Last Day of Summer

The last day of summer, 2012, was such a beauty! It was also a Friday, so after enjoying a few hours on the farm after a work day, we drove down the river to have a burger out at Galice. It was a great end to a very busy, but wonderful summer!

Santa's Packs

Santa's Pack on the farm looks like this! The walnuts that were crated for drying and now packed into mostly red bags and ready for delivery or for cracking! The biggest lumps weigh 50 pounds, the Rogue Valley onion bags weigh 30 pounds, the mid sized red bags weigh 15 pounds, and the little purple sassy bags weigh 5 pounds. Many of the walnuts have already been given out, so this is what remains! They really are decorative don't you think?!

Here are some of the walnuts cleaned out of their shells. They will be chopped up for a butternut casserole. They are full of healthy fats and protein, and especially heart healthy.

Speaking of butternut casserole, here it is! This squash was especially orange and large. It roasted in the oven for about an hour and then was stirred together with eggs, brown sugar, a little milk and baked. Nearing the end of baking time, the decorations were added.

You guessed it! The decorations were thanks to the walnuts! They are mixed with brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of butter and finish off in the oven for the final minutes of baking. This dish can be served as a side to lamb chops or any other meat dish. It is similar in texture to pumpkin pie, but without as much sugar, although it is sweet enough to be quite enjoyable to eat as a dessert.

And while we are eating dessert, we admire our slightly larger living room now that all of the drying crates are packed away and the nuts are snug in the Santa Pack! How is your holiday decorating going?!

Rhubarb and Spiders

The rhubarb is ripening. Don't worry, there were no spiders in the rhubarb, but a sneaky black widow in one of the out buildings decided to take a nibble on my wrist. All's well that end's well, but the venom effect masqueraded as back labor for a few days, which is altogether unpleasant as there is no baby to hold in the end! But, there is rhubarb and a little slow jelly making in the healing time.

Here the rhubarb has been rinsed and chopped and some of the long stringy strips peeled away. It smelled so good. There is about 5 cups of rhubarb here.

Four cups of sugar get stirred into the chopped rhubarb. Stir it so every piece of tangy tart rhubarb gets coated with some sugar. Cover it, and then the wait. The sugar will do its magic all by itself. If you happen to walk by, give it a stir. It needs to sit all day and through the night. See what I mean about slow jelly?!

The sugar has juiced up the rhubarb and mostly dissolved. There will be a layer of sugar at the bottom, but it all gets used in the jelly process. Oh, by the way, the recipe comes out of this cookbook. The Amish have so many wonderful ways of cooking.

Here it is up close. If you breathe deeply, you will just nearly smell the sugary rhubarb goodness!

Now the sugar and rhubarb mixture is set to boil hard for 5 minutes on the stove top. Add 1-2 cups of water to help all sugar dissolve. Also add the secret ingredient of all jam and jellies: a nip of butter to keep the foaming down; it doesn't take much, maybe 1/8 of a teaspoon. Stir and make sure all sugar on the sides of the pot have gotten mixed in as well. Otherwise sugar crystals will form on the jelly later.

Now it is time for the mystery ingredient. It is hard to imagine, so it will be revealed slowly. See the little corner of the box peaking out from behind the pot? Well, before the jelly is poured into the hot jars, a 6 ounce package of (I can hardly say it. This is contraband around the farm!!) a package of strawberry jello!!! Yes, J-E-L-L-O! Add this to the boiled rhubarb and sugar mixture and stir well so all of it is dissolved. It will take about 2 minutes of stirring, stirring, stirring.

Now it is time to fill the hot jars, wipe the rims, and seal with hot lids and bands. Place the jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes or invert on the counter. The Ball Blue Book for canning requires the hot water bath.

Finally it is time for the taste test! Serve over hot biscuits with melted butter and coffee or tea, this is good therapy for spider bites or anything else that ails you. Don't worry too much about the Jello. Your secret is safe with me!

Eye Candy from the Farm

Here is a little bit of warmth and comfort from the farm as the season slips into October!


The girls with their early morning fluff and shine!


Hen party at the barn!


Raspberries offering the last picking.


Is this seat taken?


Remember to slow down with the season, enjoy the warm surprises in every corner of your home, and take the time to look around. Have a great day!

Sheep Sheering

We have three sheep on the farm. They are really considered working pets! They keep the pastures mowed when the pigs aren't in them and sometimes they keep the pigs company. Lately the hens have been visiting the sheep because each lamb was sheered recently. The Lady Lambs received the royal spa therapy! They had their toes trimmed, their wool clipped, and they were even given a vitamin booster. Some girls just don't care to have their hair done, and the booster helps them unwind at the end of a hectic day. Sounds kind of like a cocktail, huh!?


This lamb is named Snowball. She gets so fluffy full of wool, that if she isn't sheered within a year, Snowball can't get up! Her wool is heavy and thick and she's like a turtle on her back. Not to worry, all of the Ladies are fresh and clean now, and ready for the summer heat.