am recovering from a bout of mononucleosis. Although Big Guy does all the heavy lifting around here, it's still not the best time of year to be sick on a farm. Please bear with me as I attempt to pick up the pieces of this farm life blog, and carry on.

Periodically in the last few weeks, I logged in to this blog. I'm not sure what I was seeking. Was it still there? Had it all been some kind of dream? If you are old enough to remember Pam Ewing's dream that Bobby died on the TV show Dallas, you know what I mean.

So to catch you up on what you (and I) missed in our fields these last few weeks, here's a recap: wind, rain, cold temperatures, repeat. Worry about eggplants and peppers. Thrill at the vigour of lettuces, potatoes, and beans. Be thankful for another season.

Under the rainbow

2010-06-02T08:51:00.000-07:00

Please excuse the lack of posting lately, as I've been under the rainbow. No, wait that's not it - I've been under the weather. I do not envy people who have to learn English as a second language - with all these idioms that make no sense!

I"ll be taking a break for a few weeks, I expect. If you'd like to know when Escape to the Farm has new posts, you could sign up to have them sent to your e-mail by using the form on the right hand side. It's free, and of course you can remove your address from the list whenever you wish.

I look forward to returning with more farm stories.

Cheers,
Missus

Farm Life Photos

2010-05-28T11:05:00.000-07:00

Farm Life Photo Friday - less text, more pictures

Lilac

Pumpkin Muffins

New raspberry bushes

Have a great weekend!

Missus

I remember butter

2010-05-27T06:52:00.000-07:00

Kitten had Pioneer Day at school, for which she was to bring vittles for a historically themed lunch.

It was easy to send food that was historically accurate to the late 19th century. I was able to provide sandwiches on homemade bread, spread with our homemade, homegrown plum jam.

Our homegrown and canned peaches, packaged in jam jars, doubled as both a fruit and a dessert. I imagine it was quite similar to the lunch that children who lived on this farm a hundred years ago might have taken to school.

Kitten’s day included the picnic lunch, dressing pioneer-style, making candles, and writing with a dip ink pen.

Her favourite part was making butter by shaking cream in a jar. “You have to try butter, Mom”, she exclaimed. “It’s so good”.

“Yes”, I said to my little girl raised on non-hydrogenated, no trans fat, low in saturated fat, butter substitute spread. “I remember butter. It is good.”

And so you see, it was all in the name of my dear child's education that I had to buy butter this week. And just to make sure I was being an especially good supporter of the school's history curriculum, I also purchased bacon. And a big bag of sugar.

Giant Pumpkin Update

2010-05-17T09:16:00.000-07:00

My giant pumpkins were planted just over two weeks ago. The vines are now only a few inches long.

It is difficult to believe that by fall they will bear pumpkins too heavy for me to lift!

I remember reading Laura Ingalls Wilder’s book “Farmer Boy”, where she described how Almanzo grew his pumpkin to a championship size.

As I recall, once the vine started to grow a pumpkin, he cut a slit in the bottom of the vine and laid it in a saucer of milk. The milk was replenished as needed.

I can just imagine my luck if I tried to do such a thing, especially during the hot summer days.

I wonder which creature would be drawn first to the stench of spoiled milk? The raccoon, the deer, or the bear? (oh my)

My giant pumpkins are going to have to be content with water, sunshine, a little compost, and love.

Farm Life Photos

2010-05-14T11:12:00.000-07:00

Through the window yesterday I saw a cloud of bees swarm past the house, like something out of a horror movie. Instinctively, I scooted over and locked the door. How silly is that?

Farm Life Photos Friday - less text, more photos

Fragrant purple basil

Wildflowers (possibly pretty weeds - is that an oxymoron?)

Plum tree with new coat of leaves

Tomatillo plant- makes great Mexican green salsa

Have a great weekend!

Missus

Old Farm Wives' Tale

2010-05-12T09:54:00.000-07:00

Our horse chestnut tree is currently showing its' full glory of blossoms, a beautiful sight. While we admire the blooms, there are other benefits to this tree of which we've only recently become aware.

A local winery asked us if they could have the chestnuts that fall from the tree. They're not edible (as far as we know), so what possible use might they wish to make of them?

Apparently, they scatter them in the wine cellar to discourage spiders. I have no idea how this works, but we decided to use it in our home's crawl space. We hadn't had a big problem with spiders before, but last year we didn't see even one, with the addition of the chestnuts scattered in small piles here and there.

I can't promise you this will work in your home. I haven't conducted clinical trials or anything. But if you have spiders, and access to horse chestnuts, consider giving it a try.

Are there any "old wives' tales" (hate that term) that can't be readily explained, but that work for you?

How to transplant vegetables

2010-05-11T07:12:00.000-07:00

Farming, like most jobs, involves a lot of repetitive tasks. Currently we are transplanting hundreds of vegetable plugs each day, by hand. We try to optimize efficiency in order to complete this work quickly, and save strain on our backs.

I appreciate you may not need efficiency tips on transplanting. I challenge you however to consider how you might improve the way you accomplish the repetitive tasks in your life.

Would it help you to try some bulk cooking? Should you modify the way you handle your email in box? Is there a task you could accomplish while standing in line or waiting at the doctor's office?

Transplanting vegetables is a relatively simple task. If you won't be transplanting any vegetable plants this year, then you can stop reading here, no offence taken, and I'll see you tomorrow!

How to transplant vegetables:

1. Harden off plants before transplanting by setting plants outside during the day, and bringing them back inside at night. Repeat for two or three days. Then set plants out for two days straight. Reduce watering by about one-third.

2. Prepare soil by tilling or hoeing area to remove weeds, and make soil more workable.

3. Make a note of required spacing between plants from seed packet or transplant tag. Also consider width required between the rows. If you'll be weeding later by mechanical means, like a tiller or tractor, modify width between rows to accommodate the machine width.

4. Use a string line as your guide to make straight rows.

5. Don't hoe a trench, as you might when planting seeds. The ground should be level both before and after you transplant.

6. Remove plugs from pots and drop on the ground at the approximate spacing. Then work your way back down the row to plant.

