Kiss My Tractor

NEW BLOG WEBSITE

2013-09-01T21:18:00.000-07:00

ATTENTION READERS!!!

We have moved our blog to a new blogging site. Here is the new address: kissmytractor.wordpress.com

We moved our site to Wordpress because the format is easier for us to use, and provides us with more options as we expand our blog in the future.

If you have signed up to follow us by email please sign up with us again! I know there's a way to transfer all of our feeds from one website to another, but we haven't figured it out yet. :)

All of you have made our blog a success so far, and we have big plans for the future. Thank you all so much for your continued readership and support! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Thought of the Week

2013-08-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Prosperous farmers mean more employment,
more prosperity for the workers and the businessmen of

every industrial area in the whole country."
- Franklin D. Roosevelt

Wheat Grows in the Winter?

2013-08-24T14:34:00.004-07:00

Well, kindofnotreally grows, but winter wheats such as soft white winter and hard red winter are planted in the fall and have the chance to sprout and grow 5-6 inches before winter hits. Winter wheats are usually planted in September, after the harvest of the previous year's planting is over, and actually need a few weeks of cold weather in order to grow.

Winter wheat in the snow

Winter wheats provide farmers with the ability to get a crop in the ground before taking a break for the winter, and relieves some of the pressure during spring planting time. Since fields with winter wheat have already been planted and sprouted, the plants have already begun growing again by the time the farmer gets back in his field to plant spring crops.

Although typically grown as a cash grain, winter wheat can also be planted as a cover crop for other cereal crops, as well as a grazing option prior to tilling and seeding with grass. It’s less likely than barley or rye to become a weed and is easier to kill. Winter wheat also provides good erosion control during the winter, protecting valuable topsoil from being washed away by fall, winter and spring rains and snowmelt.

Winter wheats are planted with crops such as potatoes, to provide weed control in the spring. Since the wheat is planted after the typical growing season, and grows quickly before becoming dormant for the winter, it is able to choke out weeds in the early spring. Farmers will then spray the wheat to kill it before seeding their potatoes directly into the wheat residue. This system reduces the amount of herbicides the farmer needs to use, helps prevent erosion, and the wheat residue enriches the soil when it is plowed at the end of the potato harvest.

Hard Red Wheat

Hard red winter (HRW) wheat has a higher protein content than other wheats, yielding a large amount of gluten, the component of dough that gives it elasticity and captures the carbon dioxide from yeast to allow the dough to rise. HRW is used mostly as flour for yeast breads, or is blended with soft spring wheats to make all-purpose flour. It gets its pretty red color from pigments in the bran layer of the wheat kernel. Hard red winter wheat accounts for more than 40% of the U.S. wheat crop and half of U.S. wheat exports, and is grown on about 23 million acres across the United States.

Soft White Wheat

Soft white winter and soft red winter wheats are lower in
protein and gluten, and have more complex carbohydrates than hard red winter wheat. These wheats make the preferred flour for gravies, sauces, biscuits, cakes, pie crusts, cookies, and pastries. They are also wonderful as cooked whole grain or cooked combined with brown or white rice. About 21.3 million acres if soft white winter and soft red winter wheat are grown in the USA.

So, next time you use all-purpose flour, eat a slice of bread, or pie, you'll know what kind of wheat goes into it! Pretty neat to know, isn't it? I think so!

This would not be possible without WHEAT!

For more information on winter wheat, check out these links:
http://www.sare.org/Learning-Center/Books/Managing-Cover-Crops-Profitably-3rd-Edition/Text-Version/Nonlegume-Cover-Crops/Winter-Wheat
http://ohioline.osu.edu/agf-fact/0146.html
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/flours/learn-more.html

Harvest in the Palouse!

2013-08-22T05:30:00.000-07:00

It's harvest time all over the United States. Harvest is an exciting time in every farming community. It is the culmination of the farmer's entire year's work. It is when he learns how well his or her plans and methods worked. It is when the farmer receives his paycheck, and hopefully he will have enough to pay his production expenses and be able to care for his family for the coming year.

A deer leaps across a ripened field of wheat.
Photo taken by Wade Lindquist at Bald Butte Ranch.

Harvest is an intense time for farmers and their families. There are long days of work. There is not a minute for anything else - nothing else happens during harvest-time. It's also a dangerous time for farmers; they're tired and stressed to the max. They're frequently sleep deprived. The weather may not cooperate; everything may be ruined by wind or rain coming at just the wrong time. And, even though they may have maintained and repaired their machinery properly, they may still have equipment breakdowns, right in the middle of long harvest days.

Grain trucks ready to go.
Photo from Todd Strader, T & H Farms.

For our farmers in the Palouse region of eastern Washington, harvest is one long event, beginning in late July and lasting through the middle of September. They are just finishing harvesting their winter wheat which was planted last fall. This includes soft white and hard red winter wheat. They are harvesting their spring crops this week. These includes the spring wheats - soft white, hard white and dark northern spring wheat. Next to be harvested will be dry peas and dry lentils, finally followed by garbanzos.

Mark Richter combining wheat on St. John Farm.
The stalk and wheat head are pulled into the wide "header-bar" in the front of the combine.
Then the chaff (stalk and leaves) and wheat kernels are separated.
The chaff is spit out the back (that's the dust you see in the rear),
and the kernels are dumped into the big rectangular bin on top of the combine.

