Grow In Peace

Dilly Beans

2012-07-27T06:55:00.000-07:00

Like I said...those Royal Beans turn green when you cook them! Kind of fun.

But, I really wanted to share this amazing Bean Salad from Moosewood Cooks At Home. I prefer it chilled.

What You Need (Ingredients and Equipment)

1/2 to 1 pound green beans, preferably fresh-picked
enough water to cover the beans in
a pot big enough to hold the green beans and cover them with water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, or 2 teaspoons dried
strainer or colander
measuring cup and spoons
3-4 large garlic cloves, pressed or minced
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/3-1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar or honey
1 tablespoon salt

What You Do

Bring the water to a boil in the pot. Cook the beans, covered, until bright green and just tender (3 to 5 minutes). Drain the beans, reserving 1/2 to 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Put the beans in a bowl and toss them with the dill.

Next, make your marinade: combine garlic, red pepper flakes, vinegar, sugar, and salt in your cooking pot and bring to a boil. After the mixture has simmered for about two minutes, pour it over the green beans and mix well. Add enough of the reserved cooking liquid to make sure the beans are covered. Serve immediately, or chill in the fridge. Like I said, I like it chilled but it's hot and anything chilled is good right now.

Moosewood says they will keep for four days, covered and refrigerated.

Enjoy!

Royal Beans

2012-07-01T07:28:00.003-07:00

I present our first pick of Her Majesty, Organic Royal Burgundy Snap Beans

I'm eager to cook these up and will post one of my favorite green bean recipes along with the update. They are supposed to turn green when you cook them. How magical! We have a special dinner tomorrow night with our guests, Heather and Zach. Cooking up lots of veggies and some iron skillet corn bread. Yummy!

These beans have proven to be easy producers. I hardly touched them in the garden and had no problems with white mold or pests. They are a great bush bean option.

There is a whole mess of Lazy Wife Pole Beans to pick too. I will probably freeze most of them to store. The heat was beating me down and I will have to go back to get those this evening. I'm over the heat already and it's only July 1st! Yikes!

I hope you are all staying as cool as possible. A dip in the river may be in order this afternoon.

Daylily Blooms

2012-06-26T11:43:00.000-07:00

My veggie garden is coughing because it is so dry these days. However, the lilies are showing off in the drought. Here are some of the late June blooms...

Burgundy with Yellow Throat

Double w/ Ruffle

Orange with Yellow Midrib and Yellow Throat

Red with Orange/Yellow throat

Ruffle Rose with Burgundy Eye and Yellow Throat

Double Orange Ruffle Spider

Row of blooms

This is a beauty and big

Cream with Yellow Throat

Burgundy with Yellow/Chartreuse Throat

Yellow Spider

Ruffle Peach with Orange Eye

Rose with White Midrib and Yellow Throat

Almost White Trumpet

Funky looking Ruffle Spider. Pink with Yellow Midrib and Throat

Very Large Pale Yellow Blooms

There are over 7000 recorded varieties of daylilies out there in the world. We have over 200 on our farm. I'm not sure we will ever identify them all but I don't know that I care about that anymore. They are beautiful and fun to enjoy during the brief season.

2012-06-22T12:58:00.002-07:00

As Promised...

A photo of the Elephant Garlic I harvested yesterday. Time to roast some up.

Notice the little nodes on the bottom of the bulb. You can replant those little nodes and a single bulb without individual cloves will grow from them. It's kind of miraculous.

Pacify the General

2012-06-13T18:38:00.002-07:00

Some people think beets taste like dirt. I do admit they have an earthy quality, but I love that taste. I can’t get enough. I am already sad that I didn’t plant more beets this season. I think I have a new excuse to overplant them next season.

I see an acupuncturist in Mars Hill. She is great! Go see Julia at Oak and Willow Acupuncture http://www.oakandwillowacupuncture.com/

One of the things that keeps coming up for me is an angry Liver chi. I also have some sort of battle going on between the spleen and liver chi. I get the funniest visualizations with this. Julia refers to the liver as the General. So I picture a liver dressed up as Cap’n Crunch and the spleen as Mighty Mouse. They are duking it out and meanwhile my blood is depleted and I’m low energy, can’t sleep right, anxious, not pleasant…etc.

This is where the beets come back into the picture. Julia talked with me about blood nourishing foods like BEETS, collards, and kale. I was happy to have another reason to lust beets. Beets detoxify the liver, but they also help nourish blood, strengthen the heart, and calm the spirit.

Here are a few ways we like to cook them on the farm…

Simply boiled. Yup. Boil till tender. Run under cold water to peel off skin. Done. Slice and eat as they are or add to salad.

Roasted. Cut off the tops (save for sautéed greens). Toss beets in olive oil. Put them in tin foil or covered oven safe dish and put them in an oven at 375. Start checking for fork tenderness after 25 minutes. The time varies based on the size of the beets so keep checking. If you like sweet potatoes too, then try roasting them together. We call it Sweets and Beets.

Now… sometimes I like to boil/roast the beets then toss them into a pan with the greens and some garlic. The beet green tops are meant to be eaten too and they taste really yummy sautéed together.

I will recommend my friend Delia’s fabulous idea of boiled/roasted and chilled beets tossed in olive oil with fresh mint! Oh my, that is good stuff. When she brought these over to our house, I knew she was a flavor genius.

A little tip from my chi to yours:

Nourish your blood and pacify the General…eat your beets.