7. Reach left, centre, then right to plant without moving your feet. This is easier on your back, and faster, than doing the sideways crab shuffle, or standing up and squatting again for every plant.

8. Don't make a divot to put the plug into. Just plunge the plug into the level soil until the top of the plug soil is just under the garden soil. One quick sweep of your hand should put adequate soil on top to make the surface level. Most vegetables don't like to live in a puddle, so a level surface around the plant is best.

9. Water the area well when you are finished to give the plants a good drink.

10. Stand back and admire how you accomplished this task with less effort than usual.

Farm Footwear

2010-05-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

We are growing thousands of plants here on the farm. This weekend, I received a new favourite.

I hope all moms had a happy Mother's Day on Sunday. Kitten's class made the Mother's Day present, shown above.

It's a cute idea that would also work for Father's Day (perhaps a basil plant for a pesto-loving dad), or for visiting grandparents. Just use an outgrown child's shoe, painted bronze, for the planter. Drainage holes can be put in the sole with a nail and hammer.

I'm afraid that admiring other people's handiwork is the full extent of my crafty nature.

We drove an hour on the weekend to pick up a special-order boot for my husband, Big Guy. I've taken the picture, below, with a pop can beside the boot to help illustrate the scale.

Size 13 wide, farmer special. If we could rig a pedometer on this baby for the next year or two of use, I bet it would log thousands of miles.

That's one positive aspect of farming - you could say that the exercise program and tanning salon (down to the sock line) are built in benefits.

Farm Life Photos

2010-05-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

Farm Life Photo Friday - less text, more photos

Have a great weekend!

Missus

How to save money on groceries

2010-05-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

No matter how much of our own food we grow, there still seems to be a long list of things we need to buy at the grocery store.

We don’t strive to eat as cheaply as possible (not that there’s anything wrong with that). Instead, our goal is to dine on the best quality food possible within the budget we can afford. I pride myself on being a savvy food shopper.

Here are some tips on how to reduce your grocery bill:

1. Check your store’s flyer (print or on-line) and make a list of what’s on sale that you can use.

2. Also scan competitor store flyers. Some stores price match upon request if you bring in the competition’s flyer. Others price match many of the competitor’s prices by also reducing those prices that week.

3. Know a good price when you see one by keeping a notebook list of items you commonly buy (known as a "price book"). After a few weeks of listing prices from your grocery receipt, you will have a good feel for how prices fluctuate.

4. Change your focus from what you will eat this week to what you can buy for a good price this week. Then stock up on those items to last you several weeks (unless it’s a perishable). If you keep a price book, you will have a better idea of how often a sale on certain items cycle through. Buy enough to get you through to the next sale.

5. Different size packages can often make price comparisons difficult. Look for the price per unit tags. They are usually on the bottom half of the shelf price tag, and are in very, very tiny print. This information shows the price per milliliter or kilogram for each item.

6. Play the store’s game. Can you go shopping during the one day a month they offer ten per cent off? Can you buy $250 worth of things at once in order to receive a $25 store gift card? Do you get price reduction coupons for using the store’s pharmacy or gas bar?

7. Keep store and manufacturer coupons organized. I highlight the expiry dates, and keep them in category and date order in a small dollar store accordion file.

8. Make sure you have the loyalty card for the stores where you shop most often. This can earn discounts on individual products, or a larger discount on your total bill when you reach a certain level of points. I saved over $500 last year using loyalty card points.

What are your grocery shopping secrets?

This little piggie went to market

2010-05-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the Graphics Fairy for the use of this image. (I just love vintage images, don't you?)

Have you noticed there are no pictures of livestock on this farm blog? That's because we don't have any animals.

In the past, we have raised a couple of pigs. We wanted to identify them in some way other than just “the pigs”, but avoid making them pets by giving them pet-type names.

This dilemma was solved by referring to them simply as “Left and Right”. The names were interchangeable, and used each of the three years that we raised a couple of pigs on our vegetable trimmings.

But what to name them the year we bought three piglets? (Other than “The Three Little Pigs”). The easiest and obvious choice became Left, Right and Centre.

In our experience, piglets are cute enough for about the first month. Then they rapidly progress to being big and mean. One invariably becomes the boss of the other, ignoring their own side of the food trough in order to push the other one away.

I recall one cold fall day when my husband Big Guy was off the farm and I was on Pig Patrol. It was cold and damp, and I dragged Kitten out to the pig pen with me at feeding time. I was not especially happy with this chore, or with the pigs whose ugly snouts and big teeth rose up close to my hands while I tossed in their food.

“This is not why Mommy went to university”, I kept repeating as I chopped squash with an axe (I never in my wildest dreams ever imagined myself holding an axe) on an old piece of concrete block.

It’s surprising how many visitors (non-farm types) would come to the farm and remark “What do you do with the pigs in the winter?” There was always an awkward pause as we considered how best to phrase the answer.

Possibilities included “We move them into our garage (whisper softly: freezer)”, or “They finally make themselves useful”. There was usually a confused look in the eye of the listener; then you could see the light come on as they realized - oh my goodness you are going to eat them. Well, yes. Now let’s all go inside for a nice BLT sandwich.

On um, harvesting day, Kitten and I were always careful to make ourselves scarce. Luckily it always seemed to coincide with some good sales at the mall.

Grow Your Own

2010-05-04T06:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my husband Big Guy generously made a gift of cherry tomato plants to the children in Kitten's classroom. Isn't he wonderful?

(Big Guy - when you finally get a chance to sit down - probably this winter - you may be reading this post. See how I called you wonderful? And on the Internet? Please feel free to print this page and use as needed).

There is definitely an increasing trend towards people growing their own vegetables. Even some of our retail vegetable transplant customers seem slightly surprised by the level of demand.

Something like a tomato plant can be grown in your backyard, your balcony, or even indoors next to a sunny window. Why not give one a try this summer, if you haven't already?

We're decided to get our daughter, Kitten, more involved in the process of veggie growing this summer. I even bought her some cute childs' gardening gloves at the dollar store.

