Country Roads & Mothering

It's cool on the front porch this morning. A reminder left from the storm that came through and gave everything a wet look. Thank You, Lord! We needed the rain as our garden was quite thirsty. Dark wet earth is such a pretty contrast to the dark green foliage of the garden. The tomatoes will surely plump up with the added moisture gained from it. Even the plum tree looks fuller with the swell of it's fruit. One branch looks in need of some support for it's heavy laden bounty. I've already enjoyed a few, as I have been searching the branches for the early ripening ones. The taste of Summer for this young girl's heart.


The last baby turkey from our sitting hen is struggling to survive. As it's momma keeps stepping on it and knocking it over onto it's back. With no traction it is unable to to turn itself back over. Laying there with bicycling legs stretched up in the air. Peeping for help to a mother with no hands. Twice I have rescued this chick from a fate I am sure that probably took the lives of it's other 3 siblings. They simply disappeared ~ first one, followed by 2 the next day, till this one was the only one left. It is hard to give the baby back to it's mother, knowing it might not survive. Our turkey hatch has been a little disappointing this Spring. We've had several to be born, but only a few that have lived for very long. Though the ones we hatched ourselves in the incubator are growing good. But all of the naturally raised ones have not survived so far. But that is not the reason for my concern with this little chick.


I know that it is only through practice that the hen will learn how to be a good teacher and provider for her chicks. It's difficult for this mother to let another mother learn how to mother. Our hearts go soft for any little helpless thing. The nature of being a mother causes us to want to come to it's aid, to scoop it up and take care of it. Regardless of whether it is a human baby or an animal one. Mothering lessons have to be learned, mistakes and error in judgement will happen. None of us are born mothers, we have to grow into being one. Just as this first time turkey hen will have to do. It is a life long process that never stops. For once you become a mother, you will always be a mother. Mothering is hard, any way you look at it, human or otherwise. But Oh, so worth it!


Lon and I saw several "eye candy" this morning during our coffee time ~ A hummingbird sipping from the porch flowers, a small wild hare hopping across the yard, little birds gliding in the freshness of the morning sky, a serenading Brown Thrasher from the mystery tree and the view from our front porch across rows of fencing, rain soaked pastures and up a graveled drive. There is something about country roads that speaks to this heart of mine. All are made of dirt, some covered with gravel and even a few tarred. But they all have a story to tell of the journeys made on them and the possibilities available just a little further down the road. Some show you the way in long stretches of open terrain, letting you see what is coming up. While others speak quietly with a bend in the road, saying slow down, take a look at where you are going. As I sat this morning looking out over our own.
I was reminded of the journey we started here 2 years ago. Of all that has transpired since and all that we dream of for our future. We know not what the future holds for us, just like you can't see around the bend in our drive. But we are looking forward to it, knowing that if it is anything like we have experience thus far. It will be a great journey.

Trying to learn lessons well,

Deborah

Breakfast & A Field Trip ~

Our play date to Callaway Gardens fell through last night. After driving for an hour we arrived at it's gates only to be told it was closed. When we left home the farm was getting a much needed showering of light rain. Which stopped all together on our way southward. But that was not the case for those living in the area of Callaway. As we were getting our gentle rain, they were getting slammed with a fierce storm. The power had been knocked out at the gardens and several trees had fallen all over the place. The much anticipated "Farmer's Market" had been cancelled for the night. We were disappointed that our fun had been cancelled for the evening. Not to mention our dinner, as we had planned to eat there too.

We had bought season passes to the place back in May. When we took our granddaughter there for a visit to see the butterfly house and have a picnic. We had been looking for ways to incorporate a play date each week. With Callaway Gardens having lots to offer and living closer to it now, it is a good reason to start enjoying it more. The Farmer's Market they offer every Friday evening is just one of those reasons. The "Victory Garden" is full of inspiration and information, or just plain sitting and dreaming. For those of you who watch or know about the TV show by the same name. All of it is filmed right on the grounds there. Trying to acquire fresh local vegetables for our winter storage is an on going pursuit. South Georgia is known for growing great crops; Vidalia onions being just one of them. Our hope at getting some local farmer's produce, eating by the lake, wandering through the Victory Garden would have to be put off till another Friday night, when Lon is off duty again.

