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NellieBelle

11214 Posts


Posted - Mar 05 2021 :  06:48:20 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Unknown Here we are in March. We've been having fair weather and sunshine. Things are drying up and snow is melting a bit at a time. Doing yard work and cleaning up fallen limbs and branches, checking out plants to see what survived the winter. Spring bulbs are sprouting up out of the ground. Only mishap lately is one of the dogs got sprayed by skunk, but with peroxide, soda and dish soap, it conquered the smell in no time flat. Thinking about some house addition, but I'm not real keen on the idea. That's about it here on the farm. Cow gals are all pregnant, spring is upon us and I'm ready for the growing season ahead.

To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown

maryjane

7072 Posts


Posted - Mar 05 2021 :  07:21:33 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Sweet poem Janet. I like: The mud smells happy.

We still have a blanket of snow with some brown showing up here and there; not exactly tree planting weather, but Stark Bros. sent me two new apple trees, a fuji and a pink lady so I had to get them in the ground yesterday by first removing a blanket of crusted snow. Fortunately the ground beneath wasn't frozen. I ordered the trees last April 5th. Sure was surprised to see them arrive. I'd almost forgotten I ordered them ... for a fall plant, last year. Take what you can get I guess. No spring bulbs or shy budlets here just yet. Probably next week.

All is well here. Pretty remarkable that all your girls are pregnant so easily this time around.

I'll have to remember your skunk concoction should that happen here to Layla or Brian and Ashley's two new German shorthair pups.

Nick and I are fully COVID vaccinated now; feels mighty good.

MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~
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NellieBelle

11214 Posts


Posted - Mar 05 2021 :  08:18:15 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Good morning MaryJane! Congrats on the two new German Shorthair pups for Brian and Ashley! I want to add a couple Columnar apple trees for containers, need two for pollination, don't know for sure where to order. Stark Brothers have one variety but that's all and I need a different one for pollination. So when I get time I will do some research. Yes, 3 cows took with first AI and Nellie had to be AI'd twice which is still quite good odds. Your Buttercup is due the end of April right? Looking forward to her delivery and calf. That will make it feel like spring, a new calf. Joe and I both decided to forego the vaccine. We've never taken the flu vaccines in the past (good or bad) and guess we will pass this one up too. Take what comes if such becomes the case. Glad you have yours taken care of and ready to roll, now let's see what this year brings. Always eager to see Spring.

To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown
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maryjane

7072 Posts


Posted - Mar 05 2021 :  7:57:52 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Thinking spring. Fields of clover. Baby calves.








MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~
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NellieBelle

11214 Posts


Posted - Mar 06 2021 :  04:38:15 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Yes! Now we're talking Spring! I feel the sunshine, the smell of clover, and a quick nuzzle of the wrinkled-up nose on that adorable little calf. Thank You!

To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown
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maryjane

7072 Posts


Posted - Mar 10 2021 :  7:19:41 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
It was wonderfully warm today with melting snow creating little creeks of water everywhere I looked. One robin does not spring make, but today I heard lots of robins!

Here's a fun project I've been working on for eight years that's finally coming to fruition. It's a 1957 two-door Yellowstone trailer with only the cabin doors, beautiful wood screen doors, and awesome crank windows, oh, and two sweet shelves in the bedroom that are original. Everything else, from the ground up, had to be rebuilt because of mold.



Note the claw-foot bathtub and adorable little caboose wood parlor stove.



Lots of rigid insulation in the walls and ceiling.



And then brand-new aluminum siding yet to be tackled. Good as new again!



And we're also getting the pine installed on the inside our new tent cabins, now that the electrician has put in all the wiring.



And tonight's dinner ready for the oven!


MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~
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NellieBelle

11214 Posts


Posted - Mar 11 2021 :  04:55:36 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Good morning! That's quite and undertaking. Intensive trailer project. Should feel pretty satisfying to see it complete after all the time and work that has gone into it. Impressive! So is your veggies ready for the oven. Had some 60's and 70's degree days. Very nice. Flowers are blooming and the honey bees are taking advantage of the early blossoms. I love watching them. And walking around the acres and seeing what is peeping up out of the ground is a favorite thing of mine. Little surprises. I'm experimenting with a juicer I purchased. Liking the juice and there is no waste. Use the pulp in soup stock and dog food. Yesterday I put this group of fruit and veggies and ended up with 2 cups of juice. A mid-morning pick-me-up.

To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown
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maryjane

7072 Posts


Posted - Mar 12 2021 :  07:21:56 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Those walk-about spring walks are the best. And the birds right now!!! Singing their hearts out.