My girlie girl had only one response to these gloves. "Didn't they have any in pink?"

Fresh food (hooray)

2010-05-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

We had our first taste of fresh food this weekend. Fresh as in picked-100-feet-from-the-house fresh.

It is a life affirming gift to once again be in this oh too short season of growing our own food.

Rhubarb is so wonderful (as long as you add sufficient sweetener!). We enjoyed one of the simplest ways to cook rhubarb. Mixed with strawberries and sugar, it becomes "strubarb". (Sounds better than "rhuberry").

Make sure you trim off the leaves of rhubarb, as they are toxic.

(Do you like how I got the camera strap in the picture? The shot I didn't show also has my elbow. And part of a knee.)

Wash and chop the rhubarb. Add strawberries and sugar with enough water to keep it from sticking. Cook on medium low heat until bubbly and soft, about 10 minutes. Take out a spoonful and let cool enough to taste. Add more sugar if needed.

Quantities for this dessert are not rigid - I used about 4 cups of rhubarb, 1 1/2 cups strawberries, half a cup of water, and half a cup of sugar.

The ruby bit of spring-time heaven that we ended up with was this:

I took seven pictures of this bowl of strubarb - and this was the best of the lot (really). Then it got swiped out from under me to be eaten. So you'll just have to take my word for it that it looks good, and tastes even better.

Farm Fun

2010-04-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

Today I planted three pots of giant pumpkin seed (oh, the image in my head re-reading that sentence - the pumpkins will be large, friends, the seeds are regular size). Later we’ll plant the best one or two transplants outdoors.

The seed package claims these pumpkins can reach 100 pounds! That’s a lot of pumpkin pie.

Each week or two, I’ll post a picture of the pumpkin’s progress.

I don’t need more pumpkin for our baking needs, as we’ll have lots of sugar pie pumpkins for that. And a giant pumpkin isn’t really something you grow for re-sale.

I live on a vegetable farm where every inch counts towards productivity (and thus profit). But sometimes you have to do something just because it’s fun.

Are you planning to do something in the next few days just because it’s fun? Not because you have to, or should – but just because it will give you a smile.

Kids' Fun & Healthy Cookbook review

2010-04-28T11:26:00.000-07:00

Book review disclosure – I either own or borrow books I review. I don’t receive any compensation from the author, publisher, etc., largely because they don’t know I’m alive.

However, if you wish you can support Escape to the Farm by using the links below (.ca for Canada and .com for US) to order this or any other item from Amazon.

(Sorry about the awkward positioning of the above images - learning curve, people)

As the title suggests, this book purports to be a cookbook with healthy recipes that kids will enjoy making – and eating.

Table of contents includes: Breakfasts, Light Meals, Main Meals, Desserts and Baking.

There are also short sections on kitchen safety, hygiene, and components of the Food Guide.

The author includes brief snippets of general nutritional information, which is beneficial to my kids’ short attention span.

Each page has several full colour pictures. Each recipe has step by step instructions with a photo for each step – so helpful no matter what your age! ~~My husband~~ Kids are the worst for deciding whether or not they will like a new dish by the look of it. These recipes are beautifully photographed, and look appealing.

The recipes look fairly simple to make, but involve a lot of cutting and use of the stove. You will have to assist your child in this endeavour.

Thankfully, these recipes are not the “let’s spend 40 minutes making this cupcake look like a cat’s face” sort of thing.

So how does the book score on fun and healthy? Some recipes are heavy on the healthy, but not the fun factor. For example, your child will either like the look of beef stir fry, or not so much.

On the plus side, most dishes are things that both kids and adults would enjoy eating.

Some recipes score well on both fun and healthy, such as fruit salad served in half an empty cantaloupe.

The publisher says this book is for ages 4 – 8. I have to disagree. There is a lot of text on each page, and the reading level is at least for ages 7 and above.

Kitten and I made the fruit smoothie. It was a bit thick for our taste, but we will continue on and make more recipes. She really enjoys looking at the book, and thinking about what to make next.

The fact that my picky eater is willing to try new healthy foods because of the pictures in this book, makes it a good buy for us.

Mother Nature

2010-04-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

This spectacular show from Mother Nature will beautify our landscape for just a few more days.

Nature has its’ own schedule. It will not be hurried; nor will it wait for you.

With the availability of almost every type of food year-round in the grocery store, people forget there is a seasonality involved in food production.

This week a customer asked us if our garden peas were ready yet. In fact, it’s still too cold and early to even plant the pea seeds.

Here are some suggestions of ways you can appreciate the season:

1. Eat local food. Look for “Local” on the signs in your store’s produce department. Eating locally with the season is bound to be fresh and nutritious, and is without the added environmental cost of extra transportation.

2. Go outside! At this time of year, such beauties as tree blossoms and birds’ nests are just waiting to be discovered and appreciated.

3. Think about planting some seeds or transplants, even if it’s on your windowsill or patio. Before you know it, it will be too late to start anything new for this summer.

4. Catch time in a bottle - take photos.

5. Consider freezing local delicacies such as asparagus and rhubarb to enjoy later- before they’re gone.

To everything there is a season. I’d love to hear what you enjoy about this time of year.

Animals Love Vegetables

2010-04-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

A vegetable farm attracts lots of wild animals. We’ve had deer (see previous deer post here) that need to be shooed off the field, marmots (like a beaver without the tail), and scores of birds.

We enjoy seeing hawks and ospreys circle slowly over the fields.

An electricity company has built a platform on top of one of their power poles to accommodate the osprey, and put a webcam directly above it. Take a look at the live webcam of the osprey nest.

We also have rodents. I have a healthy fear of mice. This means that I am scared to death of them. My husband says I have a special scream just for mice.

Last fall I was harvesting squash ("harvesting" sounds better than bend over, cut the stem, push the squash into a pile, repeat). My husband wondered why I left the field in such a hurry.

“There was a rustle!”, I explained. “A rustle?” enquired my fearless husband. “Yes, I wasn’t alone in the pumpkin patch. So, obviously, one of us had to leave. Quickly.”