Many farmers have just one combine, and harvest their own fields. In other cases, they may share the work with other family members; their fathers, brothers, inlaws or their neighbors. There may sometimes be more than one combine harvesting one field at a time.

Pumping the wheat kernels from the combine into the grain truck.
Note the two trucks behind, waiting to be filled.
The wheat will be hauled to the grainery where it will
be sold for breads, pastries and noodles, all over the world!

The schedule in most every case depends on the planting date and this season's weather. In nearly every part of our country, the rainfall is slightly different as one travels north to south. Typically, the further north you go, the more precipitation you have. This is the case in the Palouse, so that means that the crop was planted earlier in the southern portion of the community, and so is harvested first. Families and friends who are sharing the work of harvest work together to harvest the fields which "come off," or are ripened, first.

Three combines at work to bring in the harvest.
That's Todd Strader walking in his wheat field

Combines and tractors, all lined up for a
"Harvest is finally over" photo.
Taken on the Todd Strader Farm.
I think this is an especially beautiful picture, what with the sky and all.

After a long, intense couple of months, the farmer has all his crops into the grainery. Then he begins planning for next year!

EAT MORE WHEAT AND THANK A FARMER.

Thought of the Week

2013-08-20T05:30:00.000-07:00

"It's important to look closely at all opportunities,

and once you have made a decision,

to jump in with both feet."

David Mirassou,

grape grower and winemaker

The Hazards of Backyard Hens

2013-08-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

WARNING! CHICKENS ARE A GATEWAY ANIMAL! This gal has taken the time to warn us all about the dangers of raising backyard chickens. Something funny to brighten your day!

New Book Review

2013-08-16T20:55:00.000-07:00

What I've Learned From No-Till, Cropping Secrets From 58 Highly Successful No-Tillers,

by Ron Ross, 2007
Published by Lessiter Publications, Inc,
P.O. Box 624
Brookfield, WI 53008

This is a comprehensive compliation of interviews with farmers from all over the U.S. who practice No-Till (also known as Direct Seed) Farming. It is well written, well laid out, and has good photos to accompany the interviews.

Each of the farmers address situations and issues which are specific to their region, their farm and their land. While one farmer's methods may not pertain to another's, it is interesting to learn how farmers do things in different parts of the country. The entire book of all the interviews builds a broad resource for anyone who has already begun No-Tilling or who is interested in converting their operation to No-Till.

After reading this book, a person will have real knowledge of this method of soil conservation farming, and will have practical information for different situations and issues on their own farm. The ideas shared by all these farmers about retaining soil moisture, erosion reduction, plant residue, planter adjustments, sprayer nozzles, light bars, fertilizer application and weed control are so practical, most every farmer will enjoy this book, whether he is a No-Tiller or Minimum-Tiller.

Posted by Robin W.L. on August 17, 2013

Thought of the Week

2013-08-13T05:16:00.000-07:00

Nothing straightens your spine

like having your back against the wall

Jan Current's grandmother Edith

Heather's Bean Salad

2013-08-12T05:30:00.000-07:00

HEATHER'S BEAN SALAD

from the kitchen of Heather Strader

This is a quick and delicious recipe, using items from your pantry

Drain the liquid off 1 can of each of the following and rinse, then put into a big bowl.
Note: you can use dried beans - just soak them, then measure 14 oz of each, which is equivalant to 1 can:

garbanzos

yellow corn

black beans

kidney beans

Add:

1/2 Cup diced onion

1/2 Cup diced tomato

Small amount of diced fresh cilantro

1 to 1-1/2 Cup rice vinegar

Stir and serve!

Farmer Profile - Todd and Heather Strader

2013-08-10T05:30:00.000-07:00

This month we are pleased to introduce you to TH Farms LLC, owned and operated by Todd and Heather Strader. Todd and Heather were both raised in the Colfax, Washington area. After college they had careers away from the farm, but decided to return home, and go into farming with their families. Young farmers are a rare breed, and much needed for the future of our food security here in the USA. We are proud of Todd for taking on the business of farming, and for his success in the four years that he has been at it.

Todd Strader and his son, Grant (future farmer!)

Your name, family names and interests

Todd, Heather, Grant and Ava

Where do you live, your farm name?

TH FARMS LLC / Colfax WA

How long have you been farming?
4 Years

Why did you become a farmer?
Prior to farming, I was an FBI Special Agent. I worked all over the US but mostly in Washington D.C. and Albuquerque, New Mexico. My wife and I grew tired of living in big cities and wanted to raise our kids where and how we were raised, farming wheat in the Palouse!

What crops do you grow?
Wheat, Barley, Garbanzo Beans

What type of farm do you operate?

Our farm is dryland, meaning that we don't irrigate. We use the direct seed method, meaning we don't till the soil.

Todd, combining (harvesting) his wheat

Tell us about your operation.

My wife and I farm throughout Whitman County, Washington in varied micro-climates and rainfall zones. We raise wheat, barley, and garbanzo beans. We are sixth generation farmers, our kids are seventh direct generation on the same farm, which was homesteaded in 1877. It is located due south of Colfax, Washington. We also raise sheep and cattle for fun and for our kids.

Do you use any sustainable practices? Please tell about them.

We direct seed using a Horsch Anderson, 35’ No-Till drill. This drill applies 2 separate types of fertilizer as well as the seed all in one pass! This allows the least amount of tillage to be used, reduces compaction and maintains the soil health, and so preserving and enhancing our soils for the next generation of farmers!

Something interesting, cutting-edge, fascinating, you would like readers to know?

