Rainy, stormy days prove to offer a different scope of work. The weather forecast for Thursday March 19th suggested downpours, thunderstorms, and wind gust. Eastenn Dutch's Forest School that he attends twice a week had even been called off, not due to the weather directly but in alignment to covid-19 protocol. They have not been able to use the several 'Shelter In Place' buildings that they would use during thunderstorms, high winds, and possible tornado warnings, because of the practice of not utilizing indoor spaces. With that, I knew it would be Eastenn Dutch and I making our way through the rainy day and I knew the perfect morning project...baking. We headed down to the storage basement to glean through the last of the selection of winter squashes that we grew last year. We only had a handful left of each of the three varieties that we grew. It is amazing how well Winter Squashes store. I always try to be an advocate for the promotion of stocking up on local, delicious winter squash because of their ability to live up to their name. They are not called Winter Squashes because they are grown in the winter, as they are grown in the summer, but because they can feed a family all winter long! We brought up a nice Heirloom Dutch Crookneck and a couple Red Kuri. The Dutch Crookneck have such definitive crooks and weights of 7-10 lbs. Carrying these crooked heavy weights can feel like a circus act. Our goal was to make Spiced Squash Snack Squares. Eastenn Dutch pulled out the peeler and got to work. One of Eastenn Dutch's favorite kitchen tasks is operating the food processor. After he finished peeling, he got the device out and set up while I was chopping away at the 9 lb squash. I would transfer the cut pieces to him and he would shred them accordingly. We ended up with about 20 stuffed cups of bright orange, shredded squash. I love baking when it can incorporate a farm veggie and we have been making different renditions of squash treats ever since last fall. The beauty of treats like these are that they actual provide healthy and hearty substance upon intake, which means we like them at breakfast, and with coffee or tea for morning and afternoon snack. The shredded Squash is the number one ingredient, then preceding in order from highest qty to smallest qty, all organic, we added Sprouted Spelt Flour, Sunflower Seeds, Olive Oil, Molasses, Ground Flax and Filtered Spring Water mixture, Brown Sugar, Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Baking Soda, and Cardamom. After all was mixed, we pulled out all our different cast iron pans and spread the squash mixture into them and baked and baked, while the rains poured down.
Grampy (my Dad) had headed out earlier, while we were working on our baking project, to do his daily winter chore of feeding the cattle their round bales of hay. Come rain or shine, he does this like clockwork, both in the morning and in the afternoon. We go through about 3 round bales a day and our cut hay from last year should take the cattle through, till about mid April. We were able to start rotational grazing last year on April 10th. The cattle and I are looking forward to this time again here soon.
As the last of the baking was happening, Grampy had finished feeding and made it back into the house. "How about High Tail", I asked. "Not yet", was the reply. A big topic of conversation around here lately is about pregnant cows and heifers and if they have had their calves yet. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and in between we are talking about the cattle. This indeed has to be the most eventful time of the year for a cattle farmer, as what is more exciting than baby calves? The new calves add an upbeat spring to the heard. When viewing a paddock of baby calves in the range of age from new born to 3 months old, it is impossible not to feel a beaming smile come across one's face. The calves have such fun frolicking, and their attitude is contagious. To bad the new pastime could not be open weather seating with refreshments, watching cattle herds in the spring. I can see it now..."come one, come all, get your tickets here, the best feel good viewing of the year". Even though High Tail had not had her calf yet, their have been eleven more strong mamma cows to have calves since last writing. In fact, so much has come to be in the last 2 week, 3 day period of non rainy weather. This day of rain was the first substantial rain that had fallen since the first of March and at this time of the year, translates into brimming full days. The time of the year has sprung when there is always more of an itinerary than most full days can hold. Nonetheless, we try and keep up the good work at a steady, consistent pace, knowing that a good night's rest is always due. Plus, if I "make hay when the sun is shining" then that allots space for Eastenn Dutch's circle times, story times, and project times. We are either working, learning, playing, or eating around here, which seems quite fulfilling really.
While we were working with the squash earlier in the day, we had selected the best Red Kuri Squash that had stored the winter through to be our seed saving selection. Since we used the last of our saved seeds when planting the Red Kuri squash this past year, I knew it was critical to save seeds this year from a prized reddish orange ball. We scooped out and rinsed the seed and set aside to dry on paper. I generally set these aside in a warmer spot and check in on them occasionally. While I was whisking around the kitchen, later in the day, I glanced over to look at all those prized seeds. To my surprise they were gone, they had completely disappeared into thin air. In a brief moment of panic, knowing that these seeds were the seeds of the future, I tried to come up with a reasonable conclusion of where the seeds had ended up. For absolute fun this afternoon, Eastenn Dutch had been floating squash down the creek. Oh my I thought, what if he decided seeds would be just as fun to float as the whole squash. He at the time was out feeding with Grampy, so I moved my hypothesis to Mom. She without thinking, trying to keep order, flutters through the house picking up misplaced items. Maybe she did not like were I had placed the seeds to dry and had simply moved them to a different spot. I looked around in places I thought she might have decided their new drying home should be, but they were not in any of these places. Grampy nor Matthew have personalities suited for a hypothesis formulation. I really was getting quite concerned now. I looked out the window to Gammon Creek and thought about the seeds floating downstream right into Boone Lake. Just then, I heard Nanna (my Mom) in the Parlor. I went and asked if she had moved my seeds. At first, she said no, but then she said that she could remember them setting on the table, and when she looked later they were not there. She came and showed me were she had seem them. In fact, she thought I had already moved the seeds and therefore had thrown away the stack of paper in which they were sitting on. I rushed to the trashcan and looked inside. Low and behold, there the seeds were. I could not believe it. I asked my Mom how she could have picked up all the bundle of seeds and tossed them in the trashcan. In conclusion, I had added a paper towel on top, to soak up extra moisture, and after lunch when Mom was cleaning up all she noticed was a stack of papers with nothing on them. In a quick sweep while talking to Dad, she threw the paper stack, seeds within, into the trashcan. With the positive end to the Red Kuri's future, at least we were able to laugh!
