A Calf for the Farm

   Already we are at the end of June. After a slow start to the growing season in the vegetable and flower gardens everything has suddenly taken off at once, especially the weeds. So it's weed, weed, weed every early morning and every evening. I have even been able to harvest some lavender in the new lavender garden and there is much more to come. My only regrets this year gardenwise is not having planted more lavender and strawberry plants. Oh well, there is always next year.
   I avoided a regret I knew I would have and brought home a one week old Jersey calf to the farm on Monday. She is just adorable, and we have named her Annabelle. Of course all of the sheep are terrified of this tiny calf, since sheep are pretty much scared of anything, but they are getting used to her ever so slowly.
   All of our little "birds" are growing up way to quickly. Our Wyandotte chicks are now pullets, the next step before becoming laying hens, and our little duckling, Beatrix, is almost full sized. How does this happen so fast? So I am staying put on the farm this summer and enjoying all my lovely farm animals and especially our little Annabelle while she spends her first summer as a little calf.

Annabelle taking a rest after her first bottle at her new home.

She really does look like a baby deer!

Beatrix getting bigger everyday.

 

March is here!

   We are into March now and I have high hopes for warmer weather, unfortunately the long range forecasts are calling for a colder than average March. My sister recently sent me a quote which I intend to live by this month, "Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience." by Ralph Waldo Emerson. I will be patient awaiting spring!
   My seeds I planted last weekend for the flower cutting garden are sprouting and already growing. I have flats of flower seedlings all over my laundry room because it is such a sunny, warm room for starting seeds. Kind of a chaotic scene, but who cares, the plants are my harbingers of spring.

Stocks for the flower garden

 

   The sheep are tired of the barn and try ( and sometimes succeed ) to make a break for it when I open the back door of the barn to take out food and water to the chickens and duck. I try to let them out when it is not too blustery or hovering around zero, but they seem to get a little taste of the great outdoors and want more. Who can blame them? When they are outside they are eating the bark off of the old apple trees in the field, which I fear may be detrimental to the old trees. The chickens are bored as well, and can even be heard bickering in their coop. Believe me, the animals want spring just as much as, if not more, than we humans do.

Bickering hens

Scrambled eggs, fried eggs, poached eggs, egg salad, eggs Benedict...

Francesca spends most of the coldest days sitting in a heated bowl of water, she says "that's living."





  
   With the high today to be only 15 degrees and tonight's temperature around minus 18, I think it will be a perfect day to put on a pot of Country French Beef Stew. It is a perfect "warm you up " meal, takes only one pot to cook in, and smells so delicious while cooking. What more could you want on such a frigid day? My husband and I will enjoy this meal tonight in front of the fire in our living room with a loaf of homemade bread ( courtesy of my Zojirushi bread machine). Try this recipe- it is guaranteed to warm you up!

Country French Beef Stew: Makes 6 servings

Ingredients-

1/2 cup dry navy beans
4 cups water
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 pounds boneless stew beef
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion cut into thin wedges
3 cloves garlic minced
2/3 cup dry red wine
14 1/2 ounce can beef broth
1 cup chopped tomato
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 medium carrots cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Rinse beans. In a large saucepan combine beans and 4 cups water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse beans.
Place flour and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in plastic bag. Add beef pieces a few at a time, shaking to coat. In a 4-6 quart dutch oven brown half of the beef in one Tablespoon of the hot oil; remove beef. Add remaining oil, remaining beef, onion, and garlic to dutch oven. Cook until beef is brown and onion is tender.
Stir in wine, scraping until the brown bits are dissolved. Return all beef to dutch oven. Stir in beans, broth, tomato, and dried thyme. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered for 1 1/2 hours. Add carrots return to boiling, reduce heat. Simmer covered for at least 30 more minutes or until carrots and beef are ultra- tender. Garnish with fresh parsley.