Monday Munchies: Pumpkin Goodness

One of the challenges of keeping two blogs is that I must decide the most appropriate place to post the things I write about.  The farm blog is for farm.  This blog is for everything else.  The tricky part is that farm and life seem to intersect much of the time. 

On The White House Farm blog I wrote about some of the things I do with the produce purchased at the local produce auction.  An obsession with dirt cheap pie pumpkins turned into a series of posts sharing recipes that will delight any pumpkin lover. 

Just in case you haven't been to my farm blog, I thought I'd link the recipes here so that you can go check it out and enjoy all the pumpkin goodness for yourself.

How to process pumpkin goodness

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

Two Kinds of Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin Scones

Wordless Wednesday: Scene from the Front Porch



My autumn front porch arrangement.  Too bad I can't get the cat to stay put all the time.



Seeing More Clearly

After three days without electricity, I am seeing things a bit more clearly and it's not just due to my restored ability to flip on a light.

A storm on Friday evening ripped through our area knocking over trees, separating roofs and siding from houses and snapping the electric lines.  On Friday night the storm affected us by cancelling a birthday party and keeping Rob at work.  Watching the storm kept us busy in the early part of the evening.  Looking for candles and flashlights kept us occupied for a bit.  We found enough candles to light our way and discovered that none of our flashlights worked.  The rest of the evening was spent verbally  processing the storm and our experience to date and reading by candle light.  We all fully expected to wake with electricity.

When Saturday morning dawned with no electricity I realized that some plans would need to be re-evaluated and other plans would need to be made.  Rob came home from work with the news that the effects of the storm had been far reaching.  Some authorities were predicting 5-7 days without full electric power being restored.  He was concerned about not having a full tank of gas for his truck.  Discovering the impact of the storm, I became concerned about having the food and supplies we'd need at home for surviving without electricity.  He'd been awake for more than 24 hours so sleep topped his list of requirements.  While he went to bed I left the house looking for gas and supplies.

Living in a farming community has its privileges.  A service station with a generator that was still able to function was one of them.  A community that is able to trust and serve each other is another.  The line at the service station that stretched on for over a quarter of a mile encouraged me to check the local stores to meet our other needs before I parked the truck to wait for gas. 

The local IGA was open on Saturday morning until noon.  They had someone stationed at the door to slide open the   doors for customers and people with flashlights to help customers find things they needed.  Payment was cash and check only.  In an uncharacteristic move, I had both in my purse.  God is good.  At IGA I was able to get buckets, candles, batteries, propane, bottled water and easy-to-fix, no-refrigeration-required food staples. As I returned to our house, the tiny bit of gas in the truck let me know that making it home was more important than waiting for gas and running out of fuel before the line moved far enough forward. 

Upon my return home the children helped me unload my supplies.  We then began to move through the house and farm checking everything and finding out what needs needed to be met.  We gathered all the candle stick holders and flashlights, replacing candles and batteries were needed.  We ended up with two working flashlights and eight or so candles.

Our next mission was meeting our water needs.  At the farm, we have a cistern that catches our spring water.  The storm the previous night had ensured that we had a full cistern.  We managed to push back the heavy, concrete cover.  Then we tied one of new buckets to a rope fastened to the cistern.  By doing so we were able to lift buckets of water to be taken into the house.  We filled two buckets for use in two of the bathrooms.  By using the buckets to fill the back of toilets with water we could make them flush even though our electric water pump wasn't operating.   After setting up our indoor toilets, we filled pitchers and buckets for use in the kitchen.

As Saturday passed we continued to hope that the predictions about the electricity had been exaggerated.  On Sunday we were able to join our church family in worship.  While we were all without power, we were all safe and it was good to be together.  Some had generators, some had water, help was offered on several fronts.  One family gave us access to a hot shower.  Another family offered a generator to keep our freezer from thawing.  One friend even offered to bring me hot coffee.   By Sunday evening we were all clean and the concern of losing all our beef and chicken had been relieved. 

