#chickensmakeuschuckle

Jan 22, 2019

‘A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones’, so advises The Book of all books. This comes from the book of Proverbs 17:22, which happens to be one of my favorite books of the Bible. It has been said that this book of Proverbs is our guide for person-to-person relationships.

This timely advise forms the foundation of why I created this hashtag #chickensmakeuschuckle. I like to laugh, and it is even greater fun when others join in! So, this is my mission, to spread lots of chuckles to all that love the good medicine of a joyful heart.

Chickens, it seems to me, are some of the most industrious, busy, noisy, funny, sweet and beautiful of all farm animals. They are never ‘off-duty’. How could they be? When one is literally everyones potential lunch? Even when in the coop at night, they all have something to say before finally getting quiet! They fill this farm with laughter every single day. There is not a chicken owner alive that I have met that does not have a funny chicken story and/or photograph.

#chickensmakeuschuckle is THE hashtag to spread the fun, joy and chuckles of life with chickens intertwined with we all-too-serious-humans. Since starting the hashtag last fall, we have nearly 500 delightful chicken photos shared. It was SO difficult picking out these ten. So to have a real fun time follow #chickensmakeuschuckle to be sure to get a daily dose of laughter. Remember, it is good medicine!

Top Row L-R: @poultry’nmotion; @whimsyofwillowsfarm; @lakefronthomestead

Bottom Row: @chickenchikita; @melton_homestead

Top row L-R: @honeycreek_farm; @farmgirllizzy; @my_backyard_paradise

Bottom two: @shortgirlfarm; @glaistighomestead

These accounts are on Instagram. I am very grateful for everyone that shares their chicken fun with us. Go check them out and follow them. They are full of lots of chicken chuckles. You too are welcome to join the fun and laughs. On your Instagram account tag me @primaryfarmoperator, or better yet ‘follow’ #chickensmakeuschuckle. The winning photo is posted every Monday morning. The best way to start the week is with a good laugh, so join the fun with #chickensmakeuschuckle.

Always a Winner- Chili

Jan 6, 2019

Happy New Year! Real winter has yet to start here in our part of Virginia, the Northern Shenandoah Valley. We have had snow and ice already, but typically we get blasted in January and February. Which makes this recipe a winner all the time.

It is easy to put together, and by the time your family storms through the door at the end of another busy day, they will be asking when will it be time to eat. Perhaps they are running in only to run back out, then you may catch them eating straight from the crock-pot!

In your frying pan:

Heat: 2T oil of your choice (olive, safflower, sunflower, avocado).

Add : 2 cups chopped onion, and 3-4 cloves garlic, crushed

Add: 2 lbs ground beef (Our homegrown beef of course!). Brown beef with onion and garlic well, drain off fat (will not be much with our beef. :))

If the beef is still a bit frozen, place a piece of aluminum foil over pan to help cook meat faster. Set pan on edge of burner to help drain fat.

Rinse and drain: 4 1-pound cans of red kidney beans. Place in crock pot.

Add: 2 28-ounce can tomatoes, 1/2 cup beef stock (I use Better Than Beef bouillon)

The goodies that make it yummy: Remember: T=tablespoon,t=teaspoon

4 T chili powder

1.5 t salt

1.5 t paprika

1.5 t oregano

1.5 t ground cumin

1/2 t cayenne pepper (or a bit more if you are daring)

Add beef mixture, mix well. All ready! Cook on LOW 8-10 hours, or high 5 hours, or on automatic 6 hours.

This chili will take the most wonderful additions. Try any or all of the following:

Shredded cheese; sour cream, greek yogurt, jalapenos, tortilla chips or fritos. Let me know if there is something special you put on yours!

Kitchen Tips

I always season beef when browning. Use your favorite brand.

An excellent way to get iron in one’s diet is cooking with a cast iron skillet. Remember, they are heavy. I would recommend an 8″ skillet. The weight and size are great!

