Important Matters

It has been almost two weeks since I have posted here. 

But there is a reason. 

Our 13-hand pony, Scout, has been sick. 

Allison and our Scouty Boy!

Out of the blue - we didn't see it coming. He came down with an unexplained case of laminitis - mild founder. 

I was heartbroken for him. 

Scout and Lea - she takes such good care of his feet!

So, I have spent hours and hours researching, working with the girls to care for him, talking to vets....living, breathing not much else but our Scout. 

Lea put special pads on his feet to make him more comfortable.  He is very tender-footed right now and these pads are miraculous!

Cutting out his new pads.

Scout's new foot pads that we duct tape to his hooves - ahhhhhh!

Real comfort!!!

But, the good news is that he is well on the road to recovery - getting  stronger and healthier each day.

God is good and He has heard our prayers.  

More tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping in.

All joy for Scout!

Marianne

The Family Cow

Ah, the joys of the Family Cow. 

(Picture compliments of Google)

I have watched enough historical documentaries to know that this was once most likely the norm. Every homestead or farm grew their own vegetables, kept chickens, possibly raised their own meat, and most likely had a family cow. 

In this day and age of commercialized dairy, who wouldn't want to have their own cow? 

With all the stories you hear about how the huge, industrialized, commercial diary cows are treated, what they are fed to produce the most milk, the hormones, antibiotic-laced feeds and more.  I, personally, am not a milk drinker.  The taste of it has changed for me.  However, I love yogurt, sour cream, cream cheese, hard cheeses, butter - you name it.  Quite a bit of our diet consists of these very products.  

Can you imagine making all this from your own cow???

I can!

But, I can also imagine the work involved.  I believe I would enjoy milking a cow twice a day - I am always home and happiest out in the barn.  I can imagine having this cow become a member of our herd that I love and enjoy.  I am, however, a little unsure and a wee bit overwhelmed about the needs of a cow, the need to calf to continue to produce milk, not to mention how large an animal it is.  With big animals come big vet bills.  I know that personally from our horses.
Gosh, and then what do we do with the calf.  We couldn't even give our kittens away. 

I have studied horse nutrition and believe our horses are fed an excellent diet that helps build a healthy immune system and know that their nutritional needs are completely met. But what about the nutritional needs of a dairy cow?


But I know nothing about a cow.  We have cows all around us.  Our neighbor to the north is a dairy farmer.  He is probably the hardest working young man I have ever met.  Up at dawn to milk, chores and fields to care for during the day, and milking until the sun goes down again.  He is to be admired, that is for sure!


So where does one find out about keeping a family cow....Google and FaceBook to the rescue!! Yep, Google and Facebook.  Obviously, one needs to proceed cautiously when using these modes of transportation for one's research.  So I tread carefully through the vast sea of information to be sure!


But let me give you an example.  I am "friends" with Dr. Melissa Shelton, DVM on Facebook (which means nothing more than the fact that we don't personally know each other but have become acquaintances - LOL).  She recently posted that her cow had just had a calf. She is a holistic veterinarian out of Minnesota.  Her practice is the Crow River Animal Hospital.  (BTW, if you have animals- whether large or small, you should sign up for her newsletter  HERE, her newsletters are awesome and so informative.)
Anyway, I commented on her FB post how cute the calf was and would she be able to give me any references or resources to owning a family cow.  WOW - did she ever!  She sent me over to Keeping a Family Cow forum which I signed up for and have found is an invaluable resource. Viola - there you have it.  I was on my way to researching this endeavor.

Here's another example:  A good friend of mine (actually somebody I know), saw my post on Dr. Shelton's FB page and sent me a private message about a vet that she knows of that is only 20 minutes from my farm.  She says that he is very "Family Cow" friendly and really encourages this path.  
How about that!  
Even just googling "the Family Cow" popped up all sorts of homesteading blogs where you can read firsthand family's experiences with this.

 Take this picture for instance.  It popped up in my Google Image search for the family cow.  A very cool blog post.  Check it out HERE, at Joy 365.

 So there you go!  The mighty power of the internet!