Before I met my husband, I once had a mouse in my apartment. I left. I don’t mean that I just left for the day. I packed a bag and moved in with a relative for the duration.

Such a fear of mice might seem unusual for a woman who now lives on a vegetable farm. Well, it’s not ideal.

Vegetable farming - A Day in the Life

2010-04-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

There are more things to do on the farm as each day grows warmer and summer approaches.

In the greenhouse, there is seeding, potting on (moving seedlings into bigger pots), and delivering mature tomato and herb plants to retail customers. (Note to self: remember to water the greenhouse plants while husband is delivering).

Outside in the fields there is ploughing to ready the soil for seeds and transplants, and fussing with the irrigation. (Note to self: remember to check the greenhouse plants while husband is ploughing).

In the farm office there are invoices to write and phone calls to return. (Note to self: check the greenhouse after take first deposit to the bank).

Back on the farm, check e-mail and weather on the computer. Check personal e-mail, browse a few favourite websites, surf away a significant amount of time while husband is off the farm....

I'm forgetting something. Now, what was it. It's so nice outside I must go out again.... wait a minute, the greenhouse! Uh-oh.

(Note to self: MUST make husband's favourite dessert...as soon as I get back from the greenhouse).

Field Work

2010-04-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

This was my first day this season spent working in the field. We were planting walla walla onion transplants, shown above.

The first day is always the hardest. It’s hard on my neck, my back, and especially my legs as I’m not yet used to all that squatting.

Farming is not a game for wussies.

Which is why my husband does almost all the work.

Below you will see what I look like after just an hour spent in the field.

Thanks to the Graphics Fairy for the use of this image.

Until tomorrow,

Missus

Self-sufficiency

2010-04-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

We are the proud owners of three new fruit trees for our small orchard. Joining the peach tree (pictured above), two plum trees, and a grape vine are a pear, apricot, and cherry tree.

The new trees are a bit spindly looking, so their labels make a better picture at this stage.

They won’t bear fruit for another two years, but I am already greedily anticipating the lovely rows of canned delights that we will enjoy.

Thanks to my husband’s efforts in the hunting and gathering department, and mine in the food preserving area, we have many homemade treats to savour.

The freezer holds its treasures of wild meat, fish, homemade bread and soup, and our own veggies.

The basement stores jar after jar of jam, fruit, salsa, pickles and relish. Alongside the jars is the homemade wine. When the weather gets hotter, we’ll add some homemade beer to the mix.

Growing and making one’s own food is very pleasurable, in addition to being economical. There is a sense of contentment in enjoying tasty food and knowing where it comes from. There is a pride in reflecting “I did this, this is mine.”

How to plant vegetables

2010-04-19T09:31:00.000-07:00

Read your seed packet. There’s a lot of useful information there, such as temperature, soil depth and spacing.

Plan your seeding schedule. Based on the seed packet information, determine the order in which varieties should be planted, and when. Different vegetables require different temperatures, and have varying maturity times.

Remember to consider how much of each vegetable you’ll likely use at once. Can you use 24 heads of lettuce in a ten day period? If not, plant as many lettuce seeds as you can eat in a week or two, then wait a couple of weeks and plant some more.

Once you’re ready to go, turn the soil over to disturb weeds and loosen the soil. The seedlings need to be able to push their way up to sunshine. Dig down at least eight inches. Incorporate compost as long as it’s well rotted.

Dig your planting troughs in a straight line. This will save you so much time later on when you are watering, weeding, and picking.

The easiest way to do this is with a ball of string. Tie a loop of string around a stick and jab it into the soil at one end. Do the same thing at the other end of the row. Use the string line as your guideline.

Not all seeds are created equal. Depending on what you’re planting, your row troughs may need to be different depths. A rule of thumb is that you plant twice as deep as the size of the seed (or read your seed packet instructions).

If you’re planting corn, don’t plant it in a single line. Plant at least four rows wide, in a square or rectangle pattern. It needs to cross pollinate.

Cover the seeds and tamp lightly with your hoe or shoe, so that there’s no air pockets around the seed.

Give your seeds a generous drink of water. Perhaps you’ll need one by now too!

If you are setting out transplants instead of seeds, harden the plants off before you plant them. This allows the plants to acclimatize to the outdoors before they are planted.

Set the plants out for two days, bringing them back inside at night. Then leave them out around the clock for another two days. Reduce watering by about one-third. Then plant.

Water and weed. Repeat often. Before you know it, you’ll be at the ~~gloating~~ harvesting stage. Enjoy!

Farmer viewpoint

2010-04-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

He says, she says.

Like most couples, my farmer husband and I often see things from a different point of view.

Farmer: This is a plowed field, waiting to be planted.

Missus: It looks like a field full of cocoa powder – or better yet, cocoa powder mixed with icing sugar, ready to be made into chocolate icing.

Farmer: This is a cement mixer.

Missus: With the right sterile insert, this gadget could make a BIG batch of cookies.

Farmer: This is an empty greenhouse table.

Missus: This is where I would put the big batch of cookies to cool, of course.

Farmer: Perfect, just the way he is.

Missus: Diet. Day Two.

Spring has sprung

2010-04-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung; the pleasure and the pain.

This is our first warm spring day here on the farm.

I have to share part of the pleasure of spring with you.

I must wax rhapsodic about the clothesline.

There is nothing that says spring like the sight of clothes drying on the line, under a blue as sapphires sky.

It smells so good to breathe in the outdoors on the sheets and towels.

Good as in just bathed baby good, or even homemade bread just out of the oven good.

I recall the very first time I did laundry on my own. I was 16 years old, away for a week at basketball camp.

If there’s one place that necessitates a washing of the socks, its high school sports camp.

I went to the local store and picked up the yellow box of Sunlight soap, my mother’s brand.

Later, sitting in the laundry room, I stared at the soap box while waiting for the dryer to finish.

Why was there an image of a wineglass on the laundry soap box? Did mothers toast themselves after a successful laundry day or something?

It then dawned on me - I had used automatic dishwasher soap on the laundry.