All of our fertilizer and herbicides are applied using GPS technology which automatically turns the fertilizer and herbicide on and off automatically in order to reduce the amount of chemicals used. The computer system in the tractor maintains a GPS/Satellite map, showing where we have and have not sprayed, and adjusts the amount and rate of fertilizer/herbicide to be applied. Our tractor is also equipped with “Auto Steer” which controls the steering while working in the field.

Wheat harvest - cut on the left, uncut on the right

The seedbox on our seeder has scales on it so that we can accurately meter how much seed we are putting out, and we can change our seed rate on the fly!

What are the biggest challenges you face as a farmer?

The biggest challenges I face as a farmer is the volatility of the wheat/garbanzo bean markets and weather. No matter how hard we work, our success and outcome as a farmer is determined by outside forces including international politics, US monetary policy, and other commodity prices such as fuel prices which we use to power our equipment, and use to make fertilizer, as well as gold and silver prices. Sometimes the wheat market can swing 3-6% in one day due to these factors.

Dumping the wheat kernels from the hopper into the grain truck,
which will haul it to market.
Note there are two other big grain trucks waiting to be filled.
You can't see her, but that's a girl driving that big John Deere tractor!

What are farming's biggest rewards for you?

The biggest reward for me as a farmer is harvest-time. Harvest is when we cut all of our wheat and garbanzo beans which we have been working for a full year to cultivate, plant and care for and is the fruit of all of our labor. A successful harvest is very rewarding!

Do you participate in any civic or industry organizations?

I am a volunteer firefighter with the Onecho Fire Department.

Are there any stories about farming that you’d like to share?
My son's first tractor ride was when he was about 2 months old. Our tractors are climate-controlled, very quiet and dust-free in the cab, so don't be alarmed! My daughter is almost 2 and our son is 3, and they both love to drive in the tractors and trucks with their dad!
Also, I am a pilot, and I love to fly over our fields to check them for issues, weed problems and the overall health of the land and our crop.

Heather, Grant and Ava, framed in Farmer Todd's tractor tire!

I Pledge My Head...

2013-08-07T09:11:00.000-07:00

If you can finish the rest of that phrase, high-10 to you!! For everyone else, here's the whole thing:

I pledge My Head to clearer thinking,

My Heart to greater loyalty,

My Hands to larger service, and

My Health to better living,

For my club, my community, my country, and my world.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is the 4-H pledge, which every 4-H'er learns at their first 4-H club meeting, and which they can recite their whole life long. There are quite a few promises made in that pledge. Due to the nature of the kids participating in 4-H, it often means a lot to each individual, and will give shape to their character and future.

And now, I will tell you all about the awesomeness that is the 4-H program. I may be partial, since I participated in the 4-H program for 10 years, but it is one of the best programs for teaching youth to be responsible, hard-working, community-minded, ethical people.

An early women's 4-H club
The 4-H program began over 100 years ago when rural youth technology programs started becoming popular as a way to infuse new ideas and methods in to the agricultural community by teaching the youth, who were more accepting of change than the older generation. Community clubs were organized to bring together public and private resources, and to create a network of participants. One such program, called "The Tomato Club" or "Corn Growing Club" was created in Clark County, Ohio by A.B. Graham in 1902, and is considered to be the birth of the 4-H program.

Soon after, Douglas County, Minnesota saw the formation of after-school agriculture clubs and fairs. The 4-leaved clover insignia with an H on each leaf was created by Jessie Shambaugh in 1910, and by 1912, the nickname 4-H had been given to the agricultural clubs. In 1914, the USDA (United States Dept. of Agriculture) Cooperative Extension System, which now governs the 4-H program, was created by Congress to support these youth agriculture clubs.

A 4-H rocketry club gets ready to set some off

Today, 4-H serves youth in rural, urban, and suburban communities in every state across the nation. Youth currently in 4-H are tackling the nation’s top issues, from global food security, climate change and sustainable energy to childhood obesity and food safety. 4-H out-of-school programming, in-school enrichment programs, clubs and camps also offer a wide variety of science, engineering, technology and applied math educational opportunities – from agricultural and animal sciences to rocketry, robotics, environmental protection and computer science – to improve the nation’s ability to compete in key scientific fields and take on the leading challenges of the 21^st century.

More than 6 million 4-H youth in urban neighborhoods, suburban schoolyards and rural farming communities currently participate in 4-H programs of some sort. 4-H promotes a "learn by doing" method of education, and as a result, 4-H'ers are more likely to get better grades, plan to go to college, less likely to engage in risky behaviors, and are more likely to positively contribute to their family and community. 4-H leaders are all volunteers, with more than 540,000 working to support the youth in their communities. They are supported by 3,500 Extension employees that offer many resources, and are backed up by over 60 million 4-H alumni, spread across the world! This is a HUGE program!

I cried every year when it came time to sell my pig

Wherever you may live, there is probably a 4-H program working to empower the youth in your area. If you're in a rural area, the majority of the 4-H clubs will probably be focused on agriculture and animal-related projects, while 4-H clubs in urban areas will probably have more programs like sewing, rocketry, film-making, photography, leadership or computers.

There are also additional programs and conferences available to teach leadership skills (Teen Conference), to introduce 4-H'ers to the political process (Know Your Government), to excel in public speaking (County and District Contests), and many other options to expand and explore your abilities beyond your individual projects. In all 4-H programs, participants usually keep records, manage finances, prepare a demonstration or public talk and present it to their club or in a contest, and to present their record books and project at their local fair.