Garlic Breath

2012-06-09T07:41:00.001-07:00

This week I harvested the first of our garlic plants. The variety I pulled was the California Early garlic. It is supposed to be a smaller bulb but these were pretty large. I love the purple markings on them too!

If you haven't grown garlic then please put it on your to do list for this coming Fall. It is a simple, low maintenance crop that will give you a year of garlic breath in return. Simply break up the bulbs into single cloves and plant them about 6-8" apart. We ordered some bulbs but we were also given bulbs from a local farmer. Mulch them and forget about them till early summer.

Cut off the scapes when they come up to encourage the bulbs to grow. It forces the growth energy to the bulb instead of the flower. The scapes bloom into beautiful flowers which I use in my flower arrangements. You can also cook with the scapes.

We have another variety, Elephant Garlic, that I will harvest sometime next week. I have seen a preview of these monster bulbs and they are going to be stupid big. I will post some pics when I unearth them.

The Early Calis are in the basement curing. I will divide them up and share them with the other families here on the farm. The bulbs will be ready for the kitchen pantry in two weeks. Garlic has a huge laundry list of health benefits and it's totally worth the stink.

June Bounty

2012-06-04T12:53:00.000-07:00

It's June! Did you notice?

Time slips away and it is beginning to bother me how fast things are moving. In my new 'slow' pace life I still feel like my hair is being blown sideways with the velocity of time. I keep getting reminders that life is fragile. Some of the reminders are in the form of sad news. So I'm making an effort to put on the brakes!

The best place to reflect on everything swirling around our farm life is in the garden. I can mindlessly pluck weeds, hill rows, water, and just stroll around looking at the bounty unfolding. My favorite time to walk the gardens is at sunset when the whole farm is quiet. The hard work in March preparing the soil and plotting has proven it's worth. Plants are leaping for the sky and providing us food.

Our meals have become so interesting lately. I spend a lot less money at the market now. We use staples of beans, rice, and quinoa coupled with venison from the freezer and veggies from the garden. I even used sweet potatoes last night (still) from last Fall's harvest. We have endless options each day. I forget how much I miss fresh herbs till we are throwing them into everything. This isn't new for us. We have been growing food at a smaller scale for years. But now the scale is larger and so is our enthusiasm.

The hens and roosters are added entertainment. over the last few days the roosters have started to try out their voices. At first I thought they were hurt and I would run over to see what was wrong. They are pre-teens with scratchy vocals. It is pretty amusing. I also enjoy watching the roos 'front' each other. We are curious to see who will be the dominant male. Being dominant doesn't ensure your preservation on this farm. We are looking for personality and good manners.

One roo in particular has caught my eye. He is the one I photographed after the coop was finished perched right at the door of the coop. He is observant and calm. I enjoy how he walks up to me and then just stares and listens. I'm pretty sure he will be with us a long time.

The hens fit every stereotype you can imagine. They stick together and seem to be gossiping about you when you walk by. The hens have incredibly fluffy butts. I feel like I could dust the house with one of them if only they would allow that kind of handling. I'm looking forward to having fresh eggs soon. They need roosting boxes put in by the end of July.

Jasper is 16 months old now. He is ALL farm boy. Tractors, chickens and mud 24/7. He likes to frequent the strawberry patch and blueberry bushes. I'm enjoying walking with him everywhere (so is my back!). He is a mountain walking pro. Matt and I are impressed when he walks up the road with us and I know he will be able to hike any trail with us in the winter.

Jasper is also enormously spoiled to have grandparents around every week. He gets very excited whenever a grandparent rides by the cabin. Sometimes he completely freaks out if they don't stop to stay hello. He has no idea how lucky he is. I wish I had had time like that with grandparents. Just last night, I was missing my grandfather and wishing he was here. I can't imagine the bond that Jasper is forming with them. They will be his full time neighbors in a matter of months! Matt and I appreciate the extra hands. It is sometimes a struggle to figure out how to manage this place with a toddler. Our folks have allowed us time to take care of business and let our hair down. Just last Friday Jasper slept over with his 'Ahhh' and 'DatDad' so we could hang out after the Mermaid Parade. The what? That's right. Welcome to Marshall.

This community has been very welcoming. Marshall is full of surprises. I'm not sure what I expected but this has been a very easy move as far as community. Matt and I feel very blessed to have met such wonderful like minded people. We might not have Indian food (oh darn!) or Thai food (okay, I'm really bummed about that one) but we can always call a neighbor for homegrown sausage and a side of greens. Matt still has poker night and I get out with the Marshall ladies too. I think it is time for another Hot Springs night now that I think of it.

And a small plug... We have daylilies for sale! Come see us and the gorgeous blooms while they last. The season is short but mighty!

Coop

2012-05-25T06:43:00.002-07:00

In cased you missed it...

The new Chicken Coop was featured on TreeHugger.com

check it out here

They're Here!

2012-04-09T15:43:00.000-07:00

20 chicks arrived this morning via "Hess Express". Our friends were kind enough to include us in their chick order and then delivered them to our door.

They are cuuuuuute! Of course.

10 Light Brahmas
10 Buff Orpingtons

Here we go!

Work It

2012-03-24T12:05:00.003-07:00

Spring has sprung and did a back flip just to show off. I imagine we are all a little hyper about this amazing weather coming so early. After a very mild winter, I am feeling pretty spoiled right now. Most of this week I was in a tank top. We enjoyed eating lunch on the porch every day and the doors are open on the cabin letting through some much needed fresh air.