I am not saying that this is going to happen tomorrow.  I need to do my research and find out if this really is something we could take on and afford.  I always, first and foremost, want to be a good steward of the finances that God has given us to work with.  He has blessed us immensely and I want to be respectful of that.  However, considering the fast pace that our organic journey is leading us on, I think this is something to consider.  

Since the shear size of a milk cow overwhelms me so much, perhaps a little Dexter - they are awfully cute and produce less milk than a standard Holstein.

 Aw, isn't that the sweetest site.  That could me - yes, indeed!

A lot to think about, to pray about, and to research.  But it seems worth the effort to me, that's for sure.

Have a wonderful and joyful Saturday!

All joy~

My Perspective is Changing!

This past weekend, we watched a GREAT movie - and I mean a GREAT movie.  It is called King Corn.

It was funny, informative and worth the time invested. In a nutshell, two young men, just graduated from college, decide to travel to Iowa (from Boston) and grow an acre of corn and follow the journey from planting to harvesting to where it would go from there.  Sadly, their corn went into High Fructose Corn Syrup.  

You get the picture - it is the story of how our nation has become SO dependent on high fructose corn syrup.

It really is a great movie and I encourage you to watch it.

There are other movies out there that offer up how we have moved to industrialized agriculture, how poorly our meat products are raised and produced.  There is one movie that I rented from the library, but couldn't bring myself to watch.  It is called Food Inc.  Read the reviews and decide for yourself. It was a little to "out there" for me.  Plus, I didn't believe that it gave us a true picture - that it had an agenda, if you will.  And I don't watch those kinds of documentaries that are trying to make a political statement.

I know that beef and chicken are not just another shelf product.  That they come from living animals and are processed for our consumption. However, I don't like to watch a movie that is made just to impress upon us how poorly these animals are treated.  I am sure they are, however, we - as a family - are out to change how we support that industry.

Anyway, what really made a difference for me was watching King Corn.  I do believe that every American should be aware of how our food consumption and production is changing.

I am not a foodie kind of person - however, I have tried to cook and serve relatively healthy food to my family.  We have always had a garden and I am not one of those moms that buys case loads of Pop-Tarts and Twinkies because they are on sale and convenient. (Although we have been known to indulge in a random Ding Dong or Ho-Ho now and then!) :o)

We certainly consume our share of junk food, but I am seeing that change too.  Just recently, Lea, my almost 18-year-old was munching on a bag of Cheese Flavored Ruffles.  She happened to look at the list of ingredients and noticed they contained MSG.  She never touched them again.

 Now this doesn't mean that we won't ever eat junk food again.  However, we are finding great alternatives.  Did you know that Lay Classic Potato Chips are gluten free and are made of potatoes, salt, and oil - that's it!  No MSG, no HFCS, no other additives (I was gonna say crap, so now you know what I was really thinking! LOL!

Since we started to expand our gardening efforts here on the farm, we have also expanded our canning efforts.  We make our own salsa with all the ingredients grown in our gardens.  We made our own concord grape jelly every year from our own grapes.  We have made our own fresh apple cider, applesauce, freeze our vegetables and more.

 No, this is not our garden.  

Just a Google picture - but is sure resembles ours - lots of grass right up to the plants.  

I fail miserably at weeding!

Since watching King Corn - my eyes have really been opened.  After watching it last week, I went to a Woodman's Grocery Store, as they have a huge organic produce section.  I filled my grocery cart with organic vegetables, my first purchase of organic Stoneyfield yogurt, lots of fruit and other products that did not include high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).  That was tough!  Everything has HFCS!  Everything!

What has happened to our corn industry??  

With all the thousands of acres of corn - much of it is not even edible off the stalk!  Long ago, when farmers put in their crops, those crops were for their consumption - to feed their families.

I am so disheartened that the government now subsidizes many of these same farming families to produce higher yielding crops.  Now, I completely understand that farmers have to make a living.  And that they have to produce what the nation is demanding.  So, no blame lies there with them.  However, it is our great United States that has turned away from what is healthy and good for us and filled our shelves with processed food and convience meals!  

This makes me very, very sad.  Yet, on the other side of the coin, I realize that we can fight back, we can make a change, we CAN do something about this.