It worked out alright, though. I had the whitest socks at camp.

Now I have part of the pain of spring to share with you.
Look at what is thriving in my back yard.

And this!

It’s still too cold to put any plants or seeds into the soil, and I have just this very day shed my winter coat for my spring one. And I’m weeding.

Do you share my pleasure? Or my pain? Tell me, I’m listening.

One month blogging anniversary

2010-04-13T19:37:00.000-07:00

I've been blogging for one whole month now. I've been having such a good time at it, I want to keep going!

In an effort to have more readers than I can count on my fingers (please know I appreciate each and every one of you!) and have to resort to my toes, I'm joining a blog party.

Amanda at Serenity Now (click here for more details on Serenity Now's blog party) is inviting bloggers to come together (virtually), have a look at each other's blogs, share information on our blogging life, and give comments.

I started blogging after reading "Petite Anglaise", a story of an Englishwoman's move to Paris, where she starts a blog.

My plan for this blog is that it be a light-hearted look at life on a small farm, from a non-farmer turned farm wife point of view.

Occasionally, a pinch of useful information will be thrown in for seasoning. I'd like it to be a respite from my reader's busy life; to see green things growing and have a chuckle or two.

My favourite thing about blogging is getting feedback - even if I just make my daughter laugh.

Frozen vegetables

2010-04-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

This week we had quite a surprise. We woke up to several inches of snow.

The temperature was below zero. And the power was … out!

All our “toddler” plants are in the greenhouse, without heat, where it’s getting colder and colder.

What a disaster!

Herbs like basil are used to the sunny climes of Italy and Greece.

How will they survive in snowy unheated British Columbia?

I look out the window and see my husband, Big Guy, loading the patio gas barbecue onto the back of the pickup truck.

Where is he going? If he wants a hot lunch later, that barbecue is our only hope.

He’s taking it to the greenhouse.

Are we cooking in there today? I’m confused (and freezing).

He comes back a few minutes later, looking very pleased with himself.

“I farmerized it, baby”, he explains to me.

“I turned that barbecue up as high as she’ll go, and lifted the lid. As long as it doesn’t blow up, we’re good now.”

We didn't hear any kaboom as we sat eating our cold lunch in the colder kitchen. Then the power came back on.

So, we're good now.

How to get your child to eat vegetables

2010-04-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Since my daughter, Kitten, has lived on our produce farm her entire life, she is a voracious consumer of vegetables. Raw or cooked, with embellishment or without, she loves them.

Hang on, that’s only in my fantasy parenting life.

In actuality, Kitten eats only corn, peas, and trees (broccoli with cheese sauce) from the vegetable category. She doesn’t even like French fries (she doesn’t get that from me).

There are several approaches to combating this problem. Here are some suggestions I’ve seen:

Let your children see you enjoying your vegetables.

Offer dips such as sour cream or yogurt for raw veggies.

Let your children help you shop for and cook the vegetables.

Offer vegetables – raw or cooked – as a first course while the child is most hungry.

Add vegetables to child’s favourite food, such as mixed in with mac and cheese.

Switch up the cooking methods to offer different tastes and textures.

Don’t cook vegetables until they’re mushy.

We have tried a few ways of getting Kitten to eat some veggies, with varying degrees of success.

Plan A – make a rule that she has to eat all the (modest) amount of vegetables on her plate before she gets her reward, such as dessert or computer time. The result was a big fat failure, and sitting at the table for an extra half hour before one of us gave in (that would be me) was simply exhausting.

Plan B – hide the veggies in something else. Making pumpkin raisin muffins (click for my escapetothefarm pumpkin raisin muffin recipe) is always a hit. Hiding the veggies on her dinner plate (like a pasta sauce) is more difficult, as she is a) smart and b) suspicious of a dinner plate with no visible vegetables.

Plan C – require that she take at least one bite of every item on her plate, “in case she discovers a new favourite.” This has had some success, though it’s slow going. We have been able to work her up to having half a cup of tomato soup (I think the appeal is really the crumbled cracker on top).

Plan D – have her become more involved in growing the vegetables. My intention is to institute this plan this summer, and see if that makes any difference. I’ll let you know how it goes, so watch this space!

I’d love to hear your experiences with kids and vegetables – did you eat them as a child, or does your child eat them now (and if so, how did you do it?!).

How to make bread

2010-04-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

Previously published on this site, then mistakenly deleted, so here it is again.

When I was in high school, our chemistry teacher used to ask me and my best friend to demonstrate the experiments. He would say “If these two can do it, then anybody can do it.”
It was not very good for our ego. But true nonetheless.

The same goes for making bread – if I can do it, so can you. Yes, you.

I have modified a recipe from “The Joy of Cooking”. I make three loaves at once, instead of two, and I have increased the white to whole wheat flour ratio. (Go ahead, judge if you must.)

I use:

10 cups white and 2 ½ cups whole wheat flour

1 egg

1 ½ package yeast

1/3 cup butter

2 ¼ tsp. salt

¾ cup sugar

shortening

Mix yeast with 1/3 cup warm water in small bowl. Let stand 10 minutes before mixing into dough. (I’ll tell you when.)

Measure out the flour into separate bowl. That way you don’t have to be counting cups as you’re mixing the dough.

Measure flour by spooning it into your measuring cup, then level with a knife.

Melt butter.

In large bowl, mix together 1 beaten egg, melted butter, 3 ¾ cups warm water, salt and sugar.

Now add the yeast sludge.

Slowly add flour, mixing between each addition. Start mixing with your hands when it gets to be tough going with a spoon.

Spread more flour on your work surface and knead the dough for 10 minutes.

Kneading is just pushing the dough with the palm of your hands and pulling it back with your fingers. Turn the wad around every few push/pulls.

Get some aggression out. It’ll be good for you.

You’re done when it feels like play dough and no longer sticks to your hands.

Grease a bowl, plop the dough in and cover with plastic wrap.

Put it in the oven to rise with the light on to make it a bit warmer.

Start watching at about 30 minutes to see if it’s doubled in size. It may take longer, depending on where you live (altitude and such).