It is a little bittersweet to see the acres of woods start to fill in again. I do love green but it is really nice to be able to walk anywhere in our woods through the winter. I’m hoping to carve out some time to keep our trails clear. But, who has time?

Time is my biggest issue 90% of the (eh hem) time. I’m working on not whining so much but I REALLY want my garden to kick granola ass this year. I started early by working with another farm (Leaning Willow Farm) on Wednesdays in their greenhouse. Next week that turns into field work instead of greenhouse work. I have learned a lot from sweet Eliza. In exchange for my ‘labor’ I get to take home some seedlings and they through in some nice potting soil last week too. It has given me more confidence in using our greenhouse and with organic gardening in general.

Other projects have included potting up some of our perennials hopefully to sale in May and June. My tentative plan is to set up a booth on weeks when the perennials look thier best. I’m not ready for a season membership at the farmers market. And if I can’t get my act together to do a few booth weekends, then we will invite folks to buy them from us directly at the farm.

On to foodddddd gardening!

Most of our early spring crops are in. I still have a few more to seed but a lot of progress has been made. A biggggg shout out to Matt for getting the garden spaced tilled. Also, Pegi has been slaving away with me several times a week. I feel a bit bossy out there and she takes it really well. She knows a lot more about plants than I do. I just ‘play’ farmer at this point. I actually drew up a plan this year but I’m not sure why now. I change it as soon as I stick my boots in the dirt.

Jasper is handling all of this garden time pretty well. Since he is mobile, he doesn’t really like to be carried as much. The problem is that he is quick and it makes progress slow for this Mama. Plant a seedling…grab rock out of child’s mouth…plant a seedling…divert child away from garlic plants, etc. I do think he likes it in the garden. Actually I think he likes to play in the dirt. This year he begins to understand the relationship of the plants and what ends up on his plate. Or not. He may still be too young but he surprises me everyday with his level of understanding.

I took a bunch of photos of the wildflowers popping up. I will try and blog about those soon too. For now…Mama duty calls.

Happy Spring everyone!

Farming

2012-03-05T11:33:00.001-08:00

There are few things that make a farm a farm. I think we are getting there! Here is my list and where we stand...

A garden - Our third farm garden will start being prepared this weekend when we turn the soil over. I have been working with another farm once a week in thier greenhouse. I'm the unofficial intern. They are giving me lots of seedlings as a trade. I'm learning a lot but I think farming is a endless education. We have also done our seed inventory and have been working on the garden lay out. Snow peas go in first...next week!

Something for sale- I have also been working hard to get the daylily beds in order. We will have some to sell and I'm really out of excuses not to sell them. They will start bloomig in May. I have also started some other flower/herb seeds in the green house. We will see how those 'come up' before we decide if we will sell those too.

A tractor- Bob bought a beautiful tractor. He and Matt have mastered using it. It makes a lot of tasks so much easier. I still need to learn how to drive it myself. Jasper got his first tractor ride last week! He loved it but I think he loves being with his Daddy the most.

Livestock - Our first round of chicks are coming in on April 9th! This will be a whole new experience for us. I'm pretty excited about it. We are getting 20 chicks to start our flock. 10 Buff Orpingtons and 10 Light Brahmas. Matt has a beautiful coop designed. Look for photos soon!

It is a start. My back hurts.
:)

Farm Life

2011-07-19T09:01:00.000-07:00

Talk about an overdue blog! If I told you I have been a little busy that would be a huge understatement. The move from Charlotte to Marshall nearly killed us. Only a slight exaggeration I assure you. Matt worked ridiculous hours and I managed to pack our house up with a 4-month-old baby on my hip. A special thanks to our family and friends whom helped with Jasper for a few precious hours so that I could pack. Also, a special thanks to our friends and family that helped pack up the truck and waved lovingly goodbye!

As I drove down I-40 West, in Matt’s truck, hauling a trailer, with two cats in the back, Jasper beside me and feeding him a bottle while driving J, I was finally beginning to feel the tension in my jaw release. We were welcomed by three new friends that helped us unload the truck and shared with us their own farming adventures. We ended that very long day having a well-earned cold beer with Marshall locals.

The weeks following our move are an utter blur. A joyful blur though. We had constant guests (we still do!). I attempted to make our cabin an efficient living space. It is small but very comfortable. We tilled and ‘de-stoned’ the gardens. It was back breaking work. I managed to plant ¾ of the large garden space. Matt cleaned up the basement to make it suitable for guests. Matt also has done all sorts of farm work using the tractor, John Deer mower, his incredible ingenuity… I watched him unload a building from the other side of the property essentially by himself using the tractor as his ‘extra’ hands. It was really amazing.

The one thing we are learning is that we don’t have to do it ALL now. There are endless projects that need to be done or that we want to tackle. My primary focus has been to grow food. I don’t know if that will ever change for me. Matt and the other owners all have different interest and some basic shared interests as well. When we all got together, everyone tackled something different. It was kind of interesting to see what everyone was concerned with. I hope that when everyone has built their homes we can tackle projects quickly and efficiently as a group. That isn’t to say that we haven’t had group efforts, for instance… the fire pit was a hot mess and the group took care of it quickly in an afternoon.

