Archive - August, 2013

The Big Day

August 30, 2013 in Fresh Off the Farm with 2 Comments

You would think that a Big Day would be something special like a wedding or going on a vacation.  But for this farmer’s family, the Big Day is the day before we leave for a vacation.   Things that ended up on the docket:

    1. Schedule a job interview
    2. cars, parked cars, car lot,Shop for car
    3. Test drive the car
    4. Buy the car
    5. Talk to our insurance agent
    6. Get groceries
    7. Write a birthday card
    8. Stop at Post Office to mail the card and gift
    9. Make transactions at 2 banks
    10. Gas up the van to avoid losing that time tomorrow when we leave
    11. Go to machinery shop to to solve problems for lawn mower battery
    12. Return books to library
    13. Eat fast food supper in the car on the way home
    14. Visit my husband’s sister
    15. Borrow her ice chests for the trip we are about to take
    16. Return home to prepare the car for the trip
    17. table saw, board cutting, saw blade,Buy used table saw for Son-in-law
    18. Repair saw
    19. Wash the saw’s table
    20. Test saw
    21. Fix table saw guide
    22. Milk cows
    23. Sand rough spots on a table saw’s table
    24. Gather dill from the garden to bring on the trip
    25. Save one rooster from being slobbered on by the farm dog
    26. Round up 5o runaway chickens for half an hour
    27. Resume sanding table saw
    28. With air compressor blow clean another saw
    29. Sand rust off the van
    30. Paint its rusty spots
    31. Pickle green beans
    32. Tidy the house
    33. Do laundry
    34. Change linen
    35. Round up water jugs to be used on vacation
    36. Bathe
    37. Pack

We left for 5 days.  We arranged for farm helpers to stay on the farm in our absence.  We kept up with the garden harvest.  Preparing for the time away gave us a truly big day.

By the way, the trip was definitely worth it.

photo credit: Foot Slogger via photopin cc
photo credit: BarelyFitz via photopin cc

A “Feel-Good Moment”

August 28, 2013 in Fresh Off the Farm, Snippets with 0 Comments

cucumbers, pickling, brine,Shortly after 7 A.M., I hung out my husband’s laundry.  I spied a lone, young white rooster lingering at the door of the hen house that must have failed to come in the brooder house at dusk.  He spent the night outside.  I walked to the brooder house so I could assess the situation more closely.  I decided to leave the rooster alone.  But now that I was this far from the house I walked over to the garden.  I found my first cucumbers.  They measured 1-4 inches long, so I picked them.  I also picked a small bouquet of dill for making pickles of my first-of-the-season cucumbers.  I snipped some basil. Two nice zucchinis got my attention.  I took them.  My arms were filling up fast.  A fresh, green head of lettuce lured me and I picked that.

zucchini bread, sweet bread, loaf pans, bread, In the kitchen, I scrubbed the cucumbers letting them soak in water for one hour in the refrigerator.  Meanwhile, I found my “Best in the Word Dill Pickle” recipe and started to make the brine.  I washed my jars, assembled my canning equipment and by 8:30 A.M. my daughter joined me.  She shredded my zucchini and, as a duo, we prepared the batter for 2 loaves of zucchini bread.

By this time, my husband came in for breakfast.  The timer buzzed; time to pack the pickles.  I dutifully packed fresh, aromatic dill and the cucumbers in the jar.  I poured hot brine on them and sealed the jar.  We completed the the finishing touches on the bread.  I buttered the loaf pans and my daughter poured in the batter.  By 9 A.M., the loaves were baking in the oven.  Ah, what a “feel-good moment”!  We still had the morning ahead of us and two food service items were already accomplished.

While I am not always an early-bird riser, I so enjoy the satisfaction of getting extra things done before breakfast.  The aroma of cinnamon wafts through the house as the bread bakes and the morning is still young…another “feel-good moment”.

Photo Credit: Bretta Grabau
Photo Credit: Wenda Grabau

Have You Had Your Oats Today?

August 26, 2013 in Fresh Off the Farm with 2 Comments

I hope you had some oats today.  They are nutritious and valuable to the eater.  They can be of benefit to the grower, too.

