the Shepherd's farm

What I've Been Up To

2014-02-08T23:32:00.000-08:00

Hello friends. It's been a while and I feel it is time to give an update as to the comings, goings, and general happenings here on the farm and beyond. We have been busy around here and life is always happening. Time is not in abundance and everything has to have a priority. I am doing my best to be a good steward of what God has blessed me with and so, I have begun a journal so to speak to keep track of what has been done, what needs to be done, and anything in between. Farmhouse, homeschool, barnyard, and garden are my main sections with other subsections to help keep track. I am a person who must write everything down, if I don't I either forget what needs to be done or become overwhelmed with all there is to do. Writing is what helps me to think better and to know where I am in all of my to-do's.

This Fall was so beautiful and the kids and I found ourselves always making excuses for going outside. Thankfully we were able to be a little productive by enjoying the sunshine and picking up walnuts from our

walnut trees. I had such a wonderful time talking to the kids about the blessing of where we live, while watching them load the overflowing baskets with the little gems of nature's goodness and laughing at the same time. It does my heart good to see my children find joy in the simple things and to see their imaginations soar

with what God has provided in nature to play with. I am constantly at war with the temptation to let my kids

watch TV and movies. Maybe others think it a little thing, but I want my kids to grow up in reality. That a person knows how to think, how to work, how to enjoy what God has made, and that nothing is more important, exciting, or amazing than God is of utmost importance. The glitz of this world gives a false glow and it is unfortunately so alluring to children...and adults. My children have no idea how to operate a computer, get on the internet, or how to work the TV. They do know how to shoot their bows, catch chickens, cuddle chicks, and hunt for bison, grizzly bears, stone sheep, and moose in our back pasture. I am thankful beyond measure.

We were able to harvest our first animal on the farm a few months ago and it was truly a special experience. To have a steer arrive in a shrunken and wrinkled frame and to have had him end his days as a healthy, vibrant, and large animal was rewarding to say the least. The children were all present when the butcher arrived and they got to witness the whole process. There was no crying or shock, just excitement and interest in what was happening. The butcher was great with the kids and explained everything he was doing and how to do it. The kids got to see what the lungs, kidney, liver, and heart looked like and were amazed at how big Gus's stomach was. My little ones got to see firsthand where their food comes from and I was a happy mama to see that for them, as it should for all, this was normal and a day to be thankful. I was very pleased with how well our steers organs looked and the butcher said that he was very healthy. This is an animal who was true to the meaning of grass fed, no antibiotics, no hormones, no grain - just grass, sunshine, and time. Let me tell you

friends, the meat is some of the best we've ever eaten and we are thankful to have an extremely full freezer. I had the pleasure in the days to follow to render the tallow from our steer and it has beauty in its own right. There is so much to learn from living on a farm and caring for livestock. No matter what I'm doing, or where I turn, I see the hand of God intricately weaving glimpses of himself in what He has made. I am convinced that in my life of being a wife, mama, and shepherdess, that I am never far from the daily graces and blessings from the Lord.

Last week we got 30 chicks and let me tell ya, they are cute. It's difficult to be productive when there are so many adorable, chirping fuzzballs in the greenhouse brooder box. I go out often with the kids for obvious reasons, but I also let them hold the chicks quite a lot so the newbies get used to us. I have no use for crazy animals and so we will win the affections of our livestock either by handling or food. We are getting 20 more
tomorrow and so I've officially become a crazy chicken lady. Seriously, we're going to have almost 70 chickens total by tomorrow evening. Crazy. Chicken. Lady... All joking aside we are taking a step of faith

and venturing into the egg business. I think it's something that is doable for my kids and I and so we have remodeled a second coop and are going to go for it. You will never know if you can do something unless you try. I have quite a few breeds living here on the farm because I like to try new things and I had a few new breeds that I want to give a try. Here is our chicken line up: Rhode Island Reds, Buff Orpingtons, Ameraucanas, Barred Rocks, Cuckoo Marans, and Black Australorps. The Ameraucana chicks are especially endearing because of their unique markings. Here's my favorite.

The most exciting thing that I'm doing right now is a little surprise that I'm doing for my dearly loved little ones. I feel so blessed to get to be a mama to the three precious souls that I've been given. There are some seriously hard, fall-on-your-knees-in-desperate-prayer moments and there are many melt-your-heart moments where there are silent prayers sent in a continuous stream to the Lord for His abundant mercy and grace. I have never felt the depth of my selfishness until I became a mama, nor have I felt the fierce love and willingness to do whatever it takes to care for another person, until I birthed a child. It is a miracle and a gift to be a parent, but it is also a tool for sanctification. Letters are my love language. I have begun a box for each

of my children am filling them with letters from me - their mama. One might be about my love for them,

another about what we did that day, and another may be about a struggle we are going through and I want

that child to know the whys and reasons why their mama handled it the way she did. I want to give my children a glimpse of themselves from their mama's perspective and tell them stories of what they did and funny things they said. I want to write them letters that will encourage them in the Lord and offer wisdom that I've learned so far. This will be kept a secret from them until they've grown and are ready to move out of the house. I pray and hope this will be a treasure and blessing for them since this will truly be from my heart. If you know my kids...mums the word.

There is so much more that I can say, but this must be enough for now. Following is a little collage of random happenings and bits of beauty that I've captured on the farm. I am forever grateful to my God above for all that He's given me and am thankful for you friends, readers, and fellow believers. I will do my best to be a more regular blogger once again. I'm thinking of doing a giveaway. What do you think?

Homemade Larabars

2013-12-20T13:48:00.000-08:00

Homemade Larabars. So good and so easy. I had quite a few recipe requests for the homemade Larabar picture I posted on Instagram this morning and so I decided to post the recipe here. (If you have an instagram account, go HERE) I have loved Larabars for a while, but their pretty spendy. Plus, I just love homemade food. It tastes better and is more than likely better for you. Hence me looking at the ingredients on the back of the package and thinking, "I could totally make this." I was right.

These bars are so moist and delicious that they put their store bought counterparts to shame. I know I'm a bit biased, but seriously these are tasty! Just a disclaimer, I followed no recipe and when it comes to amounts of ingredients used, this recipe is completely original. I hope you love these as much as my family and I do!

Ingredients:
~32 oz of dates (I used two packages of Trader Joe's Medjool Dates)
~18 oz of peanut butter (I used Adams Crunchy Peanut Butter)
~1/2-2 c toasted almonds
~1/2 c chocolate chips
~salt

Preparation:
1. Put a few slits in each date and then soak them in hot water for 10-15 minutes. The skin will easily come off and of course, take the pit out.

2. Next put half of your dates in a food processor and process until the dates are mush. It's ok to have a few chunks here and there. Put the mush into your kitchen aid (or other mixing bowl) and process the second batch of dates.

2. Once all dates have been puréed put them into your kitchen aid mixer and add the peanut butter. Mix thoroughly together. ***I would have added more peanut butter but didn't have enough. If you like peanut butter a lot then add a little more.

3. Next put 1 1/2 cups of your toasted almonds into your food processor and purée them until they are finely ground. Add the ground almonds to your date and peanut butter purée and mix. This is where preference comes in. Do you want your bar to be moist? Don't add more than 1 1/2 c almonds. Want your bars to be a little more dry? Add more ground almonds. Simple. (Just be sure to not add too many ground almonds. You want your bars to hold together and not crumble.) I made mine to be not really sticky when you touch them, but they are most definitely not dry. They are nice and moist.

4. Put your chocolate chips in the processor and grind them up until they are a quarter of their original size. (Again, this is preference too. If you want your bars really chocolate-y add more and so on.) Add to the mixer and combine. Taste your batter and you can see if you want to add salt or not. I added a few shakes from my salt shaker.

5. Line a 9x13 and an 9x9 pan with Saran Wrap or wax paper. Press your fruit batter into each pan. My bars are about 1/2 inch thick, but make them as thin or thick as you like. I then lightly sprinkled the top of the batter with salt. ***You could even lightly dust the top with cocoa powder. Mmmmm. :)

6. Refrigerate for an hour. Once cold, pull the fruit purée out of the pan using the Saran Wrap and cut into desired sized bars. Store bars in fridge.

7. Try not to eat them all at once!

I hope you enjoy these and let me how how they turn out!

That Woman

2013-11-14T15:44:00.000-08:00

In the early years of my marriage I found myself drawn to martyrdom, and yes, I find myself still drawn. The way that the persecuted church just shines is just amazing and they are a bright and burning light in this dark and cruel world. I decided to read Foxe's Book of Martyrs and it had a profound and lasting mark on my life. It is full of stories of saints who paid with their lives to tell of the love of Christ. How can one measure one story against another? You can't really, but there is one story that has burned its way into my heart.

Its of a mother who had a young son and she had to watch him suffer and die. I am just going to warn you, if you are faint of heart, or don't like to deal with death, DON'T READ THIS POST! The contents following are hard to read (and type), but I am led to share this woman's story.

*******

"Here again Romanus, taking good occasion, made a long oration of the eternity of Christ, of His human nature, of the death and satisfaction of Christ for all mankind. Which done, he said, 'Give me a child, O prefect, but seven years of age, which age is free of malice and other vices wherewith riper age is commonly infected, and thou shalt hear what he will say.' His request was granted.

A little boy was called out of the multitude, and set before him. 'Tell me, my babe,' quoth the martyr, 'whether thou think it reason that we should worship one Christ, and in Christ one Father, or else that we worship many gods?'

Unto whom the babe answered, 'That certainly (whatsoever it be) which men affirm to be God, must needs be one; and that which pertains to that one, is unique: and inasmuch as Christ is unique, of necessity Christ must be the true God; for that there be many gods, we children cannot believe.'

The prefect hereat clean amazed, said, 'Thou young villain and traitor, where, and of whom learnedst thou this lesson?'

'Of my mother,' quoth the child, 'with whose milk I sucked in this lesson, that I must believe in Christ.' The mother was called, and she gladly appeared. The prefect commanded the child to be hoisted up and scourged. The pitiful beholders of this pitiless act, could not temper themselves from tears; the joyful and glad mother alone stood by with dry cheeks. Yea, she rebuked her sweet babe for craving a draught of cold water: she charged him to thirst after the cup that the infants of Bethlehem once drank of, forgetting their mothers' milk and paps; she willed him to remember little Isaac, who, beholding the sword wherewith, and the altar whereon, he should be sacrificed, willingly proffered his tender neck to the dint of his father's sword. Whilst this council was in giving, the butcherly tormentor plucked the skin from the crown of his head, hair and all. The mother cried, 'Suffer, my child! anon thou shalt pass to Him that will adorn thy naked head with a crown of eternal glory.' The mother counselleth, the child is counselled; the mother encourageth, the babe is encouraged, and receiveth the stripes with smiling countenance. ( If your crying now, please know that I can hardly see to type.)

The prefect perceiving the child invincible, and himself vanquished, committeth the blessed babe to the stinking prison, commanding the torments of Romanus to be renewed and increased, as chief author of this evil.

This was Romanus brought forth again to new stripes, the punishments to be renewed and received again upon his old sores. No longer could the tyrant forbear, but needs he must draw nearer to the sentence of death. 'Is it painful to thee,' saith he, 'to tarry so long alive? A flaming fire, doubt thou not, shall be prepared for thee and by and by, wherein thou and that boy, thy fellow in rebellion, shall be consumed into ashes.' Romanus and the babe were led to execution. When they were come to the place, the tormentors required the child of the mother, for she had taken it up in her arms; and she, only kissing it, delivered the babe. 'Farewell,' she said, 'my sweet child; and when thou hast entered the kingdom of Christ, there in thy blest estate remember thy mother.' And as the hangman applied the sword to the babe's neck, she sang on in this manner:

All laud and praise with heart and voice,

O Lord, we yield to thee:

To whom the death of this thy saint,

We know most dear to be.

The innocent's head being cut off, the mother wrapped it up in her garment, and laid it on her breast."

-Foxe's Book of Martyrs (end of chapter one)

*******

This story has more do with the child in ways and let me just say for sayings sake, I'm not sadistic nor do I desire any of my children to die like this dear boy.