So to make up for our failed attempt at doing nothing last evening, we decided to treat ourselves to some mighty find cooking at the Southern Lady. I know going some place is not "doing nothing". But measured next to choring and working on farm projects - it is! We discovered the local eatery when we were remodeling the house a couple of years ago. Stopping often then for their homemade biscuits stuffed with real hoop cheese, eggs and either country ham, slab bacon or Lon's favorite hot links. They are treat anytime but today it was their big country breakfast we were after. After eating our share and visiting with a friend there. We wandered on down the road to check out a place new to us. Bowdon Junction, a flea/farmer's market that has so many indoor market stalls it is easy to get lost in the place. We had heard a lot about the place and looking for a place to sell some of our extra livestock. We wanted to see if this might be a good option for us. There were a few people there with their trucks backed up to the outside booths with rabbits, turkeys, chickens, kittens, ducks and puppies. Even saw some who had veggies and fruit to sell, though I don't think they raised the produce themselves as the commercial packing boxes gave them away. But the majority of it was flea market vendors of resell close-out items. It was HOT in the place and we didn't stay long, but I did find a book for my granddaughter who will be coming for a visit again next week. She loves to read and to be read to. So I try to have a new book each time she comes to visit. This one was a good find, a hardback book for only $1, entitled "Cornfield Hide & Seek." Appropriate, don't you think?

Looking forward to our next adventure,

Deborah

Cheese Please ~

Having dairy goats is more than a hobby for us. They are an essential part of our food chain and lifestyle. The "girls" and Samson have become members of an ever widening circle of "farm critters" we have obtained over the past 3 years. Dairy goats were the second phase of our attempt to eat a FRESH natural diet. The first being the chickens I got as a Birthday present. Our original flock of 16 has grown to one numbering over 60. Being informed can at times appear to be detrimental to those around you. Hence the shocked look on my husband's face when I asked for them three years ago. He is now an avid spokesman for home grown eggs among other natural food sources. Usually it is not those within the family you have to educate but those on the perimeter. Most of our friends, old and new have at one time or another given us puzzled looks when we mention our chosen lifestyle. But I digress ~

What I wanted to share was how one thing always leads to another. In this case I am talking about our dairy goats who produce the sweetest milk, which we LOVE. I have been a milk drinker since birth. Just ask my Mom, she will tell you how I could never go to bed without a glass. There haven't been many days in my life that I haven't sipped a cold glass of either cow or my now favorite, goat. Lon on the other hand only drank milk occasionally with a meal. Never enjoying just a glass by itself. That is until we got Amber, our first dairy goat. Amber has in the past 3 years given us sweet milk each day of her lactations. I even froze some last year to get us through the winter months. Extra work? You bet, but is worth it for a glass of yummy goodness with all of the essential nutrients still inside and NO added junk from a "milk producer." But hers wasn't the only milk I saved. Along the way we've added several other milking does to the family.

Up until this past Spring we were milking only 3 over the past couple of years. Amber, Sugar and Anna were our "milk cow" so to speak. Birthing kids is a necessity in any milk production operation. You just can't have one without the other. So last Autumn, we bred not only the original trio, but their daughters as well. Glory, Cinnamon and Annabelle were born the year before. Guess you can tell where this is leading to. Having the potential of 6 milkers was real. Long story short, we sold one ~ Annabelle this year after kidding. Leaving us with 5 does in milk and a surplus of it too! Besides our milk drinking, I make buttermilk and occasionally yogurt out of it. I also use it in all of my cooking and baking needs too. But with Amber alone giving us nearly 1/2 gallon at each milking it doesn't take long for it to add up. Filling all the available space in not one but two refrigerators. The second one is being used primarily for storing eggs, so there isn't much space in it. What to do now?