Monday morning brought a breakfast of steak and eggs.  S10 was scheduled to go to 4-H camp this morning so his day brought disappointment.  Camp was cancelled due to lack of power.  The plans for the day included several unsavory jobs, including emptying the refrigerator and freezer and discarding the things that may have gone bad without adequate refrigeration.  In addition to cleaning out the refrigerator, we  heated water on the grill to wash the dirty dishes that had accumulated over the weekend.  While we were heating water and washing dishes we cooked a chicken on the grill.  We were able to enjoy a lunch of chicken and watermelon before we went to the community pool for a few hours of refreshing coolness.  We came home from the pool to spend some time with Rob before he returned to work for the night.  When he left we went to the library for an internet connection and some cook air before bedtime. 

We returned from the library hungry.  K15 fixed hamburger helper on the grill while I took care of the animals.  Before dinner was cooked, we saw the electric company crew pull into our driveway.  Within the hour, our electric had been restored and we ate dinner in the air conditioning, ceiling fans blowing and lights on. 

Spending several days without electricity was eye opening.  First of all, it made me realize how much I take for granted.  I'm not ready to become a survivalist but I do know that being prepared for some basic emergency situations is a wise idea.  I am more prepared now than I was four days ago.  I plan to be better prepared still.  Secondly, it made me realize that character building is something I need to work on, for myself and my children.  For the most part, everyone was able to pitch in and do what needed to be done. Overall,  my family dealt well with a difficult situation. Unfortunately, the issues that concern me in the best of times, lack of gratitude, selfishness, laziness, disrespect, stubbornness, arguing, were magnified when the lights went out.  I'm not sure how I'll deal with these concern but I do know that I must try. My first step in addressing these issues will be prayer.

It's good to see clearly this morning.  I enjoyed a hot cup of coffee. I savored time sitting on the deck doing my Bible study but I was especially thankful for the opportunity to walk back into an air conditioned house when the morning grew a bit warmer.  God has given me so much.  I pray that I may always give thanks for each of God's good gifts.

Wordless Wednesday: Our Tree House

Ending 2011 in a Good Place

As this year draws to a close, it's easy to see how far we've come.  This time last year we were homeless and a bit unsure about what the future had in store for us.  We had complete confidence that whatever came, it was going to be good.  Now it's easy to see the good.  Some of it was a little bit harder to trudge through.

We are now a farm family.  Several times we had friends and family visit us for the first time and express surprise at the fact that we are living on a real farm.  It's not just a house with a shed in back or a house with a big yard.  It is a farm.  We have chickens and a cow.  We are farmers.  I'm not sure I consider us real farmers yet.  We live in a community with real farmers.  We know what they look like.  We know how hard they work.  We aren't there yet but we hope to be, someday.

On the whole the farm has been more than we dreamed. We are a stronger family, physically and emotionally. We have learned about life and death, planting and harvesting, sowing and reaping.  I know more about chickens than I ever thought possible.   The kids have spent countless hours outside exploring the property.  We've learned that eating our own eggs and chickens taste better not just because we know where they came from but because we are the ones that put in the time and effort to get them on the table.  We have definitely become more responsible for ourselves and for others.   We are more connected with the world, right through the land all around us.


As we continue to grow and thrive, I pray that our first priority continues to be to glorify God.  I am so thankful that we are ending 2011 in such a good place.

Weekly Recap 4/4-4/8/11

Monday and Tuesday were chick days.  We'd intended to get all the chicks on Monday but S9 had his heart set on a rooster and our local feed store only had pullets.  We found a store with a straight run of Plymouth Barred Rocks on Tuesday and bought six.  We are counting on at least one of them being a boy.

 Felicia, is now more than two weeks old and she's finally thriving.  It's been fun to see her eat eagerly and prance around.  Now, if we can just keep her out of the house.

In addition to our farm animal adventures, we dug deeper into live in South and Central America during the Middle Ages.  We were impressed with Machu Picchu and horrified by the Aztecs. We also spent extra time learning about explorers and some famous women of the period.  Listening to the Lives of Extraordinary Women: Ruler, Rebels (and What the Neighbors Thought) was a highlight of the week.  I'd intended to just listen to the biographies from the beginning until the end of the Middle Ages but my dc were so interested in the women that they insisted on listening to the entire book.

For math this week S9 and H12 focused on factors and prime numbers.  They were pleased to put their multiplication facts to use and find prime numbers to be easy and interesting.  M6 worked on fractions.  We used play dough and had a great time making smaller and smaller parts. 