I so deeply desire for my children to grow up to love and to know the Lord. I don't want to raise little pharisees that know all the rules, but inwardly are as dead as a corpse. There are so many things that I could want for them, but to know God is really my main concern. It is so convicting to read of this mother who no doubt loves her child, BUT she loves his soul more. By her words and her actions she proves where her heart truly lies, and it's with Jesus.

There are so many distractions, so many things begging for our attention, but at the end of the day what truly matters?

Over the past 6 months or so, the Lord has been greatly changing and impressing upon me the importance of a life lived for God. Nothing else matters. N-o-t-h-i-n-g. I have experienced a closeness with Jesus that I dare not to give up. He is more real than the air I breathe and I want to serve Him with every ounce of my being. It is so frustrating to fail and realize how far I truly fall short. And the fact that God chose to make me a mother is just amazing (and terrifying) to me. I am one of the most selfish people I know and I can rival my kids any day. Thankfully the Lord never gives up on His children.

I have been given a very precious treasure in Christ and it needs to be guarded and cherished. It also needs to be lived out and shared with those that God has placed in my life. I often wonder how this woman raised such a spiritually mature son and the young age of seven? How were their days together, what were their conversations like, how did she live in front of her son? I could cry right now just thinking about the hugeness of this task; this task of parenthood. This mother no doubt, did nothing but live, eat, breathe, sleep, and speak of Christ to her son. That sweet boy saw Jesus every day. He saw him dwell in his mother with such severity that he could not deny the power and reality of such a Savior. Oh, that this would be the case with me! I am not this woman, but I want to be her.

It hurts to think of being anything less than being totally devoted to Jesus.

I can't imagine witnessing such atrocities against any one of my children. I am almost to sobs just thinking about it. Then the heavier questions arise in my thoughts, "Is Jesus worth it? Does He mean enough to me to encourage my child(ren) or myself to suffer for His name? Is my treasure/heart with Jesus or do I care about comfort for myself and my family more?

May my walk grow stronger daily with Christ, may the frivolities of this life fall away every second, may I cling to Jesus with such severity that my children have no reason to deny our blessed Savior. May I live, teach, eat, breath, and show my children why were are alive...to serve our God....no matter what.

If you've never read Foxe's Book of Martyrs (AFL), you really should. Sure you'll cry, cringe, and be sick, but so be it. We live in such fluff, such comfort and ease that we have no sense of reality. People die every day for the name of Jesus. And no, they're not just shot and then die, they are tortured and suffer greatly.

There is so much more that I could say, but I'm sure once you've read this story, you'll understand what I mean when I say, "I want to be THAT woman."

Amen. So be it.

Homemade Tallow Balm

2013-11-11T07:54:00.000-08:00

For the past year and a half I have embarked whole heartedly into my whole foods journey. I have always had more of a "natural route" approach when it comes to feeding and caring for my family. In finding out about the Weston A Price organization I had an 'ah-ha!' moment. It was like I found what I never realized I was looking for. An organization - more like a group of people - who are dedicated to eating what is nourishing to our bodies and are committed to helping others do the same. I became a member immediately and in doing so I received their quarterly journal quickly in the mail.

I devoured it. I read it. I scoured it. And I learned from it.

I can't emphasize to you enough of my enjoyment of reading that lovely journal. In it I found a jewel, one that I have been looking for long and hard.

I have been battling diaper rash with my daughter for months. It seems like I have had an issue with it since she was born last July. It has been terribly frustrating to not be able to figure out why it wont go away and not have any home remedies work in healing her poor bottom. Weston A. Price to the rescue! In the quarterly journal there was an article about tallow balm, it's history, it's healing properties, and a 'how-to' in making your own. There even was mention of a mama using it on her baby's diaper rash and it was cured. Say no more, I decided that I was going to try it out. What was there to lose? Nothing. Absolutely nothin'.

There I was, standing in my kitchen looking at something that should be in a sci-fi movie sitting on my counter top. I had made several calls earlier in the week and had walked into a local grocery store/butcher shop and finally obtained what I was looking for. Beef tallow or as the butcher called it suet (I will proceed to call it tallow/suet since I have had so many people call it these two names). Since I have my quirks and like to have fun with my food I decided to name the newest addition to my REAL foodie journey.

Meet 'Little Miss Suet'.

Isn't she disgustingly awesome?

I think so too.

I'm serious, she was and is awesome in so many ways. I never knew the greatness that I had before me. Before we get ahead of ourselves, let me give you a few facts on tallow balm and why I am so excited about this. Once rendered you can cook with this, bake with this, and make your own skin care products with this. You heard me correctly. Skin. Care. Products. This is where I am heading with this post. Food tastes amazing using tallow/suet and it is full of natures goodness, but I want to focus on what it does for your skin.

In the article it states that, "From biology, we know that the [human] cell membrane is made up primarily of fatty acids, a double layer, to be exact. Saturated fats constitute at least 50 percent of the cell membrane. Since saturated fats tend to be more solid than unsaturated fats at a given temperature, they help give the cell membrane its necessary stiffness and integrity for proper function...Healthy, "toned" skin cells with sufficient saturated and monounsaturated fats would undoubtedly make for healthy, toned skin. Interestingly, tallow fat is typically 50 to 55 percent saturated, just like our cell membranes, with almost all the rest being monounsaturated, so it makes sense that it would be helpful for skin health and compatible with our cell biology."

Isn't that just so amazing? I love learning about how the Lord made our bodies and how intricately we were designed. Did you also know that "tallow also contains fats like conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as palmitoleic acid, which has natural antimicrobial properties?" (quotes cited from article)

I could go on, but I'll spare you. I'm hoping this will lead you to do some more reading and research on your own.

*wink, wink*

Back to my baby's diaper rash. I'll admit, this was my last ditch effort before I resorted to more drastic measures. I am so glad that I tried this because it really worked wonders and I love that I'm putting something on my baby's skin that not only is helping her, but is also healing her.

Tallow/suet balm is so easy to make. If your interested in learning how to do it follow along and then...get you some suet!

You'll want to cut up the suet in small pieces and cut out anything that isn't hard and waxy. The kidney you can either throw away or if you have a dog...give the dog a treat! Franco loved his treat so much he buried it. What can I say? He's a smart one. There is major sarcasm going on here.

Once that job is complete, put the tallow/suet in glass cooking dishes and preheat your oven to 220 degrees. Just a warning, it takes quite a while to cut up this hunk of fat, so make sure you do this early in the day. By early I mean, start in the morning so you can have this whole process done well before bedtime. And yes, I was straining tallow/suet while the rest of the family was snoozing. I didn't get the early start that I'm advising...

You'll want to bake the tallow/suet for 6+ hours, or until all the fat is cooked out and the hard tissue is floating in the rendered fat. During the cooking process I took my potato masher and gave everything a good smooshing.

Once this step is finished you'll want to put a metal strainer over a large bowl and strain out all the large chunks. You will need to do a final strain through a cheese cloth to make sure that you got everything. I draped the cheese cloth in the metal strainer and then re-poured the fat through the cheese cloth. It was pretty simple. Don't worry about your cheese cloth, after I used it to do the final strain, I rinsed it out with warm water, gave it a good hand scrubbing with dish soap, let it sit overnight in soapy water, and then washed it the next morning with my laundry. It was as good as new. Whew, that was a mouthful!

Pour your liquid gold into jars and let cool. The rendered fat will stay good for a looong time in your fridge. I use it for all my cooking now and let's just say...it's delicious.

I didn't make my tallow balm right away and so I just let it all cool. When this stuff cools it turns white and once you place it in the fridge it gets hard. When it came time for me to whip up some tallow balm, I just took a jar out of the fridge and let it warm up a bit so it would easily mix up with my other ingredients.

Long post made longer, here's my recipe for my tallow balm.

Homemade Tallow Balm

Here's a wonderful skin balm that has a wide range of uses. Such as face lotion, hand and body lotion, diaper rash cream, and etc.

Ingredients:

Instructions:

Mix tallow and olive oil together in a small glass bowl.

Add essential oils and mix.

Once the desired consistency and scent is achieved transfer to a small glass container with a lid, keep at room temperature, and enjoy!

Makes approximately 2 oz.

*I would start with a few drops and then add more if you are wanting a stronger scent. You can always add more, but you can't take away.

**Use essential oils that are known for being good for skin and skin health. I wouldn't use anything strong that could be an irritant. Peppermint for example would NOT be a good choice.

***I wouldn't recommend using any essential oils that aren't 100% pure therapeutic grade. DoTERRA essential oils are what I use and I highly recommend them.

I hope you love this tallow balm as much as I do.

However, I know that not everyone is up to making their own skin care products. If you are still wanting to have this skin care goodness but don't want to make it you can go HERE and buy some. You won't regret it.

And just so you know, I also use this on my face. Don't be shocked, it's wonderful.

If your in need of essential oils click HERE and you can find everything you need.

*** Excerpts in this post were from the article written by Andrew J. Gardner titled, "Traditional Nourishing and Healing Skin Care". It can be found in the Winter 2012 Volume 13 Number 4 edition of Wise Traditions.

Little Things

2013-10-30T15:13:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago, I had one of the best days I've had in a long time. It was one of those days that I could feel the Lord's working and shaping in my life. His presence was ever near and it was a sweet day of fellowship with the One that truly matters.

I am always thinking and scheming about how I can do something big for the Lord; something that would make a huge difference in the life of someone else. I have a list of things that I think are worthy of my thoughts and efforts and yet, that list seems so unattainable. It frustrates me to no end that I have all these burdens on my heart and I seem to be unable to do anything.

We all want to do something big right? What about the little things? Or the daily events that we seem to just look at as unimportant?

This day was like any other. Nothing special planned and no outings to go and do. The day went along without a hitch and when the afternoon rolled around I knew I needed to start making dinner. Quite often I will make a meal that I know will feed our whole family and there wont be much, if any, leftovers. I was set one of these dinners, but for some reason I felt compelled to make something I haven't made in a while. In fact, I got downright excited to make it. Zuppa Toscana with corn bread...one of my favorites!

Dinner time was quickly approaching and I did a quick look in the mirror to make sure I was not totally disheveled and was thankful to the Lord that I actually was on time with the meals preparations. Soup was ready, cornbread just came out of the oven, and the table was set. As I was on my knees in the pantry putting the granulated honey in the pot to melt it a bit, my hubby walked through the garage door into the house. No sooner did I peer over my shoulder to say hello than do I see a gentleman following my hubby through the door. I quickly got up and Seth introduced me to Casey. It is not abnormal for my husband to have a person to introduce to me due to him always hiring new employees for his construction company. I assumed he was new to the business and thought no more. I walked into the kitchen and Seth was showing Casey around and the kids were chatting away with our guest.

We asked Casey to stay and have dinner with us and he kindly accepted. And was I ever so thankful that I made soup instead of a meager dinner!!! While the honey was melting, Seth quickly took Casey outside and showed him around the farm. I got a little curious as to why Seth was talking so casually with Casey rather than filling him in on business talk, but one look out the dining room window and everything made sense.

Let me give you a background on my man.

I had heard a few stories when we first began dating and experienced it in our early marriage. My generous hubby has been known from time to time to pick up hitch hikers and give them a ride or take them to dinner. While I love this about him, it also scares me. I'm sure I don't need to explain why. When we had our first child I asked him to not do it anymore because I didn't want him to get hurt (I won't get into details, but lets just say I know of an incident with a kid I used to go to school with and it makes me incredibly leery of this kind of thing). Anyway, I have become convicted recently about how much we are doing to help the poor and the needy and for reasons only God knows, Seth and I talked a few months ago and we decided if he felt let to pick up a hitch hiker, he should.

So when I looked out the dining room window, I saw a back pack in the back of the truck...

I smiled to myself and actually laughed. I was so thankful to the Lord for the change of heart that I could rejoice in seeing the Lord work things out. I had made enough dinner to feed twice as many people as we had at the table and my husband brought a wandering soul into our home so we could talk, feed, and encourage him. My children got to see their parents welcome a stranger into our home and they didn't think anything of it. They in fact, loved having Casey there and he was great. Conversation seemed to flow seamlessly and we rather enjoyed hearing about his life and interests.

