Ice Cream and the Hodgepodge

 

Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream

Hello Friends, 

It is Wednesday and that means it is time for the Hodgepodge.

Joyce asks the questions.

We answer the questions.

  Click here to join the fun!

 1. August 19th is National Aviation Day...do you like to fly? Last time you were on an airplane? The date is chosen in honor of the history and development of aviation, and celebrated on the birthday of Orville Wright. Have you ever been to the Kitty Hawk area of North Carolina? The city of Dayton in Ohio (their birthplace)

No, I do not like to fly.

My last flight was long, long ago in 2011. 

No, I have not visited Kitty Hawk, North Carolina or Dayton, Ohio.

 2. In what area of your life do you tend to 'wing it'? Is this an area you should be winging?  

Fishing!! I really do not know what I am doing when I go fishing. I do have fun with my son Atticus when I go with him. We usually have some sort of added adventure of me getting my line tangled in a tree.

Yay, I am alright that I am winging it, I am having fun and that is what is important.

The photos below are from a fishing adventure with Atticus a few years ago. 

  

 

 

3. A favorite book, song, or movie that relates to flight in some way?   

Top Gun

" I feel the need, the need for speed."  

 

4. Soft serve, gelato, sherbet, frozen yogurt, or good old fashioned ice cream...what's your pleasure? Your favorite flavor? How often do you indulge?  

 I love my homemade ice cream.

My second favorite is Culver's ice cream.

Mint Chocolate Chip is my favorite.

We sometimes can go on an ice cream high, we have it often. Then all of a sudden we do not have it all that much. That usually happens during the cold Wisconsin winter.

 

 5. I never get tired of______________________. 

Flowers!! 

 

 6. Insert your own random thought here. 

We just returned from our summer bash on the farm. We had a great time visiting with family, eating good food, campfires at night, star gazing and laughs!!

Lots of belly laughs.

Yes, I went fishing with my son Atticus. An adventure it was indeed as I proceeded to get my line tangled in a tree, slid down the river bank and landed in the water.  And to top it off, I did catch a fish!!!  High Fives to Mom. 

Atticus caught more fish than I did. But you probably already guessed that. 

♥ 

 

Welcome to the Farm

 

Welcome Lucy and Ethel to our little farm at The Little Garden That Could.

Lucy and Ethel are Muscovy Ducks. I began to research adding ducks to our little garden during the winter months. I read how several gardeners added ducks to the garden because they eat pests. Muscovy are a fantastic breed for pest control.

Lucy and Ethel will also provide us with eggs. They will start to lay in February.

My husband built a larger run so we could add the ducks to our little farm.

 

Lucy and Ethel and the Olly girls... Lolly, Polly, Dolly and Holly.

 

 Wanting eggs during the winter months, and with our hens taking a seasonal break, my dad gifted me two young hens that just started to lay eggs.

 

The white hen is Wilma.

The brown hen Betty.

 

New friends on the farm.

 

 

 ♥

Love from your Crazy Chicken Lady with two ducks. 

 

Advice from a Farmer

 

Dandelion fluff, my dad and Sam.

Advice from a Farmer

Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong.

Keep skunks and bankers at a distance.

Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.

A bumblebee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.

Words that soak into your ears are whispered ... not yelled.

Meanness don't jes' happen overnight.

Forgive your enemies; it messes up their heads.

Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.

It don't take a very big person to carry a grudge.

You cannot unsay a cruel word.

Every path has a few puddles.

When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.

The best sermons are lived, not preached.

Most of the stuff people worry about ain't never gonna happen anyway.

Don't judge folks by their relatives.

Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

Live a good, honorable life ... then when you get older and think back, you'll enjoy it a second time.

Don't interfere with somethin' that ain't bothering you none.

Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.

If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.

Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.

The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with watches you from the mirror every mornin. 

Always drink up stream from the herd.

Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment.

Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back in.

If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around. 

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.

♥

Carla

 

Home Sweet Home

Home Sweet Home ~ Our South Garden in bloom in early September 2022.

 

Hello Friends,

Today I want to share with you a message I recently read from Charles Swindoll that made me smile. I think it will make you smile as well.

The beautiful music of living is composed, practiced, and perfected in the harmony of home. The freedom to laugh long and loudly... the encouragement to participate in memories and deepen our roots in the rich, rare soil of authentic happiness. 

It made me smile, because it is so true of how important home is. I love when I can invite others into the comfort of my home. I enjoy decorating my home for the seasons. I love when my boys are excited to come home. 

Home Sweet Home

   And speaking of home. Below is a photo of our chicken coop and the chicken run. I love when the leaves fall on the roof of the run.

The below photos where taken in early October on a lovely sun dance day. 

The coop is all winterized for our dear hens. A cozy.. home sweet home.