I spent 10 years in the 4-H program, and loved every minute of it. I raised pigs, horses, chickens, and also completed sewing, veterinary science, and teen leadership projects. I went to 4-H camp as a kid, to Teen Conference, to leadership retreats, was a Camp Counselor, and generally had a blast. I learned how to keep records, to budget expenses, to raise animals, to run a 4-H meeting, to prepare and give public talks, and so much more. It is one of the best programs for teaching youth how to become responsible, civic-minded adults, and is one that really should receive more attention and accolades for the important work it accomplishes!

If you have young children or even teens, I encourage you to look into 4-H programs in your area, and get your kids involved! It is an experience that will shape their lives for the better!

To find out more about 4-H or to find programs in your area, check out these links:
http://www.4-h.org/
http://4-hhistorypreservation.com/History/M-C-P/

.

Thought of the Week

2013-08-06T05:16:00.000-07:00

Our nation's farmers and ranchers,

the men and women who grow our food

and care for our land -

they should be applauded,
supported and protected.

They are truly our National Treasures.

-Robin W.L.

Straight From the Farmer's Mouth

2013-08-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Here is another great video produced by the Washington Potato Commission featuring WA potato farmers. This video stars Farmer Jared Balcom of Balcom & Moe of Pasco, WA. He's talking to us about the widespread impact that that generations of farmers have on their communities and the world. Please enjoy and share.

Thought of the Week

2013-07-30T04:30:00.000-07:00

“I begin now to think all time lost that is not employed in farming.”
- John Adams

Straight From the Farmer's Mouth

2013-07-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

Farmer Ed Schneider let us know about a good series of videos produced by the Washington Potato Commission that feature potato farmers! This video stars farmer Nick Johnson of Johnson Agriprises in Othello, WA. Nick is talking to us about water conservation and stewardship. Find out what tools farmers have to conserve their water usage.

Please enjoy and share.

Notes From the Palouse

2013-07-28T05:14:00.000-07:00

Rolling hills and patchwork farm fields

This past week I visited the farmers who live and farm in the Palouse Region of Eastern Washington state. This area comprises roughly in the south-east portion of the state, and goes into the panhandle of Idaho. It is very rich agriculturally, with silty soils and abundant rains, which come during the spring and early summer.

Winter wheat beginning to turn from green to gold.

Geologically, the region is made of unusual and beautiful silt-dunes, which were formed during the Ice Age. They were the result of a glacial outwash, which made huge, random humps and hollows. I often describe them as endless giant gopher mounds. The big, open portions of the dunes are cropped fields. In the gullies and hollows, are timber, brush, creeks, deciduous trees and shrubs. The combined fields and trees are gorgeous.

See how the cab is level, and the header follows the contour of the land?
This is a self leveling combine. Pretty helpful.

You might imagine that it could be dicey attempting to drive a tractor or combine on these steep hillsides. It is! The self leveling combine was developed by Washington State University, which is in this region.

The farmland here is like none other. Precipitation ranges from 15" to 22" annually, so farmers have no need to irrigate. The top soil is very deep, ranging from 3' and deeper throughout the Palouse. Crops are predominantly wheat, barley, dry peas, lentils and garbanzos, with some oats, flax and canola. Whitman County, in the heart of the Palouse, is the largest grower of Soft White Wheat in the United States.

The region was settled in the late 1800's by German, Irish and Russian immigrants - you'll hear their surnames all over the Palouse. Most farms are still being worked by original families - with 4th and 5th generation now tilling the land that their ancestors homesteaded.

Fields with dry peas growing in the foreground

Harvest is just beginning in the Palouse. The first crop to ripen is winter wheat (hard red and soft white winter wheats), then dry peas and dry lentils, then the spring wheats (dark northern, hard white and soft white spring wheats), and finally, garbanzos. Harvest runs from the end of July through September.

After harvest, farmers plant their fall crop of winter wheat and in some cases, dry winter peas. Also, they prepare fields which will be planted in the spring. They spray weed killer and incorporate fertilizer in the soil, so that it can work over the winter. Usually they are done with all their fall work by mid to late October.

Dry peas growing.

Then, they rest. They make repairs and upgrades to all of their equipment. They go to seminars and conventions which pertain to the crops they grow, or type of farming they practice. They plan and budget for next season, and talk with their banker, accountant and crop advisors. They sleep in a little bit, maybe till 7 am or so. They enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas. And, if they're lucky, they go on a winter vacation with their families and friends. The farmers of the Palouse know they live in God's country, and they don't take it for granted!

Chicken and Barley Soup

2013-07-26T10:41:00.000-07:00

Chicken and Barley Soup

Sooo gooooood!

From the kitchen of TheFarmGirl

1T butter

1 onion, diced

2 medium carrots, diced

1C celery, diced

2 chicken breasts, diced

6C water or chicken broth (throw in bullion cubes if you don't have broth)

1C barley

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper to taste

2 tsp dried tarragon

Melt the butter in a large stockpot, then add the onion and carrots. Cook for a few minutes until the onions start to go soft, then add the water or broth. Rinse the barley several times to remove dust and chaff, then add to the pot, along with the bay leaves. Simmer for about 20 minutes, then add the uncooked chicken to poach. Simmer for about another 20 minutes, or until the barley is soft and the chicken is cooked. Add the tarragon, salt and pepper and serve! This is even better the next day after all the flavors have a chance to sit in the fridge overnight. It also freezes really well. So good on a cold day!

