Ma Cusine Numéro Deux

Peanut-Cranberry-Chocolate Bars

This recipe is so easy!  Dark chocolate, dried cranberries, topped with peanuts.  Just melt the chocolate, stir in the dried cranberries, spread it on a cookie sheet, top it with peanuts, and put it in the fridge for 20ish minutes.  Now you have a delicious, healthy snack.

TGIF

                                                                                   How Am I Trusting?

This week I'm trusting farming.  I suppose I should, as it is my living right now.  No matter how I'm feeling the animals still need me.  The beef cows definitely are my dairy cows, but I still feel and trust that connection I have with the cows, pigs, sheep, and chickens.

How Am I Grateful?

I'm so grateful for my family.  Tonight I talked to my big brother for the first time since I think I moved to NY.  Really, really talked to him.  Growing up my bro was my rock.  With him living in Hawaii we haven't had much time to connect, especially when he became Commander of his unit - an honor, but SO MUCH WORK.  But next week his stint as Commander will be up and he'll have more time.  But he called me tonight and I'm so happy right now.  And even better news, is that he, his wife, and my two nephews will be moving to the Main Land again.  Texas, but it's only 29 hours away!  

How Am I Inspired?

I'm inspired by cooking!  I've really dived into it, especially lately.  I enjoy reading recipes, understanding exactly what I'm eating and how it's processes through my body.  Plus I've been finding it really meditative.     

How Am I Practicing Faith?

I think the same as usual this week - that I'm exactly where I'm suppose to be, putting my energy into the moment that I'm in now, instead of thinking of the past or the future or how my life would be better if I only had "x".  I'm getting tired and a little beaten, but I also feel that something is going to give soon.

 

I've been feeling a little home sick lately.  Home sick for MA.  Home sick for VT.  I miss having a social life, I miss my friends.  I miss being in an area where things happen.  It's funny.  I left my old job because I did not feel supported to grow professionally.  Now I have a job where I don't feel supported personally.  That's a little strong, but I'm frustrated with my housing situation (aka not being able to have Bravo), and anxious for having 2 days off a week so I can create a social support system for myself (aka friends).  It's hard being young and single and trying to make yourself - I want to grow professionally, but I also want to grow socially.  Right now I feel like I can't have both...

But today was a good day at work, because I was reminded how important it is to me to be stronger in my field.  First I had to write a report about how much hay we need for the winter.  I feel like it's probably something I should have known how to do but I never had the opportunity.  With the help of Cornell Extension and the old herdsperson, I was able to figure it out.  And we need a lot of hay this winter...

The second thing today that reminded me why I came here, was a study group that started today that'll be held weekly throughout the winter.  It's on biodynamics, which I have no idea about.  Biodynamics was created by Rudolf Steiner, and said to be a "spiritual-ethical-ecological approach to agriculture, food production and nutrition." (Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association) The goal with biodynamics is to make a sustainable, balanced farm system not just on the farm itself, but the environment around the farm.  You use the diversified environment that surrounds your farm to your advantage, and you also work to help preserve it.  It was great to sit with my team and have an open discussion about it.  And I'm learning something new!  Next week I'm being sent to a conference in Madison about it.  PUMPED!

So I am grateful, and it was nice to be reminded today that I am where I'm suppose to be right now.  And I know things will come together, sooner or later.  

 

Aching

Winter is here.  It was 25 degrees this morning when I went to work.  Why do I live in the Northeast again?  Every year seems harder and harder.  But I am slowly moving south - VT to MA to NY.  Maybe I'll just make a leap and head to the Carolinas.  

Today I spent about 3 hours bent over shearing sheep hooves.  I'm pretty sore, but most of it probably has to do with P90X...  

We picked out 70 ewes for our new breeding stock.  Woo woo!  Now, don't ask me what kind of sheep we have.  There are so many types in our herd - Romneys, Suffolks, Texels, Tunis.  I'm sure there are others but I wouldn't know them.  This is my first time really working with sheep, and I am starting to really enjoy them.  Learning a new animal has been very exciting.  

When we picked the 70 sheep, we looked at weight - are they over or underweight?  How is their top line - does her back bow in one way or another?  Does she stand square?  How are her hips? Is she short or tall? What do her feet look like?  When I came to Thanksgiving Farm (that is they name of the farm I work on, I don't think I have said it yet), there was absolutely no information on the sheep.  So since we don't have any records, specifically lambing records, we are starting from stratch.  Which is always a good thing I believe!  It's exciting!  With the help of Lakes, we are creating a whole new herd.  We will have a lot of first time ewes in this group, so I am a little nervous.  Starting in April it's going to be a few weeks of long nights...

I'm really excited about the sheep operation, and making it a more sustainable, efficient system.  I bought a marker to put on our Dorper Ram (who we have yet to name, so suggestions welcome) so we will know who he bred when resulting in the knowledge of when the ewe will be due (their gestation is about 5 months).  He's very excited to work.  Hopefully him being around the ladies for 3 hours today have gotten the ladies ovulating.  The sight and smell of the ram will increase the number of eggs the ewe ovulates.  We are also going to build jugs, which are basically pens for the ewe to lamb in.  That way we know which baby belongs to which momma, and be able to closely observe for any difficulties the mom might have.  Which is always possible because they have 2 or 3 lambs at a time.  