And our family is happy to get caught in that current of better living, healthier eating, and changing what we want from our local farmers.

We have always swam against the tide.  My poor girls have endured going against the cultural current.  Thankfully, they are old enough now to be grateful for it.  That wasn't always the case!  We claimed our Christian way of thinking, we home schooled the girls, we don't have Direct TV or Dish Network, we just recently got a cell phone package.  We were always the "freaks" by the opinions of our extended family.  But we didn't care - we love our life!  (And I think our extended family is now understanding that maybe we weren't so wrong after all!)

If you know me, you know I like to coupon!  However, I am finding that there are less and less coupons that I am using towards my food purchases.  Recently, a blog that I really and enjoy and follow, The Prairie Homestead shared that she didn't coupon. Now I understand why, and she pretty much hit the nail on the head.  In all fairness, couponing has changed the way I shop and forever will - and for that I am grateful.  And I do use coupons for cleaning and personal hygiene products.  Although, I suppose that will be next on my "to do" list of using more natural products. But I am seeing a change in the way I shop now and sadly, my coupon binder is shrinking.  There aren't many good coupons for organic foods, much less produce and meat.  But, like I said, it has changed the way I meal plan and shop, so I am finding I can still save money.

One last thing that I would like to share is a really great book I am reading.  It is called Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.  I have had the book for probably over a year and I would read a little here and there.  I just didn't really resonant with my lifestyle.  Well, I guess my lifestyle must be changing, because now, I can't put it down.

Author Barbara Kingsolver and her family abandoned the industrial-food pipeline to live a rural life—vowing that, for one year, they’d only buy food raised in their own neighborhood, grow it themselves, or learn to live without it. Part memoir, part journalistic investigation, the book is an enthralling narrative that will open your eyes in a hundred new ways to an old truth: You are what you eat.

So, with that I will begin to wrap up my thoughts and leave you with this:

1.  Watch the movie King Corn - really, you will be glad you did.

2.  Read your food labels - you will be shocked how much HFCS is in everything we eat.

3.  Read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle - an informative and entertaining read!

And with that, my friends, I will now jump down from my soapbox.  I hope I have encouraged and not discouraged, that I have been positive and not shed too negative a light on what we eat, that I have inspired you in some small way.

Join me on my quest for better living and better eating!

Blessings and joys!

Marianne

P.S.  Come and join me on a Homestead Barn Hop at the Prairie Homestead!

When it's Cold Outside

I had this grand plan.  

 

It was perfect. 

All scheduled and ready to go.

So what happened??

Well, as usual – I suppose life got in the way and got busy.

See, my plan was to have the entire first floor of the house finished – well, almost finished by Christmas – that would be BEFORE December 25th. 

Back in September, **sigh** yes September, I was going to have the downstairs bathroom finished. 

That would have included painting, putting up the remaining trim and some kind of window treatment.

Well, the bathroom did get painted – no trim, no window treatment

.

Then, in October, I was going to finish the kitchen.  Finish taping, mudding, sanding, and painting the kitchen ceiling.  Then we would install the baseboards, and trim out the windows.

At least the ceiling did completely get done.  Taped, mudded, sanded (ugh – what a job), and painted.  No trim or baseboards.

Before you know it, it was going to be November.  This was the month I was going to finish taping, mudding, sanding, and painting the ceiling, and install trim and baseboards.

Same story as the kitchen, just a different room.  No trim, no baseboards. BUT, the ceiling looks wonderful!

Finally, in December we would finish the office that adjoins the living room.  This was the month I was going to finish taping, mudding, sanding, and painting the ceiling, and install trim and baseboards - you get the picture.

Here we go again, same story as the kitchen AND living room.  No trim, no baseboards. BUT, the ceiling looks just as wonderful as the living room and the kitchen!

Now in all fairness, the ceilings ended up being a HUGE project.  We  finished (that would be taping, mudding, sanding, and painting) the ceilings of three large rooms, plus a dormer up in the master bedroom and 7 or 8 other small miscellaneous walls in the house.

We are ALMOST done with finishing the drywall in the house - really close - like 95% close!