I have to admit my veggie garden ‘plans’ went out the window. I had to hastily plant seeds during Jasper’s naps. I’m pretty pleased with what has been accomplished and the soil here is INCREDIBLE. But it isn’t a picture perfect layout by any means. Also…weeds are hard for me to keep up with. The most important thing is that we are eating from the garden now. Just this morning alone I harvested zucchini, squash, small bell peppers, a bunch of green beans and a few small carrots that needed thinning. It has been like that all of this week. We have also had ridiculous amounts of radish, blueberries, blackberries, cherries and strawberries. So, I can’t whine too much about our first summer garden season so far. I just have hopes for better planning for our fall and subsequent gardens.

We are in discussions about what type of business to run from the farm. There are various crops we are learning about. I think we will have to work as a group to make some definitive decisions on that matter. Suggestions are welcomed.

What I am enjoying the most right now is being a Mother and “farm wife”. We are living a very rural life. We don’t watch any TV, it is 20 minutes to the store, we have no Internet and our lives are richer being unplugged. I find myself reading field guides and gardening books; and Matt reads fishing books and car manuals. We are pretty much up and down with the sun. I love going to the mailbox again.

I also really enjoy sharing the farm with guests. People transform here. The farm is the best blood pressure medicine I know of. People gawk at our lilies in disbelief. They are truly breathtaking. I find people talking about simplifying their lives at home…wherever they are visiting from. One of my favorite things to do is to stand by the blueberry bushes snacking with friends.

I know this all sounds like a commercial for ecotopia but I assure you there are moments where my skinned fingers and insect bitten ankles crave a spa day. I am human after all. But this is the way of life I was meant to live. I feel it in my bones. Literally…my bones ache!

Matt’s folks broke ground on their new house a few weeks after we moved. It proceeded to rain for two weeks and progress slowed tremendously. I feel like we are in for a good dry spell now which should help gets things underway. Their home site is a few hundred feet away through the woods. Lucky Jasper will have grandparents in skipping distance some time in the Winter.

Sweet Jasper Finn just turned 6 months old. He is our dream realized in a little spirit. I can already tell he will be our farm muse. I find we do everything with his future days here in mind. He brings so much joy.

That is the news from the farm.

Work Zone Ahead

2011-05-06T06:31:00.000-07:00

In my last blog post, I was gearing up for the big garden plan. I was hoping we would have made lots of progress by now. Alas, Life happens. Between the new baby, Matt wrapping up his Charlotte jobs, important weddings of some of our best friends, bad weather, and packing...we just haven't been up to the farm. We did FINALLY make a trip up there last weekend. We move in at the end of next week and we are SO excited.

Last weekend was magic for us. As we drove onto the farm, I was shocked at how different it looked as Spring has made a major appearance. Everything is so lush and rich. The rain has been so good to the land. Our family picked up tons of junk and trash that had been left by the previous owners too. What a difference that made! My Mom hired a neighbor to turn over three large garden plots by the greenhouse.

I believe after spending some time mulling it over, I have a plan for these three areas.

Mom defined this area as the asparagus garden. I plan to fill half of the area with corn. Did I mention that Mom bought 100 one year old asparagus crowns?

Matt and I about broke our backs getting 1/3 of them in the ground.

Madison county has some major rocky soil. Check out the size of some of those stones. It's going to take a lot of work de-stoning the gardens. But, the soil is SOOO rich! It's worth the work.

For this large section I want to plant a Store and Can garden. This will be food we put up for year round enjoyment. And, this smaller bed right beside the green house I want to use for seasonal produce. I feel really behind on planting but, I know the greenhouse will help us catch up.

The previous owner had a lot of herbs already planted. It will take us a while to identify all that is there. When I was pregnant, my midwives recommended I find some comfrey tea to use for swelling (use your imagination why). It was actually hard to come by and a friend ended up giving me some. Well guess what is growing on the farm in full force? Lots of comfrey!
* Note* Do not drink comfrey tea. Use it as a topical cure only!

We also have strawberries and blueberries that Mom planted and some that were already residents on the farm. I also found lots of blackberry and raspberry bushes scattered around. It should be a great cobbler season.

There is so much to look forward to and a TON of work to be done. I can't express how overwhelming it is to stand in this dirt and know that it is yours to work. We have time, we have...forever. Matt, Jasper and I enjoyed a sunset together. We watched the sun say goodnight over the trees to the West. It was a sweet feeling to be with each other looking over the fields, together.

A dream come true.

Veggie Garden Plans

2011-02-27T06:50:00.000-08:00

I'm pretty excited about this year's vegetable garden. Why? For many reasons. First of all, it will be on our new farm. I have been 'farming' my little city lot for years now but I have had a lot of limitations. The learning experience has been invaluable but I'm ready to spread my seed or wings? Second, besides a few days of extra support from Matt, this will be the first time I get to garden with other people on a more frequent basis. I'm excited that my Mother and Matt's Mother will be hunched over with me planting, tending, and harvesting food. Third, being a new Mother, I am even more conscious about the role food plays into my family's health. Growing our own food gives us more control over what goes into our bodies. Let's face it, I like control :) I'm excited that little Jasper will grow up understanding veggies come from the garden and not the produce aisle.

Now the planning begins. The previous owner of the farm had a small vegetable garden directly behind the greenhouse. It looks like a very convenient location. We also need to do some major clean up in the greenhouse. The current plan is to clean out that old garden location and add to the rows she already started. The farm was organically tended for years. I'm confident that the soil is still in good shape and pesticide free.

