Thursday, September 30, 2010

Lul before the storm



We are hunkering down for a storm. We are expecting rain, about 4". Bob took advantage of the rain day ,air rated and fertilized the lawn. Now we wait and see, hopefully no wind damage.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

rain

Oh ya, I love shoveling




even in the rain, I love my farm. I like shoveling in the rain! Shoveling in the rain gives you time to think.I think of what matters.Folks who pay others to shovel miss out. I get to shovel in the rain, beside my horses on my farm. At the end of the day Tortellini in homemade stock ah.I am thankful.

Love This


Found this at Bridlepath / came from The Cellar Image of the Day
Had to share
Thumbelina and Radar, the world’s smallest and tallest horses respectively, together at last

Monday, September 27, 2010

Fall on the Farm





Chocolate Chip Applesauce Cake
3/4 cup apples, diced
1 cup apple cider
1 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup flax meal or wheat germ
1 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 cup applesauce
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
8 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
8 oz chocolate chips (personally recommend bittersweet chocolate)

Note: Best baking practices advise that you allow any cold ingredient like butter, eggs, and the applesauce to come to room temperature before adding.
Lightly grease a square 8"x8" baking pan. Preheat oven to 325ยบ.
Mix together the diced apples and cider in a small saucepan. Simmer until the apples become mushy and takes on a sauce-like appearance. Set aside and cool to room temperature.
Whisk together in a medium bowl the flours and baking soda.
In a large bowl, whisk the egg and salt. Add the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove and whisk until mixture lightens a bit. 30 seconds or so. Slowly whisk in the melted butter. Follow by gently mixing in the applesauce and vanilla.
Fold the flour mixture into the batter until just moistened. Fold in the chocolate chips and pour into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle a little sugar across the top if desired. Bake for 40 minutes. Cool to slightly warm prior to serving. Also, absolutely delicious cold straight out of the fridge.
from
http://www.atastefulgarden.com/

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Save the date






This is a good time
ABENAKI DRAFT HORSE ASSOC.
ANNUAL
OCTOBERFEST
DATE: October 17, 2010 TIME: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
PLACE: Abenaki Clubhouse
Duke Lane, Lyman, ME
EVENTS: Apple Cider Making
At 10:30am; Noon; 2pm
Rock-splitting
At 11am; 12:30pm; 2:30pm
Plowing
At 11:30am; 1:30pm
Sawmill Demonstration
At 1pm
Horse Drawn Wagon Rides through the clubs wooded trails
Adults: $5.00 Children $3.00
Children under age 2 free

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Fryeburg Fair


OK It is time for the Big One Fryeburg Fair.If you would like to join us for the fair, contact us.We do not have lots of extra beds, but we do have plenty of camper and tent space.
Here is a sample "Day at The Fair"
9:00 am Ox Pulling 900-1100, 1101-1300, 1301-1700 - Distance - PR
10:00 am Calf Scramble - RG
Pig Scramble (Students MSAD #72) - (third grade) - RG
11:00 am 4-H Market Lamb Auction - LSA
4-H Beef Steer Auction - LSA
Flower Show - Expo 1
12:00 pm Wreath Making Demonstrations every two hours
12:00 am ‘til 4:00 pm at Christmas Tree Exhibit
12:30 pm Horse Pulling - 3200 lbs - Distance - PR
1:00 pm Swine Show - SGG
Calf Show and Sale - LSA
Flower Show - Expo 1
Fall Food Festival - AEC
1:30 pm Harness Racing - RG
2:00 pm Ox Pulling Sweepstake 6’ Elim. - Trophy - PR
3:00 pm Flower Show - Expo 1
4:30 pm Horse Pulling - 3200 lbs - 12’ Elim. - PR
5:00 pm Flower Show - Expo 1
7:30 pm Ox Pulling, 3300 lbs - Distance - PR
8:00 pm Night Show -Tyler Dickerson
Fireworks After Night ShowADMISSION
Every day - $10
Parking on fairgrounds - $5
Children Under 12 always FREE!
65 & over - no charge Tuesday
Night Shows - no extra charge
TRAFFIC

