Radish Report

     

I should have been a weatherman.  I can smell frost in the air even if it is 2 o'clock in the afternoon and it's 70 degrees outside.  I knew frost was coming last night.  Had I gotten in too big of a hurry and planted my tender plants, cukes, beans, squash etc. too soon?  The beans and squash have just set on the second true leaves and are a couple of inches above the ground.  I plant the squash deep in the hollow of the row to help protect it.  The beans are intensely planted in wide rows and are more susceptible to frost. The cukes are just barley breaking ground so they should be fine.  As I walk the gardens this morning the beans leaves are covered with a thin layer of ice, but the stems are not frozen.  They should be o.k. I hope.  The hoses are frozen, but I can't start water until until it warms up anyway.  Today I will be planting the fall crops, turnips, parsnips, more beets, kale, found another bag of potato seed so I will plant a few more potatoes.  The small greenhouse has lost it's plastic covering so I will plant it with more greens and cover the arches with shade cloth.  It's Monday, a new week, my agenda is full of projects for the boys and I to accomplish, life is good!

TUMBLIN' TUMBLEWEEDS

 

Here's what greeted me as I drove into the driveway at the little red house.  Welcome to Beryl where the wind blows a hundred miles an hour (it really does) and it fills up your house with sand and your driveway and walkway with tumble weeds blown in from the fields.

I hear you can sell them.  Well, actually a few years ago, I spray painted a bunch of them in beautiful, bright colors (pink, yellow, purple, light blue) and GAVE them away at market.  ( Humm, I have a can of spray paint, I'll paint one and post it as soon as this blasted wind stops blowing).  Right now, I am offering them FREE to anyone who wants to come out to the farm and get them!

 

This is the pathway looking out the front door.

 

about 6 feet deep!

 

 

So we did the only thing possible with this many weeds.

 

 

 

but the next day the W-I-N-D blew them all back............

and the next day the wind blew them all back.......

and the next day...........

 

 

 

Hey, all you old fogies, who was the name of the group of singers that sang Tumblin' Tumbleweeds?

My grandpa was a fan and we'd listen to a tape of them all the time riding in his big ole

 Red Cadillac.  They also sang, "Ghost Riders in the Sky", but I can't for the life of me remember who they were.  If ya know please leave me a comment, and I'll send ya a beautiful

 spray painted tumbleweed!

(but only if ya want one)

available for U.S. delivery only

 

 

 

 

Knock me over with a chicken feather

"Really", I turned and asked Glen when my name was called. Waiting for a few seconds (seemed like minutes) to see if anyone else had the same name as mine, but no one else stepped forward so I decided it must be me.  "Really", it can't be me I thought as I made my way to the front of the art museum to claim my prize.   There must be some mistake.   I was still in a state of shock as I shook the curator's hand as she handed me over a check for FIRST PLACE in the theme oil painting "LEATHER AND LACE" for the 24th annual Outlaw Trail Juried Art Show in Vernal.  Entries are accepted from anywhere West of the Mississippi River.  It is the first juried show I have entered,  I painted, on a large24"x30" canvas, a gardener's view of the theme and my amazing husband built me a beautiful frame to go around my painting.  I clear stained the decorative edge that would be next to the painting, stained the outer edge dark brown and painted grey over the stain and then sanded away some of the paint.  I wanted to give it the essence of looking out a window and seeing this on the neighbor's back steps.   I almost didn't enter it.  I felt a little embarrassed to even think of entering a juried show and didn't fill like my painting was good enough.

"Are you all right" the curator asked me, "You have a funny look on your face".
 I replied "Oh, just in a state of shock".  Yes, you could have knocked me over with a chicken feather!

  My typical reserve, never afraid in the face of danger, totally went out the window.  My knees were shaking and I honestly thought I would pass out. Somehow I managed to collect the check and make it back to where my handsome man was standing without landing in a heap on the floor.  I am shaking right now even thinking about it.  I wasn't even going to make the trip back up north to attend the artist reception and awards ceremony, but at the last minute I decided to go.  So I hopped in good ole Wilma and away we went.  The boy's would take care of the farm while I was gone.