My first step is to confirm what we want to grow. Then we have to define a garden plan and sowing/planting schedule. Finally, we have to purchase seed and any starter plants we aren't comfortable growing from seed. I know this year will be a major learning experience. A good garden diary will prove to be crucial and helpful in subsequent years. I'm feeling that with the added support of family, it is going to be a fabulous garden.

So far, this is our wish list for the garden:
Kale
Collard Greens
Lettuce (Variety)
Onions
Spinach
Broccoli
Sugar Snap Peas
Bush Beans
Sweet Potato
Potato (Variety)
Beets
Carrots
Radish (Variety)
Tomato (Variety)
Pepper (Variety)
Melons (Variety)
Summer Squash (Variety)
Winter Squash (Variety)
Cucumber (Variety)
Corn - I have had bad luck at corn but I'm hoping that the we can overcome my losing streak.
Herbs (Culinary and Medicinal Variety)
Okra
Asparagus (Buying 1 year crowns from the extension service)
Garlic

There is also mention of adding to the existing fruit trees and starting with a 1/8 acre of hops! Can you taste the beer? Yummy!

Growing Jasper Finn

2011-02-24T14:40:00.000-08:00

A little video sharing the pregnancy and growth of little Jasper Finn.

Music: Derek Trucks Band "Sierra Leone"

Most of the belly photos were taken on my iPhone which is why they aren't real sharp. Brooke Hofsess photographed Matt and I when I was 28 weeks pregnant. Those photos are, of course, beautiful.

Enjoy!

Come on Baby!

2011-02-02T12:51:00.000-08:00

Jasper Finn Pike arrived on Jan. 12th, 2011 at 11:45am
Here is the story of his arrival...

I told Matt a few times late in my pregnancy that I had been in labor for 9 months. The anticipation of our first child was my only focus. I didn't expect to feel that way. For years I was in the no kid camp. Now, I can't imagine life without Jasper.

I have heard that storms can send women into labor. I believe that is true now. Even the snow that came around Christmas had me feeling very uncomfortable. But, the second storm was for real.

Saturday January 8th I was feeling a lot more Braxton Hicks and they had rhythm to them. In the evening we went to the Alexander's for the Pike belated Christmas gathering. Matt noticed me squirming and started timing the contractions. They were only 10-12 minutes apart. We headed home and Matt started a bath for me and brought me some wine. We were able to sleep fine. Sunday was a different story.

All day Sunday I was feeling uncomfortable. Then the little fires started. I called the early contractions little fires. That is how they felt to me. I would visualize a little bundle of kindling in my womb suddenly going up in flames and then fizzling out slowly over a minute later. I started timing them some time after watching 'Wipe Out' on DVR. I may have to credit that show for starting these little fires. They were 6 minutes apart. Meanwhile, the weatherman is warning of a snowstorm. I was nervous about not being able to get to the birthing center but we waited it out. I wasn't sure that this was it. The little fires picked up slowly but surely. Matt worked with me. On the floor, on the bed. sitting, and standing. We moved downstairs to the guest room. Matt took a nap and I paced the living room. I saw the snow falling and checked my timing again 3 minutes apart at 3am. We had to go. We couldn't risk getting stuck at home without assistance.

Matt called our midwife and doula to say we were coming in. The drive to the birthing center that night goes down as one of the most terrifying moments for me. I am unreasonably afraid of driving in ice and snow. Not to mention I was contracting and worried that I was going to have the baby on the side of the highway. When we arrived I was shaking like a leaf. I was ushered into a birthing room and the midwives and doula buzzed around me preparing things and checking me out. I was such a wreck from the drive that I had spiked my blood pressure pretty high. After I had a few minutes to get my bearings, I stopped shaking and my blood pressure went back to normal. After all of the excitement, I was already exhausted. The snow was really coming down. Looking out through the big windows of the birthing room I remember feeling like I was in a snow globe.

Things slowed down. My contractions started spacing out. I was holding normal conversations. This wasn't it. It was way too easy. I still had the little fires but they were defiantly spacing out. I could have slept between them but I didn't. Heather worked with me some trying the birthing ball, walking around, etc. but it just wasn't time. Early morning the midwives sent me home and proclaimed, "see you REAL soon."

Monday the snow turned to ice. I was determined to get some rest and not drive in ice. I stopped taking calls. People were calling a lot and I was just trying to stay comfortable. It was a very emotionally tough time for me. I was mentally preparing myself. Trying to let go and allow my body to do it's thing, I can see that now in retrospect. We made it through Monday night. I slept in 5 minute chunks between contractions.

Tuesday. I was pretty sure the baby was coming on Tuesday. After all it was 1-11-11! He really tried to come Tuesday. He had me buckling in pain by mid-afternoon. These contractions were different. That little fire was now HUGE. I decided to try the bath again in the evening. We knew that if it was real labor then the contractions would speed up and not slow down in the water. I got in the tub with a glass of wine and Matt sat beside me on the floor with a beer. I was relaxed mentally after a brief melt down. Matt helped me through it all. I had accepted that I was having this baby. The contractions intensified and got closer together. The midwife and Matt were texting my progress and at that point she suggested the doula needed to come to the house.

Heather arrived and she accessed my contractions and had me go up and down the stairs a few times. If you ever want to bring on stronger contractions...walk a flight of stairs. It was after midnight when we left the house to go to the birthing center. So, no Tuesday baby but we had active labor.

