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| early morning on the hill |
Summer is here!
More specifically, summer weather is here. The weeks (and
weeks) of cool, gloomy, rainy weather suddenly gave way to the glorious blue
skies of June. And, yesterday’s high temperature was nearly ninety degrees.
…and I’m here to tell you that much hay was made in the
Valley yesterday.
But, while that’s great for all those farmers…it really has
nothing to do with what’s been happening here on the hill. Other than it's one more sign that it's summer. And, PAY ATTENTION out there on the road...farm equipment is everywhere!
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| baler next door |
We have been slowly getting into the rhythm of the season
that includes a seemingly endless loop of planting, feeding, processing, weeding, battling bugs, seeding, mowing, more weeding, and harvesting punctuated by Market day. This
will pretty much be our routine until late summer. But, it’s now time to pick up our
game and get into high gear.
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| turning the ewes onto fresh grass |
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| broilers having breakfast |
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| Bright lights chard seedlings |
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| newly mulched Brussels sprouts |
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| succession planting of squash |
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| Colorado Potato beetle nymphs are incredibly destructive |
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| blanched cauliflower ready to freeze for winter sales |
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| harvesting broccoli/cauliflower |
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| garlic is nearly ready for harvest |
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| Angus added to the workload by getting stuck AGAIN! the Boss had to put up a new fence (after he got Angus out) |
But, this week’s rhythm was altered slightly with a roadtrip
of sorts.
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| it was a beautiful day in our beautiful Valley |
On Tuesday morning, we hauled the first load of lambs up to
the processor in order to have fresh lamb chops, steaks, stew meat and sausage
for the Market. (the customers are getting anxious; I know I was asked at least
a dozen times WHEN yesterday)
This is a great looking group of lambs!
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| first round of the Lamb chop crop 2016 each one weighs approximately 125 pounds |
I’ve included a photo here…not so you can go…oh,
how cute! No, I’m hoping for a different reaction.
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| getting ready to go to the processor |
I’m hoping that you will see and understand that we are not
raising animals for cuteness. We raise them for food. They are big, healthy,
muscular animals that fulfill their destiny by becoming someone’s supper.
It takes a good deal of knowledge and effort on our part to
assure that the end product is both delicious and marketable. And, I think we
manage to produce a product far superior to anything found in the grocery…and I’m
proud of that fact.
We are hoping to re-arrange our schedule yet again and make
a quick trip to the processor’s on Friday afternoon to pick up all that ovine
yumminess for Saturday’s Market to satisfy our customers’ longings. Otherwise
the customers will have to wait another week and I’m pretty sure somebody will
complain. They might even pretend to cry!
I got to change up my schedule a little and make a quick
trip to the Draft. While babysitting the grandsons may not seem to have
anything to do with life here on the hill, the next generation is our hope for
the future. And it’s really cool to watch them learn things.
Monday afternoon, I spent some time with the Kman while his
mom kept an appointment. We played in the sand, blew bubbles and he toddled around
the yard. Nothing real exciting...
…until I mentioned the chickens.
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| off he goes |
He let go of my hand and set off toward the newly built
chicken house, making his little chicken noises all the way.
We then had to visit the chickens, ducks and quail.
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| showing Mamaw the chickens |
I thought that his mom was extraordinary when she found her
calling as a poultry fancier (and eventually became an expert on the subject)
after seeing her first Murray McMurray poultry catalog when she was five. But, he’s not even 15 months old!
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| heading to the hay barn |
We owe a big THANK YOU to the kids for helping us haul that
load of last year’s hay that we’ve been trying to get for weeks. (THANKS, B & J!!) That deal worked out
well for us (giving us a headstart on our inventory for winter) the hay guy
(emptying the wagon so he can use it for this year’s harvest) and the lambs…who
found a feast in the barn.
It used to baffle me as to WHY the animals would turn down
fresh, lush, green grass for dry hay in the summertime. One of our cow-friends (who
is not in fact a cow, but a cattleman) explained he thought it was because they like
the different texture…likening it to our human penchant for potato chips. The thought
of cows and sheep munching on potato chips always gives me a chuckle.
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| checking out the new hay |
Before we knew it, it was time to pick and pack for Market
once more. The early morning was beautiful and the Market was busy. …and thankfully,
the heat didn’t build until after we got home.
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| the stand is getting fuller every week! |
The dry heat adds another layer of farm tasks as we need to
assure that all the living creatures are well hydrated, our attention further
stretched to focus on full stock tanks and well-watered gardens.
One of our
customers exclaimed that he’d never considered it, but those responsibilities
could be a full-time job. …and he
thought I was kidding when I laughed and said, “I know, that’s pretty much my life!”
…and that, friends, was the week on the hill.
Hope you’re having a Happy
Sunday!
You’ll have to excuse the short post. I just realized that for
a week now, I’ve been running a week behind. We have broilers to process tomorrow morning and I haven’t done any
of the prep work required. ACK!
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| the broccoli is ready... |
And, then, I happened to walk through the broccoli garden on
my way back from watering the hoophouses. And, guess what? Yes, there is
broccoli harvest that I need to work into my day.
…and the Boss said something about planting cucumbers…
Gotta run!
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| beautiful Sunday morning |
Thanks for stopping by. Come back and “visit” us again real
soon!
Wonderful blog on the life of a farm family! Thanks for what you do to provide us with local foods !
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind words and support, Cheri!
DeleteHow I wish I could pop into that market and buy some of that produce Barbara - it all looks so tempting and I for one know just how much hard work has gone into its production.
ReplyDeleteCan you tell me what breed your sheep are please?
I wish you could pop over and visit our Market, too! We would have a great time visiting. :)
DeleteOur sheep are Suffolks. And, they look far different from the British version of the breed.
That sunrise picture is exquisite! I am not really fond of lamb, but my husband and daughter both really like it. Perhaps I just haven't had "good" lamb. What is the difference between how your lambs are raised and how what we purchase in the grocery stores is raised? What would make the difference in taste? -Jenn
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kind words, Jenn!
DeleteNeither one of us used to like lamb. I always thought it tasted tough and "soapy". But, now I think lamb chops are better than steak. :)
I honestly don't know how the lamb from the grocery store is raised. However, the lamb available here in the US is mostly from Australia and New Zealand. That means it has traveled 10,000 miles before it even gets to the grocery store. All that travel certainly affects the taste.
There are approximately 200 sheep breeds in the world. Each one tastes slightly different (and feed rations affect taste, too---as does the age of the animal). When grocery chains purchase meat, it is not always from the same source. So, consistency in taste is not guaranteed. Most folks want the same taste experience each time. Since they don't get it with lamb, they decide they don't like it.
Many older folks in this country ate mutton (sheep over 1 year) during the War years and found it repulsive (I don't blame them, it's really strong) and didn't expose their children to it. So, today, the average consumption of lamb is less than ONE pound per person!
FYI...this isn't a real issue with beef. And, unless you buy some "artisan" or specialty poultry, you will probably get the same breed of chicken...and the same taste each and every time.
Our sheep are all mostly Suffolk (can't say they're purebred) and they are all processed prior to one year of age. (older animals tend to taste "gamey") and we supplement the grass forage with a small amount of grain and minerals. The meat is has a rich color and mild, fresh taste.YUM
Thanks for the explanation. I understand what you mean about the "soapy" taste. I guess what you are saying is the same experience we had when raising our own meat birds. They were free range supplemented with chicken feed. The taste just didn't compare with store bought. -Jenn
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