Clipper Fanning Mill, fanning mill, oats cleaner,

The Fanning Mill

  1. In the early spring, my husband works up his land to prepare it for the crop.
  2. He secures the seed.  This year we used last years’ seed which was saved for this purpose.  (Those oats are fertile enough to grow in our field this year.)
  3. He has an old oat drill that has served us well for many years.  He maintains it well to preserve it.
  4. Seed that he will put into the drill for planting must be cleaned.  We would not want to plant weed seed and chaff.  So we get the fanning mill out of storage and clean the oats till my husband decides he has enough for planting his fields.

This year the weather challenged farmers to the limit.  Oats are planted here in mid-late April.  However, the snow and ice left over from a May 2 snowstorm stayed in the fields so long that they could not be worked up and planted till many days later.

Oats are left alone to grow till they mature, which in most cases is in late July.  This year it is mid-August.  We watch the oats grow like grass for many days.  The green in the field is beautiful.  As the seeds form, they go through a “milk” stage.  The milk hardens into a seed; the green plants and their seeds give way to hues of light green and then golden.  When the weather permits, the seeds can be harvested.

John Deere swather working in oat field

Swathing the Oats

In our case, our neighbor swathes our oats.  The oats are dry at this stage.  The stems are golden straw.  Yet a few weeds that have mingled with the crop are green at the cutting.  Therefore, for safe storage’s sake, the weeds must dry, so they do not make problems as they go through the combine.   They, along with the straw, will be baled and stored in the barn.  A wet, fresh bunch of weeds could get hot in the barn and start a fire.  For prudence’ sake, the swathed oats are left a few days to dry in the sun.

Our neighbor returns a few days later to combine the swathed oats.  Combining  separates the oat from straw and chaff.  From there the oats are deposited in a wagon.  My husband unloads the wagon load onto our elevator which drops the oats into the storage bin.

Now you know some of the work a farmer does to supply you with your breakfast of oats.  Enjoy!

photo credit:Wenda Grabau
photo credit: Wenda Grabau

The Hit Squad

August 23, 2013 in Fresh Off the Farm, Smorgasbord with 2 Comments

While my husband dealt with his routine evening chores, my three daughters and I went walking in the farm yard as the sun lowered and the peaceful evening drew near.

Tent worms, trees, Shock grabbed out at us as one daughter spied a peculiarly fibrous pouch stretching from twig to branch in our front yard’s crab apple tree.   Clearly this evidence suggested that the farm had been invaded.  Tent worms had discovered our home.   A colony grew just a mere few feet from the farmhouse.  This was no laughing matter.  Tent worms can invade and kill the trees they nestle on.  They were unwelcome intruders and had to be eliminated as soon as possible.

We girls might rather have let the men handle it, but since other chores kept our farmer on duty, we put our heads together and formed “the Hit Squad”.  We girls would not put up with these encroaching pests.

We began gathering our equipment:

  • a step ladder
  •  a chain saw
  • a man (my son-in-law) who could handle the saw
  • wooden kitchen matches

Our organization and determination saved the day and the tree.

The tent worms had found a high branch on which to make themselves comfortable.  Hence, the step ladder stood beneath their dwelling.  My son-in-law, not busy in the barn by this time, became available to use the chain saw on the branch that the worms called home.  We girls labored at reaching the branch and pulling it down low enough for our chain sawyer to do his part.  He climbed the ladder and handily cut down the offending branch.

Ah, what an asset he was for completing our mission!

We girls took the branch to the burner barrel, lit the matches, ignited the branch, the leaves and the tent worms went up in smoke.  The Hit Squad met the challenge with success.

photo credit: techfun via photopin cc

The Sandbox

August 21, 2013 in Fresh Off the Farm with 2 Comments

When our kids were very young, my husband had some time to make a creation for them.  As you can see from the picture, it is an elaborate sandbox.  It is my husband’s own design.

wooden sandbox, shelves, roof, children at play,It comes with a roof for protection from sun or rain.  They sandbox itself is off the floor so the kids don’t have to sit in it and get dirty.  But kids being kids they still manage to get some of the sand in their hair occasionally.  The sandbox comes with shelves for storing toys.  The doors shut with a latch in order to keep rain and weather from adversely affecting the toys and the shovels the kids use.