 I still can't imagine why I won, the only thing I  can think of is, the judge ( a professional artist from SLC) must be a gardener too:-) 



yes, it's blurry
I haven't learned how to use my new camera



 Thank you
Uintah Arts Council
for the opportunity to participate in your annual show
and especially for the unexpected
honor.


 

 

 

PLANTING SEEDS

Every year we save our seeds to plant for the next season's crops.

  The miracle of planting a tiny seed

and harvesting

 a beautiful red beet,

 or a vibrant multi-colored squash

takes my breath away. 

CHARD

ATOMIC RED CARROT

ARUGULA





LETTUCE

The gardens are in.  This past week has been crunch time.  I have about a 3 day window to get all the tender vegetables planted.  I need to wait until the soil warms up enough, but on the other hand, I can't get in to big of a hurry because I still have 2 weeks of frost.

Next week I will be starting seeds in the greenhouse for my fall harvest of Cole crops 

and planting the fall root crops out in the field.

As I plant I can taste the sweet carrot and the earthy essence of the golden beets.

I can smell the slight waif of pumpkin pie on the breeze.

I remind myself not to get to anxious for the harvest and enjoy the growing journey. 

 Each new day brings new growth and the beauty slowly unfolds before my eyes.

I sit in my old wooden swing under the tree and watch the garden grow.

Yes, there is a mighty, mighty miracle in those tiny, tiny seeds. 

I ain't smart or beautiful

So, I can rope a cow, hog tye a hog, throw a bale of hay, shovel all day long, drive an old standard pick-up truck, back up a horse trailer through a narrow alley, and drive a tractor.  I can milk a cow, or goat, ride a horse bareback, and shoot somethin' for supper.  Make bread and fix things when they break, but one thing's for certain,

                                                  I SURE AIN'T SMART!

 

I decided long ago that all that book learnin' was not for me.  Now don't get me wrong, I have read almost every classic book written, and my favorite authors are John Steinbeck and Willa Cather.   I have a large selection of poetry books; Wadsworth, Frost, Whitman etc., so I can read, but I can't write worth a hoot.  My grammar is pathetic, spelling is even worse, never a coma in the right place, sentences that are too long or to short.

Math, now that is Greek to me.  Never did understand  about the whole two negatives make a positive.  If you are multiplying a -50 and another -50, how does that make it a +2500 .  Couldn't wrap my brain around that concept until....... I had my first youngin'.

You see, I am a homely ole farm gal and my husband wouldn't ever win no beauty contest either, so I just figured that we'd have homely kids just like us.

Well, imagine my surprise when I had this beautiful baby girl who looked just like the Gerber Baby, everybody said so.  And ever one of my youngin's turned out beautiful or handsome.  And it's not just cuz I'm the mom that I think they look mighty fine.  My graduating son was just voted by his class........

 "could even make a potato sack look good"

 

Anyhow it got me to thinkin'...... two negatives make a positive.........  Still didn't make any sense using numbers, but the way  I figured it, two uglies', or homelys' make a beautiful or handsome, so it would only make sense that two "ain't so smarts"  would make very intelligent youngin's.

 

Yep, my little feller is a graduating at the top of his class as VALEDICTORIAN

(his older brother did also)

and he also received the "COUGAR CREST" award, an award presented by the faculty to  whom they feel is an exceptional student and individual.

 

 

 

CONGRATS!

feller on a job well done,

 

 

 

Nope, I certainly ain't smart or beautiful, but that don't bother me none.

 

 

 

 

 

 



SAGE

An old saying says,  "Shall a man die if he has sage in his garden?"

This statement refers to the health benefits of the humble sage.  Sage tea is a good blood tonic and is beneficial for colds and sore throats. 

Sage is one of the herbs I use excessively at the farm.  Dice the fresh sage and mix with scrambled eggs.  Incorporate it into the dough of biscuits and bread.  We also like to dip large individual sage leaves into a tempera batter and deep fry it.  Add dried or fresh sage to sour cream, cream cheese, or home-made acid set cheese.