Friday, September 24, 2010

speachless






Huckleberry
To date the worst thing about owning a farm is saying goodbye, to the ones who go before us.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Feed Time




A couple things on this week ends menu
Taco Salad
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef 1 (1.25 ounce)
package taco seasoning mix
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans
1 (16 ounce) bottle French dressing
1 head iceberg lettuce
The very last of the fresh tomato's 1 cup
1 (14.5 ounce) package tortilla chips
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
4 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 cup prepared salsa
Directions
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef and drain excess fat. Stir in the taco seasoning, chili beans and French-style dressing. Fill the dressing bottle 2/3 full of water and add to the skillet. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Crush the bag of chips, open the bag, and toss the broken chips into a large bowl with the lettuce, cheese and tomatoes. When the meat mixture is done, combine it with the lettuce, tomatoes, chips and mix well. Then, add salsa and sour cream.



Broccoli Gratin

2 pounds broccoli
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Ground black pepper
3/4 cup + 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

Blanch broccoli in boiling water for three minutes. Mix together cream, salt, nutmeg, pepper and 3/4 cup Parmesan. In a greased 8-10″ baking dish add broccoli in an even layer. Pour cream mixture over the top. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and bread crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Open the oven and using a spoon, break the crust and push the broccoli down. Bake an additional 15 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly before serving

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

excuse me






excuse me,but I have an excuse...
If you are planning to visit the farm, plan for casual.
I came home with a soft ball and a plan. The soft ball, I brought home for Lager. The plan was to do barn chores ,and then house chores.I tossed Lager the ball,and started barn chores. Barn chores complete, I went up stairs and took out the vacuum. Overcome by the voices in my head(belonging to my friend Audrey C. I think) I passed up the vacuum to play ball with Lager.My good friend Audrey,(not to be confused by my dog Audrey) would have been proud to pass up any chore to play soft ball. thank you.I am still learning what matters.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Happy Fall



Today is the last day of summer and tomorrow is the first day of fall.This morning felt like fall. As I walked out the door to start chores, I felt a chill in the air. More of the work is done before sunrise.Lagers paws get very cold and wet, with the morning frost on the lawn. Both yesterday and today my son was here, and he cleaned the paddocks. Yesterday I used my "extra time" playing with Remington. Today Lager and I worked on some fall decorating.I am not looking forward to winter, but Fall is beautiful.Lager is very much enjoying the raw hide Remington left behind.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Monday






It is Monday and I am very tired. We had a bizzy week end with riding,club and store meetings...I loved having a chance to socialize Jake with other Belgians.Today my friend Mark sent home veggies for the critters, after feeding 100 people at the food pantry he still had veggies people would not eat, the critters are eating them. Bobby is here today he helped to clean ditchs. Now Remington( see photo),Lagers brother is here it is so wonderful when animals can socialize with their own.Lager is getting very tierd.I think I will just rejoice in my blessings.I can sleep later.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Beautiful Weekend





It has been a beautiful week end in Maine. Of course I would think so , because it was a week end with lots of Draft Horses. Last night Bob and I went to spend time with some fellow Draft Horse club Members. We went for a wagon ride with Dick and Charlene's Belgians then had some dinner. Good time with friends. Today I went trail riding, again with friends from our draft horse club "Abenaki Draft". It was a strange, but wonderful day. Bob felt as though he did not have time for a trail ride, with yard work and all. I had lots of house work to do, but was going either way. Because I was going without Bob it was difficult to decide what horse to bring, Jake or Nick. I groomed both but decided to bring Jake. What a ride, and what a good horse. Just a bit of a ways into the trail we ran into a bit of trouble. We had five horses in a row, Jake bringing up the tail.In the path was a down tree, the first three horses,went over. The forth started acting up, stomping a bit. His owner got him over, then it was our turn. Jake approached and stepped into a bees nest. Out swarmed the bees, all over Jake's nose and head. He began shaking his head and circling, then they were in my face and helmet. We continued to circle and try to swat them off. I finally got Jake over the down tree and near our friends. Two of the men dismounted their Belgians, one held Jake's reins while the other took of his cap and helped me to get free of the stinging bee's. At this point I thought of turning around. However I was not going back over the tree and hive, so on we went. We then had a nice ride. We traveled thought the woods down hills over ditches, jumping, climbing, we even went onto a bridge over running water,and up a set of granite steps. Jake is a good horse, I am lucky to have him, and wonderful draft horse friends.Jake has more welts then I do,my poor baby.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Chicken PartII Stock