Gee, we so should have called our farm “Almost Finished Farm!”

But, you see, I had this plan; it was all scheduled out on the calendar, nice and neat and tidy.

So here it is the beginning of January - and it didn't quite happen as planned.   I am trying to be optimistic and just move forward, but I am a wee bit disappointed.

I know that come winter, it is the perfect opportunity to hunker down, read books, spend time doing inside projects.  It is a time to focus on things that need to be done inside.

And the upside is, it is still January.  But you see something happened this winter that hasn't happened in a long time - not since we moved here.  It has been one of the mildest winters on records.  Today -- it is going to be 50 degrees outside.  

It's January - we should be in the middle of a blizzard!!!!

I do sit and admire my fresh, new ceilings, but oh how I wish we could have installed the trim and baseboards.

Then again, it's only January - come on cold and snow - I need you to set in soon so I can finish up my inside project...... that is, until the seed catalogs come!

Have a great week!

Marianne

 

 

A Barn Hop!

Because I am not yet awake, 

and because I love to see what everybody else is up to....

....grab a cup of coffee and join me on a 

Homestead Barn Hop over at The Prairie Homestead!

Marianne

Welcome 2012 - Keep Calm & Carry On

This is it - the end of 2011. 

A year blessed by God's hands upon us. 

How He truly watches over our family, 

our farm, 

our animals, 

our very lives.  

He is so good and caring and protective of our lives.

As the year 2012 is less than 4 hours away, 

I have concluded to adopt the following motto for the year to come:

I have run across this saying numerous times this past year 

and can't think of a better attitude to have to bring in the new year.

May you be abundantly blessed by our Father above.  Happy New Year!

Blessings and Joy!

Marianne

For I know the plans I have for you,

declares the LORD, 

plans to prosper you and not to harm you, 

plans to give you hope and a future. 

Jeremiah 29:11

Panning & Organizing vs. Planting & Weeding

I know, yesterday’s post sort of began to cross over into the topic of gardening.

Am I already thinking about next year’s gardens??

Well, not too much, but sort of, well, um, maybe ….. OKAY YES, I ADMIT IT!!

**whining voice**  

You see, 

the seed catalogs are coming in and they are all glossy, 

and pretty, 

and shiney, 

and full of flowers and vegetables!!!

How can one not think about next year’s gardens!

We have actually had a wonderful winter – well, you won’t hear that from my girls, but as an over-50 adult – I’m sure good with it - but.....

They want snow!

As for me, I am pretty darn happy with these temperatures that have been hovering right around 40 degrees!

Even though I am still in the Christmas spirit, and my house is still full of Christmas decorations, and  my counters are still over-loaded with Christmas cookies – I am beginning to dream about spring!

You know, it’s funny, having a horticulture student in the house, I have really dropped off from doing a lot of the gardening here at home.

I have pretty much given her carte blanche when it comes to the flower beds and the vegetable gardens.

Getting older, unfortunately, does have some drawbacks.  Like hours of weeding on your knees sure can become painful.  Or planting seeds while bending over (because said knees have become too sore to kneel while planting-LOL).

It is okay that I don’t do nearly as much planting as I used to.

Because I have learned that I love the planning and organizing stage just as much as the planting and weeding stage! 

Going through all the seed catalogs, deciding what to plant in the vegetable gardens, shopping for seeds - I think this has become one of my favorite parts of having our gardens. 


Don't get me wrong, I still love to get my hands dirty.  I am just finding that raised beds and container gardens can be just as rewarding as the huge plots we plant.  

I guess I will leave those sprawling plots to Allison, my horticulture student extraordinaire!

So for now, it's back to reality.  Tomorrow it is, again, going to be in the 40's.  It will soon be time to take down the Christmas decorations - which will make my home look sparse - which does make me sort of sad.  The house is always at its best when decorated for Christmas! 

January and February will be a time of enjoying those glossy seed catalogs, starting our seeds indoors and waiting.

Waiting for the promise of spring.   

May you have a joyous New Year's weekend ahead.  While most are waiting for the clock to strike twelve, I'll be snug in my bed dreaming of spring!

Blessings and Joy,
Marianne