Barley There!

2013-07-25T10:20:00.003-07:00

Barley. That's what you use to make beer and whiskey, right? Well, yes, but there's a lot more to barley than that! It's the fourth largest grain crop in the world, and, along with wheat, was one of the first domesticated grains grown. Since ancient times, barley has been used as an important source of food, in religious rituals, as a standard of measurement and even as currency.

A field of barley. The heads are more droopy than wheat,
and the "beards," the long spiky portions of the head, are very pronounced .

Germany is the world's largest producer of barley (imagine that!), followed by France and Ukraine. The USA is the 10th largest producer, growing 3.4 million tons in 2011. Half of the barley grown in the USA is used as livestock feed. Barley is an adaptable crop, and can grow in temperate areas in the summer and tropical areas in the winter. It is also relatively drought tolerant and can grow in more salty soils.

Barley corns

Barley was also used as a standard of measurement in England through the 1700's, with three barleycorns making an inch, and four or five poppy seeds to the barleycorn. This barleycorn-inch is still used in shoe sizing in the UK and USA, even though the new standard inch replaced the barleycorn-inch in the 19th century. A barleycorn-inch is about 1/3 the length of a new or modern-day inch. Pretty interesting, right? The shoes on your feet are measured in barleycorns!

Two-row and six-row barley

Domesticated barley has been around since pretty much forever. It was bred so that the spikelets which hold the kernels don't shatter and fall to the ground before being harvested. Barley varieties today are classified as either two-row or six-row, meaning that there are either two rows of kernels or six rows of kernels. Confusing, I know.

A barley whiskey

However, it's important for brewing beer, since two-row barley has lower protein and won't cloud up the beer. Two-row barley is usually used in making German beer. The higher-protein, six-row barleys are used in food products and in animal feed, although some lager beers use higher-protein barleys. Oh, and whiskey made in Scotland and Ireland is often from barley, although whiskey is also often made with wheat or rye. And the Brits make barley wine, the Japanese make barley tea, and the Italians make barley coffee. Yay for barley!

While barley as a food grain is not quite as versatile as wheat, it is highly nutritious, with 1 cup of cooked barley delivering over 50% of a person's daily fiber needs, and over 10% of the daily protein needs. We all should probably eat more of it. As a food product, it's almost as versatile as wheat, and is typically eaten cooked in its whole-grain form. It is wonderful in soups and stews, and is excellent as a side dish or in salads. Barley can also be ground into a meal and made into porridge or baked into cakes and breads. Barley has an excellent, nutty flavor, and a good, chewy consistency. It's a hearty comfort food, and an excellent replacement for rice and pasta. It does take a while to cook, but the result is worth it!

A barley and pea risotto. YUM!

So, there you go. Now you know a little more about barley. Now, go get some and make the curried barley salad that we posted! Yum!

More barley - note the long, spiky beards

Information for this article was taken from these websites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe_size
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barley

Thought of the Week

2013-07-23T04:30:00.000-07:00

“I think our governments will remain virtuous for many centuries; as long as they are chiefly agricultural.”

- Thomas Jefferson

Curried Barley Salad

2013-07-22T05:28:00.000-07:00

CURRIED BARLEY WITH NUTS AND DRIED FRUIT

This is a good one, great for potlucks, serve hot or cold

From the Kitchen of Robin W.L

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 C. onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 C. pearl barley
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2-1/4 C. chicken broth
1/2 C. dried cherries or cranberries
1/2 C. dried apricots, diced into small pieces
2/3 C. chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds, diced

Rinse the barley, and put it into a pot with all other ingredients. Add water according to the barley package directions. Cook over the stovetop according to barley package directions. Wonderfully delicious!

#12 - Pinto the BlogDog - Interview With Brodi

2013-07-19T05:30:00.000-07:00

HOWDY FOLKS! Pinto the BlogDog here. We've been up at the ranch for a week and a half. M'Lady and TheBoss took off and went boating and fishing with FarmerEd and HisWifeLiz for 3 days! They left us here by ourselves! (Well, not really, Jenny and Cassi the DogLovers let us stay with them, and we got to come inside). Anyway, we didn't get into any trouble attall while M'Lady was gone, 'cept we laid into the coyotes. Not much. And we got to be fussed over by the DogLovers :)

Thought I'd stir things up a bit, and conduct an interview with Brodi, about an event that happened to him last week, down home at Sweet Hills Farm:

YoursTruly: So, Brodi, how was it, last week, with the hot weather?

Hairy Brodi

Brodi: Absolute misery. Thought I was in a furnace, what with it being 108* outside, and my long, flowing hair. I thought I would melt right into the ground. M'Lady, bless 'er, brought me inside, and I would lay right on top of the air-conditioning vent in the vinyl floor of the kitchen. I couldn't move I was so hot.

YoursTruly: So, what happened last Tuesday?

Brodi: Well, TheFam was getting all packed up to leave for the ranch. I was excited, because I could see our food bowls, leashes andall going into the pile to go! And then...

YoursTruly: Yesssss, go on...

Brodi: M'Lady stared at me, I could tell she was thinkin' hard. She put her hands on her hips, and said, "Brodi, that hair of yours has to go!" She walked out to the tackroom in the barn. She got this huge toolbox, so I thought nothing of it. She brought it to the backyard, and called me over to her. "Brodi! Come!" Oh boy, that tone always means trouble! I got suspicious, and dug in my heels. She dragged me over, and made me lay down on the grass and stay there!