Sage can be started by seed quite easily, but my preference to obtaining a sage plant is by laying a stem from an established plant on the ground.  Cut a small nick on the underside of the woody stem (leave the stem attached to the mother plant).  Place this cut section in a small indentation in the ground and put soil over the top of the stem.  I lay a brick or heavy object on the buried stem to keep it from pulling up from the ground.  Leave it for a couple of months ( I water this fairly often) so new roots can grow from the cut.  To transplant I wait until late summer and then cut the stem away from the parent plant and using a large shovel scoop out the new plant with as much soil intact as possible and transplant to it's new home.

Sage likes a moderately dry, chalky soil.  Lime the area well if you have acidic soil.  If your winters are cold I recommend covering with burlap and hilling with a thick leaf mulch.  I have a place in the green house for mine.  I also have success planting right next to the greenhouse to give the plant some additional warmth during the winter.

Here is a recipe for one of our favorite suppers:

GARDEN HARVEST STEW AND SAGE BISCUITS

In a large cast iron skillet, brown 1 pound hamburger.  Add fresh  pole beans and 2 cups corn cut from the cob.  Add 3 cups of pre-cooked black beans, dice 6 tomatoes, an onion, add whatever else is ripe and ready to harvest.  Pour in about 1-2 cups chicken broth or water.  Cook this down until the vegetables are tender.  Add more broth if needed, this needs to be a little "soupy".

  In the meantime make some baking powder biscuits and add a good amount of
                                                               chopped sage to the dough.

Drop biscuit dough by large spoonfuls (or use my suggestion below) onto the top of the vegetables stew and put  the cast iron skillet in the oven at about 400 degrees until the biscuits are done (12-15mins.).  To serve scoop out into individual bowls, making sure everyone gets a biscuit or two.  I have an extra large 20 inch skillet so I double the recipe for both biscuits and vegetables.

Just a note about biscuits:    Try this, instead of rolling them out and cutting into circles and re-rolling the dough to cut in circles, and then re-rolling yet again to cut the last circle,  Just pat the dough into a large, thick square and cut into equal  square pieces.  A square biscuit tastes just as good as a round one!  Actually I think they are better because you don't over work the dough.  Brush a little milk on top to help brown the biscuits.

CSA Delivery

the first CSA  delivery of the season

 

 

 

A new season is under-way at the Farm.  Our first delivery was on May 15th.  It was good to see all my loyal customers again and to meet our new patrons.

Shelly and I, and our great kids, are looking forward to growing you the most wholesome and nutritious fruits and vegetables. We pick and deliver fresh to you within hours!

 

We would like to say a special "Thank-You" to the Real Food health food store for allowing us to use their parking lot as a delivery spot.

 

Our Full Share on May 15th included:

---------------------------------------------------

1 large or 2 small Spaghetti Squash

1 Turk's Turban Squash

2 pound of Potatoes

1 Pound Rhubarb

Romaine Lettuce

10oz Mesclun mix

1 1/2 pounds of Spinach

Onions

Radishes

Wild Greens

(dandy lions and lambs quarters)
3 European Cucumbers

1/2 pint of honey

 

Our Full Share on May 22nd included:

-----------------------------------------------------------

Chard

Spinach

Red Leaf Lettuce

Green Leaf Lettuce

Snow Peas

Shell Peas

Golden Zucchini

Green Zucchini

Crook-neck Squash

Peacans

FRUIT Share:  Delicious Cherries


Full Share for May 29th
--------------------------------------------

1 very large Green Hubard Squash
large Spaghetti Squash
2 pounds potatoes
1 bundle of Rhubarb
10oz. bag of mixed greens
Chard
Broccoli
onions
radishes
4 European  Cucumbers
Sage
 

 

We are still accepting new customers.  If you are interested in a share,

 please call Jill at 435-704-4351

 

Look under the CSA tag for more CSA information

Thanks, and welcome to the farm!

A Stump Collector?

  

We were parked at the gas pump waiting for the tank to fill.  A big 4 wheel drive, bright red truck pulled up to the pump aside of us. " Look mom, that lady is a stump collector too", my son quipped from the back seat pointing to the gnarled roots of a stump he could see sticking (no pun intended) out from above the side of the truck bed.  "What, do you mean by that?  Are you calling me a stump collector?" I asked.