We can be so quick to judge and act out of fear. And this evening was the exact opposite. Casey was a true gentleman and was actually on his way home from visiting friends. He decided to hitch hike from Oregon to Georgia so he could meet new people and have an adventure. He works a couple seasonal jobs and was on a break. We talked at the table for quite a while and Seth asked if he was ready to go. Lets just say that it was so hard to not tell Casey he could sleep on our couch, when I knew he was wanting to continue on his journey. I felt very inhospitable, but this was how he wanted it. His only request was to try our raw milk because he never tasted it before. And of course, he loved it.

While Seth was dropping Casey off by the interstate (I know, I know), I was pondering over the Lord's providence and how He so perfectly orchestrates events in our lives. Once I got the kids to bed, I went outside to do the chores. I am a creature of habit and always do them the same way, but for whatever reason I decided to do things a bit different. I fed the cat, went to feed Franco, and then headed for the coop. With the layout of our fence and such I have to go through a gate to get to the coop and it's a good thing I went this route. Nestled in the corner of the gate was one of my Welsummer hens. I would have NEVER found her here because this is not the usual spot for a missing chicken to be, let alone the usual chicken. A Rhode Island hen is usually found roosting on the top of the run, so I would have never thought to look here. I picked her up and immediately thought, "Lord, you care about the little things too. Not just what I consider to be big, but you care for the little things too. Feeding and welcoming strangers into our home (big), but also a lone hen that might be harmed if left by herself in the night (little)."

I tucked the missing hen under my arm and just thanked the Lord for His providence and care for His people and His creation. People are of infinite more value than animals, but that doesn't mean He doesn't care for them.

"Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows."

Matthew 10:20-31

I walked into the coop, turned the light on, counted chickens, closed the run door, and then set the hen on the roost with the rest of the girls. No sooner did I set her down than did I realize she had a patch of feathers missing from her back. She was fine, no blood, but she probably got too close to Franco and got a few feather plucked out. I thanked the Lord (again) for letting me find her and see that she has some feathers missing. I now knew to watch out for her just to make sure she's ok.

I went to bed just in awe of how the hand of God plans the steps of His children and changes our hearts to want to do His will. I will probably not forget this day as it had a profound impact in my life.

***

A few days before we left for our trip to Wyoming I found a letter in the mail that was addressed to Seth. It was from Georgia and I was so confused as to who it could be. I didn't know Casey's last name and I for some reason thought home for him was Texas.

I called Seth and asked if I could open it and once given the ok, I ripped the envelope faster than you could blink. I about started to cry once I realized who it was from and thanked the Lord that we were able to show the love of Christ to one who we may never meet again.

Not sure if you can read the letter, but here is the second half of it:

"The whole trip, Atlanta- Colorado- Oregon- Texas was amazing, but one of the best highlights and probably the most memorable moments was getting the chance to meet you and your family. I can't thank you enough for your hospitality, kindness, and gifts. When people ask about this trip, yours is the first stay I tell. Please extend my greetings and thanks to Noel, Jude, Ella, and Leah. May you all continue to be safe and prosperous.

-Casey Tucker "

Reading this means more to me (and us) than any amount of money or wealth. We are thankful for the chance to have met Casey Tucker and we pray that the Lord will work in his life.

If I have one thing to say it's this, don't let an opportunity to do another person good pass you by because your are afraid or because it might make you uncomfortable. God is the only one we need to please and He always, always cares for His children. May we always live to please him and never forget the poor, the needy, or just the traveler passing by.

Rosemary Sage Roasted Chicken

2013-10-27T23:04:00.001-07:00

Lets just get this out in the open.

I love butter.

In fact I love it so much that I've taught my kids something that I consider to be very important. It goes like this...butter makes everything better.

Say it with me now, "Butter makes EVERYTHING better."

Ok yes, now we can move on cause the recipe in this post is just simply delicious AND it contains a lot of butter.

Mmmmmm.

I have about darn near perfected the roasted chicken. It is so good, soft, juicy, and finger lickin' tasty that I just have to share it with you. What kind of a friend would I be if I didn't?

When I first got married I was so intimidated by the (whole) chicken. I had no idea how to cook it and quite frankly didn't really want to touch it. I cooked a few and they were just as bland as a piece of unbuttered toast and dry to boot. The whole chicken quickly was put on the back burner and I turned to the boneless skinless chicken breast. While the chicken breast is very versatile it can also be very dry (I have a trick for this too - later friends, later) and can't go as far as a whole bird.

I can't remember the last time I bought chicken breasts. I miss them at times, but I can get at least two meals, maaaybe three out of a whole chicken. Plus I make bone broth with the carcass when I'm done. Score! I'm pretty sure you can't make two chicken breasts last as long as that (I said two because there are after all, only two breasts on a chicken).

So before we get started on the chicken I'll show you a little technique I've come up with. It makes life much easier and tastier. I like to put butter under the skin of the chicken and on top. Have you ever tried to put butter under the skin of a chicken? No matter the answer, let me show you how I do it.

Get 1/2 cup of butter to room temp and peel one small head of garlic.

Mince or crush your garlic into your butter and mix thoroughly. I like to make my butter VERY garlic-y because I love garlic too. You can definitely do as much or as little as you want, but please, add garlic.

Once mixed, put your garlic-y butter on wax paper. Spread it out to about the size of an elongated stick of butter. Next you'll want to wrap the edge of your wax paper around your butter and squeeze all the air out. Gently make the butter into a smooth tube and keep the wax paper as wrinkle free as possible (this is so when you go to unwrap the butter, the wax paper will easily come off). Gently twist the edges of the wax paper like you see on a taffy candy wrapper. Put butter into fridge and let harden (I like to do this step the day before to make sure that is is ready).

Now for the finger lickin' chicken.

First things first. Rinse off your chicken inside and out, then dry it off with paper towels. Don't skip the drying off, it makes for a crispier skin and it makes it easier when you go to slather the butter on the bird. Believe me if you don't dry off your chicken, the only thing that is going to have butter on it is YOU.

Next take scissors and cut one slit on each of the legs. Once you've made your cuts, take your finger stick it under the skin and separate the skin from the meat. You'll also want to separate the skin from the breasts in the same manner. I about get my whole hand under the skin on the chicken breasts. I want my butter to go far.

Now is the time to whip out your tube of garlic butter. Unwrap the morsel of buttery goodness and cut the whole thing into slices. Separate 2-4 slices from the bunch and then stick the rest in a baggie and put it in the fridge for future use. Split one of the slices in half and then slide the halves under the skin on the legs. Next slide the other slices under the breast of the chicken. Make sure you really get them in there. You don't want your butter to drain out of your chicken do you? Of course not.

Once your done sliding the butter under the skin, stuff the small stash of herbs (below) into the cavity along with a lemon that's been cut into quarters. Tie the legs together with a piece of baking twine.

Next you'll need to make the herb butter for the outside of the chicken.

I have herbs growing right outside my door so I grabbed a handful of sage and rosemary and thought it good for my chicken. You can really use whatever herbs you want, but this combination is a good one. Separate a small stash for the inside of the bird (above) and then mince the rest for the butter. You really want to make this as small as you can. Also, if you choose to use fresh rosemary, be sure to remove the needles from the stem. The stem is essentially wood and is no bueno for eating. Once your done mincing, add it to about 1/4 cup of softened butter and mix well. I like to add a bit of salt too, but do whatever suits your taste.

Generously rub the herb butter all over your whole chicken and make sure you cover it well. The butter should stick well if you made sure that your chicken is dry. Once that's done, drop the rest of the herb butter on your potatoes (assuming your cooking your chicken on potatoes).

Cook for about 1 1/2 hours with your oven on 350 degrees. If your potatoes aren't quite done yet (don't cut them too big), cover your chicken with foil and then turn the oven up to about 375 for about 10 minutes and that should do the trick.

And voila, you have a fantastic mouth watering roasted chicken! Make sure you let it rest for about 10-15 minutes so all the juices soak into the bird and don't just flow out when your cutting it up. The potatoes are going to be mouth watering tasty due to them being baked in your buttery, garlic-y, herb and chicken juices.

Are you hungry yet?

I really hope you try this, it's just too good not to.

And if after all that I've told you, if you can only remember one thing, please remember my motto...

Butter makes EVERYTHING better.

Homemade Caramel Corn

2013-10-27T22:31:00.003-07:00

Well, I'm sorry.

It's been a long time since I posted a recipe, but life has been in such a whirlwind lately that I've been cooking basics. Nothin' exciting or fun.

Until now, that is.

On Saturday the fam and I went to a rodeo. It was so much fun and my son now is fixated on becoming a bull rider. If you knew him, you'd realize how serious he is. Next year we'll sign him up to do the muttin' busting and he can get a taste for sand. Hopefully that will rid him of his desire to die on the back of a bull. I mean really, what mama gets excited when her son tells her he wants to ride bulls? Not this one.

Moooooving on.

Sorry, I can't help myself.

Knowing that we were going to a rodeo filled with all sorts of junk food, I decided that I wanted to bring some snacks that could rival anything the concession stands could fry our way. I mean come on, who doesn't love a corn dog?

I didn't make corn dogs, but I did make something even better. I give you...homemade caramel corn!

It tastes every bit as good as it looks and it's full of good stuff. You won't find any hydrogenated oils or corn syrups here. No way. Just goodness the way God intended. I will not make you wait any longer, here ya go!

Homemade Caramel Corn

Here's what you'll need:

1/2 cup Molasses*
1/2 cup Honey
1/2 cup Butter
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp Baking Soda

*If your molasses is really strong, make it 1/4 cup molasses and 3/4 cup honey.

First things first, pop your self some popcorn. Put 1/2 cup of unpopped popcorn in your air popper (if you don't have one use a heavy pot over medium low heat). I really like air popped popcorn because it's lighter than popcorn popped in a pan.

Wow, this is a lot of popping. Let's just say I'm trying to make sure I'm doubling the p's and not the o's. If you know what I'm sayin'.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees and butter two 9 x 13 casserole dishes. Once buttered, split the (popped) popcorn between the two dishes.

Next you want to make the caramel for the popcorn.

In your pan add 1/2 cup molasses, 1/2 cup honey, 1/2 cup butter, and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly. Once it's boiling, let the carmel mixture boil for 5 minutes without stirring.

Remove from heat (VERY IMPORTANT).

Add 1 tsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp baking soda.

Make sure you are stirring carefully when you add these because the carmel is going to want to foam and will rise quite a bit. If this is your first time, you may want to do this in a larger pot so it doesn't spill everywhere.

As soon as these are mixed well pour equal parts over your two dishes of popcorn. Mix quickly and carefully. You want to make sure you coat all the popcorn with the caramel before it starts to cool and you don't want to break all your popcorn to bits. I suggest you fold the caramel into the popcorn like you would fold whipped egg whites into batter.

Bake in your preheated oven for 1 hour. Stir/fold the caramel corn one more time and then pour it out on parchment paper and let cool.

***You could also make popcorn balls with this. Before baking, make the popcorn into the desired size of balls and then bake. So fun!

If you are going to be eating this caramel corn right away you don't have to bake it if you don't want to. It is sooo good and gooey and soft. If you are going to be eating this later then I suggest you bake it and make it wonderfully crispy. It doesn't save well unbaked.

This is some of the best caramel corn you'll ever eat! I'm serious. We ate this in about 10 minutes at the rodeo and I was lamenting that I didn't make more.

Next time, I will be FULLY prepared.

I can't wait for you to try this and it's really so easy to make.

Oh, and I dare you to not lick the pan when your done.

When Disaster Strikes

2013-10-27T21:47:00.001-07:00

Well friends I had a COMPLETELY different post planned for today, but as the Lord would have it, plans change. Let me start at the beginning.

This day has started rough. I will admit I was a bit of a grump and then you add two children who have bad attitudes as well and let's just say it's a recipe for disaster. Not only do I have to deal with myself, but I also have to teach and train my children as to what it means to be happy, thankful, and not complain about every-single-little-thing-that-isn't-perfect. Oh, my what a hard job parenting can be! It's difficult to try to make myself get a better attitude let alone a 5 and a 3 year old.

Breakfast time was a task and we made it through. We all ate, were satisfied, and even smiled a little. I talked to my hubby during that time and he told me that I should just take the kids outside and go for a walk to get some fresh air. Little did he know...