If you have on your menu plan a whole chicken, plan to make stock.
When"I Plan" to make stock I keep a stock /scrap bowl in the fridge and add to it all week. Here is a list of some of what can go into a good stock.Your stock bowl should be separate from your compost bowl, although"scraps" such as veggie ends and peels add great taste to stock, you do not want garbage in or you will get garbage out.This time of year lots of root veggies and corn on the cob or corn husk add nice flavor.
body from roasting chickens (3-5lb)
large yellow onions, unpeeled and quartered
carrots/ parsnips or peel
stalks celery with leaves
sprigs fresh parsley
sprigs fresh thyme
sprigs fresh dill
1 head garlic, unpeeled and cut in 1/2 crosswise
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
Directions
Place the chickens bones, onions, carrots, celery, parsnips, parsley, thyme, dill, garlic, and seasonings in a 16 to 20-quart stockpot. Add 7 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, for 4 hours. Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander and discard the solids. Chill the stock overnight. The next day, remove the surface fat. Use immediately or pack in containers and freeze for up to 3 months
This stock is great for boiling any past, making rice,stir fry..

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Chicken meal One




In the Fall AKA Football season I roast a chicken nearly every week end. Not only is it a nice meal, it also makes a second meal with the leftover chicken salad and a great chicken stock for soup. For First Football Sunday ,I decided to do my normal lemon and basil chicken, I had lemons left from the wedding. I made a paste with the olive oil, fresh chopped basil and rosemary, minced garlic, lemon juice, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. I then rubbed it all over the bird as well as under the skin directly onto the breast. I roasted it slow and low until it was falling off the bone. I added a whole garlic bud in the pan to remove for later in the week.

4-6 lb free range chicken
Juice of one lemon
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2-3 leaves of fresh basil, chopped one sprig rosemary
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, sliced into large chunks
4-5 garlic cloves

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Clean chicken and pat dry. Mix the lemon juice (reserving the lemon halves), minced garlic, chopped basil and olive oil in a bowl then rub evenly over the entire bird. Carefully, lift the skin over the breasts and rub the mixture directly on the breast meat. Place onion and garlic inside the cavity along with some extra basil leaves and the used lemon halves. Sprinkle the top of the bird with a little extra sea salt and freshly cracked pepper.
Wash the chicken inside and out, pat dry.
Place chicken in a Pyrex with Pam ( I buy any NON chipped Pyrex I find at yard sales). Place the meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, making sure not to touch bone. Roast uncovered for 3 1/2 - 4 hours until the meat thermometer reads 180 degrees.basting add extra juice. Remove from oven and let the bird rest for AT LEAST 10 minutes before carving. Enjoy If the game is at 1:00 start this after breakfast.I stuffed the bird with cornbread stuffing.After lunch Bob picked the bird for Chicken Salad sandwiches Monday lunch, and I boiled the bird for stock.When you boil a stock pot and any veggie scraps you have ie:carrot peel celery ends...This stock is wonderful for rice,and Tortellini.

In the Pasture






Tonight as I did night check,I spotted something. A Buck and his Doe in my pasture. I did not have time to run and change lenses, but i snapped a couple shots. Then the handsome couple was of and a family of Turkey took their place. aaahhh