We had been sharing some of the extra with the chickens and our dogs. Who by the way absolutely love it as much as we do. That is until I decide to start back in the classroom. The cheese making one I started last year. My feeble attempts back then left me with a desire to know more so I could produce a consistent outcome. Chevre is a fairly easy goat's cheese to make and makes one wonder how could you mess it up. Believe when I say, you can. Inspired by all the recipes I've collected. Seeing all the nice pictures of cheeses that others have produced. Having made a new friend who is fearless in her attempts to make cheese and having an abundance of milk. Well ~ I decided to wade into the deep end of the cheese making pool of milk once again.

Confidence bolstered I placed an order for some old and new to me cheese cultures. Pulled out my cheese books and spent the day with my new like-minded friend. A couple of weeks ago Debbie invited me to join her and another friend, Pam in making cheese and sampling some she had been aging. (Thanks again for the invite!) Plans were to make mozzarella and feta on that day. Notice here I said plans were. We did make the mozzarella and enjoyed it fresh out of the pot along with slices of the Caerphilly she had been aging for 3 weeks.


Mozzarella cheese (thanks for sharing the photo, Pam)

The Feta never quite made it out of the pot. As the 3 of us got caught up in the talking, sharing of cheese, life as we live it and homesteading books. Milk is a temperamental thing you know when placed over a hot water bath and high heat. Requiring that it be kept in the fore front of your thoughts. Hence, why we never made the Feta. Too much time on the stove with too little supervision was it's demise. It is times like this when you want to kick yourself in the pants, but don't dare asked anyone else for they would be too happy to oblige you. Such is the classroom of cheese making. Among the victories there are going to be a lot of defeats in learning this craft. We tried to think of a new name for the concoction we did make. Debbie finally decide to call it "Turkey Cheese," for that is who got the chance to enjoy it. But I wonder now if the name might even be a subtle hint at name calling towards the 3 of us. Hmmm? Doesn't bother me none, I've been called worst I am sure over the years. The afternoon was delightful and I came away with rich memories in my pocket. Enough to carry me through a few more cheesy defeats myself.

Goat's Milk -check, cultures -check, cheese making books - check.
Ready for the next cheese adventure,

Deborah

Much Has Happened ~

So much has happened since we last spoke, I'm not quite sure where to begin. The majority of it was good though life will throw us curve balls every chance it can. Every now and then when we don't see them coming we get blindsided. Such has been things around here to the extent that I have felt a little off-balanced. Writing didn't seem to get to the top of the priority pile that often and when it did it was soon knocked down the list by an emergency. I hope someone else can relate and it's not just me struggling to keep up.

We've come to the conclusion that some changes are needed to help the farm flow more smoothly through the challenging times. At present we are working through some ideas to carve out more time for ourselves. When the time needed to care for the livestock takes up more than what one is extending on themselves. Well, it is time for some changes. We figured it is time to either decrease the number of dependent animals or scale back on the "pampering" they are getting. We are choosing both options. After selling most of our Spring kids, we are down to 2 buckling left, who need new homes. Once they are sold our goat care will be easier and our milk production will be up. We are having to lock up the kids at night, so we can milk the does in the morning. Some still insist on nursing, even at 5mths of age and their mothers still let them. We are only milking once a day for a couple of reasons. One being we can't possibly use all the milk they could produce and two it effort to keep our evenings free for personal pursuits or just plain o' sitting. So we don't begrudge them them what little they get during the day. But we DO want our share of the milk.

Progress has been made on Cedar Hill, the horse/goat pasture, named for the large Cedar that stands in the middle of it. Fencing is a daily chore we are trying to work at in this heat. Which isn't for long once the sun gets high in the sky. We've let the goats & horses out into the area a couple of times to munch on the buffet out there. But someone has figured out where a small section of fence is not completed at the edge of the woods and keeps leading everyone out. Of course they all make a bee-line to my loaded plum tree. The one I've been intently watching for the fruit to turn ripe. Last year I put up 12 or so pints of jelly from this tree, besides all the fresh eating we could handle. Guess they will have to be banned from the area till all is completed. Here I was trying to be nice and let them have some fun in a new pasture. All it took was for one to ruin the opportunity for the rest of them. Though they didn't have to play "follow the leader" and could have stayed out in the pasture longer. Had they not given into peer pressure or should I say herd instinct.