When baby went down for her first nap I thought it would be a good time to go let the chickens out into their run and let Jude and Ella burn off some steam (literally). My mood was definitely perking up as I was putting on my tennis and feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin. The kids were thrilled to get to see the chickens and maybe, just maybe get to catch one. It's so nice to see how little things make them so happy. They catch chickens everyday and yet it never gets old for them.

As we were walking towards the coop together talking about how beautiful of a day it was, I looked up and about died. Yes died. Our whole garden was under water! The beautiful garden we just finished planting, the one I just finished weed eating, the one that we've been waiting for was under 5-6 inches of water. My heart dropped and I promptly turned around to go get my irrigation boots on. Damage control was in need and I had to get prepared. My first thought was about my beloved seedlings that I just planted, but alas I can't do much for them but wait and hope the the water will drain quickly. I hope everything doesn't die, but there's a good chance that it will. I'm thankful that we can flood irrigate our property, but we need to prevent it's passage into our garden and chicken coop.

Oh, yes I said it, the chicken coop. It definitely didn't escape unscathed. The poor girls were probably wondering what the heck happened. I just bought two sacks of organic feed for the chickens. You and I both know that it ain't CHEAP and I knew it was sittin' in the water. I got a empty garbage can and a bucket, two garbage bags, and pruning shears. Since the feed bags were upside down I couldn't open them properly and had to cut the tops off. I scooped out all of the dry feed and put them into the bags that lined the garbage can and bucket. Thankfully we only lost about a fifth of each bag so it definitely could have been worse. I decided to let the wild birds have some goodies and instead of throwing the damp food away I spread it out in our front yard and figured the sun would dry it and the birds could have an easy meal.

I seriously could cry over my seedlings. I know it sounds silly and pathetic, but I've been doting on those darn things for weeks now and only one week after planting them I might lose them. I so desperately want a garden and to be able to feed my family from the place. I want to spend time with my kids teaching them about the rewards of hard work and get our hands dirty together. All-in-all I want everything to be perfect.

That is the problem. Perfection is unattainable this side of heaven. Life happens and lessons are to be learned.

On a spiritual note, I was humbled today. I myself woke up a bit grumpy and then was irritated when my kids did the same. I wanted them to just change their attitude and be nice, respectful, and happy. Just like that. I wanted to quickly go let the chickens out so I could come back to the house and clean, clean, get ready for company, and clean. I have laundry that needs to be folded, a house that looks like kids live here (cause they do), dishes to do, and the list goes on and on and on. While scooping food into the dry bags I was thinking about how the day already is a bad one and then no sooner did I think that then did I realize it was a great day. What do I have to complain about? I have a house, food, children, a husband, I have animals to care for that will provide food one day (Lord willing), and I have a garden. Even though it's under water, I still have one. I'm one of the Lord's and He's blessed me. I should NOT complain, my life could be infinitely worse.

The Lord was changing my heart and helping me to see my blessings and not the events that I was dwelling on as the makings of a terrible day. I got perspective in a hurry. While I was grumbling in the coop about the over-abundance of water, my children were outside playing and having a joyous time. Imaginations were running wild and I could hear them defeating the crocodiles and saving the lady bugs from imminent death. Such grand tales from such little souls.

Again, humbled.

Farm life has unexpected twists and turns. Sometimes it seems like everything is going right and that life couldn't get better. Seeds are growing, sprouting, producing, and animals are thriving, healthy, and reproducing. There are the times when disaster strikes and flooding washes over your garden (or a drought), animals get sick and die (or eaten/attacked), and I could go on.

If your dreaming of a farm, please know that there are highs and lows much like life. If you have farmed or are living on one, I'm probably preaching to the choir.

I have come up with a short list that I will leave you with. One that I think is a compilation of what you need to have on hand when you have to deal with a flooding garden and chicken coop.

Empty and clean garbage cans

Garbage bags (preferably the LARGE ones)

Scissors (or garden shears when your desperate)

Irrigation boots

A good attitude

Sanity

What I Learned at the Wise Traditions Conference - Portland 2013

2013-10-09T23:36:00.000-07:00

So I've been busier than a bee and have had nary a chance to write down all I learned at the Wise Traditions conference I went to a few weeks ago. Heck, I've hardly had time to even THINK about what I learned about. Yes, it's been that crazy.

I'm trying to convince myself that life isn't going to slow down and that I need to get used to this pace. I'm naturally a pretty laid back gal, a go with the flow kind of lady, and a take everything as it comes kind of girl. This is how I function, but it's not the best way to approach life and it lends itself to lack of preparedness for the day, lack of productivity and stress.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: stress + me = no bueno.

I had plans of doing an explanation of every talk I listened to, but honestly I don't have the energy. I will simply write my notes and you can glean from them what you will. Sorry if you were wanting more, but I just don't have the time to give it.

*******

***Disclaimer: These are the notes that I wrote down in haste trying to remember everything that was said. I may have written down a thing or two (unintentionally) wrong (probably not, but maybe). Don't hold it against the speaker or myself. Thank you!***

Sooo, I got to meet Sally Fallon (AFL), which was so awesome! I was sitting down waiting for the first talk to begin (Sally's of course), and realized she was...ahem...sitting right in front of me. Whaaaaat?! So when she glanced over her shoulder I took the opportunity to say hello and begin a conversation. Probably everyday stuff for her, but I was in shock that I actually got to meet her. Needless to say, during her talk I deemed it downright necessary for me to take a picture with her. After all, we're friends now. Right?

She is lovely and I'm thankful to meet someone who's worked so hard to help people eat well and take care of their bodies.

Nourishing Traditional Diets- Sally Fallon

11 Principles for a healthy diet.

1) No refined or denatured foods

No agave syrup or corn syrup (The process used to make agave uses many steps and solvents and renders a sugar that the body is unable to digest. Stick with the good stuff- raw honey and grade B

maple syrup.)

No hydrogenated oils, refined oils

No protein powders

2)Every diet (in Weston A Price's book (afl)) contained animal products.

-Fish and Shellfish

-oil, bones, and heads

-Birds

-organs, fat, and skin

-Red Meat

-beef, goat, sheep, game, organ meat, and fat was the most preferred part of the animals

-Milk and Milk Products (raw of course!)

Only found in animal foods:

-Vitamin A & D

-Cholesterol

-Vitamin b12

-AA, EPA, DHA

(AA is a long chain, super-unsaturated fatty acid)

More easily absorbed from animal foods:

-Calcium (dairy and bone broth)

-Vitamin b6

-Magnesium

-Iron

-Zinc

-Copper

Vitamin b12 Deficiency:

Early signs- Chronic Disease-

-fatigue -MS

-tingling in hands and feet -Anemia

-sleep disorders -Cancer

-irrational anger -Heart Disease

3) ~Huge Deal~ Nutrient Density of Food.

Primitive diets contain 4 times the calcium and other minerals and 10 times the fat soluble vitamins than our food.

Sources of Vitamins A & D.

~From the Sea~

-Sea Food

-Fish Eggs

-Livers

-Oils (Fermented Cod Liver Oil)

-Heads, Oily Fish

-Sea Mammals (traditional cultures, remember?)

~From the Land~

-Insects

-Butter

-Cream

-Egg Yolks

-Liver

-Organ Meat

-Animal Fat

We cannot absorb and digest our food and all it contains as well without the fat soluble vitamins (A & D).

Needed to convert Carotene to Vitamin A:

-Fats in the diet.

-Thyroid Hormone (assuming its working properly)

-Enzymes

-Vitamin A

It is very difficult and nary impossible for following groups of people to be able to digest and absorb their food properly without the fat soluble vitamins. Mainly due to not mature enough immune systems or severely weak ones.

-Babies and Children

-Diabetics

-Poor Thyroid

-Poor Liver Function

-Poor Intestinal Absorption

(need to eliminate nitrites and nitrates from diet!)

Vitamin A:

Needed for numerous processes in the body.

-Protein Assimilation

-Calcium Assimilation

-Proper Growth

-Prevention of Birth Defects

-Proper Function of Endocrine System

-Thyroid Function

-Immune System

-Production of Stress & Sex Hormones

-Eyes, Skin, and Bone Health

Vitamin A is the conductor of the concert when it comes to baby formation.

Vitamin A is depleted by ___

-Stress

-Cold Weather

-Fever and Illness

-Physical Exertion

-Exposure to Toxins

Vitamin D is our feel good chemical.

Myth: only need 10 minutes a day of sun exposure to get our daily dose of vitamin D.

The body makes vitamin D out of cholesterol out of the action of sun exposure at mid-day.

Sources of Vitamin D:

-Fish Liver Oils (FCLO)

-Fish Eggs

-Shellfish

-Oily Fish

-Lard

-Butter

-Cream

-Liver

-Organ Meats

Vitamin D is needed for ___

-Bones

-Teeth

-Proper Growth

-Muscle Tone

-Reproduction

-Healthy Skin

-Insulin Production

-Immune System

-Nervous System

Activator X = Vitamin K2

Vitamin K2 is the animal form of Vitamin K. It helps prevent tooth decay.

A, D, and K are the trio that help to keep us very healthy.

Sources:

-Natto

-FCLO

-Goose Liver

-Cheese

-Egg Yolk

-Butter

-Chicken

-Fatty Meat

-Sauerkraut

Raw butter and Cheese is great for every day eating and COOK IN LARD!!!

Cholene is critical for pregnancy preparation, pregnancy, and babies.

We should eat liver once a week! It gives you the same amount of Zinc and other minerals as eating red meat every day. It is also inexpensive.

FCLO works best when consuming plenty of animal fats.

4) All cultures cooked some or most of their food. Some animal food (aka meat/organ meat) they ate raw.

Vitamin b6 is destroyed by heat and so we should eat some meat raw.

Raw milk contains lactoperoxidase and lactoferrin.

5) Traditional diets contained high levels of enzymes.

Fermented good is full of enzymes.

Enzymes give energy.

Enzyme Rich Foods:

-Raw Dairy Products

-Raw Meat & Fish

-Raw Honey

-Tropical Fruit

-Cold Pressed Oil

-Wine & Unpasteurized Beer

-Lacto-Fermented Food

-Vegetables

-Meat (salami and etc)

-Dairy

-Fruits

-Fish

-Beverages

Bacteria and Biofilm is 85% of our immune system so we should be eating a lot of enzyme rich foods to keep our guts healthy and properly functioning.

6) Soaked, Sprouted, and Fermented

Did you know there is no food that has higher profit margins that breakfast cereals? And it is probably one of the WORST things you could eat.

In order to properly soak your grains you need ___

-moisture

-warmth

-slight acidity

-time

7) Total fat content of traditional diets vary from 30% to 80% of calories. Only 4% of calories come from polyunsaturated fats.

We each need to learn what makes our bodies hum and thrive. While some of us can handle less fat in our diets, some of us need more. And please, get the notion out of your mind that fat = fat. You will not get fat if you eat butter, you'll be giving your gut a favor and helping it to digest food and help you to feel full faster. I'd rather eat butter any day than a honkin salad with nothing but bird food sprinkled on top. And if you don't believe me, you should see how much butter we go through in the McNeil household...

8) Equal amounts of omega 6 and omega 3's needed.

9) All traditional diets included salt.

Salt is needed for ___

-Protein Digestion

-Carb Digestion

-Development of Brain

-Adrenal Function

-Cellular Metabolism

Salt should be gray or pink...not white.

Adult needs 1-1 1/2 teaspoons a day of salt.

10) All cultures made use of bones, usually as bone broth.

If you haven't made bone broth yet...you MUST!

11) All cultures recognized the necessity of good nutrition for expecting mothers and those who would become mothers soon.

Special foods for parents-to-be, pregnant women, nursing women, and growing children were of high importance.

They spaced their children every 2-3 years to allow for the woman to be prepared physically and emotionally for a new baby.

The elderly taught the young how to prepare, cook, and eat their food.

The Life and Lore of Bone Broth - Tressa Yellig

Minerals found in bone broth:

-Calcium

-Phosphorus

-Magnesium

-Potassium

-Floride

-Sulfur

Bone broth helps the body digest food that is eaten throughout the day.

Amino Acids:

-Glycine

-Proline

Bone Marrow:

Soak bones overnight in cold salted water, bake, and enjoy the marrow goodness!

Gelatin:

-Gives bones flexibility.