Four days before, I awoke on Sunday March 14th, with the moon in 1st quarter and in the constellation of pisces. I had fallen asleep the night before with a full line up of leafy greens and new baby calves dancing in my head. After breakfast, I made planting tray labels for all that I planned on starting in trays by taking an old yogurt container lid and cutting it up into little strips. I then wrote out all the varieties on these strips with a permament thin sharpie. Early Bird, Early Jersey Wakefield, and Rodynda Cabbage, Surrey Arugula, Russian Frills Kale, Cascade Glaze and Georgia Collards, Novantina Broccoli Raab (rapini), five varieties of Romaine Lettuce, four varieties of Leaf Lettuce, Scarlett Butterleaf Lettuce, and Rhubarb Supreme, Sunset, and Orange Chard. What a line up I think to myself! Diversity and variety have always brought much excitement. Come about first of May, I think about Foothill Frolic Farm's Self Serve Farmstand. I open a cooler and what do I behold, ten varieties of lettuce, all completely different in visual appeal. Then I compare that to walking into the regular grocery store to view the selection of packaged greens that always look the same, and the consistent red and green leafy lettuce heads.
I gathered up all the seeds and labels and headed out to the planting table.
While I walked through the garden I beheld the first of the germinated seeds of Spinach, Radishes, and Sugar and Snow Peas growing all nice and tidy in their rows. Spinach, and Radishes will be the first fresh and seasonal produce offering at our farm's Self Serve Stand, and the Sugar Snap and Snow Peas will soon follow. Fresh Sugar Snap and Snow Peas are a delectable specialty that are hard to come by and I look forward to their coming each year with much anticipation. The beets were the last direct seeded vegetable that I had planted and the new sprouts had yet to poke through the dark brown soil. Heirloom Detroit Dark Red, Touchstone Gold, Heirloom Bull's Blood, and Heirloom Formanova Cylindrical are the choice 2021 varieties. The first time I see that initial sign of the soil starting to rise there is a sense of reassurance gained. Because all that time spent planting, actually means something now. There is not just talk about a crop, but an actual crop.
I got busy filling trays, dropping in little seed after little seed. With such mindful repetitive work, my thoughts went back to the potato planting day we had just a few days before. The day was one of those "Pure Golden Magic" days. Four varieties of Potatoes were planted. Superior Early, Purple Sun, Red Maria, and Magic Molly Fingerlings. A total of 70 lbs got buried under the ground, every 12 inches, in three rows. Friends that wanted to help, even came over for the day. This helped the work move swifter and it gave Eastenn Dutch a great friend to play with. Potatoes are one of my favorite crops because they go in the ground early, are fun to harvest, and are a storage crop that can be offered for 6 months to customers. With hopeful thoughts and good care, we might reap a good harvest of 700 lbs that will be offered this year!
In between seed tray plantings, there were three calves born on that day. From the garden field, the vantage point is great. I am able to look around to slightly tell where the cattle herds are, either by eye or ear, and be able to head in their approximate direction. I ventured off three times. Each time I came back with a new name, Time Jump, Elm Bud, and Daffodil. The buzzards had the cattle all in a stir today. On days when calves are born, the buzzards seem to sense this, always eager for an after birth find. The cows try their best to ban together with their actions and bawling to keep the buzzards at bay, but often this just makes the buzzards fly to the nearest tree and perch. Even when they are perched, the cows are bothered by their presence and continue to bawl.
The planting table was running over by the end of the day. Lots of these trays will get moved over to the Greenhouse once it is complete. Eastenn Dutch bounced in between helping me plant seeds and helping Papa work on the Greenhouse. As I looked over from the planting table to the Greenhouse, not only did I see Papa up on the roof screwing in the ash and hackberry purlins, but there was Eastenn Dutch. The thing of it is, Eastenn Dutch is actually capable and eager to participate in most hands on activities. At first, I wasn't sure if I wanted Matthew using my saw milled lumber we had brought from our old place for such an ordinary cause of purlins, but now I am quite pleased. All the wood will be in clear view from the inside and the out, since the exterior roof and siding is a hard, clear plastic material. Also, this saw milled wood came from the back forest at our old farm, which gives us good memories of time and place. Today was suppose to be the beginning of daylight savings time and time was getting away, even more than ever. I looked at my watch and opted to take a rain check on the beginning of this spring forward. I made the announcement to the rest of the family and we agreed to spring forward in time during our sleep overnight. Not only did this help to prevent the loss of the precious hour on such a busy day, but for me to believe that dinner might still be placed on the table on time.
The first day of spring is upon us and the weather looks season perfect. The forsythia has just started to bloom and as the old timers say, "When the forsythia starts to bloom, cool season crops can be planted". Saturday, March 20th, is the first day of Spring. To celebrate the coming of the new season, for the weekend, both Saturday and Sunday, The Self Serve Stand of Foothill Frolic Farm on Gammon Creek will be open from 9:00am till dark. After our "cottage food" baking day of 8 pans of organic Spiced Heirloom Dutch Crookneck Squares, we will have these delicious treats available. The Heirloom Carolina Red Lima Dry Beans will also be available. These Dry Beans are excellent. The color and flavor is not anything like your ordinary Green Lima Bean, so please give them a try. Once you try them you will love them!
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