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I am so excited!! I found one (yes, one!) zucchini and one spaghetti squash in my garden yesterday. I am sure you are thinking - big deal! OK, one zucchini and one spaghetti squash doesn't qualify you to be a vegetable farmer - my excitement overwhelmed me! BUT, you see I have tried for yesrs to grow vegetables without much luck. Our yard is mostly tree-covered - very little sunlight. Vegetable gardening is very challenging to say the least! So yesterday when I saw my beautiful zucchini and spaghetti squash, I was thrilled! I will take a picture of them today and post them on the blog later (for those interested few). I also have a few semi-ripe roma tomatoes and cherry tomatoes - probably enough for a salad.
My grandfather up in Heaven is probably looking down and having a good chuckle! Maybe he is proud that I actually grew something! I am!
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Ducks
We raise a relatively small flock of about 40 ducks. We don't have a pond over in the duck pen, so we have had to improvise and bought several of those kiddie wadding pools. You know the ones with the cute little fishies painted on them - the ducks don't seem to mind. Since it has been so blazing hot these last couple of weeks, I try to go over there a couple times a day to change the water, so they have fresh, cold water to drink and cool off in.
Yesterday, as I was cleaning out their pools and filling them with water, I was watching the ducks waddling around their pen. It was very interesting - a little community in action. There were several "cliques" of ducks. I guess ducks can have friends! Some of them were having very heated discussions - wondered what that was about (probably talking politics!). Come to think about it - what would ducks talk about anyway?? Look at their lives - they waddle around, they eat, they poop, they swim, they clean their feathers, they sunbath in the sun, they lay eggs and they sleep. Do they gossip? "Oh my did you see that egg she laid!!" "Boy did she make a pig of herself last night at the feed trough!" (I know I need to get a life!)
I noticed several individual ducks sitting by themselves - outcasts? Most of them just sat in the sun watching what I was doing. I wondered what they thought of me and who I was - a big duck, maybe?? (I know I have been out in the sun too long!). By that time the pools were all filled and ready for the ducks. So I left them alone so they could enjoy their clean, cool pools.
Yesterday, as I was cleaning out their pools and filling them with water, I was watching the ducks waddling around their pen. It was very interesting - a little community in action. There were several "cliques" of ducks. I guess ducks can have friends! Some of them were having very heated discussions - wondered what that was about (probably talking politics!). Come to think about it - what would ducks talk about anyway?? Look at their lives - they waddle around, they eat, they poop, they swim, they clean their feathers, they sunbath in the sun, they lay eggs and they sleep. Do they gossip? "Oh my did you see that egg she laid!!" "Boy did she make a pig of herself last night at the feed trough!" (I know I need to get a life!)
I noticed several individual ducks sitting by themselves - outcasts? Most of them just sat in the sun watching what I was doing. I wondered what they thought of me and who I was - a big duck, maybe?? (I know I have been out in the sun too long!). By that time the pools were all filled and ready for the ducks. So I left them alone so they could enjoy their clean, cool pools.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
How sad!
I make really good goat's cheese but I am not allowed to sell it because I am not a "licensed" dairy. Like a piece of paper is going to make any difference in the quality of cheese that I make. Apparently, it doesn't work for the large corporations that have all the recalls! Ok, I am probably being nasty but it is true! But, what do I know . . . I am just a small goat farmer.
Well, from my point of view, I think I can tell you what the problem is! The big corporate boys don't care. All they are concerned with is the bottom line - are they making a profit. They don't care if the product they sell is any good - they just want to make $$$ and lots of it!
Now take the small farmer. He or she has so much more at stake if they lose a customer or two or three. Yes, the small farmer is also interested in making money, but for a completely different reason than the corporate big shot - the farmer has a family to support, a farm to run and maybe livestock to feed. But I can guarantee that any product you buy from that farmer is 100% better than what you buy from that corporation.
A vendor I know makes pickles and sells them at the farmer's markets. In order to "legally" sell pickles, you need to have a cannery license. To be able to have a cannery license, you have to take a week long class up in Columbus, Ohio that costs over $700 plus hotel expenses plus meal expense, etc. In addition to the cannery license, you also need to have a commercial kitchen - I won't go into the cost of renting or building that!! Anyway, the vendor has been selling her "illegal" pickles at the market and has been "written" up twice by the county Department of Health. If she is written up a third time, she will be fined and shut down. Now WHY is that not done to those corporations that continually put out bad product?? I am guessing because the big guys have big lawyers and us little guys don't.