-Improves digestion

-Normalized stomach acid

Never microwave bone broth! Microwaving the broth makes it toxic; especially to the liver, kidneys, and nervous system.

Bone broth is a source of Glucosamine Sulfate.

To Make Good Bone Broth...

-heavy bottomed stock pot

-clean water

-good bones (variety)

-splash of vinegar

-aromatics (vegetables, herbs, spices)

-time & patience (8 hours minimum on a tremulous simmer...I prefer 12-24 hours)

-strainer

-storage container

-don't salt till done

Broth will last for a few weeks in the fridge and you'll know when it's bad when the gelatin breaks down.

Bone broth can last up to 6 months in the freezer.

Cooking Time:

-Up to 72 hours for beef or lamb.

-Up to 24 hours for chicken.

-Up to 4 hours for fish.

-180-212 degrees while simmering - NO HOTTER!

Types of Bones To Use for Broth:

-Chicken: heads, backs, fat, wings, hearts, gizzards, feet, neck.

-Beef: trachea, shanks, knuckles, ribs, hooves, oxtail, any that have exposed marrow.

-Pork: any of above, but NOT cured bones.

-Fish: heads, tails, spines.

Broth is a bridge to a better diet.

1-2 lbs of bones per quart of water.

If you want to have a richer broth, bake your bones first. Especially if they still have some meat on them. 450 degrees for 10 minutes.

Fertility - Dr. Kaayla Daniel

Trans fats affect everything, including fertility. Its best to avoid them along with all or most processed foods.

We are very toxic these days due to constant exposure.

Toxic Metals:

-Aluminum

-Mercury

-Cadmium

-Lead

-Nickel

If you are having a hard time getting pregnant, consider doing a metal detox. Look into copper toxicity which can over-estrogenize women.

No matter what, avoid SOY!

Tofu was originally a food for monks because it decreased their sexual desire. If a chinese woman wanted to punish an unfaithful husband, she'd feed him soy.

Fertility Food:

-Butter

-Cream

-Eggs (especially the yolks)

-Raw Milk

Cholesterol nourishes all of our hormones.

Cultured vegetables are great for fertility and over-all health.

Avoid MSG. Autolyzed yeast extract is code for MSG. Learn all the 'names' of MSG...

Have a Healthy Pregnancy - Sally Fallon

1100 IU of Vitamin D is found in 1 Tbsp of grassfed lard. Moral of the story? EAT LARD.

Cheese is one of our best forms of Vitamin K.

Liver and Egg yolks are a must for preparing for pregnancy, during pregnancy, and baby's first year. Egg yolks should be baby's first food. Make sure you don't feed any white!

Cholesterol is key to the healthy formation of your baby's gut.

Eat liver and feed liver to baby when appropriate. Cook liver in butter or lard to get Vitamin D.

Fish eggs are extremely healthy. To eat:

-Crispy Pancake (recipe from HERE(afl))

-Sour Cream

-Fish Eggs

-Chopped Onions and Parsley

You can eat chicken liver everyday, but you should only eat calf's liver a few times a week.

You can get Vitamin b6 from raw milk, cream, and butter.

Avoid industrial foods.

Never has there been a case of listeria from raw milk.

If you must take prenatal vitamins, take Dr. Rons Prenatal Vitamins.

*******

As you can see, these are clearly notes and not in any way complete when it comes to the topics. I learned so much and probably could listen to the lectures a few more times to glean from them when I would like to. I will add a ridiculous amount of pictures to this post so you can have some more info. I got tired of writing and so took pictures of the slides. The lectures and slides will be available on the westonaprice.org website soon, but not sure when they will have it up.

Here are the pictures of the slides. They are in no particular order. Too many pictures and I need to go to b-e-d.

Ear Tags and Cooler Weather

2013-09-30T07:13:00.000-07:00

Life on the farm has been a bit mundane lately.

Life has been busy and quite frankly, I've hardly taken any pictures due to always feelin' a bit behind. I have a hard time thinking about blogging when I feel like I have so much to do. You know? I'm sure you do.

I started homeschooling Jude a few weeks ago and it's been wonderful. He just loves it and its so great to watch him learn. I am not an extremely organized type-A person though and so having to be on a schedule is a bit rough for this mama. I am really having to learn how to prioritize and decide what needs to be done and what can wait.

Yesterday was an awesome day. I woke up before the family and thought, "I want bacon". And you know what? I went to the store and got some. Exciting stuff I tell you and it tasted amazing. The drive was worth it alone. It was a cloudy, tempestuous day and the sky just beamed of Gods handiwork. I pretty much just praised the Lord the whole time I was on the road.

Fall is here and I'm loving every ounce of it. Last year we felt like Summer until November and so I'm hoping with this cool and windy weather it's the Lord saying, "You will have lots and lots of rain this Winter." We need the rain, but I don't control that so I'll just wait and see what is in store.

When cool weather comes it usually means the sheep will start cycling soon, which means the ram needs to have all his ladies with him. As of yesterday we still had the lambs with their mamas and so we separated them out and ear tagged the newbies. I seriously could just stare at these lambs all day. It seems like a small miracle that we actually had lambs born to the farm a few months ago. Just amazing!

Let's just say he's happy, happy, happy.

When you have small children and are trying to move animals things always get interesting. For instance, they ALWAYS want to watch and see the action. That's when you have to get innovative.

Have a baby in a stroller and a bunch of hay in the way? Lock the tires and put the stroller on top. Oh yes we did and she was happier than she appears.

Jude and Ella of course wanted to help, but they settle for getting to pet the little beauty.

Seriously, isn't this little ewe lamb just gorgeous? I would have gotten a full body shot, but lets just say she has springs for legs and Seth had to make her sit to behave.

Now anyone that knows my son knows that he's a mini warrior. He just has to be conquering and he was sure he could catch a sheep. Now we all know he's much to small, but hey give the boy a chance. And so we did.

The pictures don't do justice, but in the last one he actually has hand fulls of wool and had a pretty smug look on his face. It didn't take long for the sheep to get away, but he threw his hands in the air and cheered because he got so close. I'm now kicking myself that we didn't think to have him ride one. He want's to ride a sheep so badly and we're even considering letting him do mutton busting in the Spring. We will for sure let him ride our sheep before then and let's just say, if he can ride our sheep he can ride any. These things are fast and can jump like a kangaroo. I hope my boy will still have his front teeth by Summer...

I just love my precious Leah. She makes my heart happy and is such a blessing. Here's my attempt at getting a picture with my kids. I'm always the one missing due to being the one taking most of the pictures. I'm trying to be more intentional about getting in front of the lens.

We got a good one...finally. After many attempts (to follow) I have a picture that I just love.

Before you wonder why do many darn pictures let me say one thing, "Just look at their faces!" I couldn't help myself and I'm still laughing. And your welcome.

A Quick Update

2013-09-27T05:57:00.000-07:00

Hi friends!

I just want to give a quick update.

I went to the Wise Traditions conference in Portland Oregon this past weekend and it was awesome! I learned so much and am working on writing a loooong post about everything that was talked about. I also got to meet Sally Fallon, which was of course, so cool. :)

I watched a movie called Farmageddon. If you haven't watched it...you must! Here's the trailer.

We have to eat to survive and so what is happening to our food and to those who raise our food is important. Sure it's easy to go to the grocery store and buy all that you need, but to not pay attention to our food supply isn't wise.

I've struggled with the topic of food and health and how it is one of the BIGGEST idols in this country. Don't get me started on on these food diets/fads and this idea that we all have to have a six pack and a perfectly toned rear. Sure it's nice, but who has time for that! I think we should be active and most of us probably should be exercising, but sorry I don't think it's healthy for women to have 5% body fat, especially those who are ttc, pregnant, or are nursing. I've had to daily ask the Lord to give a His perspective on health and how we are to eat. A few hundred years ago, we didn't have to worry so much because everything was grown and raised well (for the most part). Now we live in a time where some people only eat processed food that is giving them a shorter life span and not to mention crazy health problems. I know that life on earth is about serving Christ and that is why I want to feed my family well. I want to be physically able to do what God has called my family and I to do. I think it wise as a wife and a mama to feed my family well so they can thrive and be useful.

Anyway, I just wanted to point you to a documentary about whats happening to small farms all over. I hope to get the Wise Traditions post up by next week.

Just a side note, I know I said in my previous post that I was going to delete my official page for this blog and I tried. I cannot figure out how to do it! Silly I know, but I spent waaay to much time trying to do it and so for the moment I'm just going to leave it. I figure even if I don't post on it, those who want to know when a new post is up can at least still get the update.

Hope you are enjoying this lovely Fall season. I love the cool air, the sweet smell of nature going to sleep, and the future bonfires and snuggles with my munchkins.

The War of the Mind

2013-09-13T07:02:00.000-07:00

I have been at war.

There has been death and victory, but it still ensues. I believe it always will for as long as this earth rotates.
No doubt I have been absent from here and it may still continue. Priorities have changed and this outlet is one of those things that have undoubtedly had to lessen in my life.

I want to live in light of eternity and I will fight to do so everyday. I got sucked into blog-land and don't plan on letting it happen again. I don't mean that I wont blog anymore, but I will NOT let it become an idol in my life again. I tried to keep up with everyone else, tried to grow, and honestly I probably could if I really wanted to. But I don't.

Not at the expense of living to blog. Once your mind becomes geared towards growth you start to view everything you do as 'something to blog about'. Instead of enjoying your day, your trying to make it interesting so someone would want to see. Maybe others liked what they saw, but I'm sure God didn't. And that is what matters, what my Lord thinks.

I am a Christian and therefore I am a completely different person than who I was years and years ago. God has been working hard on me lately and I can say that every week I am a different person that I was the week prior. These past few months have been the most precious, tearful, and amazing months of my life. I have never felt so close to God and never have realized my smallness in comparison to His glory, until now. All this to say, I am wanting to fill my days with serving the Lord and am fleshing that out right now.

I am a wife and mother. These roles are greatly prized in the eyes of God and I am a blessed woman. The culture of our day despises these two roles, but I cling to God and not fallen world. I am daily trying to be more pleasing to God and by His strength, I am. Now don't get me wrong, nothing I do can make me any closer to God. I have been saved by grace alone, but it is because of Gods saving power that I desire to walk in accordance with His will.

I also have some heavy burdens. Burdens that I believe are from God, but at the moment don't know what to do with them. My heart breaks daily and I just plead with the Lord to show me what He would have me do. I know that His timing in perfect and I believe He is shaping and molding me right now for what's to come. I watched a video last week that changed my life. I haven't been the same since. It is so hard to see and watch, but I implore you to watch it. It's disturbing, unbelievable, and heart-wrenching. It does have some disturbing images so please, don't watch it with your children. View it first and then you can decide if your children are mature enough to handle it.

I have always felt the desire to adopt. Ever since I can remember I know that its been something laid on my heart. I am open to whatever God wants. Whether its a child from our country or another, a child who has disabilities or not, a child who is not yet born or who may not get the chance to breathe. I pray God will lead me to be in the right place and the right time and be able to welcome another soul into our home. These children are horribly abused, how can anyone watch this and not break?

***I found last night that the woman who made this documentary has revisited this institution to see the changes made. There was an outcry when it first came out and the country felt the pressure to change. If you want to watch it go HERE. I have not watched this one yet...maybe tonight.

All this leads me to another thing that I want to bring forward to my readers. I mentioned it on my Facebook page, but I'll repeat it here. I am going to be getting rid of my 'the Shepherd's farm' Facebook page. I hardly ever use it and think its a waste of space. I don't want to be followed or 'Liked'. I would like to be friends.

If you would like to become Facebook friends then please send a request. I am more likely to post my updates and things that I care for there. It is much easier and honestly I don't blog so people can see how popular I am. I write because I enjoy it.

I really enjoy this space, I don't plan on stopping blogging altogether, but I do plan on being more intentional about what I blog about. I'm not going to take the time to blog everyday about our everyday lives, but I will blog about stuff that matters.

I hope all of you are well and that you've felt the presence of the almighty God in your lives. I pray that you would follow through with conviction and live a life pleasing to God. Have a blessed weekend!

Dear Mama

2013-09-12T07:37:00.000-07:00

Do you even know how much I love you? Do you know how much I remember my childhood and thank the Lord that your in it? I am already in tears as I write this to you, for you mean so much to me.