"Ya mom, any time we go out into the mountains, after a load of wood you say, "We can't cut this stump up , it will look nice in the yard."  I had never thought of myself as a stump collector  before.  Isn't it funny the way your kids perceive you.  A stump collector?  Well, I thought about it, and about all the stumps I have drug home over the years.  Ya, I guess I am a stump collector, but look at the cool things my stumps have become........ 

 

 

 

a bench made from stumps and an old second-hand bed frame

placed on one side of the arbor, a

perfect place to sit after a long day's work

and watch the sun set.

 

 

 

a stump to set an old wooden faerie house on

 

 

When we moved from Nevada I left quite a collection of stumps and

old twisted trunks, I wonder if the new owners cut them up for firewood?

 

Try this:

bury a tree trunk with the roots sticking up and hang bird feeders

or birdhouses from the gnarled roots,

 

or use the roots to hold a large bird bath

and grow a beautiful flowering vine up it,

 

or hollow out the middle cavity and plant flowers in it,

 

or put a trunk out in the garden and put old lamp bulbs on it

my BULB TREE has graced my gardens for many years

 

 

 

use a trunk for a bench around the fire-pit

 

 

 

What ingenious ways have you used old tree trunks or stumps? 

 I know I'm not the only "stump collector"  who drags them home!

 

 

 

 

A Straight Line

 

 

 

 

Everyone knows that the shortest distance from point A to point B is a straight line, that is except for mom (myself) who insisted that her boys walk out the front door, down two steps and turn left.  Now follow the path around the rock garden 

 

 

out through the gate

 

 

 turn right and walk past the hutch, and picnic table to the end of the driveway

 

 

Turn right again and walk along until you come to the lane on your left that goes to the farm. Actually the lane is straight across the lawn from the front door.  So boys being the wonderful boys that they are would head up to the farm to milk, weed, transplant trees, and cheerfully do whatever project mom had on her agenda, but no way were they going to walk all the way around  when they could just go straight across the lawn, hop the fence and be on their way.

 

 

 (mom still can't make a straight line)

 

 

So off we went to get a load of rocks to make a pathway across the trampled lawn,

 but after we made a path it opened a whole new can of worms.

"Let's make an Arbor" said the mother (me). "WE (meaning the boys) can bury cedar posts and cut out dead limbs from the elm trees

 to make a roof and sides, and go get more rocks for a large walkway."

And so the work began.

 

 

Steps were placed in the sand that the wind had blown in

 and the half buried wire fence cut away

 

 

 

post holes were dug and posts planted

 

 

 

 

 

 

 (these pictures were taken at the end of the summer last year)

 

 

Nearing completion.........

need more dead limbs for the roof and sides,

and another trip for rocks.

I have a chandelier to hang for lighting,

 and some solar lights by each post would be nice.

I would love to have grapes growing over it, but alas our weather

is to harsh and cold for concord grapes or ivy.

Any suggestions of a vine or perennial what would grow in about

 a zone 4 climate (1a in the western gardening zone) to cover the arbor? 

 

 



WELCOME HOME

I have been at the farm for over a week now.  The kidding is coming along nicely.  I have been spending long days working in the gardens. Pitch forking tumble weeds over the fence and the
 W-I-N-D  just blows them right back over.  The driveway and path to the house was burried under 6 feet of tumbleweeds, but we were able to burn and clear them away.  We have been getting beautiful rain the last few days which was desperately needed.  Things should start greening up now.

  As I  first walked into the little red house, knowing I could stay for the summer, I was met by all the familiar things that make this little house a home,....... just about anyway.

 

A vintage love seat with a 60's hand crewel- embroidered pillow sits

 in the enclosed porch.........waiting

 

 

 

A collection of swans' sit patiently waiting on a shelf,

 they have a special meaning for my youngest.

 

 

 

 

A plack on the wall reminds us of how valuable we are to each other

and how we should treat one another when we are all together again.

 

 

 

old ornate mirrors that reflect the way we live

an old shabby door installed long before they were fashionable

lots of windows covered with lace curtains and hand crocheted doilies

 hung with balin' wire of course

 and old crystal chandeliers can be found in every room...........waiting

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The  small opening  (BELOW), cut into an exterior wall, leads from the bedroom

 into the enclosed porch area.   We put up a wall and turned it into

 a tiny 5x10 foot  floor to ceiling library filled with gardening books, and all the classics

..........waiting to be read aloud to each other when we come in for a few hours

 during the middle of the hot summer days.