Juicing is a good thing. There's a company that makes veggie chips from the remains and they're excellent. Forager, I think is the brand. They started out as a juice company.

MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~
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NellieBelle

11214 Posts


Posted - Mar 12 2021 :  08:50:46 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Thanks for the information MaryJane! I found some pulp cracker recipes I will have to try. What a healthy alternative. The Juicer I purchased is a Nama. There is a recipe book that came with Juicer but mostly drinks, deserts, sorbets etc. So the crackers will be fun to try.

To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown
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maryjane

7072 Posts


Posted - Mar 18 2021 :  05:22:20 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Any luck with crackers yet, Janet? They'd be packed with nutrition, that's for sure.

Spring has sprung here. It's hard to be indoors but I've been working on taxes. I hope to finish them up today. I have managed to find time to clear the dead leaves off of my Lenten roses and get my blueberries fertilized and pH adjusted.

Yesterday, Cydnie pitched in with Stella's food photography. I was delivering them some wooden bowls Stella asked for so I snapped an action photo. The end result will be in the Aug/Sept issue of MaryJanesFarm.


MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~
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NellieBelle

11214 Posts


Posted - Mar 18 2021 :  06:25:14 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Good morning MaryJane. No, no crackers yet. Haven't had time yet, but hopefully in a few days. I have Runner duck eggs I need to put in incubator, and new Call ducklings arrived yesterday morning, but only 3 out of the 8 are alive. I imagine they were too cold when shipping. 30's here. One was dead on arrival and lost four more before bedtime last night. Things like that really get me down. I've not lost that many chicks or ducklings at one time before. Quite upsetting. Little bantam chicken is setting again. She is determined. Lots of limbs, sticks etc. needing picked up this spring. Winter was hard on trees this time. Buds have set on the lenten roses here, so will see blossoms before long. More bees on April 10th. Just trying to get everything lined up. Garden seeds germinating. Just a great time of year. It must be quite satisfying to see Stella working on her food photography. I know we enjoy seeing it in the magazine.

To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown
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maryjane

7072 Posts


Posted - Mar 25 2021 :  07:46:16 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Sorry about your loss Janet. Maybe your little Bantam is sitting on fertilized eggs. Bantams sure do persist in their desire to mother eggs.

Here's a pic I put on my desktop to remind me that the abundance of summer WILL come (it's been snowing again). I'm eating delicious small leaves of spinach and some kale and a few precious collard leaves, but I'm ready for GREENS! again.



MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~
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NellieBelle

11214 Posts


Posted - Mar 25 2021 :  08:45:07 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Yes, I don't care for the loss of any creature, but life isn't perfect. I have two incubators running. I have runner duck eggs, call duck eggs and Bantam English Game chickens. And little momma is sitting on her eggs faithfully. I just harvested carrots, zucchini, spinach, basil and collards from greenhouse. I will be cleaning up the tanks and replanting a few things but mostly planting outdoors when weather is conducive and last frost date has passed. I've also started getting organic fruits and veggies from FarmBox Direct every other week and I love the produce. Beautiful. It takes a lot of produce to make juice. This is better than we can by locally so I am quite pleased. So between gardens and my subscription to FarmBox Direct, I have plenty of good food coming in. 50's here, and having rain the last few days which we needed. Weekend looks clear and warm with sunshine. Wahoooo!

To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown

Edited by - NellieBelle on Mar 25 2021 08:46:56 AM
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maryjane

7072 Posts


Posted - Mar 26 2021 :  10:05:29 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Looked up FarmBox Direct. How cool is that?! That is the deal with juicing, lots of produce needed. On the other hand, that IS the big deal. You're ingesting all that produce, all those nutrients, micronutrients, vitamins, minerals, trace minerals ...

MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~
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NellieBelle

11214 Posts


Posted - Mar 27 2021 :  04:27:22 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Yes, I guess that is the big deal. It's quite refreshing to have a cold glass of fresh juiced vegetables and fruit. We can easily consume the juice, and at our age (Joe and I) we just don't eat that much anymore. Our portions get smaller all the time. So this works out nicely. Many evenings I don't eat supper. I fix something for Joe but I'm just not hungry, so why eat. Looks like a nice weekend on the way. Went after bales of alfalfa hay last evening and unloaded. The cows get so excited when we bring in new bales. They do the "hay dance" and frolic silly. Ha! They are loving the green grass that's coming up. (Spring has sprung, the grass is riz, I wonder where the birdies is. They say the bird is on the wing, but that's absurd, the wing is on the bird.) Anonymous Have a great weekend everyone!

To laugh is human but to moo is bovine. Author Unknown
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