Never in my life do I remember a time where you weren't there for me, where you weren't always ready and willing to listen to my thoughts, fears, and sorrows. You've always been my biggest fan and have offered a place of rest and assurance. I never felt like I wasn't wanted around or that I was a burden to you, in fact I always felt like you were happiest when I was near. You are not perfect, but you are perfectly suited to be my mama.

You taught me so much growing up. You taught me to always speak kindly, how to love others (even when they are unlovable), how to work hard, and how I should be treated. You taught me that sacrifices are made when you love others. We never really had a lot growing up, in fact there were times where we had very little, but you always made sure I had what I needed. You taught me that 'things' aren't what bring happiness and that family and God are what makes a person truly happy. You never put an emphasis on material gain, on designer clothing, on a perfectly decorated house, fancy cars, or expensive jewelry. And no, these things aren't bad in and of themselves, but you showed me real worth. You taught me that what I say is important, that I needed to be honest, and that I needed to follow through with what I say. You gave me character and strengthened me as a person.

When I had my rough patches in middle school and never seemed to get a break from the teasing, you were always there. You were always ready to tell me that I was smart enough, pretty enough, and that even though it was painful, the things I was hearing simply weren't true. I am grateful for a mama that always put things into perspective. Your love for me knew (and knows) no bounds and I feel it every time we are together.

I remember when you and dad had your rough patches too. I remember the closed doors and the silent struggle. In this too, I learned something from you, something that has stuck with me through all these years. You never once talked bad about dad, belittled him, or made him seem less of a man. If anything, you always spoke of dad to me like he was a superhero (and he is). You never let your disagreements affect the way you spoke of dad to me. I can't thank you enough for this! The Lord no doubt granted you the wisdom and the self-control to do this. I know that those struggles weren't all dad nor were they all you, but the effects of two strong first born children having to work things out. I remember when the Lord healed your marriage and I watched the two of you fall in love again. What a testament to the power of God and the blessing of perseverance! You both have shown me the importance of marriage, of putting God before all else, and that just because something is tough doesn't mean it's not worth fighting for.

I remember after high school when I had my world rocked, you were there. You asked gentle questions and when I opened up, there was no judging. I praise God for this because I think I would have died if your response wasn't so loving, so caring. You understood my sadness, my sorrow, and offered love in return. It is safe to say that I've always felt loved to the core by you.

Mama, I love you.

More than I can say. More than I can convey in a letter.

I am a mama now and I thank God for the example I've been given. I now know what it's like to love my children and can fully understand why you were the way you were with me. I love seeing you with my children. You are the beloved YaYa and my kids adore you. They always want to be with you and I know exactly why. You love them like you love me. Unconditionally.

I know you and how you think. And I want you to know that most of what you think about yourself is not correct. You are one of the most beautiful women I know, inside and out. You are truly a gem. Your green eyes, red hair, beautiful skin could make any woman jealous. Your inner person is even more beautiful. You are a caring, generous, and soft hearted person that gives of your time freely. You know the value of time and so give it to others without restraint.

Thank you for teaching me, for raising me, for loving me. You have given me a role model to look up to and I hope you know how dearly I love you. I couldn't ask for a better mama.

Like the scriptures say, I am rising up and calling you blessed. For that is what you are...blessed!

Lord bless you mama and Happy Mother's day!

It Ain't All Pretty

2013-09-12T07:26:00.001-07:00

Friends, we're gettin' to know each other and in the spirit of friendship I want to share something with you. Something that I've been wanting to do for loooong time now. Your gonna get to know me a bit, the real me. Don't be scared now.

It ain't all pretty.

I know you know what I mean when I say this. I have felt the pressure before and now that I'm a blogger myself, I truly feel the pressure. Still wondering? Let me s-p-e-l-l it out, my life, my house, my kitchen, my farm isn't always picturesque, clean, organized, and ready for 'company'. There are times when I look at my favorite blogs and I think, "I must be doing something wrong or I'm not doing enough!" I try to keep up with what everyone else seems to be doing and I get stressed out. Stress + me = no bueno. I'm serious.

Like I said in this post, I want this blog to be an encouragement to others. I want to be real even if it means that I show you, my readers, the real side of my wonderful and at times, unattractive life. Farms tend to be on the unruly side and there is always, ALWAYS a project taking place. Something is getting torn down and rebuilt while something else is being constructed from scratch. Animals are growing, eating, birthing, pooping, and dying. Plants are sprouting, blooming, producing, and rotting. There are constant circles and cycles taking place and we the farmers are always trying to keep the chaos at bay.

I love taking pictures and I am learning how to be a better photographer. I love to show you the beauty that the Lord has created and to share this blessed life that I've been given. I also take great pleasure in putting posts together and making them a work of art; a combination of words and pictures. God created beauty and I see no harm in showing off His handiwork. I do want to clarify that reality needs to be in check as well and we need to realize that NO ONE lives a perfect life, has a perfectly clean/organized house, and is always having a good day. No one.

I hope that you leave this blog encouraged and not trying to 'keep up'. I am always trying to get things done, I feel behind often, and there is always a lot going behind the scenes. Like I've said before, I have struggled for a while trying to keep up and it's not fun. My joy in reading about others' lives is robbed when all I do is analyze how I can be more like them. Thankfully God has worked in my heart (like He always does) and has released me from this burden. The reality of this life is in clear perspective and I can now more enjoy the hard work that others put into their posts because I know what it's like and I understand, their life isn't perfect either.

I am not trying to bash my life, rather the opposite. I know that I'm blessed to be where I am and I wouldn't trade it for anything. God has different plans for His children and all of us don't fit into the same mold. Hallelujah! I hope you can rejoice in where the Lord has you, even if your having a difficult time. Trials always make you a stronger person at the end and we always have hope. I hope you continue to still dream and pray for the Lord's will for your life.

If you ever are having a hard time with reality, with comparing your life with what you see on blogs, then I want to ask one thing of you. When you are deep in your thoughts and are lost in comparing yourself, just remember that my office chair looks like this.

It's comfy, but it sure ain't pretty.

The Path Less Taken

2013-09-11T21:54:00.001-07:00

I live a blessed life. Truly, I have a blessed existence. The Lord in His providence saw fit to place me here and gave me strong convictions about life and purpose. I have many thoughts coursing through my mind and at times, it is difficult to sort them through, to place them in the highest order of importance, and it can be draining to someone who wants to fix the worlds problems (me) and realize that I cannot. Only God can. I am His tool however and I pray that I will be used mightily.

My intention for this blog is not to show off my accomplishments (they are few) and to make much of myself. No, that is not my goal and I hope it doesn't seem to be. My goal for this blog is to journal mine and my family's life here on our farm so we can encourage others who would like to do the same. I want to be the Proverbs 31 woman. This may seem silly to you, but I desire to be her with every bone in my body. I can get discouraged when I read of her because I can see my failings so clearly, but God gave us this woman as an example of what a godly woman can and should be. I therefore conclude that He can also give me the strength to fulfill the role He desires for my life.

Every morning and evening when I go out to do chores I see God and His hand in creation. Life is bursting here on the farm. The fruit trees are already getting heavy with fruit. Apple, peach, plum, and pears - just to name a few. The walnut trees are absolutely majestic, so big and grand with their long branches and broad leaves. My seedlings - even under the care of a black thumb - are doing amazing. The tomato seeds I planted last week are growing like crazy! It seems like they grow every time I check on them, which is often. My pumpkins are still the greenhouse kings and they let the rest know it. Already, their vines are taking shape and towering over the other seedlings showing off their distinct leaves and quick growing ability. The chickens are pretty much full grown and we still have worries of a rooster. I hope we are wrong in our assumptions. *Only about 30 minutes after writing this post it was confirmed. We have a rooster.*

My sheep are another story. I called our shearer the other day and he's supposed to come out soon to clip them of their winter wool. I am awaiting this day with great anticipation because we aren't positive they are bred. Our ram is pretty young and even though his effort was never ending, we just aren't positive that he was - ahem - 'ready'. Time will tell and we still have a little while before we can officially say yea or nay. I so desperately want lambs this year, I may shed a few tears if we don't have any. Sniff. Wouldn't you?

I often wonder about this life that God has led my husband and I to. What is His plan, purpose, and direction for it? I read about, hear about, and witness people all around me getting the 'bug' so to speak. Right now it seems that people are really wanting to go back in time a bit and live a simpler life. People want to witness life in all it's forms. Really we all are wanting to see God and it is so easy to when you live this way. I'm not sure how you can deny His existence when you see a lamb be born, or your very first seedling pop up from the soil. It's truly a thrill! I believe 100% that the most miraculous event (physical...not spiritual. Salvation of course reigns supreme.) that a person experiences is the birth of a child. There is nothing sweeter than the reward of a child after the hours of travail and grueling pain. The sweet smell of a newborn, the warmth of their skin, looking them over intently and meeting the new little one that God has given you. I'm almost to tears right now, I love my babies!

Are you one of those people? Do you yearn for a garden, livestock, a simpler life? Do you desire a spouse, happiness, children? These are great things to desire, but I hope that all of us desire God the most. I hope that we surrender our lives to Him and let Him guide us. It is easy to get distracted these days; there are so many things that can take away our attention. The Lord is merciful and is always patient with this child of His - moi. He always gently leads me to the Rock that I can lean on, the River where my thirst will forever be quenched.

Physically my family is taking the path less taken. Farming is not necessarily glamorous and it seems that celebrity and glamour are what a lot of people want today. Farming is definitely not the life of ease. We want a life that is spent growing, raising, and nurturing life so it can in turn nurture us. We desire to spend our time helping others, for we truly desire with our farm to bless others. Right now we are still figuring out the kinks, but this farm is not ours, it's God's and we want to use it to bless others, feed others, and point others to the One that matters.

Spiritually we are living the path less taken. It seems that the idea of God is attacked from every corner. And let me just say, God is NOT an idea. He is not just some moralistic 'being' that floats in the sky and tells us the things we cannot do. He is not some goody-two-shoes that is a pushover and merely makes suggestions for how people should live. He is not a figment of the imagination that people have created so they can explain away their fears. No, He is the embodiment of perfection. He is truth, He is holy, He is righteous, and He is just. He is the Creator of life and without Him, we wouldn't be.

May my life, my family, and yes, this blog point in one direction...up. I am living proof that God loves and saves sinners. Lord willing, my life will not be lived in vain. Lord willing, my husband and I will use what we've been given to bless and teach others.

When I am old and my life is spent, I hope to look back and see Christ and all the He's done through His servant.

I hope I will always continue to take the path less taken.

It's Plantin' Season

2013-09-11T21:21:00.000-07:00

I love the smell of dirt.

The earthy, wet, and sweet smell of organic material in it's humblest form.

Soil.

God surely knew what He was doing when He created this world with all it's many cycles of life that are contained on this globe.

My Sis and I got busy today doin' what we do. We planned our strategy or more like I was whipping out seed packets and getting ready to plant while my sister being the studious one that she is, read the directions on the packets and separated the seeds into categories. After looking over my shoulder and realizing that she wasn't on board, I hopped to it and joined in the proper planning and categorizing. There are a pile of seeds we didn't end up planting because they need to be sown directly into the soil after the last frost. Seeds such as:

onions
carrots
kale
spinach
lettuce
garlic chives

We did however get to plant quite a few things and it was quite the nice time. I love spending time with my sissy and I love the prospect of food as well. It is such a cool thing to get to plant a few seeds in some dirt and with the addition of water, wait for the little sprouts to pop up. As a child, I never knew that watching plants grow would be such a thrill. Well it is. Here is what we DID plant:

cayenne peppers
jalapeno peppers
pumpkins
cucumbers (regular, lemon, & pickling)
broccoli
watermelon
cantaloupe
I'm sure I've forgotten a few. It's late...

As you can see in the above picture, we still have a lot to plant. I will be getting more seeds this weekend and finishing what we started. I'll just say the obvious, we are lacking a huge staple in everyone's garden. Ummm....TOMATOES!

I sure hope this black thumb of mine can turn green, heck brown would even be an improvement. I am so very excited for a garden this year and I'm sure there's a future post that's going to be filled with pictures containing dirt and little green sprouts. Ooh, yes!