If you noticed in the photo of beans, there was a can of black beans. That is because I did not have enough kidney beans. They worked very well!

Do not be intimidated by recipes. By trying something different you may just discover something wonderful!

Homemade is always best

Cowboy Stew

Dec 3, 2018

Who would not enjoy a big, steamy bowl of this fun-sounding stew?

Ingredients:

1 lb hamburger

1 medium onion chopped (or 2 onions if you like lots of them! They are great for fighting colds!)

4-6 medium potatoes

Can of: green beans, corn, and beans (your favorite type of bean, any type will work).

Large can of diced tomatoes (if all you have is tomatoe sauce, that is fine).

*Brown onion and potatoes while browning hamburger.*

It saves time, and makes for great taste to brown onion, potatoes, and hamburger together. Should they get sticky in the bottom of your dutch oven, add a small amount of water to loosen the goodness. Also, turn your burner temperature down. We tend to cook too hot! Do not know what a dutch oven is? Check out blog: https://bluerockhorses.com/2018/10/05/the-million-dollar-question/

You must know your tools and how to make them work for you!

After the meat is browned, add the tomatoes, corn, beans, and green beans. Season with 1 tsp salt and pepper. If more broth is needed, add 1-2 cups of tepid water. For extra fullness in flavor, stir in a teaspoon of beef bouillon into the water. Better Than Beef is the bouillon of choice for me.

Remember, this is a stew, not a soup. Which means it should not have as much broth as a soup.

Please do not boil your stew! It only needs to simmer gently. There will surely be left-overs, and the best part? They will taste even better the second and third night (or in a lunchbox!).

This recipe will serve 4-6 with leftovers, which we always strive for! It can easily be doubled as well. Simply double everything.

Kitchen Tips

Keep your pantry in a good supply of canned green beans, corn, diced (or crushed) tomatoes. There are usually 5-6 cans of each in my pantry.

Onion and potatoes should also have a permanent place in your pantry. Take them out of the plastic bags (this causes them to rot faster), put them in pretty baskets! Should the potatoes start growing ‘eyes’, break them off and toss out in your flower bed. This will extent their shelf life (if you do not, the ‘eyes’ will cause potatoes to shrivel up).

Enjoy!

Thoughts and ideas are always welcome!

Homemade is healthiest and best!

Calming the Grass-Fed Steers?

Sep 8, 2018

The steers have gone to a cool place. Any reader familiar with this blog knows what that means. It is the hardest day for this PFO. There is little hope this day will ever get easy. They have been processed and delivered to the buyers. Buyers who have an interest in the quality of food they eat. They know the farmer. They know the farm.

“Are they grass-fed only?” The most asked question heard from interested buyers. “No, they are not.”

Are they grass-fed only?

What many folks do not realize is that cattle have a natural fear of man. Unlike dogs, cats, and other household pets, cattle have to be taught to feel comfortable around humans. The way this works for us is with feed. As I heard a cattleman say once, “Feed keeps the cattle humble.”

Cattle have to learn to feel comfortable around humans.

What does that mean? Here it means getting close to the cattle. This is of utmost importance to this PFO. They are visually checked daily for injuries, pests, and vital signs. Is their breathing normal, eyes bright, coat healthy looking and coming on nicely for cold weather? Do they have a good appetite? Are they interested in their surroundings?

Feed allows us to get close to them.

When they are trained to come to the feed call and beating of the feed bucket, they are willing to hang around we humans. If these steers were totally grass fed, I suppose we would need re-training on how to properly care for them. Until our steers are comfortable with us, they spend all their time in the woods and graze at the farthest points in the pasture. They bolt away should we get too close.

After learning to come in when called for feeding time there is a peacefulness to the day here with all the animals. They will hang around with the horses and chickens and feel far more at ease. This is the goal for us. Is there a more bucolic scene than cattle resting in grass chewing their cud? Well, do not answer that. Suppose we are cattle folks at heart!