I still make great goat's cheese and a piece of paper is not going to make it any safer or taste any better!
Well, from my point of view, I think I can tell you what the problem is! The big corporate boys don't care. All they are concerned with is the bottom line - are they making a profit. They don't care if the product they sell is any good - they just want to make $$$ and lots of it!
Now take the small farmer. He or she has so much more at stake if they lose a customer or two or three. Yes, the small farmer is also interested in making money, but for a completely different reason than the corporate big shot - the farmer has a family to support, a farm to run and maybe livestock to feed. But I can guarantee that any product you buy from that farmer is 100% better than what you buy from that corporation.
A vendor I know makes pickles and sells them at the farmer's markets. In order to "legally" sell pickles, you need to have a cannery license. To be able to have a cannery license, you have to take a week long class up in Columbus, Ohio that costs over $700 plus hotel expenses plus meal expense, etc. In addition to the cannery license, you also need to have a commercial kitchen - I won't go into the cost of renting or building that!! Anyway, the vendor has been selling her "illegal" pickles at the market and has been "written" up twice by the county Department of Health. If she is written up a third time, she will be fined and shut down. Now WHY is that not done to those corporations that continually put out bad product?? I am guessing because the big guys have big lawyers and us little guys don't.
I still make great goat's cheese and a piece of paper is not going to make it any safer or taste any better!
Monday, July 18, 2011
Opie hasn't left Mayberry yet!
Remember I told you that my son, Nathan, had joined the Navy. Well, he is still here. No, he hasn't quit the Navy but we have had a series of new developments.
Out of curiosity, he decided to see if he could qualify for a branch of Navy. So, for the last several months, he has been training (i.e., lifting weights, running, going to a YMCA over in Kentucky and swimming) trying to get in shape so he could pass the extreme physical test required to be considered.
Two weeks prior to leaving for Boot Camp, he took the physical test. He came home exhausted and told me that only 2 guys made it out of the 50 that tried out. I gave him a hug. I told him that I was proud that he gave it the "ole college try" and he could always try again sometime later. He said "But Mom, I was one of the two!" OH MY!! It wasn't a done deal yet because they had to find a replacement for him at Boot Camp and also get approval from the "higher ups." About a week later, he got the call from the Navy - it was approved BUT they were moving his "ship out" date until next year.
So for the time being Opie still lives in Mayberry. Though we don't see very much of him. I told Bobby that sometimes I feel like a hotel - he comes in to change clothes and he is gone again. Every once in a while, he will stop long enough to get something to eat. But, at least, we will have one more Thanksgiving and one more Christmas together. I was really dreading the holidays without him. So I am thankful to God that He is giving us more time together!
Out of curiosity, he decided to see if he could qualify for a branch of Navy. So, for the last several months, he has been training (i.e., lifting weights, running, going to a YMCA over in Kentucky and swimming) trying to get in shape so he could pass the extreme physical test required to be considered.
Two weeks prior to leaving for Boot Camp, he took the physical test. He came home exhausted and told me that only 2 guys made it out of the 50 that tried out. I gave him a hug. I told him that I was proud that he gave it the "ole college try" and he could always try again sometime later. He said "But Mom, I was one of the two!" OH MY!! It wasn't a done deal yet because they had to find a replacement for him at Boot Camp and also get approval from the "higher ups." About a week later, he got the call from the Navy - it was approved BUT they were moving his "ship out" date until next year.
So for the time being Opie still lives in Mayberry. Though we don't see very much of him. I told Bobby that sometimes I feel like a hotel - he comes in to change clothes and he is gone again. Every once in a while, he will stop long enough to get something to eat. But, at least, we will have one more Thanksgiving and one more Christmas together. I was really dreading the holidays without him. So I am thankful to God that He is giving us more time together!
Friday, July 15, 2011
Hairdresser gone wild!
This has absolutely nothing to do with goats. So if you are looking for a post about goats, I guess you best stop reading.
I have to blame my husband for this. Don't we ALWAYS blame our husbands!! Anyway, this month I turned fifty mumble mumble mumble eight - ok I turned 58! There it is out in the open. Oh gawd, I'm OLD! So my husband mentioned that "maybe" it was time that I got an "age appropriate haircut." Now what the HECK does that mean?? Looking in the mirror, I usually wear my hair pinned up because it is so long (down to the middle of my back). I guess he is right. So I made the appointment with the woman who normally does my hair.