 

Looking back at 2021 ~ Wisconsin Farm Technology Days

 Hi Friends,

Today I am sharing another of our adventures that I did not get around to post in 2021. We attended Wisconsin Farm Technology Days at Huntsinger Farms, Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Huntsinger Farms is the WORLDS biggest horseradish grower-producer, right here in Wisconsin. I am a fan of eating horseradish and I wanted to learn more about how it is grown and processed.

If you have the Silver Spring brand at your local market, you are enjoying horseradish grown and processed in Wisconsin.

Farm Technology Days also featured, the Nellie Holsteins Dairy, Ferguson's Apple Orchard and Chippewa Valley Bean.

Heading into Farm Technology Days

It is been dubbed the Super Bowl of agriculture for the state of Wisconsin.

You will notice the "fog" or "haze" in my photos, it is smoke from the wildfires that were burning in Northern Minnesota for most of our 2021 summer.

 

Horseradish plants and the machine used to harvest horseradish.

 

 

Q: What do people need to know about your approach to horseradish and the recipe today?

A:We grow the (horseradish) root, clean it, grind it and mix with vinegar and salt. The same way my great - grandfather did. The recipe is the same.

Q: Where do you see the biggest market or appetite for horseradish?

A: The biggest market for horseradish is in New York. Second is Philadelphia for highest consumption. There are other big markets in Florida, southern California and Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Baltimore and there's a big market in Chicago. It is very popular for Passover too.

 

I was interested in speaking with the owners and growers of Ferguson's Orchards because of the new way they are growing apples.

 

 

Chippewa Valley Bean 

You had the opportunity to see all the variety of bean plants and dried beans.

 

Off Road Time 

We had the opportunity to test drive different styles of UTV's on a fun obstacle course.

We enjoyed learning about salmon farming and lettuce farming done all together... aquaponics. And Wisconsin has the largest aquaponics facility in the world, Superior Fresh.

Gouda Cheese

Colby Cheese

Hereford Cattle to Horses

It was all at Farm Technology Days!

Energy too!  

Below I am sitting in a Tesla.

 While we were looking at all the electric cars one of the Energy People came over to ask if we had any questions. I asked him "yes, in your opinion, Sir, what is the best way to harness energy for our nation?"

He looked like me like I was some kind of CRAZY person. Then he whispered, "why do you want to know and who are you?"

I answered,"I am a concerned American Citizen."

He was rather floored, and pulled us away from the rest of the crowd. We had a heart to heart talk. We discussed the February power outages in Texas with the iced wind turbines, solar panels, to brownouts in California and how we are going to supply enough electricity for all in America to own an electric car.

 He worked in the energy business for over 40 years and worked in the Soviet Union for some of that time. I did get his opinion, and I felt rather happy with myself, because I already knew the answer.

We enjoyed a delicious Everything from Wisconsin Sandwich with creamy AppleWood Horseradish to end our day at Farm Technology Days.

Molly, Lolly, Polly, Dolly and Holly have Spring Fever!

 This week Tuesday we had a warm day, the temps climbed to 38 degrees. After weeks of the high temps in the teens, Tuesday felt like spring was on the way.

This gave me the opportunity to let the hens out. I cleaned their run and coop.

Molly, Lolly, Polly, Dolly and Holly loved the time in the sun. 

When I ventured to the house to grab some new gloves and I came back outside, five hens had decided to find out just where the Chicken Farmer had gone.

Up the steps we shall go. I think she went this way. 

Yep, she went this way!

Hello.. any bugs, fresh green grass or dirt this way?

Have a great weekend my friends.

 ♥

Carla

Marigolds for the Hens

 

Lolly, Holly, Molly, Dolly and Polly are all doing well. They have enjoyed summer evenings out in the Chicken Tractor. As winter approaches, we will winterize the chicken coop and our hens will be snug.

 

This season I have been drying marigolds. I plan to toss the petals into the coop for a touch of summer in the  middle of the winter.

 

I have two large coffee cans full of marigold petals. Each time I open the can, I will smell summer.

For more about marigolds and chickens click here. 

 
 

Advice From a Chicken

Hatch good ideas ♥ Cackle with your friends  ♥ Give your sweetie a peck ♥ Start from scratch ♥ Stick together ♥ Look after your brood ♥ Don't let life ruffle your feathers ♥

It is a High Five's for Farmer's Hodgepodge!

 

It is Wednesday and that means it is the Hodgepodge. It is a High Five's for Farmer's Hodgepodge. High Five's to all those farmer's who produce the food we enjoy at our table.

 On to the Hodgepodge.. Joyce asks the questions .. we answer the questions.

 Click here to join the fun!

 

 1. What obligation do you believe you have to your country? 

I believe I should do my best each day to make our country a great place to live. How I do this is, to be a responsible citizen. Doing my best each day as a wife, mother, friend and kind stranger to others.