How do you know when it’s doubled in size? The easiest way is to select a rising bowl that is about half full when you first put the dough in. Otherwise, mark the top level of the bowl on the outside with a bit of masking tape.

When it’s doubled in size, make a fist and punch it down all over (in the bowl).

Cut the flattened dough into three pieces. Re-distribute the dough into three mounds until it looks fairly even.

Shape by tucking under the sides and ends until top is smooth, in a rounded rectangle shape.

Grease the bread pans. I repeat, grease the bread pans.

Put the shaped dough in the pans, and back into the cold (with light on) oven to rise until doubled in size. I cover them with a tea towel. Start checking at about 40 minutes.

Take out and heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake about 35 - 40 minutes (it’s 37 in my oven).

Remove from oven, and remove from pans unto cooling rack.

Let them cool, enjoy a slice, and grab your freezer bags.

I cut each loaf in two equal pieces, and freeze one half loaf in each bag. Larger families may wish to freeze whole loaves.

I swear to you, it takes less effort to do this (especially after the first learning curve time), than it does to type it all out.

Good luck!

Cash Crop

2010-04-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

We were busy today bundling these little beauties for our first crop sales of the year.

Can you guess what they are? Daffodils? Green onions?

They’re sweet white onion babies that other farmers will plant and grow until they’re large onions. They’ll be just perfect for your barbecued burger.

It was only 8 degrees Celsius today while we were working outside.

Usually we dig them in the field, and sit there to bundle them as well. Brrr.

This year we got the brainwave to sit on our porch to bundle them up, sheltered from the wind, listening to the radio. Why had we never thought of that before?

Each bundle contains 50 onions.

Do you know how difficult it is to repeatedly count to 50 without losing your place?

Thoughts of errands to do and supper to make can really make a person’s mind wander.

And I’ve never noticed before how often the radio DJ breaks in with number talk like “Here’s Three Dog Night with their song that went to number seven on the charts in 1978.”

Ah heck. One two three four FIVE six…

Farm Hand

2010-04-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

My daughter, Kitten, tenderly checks on the first tray of seedlings she has ever planted.

Her little hands are a perfect size for handling the teeny tiny seeds.

I don’t think she realizes there will be countless more seed trays in her future, now that we know she can do it!

I hope Kitten will later appreciate that she grew up on a farm and learned how to do things like growing vegetables.

When I was a child, my mother was often upset by the ~~laziness~~ um, inefficiencies of me and my sister.

Mom was a farm girl herself, and seems to rarely sit down in the course of a day.

Her frustration would be especially keen after her visits to a local farm to buy fresh eggs. It was a large farm with a larger family, all working hard together.

My sister and I would spot her returning from such a visit, and only then would any action take place.

Popsicle sticks were thrown down, the TV switched off, feet lifted off the coffee table, and magazines stuffed under the nearest pillow.

We would often grab a dish, a spoon, or a broom - anything we could find to make it look like we were in the midst of doing something productive.

My mother was never fooled.

She always had a litany of how busy the farm children had been during her visit. It always seemed to end with “..and the three year old was standing on a stool mixing up a cake!”.

To think that I’ve come from that slothfulness to living and working on a farm myself, is a cosmic joke on my teenage self.

But not a bad one.

Farming values

2010-04-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

Tragedy has struck one of our own.

A delivery truck accidentally knocked a major branch off our plum tree.

The tree doesn’t look too badly shaken up after the incident.

That is, until you look at how many branches came off. We likely won’t know the long term effect of the collision until next spring.

Like many things on the farm, the tree has more of a value to us than may occur to the casual observer (or delivery truck driver).

That tree has grown sweet Italian prune plums for more years than anyone can likely remember.

Its possible demise means the loss of several dozen jars of canned fruit for the winter, as well as cash from any excess fruit.

There are other things on the farm that also have more of a value to us than may be readily apparent (there is a plan here, people).

They are:

- Field grass that was planted after harvest last fall

It’s actually a cover crop (usually rye) that guards against winter erosion of the soil. Once plowed into the soil before spring planting, its nutrients will help feed the soil so we can start the cycle of vegetable farming all over again.

- The (ugly and sometimes smelly) pile of manure, and another of plant trimmings

They are composted and spread on the ground to also help feed the soil.

- The ancient shed that looks like it might blow over in a strong wind

It stores the walk-in cooler, small tools, and provides an overhang roof to shelter the wash stand.

- The stacks of wooden boxes with fading paint

They house hundreds of helpful bees to pollinate the crops.

- The mound of cast off bits and pieces

This isn’t just ~~junk~~ odds and ends. Most will be incorporated ingeniously into some building project or repair job as Big Guy endeavours to “farmerize” the task at hand.

- The mass of weeds growing alarmingly in the flower beds around the house isn’t really..

Wait a minute. I’m looking at the wrong list. I really must get to that….

Bees' Knees

2010-04-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

To Bee or not to Bee, that is the question.

This is as close as I am willing to get to our beehives. Even for you.

We rent these bees. Can you believe that?

In my previous Office Girl life I rented movies and the occasional u-haul.

Renting insects is a new one for me.

The beekeeper brings them to our field and braves the bee stings to look after them. All we have to do is keep our distance, and pay the annual rental fee.

Bees pollinate the vegetable plants by transferring pollen from flower to flower. While wind pollination does some of this job, there is nothing like a directed effort by hundreds of these little darlings.

This direct pollination is especially beneficial for our crops such as cucumbers and squashes (members of the cucurbit family – work “cucurbit” into the conversation and amaze your friends!)

However, there has been a problem across North America in recent years as bee colonies have been mysteriously dying off in increasing numbers.

ABC News recently published a story on this problem. For more information on the issue of disappearing bee colonies and the resulting threat to the food supply, go to
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/honey-bees-dying-scientists-suspect-pesticides-disease-worry/story?id=10191391

Country Dance

2010-04-02T06:28:00.000-07:00

My daughter Kitten, my parents, and I went to visit the horses on the farm next door.