YoursTruly: And, go on...

Brodi: She opened up the toolbox, and took out this huge steel contraption with sharp teeth, and buttons and knobs on it! I heard her say that it was the cattle clippers. It was GIGANTIC, it was longer than her arm! I thought that thing might cut me from stem to stern!

"No, no!" said I, "Please, please don't use those monsterous clippers on me! Please us the little doggie clippers!"

"But," said she, "you have enough tangly hair for a whole cow, and these super-sharp-titanium blades will slice through anything."
"Oh, have mercy on me," I wimpered! Then she pushed this button, that made the steel teeth go back and forth terribly fast, faster than the speed of sound, and it made this HUGE noise, like a steam locomotive!

YoursTruly: Really Brodi? I was there, it warn't so noisy as that.

Brodi: OK, but it made a BIG rumbly noise! And then she ran it over my legs and back and all over me, and all my hair started falling off in clumps on the grass! And she wouldn't let me move. If I twitched, or flinched, or anything, she held me and said, "Quiet Brodi, it's OK." It wasn't OK!!! It was not OK attall! She even ran that thing over my nether-regions! I was scart she would cut somethin' off!

YoursTruly: Really Brodi? You don't have much of anythin' to cut off, as you well know.

Brodi: Well, anyway, I was scart that she would cut off what I do have! After a bit, she let me up to "take a break," and then TheFam laughed and laughed at me, 'cause I had these shaved patches all over my body! I looked like a mange-ridden hippie-dog, not the beautiful Golden Retriever that I am! Then, when ClayMan showed up, I thought, thank goodness he'll save me, 'cause he loves me best of all. Then HE made me lay down again, and he was laughing at me too, so hard he could barely contain himself! And then he turned on the monster-contraption and ran it all over me!

ClayMan shaving Brodi, who has no shame.

YoursTruly: Pray, go on...

Brodi: I thought ClayMan loved me, but he was mean and made me lay still Brodi! And he kept shaving my beautiful hair off in ugly patches. Finally, he gave me "a break" and I wandered around all flea-bitten and pitiful.

After a bit, M'Lady got after it again. And this time, she didn't let up till I was hairless!!!!! Oh, I was naked and it was so breezy and drafty! I felt so embarassed! TheFam was all laughin', and I tried to hide my face....

YoursTruly: Yes, but Brodi, what's the final story?

Brodi: Ask me if I care if everyone laughs at me because I'm naked.

Brodi, clean shaven (YoursTruly in the foreground).
Doesn't Brodi look like a different dog? Man! He's so handsome!

YoursTruly: Do you care if everyone laughs at you because you're naked?

Brodi: No! I feel wonderful! I have no hairy hair! People don't even recognize me! I'm cool and light, I can dance and run! I'm not hot anymore and I'm happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy!!!!!

YoursTruly: Yes, yes, we can see that Brodi. You're a different dog.

Well, gotta go! Catchya on the lowdown!

Keep your tail waggin!

Magazine Review - Edible

2013-07-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

The WeeLaddie and I were meeting Mom and a few other ladies at a funky coffee shop in town the other week, and I saw a stack of edible magazines on the shelf. It looked interesting, so I snagged a copy. Boy, am I glad I did! What a great little magazine!

Edible publishes regional food-oriented magazines all over the country, focusing on locally grown and produced foods and crafts. The edition I have is about Southern Idaho. They publish issues quarterly, and are a good resource for finding local foods and other products.

The Summer 2013 of Edible: Southern Idaho included articles on new, sustainable restaurants in the Treasure Valley, an organic farm in Bellevue, canning yummy jams and jellies, irrigation, a local wooden spoon maker, the Boise Co-op's 40th anniversary, specialty whole-wheat flour, medicinal herbs, and much more!

The layout of the magazine is lovely, with lots of pictures, and good, heavy, non-glossy pages. There is even a fun, graphic page that I'm going to pull out, frame, and put up in my kitchen!

You can find out more about Edible magazines by heading to their website: www.ediblecommunities.com. You can find the publication in your area, or even start one up if there isn't a magazine for your region yet!

Regional publications also have their own websites, with a lot more information about food in the area. Southern Idaho's is www.edibleidahosouth.com.

Thought of the Week

2013-07-16T05:30:00.001-07:00

“There seem to be but three ways for
a nation to acquire wealth.
The first is by war, as the Romans did,
in plundering their conquered neighbors. This is robbery.
The second by commerce, which is generally cheating.
The third is by agriculture,
the only honest way, wherein man receives a real increase
of the seed thrown into the ground,
in a kind of continual miracle,
wrought by the hand of God in his favor,
as a reward for his innocent life and his virtuous industry.”

- Benjamin Franklin

Foodie Buzzwords

2013-07-15T10:08:00.000-07:00

As the locally-produced, "green" food movement gains momentum, more and more producers and companies are including labels on their products that tell you their food is "hormone-free" or "naturally-raised." But what do these phrases mean? Suprisingly, the regulations surrounding many buzzwords that would cause you to buy one product over another are surprisingly unregulated . We were asked to research the definitions of some of the words that pertain to our food, labels that companies use to describe and market their products; so read on to find out what these things actually mean!