You will also notice that the sandbox is set on blocks.  It is moveable.  When the children were young, I did not want the sandbox being too far from my house.  I wanted to supervise the children at close range.  So my husband placed it just a few feet from our front porch.  Now our kids are grown so it is moved to a nice arbor area for other children who come for a visit to play in.

It is definitely a favorite spot to play.  I am so glad my husband made it.  It continues to get used when company comes.

Photo Credit: Wenda Grabau

Light in the Dark

August 19, 2013 in Fresh Off the Farm, Snippets with 0 Comments

pencil sketch, chicken house,grove of trees, grove, trees,

The Brooder House

We have a couple of houses for our chickens.  One houses the laying hens and a rooster.  The brooder house keeps the new chicks warm in the cooler temperatures.  The oldest chicks are one week old.  The newest were hatched last Monday.  They all need special attention to thrive.

Baby chicks must be kept warm.  Since our chicks are not being raised by a mother hen with her warmth and protective cover, we must supply the heat for their survival.  Heat lamps are the answer.

We hang heat lamps above their pen.  It must be monitored.  On hot days we adjust the lighting to use less heat, on colder days we use more.   The lights will be used night and day until the chicks are mature enough to survive without them.

brooder lights, young chicks, brooder house, heat lamps,The interesting thing about the lights is that when they are shining during the day, it is very difficult to notice them.  But during the night, it is clear to us whether or not they are shining.  The same amount of wattage shows in the day and in the night, but the light is more easily seen in the darkness.

Jesus made the statement, “I am the light of the world.”  The Bible says in John 1:4, 5, “In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.”

Jesus, the Light of the World, is always shining into our world.  He shines when we think we can see into our future and things look pretty good.  He is also shining when we cannot see for all of the darkness that clouds over our lives and when we don’t see a good outcome to our future.  Just like the lights in the brooder house, He is shining.  Yet He can be spotted more easily in the dark.  Whether your life in easy now or you are hemmed in by darkness, look for Him.

Hint: Look for Him in the Holy Bible.

sketch by Wenda Grabau
photo credit:Wenda Grabau

Hand Signals

August 16, 2013 in Fresh Off the Farm with 0 Comments

Traffic sign, tractor and farmer silhouette, tractor, As we work on the farm, we must drive to the fields with the tractor.  We live on the curve of a paved road.  Semi-trailer trucks, vehicles pulling horse-trailers and cars pass by the farm.  Many of those who drive through our countryside understand farming.  However, there are those who do not.

I recall when I was a young driver, how hard it was to come up behind a farmer and his machinery.  I lacked confidence in passing, so I trailed the farmer until I was sure there was clear road ahead.  Yet not all drivers shared my timidity or caution when having to pass a farmer on the road.  Some easily took the chance and sped on by.  Some may have grumbled as they applied their brakes when passing was not safe.  I know it is hard to enjoy following a slow-moving vehicle.  But prudence ought to win the day.

There have been many times when my husband has had to drive that road during his workday.  In the summer, it is especially tricky getting home safely.  Often when he has to turn left off of the road to turn into the farm, some impatient drive tries to pass him right by our driveway.  My husband has had quite a few near misses.  I guess the Lord has been watching over him.

One time, before he turned left into our driveway, he signaled by extending his left arm.  His arm pointed straight out from his shoulder to the left.  That, you may recall from your driver’s ed course, is the proper hand signal to use when turning left.  A driver crossed the yellow line on the tractor’s left just as my husband attempted to turn.  Suddenly the car driver slammed on his brake.  Through his open window he yelled, “Hey, I thought you were signaling me that the coast was clear and that I could pass.”

Both drivers parted peacefully and safely from each other that day.

But that brings up the question, “Do drivers really know their hand signals?”

I hope you know them.  They could come in very handy when you happen on some slow-moving vehicle.  It could also serve to keep you safe as you travel.

 

Currant Happenings

August 14, 2013 in Fresh Off the Farm with 2 Comments

red currants, currants, currant bush,Our ancestors on Heritage Farm planted currant bushes.  They are now in a grove of tall trees that have overgrown them.  The bushes are nearly hidden from view.  However, my daughter found a handful of ripe currants there yesterday.  Though the currants are few, they provide us with a once-a-year treat, currant buns.