Training does not take too long. A couple weeks going out into the field to bring them in quickly gives way to them coming when they hear our voices calling.

Our steers get plenty of fresh air and all the grass they can eat.

It does not take them long to learn the sound of the feed bucket.

Our goal here at the farm with our hand-raised steers is to give them plenty of fresh air, a place to run, and all the green grass they can eat, along with a little feed to keep them near us for the best of the best care for them. Right now, as I write this, the steers are out lying in the wet, wet grass peacefully chewing their cud…

Feed allows us to give the steers the best of best care.

Know the farmer. Know the farm.

Homemade is best.

Run Between the Raindrops!

Aug 11, 2018

We Virginians that live here in the northern Shenandoah Valley should all be a little lighter in body weight this summer. The spring rains have yet to end in our part of the world. Looks like rain again today as well.

Looks like rain again today.

Our summer has been spent running between the raindrops, mowing and weeding the gardens between storms. And storms they have been! Torrential rains, thunder, magnificent lighting all across the skies. Flash floods, roads washed out, downed trees, broken fences from fallen limbs, and piles of cut grass have kept us occupied all summer. One would think a few pounds would surely be lost in the busyness of this yard work!

A few of we hardy gardeners have thrown in the towel on our gardens. Tomatoes are plentiful—just green, green. The crabgrass seems to be the main item happily taking over every space not even previously known to us, where does it come from? Though the field corn has faired well. There may be some fall planting, though no commitments as yet. Given the choice though, this wet weather seems better than drought. Sure wish we could give some to California.

We have had rain all summer.

We Shenandoah Valley folk take what we get as far as weather goes. Try to see the best in it, and smile at the start of another fine day, rain or not. There is always something worthy of our attention and good to do everyday.

There have been few summers that have stayed this wet with grass so lush and beautiful into August. Well, this too shall pass, as the old adage says. So, in the meantime, keep your mower blades sharp, fuel tanks full and good humor running full blast. Oh, and do not forget a good, tall glass of lemonade!

The field corn has faired well.

The old-timers say, “Make hay while the sun shines!” Well, guess what? The sun is shining right now. Time for this PFO to get out there with the weed eater!

As we old-timers say, “Make hay while the sun shines.”

Know the farmer. Know the farm.

Homemade is best.

Don’t say ‘Small’, say ‘Intimate’

Jun 14, 2018

Father Harry and I raised five children in an eighteen-hundred square foot home. Four of these busy little critters were boys and one sister, who is the youngest. Twenty plus years of busyness filled that simple, happy home. I was describing our ‘small’ house one day to a dear friend. She sweetly reprimanded me and said this paradigm shifting comment, “Don’t say ‘small’, say ‘intimate’ “.

What a different frame it put around my thoughts of our smaller-than-everyone else’s place. We had suddenly become a family that was no longer crowed together, but rather characterized by “close personal relations; warm friendship; warm, cozy.” How strong and wonderful words are!

This was the exact word I used when we packed the pick-up truck full of one grown son (our main driver), his sister-in-law, her three adorable children (with one still in a car seat), and this Primary Farm Operator. On the road for a 1,300+ mile trip out West to attend a family wedding. It was the first time for my sweet DIL and children to be away from their dad/husband, who could not get time off work. Uncle Gordon would have to do for the nine days.

Leaving their dad/husband was a bit rough, but we were all packed and ready to go. I have always believed everyone should make a road trip across our mighty country at least once. It is stunning, fun, and tiresome (I don’t know why Dorothy ever wanted to go back to Kansas!) Just the same, it is beautiful to drive through.

It took about 27-28 hours to drive from our farm here in Virginia to the Gordon’s, Longtime Ranch, in Green Mountain Falls, Colorado. We stopped for a quick nights rest on the west side of St. Louis. Snacks, fruit, sandwiches, books, i-pads, toys, blankets, pillows and of course a good atlas had all found a traveling space. The luggage carrier strapped in the truck bed was full.