Conventionally Raised: This term applies to both meat and crops. It means that the product was raised on a large or small farm, using conventional methods, which would include using chemicals to control weeds or pesticides (crops) and antibiotics to prevent illness, and sometimes hormones to stimulate growth or production (animals). In many situations, sustainable methods are used, though they may not be quantifiable.

What labels make us think!

Naturally Raised: This term usually applies to meat products. It is a loosely-regulated term, meaning that the feed the animal received wasn't loaded with antibiotics, and they weren't given hormone injections. If possible, ask the seller what it means for the product he is selling.

Organic: This term applies to both meat and crops. This term means that all of the products used on the food was biologic in origin, and that the crop was grown without synthetic additives such as herbicide, fertilizer, or antibiotics. Be wary of an "organic" label. Unless it says "certified organic" or "USDA organic" you can't be sure that it is organic. This term is used by farmers use organic methods, but haven't gone through the extensive certification process.

The only label that matters

Certified Organic: This term applies to both meat and crops. It means that the farm that produced the food product has undergone a rigorous process to obtain the certified organic designation. No synthetic additives are used anywhere on the property, and animal products with the designation are raised with access to the outdoors, although the quality of outdoor time is not regulated. Animals must also be given bedding material, unless they are grazed on certified organic pasture.

USDA Organic: This term applies to both meat and crops. It has the same designation as certified organic, but the use of the USDA Organic sticker on products is not required for producers who have obtained certified organic status. Look for this term on the sticker of "organic" displays in grocery stores.

Hormone-Free: This term usually applies to beef and dairy products. It means that the animals used in the production of the product were not given hormones to increase muscle mass or milk production. Pork and chicken producers are not allowed to use hormones at all.

Whole Foods: This term means foods that are unprocessed and unrefined, such as an apple, or that are as minimally-processed and refined as possible, such as regular oatmeal, whole wheat flour or a pork chop. Minimally-processed foods are indeed better for you than a package of cookies or Cheetos, and we should try to eat as many of this type of food product as possible.

Labels like this are ok at a farmer's market

Free-range: This term applies to meat and poultry products. It is largely unregulated. The USDA allows producers to use the label if they give their animals about 5 minutes of open-air access a day. Many egg producers are moving toward free-range and cage-free, because the public is demanding it.

Cage-free: This term applies to poultry products. It means that the chickens are not kept in small cages, but does not mean that they are outside, or that they are fed organic, antibiotic-free food. It does mean that they have room to spread their wings and run around. In many cases, chickens are kept in large, indoor, open chicken barns which have good ventilation. They might have a roost to perch on, go into a small nest to lay their eggs, walk to their water and food, and move about much of the day.

Look for this certification on meat products

Grass-fed: This term applies to beef products. Unless the label includes "certified" this term could be misleading. A certified grass-fed product means that the animal was raised in a pasture or open range and ate exclusively grass and other plants.* An important question to ask is was it grass finished instead of corn-finished? Grass finished means that it will be much lower in cholesterol, and better for you.

Superfood: This term usually describes a food that is high in nutrients or chemicals that provide a lot of health benefits. It is totally a marketing buzzword.

*Most beef cattle are grazed on pasture grass or fed hay until they have grown to about 800 pounds (approximately 1 year of age). Then, most cattle are moved to a feedlot, where they are "finished," to about 1,200 pounds, by being fed high concentrations of a corn-alfalfa mix. This is highly nutritious and tastes delicious, so the cattle gobble it up. The corn-alfalfa blend has a high fat content, which enables the animal to gain weight at a more rapid rate than just on pasture grass. Also, the corn adds to the marbling and flavor, which we all love, but also adds to the high fat and high cholesterol count in the beef. Grass fed and finished beef has a much lower cholesterol count.

Check out the following sources for more information about the above terms, and to learn more about a bunch of other labels you might see:
http://www.organic.org/articles/showarticle/article-201
http://www.rodale.com/food-labeling
http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/confinement_farm/facts/meat_dairy_labels.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whole_food
http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/definitions/Free-Range-Foods
http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/confinement_farm/facts/guide_egg_labels.html
http://foodalliance.org/grassfed
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superfood
http://organic.about.com/od/organiclabels/tp/10-Terms-That-Do-Not-Mean-Organic.htm

BUY AMERICAN, BUY LOCAL!

2013-07-12T05:51:00.000-07:00

So what's the big deal about buying our food from the USA, or even from the farm stand down the road? What difference does it make? Why not buy the cheapest tomato, even though it's been grown in Mexico or Chile?

I'm so glad you asked! There are a number of important reasons, let me list them:

1) Economics:
We all are trying to help our wonderful country, the United States of America, get back up on its feet economically, right? By ensuring that your produce has the "Grown in the USA" label on it helps that effort. When you buy your tomato grown in the USA, you are not only supporting our own American farmers, but all of the other industries that go into bringing that tomato to you. Seed, soil amendment and fertilizer companies, equipment manufacturers and dealers who make and sell the equipment which the farmer uses to plant, irrigate and harvest, trucking and fuel companies that do the hauling, companies which do the packaging, the wholesale and retail grocers. All of these businesses employ many, many people who each benefit financially when you buy "Grown in the USA." If your tomato comes from Mexico, none of the cost of growing, harvesting nor farm-to-packing-shed hauling of the tomato stays in our country; those dollars are sent out of the USA.