Please forgive me, it was such a beautiful day that I couldn't resist taking a few pictures of Spring's arrival.

Isn't it just beautiful this time of year?

Happy planting.

Homemade Tallow Balm

2013-09-11T21:11:00.000-07:00

Homemade Tallow Balm

Here's a wonderful skin balm that has a wide range of uses. Such as face lotion, hand and body lotion, diaper rash cream, and etc.

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons soft tallow
1 teaspoon organic olive oil
4-7 drops lavender essential oil* (or desired scent**)

Instructions

Mix tallow and olive oil together in a small glass bowl.
Add essential oils and mix.
Once the desired consistency and scent is achieved transfer to a small glass container with a lid, keep at room temperature, and enjoy!
Makes approximately 2 oz.
*I would start with a few drops and then add more if you are wanting a stronger scent. You can always add more, but you can't take away.
**Use essential oils that are known for being good for skin and skin health. I wouldn't use anything strong that could be an irritant. Peppermint for example would NOT be a good choice.
***I wouldn't recommend using any essential oils that aren't 100% pure therapeutic grade. DoTERRA essential oils are what I use and I highly recommend them.

I hope you love this tallow balm as much as I do.

However, I know that not everyone is up to making their own skin care products. If you are still wanting to have this skin care goodness but don't want to make it you can go HERE and buy some. You won't regret it.

And just so you know, I also use this on my face. Don't be shocked, it's wonderful.

If your in need of essential oils click HERE and you can find everything you need.

*** Excerpts in this post were from the article written by Andrew J. Gardner titled, "Traditional Nourishing and Healing Skin Care". It can be found in the Winter 2012 Volume 13 Number 4 edition of Wise Traditions.

Confessions of a REAL Foodie

2013-09-05T18:12:00.000-07:00

I woke up to a glorious morning. It rained yesterday and so this morning was an array of glistening leaves, dew-dusted blades of grass, and that wonderful smell of a Spring drizzle. I love it. I have hopes of actually making it outside today since yesterday was what I like to call 'Day of the Kitchen'. Oh yes, it was one of THOSE days. I spent every minute of the day either chopping, stirring, shaking, grating, fermenting, baking, and preparing food for the young ones. I'm not complaining mind you, I love to cook. It's a good thing too since I spend so much time doing it. There are many reasons why I love to cook which brings me to the reason for this post.

Here is where I do my confessing.

I love to cook because I LOVE to eat good food. It is one of my favorite things to do. Eating that is...no cooking...hmmm, both? There are several reasons however why I enjoy my time in the kitchen. I have come to the conclusion and conviction recently that I want to feed my family well. Not only should our food taste good, but it should also be good for us. I no longer wish to eat just to eat. There's no reason for that. Sure I could probably spend less money on groceries by using coupons for everything and not choosing to buy organic, but I am looking to the future. Will we thrive on prepackaged, boxed, processed, and essentially cheap food for long? I don't think so. I do know that if I cook from scratch it will help A LOT in the grocery bill department and health department. I also know that our garden that we're growing and animals that we're raising will help as well.

It is my conviction that God made our bodies in a most amazing way. We truly are 'fearfully and wonderfully made', and since I believe this I wish to feed my family and myself with the most nourishing and whole foods as possible. In this past year and a half I have been on a search for a better way of eating. I am not interested in fad diets or those that cannot give our bodies all the vitamins, minerals, proteins, and so on that we require. In my search, I have come upon traditional eating and I think it is the way we were meant to eat. Meat, fat, fruits, vegetables, grains properly prepared, dairy, and fermented everything. When you decide to cook this way you are deciding to take it upon yourself to make almost everything from scratch. It takes time, work, and energy. Time that I think is very well spent. This may not be what everyone wants to do, but it is my desire.

I grew up cooking and baking with my mom, but my love of cooking wasn't ignited there(my mom is a great cook, so it didn't have to do with her skill...she was great in the kitchen). I really didn't care much though in my younger years about food. I would have to honestly say that my love of cooking was fired up when I went to work for a good friend. I came home from being away for a year and got a job at a coffee shop. This was not your ordinary coffee shop. We made coffee (and good coffee at that), but we also made breakfast and lunch. My boss-turned-friend Terri taught me to love to cook, gave me confidence in the kitchen, and imparted her wisdom of cooking using your senses and not always be tied down to a recipe. If I wanted to keep up with her then I had to watch her closely, learn her tricks, and duplicate her recipe's using my taste buds as a reference. I LOVED IT! Terri taught me how to make soups, sauces, bread dough, and so much more. I am eternally grateful for the impact she had on my life and for instilling the love of the kitchen and all things homemade to me. I'm pretty sure my hubby thanks her too!

Fast forward to now, almost 9 years later, my love of cooking hasn't waned because I still find it fun and challenging. I've always cooked from scratch, but when you become a REAL foodie, it brings a whole new meaning to homemade.

Yesterday in my kitchen there were many things taking shape. I started the day with some sourdough bread made with spelt flour. I purchased this book a while ago and it teaches you how to make bread using natural yeast and not the highly processed commercial yeast you find in the store. Sourdough is especially good for you since the fermentation process breaks down the hard to digest parts of the grains and makes the vitamins and minerals that are present more easily absorbed. A plus in my book and I also happen to love a good sourdough over any other kind of bread. I can't wait to sink my teeth into the buttered slice later today (it's doing it's second rise). I consider bread making to be highly therapeutic and so I enjoy the making, kneading, and eating process. Especially the eating...

Next up on my list was to get my other ferments going. I make Kefir everyday and it is truly the easiest of the bunch. Just pour milk (we drink raw) over your grains, set in a warm place for 12-24 hours, strain the grains from your kefired milk, and voila you have a delicious probiotic beverage that boasts 30+ healthy bacteria that will benefit and aid in healthy digestion. We are all about optimum digestion on the farm and so I try to get as much of the 'good bugs' in us as possible. Which leads to Kombucha. I make about 2 gallons of kombucha every two weeks. I let it ferment longer because I heard it helps the mother and baby scoby's to be stronger. I really enjoy the process and get downright giddy when I see the mother hovering underneath the newly formed 'baby'. It's a thrill for me. My kids beg for kombucha. I love to hear Ella ask for it because she shortens it. "Mom, can I have some bucha?" Music to this mama's ears.

My biggest task of the day was rendering 'Little Miss Suet'. In reality, she wasn't pretty to look at, but she'll sure make my cooking taste nice and delicous. Suet is the fat that surrounds the kidneys of cows, sheep, and pigs. This lovely was from a cow. Rendered suet has an extremely high smoking point which means it doesn't easily burn, can be used for all my cooking and baking needs, and retains most if not all of it's nutrients during the cooking/baking process. It's downright cheap as well. I paid $15 for the hunk of goodness and got almost 4 quarts of rendered fat. I'm sure I'm only going to have to do this process maybe twice a year. It has a long shelf life in the fridge and is highly economical. How many of us can say we paid $15 for any kind of cooking oil that will last this long?

I also made my yearly homemade laundry detergent as well. But alas, this is not as exciting as suet. No?

With my return to the farm I have had many conversations with my husband and many a quite time spent musing on the blessedness of this kind of life. It may not be for everyone, but it sure affects everyone. We all need to eat. Not to get off on a tangent though...

Lately I have been wanting to emphasize to my kids the blessing of having food to eat. It can be taken for granted that we can almost always count on a good meal. It is a blessing from God and one not to be taken lightly. I want to please the Lord with all that I do, and I think it would be pleasing to Him for me to take the time and effort to cook for my family in a way that will nourish their bodies and minds.

So here's to being a REAL foodie.

I'm off to go drink me some bucha. *wink, wink*

A Letter To My Son

2013-09-05T18:04:00.000-07:00

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth.

Psalm 127:3-4

My dear boy, oh how I love thee. Everything about your precious face, your adventuresome spirit, and your strong will make me smile. My womb has surely been blessed. On the day you were born the Lord was doing a great thing. You were placed in my care and when you breathed your first breath, I was then at that moment, made a mother.

Words cannot be sufficient when it comes to the awe of staring into the eyes of a newborn babe. God, the Creator of life, had perfected you in the womb and when He was finished, He had you arrive in the ordained day. And what a day it was. One cannot be in labor, be filled with pain and in travail, birth a child, and NOT see the hand of God. To refuse this is to be blind.

My son, our Lord has great plans for you. I know it for I already see Him at work in your heart. You've been given an able body, but whats more, you've been given a strong mind and a clear tongue. I pray you will grow up in wisdom and in the fear of God. I pray that you will be courageous and yet ever gentle in spirit.

Remember your favorite, David. He was a shepherd boy and cared for the lambs, but he killed what would have them. Remember his zeal for the Lord; his faith that God would protect him; his loyalty and honor; his remembrance of past promises and how he looked forward to the future promises of God.

Remember also my son, that the mighty in faith, even David, can fall into terrible sin. But God, He gives new hearts to His children and so be quick to turn away from sin and folly, be quick to fall on your knees before God with tears lamenting of your sin and ready to be filled with God's grace, mercy, and forgiveness.

Be humble.

You are still but a child and I, Lord willing, have many years more with you. I pray that God would make me a wise woman and mother, that He would make it clear how to raise you well, and that my love and labor with you would not be in vain.

My dear boy, my son, my heart, I love you.

Always know that there's One who loves you more, One who made this world, One who gives true happiness, peace, and meaning...and only One with the power to save.

Jesus.

Cling to Him as I do. For if you do you will be blessed with all spiritual blessings heaven has to offer.

I love you.

Love, Your Mama

One of my favorite passages of Scripture:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption though his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:3-14

Here's a myriad of pictures from Jude's birthday party last weekend.

Death Lurks in the Shadows

2013-09-05T17:17:00.000-07:00

We had a death last night. A healthy reminder of what can and does happen on a farm. When darkness covers and the shadows reign supreme, death lurks and waits for the opportunity to strike. It's ugly and it's grim, but so is life in various seasons.

Death has a name.

This morning, Seth and I saw two large dogs running in our back pasture. We've never seen these dogs before and due to losing a ewe last year, we are highly cautious and will take action if need be to protect our property. We would expect the same from neighbors if our dog was roaming; all is fair, which is why I always make sure Franco is tied when I'm not outside and that he's in sight when I am. We watched these dogs chasing something (probably a rabbit) and I was amazed at the ground they could cover. Such great strides.

Later this morning, my Father-in-Law came in and told me what happened. My heart sunk and the dogs came instantly to mind. I grew up on a farm and I KNOW what dogs can do, even the nice ones that no one thinks could hurt a fly. You get two dogs together and the 'pack' instinct kicks in...and it's a strong instinct at that. Now I can't blame a dog for their instincts, in the wild with out it they'd die. Fact is fact.

However, we also can't let dogs run loose. Any farmer you'll meet will have a story or two about loose dogs. This is fact too. Dog owners need to be responsible for their pets or in turn farmers will be responsible to protect their livestock.

After the breakfast dishes were done, I decided to go have a look.

My mind was changed.

Death didn't come in the form of dogs of the domestic kind. They don't kill the way the wild ones do. Coyotes will kill, devour, and strip their prey. The word 'thorough' comes to mind when I think of a coyote kill. Dogs will kill and maybe a chew a bit, but not the way their wild counter parts do. This friends, was a coyote kill.

Protective measures will be upped. Sheep will need to be locked in the barn every night, the electric fences will have to be in working order, and ears will need to be tuned in the the yip's and yowls of these night seekers.

Lord willing, we'll have lambs in a few weeks and you can bet that these opportunists will have to find their easy meals somewhere else.

Or else.

The Musings of a Farmer

2013-09-05T17:12:00.000-07:00

I had an awesome day yesterday. I was tied to the house all week last week due to things that NEEDED to be done. Laundry, dishes, cleaning, organizing, and the list could go on and on. This week has been a breath of fresh air. I've been wanting to get out of the house and I made it happen. We've had absolutely glorious weather here, I'm talking 80 degrees. My friends, it doesn't get much better. I know we need the rain in a bad way, but I'm not gonna complain if the good Lord decides to give us a sunny streak. No way.

