Close to Home

 

This week the weather is not cooperating. Blustery does not even begin to describe the blizzard happening outside this "spring" day. The Growing Boys and I need to be planting tomatoes and sunflowers in the hightunnel and all the salad greens are ready for the outside gardens.... Maybe I should just be thankful for one last day to sit by the fire.

 

Today while folding laundry I decided to check out an interview with Brandon Shaerd of Farmstead Meatsmith during the Healthy Living Summit. So many things he says hit close to home for me. He talks about wanting to be with his family not working so far away from home and commuting each day. He talks about the idea that our work could be with our family producing the things that our family needs close to home. I think the quote was something like "bring your sustenance close to home". I like that a lot..so much that I'll say it again "bring your sustenance close to home. Now I know growing your food at home is not for everyone and I'm kindof thankful it's not because then nobody would need to come visit us on Saturday mornings at farmers market but man I enjoy being here on the farm with our crew working day to day to produce healthy and beautiful things. I hope that as you enjoy one last day snuggled up inside that you are also feeling a sense of purpose in the life you are choosing to live and if not that you make the necessary changes and choose to live a life with purpose.   

 

"The ability to produce for yourself is prosperity" Brandon Sheard

 

On a side note all these photos were taken by our youngest Growing Boy. I'm a proud momma, our boys are beginning to turn into young men with thoughts and talents of their own. We are very blessed by them both even when things get crazy and wild.

The Flood and the Mouse

Today at Growing Boys Farm we have a guest blogger. This post was written and photographed by our oldest son, Dalton.
It rained alot. Some times it floods where we can't get out because the creek goes under the drive way. Today the creek did not flood the road so bad that we couldn't get out. The creek was close to our fort and my brother and I were worried about the fort being wahed away in the flood . We make lots of forts when we have free time.

In our high tunnel we have a mouse. It eat's our seeds. My mom is distressed by the mouse, she said "if it eat one more sun flower seed she's gowing to snap". We put down glue traps all though we did not get it. It's too smart, so it thanks.

Mape Syrup and Sour Cream Waffles

 Here on the farm the maple sap has all been collected and boiled down into syrup. Our first experience or should I say experiment with maple syrup went well. The collecting each morning and afternoon was very enjoyable, tracking through the woods with buckets in tow enjoying the quite solitude of nature with only womans best friend by my side. Or there were other days when we all went together as a troop with laughter and noise ringing off the trees. Either way blessings surrounded us as we gatherd the sweet goodness that was just there for the taking. The spare fridge, coolers, buckets and tubs overflowed with sap untill finally there was not another empty container to put it in. Our makeshift fire pit did a nice job of holding in the heat of the wood fire which heated the sap untill it bubbled and boiled turning a rich golden color.  Boiling down the 60 some gallons of sap to make ony 2 1/2 gallons of syrup took a long time but was well worth the effort. Below is our favorite waffle recipe. Thanks to our Nini and her circa 1942 GE waffle iron we all ate waffles with syrup till we almost bust.

Sour Cream Waffle Recipe
5 eggs from free range happy hens
1/2 cup raw sugar or 1/2 cup raw honey
1 cup cultured sour cream or yogurt
1/4 cup melted butter
1 cup all purpose unbleached flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Heat up the waffle iron. Combine eggs and sugar, whisk untill blended well. Add sour cream and butter, whisk untill blended. Add flour and cinnamon and whisk again. Pour batter onto hot waffle iron and cook untill the light goes off, or the bell dings, or they look done. Pour hot maple syrup over waffles and enjoy.