 

 

Yes, it's good to be back to the Little Red House, but it won't be

HOME

until the rest of the family is here in a couple more weeks.

 

I learned a valuable lesson years ago from my oldest daughter after we had moved

yet again.

 

She said, "Home is where the family is".

 

 

Hurry back guys, the little red house and I miss you,

can't wait until you're HOME!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walking Barefoot while Wandering

Thanks, for all the starts with "W" comments.  I had such a hard time choosing which answer I liked best.  I laughed for a good 20 minutes about having to move whine lines.  Every answer really made me stop to think about how living close to nature is a Wonderful Way to live and how blessed I am to have that opportunity. 

After an agonizing afternoon of trying to decide which answer I liked best, I finally come to the conclusion that there was not an answer I liked best,(I liked them all), but I narrowed it down to 2 and combined them, and came up with what I found most inspiring to me........


                        Walking barefoot

 (while) Wandering  the Walkway of the

Waking World surrounding you (me).

Thanks to all those who commented.  Keep following, more paintings in the works.

Unique Water Fountains Recycled from old lamps

 

I have always been fasionated with the old brass and glass bulb lamps.  About 3o years ago when I first began collecting them they could be found inexpensively, so I would tear them apart and make something else of them.   I would hang the extra large glass bulbs from trees, or stick them atop a cedar fence post in the pasture, and of course add them to my Bulb Tree that stands out in the middle of my Garden.  The brass parts would be used in art projects, or put together in other combinations to make a number of odd contraptions, bird feeders and bird baths, pots for plants etc., but my favorite idea was to make them into water fountains. 

 

 

 

Sorry, these are photos of old pictures, so they are not very clear.   This is a water fountain I made years and years ago.  I simply tore various lamps apart and utilizing the tall center hollow pipe of the lamp, I  tightened a nut on the bottom threads (leaving a space of pipe under the nut to hook the hose onto)  and begin stacking bits and pieces of different  lamps on the pipe, creating the design of the fountain I wanted.  When I reached the top of the pipe a nut would tighten all the pieces together.  Then  fasten a water pump and hose to the botton of the hollow pipe and the water would flow up the pipe and down the sides.  I liked using a larger piece for the top that would allow the water to drip off the edge. 

 

 

 

As you use these brass fountains they weather beautifully with a nice patina

 

 

 

The fountain base

 

 

 

This is what is looks like now,

the hard water has mellowed the brass

 

 

Shouldn't have torn all those lamps apart, now-a-days they are worth a small fortune, but

then again I wouldn't have enjoyed all the quirky yard decorations.

Sometimes you just can't put a price on a yard

that makes you smile, and makes people think you're a little wacky!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Battery Exhausted

Been working like a hill of ants here at the farm.  We are in the thick of kidding season with a bunch of new babies running around.  Been up all night for the past couple of weeks crawling in and out of the goat shed checking on the deliveries, making sure the babies are eating well, milking out the mom's that give more milk than the babies need.  The weeds are just about all burnt and the ground is getting tilled.  Cold frames are being moved and planted.  The peas are in, as are broccoli and cabbage.  The task of what goes where leaves me standing in the garden  muttering to myself.........".what did we plant here last year?  I can't plant squash in the same place we had cucumbers.........what did I do with the flat nose shovel? " On, and on I mutter, because I forgot to bring the plans from last year's gardens down to the farm and I am too busy to walk back the miles and miles (seems like  miles sometimes)  back to the little red house to get them.  My hands are aching from digging potato rows, not to mention I can't stand up straight, from all that shoveling and crawling in and out of the goat sheds.  I walk in a half -bent over awkward gate cause I'm an old lady out here trying to do a young whippersnapper's job.  I would be taking lots and lots of pictures, before and afters, of all the projects I've completed, and of cute new baby goats, but alas, I got me a new-fangled pocket digital camera that has a rechargeable battery and I left the battery-recharger cord for  it up north.  I turned the camera on and this is what it said BATTERY EXHAUSTED and then the screen went black.  Well, tar-nation how can I document my progress.  All this work, work, work, and it doesn't look like I've accomplished a dern thing!