Another sketchy drive with more intense contractions and we were at the birthing center again. The midwives decided to check me to see where I was. I will spare you all of the details but basically I went to 5cm in about 10 seconds. From there I went into what I call Circuit Training Labor. Heather and Matt would make sure that I kept changing positions often. I labored everywhere in every position EXCEPT for the bed. The bed was the devil. I had one contraction in bed. It was HORRIBLE. I think it is torture to hook a woman up to IVs and tell her she has to stay in bed during labor. There is no way I would have been able to have a natural labor if I was forced to stay in bed. I walked, swayed, bounced, leaned, danced, squatted, and floated in water. Matt and Heather were there the whole time encouraging me, holding me up, rubbing my back, feeding me, and smiling.

I can't really tell you how it feels to labor. I imagine it is unique to each woman. What I can tell you is that I made it one minute at a time. The great thing about contractions is that there are spaces in between. If you can survive a minute, you will get a rest. That is until transition.

I don't know what time it was when I hit transition. I think it was starting to get light out. It was just Heather and I in the room. Matt was trying to get some rest. I was in the tub and what I can remember is feeling like a train was running through my body. The spaces in between were intense too. I could hear my voice but it sounded like somebody else or something else. A monk chanting mixed with a dog being kicked maybe? The noise was primal and it just had to come out. Those were the longest moments of my life. In between the pain I would talk to the baby. "Come on Baby!" became my mantra. I was talking the baby out of the womb.

The midwives would come in to check the baby's heart rate and my general progress on the hour. I think it was on the hour? I really don't know. Having the support of my incredible husband, doula, and midwives gave me extreme confidence. I can't express that enough. The environment of the birthing center is so comfortable and inviting. I never once thought of pain medication or intervention.

I felt the urges to push coming again. When Pam and Lisa check to see if I was ready they said I had a 'lip' of cervix still in the way. I was so exhausted after days of labor and this was hard news. I had to suppress the urge to push and squat during the contractions to get the rest of the cervix out of the way. It was the last hurdle but it was a doozy! I was still in the tub flopping from my back to a squat for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, Pam had me try to push through the last part of the cervix and it was a success.

Pushing is different. I have read other women's birth stories and they said the same thing. Pushing is different in a really good way. For one, I knew I would meet my child very soon! But it also meant I could do something to help bring the labor to an end. When I started pushing in the water the baby's heart rate dropped some. At first they just had me flip over and try pushing that way. The baby's heart rate was still dropping during pushing. So, they had me get out of the tub.

On a side note: A lot of people asked me if I was going to have a water birth. I never said Yes because I had a feeling that might not happen. I guess I was right.

They had me push standing up for a little bit. That was very awkward. I was starting to shake uncontrollably from the hormones and I was wrestling with an oxygen mask they had placed on me as a precaution. I could feel the baby was right there and I was nervous to push hard because I thought the baby might fall on the floor! They had me crawl onto the bed. I was leaning over the footboard on one knee. From there I gave some super pushes. When the head came out the body was right behind it quickly. And I heard, "Pick up your baby!". There below me was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I tried to take it all in. I saw what I thought was an umbilical cord and then realized it was a penis! Jasper was here! I scooped him up and flipped onto my back. Matt and I were both crying our eyes out and basically in shock. Jasper barely cried and he looked around and grasped at my now flat belly. The midwives had me touch the cord and I could feel it still pulsing. The connection between us was still pulsing. We let the cord pulse till it stopped on it's own.

Matt got to cut the cord and I birthed the placenta soon after. The midwives helped me settle into the bed. The bed was now so welcoming as I held my newborn son. They instructed us that only I was to hold the baby for at least an hour. They believe it helps the baby transition from the womb to the outside world. It also helps the woman's body begin to heal. Jasper was calm and found my breast right away and began to nurse. I was so energized and overwhelmed with love. Not only for him but also for my sweet husband. People tell you that experiencing the birth of your child is incredible. It is. In that very moment, your life resets with the primary focus being on the child. I have been breathing in every second of him since that moment. Jasper was always meant to be. That became so clear the moment he arrived.

I know that natural labor is not for every woman. I am grateful that I avoided complications that would have changed my birth plan. For me, it was what I needed and what I wanted to give Jasper and to Matt. I know that the experience changed Matt profoundly. I know that Jasper had the purest entrance into the world that I could provide him. And for me, I feel empowered. There isn't anything that I can't overcome now. The challenge of a very long labor will always remind me of my inner strength. For once in my life I am so proud of my body. I am utterly amazed of what my body did and continues to do now as I nurse my son.

And that was just the beginning...

Goodbye 2010

2010-12-31T06:59:00.000-08:00

There she goes.
2010 is leaving the building. It's been a year full of unexpected delights. After last New Years weekend with our closest friends, that we call the 'Funky Family', Matt and I promised each other we would finally go for our dream. I am overwhelmed that this is all coming together now.

The little garden I started here in an urban neighborhood in Charlotte was really a personal catalyst into a dream finally being realized. I have known my sweet husband since we were 15 years old. We have been dreaming together for 18 years now. Our long conversations on his parents' front stoop about community living and a rededication to our rural roots is finally manifesting itself. The simple life has found us.

So, my little garden in the city is quiet this winter. I look at it everyday and silently thank the soil for all it has taught me. A new landscape awaits us in the mountains. 40 acres and a modest cabin in beautiful Marshall, NC. Also, a promise of daily community with out parents, extended family, and friends will be realized. How amazing! How blessed!