We have also sold a number of laying hens this Spring also. Along with a few chicks and biddies we hand raised. The egg production count was getting above my extra refrigerator space. So something had to give or go! So we sold a few and have been dishing up boiled eggs treat to the remaining hens in an effort to keep the eggs as fresh as possible for our paying customers. Lon even gave away all the extra roosters to a couple of new goat buyers. Now all we have left at present are the roos we plan to hang on to for breeding purposes of the specific breeds we have. He has been putting them up in Roo-ville, but somewhere in the pen is an escape hatch. So they keep helping themselves back out to freedom with the hens. Some of our hens are looked quite ragged so we are trying to give them a break from the Roo's attention for awhile. Hence the locking up, as fertilized eggs are not a needed item right now. I have even pulled about 5 out of the barnyard and placed them in the play-yard of the B&B for some needed healing time . I am confident they will soon grow new feathers to shade their backs. Lots of rest and extra feed should do the trick. I may even go so far as trying my hand at making coverlets for the hens in needed of protection from the sun and our ever watchful flock Rooster, Big Boy. Who still likes to romance them from time to time. That is when he isn't being a watch-dog for them.

The Freedom Ranger chicks we got back the first of March, are now getting to harvest size. They are a heritage breed that is being used as a good choice for broilers. Growing slower than the "franken-stein" ones you find in the grocery store. But the upside is that we know what is being converted into their meaty parts from their food. (NO JUNK) Plus they are suppose to be more flavorful, due to the longer growing out phase. Next week we will start harvesting 4-5 each week, till all of them are either on the table or in our freezer. Time for heating up the grill and trying out some new recipes.

Speaking of recipes, I've started back on my cheese making with good results. Encouraged by my success and the multitude of yummy recipes for hard cheeses I keep finding. I've decided to order a cheese press, so I can venture out beyond the soft goat cheese I've been making. Bread baking is also a regular part of my week too. Finding a couple of new recipes that produce consistent results is a blessing. One in particular that we like is an Oatmeal loaf that makes great toast with a sourdough taste and some mighty fine grilled cheese sandwiches. I made a loaf this morning, but before placing it to rise a second time. I sprinkle it with cinnamon and raisins, rolled it up and then placed it in my prepared loaf pan. My experiment at making Cinnamon Raisin Bread for toasting. It is residing on top of my car in the garage as I type. I've found this heat is good for one thing ~ it helps my breads to rise quickly. Now if I could only find a way to bake them without heating up the kitchen from the oven.

Our garden is fully planted and we have little green tomatoes on our vines. Waiting for that first garden fresh matter to eat is hard. Watering has become a chore that has to be done daily, as we haven't had any rain to help us out. I'm using a soaker hose and rotating it to each row in turn across the garden. The garden area is larger than last year's, as we cleared out the last section of rocks and added 5 more rows to it. That's a lot of space added, but even so we still managed to fill it up. We have growing ~ 3 varieties of onion, 2 of garlic, 7 types of tomatoes equalling 40+ plants, 2 crowder pea crops, 2 types of cabbage, green beans, both yellow squash and zucchini, cantaloupe, sweet corn, sweet and red potatoes, cucumbers, a small row of beets to try, butternut squash and the last of my lettuce patch. That's a lot of plants that need regular watering in order to produce well. Our plan is to raise as much of our food as possible for fresh eating. Then supplement with some locally grown produce for putting away in the freezer and in my empty waiting canning jars for our winter pantry.

There is so much more I could share, but I am sure your time is just as spoken for as mine. Know that I think about my blogger friends often and I will try harder to sit down and drop you a note every chance I get.

getting more organized,
Deborah