Now I don't know if she was just having an "off" day or didn't hear me when I said "I want it trimmed to maybe shoulder length." I saw the first cut right below my ear and I knew I was in trouble. It went downhill from there particularly when I heard her say "I layered the back!" OH NO!!! My hair does NOT layer well. To my hair that is a signal to go crazy and do its own thing. I was very polite and paid the woman. Of course, cried hysterically when I got home.
Men do not understand this. And I live in an all male household. My son trying to make me feel good, told me "it looks fluffy - just like a puppy!" (woman's interpretation - I look like a dog!!) My husband kept telling me you look "cute". Excuse me - women don't want to look CUTE!! They want to be BEAUTIFUL! By this time, I figured I will never ever leave the house. Every time I looked in the mirror, it was a shock. The unsympathic males kept telling me it will grow back. Yes, I know that but that will take YEARS (of course, I am exaggerating!).
I have since then calm down. Obviously this was not the haircut that I wanted, but life goes on! Besides we are entitled to a meltdown every once in awhile - it is good for the soul!
I have to blame my husband for this. Don't we ALWAYS blame our husbands!! Anyway, this month I turned fifty mumble mumble mumble eight - ok I turned 58! There it is out in the open. Oh gawd, I'm OLD! So my husband mentioned that "maybe" it was time that I got an "age appropriate haircut." Now what the HECK does that mean?? Looking in the mirror, I usually wear my hair pinned up because it is so long (down to the middle of my back). I guess he is right. So I made the appointment with the woman who normally does my hair.
Now I don't know if she was just having an "off" day or didn't hear me when I said "I want it trimmed to maybe shoulder length." I saw the first cut right below my ear and I knew I was in trouble. It went downhill from there particularly when I heard her say "I layered the back!" OH NO!!! My hair does NOT layer well. To my hair that is a signal to go crazy and do its own thing. I was very polite and paid the woman. Of course, cried hysterically when I got home.
Men do not understand this. And I live in an all male household. My son trying to make me feel good, told me "it looks fluffy - just like a puppy!" (woman's interpretation - I look like a dog!!) My husband kept telling me you look "cute". Excuse me - women don't want to look CUTE!! They want to be BEAUTIFUL! By this time, I figured I will never ever leave the house. Every time I looked in the mirror, it was a shock. The unsympathic males kept telling me it will grow back. Yes, I know that but that will take YEARS (of course, I am exaggerating!).
I have since then calm down. Obviously this was not the haircut that I wanted, but life goes on! Besides we are entitled to a meltdown every once in awhile - it is good for the soul!
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
HOT!!
Just how HOT is it?? This is a picture of one of our bee hives. Those dark "dots" on front of the bee hive are actually bees - probably thousands of bees! This is called "sitting on the front porch." It is too hot in the bee hive, so the bees are coming out of the hive to cool down and "sit on the front porch." They will literally cover the entire hive. So you know it has to be hot!!
Monday, July 4, 2011
Happy Independence Day
You know we are the only country that can celebrate Independence Day! All the other countries, this is just July 4th but to us this is the day we remember our independence from England. So Happy Independence Day!!
If you haven't been to the Hyde Park Farmer's Market in the new location, BOY are you missing out on a great experience!! Come check us out - it is open every Sunday from 9:30 to 1:30 in the Hyde Park Square. The farmer's market has taken over the complete Square and it has been blocked off to traffic. See why Cincinnati Magazine named it the best Farmer's Market.
And don't forget about the Anderson Farmer's Market! We have a bunch of new vendors and it is getting bigger and better! We are located at the Park and Ride right behind the Anderson Center Shopping District on 5 Mile Road. The market is open every Saturday from 9:00 to 1:00.
See you all at the markets! Happy Independence Day!
If you haven't been to the Hyde Park Farmer's Market in the new location, BOY are you missing out on a great experience!! Come check us out - it is open every Sunday from 9:30 to 1:30 in the Hyde Park Square. The farmer's market has taken over the complete Square and it has been blocked off to traffic. See why Cincinnati Magazine named it the best Farmer's Market.
And don't forget about the Anderson Farmer's Market! We have a bunch of new vendors and it is getting bigger and better! We are located at the Park and Ride right behind the Anderson Center Shopping District on 5 Mile Road. The market is open every Saturday from 9:00 to 1:00.
See you all at the markets! Happy Independence Day!
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