Our first child is expected anytime now. I'm so happy we get to give this child the gift of growing up with his/her grandparents, growing our own food, and just true experiential learning. Oh, and of course... the sweetest tree houses you have ever seen :)

2011 is rolling in. Baby Pike is on his/her way. A move to the land is coming very soon (TBD). This blog will become a place to note the major life changes we are about to experience. Expect to read about more downsizing, new parent rants, how to pack 1400 sq ft into 750 sq ft, using a greenhouse, larger gardens (vegetable and flower), building houses, chickens, goats, hot tubs, and a whole lot more in 2011.

Happy New Year!

Grow in Peace.

Sweeeet!

2010-11-08T09:43:00.000-08:00

This morning I decided to see how the sweet potatoes were coming along. I love digging them up. It's like a treasure hunt. I wanted to cure some to cook for Thanksgiving and needed a few weeks to make that happen. Mission accomplished! There are still some plants out there and I will harvest them later on. If you remember from my earlier blog, these potatoes are from one that I saved from our organic produce delivery. I wasn't sure how it would work out. Making my own potato slips has proven to be a good frugal gardener tip.

I also managed to train the sugar snaps up the former Cucumber Harp. It is now the Sugar Harp. At least, for another month or so. I noticed a lot of the lettuce is growing in now too. I had to plant it twice because I neglected it the first time around and all of the lettuce shriveled up in a dry spell.

Small confession...I have not been in the garden hardly at all lately. There are a lot of changes going on in our home. My body also doesn't like it when I'm bent over or digging thanks to this enormous belly I'm sporting. I'm torn about investing too much time in the garden. With the cold season coming, I will probably blog more on food! But, no worries. Next year's garden is going to be exceptional. Just wait and see!

Think Bigger. MUCH bigger.

Real Pumpkin...Not Canned

2010-09-23T09:37:00.000-07:00

My aversion for anything in a can has been heightened over the years. Sometimes knowing can be a real pain in the pantry. On the other hand...avoiding preservative filled and other overly processed foods has opened me up to some real flavors that I have been missing over the years. It has surely boosted the nutrition factor in our diets.

Last year I made my first real pumpkin pie with... real pumpkin. I used pumpkins that came in our organic produce box that was being delivered to the house. It really isn't that hard to pre-cook a pumpkin. It takes about 1/2 a minute to split the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds. About the same amount of time it would take to open a can with a can opener. Was that really so hard? Then I just place it face down in a little water inside of a pyrex dish. I bake it for about 45 minutes at 350 and it's ready to go. While it cooks I pre-measure out all of my ingredients.

On a side note...I rinsed and set some of the seeds aside on a paper towel. I wrap them up when they dry and save them for next year. You could also roast the seeds if you wanted too.

So, this year I had one little sweet pumpkin survive the weevil infestation. I've been staring at it for a week on my counter. It's been calling to me to cook it and put it into something yummy. I found the winner this morning. Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins. OH YEAH!

The recipe I found called for canned pumpkin (of course) but I have found if you just leave out the additional water it calls for and add a tad more sugar...then you are good. I also made some other minor changes (wheat flour vs. white, added ginger because it is the best spice in the world...etc.) I'm officially claiming this as my recipe since I modified it so much. Try it and find out why real pumpkin is better than the stuff in the can with a thousand ingredients.

Makes 12 Muffins

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup organic white sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 small sweet pumpkin cooked and scrapped out
1 1/2 cups wheat flour (or you could use Red Mill Rice flour to avoid gluten)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (I was out of baking soda...you can substitute more baking powder if this happens to you. The substitution ratio is 2 parts baking powder to 1 part baking soda)
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease and flour muffin pan.
Mix sugar, oil, eggs. Add mashed pumpkin. In separate bowl mix together the baking flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt.. Add wet mixture and stir in chocolate chips.
Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Sprinkle tops with extra brown sugar. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

Enjoy!

Funky Compost

2010-08-30T06:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a work day in the garden. Not much harvesting going on. A late Summer garden can be a sad place. We still are getting lots of peppers, basil and tomatoes. I lost all of my butternut and acorn squash to weevils. I don't like those little bugs. Weevils chew through vines and eat up leaves very quickly. They will get to meet up with some diatomaceous earth later today. It's a natural pest control made from hard shell algae.

I'm a little bit late on getting some of my Fall plants in. We just hosted a weekend long party at a Summer Camp with about 150 people. So... we were a bit busy. Pretty good excuse eh? The Cucumber Harp has finished it's Summer duty and is moving on to Sugar Snap Harp Fall duty. I did dump out the compost tumbler. All of this Summer's kitchen compost made a soupy wheel barrow full of goodness. It had the smell of loose stool. Yummy!

I found myself gagging as I spread it throughout all of the veggie beds. Next, I raked and turned the soil over. I will let the soil rest for a few days and then sow some seeds. Really, I need to let my own body rest a few days. I was feeling the work last night as my round ligaments kept spasming. Fun!

Our kitchen window is still full of tomatoes. These maters will probably end up in a sauce for storage. I can't seem to handle any more tomatoes right now. But, warm pasta sauce in the Winter sounds good. Wait! I don't want to jump ahead to Winter yet...I have a feeling it's going to be a nice Fall season!

More of the same and some new...

2010-08-09T07:08:00.000-07:00

This morning I harvested more peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, okra, and basil. I love all of these things but I'm ready for some other varieties to come in.

