Happy Easter!

Monday, April 5, 2021
Hello friends,
Happy Easter! I hope you enjoyed the beautiful day that the Lord provided. We were in Atchison with the family and we also celebrated Xavier’s first birthday. Yes, it has already been a whole year. What a cutie! I noticed lots of families hanging out on their porches, taking walks, and playing in their yards. Tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils are in all their glory. Spring is here!
A pair of geese have been hanging around a lot in lane 4 pasture. Then last week Bill went back to the pond to put a heat lamp in the pump house. Yes, the water system is on, but there were freeze warnings, so we had to protect the pump. While he was back at the pond, one of the geese was out in the water making a big rukus. I suppose it was a distraction away from a nest somewhere. We are looking forward to maybe observing some goslings in our pond. Chicken eggs take 21 days, ducks are 28, and apparently goose eggs take 28 to 35 days. That’s a lot of sitting!….

Windy!

Monday, March 29, 2021
Hello friends,
Did you blow away today? Hold on to your hats! Yesterday we were driving down the highway with a 26 foot U-Haul with my mom’s furniture, and that high profile vehicle would have been difficult on a day like today. Yes, we worked hard all day, including Stephen and family, and buddy helper. Her house isn’t empty yet, but I think all the furniture we need has been moved. Now to get settled in and try for some normalcy before going back to tackle the kitchen cabinets full of dishes etc.
Bill has been working on the getting the pond water system ready to turn on for the year. He added a water line and a hydrant down by the sign. That will be so nice. I have been having to carry a watering can full of splashing water down the hill to the flowers. Of course, I only make one trip so the flowers are not fully watered, just barely alive and therefore not as vigorous as they should have been. Now I will only have to go about 10 feet! Thank you, Bill!…..

Spring is Here!

Monday, March 22, 2021
Hello friends,
We just had several days to dry out and the threat of rain is back again. Lol. Would have been nice to get potatoes planted, but it was still too wet in the garden. We took our window of opportunity to move the hens while the pasture is a less soggy. The cows are spending more and more time looking for those tender sprouts and less time eating that hay. Soon they will have plenty of grass to eat without the hay and milk production will increase! We must get ready!
The flower beds are looking a little shaggy as those pesky purple flowered Henbit weeds thrive in this weather. The back yard is a little splotchy with some really lush spots that mark where the young pullets were moving with their chicken tractor. If only we could spread that out, we would have a decently fertilized lawn. As it is, whatever grows, we mow. No dandelions yet, believe it or not. The daffodils are blooming, and the peonies are sprouting. It won’t be long now…..

It Rained and Rained!

Monday, March 15, 2021
Hello friends,
Do we need an ark? My heavens! It rained and rained yesterday! The pasture had standing water all over. There is water still running in the ditches and all the normal low lying problem spots in town are a problem. The sump pumps in our basement and in the cheese cave have been running almost non-stop. Thank God the power stayed on. Our septic system drain field is super charged and every so often the toilets glug. Gravel from the driveway has washed out into the road again. But the sun came out today and the air seems crisp and clear this evening. No sign of tornadoes here.
Remember my experiments with pasteurizing milk for mozzarella? Remember what I called the result? Farmer’s Folly. It was totally the wrong texture, a complete fail. Well, I have a new recipe from a respected cheese expert, Peter Dixon. I know I can do this! So today I tried a small test batch in the kitchen, and so far so good. Much better than my previous attempts. This will allow me to legally sell mozzarella for CSA’s, Food Hub, and other places. Trial and error, trial and success! Tomorrow I will check the flavor…

Gorgeous Weather!

Monday, March 8, 2021
Hello friends,
Oh my, what gorgeous weather! We had the whole family out at the farm yesterday to celebrate three birthdays and a little bit of Christmas (long story) and it was so nice to be able to get outside. After a big meal, we went out to the pond and tried out the fishing poles. Carl gets a big kick out of “catching” the fish in the net when someone reels one in. He gets braver every time he visits and likes to touch the fish now. The dock was sturdy enough for all 10 to be on it at once! I’m glad we added it last summer.
Farmer’s markets are getting organized this time of year but remember that we are focusing on our farm store for the next season. Upgrades are coming but first we have to finish a project. My mom is living with us now and we have a transition to accomplish to get her stuff here, and some of our stuff out of the way. When you haven’t moved a piece of furniture for several years, it’s amazing the amount of dust that accumulates under it. First, we are sorting through our stuff as we move it out of the way, and next we will be sorting through her stuff. So, pray for grace in this season!….

