Just A Fun Visit...No Work Today

Headed down Rt 131 towards Hillsboro and Cedarmore Farm this morning.  The weather is finally turning cooler but it spit rain the entire way.  Seemed like such a slow drive.  But when I pulled into the lane I saw little faces peeking out the window.  That made me smile.

I took a different road today.  I love how you can see the farm from way down the road.  Those sheep I believe belong to Gideon, Andy and Anna's brother.

Now that is a big wood pile.  I asked John how long it would last.  He said that it all depends how cold the winter is.  these slabs will be used for heating water to cook and bathe with.  And it will keep the plants in the greenhouse warm all winter and spring.

When I go I try to bring something special for us to do.  Today we learned how to blow bubbles.  I even showed them my claim to fame...blowing a bubble inside a bubble.  They were so impressed!

Anna knows that I love popcorn.  Today she made some caramel popcorn.  Was it ever delicious!!!  Everytime she opened the oven little hands reached in and got a handful of hot gooey popcorn.  The kitchen smelled sooooo delicious!

I even got a little bag for the ride home!

I learned that the community will be growing by two families in the spring.  John's brother and his family are moving to Hillsboro as well as one of his brothers.  I think between the two families there will be 14 children added to the community.  They may need to add on to the schoolhouse.

John and two of the boys left to go to Marshall for an auction.  So Anna and I just sat and talked for a bit and then I helped sweep up all of the popcorn that managed to land on the floor.

My 'Amish' lesson went okay... I think I passed with a C.  I still need to practice the words that I have because they didn't give me any new ones.

Just In Time For Thanksgiving

I see dinner on the table.

I will be making a trip to the farm on the 28th.  If you have anything t all that you would like for me to pass on please email me at itsahoot24@aol.com

Recipe Of The Week: Spicy Potpourri

Spicy Potpourri

Put four cinnamon sticks, 1 Tablespoon of whole allspice, 2 whole crushed nutmegs, 5 bay leaves, 1 Tablespoon of whole cloves, and 1sliced lemon into a small kettle and cover with water.  Bring to a boil, then simmer on low.  It's great to use when you're done cleaning or when you're expecting company for the holidays.

Two And Four Legged Friends

All the kids and I were having a bit of fun with this grasshopper.  They thought this silly English lady would be afraid of a grasshopper.  Nope this one.  I've caught a many grasshopper and even baited a few hooks with them in my day.  I think I might have passed the test.

These are the pullets...meaning they are babies.

Then we have the egg machines.  I'm guessing they are Golden Comets.

These are the meat birds...which means Sunday dinner birds.

This is the rodent catcher and large animal scare away protector.  His name is Rover.  Or is it Fritz!  He is the sweetest little thing.

And then here is the other dog.  Rover, Fritz?  When you drive up he great you with a bark and a wagging tail.

The milk cow, Daisy.

There are three farm cats.

And for good reason the pigs don't have names.

I didn't get pictures of the four horses....Blondie, Barbie, Jewel, and Ruby.  Oh and the rabbits are Judy, Balckie, and Chocolate Drop.  Maybe the next trip I can catch them.

Thanksgiving Veggies In A Box

Or tonight with all the rain and dampness I'm thinking a food vegetable soup might be in order.

Recipe Of The Week: Tasty Reuben Soup

Tasty Rueben Soup

7 1/2 cups of chicken broth
4-6 cups of shredded cabbage
2 cups of uncooked whole grain spaghetti noodles
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 pound of fully cooked bulk sausage (or links)
1/2 cup of chopped onions
1 cup of shredded cheese (optional)

If using cooked sausage links cut into thin slices.  Combine all ingredients except cheese in a kettle.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes or until cabbage and noodles are soft.  Garnish with cheese if desired.

Veggies Are Still Growing

With four weeks left in the share there is still a lot of growing going on.

Beautiful colorful rows of healthy goodness.

For as far as you can see nothing but rows and rows of vegetables.

Oops, wonder how that got in there?