I have acorn squash, spaghetti squash, pole beans, carrots, watermelon and pumpkins all growing right now. I need to sow some more seeds this week. I'm thinking It's time to put in some more collards, beets, radish, and maybe some broccoli? Lettuce will have to wait. It's still too hot for their fragile leaves.

The cucumber plants are on their last leg and I finally ripped out all of the squash and zucchini. So, there is plenty of room for more veggies. My Summer compost is done cooking. I will give the dirt a fresh mix of compost this week too.

It's been a crazy couple of weeks for me. A lot of indirect drama and a ton of worry for my family. I'm looking forward to tilling the earth and saying some silent prayers for healing in my family. I know that all shall be well in time.

Meanwhile.... my belly is really starting to broadcast the impending arrival of our first child. Can't suck it in anymore. HA!

Sun Tea and Excuses

2010-08-03T10:14:00.000-07:00

I just read Ashley English's(from Small Measure) new Post on Design Sponge. She talks about an old favorite...Sun Teas! I felt like she just knocked me upside the head. I remember my Dad putting out jugs of sun tea at our first house in Lewisville. He only did this a few times that I remember. I found it amazing that the Sun could make tea! Duh! I was around 7 so give me a break.

How green can you get, really? Use the sun! Not to mention we have lots of herbs growing around the yard. I'm running out of uses. This one is so easy...

Drop some mint or other yummy herbs into a mason jar, throw in a family size lipton tea bag (I used decaf), add some organic sugar or honey if you want, fill with water, and put it in the sun for 5-8 hours.

Garden Update Excuses...
I have been avoiding the heat. We have had two ridiculous heat waves in Charlotte this Summer. I'm growing a person right now and the heat just isn't jiving with my incubator status. I do have some new plants in the ground for Fall. More updates to come soon as new things start coming up in the garden.

For now...Summer Sun Tea :)

What's Happening in the Garden today...

2010-07-14T13:57:00.000-07:00

Lots of different varieties of peppers are coming in. We have really enjoyed these banana peppers.

I have to admit that I have been eating a cucumber at lunch everyday for a week. Just sliced with salt and pepper.

This squash is a volunteer. Looks interesting right? Well, we had one a few weeks ago. When I cut it open, I discovered it's a spaghetti squash. I guess it's green because of the zucchinis planted beside it? Garden mystery.

Yesterday I posted about the tomato frenzy going on here. 'Maters still on the vine...

I have been patiently awaiting the dahilias to bloom. They are so precious and full of color. I just love them.

Maters

2010-07-13T13:34:00.000-07:00

This is the time of year when your neighbor rings your doorbell and runs, leaving you a bag of tomatoes. It's a ridiculous tomato season here this year. I went to visit with my Brother in law Jason last week. He has 2lb tomatoes! Seriously, they are the size of a baby's head. Jason is a gifted farmer and we marvel over his giant produce. Mine don't grow quite that big but we have plenty of tomatoes rolling in.

This year I started from seed: Golden Tomatoes, Romas and Heirloom Big Boys. My neighbor gave me one starter tomato that is a Cherokee Purple. From my compost...we have lots of cherry tomato volunteers. I stopped planting cherry tomatoes two years ago because they just keep coming back.

One thing to keep in mind with tomatoes...they love two things...Sun and Food! They are very heavy feeders and love rich soil, compost, and organic food. I fed mine right before they bloomed and they jumped a foot and blasted out blossoms. The rest of the job is done by that big star in the sky.

So, now it's finding a million ways to skin a tomato. Right now I'm just enjoying slicing them and eating them when they are still warm. But, my tolerance for tomato acid starts to wear me out. Anybody else get burning lips from tomato acid? I see canning a lot salsa and sauces in my near future.

My very favorite tomato combination is a classic:

Sliced Maters
Sliced fresh Mozzarella
Chopped fresh Basil

stack them up

Sprinkle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and a dash of pepper.

It's so simple but sooooo very right. YUMMY!

Potato Gamble

2010-06-28T12:10:00.000-07:00

Excuse me for the delay on posting again. The heat here in NC has been stupid. We have had 15 days straight of high 90s weather. Did I mention it is only June? So, my time in the garden has been basically to do drive by waterings and weedings. I think some of the squash plants are suffering from the heat but the tomatoes are lovvvvvving it.

What I really wanted to share today was my sudo surprise crop of potatoes. In early Spring I had a organic produce delivery coming that was bringing us potatoes every two weeks. I couldn't keep up with that many potatoes in such a short period of time. A few of the potatoes began to sprout and I just kind of ignored the science experiment for a while. Eventually I knew I had to either chuck them or plant them.

I haven't tried planting organic potatoes from my purchased produce. I have only used slips that I purchased. The same goes for sweet potatoes (until this year :). Everything I have read said that planting ones from stores or farmers market are a gamble. Well, I guess I should go to Vegas!

Today I pulled a couple of the plants that were beginning to wilt. I found a small happy crop of potatoes screaming to get out of the boiling soil. I love harvesting potatoes. It is so fun to drive the pitch fork into the soil, turn it over and see potatoes rolling out everywhere. It feels like a archaeological excavation. Now I have more room for sweet potatoes.

By the way, those sweet potatoes that I was using to grow my own slips...I'm still harvesting slips off those. I think I have more than 20 from each potato. I had to start giving them away because I didn't have enough room in my garden. So, save those organic spuds that didn't make it to your plate. Plant them and see what happens. You never know.