Well, I'm off to panic over this election.  I hope you voted today!  

Ma Cuisine Venture Numéro Un

I do not cook.  At all.  Well, I cook to survive.  But for some reason I've never really been into it.  It just seems like so much work most of the time.  And the dishes!  I can't handle one bowl in the sink, let alone a pile of them after making a meal.  Since I moved though, I've slowly been dabling in the art of cuisine that I make myself.

Tonight, thanks to The Monster Librarian I found this yummy recipe from another blog, which is now one of my favorite things to read ever.  a farmer in the dell has all these amazing recipes that sound so delicious and EASY.  I need easy.

Tonight's recipe: Chiplote Quinoa Sweet Potato Patties

Well, I didn't have chiplote so I used chilli powder, and I also didn't have quinoa so I used some left over brown rice.  It also has black beans which I could eat everyday of my life and be happy.  I told my mom what I was making for dinner and she thinks I'm nuts.  

Some facts about sweet potatoes:
- They are packed with fiber
- They can add to your daily need of vitamin C
- It's good for your skin!
- And since Breast Cancer Awareness Month just ended, studies show that women who ate food rich in beta-carotene decreased their chances of breast cancer.  

Here's the result!

I know, it doesn't look too pretty, they fell apart a little while cooking - more bread crumbs!  The green is a tomatillo salsa that we made on Friday night.  It's good on the patties!

If you want the recipe, check out the a farmer in the dell, the recipe was posted on November 2nd.  
 

TGIF

It's been a pretty long week, so I'm excited to be sitting on the couch right now lounging.

How Am I Trusting?

I just want my cat!  But I can only have my cat when I move into my new house.  I'm starting to really loose my patience.  I had a conversation with my boss about it yesterday.  I've said all that I can right now, and he was able to make some moves for me during our conversation, such as flag down the CEO and ask him what the F$*% (that's my word, not his) is going on.  It's just disappointing because I was told I could have my Bravo after a month and next week will start my 5th month here.  So, I'm trusting my boss, and more of myself, that I will have my cat sooner rather than later.

What Am I Grateful For?

This week I am grateful for friendships, old and new.  A good friend of mine came down Friday night.  It was so nice to see him.  We talked about our journey that we are on now that we both left the old farm in MA.  We came together and left together!  I'm also grateful for my new friendship with Deere.  I haven't really met very many people here yet, and connecting with Deere has been a blessing here.  

How Am I Inspired?

I'm inspired by exercise!  Ever since I stopped playing rugby this fall, I haven't really been able to really work out.  I go to the gym but feel like I'm just wasting my time messing around with weights and running on the treadmill.  Then I decided to buy P90X.  I LOVE IT.  It's only day 3 right now, but I'm so happy.  It feels good really workout again and have a plan.  I've also been really focusing on what I eat.  I'm inspired by how good I feel. 

How Am I Practicing My Faith?

I'm practicing my faith by really focusing on the present, where I am at this very moment.  I was sad last night about my cat, and all these senarios kept playing in my head about the future - that I couldn't have my cat, that I would never get a two day weekend, that I'd come home every night to a cold, empty apartment.  There is no point worrying so much about the future!  Yes, those are fears that I have but they have not come true yet.  And more than likely will not.  Putting my energy in the present moment allows me to have faith in the future.

 


 

 
 

The Case of The Missing Pigs - Part 2

The story ends at Part 2.  The pigs have been found!  They were found yesterday, and I apologize for not quickly updating the blog.  But after 2 days of probably 5 hours of sleep, I was down for the count last night.

The Boss called me at 6AM, saying he had a voicemail about the pigs.  I updated him on the situation, and we decided at 7:30 when the sun came up we'd start a search party.  Who knew where these pigs had gone!?  I also made a call into the local police department.  Talk about an awkward message, though I'm sure one they had heard before.  So before the sun came up Lakes, Peru, and I packed up 90 chickens that we had to take to be turned into soup.  I told Peru what had happened and he was in shock.  He started walking to go look for them and then I hear a whistle.  "They are here!"  I ran over, and sure enough there they were.  Only 50 feet from their pen, sleeping in a hog pile on Guya, our retired sow who just hangs out and sleeps all day.  Every morning she'll make the round to see the other pigs, but they she'll go back to her little area of trees and sleep.  

Stupid pigs!  But I know they had wandered pretty far, because the person who was working on the residential shift at one of the houses (who reported the pigs were out) said they were all the way down the road almost the main street!  So at least I wasn't losing my mind.

Now all the pigs are happy and safe in their home.  The Hurricane has come and gone but with pretty devastating results.  Today I just spent a half hour at the gas station filling my tank because we may run out of gas.  And a half hour was on the shorter end of time - some people are waiting 45 minutes or more, and lines in NYC are hours long.  

Please keep everyone in your thoughts, meditations, prayers, or however you reach out to people.