visions of lamb chops danced in their heads....

**warning to my vegetarian friends...this blog contains mentions of meat and the enjoyment of eating it!**

When we began raising sheep, it was to have a some variety in the meat we ate. We were raising cows and chickens at the time, and the sheep seemed like a manageable addition. However, when we walked in the barn to pick up one of the lambs we had gotten for a "real bargain", I realized that this one was not headed to the freezer. No, somehow, we ended up in the sheep breeding/raising business....and this without ever having had a homegrown lambchop! I have no idea what we were thinking.

We got some more sheep, Tom and Amanda learned to shear. (that experience is worthy of it's own blog entry) The girls learned to spin, knit, weave and crochet. I began to understand veterinary medicine by necessity. We learned a LOT, and learned it the hard way. We even came up with a family saying that will live on in infamy. "....learned a LOT on that sheep, Tom...." Birth and death, illness and robust health, all took on new meaning once we started being shepherds.

When the meat was finally harvested, we felt a real sense of accomplishment. It was delicious...but, it was SO small! hmmm, back to the learning part of this experience. We found that you can't do it all. If you want wool, you don't necessarily get meat. We changed breeds, we learned more about nutrition.

The '09 lamb crop was the best yet. The lambing went well (for the most part) the lambs grew well (for the most part)....and the lamb chops were BIG and delicious (for the most part) aaahhh, the sweet taste of success! (and LAMB CHOPS!)

When Rams are BORED....

It was a beautiful October Sunday afternoon....we were getting ready to enjoy a nice supper after a relaxing day. But, it was not to continue.

Dude, the ram, is almost 300 pounds of muscle and testosterone. His one job of the year is done, and he is NOT happy about that. He plowed into the fence, took out two or possibly three fenceposts. The real reason is still unknown. Maybe he was bored, lonely...most likely hungry.

He was easily taken back to his paddock, following the food bucket.....he LOVES to eat!

Tom can add fence repair to his ever growing to-do list.... Just another day in paradise!

aaah....Mixed Lettuce!

Mixed lettuce is one of my favorite things to grow. It is beautiful, with its wide variety of colors and shapes. It is delicious, and nutritious. But, one reason I love it has nothing to do with its food value. No, it brings back one of those sweet, childhood memories that somehow shaped my life....especially what I presently do for a living.

When I was about six years old, we went to visit some of my mother's friends. Growing up in rural Virginia, any summertime visit included a trip to the garden. This provided a chance for a little braggin' for the gardener, and a learning experience (although no one thought about it) for the visitor. The folks we went to visit were old-time gardeners. The type born with a green thumb, no doubt. A trip to the garden was like a visit to some type of wonderland. You could actually see the love and dedication in the straight rows, the weed-free plantings, and the abundant crops.

This particular time, the item that caught our eye was lettuce. Huge, green, frilly lettuces. I had never seen lettuce growing before. These were prime specimens, too. They seemed as big as beach balls. Nothing would do but we must take one. Mr. Payne insisted! He cut one with his pocket knife, dispatched his wife to the house for an ice cube, and took us to the springhouse to cool it in water. I watched and listened as he rubbed the icecube over the stem end. He said that if you cooled the sap and stopped it "bleeding", the lettuce would stay crisp and sweet. He must have been right, because I still remember that lettuce being the best I ever had!

Today, one of our specialties as a farm is lettuce. We grow a number of types and a variety of mixes. It is quite popular. Somehow, that goes back to a man who shared his love of the garden with a little girl eager to learn. Isn't that great?

October at the Market

This is REALLY what 7 o'clock, opening time, looks like at the Market. The light in the photo comes from a Coleman lantern off to the side.



Saturday, October 17, 2009, was cold and damp, and for the first hour, DARK! This is the time of the year where it becomes obvious which vendors do this for "fun" and which ones are truly full-time. It was especially bare at the Market this week, because there was snow in the forecast. A lot of customers stayed in because it was so cold. On the way into town, I found myself wondering WHY we chose to do THIS for a living!


But, out of the darkness, the faithful came. It was so dark for my first sale, that the solar calculator didn't work. The sun made a brief appearance, the customers came and bought. We had a good day!

I was humbled by the number of folks who thanked us for being there. My response was to thank THEM for coming!! It is great to do what you love!

A Rainy Day

While most people are complaining about the cold, drizzly, rainy weather we are currently having, we are SO happy for the moisture...happy for the change in seasons...happy for the opportunity to get caught up on the "inside jobs".

The rain day also gave me the chance to set up a blog for the farm where I can write about the happenings here at Homestead Hill. But, wouldn't you know it.....when I get the chance to write...absolutely NOTHING is happening!

Give it time. That will surely change!