The joy of traveling with little ones, and a momma that have not experienced a cross-country trip made it all the more fun. Crossing the Ohio, Mighty Mississippi, and Missouri Rivers were thrilling. Passing through towns that look so different in form and feature from our own filled us with wonder. How amazingly different our country is!

My twinster and her family went beyond the call to make us feel comfortable and welcomed. Even with the amount of work at their ranch for their daughter’s wedding, they had time for us. It was truly a blessing from start to finish.

Perhaps this little blog post will give you the notion that traveling with family can be done. It surely was well worth it!

Happy Family Travels!

Spud, Ben and Larry

May 30, 2018

“Just look at that!”

Whatever was in my hands and lap was thrown onto the floorboards of the van. “Stop, please!!”, came the over-excited request from me, ” Let me out!”

Fanatic, passionate, over-excited or just plain crazy. That adjective I will leave to you. All the same, I was out of the van and quietly jogging up beside a jolly-looking fellow driving a team of gorgeous Belgian horses on a country dirt road in Vermont.

There in the road was a jolly fellow and his beautiful team of Belgian horses.

“Excuse me,” I said quietly, not wanting to startle the driver or the 3,500 lbs or more of the team of horses he was driving. They had blinders on, so I knew to move slowly and quietly.

Sitting comfortably on an old school bus seat (he told me that what it was), attached to an iron sled, he quietly pulled the horses to a stop. The one nearest me turned his big head towards my voice. When he saw me, I was confident they would not startle.

“May I pet them?”

My older twins and I so happy to meet these magnificent horses.

“Yep,” came the reply of the jolly man whose name was Larry.

The jolly man, Larry, said we could have a ride!

They were happy for a stop, and delighted to be admired and petted. Spud, the ‘old’ man, is thirteen years old. He is the teacher to Ben, the three year old youngster. Facing the team from the wagon, the experienced/teacher horse is usually on the left, the young/student horse on the right. Larry kindly answered all our questions, and then I just had to ask, ” Is it possible you could give us a ride on the sled?”

To our utmost joy, Larry said, “Yes!” I sat beside him on the seat, my older twin sisters stood behind and took photos, and asked more questions. Our friends stood in the road and took more photos.

Larry drove the team up a hill and down another road. He stopped at one point to let the horses have a rest. We switched riding so all could have a turn.

Larry said he was training the team for pulling contests, that is why they were pulling the iron sled. He has been driving horses since he was a small kid. His father worked his entire farm with horses, they had no tractors. Driving on the road requires great attention in case the horses get spooked and watching for cars around corners in the middle of the road. Great care is given in training the horses so they behave in public. Just like little kids they learn quickly what they can get away with. If allowed to get away with bad behavior they will try again, and sometimes grow even worse in bad habits. Spud and Ben were perfect gentlemen.

Spud, the teacher, is happily having, Ben, the youngster scratch his ear!

It seems every work horse I have ever met has a one-syllable name. I have to quote the answer because it made me smile, “I think all the horses we have ever had had short names…guess you don’t want to be hollering long names.” Well, that settles that.

Larry and his wife, Betsy, own Sugarbush Farm Maple & Cheese Farm in Woodstock, Vermont. They have farm fresh cheese and maple syrup. Call them at 802-457-1757, find them on facebook, or

click here to find their link

Thank you, thank you, Spud, Ben and Larry for the grand ride!

No Guts, No Glory

May 22, 2018

Note: This blog was written on Saturday, May 12, 2018. In my haste to get it out, I failed to press the ‘Publish’ button. I was out of town and was not able to get it out. So, I send it now with belated Happy Mother’s Day wishes. Though late, the wishes are still heartfelt for mother’s everywhere.

Motherhood. Not the popular, most celebrated occupation; pay is not great; hours are long, and many times lonely; no gossip magazines producing glamorous photos of it; or waiting in line to interview those working diligently in this occupation. Yes, it seems to be a rather unpopular profession. It takes guts to be a mother.