March is Here!

Monday, March 1, 2021

Hello friends,

              Yes, March.  February seemed rather surreal.  Enduring the weather and waiting.  Now I turn around and it’s time to plant tomato seeds inside.  My seeds arrived Saturday, just in time.  Whoo hoo!  The birds are singing, the squirrels are chasing each other, and the daffodils are poking their little blades up.  It won’t be long now.

              The cows are spending more time searching for little green sprouts in the pasture.  I wish they would wait and let them grow a little first, but they LOVE the green grass.  The air is a bit smoky as some farmers start their annual pasture burn.  Hopefully they keep everything under control, but you know what they say.  It’s not a good burn unless you accidently burn something you shouldn’t have.  Yikes!  I have heard stories.  The fire department hates this time of year.  But the ranchers swear that removing all the annual residue stimulates the perennial grass growth, so they continue to burn.  We tried a section one year and we ended up melting some of the water line that delivers pond water to the paddocks.  No, we won’t be burning…..

The Big Thaw!

Monday, February 22, 2021

Hello friends,

               A whole lot of melting going on today!  The ground is still frozen underneath so the water just kind of puddles on top or runs off.  Maybe tomorrow it will begin soaking in.  Then we will have some mud to deal with, argh!  I’m just very thankful that the temperatures are trending UP!

              The cows are still enjoying their hay and producing lots of milk.  They really don’t like walking on the refrozen ice patches, but they won’t like the mud either.  It’s just something we have to deal with.  Our indoor cat has finally decided that it’s okay to venture outside.  That’s big.  The chickens have been able to get outside the last couple of days too, and today they had more ground without snow to explore.  I’ve been getting more eggs as more of them have begun laying.  Even a huge double yolker here and there, poor chicken.  It happens with pullets sometimes that they lay an egg with two yolks.  Winner for us!….

Cold Blast is Here!

Monday, February 15, 2021
Hello friends,
Last week I spent a considerable amount of space in the newsletter on preparing for the cold. It is now upon us! Currently the unofficial thermometer says -2 and the moon is visible so that means it has cleared off and the insulating clouds are gone. We are bracing ourselves for presumably the coldest night of the winter. At least I hope this is the worst of it. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, but we are hoping the light is not headlights on a train!
Lots of snow today with blowing and drifting. The cows have snow on their backs and frost on their whiskers. That snow is actually a good sign that they are not losing a lot of body heat. With the threat of rolling blackouts, we are hoping they skip over us. I know we have to use more electricity to keep the stock tank heaters running, but it’s too dangerous to risk them falling through the ice on the pond. I did see some of them licking the snow, but for a producing dairy cow, it would be difficult to get enough water that way to stay healthy.
Last week we procured a big round bale of straw and put it right in the middle of the loafing shed. Very convenient…..

It’s Cold Outside!

Monday, February 8, 2021
Hello friends,
We thought that January was the coldest month, but not this year! Every time I check my hippy dippy weather app on my phone, it gets worse and worse, then better, then worse again. And it’s still snowing! It has accumulated to about 2 inches so far and probably not done. I wear my layers upon layers of outdoor gear for chores. It takes about 5 minutes to layer up, but then I’m not cold, except maybe toes and fingers if I stand still too long. No, this is the coldest month of the year.
The cows are enjoying the fresh straw and loafing shed. We are not letting them drink from the pond right now for safety reasons, so they get the easy water from the stock tank beside the creamery. It collects the water from the sump pump at the bottom of the cheese cave. Since we recently had a good amount of rain, it has been full to overflowing which keeps the water moving and not frozen. The other calves have a heater in their water. A necessary but unfortunate energy sucker. Someday we’ll get a more efficient system. The chickens are staying close to their egg mobile but have been coming out and scratching around under their house. I suppose they may want to stay in when the temps get below zero, if it actually happens. I have been making extra trips out to collect eggs, but I still had three of them frozen and cracked today…..

Super Bowl Cheese Sale!

Monday, February 1, 2021
Hello friends,

…….In case you didn’t realize it, the Chiefs are in the Super Bowl this Sunday. You are going to need cheese. Therefore, in honor of the event, we are running a sale: three cheeses, any variety, 20% off. Quarter rounds are already 20% off, but you can take an additional 10% off that. Yogurts are not included…..