Harvesting produce in the USA

If that tomato which was grown in the USA costs a bit more than one grown in Mexico, here are the reasons why: We The People all want our farmers to pay their employees a fair wage; we have minimum wage laws, which foreign countries may not have. Also, our farmers provide Workers' Compensation insurance for their employees, which foreign countries may not demand. We have fair worker laws, which foreign countries may not have. These items add to the cost of production. If you purchase a tomato grown in Mexico, the employees there may not have been paid a fair wage at all, and may not have safe or humane working conditions.

2) Food Safety:
When you buy a tomato that says "Hecho en Mexico" or "Grown in Chile," you do not know what the inputs are that went into that tomato. Our government has rigorous inspections and regulations for all food grown in our country; our food is truly the safest in the entire world.

Certified Organic from USA? Great, safe, low carbon footprint.
Certified organic from Mexico or Chile? Hmmm, not-so-sure, very large carbon footprint!
PLUS, you can buy crenshaw melons and pink lady apples that are grown in the US.

Our governmental food and farm agency, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has inspections for imported foods, especially fresh produce, but they have no way to track that tomato to the farm where it was grown, not really. They can't determine exactly what chemicals were put into that tomato; the cost is too high to do enough testing to be comprehensive. It is not economically feasible for U.S. agencies to outreach into other countries. There is no way to know if those other countries have the same standards that we Americans demand. We can't control what goes into the soil or what is sprayed onto the crop that is shipped in from another country.

California Oranges!

3) Carbon Footprint:
Just think of what it takes to get that tomato from Chile or Mexico to your table. The fuel, gas, trucking emissions! The labor, the electricity to cool the storage building in Tijuana or Nogales! By buying in the USA, you reduce that carbon footprint drastically.

Now, of course, there are some items that simply don't grow here in America, for example bananas, tea, Swedish lutefisk and French champagne. But how about coffee? We hear of espresso shops supporting Honduran or Vietnamese coffee producers by buying "fair trade." What about the coffee producers in our own country, in the state of HAWAII? Next time you go to the grocery store, look for Hawaiian coffee. You won't find it. Ask Starbucks why they don't sell it - they'll tell you it costs too much (see items #1 and #2). If you want, you could order your coffee online direct from Hawaiian coffee growers - they'll be delighted to ship to you, and you'll be supporting American agriculture. You could even ask your grocer to bring in Hawaiian coffee to the supermarket shelves. Usually they'll do a test run if they have inquiries from customers. Keep the money in our own country to help our own economy!

Tomatoes at a farmers' market

Now let's take this whole concept a step further. Let's buy that tomato LOCALLY. Not only are you supporting the economy of the USA, but now you are supporting the farmers in your own community. And the seed dealer. And the fertilizer guy. And the packaging supplier. Their kids play with your kids on the soccer team. You get the picture.

Our Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) has a special program for highlighting Idaho grown foods. It is called Idaho Preferred. Consumers can look for the Idaho Preferred label in our grocery stores and in restaurants. Check out your own state, do you have a special label, a special designation for foods grown right there? By buying preferred you know you are buying from and supporting the farmers and ranchers in your own state.

You may live in a region that has large tomato farms (think Salinas Valley and Imperial Valley, California). If this is the case, most likely the tomatoes in your grocery store would then be local. But what if you live in Maine or Tennessee? During the "farm season" you would be able to buy a locally produced tomato at the farmstand down the road or at the Saturday farmer's market. Then, you would be able to actually meet the farmer who grew the tomato! How awesome would that be? The same might be said of any number of vegetable and meat items.

So how about this. Try to put the origination of your food on your radar. Take a look around, ask your grocer for American, regionally and locally grown produce and whole foods. Check the menu at your favorite locally-owned restaurants; many carry domestic conventionally and naturally raised produce and meats in their shops and on their menus. You would be a LOCAVORE.

Just think of the reduction of the carbon footprint for your tomato now, it would be nearly nil! The tomato would be super fresh, too, would have been harvested the day before or even that morning, and would be vine ripened, instead of having been harvested 3 weeks ago in Mexico, while it was still half green. Additionally, it would have been bred for flavor, texture and it's beautiful color instead of for a long shelf life.

What about buying out-of-season produce, like tomatoes in December? Well, that's another topic entirely. There's new thinking with regard to this question - the thinking is this: to eat produce that is in season. Most of the produce we eat all year - that which we have become accustomed to in mid-winter - doesn't come from the USA. In order to get lettuce and tomatoes in January, it most likely comes from Mexico or Central America. Sometimes you might see produce from the Imperial Valley, California, but usually it's imported from south of the border.

Any American grown and locally grown foods you might be able to find in December, would be those which are harvested at that time of year (citrus and avocados). But, the good news is that there are more innovative farmers growing winter greens and veges in hot-houses all across the country. As you might imagine, the cost is high to heat these greenhouses, which might drive up the retail price. But look for them, ask your grocer, he may be able to find off-season-hot-house-grown local produce.

An interesting exercise would be to try to "eat in season." It might be shocking. It might take some getting used to. It might be a challenge.

So how about this - to try to pay attention to where your food comes from. You could take advantage of the local producers' bounty at the farm stand or farmers' markets in our town. You won't find little sticky-labels on the produce sold there! If you shop at your regular grocery store, inspect the little labels on each piece of produce. If it says "Grown in the USA," say "thank you!" to the vegetable manager of your market for standing up for America, and let him know you appreciate it.

BUY AMERICAN GROWN FOOD, the safest, most abundant and best food in the whole world!

SUPPORT OUR FARMERS! BUY "GROWN IN THE USA!"