Yet for those that want to embrace it to the fullest, it is an occupation of joy, riches, and times never to be had again. Life is ephemeral. Childhood is too. It is an exciting way to go into a time one will never see. That is through our children. So as you celebrate being a mommy or grandmother today, enjoy! Give this not-so-popular profession a thank you for all it has offered to you through your momma and to all it offers to your children because of you!

Happy Mother’s Day! Here are flowers from our farm sent specially for YOU! Happy Mother’s Day!!

You are a What? A PFO? What is That?

Apr 20, 2018

PFO, Primary Farm Operator. That is what I am, and is what I do. This title was given to me by my twin sister several years ago. Actually, she is a PFO as well. Are you?

We are the main care personal or Primary Farm Operator on our farms, or ranches as my twinster, who lives in Colorado says. It is a growing movement in the rural parts of our country. Where woman are the mainstay, while husbands have full-time, away-from-the-farm jobs. Indeed, we have a small farm because our husbands do work an outside job.

Making ‘livable’ money from farming alone is pretty much non-existent. Most especially for small farms. Father Harry (aka my husband, Bill) has worked away from home for all our married years. This PFO has considered the home and farm her business. It is true we have had our little farm for only thirteen years, and we have been married nearly forty years! Those years before our farm, I considered myself the PHO, or Primary Home Operator.

I have always looked at our home as my ‘business’. The way I saw and still do is; no one–NO ONE has the interest in the prosperity and success of this business as I do. The work has been lonely and long, as Father Harry travels far, wide, and often. It has been a choice, an agreed upon choice by the two of us, and it has worked well.

Thirty years ago, the house was full of five active children and pets. Now it is full both inside and outside of pets and animals. Some would say the animals are better than the children. Some would say children are better because “they grow up and go to college!”

I say they are similar in many ways. For instance: to leave the farm for any amount of time requires finding farm hands to do the work; having healthy kids or animals is the product of attentive care and attention; the work is never-ending; the rewards are far greater than the back-breaking labor; they all are more fun than television; they keep me young-at-heart; they all make me smile.

Different tools and skills are required, of course, between home and farm. There are excellent books on small-scale farming. A good place to find them is Tractor Supply stores. Tractor Supply also has great tools you will need.

Enjoy our blogs on something every PFO needs: A Tool Purse. A Chain Saw. A Tractor. Click on links to read blog posts on these important farm tools.

Happy farming gals!

Read about tools you will be sure to need in our link below: The Tool Purse

This tool is necessary. A small one is very manageable for a PFO.

Every PFO needs to be able to operate one of these wonderful tools!

Continue reading →

Easter Tradition reminder from fellow Blogger

Apr 4, 2018

Easter supper was celebrated this past Saturday here at the farm. It was a better day for all family members to get together before starting a new week, however it knocked this PFO off her groove.

Though it was a thought in the mind of some of the grown children not a word was mentioned. Nancy’s post on her blog, Two Trails One Road, was a reminder that something important had been forgotten.

Posted Easter day, April 1, 2018, her blog jogged the foggy memory of this farm gal. That was only after reading it today, April 4, 2018. Just the same, Easter morning found no freshly made Danish Pastry waiting for the hungry crowd. Truth is, it was totally forgotten. Never even thought of. Sometimes cliches hit the nail right on the head— making the pastry fell right threw the cracks of this farmers’ plans.

No sooner had Nancy’s post been happily read did it hit home. In a hurried rush were things flying about the kitchen to make the “We have had it every year for forever,” tradition danish. What a blessing the recipe is straightforward and turns out very well every time.

The recipe is straightforward and turns out very well.

The almond flavoring gives this pastry a surprisingly nice and different flavor. Toasted almonds are used also for they have a nice full flavor, and look very pretty as the topping on this family Easter Tradition Danish Pastry.