Cheese Making Class

….There was a good response to the cheese making class idea so I will set the date for February 27th (Saturday) from 11 to 1:00 or there about. My plan is to go over some basics, offer some resources, and then make a couple of cheeses, probably mozzarella and something else. Mozzarella is the one that beginners are most likely to actually do since it requires less equipment than some other types. I’m not saying that it’s the easiest though. But I’ll save all this for the class. $30 non-refundable saves your space, unless I cancel because of bad weather. You never know. Bring something to take notes. You are welcome to take a tour afterward, and of course pick out some cheese!
I’m planning on making a trip to the city on Saturday (the 30th) and I would be happy to bring any pre-ordered items (except raw milk, which would be illegal) if you let me know by Friday noon. It will be cold, as a January day should be, so I plan on being in the Matt Ross Community Center parking lot from 11 to 11:30……

Plans for 2021

Monday, January 18, 2021
Hello friends,

……Actually, 2020 wasn’t too bad here. There were quite a few new visitors after the post on the Shop Kansas Farms page, and we had local people come who didn’t even know we were here. We made a LOT of cheese from the abundance of milk our 12 cows produced on the lush spring grass. It aged all summer and quite a bit of it was sold to our new distributor Paris Brothers. That means you can find our cheese in stores and restaurants now. We are not planning on doing the farmer’s market next year. It’s a lot of work and there are quite a few uncertainties at the OP market right now. Instead, we are planning a few improvements to the on-farm store and hope to draw more customers here. Bill will be taking Social Security so some of the pressure for income will be eased. Selling raw milk will still be a priority, but we hope to add other items in the store as well. I still plan on making trips to the city and will still bring pre-orders to a future location.
I am thinking about teaching a cheesemaking class some time in February. We could comfortably have about 8 people in my kitchen. I could probably do about 2 hours give or take, and it would cost about $30 per person. Let me know if you are interested and when would be a good time.
I’m planning on making a trip to the city NEXT Saturday, January 30. Not this week, but next. Be thinking about what you might want….

The Days are Getting Longer

Monday, January 11, 2021
Hello friends,
Believe it or not, the days are getting longer! Any day in January that is above zero is a good day. Sunshine always warms my spirit, even when it’s chilly. The Christmas decorations came down today and I dusted (thankless job) and we put the furniture back where it was. Something comforting about back to normal…..
Milk production is limited right now. The cows are eating mostly hay, and a little grain when we milk them, but the green grass is now dormant and that is what really helps them produce more milk. We have enough fresh milk for everyone if we just spread pick up days through the week. We’ve had some shortages when there were too many needing milk on Saturday. If you can pick up Monday through Thursday, we are more likely to have plenty. Also, it’s always a good idea to call or text before you come to make sure. If we have more milk than orders, we’ll make cheese. Thank you for your patience. Two cows are due on February 1, so it should only be a temporary issue….

Wintery Mix

Monday, January 4, 2021
Hello friends,
Whew, what a week! I can’t say they didn’t warn us about the ice and “wintery mix”. That sounds more like a snack than a weather event! We had quite a bit of ice on the trees and lost several significant branches off a couple of trees. The snow melted off the ground yesterday, then all of a sudden, the sun came out this morning and the ice was falling off of the trees like hail, piling up underneath. Now all the ice and snow has pretty much gone….

Open on New Year’s Day

Monday, December 28, 2020
Hello friends,
I hope all of you had a very Merry Christmas!….

This week is another holiday, but we will be home, so I guess there is no need to close the farm store. If you need milk or cheese, we will have our regular hours. Also, Saturday, Jan. 2, I will be making another trip to the city to take in pre-orders. Remember, pre-orders only and let me know by Friday at noon so we can get things together. I will be in the Community Center parking lot this week instead of under the pavilion, per market manager’s instructions. You may meet me between 10:30 and 11:30. Anything on the list below is available, except milk. ……

Closed on Christmas Day

Monday, December 21, 2020
Hello friends,
‘Twas the Monday before Christmas and all through the house, it’s a mess, and a rush, and we hurry about. Our family is getting together tomorrow so I have to be ready early. That also means the farm store will close early Tuesday (4:00) and Thursday (4:00) and closed altogether on Christmas, as you would expect. So, if you need milk or cheese, now is the time to speak up. One of our Christmas Eve traditions is oyster stew, so we’ll need milk for that. Just saying, plan ahead……