The irrigation system...from the sky to the pond, to the veggies.

lettuce

I'm Such A Slow Learner

The oldest  of John and Anna's children are bilingual.  They speak Pennsylvania Dutch and English.  Once the children enter school they learn English.  It is fun to watch them go back ad forth between the two.  So we have decided that I should learn some Amish words.  Here is my homework list...

cat.....katz

chicken.....hingel

cow.....kuh

dog.....hund

hat.....huet

tomatoes.....tumatus

sheep.....shof

horse.....gol

tree.....baum

laundry.....vesh

rooster.....hauna

boys.....bauh

In my 'Amish' mail taped to the top of my strawberry jam jar I find a note.  At the end you will see  that Anna is getting in on the 'teach the English lady some Pennsylvania Dutch words' game.  And I love how she puts the signs above the vowels so I will know what sound they make.

Vel ich musz gay!

translation

Well, I must go!

It took me some time but I figured out most of the words.  Ich threw me.

           

Shiny, Crisp Veggies

I love how clean all the vegetables are when I open the box!

There are only five more weeks in this share.  I noticed when I visited last that John and Anna were trying to dry onions.  Guess that didn't go as planned.  But they have some green onions that they hope to put in the boxes in the next few weeks.

We are happy, another jar of strawberry jam and a note attached.  This makes me smile every time I see it.  I love 'Amish mail.'

Recipe of The Week: Hearty Bean Stew

Hearty Bean Stew

1 pound of dried white (navy) beans

8 cups of water (more if needed)

2 cups of cubed cooked ham

1 finely chopped medium onion

14 small potatoes

1 Tablespoon of salt

Put beans and water into a saucepan.  Cover.  Boil for two minutes.  Remove from heat and let sit for one hour.  Cook an additional 30 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients and cook for another 20 minutes or until the potatoes are done  Serves 6-8

Jammed Packed

There is so much in the box this week that I can't even get a good shot of it all.

I was able to sped  a little time over the weekend at the farm (see blog entry below) and I can tell you that when the wind blows it is chilly out in the fields.  But the house is always nice a toasty.  The woodstove keeps everyone warm.  Anna and John we able to get together with some family members to make apple butter one day last week.  The kids really enjoy being able to play with all of their cousins.  They first boiled down apple cider in a large copper kettle to about half of the amount they started with.  They then added the applesause,  raw sugar and all the spices.  Then it had to cook for about 5-6 hours.  I came home with two jars of the best tasting apple butter ever.  And I have eaten my weight in apple butter.  Even helped make a few kettles of it.  Yummmm!

Recipe Of The Week: Baked Apples

Baked Apples

Fill a 9 x 13 baking dish with peeled, cored, and quartered apples (about 6-8).  Sprinkle with 3 heaping Tablespoons of Minute Tapioca and pour two pints of cold water plus one cup of maple syrup over this.  Sprinkle with generous amounts of cinnamon and bake for one hour or until the apples are soft.  Cool and top with sweetened whipped cream before serving.  Simple and Delicious.

Made A Visit To The Farm

Got to spend a little time on the farm on Saturday.  John was out of town so i got to play with the kids and visit and have some girl talk with Anna.  While Anna was feeding the baby the kids took  me around the farm and showed me what was new and talked to me about how the boxes are packed.

The new Packing Barn is finished and in working order.  They are so excited about it.  There are still plans to add a shop for John and insulate it and add a stove for heat.  It is really nice.  The kids were showing me everything in it including opening the barns doors to explain how the truck is loaded for the boys that are hired to drive to all the drop off spots.

The vegetable washer.  And the porch adds as a place to hang clothes to dry.  I got a blow by blow in Pennsylvania Dutch as to how it works from Andy, John and Anna's oldest son.  It's a really good thing that I already knew what it was!

Drying tables.  Right now they are filled with onions.

Sometimes they use the baby scales to weight vegetables if someone orders a special order of a certain number of veggies.

This is a far cry from the space that they used in the basement of the house.  It is at least twice as big as the area that Andy, Lizzie, and their workers has at the old Cedarmore location.

We went out into the fields and checked out the greenhouses.  I even got a tour of the barn and met all the animals, new and old.  I will save all that for a few other blogs later in the season.

If you wouldn't mind...go to LocalHarvest and read the reviews.  If you have anything to off, please take the time to do so.  Thanks