At the homeschool conference last week I ordered the California Achievement Tests (CAT) for our yearly evaluations.  This is new for us because Indiana didn't have any requirements pertaining to evaluations.  I got the tests yesterday and feel pretty confident that S9 and H12 will have no problem.  I think M6 will breeze through the math but there is more independent reading than I was expecting on her test.  I think I'm going to go ahead and have her take it.  She may surprise me and the 25 percentile performance level doesn't worry me too much. 

Wordless Wednesday: Farm Life Brings New Experiences

S9 feeding Felicia, our week old kid.

M6 holding two day old chicks.

Expect the Unexpected

You would think after almost twenty-two years of marriage, four children, and twelve moves I would have learned that nothing can be planned.  You would think that I would be an expert at anticipating what could go wrong and working to see all the angles.  My husband is a maintenance and reliability engineer.  His job is all about predicting what could go wrong and working to keep things running smoothly.  We both have the skills and the inclination but at home, the unexpected keeps happening.

On Sunday we brought home a potbelly pig for H12's birthday.  Paxton was part of our family for just over a week.  On the following Monday, we got a leash and harness for him and he, almost immediately, slipped the leash and headed for the hills.  We haven't seen any sign of Paxton since our manhunt for more than an hour on Monday.  We could have prevented that heartache by not letting him out of the house or by making sure that the harness was too tight to be comfortable.  We could have walked with H12 and the pig to keep an eye on things.  We could have...  You know that list.  It's endless and futile.

Even before Paxton jumped ship we had an unexpected guest.  The farmer down the road gave us a baby goat that had been abandoned by it's mother.  Since last Sunday, we've been playing mother goat to an absolutely adorable kid.  I've given daily talks about how fragile baby animals are and about how we can't be sure that she's going to survive.  All the while, I've been praying and working to make sure she does stay alive.

At church last week, the minister spoke about the meaning of "Give us this day our daily bread."  He talked about the Israelites depending on manna as they wandered in the desert.  He talked about how having too much can encourage us to rely on the bounty rather than on God.  I've found myself returning to this thought again and again this week. 

Even though things happen that I don't expect, Lord, continue to give me exactly what I need exactly when I need it.  Whether it's a goat, a sermon or a moment of clarity help me pay attention to what You have for me.

Farm Life

Yesterday was the first day that we've had warm weather and time to enjoy it as a family since we moved into our new house.  It was the first day that we felt like a farm family.  We spent much of the morning clearing flowerbeds and cutting down volunteer trees that had grown around our outbuildings.  We moved cinder blocks and cleared a junk heap behind one of the storage sheds.  We filled a trash can with broken glass, plastic and old shingles.  We took stock of the chicken house and made note of the jobs that need to be done in order for that space to be made ready to use. 

After lunch, we took a walk around the farm.  Again, this is the first time we've all been outside together and had the time to walk the property.  The creek was up because of recent heavy rain.  It was still fun to imagine canoeing and swimming in the summer.  The children were done exploring about half way around the property line and opted to cut across the field and head back to the house.  R and I continued to walk the property and found a stream and rock formation we didn't know we had.  We spent time in the sunshine dreaming.  We reminded each other of the dream that led to chosing this property.

We have so many plans for this farm and stepping out into the unknown is a daunting prospect.  Goats, grapes, a garden, chickens, turkeys, and bees.  Can we do any of it successfully?  Are we really ready for this?  We've almost completed our small farm class.  We have enough money and more than enough ideas to make a start.  The only way to find out if farming is really for us is to do it.  There is only so much you can read in books. 

Today we spent some time working on a business plan and a vision for our farm.  Our plan is to spend this year trying things on a small scale to see what works and what doesn't.  Next year we'll move to a larger scale with an intention of being profitable within the next five years.  It's a big step, putting things down on paper, making a plan, beginning. 

At our small farm college class, we've repeatedly heard how we need to be marketing our farm and making sure that people know our story.  In an effort to get a head start on that, we've decided to tell our story from the beginning.  Here's our new farm blog so that you can follow what we are doing and, hopefully, so will others in our area as we get growing.