Today we baled hay, but this morning I started kuchen dough and folded in the currants.  The dough rose nicely; just enough for me to shape the buns before red currants, Hand full of currents, Hand full, berries, hands,my husband came in for lunch.  My daughter had just enough time before she left for the field to bake the little delicacies.

The buns are such a treat!  Yeast buns have a welcome aroma.  The currants’ delightful orange color and  tangy, tart flavor invite us to indulge on them.  Sweet cream butter and honey give the final touches to this unique part of our diet.

Currant buns, , buns, home-made buns, honey, raw milk, milk, butter

It's Yummy!

If you get a chance to raise currants, I encourage you to use them to make excellent jelly and buns.  Mmmm, Mmmm.

photo credit:Wenda Grabau
photo credit:Bretta Grabau
photo credit:Bretta Grabau

The Battle Grandma Fought for Me

August 12, 2013 in Snippets with 0 Comments

basil, dill, herbs, garden,One of the Grabau Grandmas busily went about her work in the garden.  She hoed and weeded and found food for her family.  One day, a rattlesnake invaded her workspace.  She had to defend herself and managed to kill it with her hoe.

My own reaction to that situation causes me to shiver.  I grew up believing that rattlesnakes were “out west”.   I had not heard about the natural habitat for them in southern Wisconsin  and southern Minnesota.  So when I agreed to marry my husband, I had to learn the hard facts about the wildlife around my future home.  We respect the creatures and avoid contact for safety.

I  have not had to battle one as Grandma did.  She and Grandpa worked hard to settle this land and make it habitable for those of us who came after them.  Had they not done the job, it would have been left to the next generation to handle.  I am glad they did not shrink from the battles they had to fight.

zinnias, garden, pink flowers, yellow flowers, flowers, We have all fought various battles.  They really do affect the lives of our children.  For their sakes, let us not shrink away.

Is there still a battle from which you would prefer to run rather than stand up to it like Grandma did that day in her garden long ago?  If you run from the battle, it will be there years later for your offspring to conquer.  Maybe it is a bad habit.  It could be one as simple as sleeping in on Sunday morning when you could be going to church and Sunday School.  Perhaps it is an addiction.  Stand up to it and master it.  If you don’t it could end up mastering not only you, but your children.  For their sakes, fight the battle and win it.

Listen to the Apostle Paul’s testimony, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  Philippians 4:13.

You, too, can experience that promise.  Christ will enable you to fight the battles not because you are so strong and resolved.  But rather, because His strength is superior.  Place your life and your battles under His control.  Believe in Him and in His Word.

Some day your children will be grateful for the battles you fought and won for them.

Photo Credit: Bretta Grabau
Photo Credit: Bretta Grabau

The Garden

August 9, 2013 in Fresh Off the Farm with 2 Comments

garden, PVC fence, hay wagon, Traditions grow sweeter as the years go by.  We have perpetuated several for our children.  One tradition is the vegetable garden.  We work it and fertilize it every year.  Weather permitting, we plant it by Memorial Day.  This patch of ground lies near the farmhouse and has been used for years.

Its lush greenery provides many fresh vegetables to sustain our hearty appetites.  We plant radishes, cucumbers and lettuce.  We grow strawberries and sweet corn for freezing; tomatoes and beans for canning; popcorn and herbs for drying.   We also raise the keepers like winter squash, potatoes, carrots and beets.  Not only is the gardening passed on to the kids, but also food preservation.

My husband and son especially look after the cultivating and weeding that are needed, but from time to time they share the job with Sweet corn, tasseling corn, corn stalks, corn patch, garden,me and our daughters.   The preserving is generally for the girls and me.

Not only do we enjoy the garden, but so do the pests.  Animals, such as moles or rabbits, attempt to move into our territory.  Once in a while a stray chicken finds its way around the fence which barricades the hens from this produce bonanza.  The unwanted visitors get “shooed-off” by one of the family or by our handy farm dog.  Garden intruders are a nuisance.  Unwanted though they be, I am so glad that none of them is harmful to me or my family.

The garden is a fine place on the farm.  It rewards us with fresh foods and exercise.  In it we find time to see and hear the sights that the Lord has created in the country.

Photo Credit: Wenda Grabau

Photo Credit: Bretta Grabau