                                     Well, I have just one thing to say about all this nonsense

 

MY

 BATTERY IS EXHAUSTED!













CSA season 2013

A new season is always a celebration for us.  We have made it through another cold winter, everyone is healthy, the new baby lambs and goats are scampering around the field, and the ground is waking up from it's long winter nap.  I wake every morning giddy with excitement of what the day will bring.  Will it be so windy I can't stand straight and the dust is so thick I can't see, or will I be able to work all morning listening to the birds sing, and preparing the ground for seed?  Every day is an adventure and a joy.

Deliveries are as follows:

Wednesday, May 15th

 in St. George at the REAL FOOD health food store

 on 700 South just off of Bluff Street.

5:00p.m. -7:00p.m.

 Mesquite Nevada
Wednesday evenings 7:00p.m.
(if we get enough interest so contact me soon) 

Thursday, May 16th

Cedar City

10:00 a.m.

FARM PICK-UP

Thursday evening 7:00p.m.

Full Share delivery on:

May 15th
------------------------

1 large or 2 small spaghetti squash
1 Turk's Turban squash
2 pounds of potatoes

green garlic

1 pound of Rhubarb

Romaine lettuce
10 oz. bag of mixed greens

1 1/2 pounds of Spinach

onions
radishes
wild greens(dandy lions, and lamb quarters)
3 European cucumbers

1/2 pint local honey


Full Share delivery May, 22nd
-------------------------------------------
Chard
Spinach
Red leaf lettuce
Green leaf lettuce
Snow peas
Shell peas
Golden Zucchini
Green Zucchini
Crook-neck
Pecans

In our Spring Green Share you will receive a bounty of greens,

root crops and winter squash I  hold over from last fall,

and as Shelly's garden in sunny Leeds begin to produce

her vegetables will be added to the share.
As the season progresses I will be adding many new items to your delivery.
We are anticipating a very bounteous harvest this year.
Our Greenhouses are producing well and
our 5 acre vegetable garden is well under way.

If you are interested in a FRUIT share for the season

 Shelly has a 3 acre orchard and grows all kinds of fruits
( apples, apricots, cherries, pears, nectarines, plums, pomegranates, and grapes).

We are looking forward to a beautiful and bountiful season.
If knowing who grows your food, and how it is grown is important to you,

Please call me if you are interested in a share of our farm's produce.

Contact me now to reserve your share of the tastiest, healthiest,
 freshest fruits and vegetables available.
  Thanks so much for your support.

Payment schedule can be negotiated if needed.

Recycle a jar

 

I purchased this jar of salsa at the dollar store.   It is approximately 4 inches tall and

3 inches in diameter.  After enjoying the salsa, not as good as home-made, but not bad for a buck, the jar was thoroughly cleaned and the label removed.

 

Using a soft sanding pad, remove the paint as desired.

 

Add a knob purchased from a hardware store or use one you have in the junk drawer.

The bolt that comes with the knob will need to be cut off shorter, or add washers to the bottom of the jar lid.  The bolt is much longer than needed because you are not going through the thickness of wood.  I would suggest just purchasing a shorter bolt that will fit the knob.  The cut ones won't thread on easily.

 

I have a whole row of these jars filled with dried herbs from the garden.

 

Use them in a craft room to fill with buttons, pins, and spools of thread.

 

Use smaller jars to contain beading supplies.

 

Place them in a bathroom filled with home-made bath salts, soaps and oils.

 

Add a cute label and your saved seeds from the garden.

 

Fill with dried fruit from your trees, or your favorite home-made muffin mix,

 or a dried soup mix made from your dried garden bounty.

 

 Tye a beautiful bow on it and give as a gift.

 

Fill it with something special like CHOCOLATE

or honey candy.

 

Next time you are procuring the grocery isles, think about what you can use that

 little jar of  pickled artichoke hearts for after you have eaten them.

 

Here's a thought, with Mother's Day in a few days, make a complete canister set using a large jar and progressively getting smaller jars. Buy jars that have the same color of lids if desiring a set to match , or spray paint the lids all the same color and add a beautiful knob.  Fill with staples for the pantry, or with her favorite treats or snacks.