One black horse ambled over to the fence to say hello, as horses sometimes do.

Kitten was feeling rather frisky, and did a twirl in front of the horse. All those ballet lessons have an effect on the girl sometimes.

The horse surprised us all by abruptly turning away from us, pivoting in a circle.

We weren’t sure what to make of this unusual happening.

Kitten decided to practise her arabesque right there in front of the rail.

The horse evidently decided it was his turn to dance.

He watched her; then galloped around the paddock, coming to a dead stop in front of us again.

“Keep dancing, Kitten, keep dancing!” we cried.

The horse stood still to watch each move that Kitten made, and then made one of his own.

They showed off every step they knew. There were more twirls and high kicks. More bucks and side steps.

It wasn’t long before “his turn” involved rearing on his hind legs.

The horse had become such an exhibitionist we were afraid he’d try to jump the fence!

There was a final curtsey, a last tossing of the head, before the dancers retreated.

FARM ANIMALS GET SPRING CLEANING

2010-04-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

I suppose you're wondering why I called you all to this meeting today..

Happy April Fool's Day!

Irrigation irritation

2010-03-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

Part of getting ready for spring on a farm entails readying the equipment.

Big Guy has spent a lot of time this week fixing breaks in the irrigation lines.

It is wonderful to see the pipes spray water on the fields for the first time. We have dozens of irrigation risers on the farm.

I find it mesmerizing to watch the water shoot out in a circular motion. It seems to be so hopeful, so full of promise of things to come.

The spray also periodically drenches part of the driveway to our house.

My daughter, Kitten, acts as my wingman when we’re driving to school in the mornings. I hear the little voice from the back seat “Wait for it, Mommy, wait for it. And… GO!”

And we spin a little gravel as we dodge the torrent of water across the windshield.

And then we giggle.

Farm wife makes dough from home

2010-03-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

I started making bread weekly about a year ago. My bread isn’t perfect. But it’s pretty darned good.

My method is not fool proof.

Just yesterday, I had to start over again.

I got to the kneading part and noticed I had forgotten to add the yeast sludge. I believe yeast is an important ingredient.

I made bread for my parents during my visit home last summer.

My mother looked at me with an expression of shock and horror. An expression that said “Who are you and what have you done with Missus*” (*not my real name).

Just as I continue to adjust to farm life, they are adjusting to me being able to do farm wife things.

When you make your own bread at home, throw extra flour around so your family knows you made a big effort for them.

And when your recipe says “Set yeast mixture aside”, don’t set it too far to the side.

Some people forget it there.

The farm stinks

2010-03-26T07:54:00.000-07:00

Yes, stinks. It is manure spreading time on our farm.

Well-rotted manure from the horse stable next door gets flung through the air (all the better to catch the breeze, I believe) unto the field.

The nutrients from the manure soak into the ground, and replace those lost from growing vegetables last year.

Even soil needs to be fed.

I will spare you a picture.

You might be eating.

Greenhouse

2010-03-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

Our greenhouse was built the week after we moved from Big City life to the farm.

I was 8 months’ pregnant, on maternity leave from my office job.

An office job where I bought my lunch each and every day.

But there I was on the farm, and unable to see my feet.

What do I make myself for lunch?

What do I make my husband for lunch?

What do people have for lunch when they’re at home?

My husband comes inside and announces, “You’ll have to make lunch for the greenhouse guys.”

Excuse me?

Now I know how Laura Ingalls felt having to cook for the threshers.

Long story short – I cooked spaghetti, they ate it, and they went into town for lunch every day after that.

Sweet Farm Life

2010-03-24T06:46:00.000-07:00

My family loves rhubarb pie, so I’m pleased to see our patch of rhubarb sprout up again this spring.

I once made two rhubarb pies, one for us and one for sharing with some young workers on the farm.

Big Guy, Kitten and I proudly carried big plates of fresh pie out to our first field hands, to thank them for their weeks’ work.

We stood in front of them, rather awkwardly, and watched them eat with their polite “Thank you, ma’am” faces.

Then we carried the dishes back home, pleased with this opportunity to share our lifestyle, and our pie.

Later that day, we eagerly ended our supper with our own rhubarb pie.

Unfortunately, this distracted farm wife had forgotten to put the sugar in…

The poor boys, those poor dear boys.

Farm deer control

2010-03-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

This picture of a deer hoof track in the mud 15 feet from my front window shows just how tame the deer are in my area.

In the summer, they seem to think that we grow lettuce just for their culinary delight. (They are particularly fond of radicchio, to the point where we stopped growing it).

Last year, on a warm summer evening, my husband had a meeting out of the house and our daughter, Kitten, was safely ensconced in bed.

This gave me the rare opportunity of having sole control over the TV remote.

I settled in to watch my favourite Hugh Grant chick flick. (Four Weddings and a Funeral, if you’re wondering).

“Keep an eye on the field”, my husband reminded me on his way out the door. “The deer have been eating the lettuce again.”

Wouldn’t you know it, just minutes after Big Guy (aka husband) left the farm, three little deer slowly ventured through the hay field next door onto our field.

Well, I did the farm wife thing and ran out to shoo them off.

They looked at me as if I was some mad woman wearing pajamas and mud boots while waving a rake in one hand and a TV remote in the other.

While they paid me little mind, they did leave the field.

This fun little scenario re-played itself twice more as night fell. I was missing most of my movie.

I formed a new plan.

I walked over to the window.

I raised my hand.

And I pulled down the blinds.

The farm greenhouse waits for spring

2010-03-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

While spring seeding has begun, many empty greenhouse tables await their turn to hold green shoots of life.

By this time next week, many more of them will be full of small seedlings, basking in the sun.

It's going to be a busy week in there. Spring is coming!

A seed wants to grow

2010-03-19T19:14:00.000-07:00

Vegetables we have seeded in trays in the greenhouse this week include:

Broccoli (You’re thinking cheese sauce too, right?)

Bok choy

Cabbage

Cauliflower

Kale (My apologies, but I cannot bring myself to cook and eat this)

Kohlrabi

Onions

Standing in the greenhouse today was so warm, in the sun, sheltered from the cool spring wind.