 2. October 12 is National Farmers Day? Do you know any farmers? What do they farm/grow/raise? Are there any farm stands where you live? Do you shop there? 

 Farming is in our blood. I was born and raised on a Wisconsin dairy farm. My sister and her husband work and live on a cranberry farm. I grow and sell fresh cut flowers.

The Flower Shack.. my farm stand.

Cranberry Harvest 2021 .. our son Sam in a sea of cranberries.

I do shop at other local farm stands. We enjoy knowing where our food comes from.. Know your farmer.. Know your food.. I am very passionate about farming and real food.

3. What's a skill you think everyone should have? Tell us why? 

I think everyone should be able to read and write. I witnessed the pain of someone who could not do both. I realized quickly not to take reading and writing for granted. 

 4. Favorite thing you've purchased this year? 

We had central air put in our home this spring. We use to have window box A/C units. Having central air  this summer was refreshing.

5. What's your favorite place to visit in the fall?  

Our local pumpkin farm and the Chippewa Valley apple farms.

 6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Paul Harvey ~ So God Made a Farmer 

 

Sign of the Times? * CAUTION UNPLEASANT PHOTOS *

 

Hello Friends,

I have a story to share with you today and photos that will be unpleasant.  Before I share, I will give you a little background about me. I am a farmer's daughter. I was born and raised on a dairy farm in Northern Wisconsin. I was taught to care and love our farm animals. We are the care takers, not only of the farm land but of the farm animals. That is my dad in the photo above, he is cutting hay with the help of our son Sam, who will be 21 next week!

Goodness time flies, when I look at these photos I smile. Not only did my sister and I learn the value of caring for animals and the land from my dad, but so did my boys.

Sam enjoying dandelion fluff!

 

I deliver Meals on Wheels. I am a rural driver. I deliver in a Northwest area of the county I live in. The county I live in in is a rural Wisconsin county, with many farms, agriculture is how many who live here make their living.  Three Friday's ago, I saw this in a ditch! I was sickened. 

* WARNING UNPLEASANT PHOTOS *

Two calves tossed in the ditch. Both had twine wrapped around their legs. 

I called my supervisor, I told her what I found, I asked if I should call the Sheriff's department.

This is the answer I received, "Well Carla, this really is just a sign of the times. I know it is so sad. Maybe the calves died during birth, they may have had a difficult birth, maybe twins. And they died."

At this point I cut her off..  "NO! I was born and raised on a dairy farm. Yes, we had death. NO! NO! My dad never said, Let us go toss the calves in the ditch along the highway!!!"

My supervisor, "I know, Carla, but it is the sign of the times. I was born and raised on a farm too. It is so sad what has happened. I realize you have to drive past it everyday."

 I shared this story with the other drivers. They could not believe that we are to think CATTLE IN A DITCH is to be normal in 2021!

Sadly, this story gets worse. As of last Friday the calves are still in the ditch.

 

I called the Sheriff's department.
 I, Back the Blue.... so I am not disrespecting the department when I share what happens next.  I do believe all calls to dispatch are recorded, so there is the proof of my conversation.

I share with dispatch, that along such and such road two dead calves are in the ditch. 

It is odd to me I explain, to see dead cattle in the ditch.
 The response I receive "I will need your full name, address, phone number and date of birth."

"Alright, I gave the information." 

"I do hope that you understand that we can not have our deputies waste their time."

Somehow, I felt like I just became the bad person!

Sign of the Times?

You tell me? Are cattle in the ditch a thing now days? 

When I shared this story with my dad it made him sick to his stomach.  

If this is a sign of the times.. I am not joining!

I am going to keep being the girl with the values my dad taught me in treating people, animals (even dead ones) and the land.

 

"And know that yes, what you do matters.

 Hang in there, keep going, keep shining your light."

Anne Butera

 

November Color of the Month ~ Black

 November Color of the Month ~ Black 

Each month during the year of 2020, I have been featuring a color of the month.

January ~ White

February ~ Red

March ~ Green

April ~ Pink

May ~ Red, White and Blue

June ~ Yellow

July ~ Purple

August ~ Blue

September ~ Brown

October ~ Orange

November ~ Black

Black little chicks..

 More black cuteness..  fuzzy little chicks.

 

These little ones are growing up.. black and white!

 Sharing  black little chicks that grew up to be black and white hens.

 The Barred Rock (Plymouth Rock) chicken is one of the all-time, popular favorites in the U.S. They can't be beat for steady, reliable chickens. 

And if you are wondering if there is more to this post. And that it cannot just be a post about sharing a color of the month of cute black chicks. You are right! 

I will be sharing the rest of the story.. stay tuned.

 ♥

Carla