Chickens for Dummies

R and I started attending Small Farm College two weeks ago. We are attending as our first step toward figuring out what in the world we are going to do with our farm now that we’ve bought it. I’m sure sensible people would have figured that out before they bought a farm. We saw an opportunity to fulfill a dream and took it. As so often happens when dreams come true, reality has a way of being… well, real. As a result of this realness, we have 37 acres, a barn, several outbuildings and very little clue of what we are going to do next.

R has the hopes that we will be able, over time, to turn this 37 acres into something that provides enjoyment and income. Most of the time, I just hope that I don’t lose my mind in the process. Don’t get me wrong. I have farm dreams too. Mine center around sunshine and green fields, beautiful flowers and children playing. These dreams are filled with prosperous vegetable gardens and fragrant herbs. Bees busy busily in and out of gleaming white boxes. Chickens peck quietly at the ground in the yard. Everything is lovely and peaceful. In my perfect farm world, there is a book and a glass of wine after a satisfying day of work while we enjoy the sunset. Sounds great, doesn’t it?

Now, we just have to figure out how to make it happen. And so, I am reading books about chickens and bees and farming in general. As I read these books, I have discovered how much I didn’t know that I didn’t know. I am also learning that farmers assume that the rest of the world knows a lot more about what they do and about how it’s done that I do.

Today I was reading a book about chickens. It’s called Keeping Chickens: The Essential Guide to Enjoying and Getting the Best From Chickens by Jeremy Hobson and Celia Lewis. The photos in the book are lovely. They truly represent chickens in their best light and the book is worth getting just for the pictures. However, when you get into the text, it is not a book for beginning chicken owners. The authors assume a base of knowledge and ability that is far beyond what I possess. Admittedly, the closest I’ve been to a chicken in the last 30+ years involves preparing, cooking, cutting and eating. I don’t even deal with chicken bones or skin. I do buy organic, local chicken so at least I’ve been close to "real" chicken but it was most assuredly dead and plucked.

As a result, I know less than nothing about live chickens. While I enjoy seeing the chicken pictures, what I need are step by step instructions on how to set up a coop, purchase birds and what to do to keep things going smoothly. I need pictures of feeders, watering systems, roosts and nesting boxes. When someone is as clueless as I am, nothing can be assumed. For example, this book spends a lot of time talking about showing chickens. Sadly, I admit that my first thought at the mention of showing chickens was…Show them what? As you’ve already guessed, that’s not what the authors meant. Evidently there are people that have chicken shows. I can only guess that these are similar to dog shows. My imagination comes up with all kind of chicken show activities; loudest cackle, longest feathers, biggest breasts, fastest layer…the possibilities are endless. I wonder if the chickens have to show their intelligence and carriage or if they are judged totally on their looks. Either way, for someone like me, the chicken clueless, the idea of a chicken show is beyond anything I’m prepared to face.


I haven’t checked Amazon yet but I’m pretty sure there’s got to be a book out there for me. (See!  I knew they'd have it!)  Chicken for Dummies is just what I need, provided that it tells me how to get my chickens, what to do with them once I bring them home and, especially, how to keep them alive. If it tells me how to get them to lay eggs so I can enjoy the fruits of their labor, all the better.

The really silly thing is that I have a great chicken coop. It is the original carriage house on our farm. It’s two stories high and divided into three rooms and a closet. Inside the walls and ceiling are lined with chicken wire. I’m thinking that the plan there is it keep predators out and chickens in. The result is that there several decades of really questionable dirt and debre stuck between the walls and ceiling and the wire. Inside, there are also a variety of shelves, boxes, bins and troughs. I’m fairly certain that each of these has a chicken purpose but I’m not sure exactly what they might be.

Maybe I just need to forget the books and call in a chicken expert. I’m sure the farm’s previous owner, Bob, will be glad to lend me his assistance. He’s been here once since we moved in and it’s easy to tell that he misses the farm and would be a wealth of knowledge. My fear is that if I ask Bob for help with the chickens they will no longer be my chickens and I’ll be seeing a whole lot of Bob. I’m not sure I’m that brave nor am I sure I want to let someone else know how chicken stupid I am.

Once again, I find myself so thankful that we moved into our farm in January. The time to figure it out is really precious to me. And whatever path I take on my chicken quest, I know that there are resources available. I also know that I can do this and that the results will be worthwhile.