Cheese for the Holidays

Monday, December 14, 2020
Hello friends,
It’s beginning to look and feel a little bit like Christmas. We saw some snow flurries briefly today, there is a nice warm fire in the wood stove, and the house has decorations in place. Shopping has begun, plans are in the works for family get-togethers, and Christmas music is playing on the stereo. No eggnog yet, no presents wrapped, and no cookies baked, but those will be coming up.
This Saturday I will be coming up to the city for pre-order pick-up under the downtown OP market pavilion from 10:30 to 11:30. If you would like for me to bring something for you, I will meet you there. Anything on the list below, except milk, I am able to bring for you. We are having two sale offers. The first one is the Party Pack: 3 wedges of aged cheese and a tub of Fromage Blanc, $20. Or buy any 4 wedges (or more, actually) and get 20% off. Can’t figure out what to get your in-laws, boss, or special friend? How about CHEESE! Or having a cozy Christmas Eve celebration with special appetizers? Add some local cheese! I need your pre-order by noon on Friday!
The chickens are almost all trained to go in their egg mobile at night. Just two stubborn hold-outs insist on huddling next to Benard, our scare-varmit. (We don’t usually have a problem with crows, so it’s not a scarecrow, but I noticed a wary coyote the other day, and hawks are our main problematic daytime predator.) They don’t understand the danger of sleeping on the ground outside! Every evening we pick them up, put them on the step, the tire in front of the little door, and then try to walk their feet in the door. Then we shut the little door, go in the big door, and make sure they get up on the roosts. Only then are they safe from predators! They are 13 weeks old and have come a long way, but still have at least a month before I expect to find little pullet eggs…..

Good Day at the Holiday Market

Monday, December 7, 2020
Hello friends,
What a foggy morning! It took until about 9:30 for the sun to finally pierce through the fog. The trees were dripping. I guess that was frozen fog on them. At about 8:00, we went out to get the cows and all we could see was fog and a few dark forms. As we called, they began moving toward our voices and we made a count before we closed the gate behind them. Yep, 14, all there.
Saturday ended up being a good day for the holiday market. I was very busy, so that’s a good thing. When I can load up the car, set up my tables, arrange full coolers around me, and spend all day talking cheese, that’s a good day. Coming home with almost empty coolers makes it a great day. Thank you to all the visitors to the market this year. It has been a challenge to come to some normalcy, but I think we did it. After a late start, then the drive through market at the convention center, to the community center parking lot, we finally got into a groove and people began to know what to expect from week to week. I’m not sure what next year will bring, but we made it through this season, and I’m thankful!….

The Chickens are out on Pasture

Monday, November 30, 2020
Hello friends,
I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful. We had a great time with the family and the weather held out for outdoor activities as well. Of course, my grandsons are just the best! Xavier is such a smiley baby, and Carl is talking more and more, which can be a hoot. They even went out to the pond on Friday and caught some fish. I was amazed that they would be biting but they were. Tonight is the turkey frame soup, and the aroma is filling the house once again!
The chickens are out on the pasture! We put them in the egg mobile on Saturday night, then moved them out into lane 5, and today we opened their little door. I wasn’t sure if any of them would be brave enough to venture out today, so we left their food and water inside. Sure enough, as dusk approached, we counted about a dozen of them were outside the house, not sure how to get back in. Because of the huge full moon, we could easily find them under the grain bin and on the axles, and we tucked them back inside. It usually takes a few days before they get the hang of going in and out of that little door, but it is a safe way of keeping chickens….

Closed on Thanksgiving Day

Monday, November 23, 2020
Hello friends,
              Happy birthday to my mom!  😊  Sometimes birthdays this time of year get swallowed up or combined with the other holidays.  This year we took her out to dinner, picked up some ice cream and enjoyed a beautiful Sunday afternoon.  Love you, Mom!
              Thanksgiving is Thursday, and as you may expect, we will be closed.  We will be open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, normal hours.  I was hoping to have some extra cream available, for whipping etc., but it doesn’t look like it’s going to work out this week.  However, every gallon of milk has about a pint of cream rising to the top.  If you want cream, just take out your gravy ladle and skim off what you need, then shake in what’s left.  I figure about an inch of cream left on top is somewhere between 2% and whole milk…..