The sound of the watering hose was quite like the surf at Maui if you closed your eyes...hahahaha

Which is more important – local, organic, or cheap?

2010-03-18T19:14:00.000-07:00

When making your choices in the produce department, which is most important to you – that the item is grown locally, is certified organic, or is inexpensive?

Locally grown produce can be found in season at several outlets – small grocery stores, farmers markets and farm stands. Not only are you adding dollars to the local economy, you are getting the freshest produce available.

Pros

Fresh
Reduced carbon footprint through less transportation

Cons

May be more expensive than foreign alternatives
May contain herbicide and pesticide residue

Certified organic produce can be purchased from as varied a landscape as from your farmer down the road to multi-national corporations’ newest offering in the grocery aisles. The produce is certified by an independent third party to be grown in accordance with rules such as prohibited use of chemicals.

Pros

Lower probability of herbicide and pesticide residue
Environmentally responsible

Cons

May be the most expensive option
May be transported a great distance

Inexpensive produce may originate locally or not, and may result from over supply, seasonality or low production costs.

Pros

More produce can be purchased if the cheapest options are chosen
Every penny counts, and it’s just lettuce

Cons

May not be the freshest or most environmentally responsible
So which is more important to you when you go shopping – local, organic or cheap?

Loyalty programs - make your points work for you

2010-03-17T16:11:00.000-07:00

In my experience, saving money is an integral part of the farming lifestyle. Happily, I have come to see this as a game of sorts. Each deal I score or way I devise to make do with less gives me a kind of “high”.

Mindful utilization of various loyalty programs can go a long way for the frugal farmer(ette).

In the last year, I’ve swapped points for several hundred dollars in merchandise.

Here’s how I did it:

1. Combine offers whenever possible so your points accumulate in fewer programs.

For example, I opt to earn Aeroplan points instead of Esso points when buying gas at Esso. I don’t use other ways to earn Esso points, but I do use other “streams” that accumulate Aeroplan points.

My HBC points earned at the Bay and Zellers are automatically converted into Air Miles, instead of HBC points. Again, I use other ways to earn Air Miles points.

Therefore I’m collecting points in two programs instead of four, increasing my chances of reaching a point goal.

Although I haven’t used it myself, there are point swapping sites on-line such as points.com.

2. Maximize your points within programs by keeping an eye on their special offers.

Shoppers Drug Mart is not a store I visit frequently due to their (usually) higher prices.

But if I do drop in to pick up any sales there – I make sure to buy their gift card first (to collect their store points twice – once for buying the gift card, then again for spending it). I also try to limit my visits to point massing events like 20x the points days.

Real Canadian Superstore is my favourite loyalty program. Last year (yes, I am anal enough to keep track) we earned over $500 in free groceries. Other than buying most of our groceries at their stores, we also bank with President’s Choice (no fees!), and use their (fee free) credit card.

3. However - watch the credit cards that earn points.

I did have a credit card that earned airline points, until I sat down and deduced that I wasn’t recouping the $180 in annual fees each year in perks.

Also, sometimes “point” credit cards have a higher interest rate, which may negate the benefit of the perk.

4. Keep your eye on all the prizes
It may be more worth your while to trade points for smaller rewards such as gas or grocery store cards, rather than saving them up for years for a trip that may never happen.

Also, some sites like Air Miles often have deals where the required amount of points for an item are lowered.

How have you used your points?

Food from the Farm - Pumpkin Raisin Muffins

2010-03-16T14:17:00.000-07:00

Come October, I’ll detail exactly how to easily turn pumpkins into (no, not a magical coach) but pumpkin puree for your freezer.

But why not do the delicious bit now? I modified this recipe to include applesauce and cut down on the fat.

We eat a healthy diet here on the farm. (Mind you, it’s the healthy diet of 3 or 4 people!)

Sorry, I’m rambling. Here are the details:

You will need:

4 eggs

2 cups white sugar

¾ cup applesauce

¾ cup oil

2 cups pureed pumpkin

3 cups flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 cup raisins

Method:

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Beat eggs lightly, and then add the sugar, applesauce, oil and pumpkin. Mix this wet stuff together.

In another bowl, mix the remaining dry ingredients – except the raisins.

Pour dry stuff into wet stuff and mix until just combined. (Over mixed muffins will be tough.)

Then gently stir in the raisins.

Spray muffin tin with oil, or use paper liners.

Fill tin cups about ¾ full.

Bake about 15 minutes.

Poke a toothpick or wooden skewer into baked muffin - they’re done if it comes out dry.

Makes 24 muffins.

Enjoy and thank me later.

Signs of Spring - Seedlings and Dirty Boots

2010-03-15T20:45:00.000-07:00

The first seedlings are up in the greenhouse - cippolini onions. So many more vegetables to follow...

It's time to turn the clocks ahead and get the spring mud boots out. Planting time on the farm.

What is your favourite sign of spring where you live?

The Hungry Month of March

2010-03-14T18:59:00.000-07:00

March is always the month when our own stock of home canned and frozen food is depleting, and when even the imported produce available in the stores looks tired and unappetizing.

While we hungrily look forward to the first greens of spring – still a couple of months away yet – here is a list of our own food that we still have on hand this time of year.

In the freezer: tomatoes, rhubarb, sweet bell peppers, pureed pumpkin, fava beans, Italian prune plums, and spinach.

On the canning shelves: cherries (not our cherries but I canned them), peaches, grape jelly, plum jam, whole plums, bread and butter pickles, salsa, strawberry rhubarb jam.

How I saved money today - Old Towels

2010-03-14T17:14:00.000-07:00

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle - we're heard that often enough.

Today I used that adage to save money here on the farm. I cut up old cotton bath towels into face cloth sized pieces. From the faded tags on some of the towels, I could tell they were wedding gifts (and we've been married over 10 years!).

These towels have gone from the bathroom to the laundry room to dry sweaters. They will live on as rags at our veggie wash stand this summer. They're nice and soft now, and won't harm even the vulnerable zucchini.