With the completion of our chicken coop I took it upon myself to clean out the green house and get it prepared for our soon to be seedlings. While I was in the throws of scooping up the chicken poop encrusted wood chips and trying my best to NOT flick it into my hair (yeah right) I got to thinking. Side note- why is it that I always ponder life and it's possibilities while I'm scooping poop, mucking out the barn, or other related tasks? I don't know either. Moving on...

In my reflections I was thinking about how blessed I am to live the life that I do. I know there are people scattered all over this earth who live in terror for their lives, are starving, and are abused and helpless. I pray for these people daily and hope that one day I can help, but until then prayer after prayer is offered up. I am blessed and there's no two ways about it. I have a great marriage, healthy kids, and have been given the opportunity to return to the farm. I am so very thankful for this and my Lord is thanked daily. I know everyone doesn't want to farm, but I do think everyone needs to be aware and interested in what it takes to grow a garden and raise animals for food. In a very simple sense, we need a few things physically in order to survive. Shelter, clothing, and possibly the most important one is...yep, you guessed it...food.

In our society today we've really turned away from having the responsibility to grow our own food. Why would someone want to take the time to grow a garden when there is someone else who will do it for them? Many people have other things they'd rather be doing than this, and I can understand that. I have things that I LOVE to do and they have nothing to do with farming. I still need to eat however, and here is the point I am getting to. There are a lot of things happening right now that are jeopardizing the food we eat and buy. Hidden additives, GMO's, highly processed food that is addictive, severe restrictions on small farms, raids on independent dairy farmers, laws that are being passed and trying to be passed to make it nearly impossible to live simply and not face fines or jail time because of the choices we make to feed ourselves. Big Brother is always wanting his share of the profits and in turn he also wants to dictate our every move. If you have an independent spirit, this can feel suffocating. We are in the beginning stages of our farm and we also own our own business so needless to say, we know and feel what the powers-at-be are pushing down on small businesses/farms.

I am not saying that everyone should jump and become farmers. Nor am I saying that everyone should be content to turn the other way and not think about those who grow their food and the restrictions they face in doing so either. I think we need to make our money count, voices heard, and be concerned about the nutrition of the food we put into our bodies. The way I look at it, God provided plants and animals for food for us to eat and nourish our bodies with...SO we can do the things He has for us to do. If we eat garbage, we won't be able to do much and we will probably get sick sooner or later. Probably sooner...

Food is not the end all. One hundred years ago, we probably wouldn't even be having this discussion. Food was in it's natural form then and people cooked most if not ALL of the food that they ate. Not to mention that even if they weren't 'farmers' they still probably had a garden and maybe a chicken or two. It is no longer this way and if we are at all health conscious, then we must think about what we eat and it's affect on our bodies.

This is probably one of the main reasons why my husband and I want to farm. We want to know what we're eating, what's gone into what we're eating, and we want to teach our children how to care for animals, grow food, and care for themselves. There is a lot of confidence that is gained when you know that you can grow a garden and help deliver a lamb, when you can prepare food that will nourish your body and not just 'feed' it, and when you know that if times got tough, Lord willing, that you'd be ok. (Just to get this out there...I am NOT a prepper)

So what do you do if you don't want to farm? My best answer would be to support those that do (As much as your budget allows. I know a lot of people's are pretty tight right now. We are feelin' it too.) Go to the farmers market and buy a few things. Buy your meat in bulk from a local farmer. Long run, this is the best bang for your buck and it's better for you. When the opportunity presents itself, vote for the laws that will HELP farmers. Sign petitions that will help small farms succeed. And if you DO want to farm? I'd say start small, you don't have to live on acres in order grow your own food. You can plant a garden, get some chickens or meat rabbits, or you could lease some property and start a garden or small farm there if you want to do it on a larger scale but can't afford to move. There's always a way if you start small. Here's a great book if you want to know how much you can grow on a quarter of an acre. Or this one if you want to read up on animals too.

Farming may not be everyone's dream. Farming may not be what everyone wants to be doing. I guarantee though, that if you've eaten today, it probably came from one...

Coop Du Jour

2013-09-05T17:09:00.005-07:00

Remember this?

I'd like to forget it. This has been one part of our farm that is...how you say, less than desirable to look at? It was an old green house and it also was the pump house. Even in it's 'day' I think it probably was still hideous. I'm serious. Look at this thing, it was definitely built for function with no aesthetic appeal. My opinion and I'm stickin' to it.

Now however things are different and we've torn down this wretch of an eyesore and replaced it with this!

Seriously, do I really even need to say anything? Probably not, but I will. Just continuously scroll up and down and join me in singing, "Hallelujah!" We've been needing a coop for our 'girls' for sometime now and finally finished this beauty. I've been wanting to post updates, but I knew that if I held back I could to an unveiling that this coop deserved. As you can see, this coop blows the ole shed out of the water. Or out of the field you might say. Or the universe, it might be a stretch, but I'd go with it...

***In the second picture you'll see a door, that leads to our water pump that goes to our well and is walled off from the rest of the coop. Just wanted to interject this cause I didn't add a pic of the inside of the 'pump house' part. Not very exciting looking at a water tank.

On the contrary THIS is VERY exciting!

Here we have the doors that open to the back of our nesting boxes. I had to leave for a few hours and had NO idea that my awesome superman of a hubby would make them look so nice. What a guy I have!

Bear with me, my excitement may manifest itself in words...and pictures.

My father-in-law built the roost and I must say it was very smart of him. What a great use of space! I love it and the girls love it too, which is a plus cause ya know, they like to roost and all.

My precious Ella wouldn't stop sitting on the bar. She found out why I told her it was not a great idea. Can you figure out what happened?

I wish I had this on my front door. I am always amazed at how many sales men and random people show up on my front door. I at times want to tie our dog to the door, I'm pretty sure no one would come a-knockin'.

Franco actually is the sweetest dog EVER, but for the undesirables comin' to my door...they don't need to know that.

Rabbit trail, back to the coop.

I love the men that God has placed in my life. What blessings to have a husband that is far beyond what I deserve and a son who lights up my life! Speaking of my boy, he LOVES the girls (the chickens that is) and has declared himself the best bird catcher ever! He may be right.

I am thankful to the Lord to be able to have such a nice coop and the ability to own and raise chickens. Such a blessing and I'm convinced that that first egg will taste so good. Mmmm.

Now that the coop is done, we are wasting no time and getting started on the garden. I hope it actually grows this year. Last year was a flop. Big time.

I will give you a quick glimpse into our gardening endeavor and also a look into the crazy stuff I find my adrenaline junkie hubby doing.

Yep, he's not satisfied with just moving the mound of wood chips, he has to be on it at the same time. Ugh! I keep telling him that I want to grow old with him. I hope he is listening...

If pictures are worth a thousand words, than I have spoken thousands upon thousands.

I have one more picture for you and let me tell you...it speaks millions.

I'll let you guess why...

Anselmo Winery and Some Brotherly Love

2013-09-05T16:52:00.001-07:00

I don't even know how to start this post. I think it sufficient to say that we went out to dinner last night, it was FANTASTIC, got to see a wine cellar, came home and slept like babies. The end.

Alas, that's not very exciting so I'll start here...

When you are a stay at home mama and live on a farm there aren't many reasons to get oneself all gussied up. Well friends, I had a good reason last night. The reason has a name and it is - drum roll please - Anselmo Vineyards. Oh yes, it was as good as it sounds. Delicious fire-baked pizza's, heavenly wine, crisp salads, and gourmet Creme Brulee is what you'll find in their restaurant on a warm Thursday evening. Ok, there's A LOT more there than that, but this is what we ate and so that is what I'll describe. So there.

The pizza. That's all that needs to be said.

Just kidding, it - the pizza - is so good. I am determined that I will make a crust as good as theirs, but I am one up on them still. My sauce is better, much better. Recipe anyone? Later friends later. The toppings are amazing as well, homemade italian meatballs, fresh herbs, artisan cheese along with crushed pepper, fennel pollen, and Hawiian salt served on the side. My stomach is begging for more as I type. Too bad I sent the leftovers with my hubby for lunch...

Must rethink this thing called kindness. I mean who wants to think of another when there's pizza at stake.

I kid, I kid.

Maybe...ahem.

No seriously, I would always give my hubby the best, cause ya know, he's the best.

The kids adored this carved donkey and we realized there was a 'no touching' sign while they were 'touching'. Oops!

Here's some brotherly love for ya.

I have to apologize for the lack of pictures of this beautiful place. We got there at sunset and there was no time for photographing the restaurant and surrounding vineyards. Next time, I promise.

Dinner was amazing and I apologize again, I was too busy keeping a baby happy, keeping my mane out of the food, telling my son to stop singing the Gaston song from Beauty and the Beast, telling my girl to stop talking WAY too loud, oh and I was inhaling the food during all this too. Again, next time I will take a picture of the food, and restaurant, and decor, I promise...

There is one thing I did manage to photograph. The gorgeous wine cellar. We walked down a spiral staircase to get to it and I was immediately wondering, "why in the heck did we not put one of these into my house?". Seriously, we failed on that one...

Isn't it just beautiful?

I was in love and while I was busy taking pictures I heard, "Noël, we got to get going!"

Ok, ok so I was sidetracked.

You can thank me for that..

If your in need for some serious cuteness, I have added this video for your viewing pleasure. It's a real treat.

Dutch Puffed Apple Pancake

2013-09-05T16:41:00.001-07:00

A storm is coming and there's nothing quite like comfort food when the weather is raging outside . You cannot beat good comfort food on days where being house bound is the only option. And that brings me to this post containing this recipe.

I have loved this recipe since the first time we met, got to know each other, and then shared that fateful first meal. It was a delicious time no less and one that I shan't forget.

Nor shall you.

I'm gonna keep this short and sweet so you can get your hungry self where you belong...in the kitchen!

Dutch Puffed Apple Pancake

Serves: 4-6

This is a delicious breakfast that is sure to please the whole family. It's fun to make too!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 large apple, seeded and thinly sliced

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (or pecans)

4 large eggs

1 cup milk

2/3 cup whole wheat flour (rice flour for gluten-free or almond flour can be used to make this grain free)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup dried cranberries

3 Tablespoons sucanat (optional)

Warm Maple Syrup and lots of BUTTER

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425.
Once the oven is warm, melt the butter in your pie dish in the oven.
Place apples and nuts over melted butter and bake until apples are soft and the walnuts begin to toast. About 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk the remaining ingredients together until well blended.
Using a cold stick of butter, CAREFULLY rub the edges of your pie dish with the butter so the batter does not stick while baking.
Gently and carefully pour into pie dish and sprinkle the sucanat (or brown sugar if you'd like) over the top of the mixture.
Put into oven and let cook for 25 minutes or until the center is set.
You will want to serve this immediately and smother it in warm maple syrup and butter. Raw honey is a good option too.
***This bakes pancake puffs beautifully in the oven (especially when using wheat flour) and it will 'deflate' once it's been out for a few minutes. Make sure you have everyone seated and ready to be wowed as soon as you take it out of the oven!

Preparing For Lambs - Crutching

2013-09-05T16:35:00.002-07:00

It has been a long week and yet, it still seems to be getting longer. Remember that flu that I told you about? Well, my son woke up with a fever this morning. My poor boy got it! I thought we were all on the mend since it's been about 4 days since the rest of us recovered. Ahem...wrong! The incubation period of this flu must be quite long. I'm still hopeful that Leah won't get it. Nothin' wrong with a little hope. Or a lot.

Farm life never stops. Sickness may sweep through your house and yet the animals still need to eat (heck, we need to eat), gardens still need to be planted, and life goes on. We have almost completed our chicken coop and it is going to be great. Not one of those fancy shmancy coop's that you see on Pinterest like this one or this one. My hubby and I plan on having a mobile coop someday...maybe you'll see this around someday. Our coop-to-be is lovely nonetheless and I am thankful to finally see it come to fruition. More on this later.

Where was I...

Lambs.

Currently, there are six ewes and one ram residing here at the Shepherd's farm. I am PRAYING that this number will increase in a few months. We need us some babies! Seriously, I like my sheep and all, but I like to have lamb for dinner too. Everything here serves a purpose and it all isn't just here for enjoyment, even though we do get our fair share of the latter around this joint.

Wow, can I even type one sentence without going off on a rabbit trail?

There are many ways that we are preparing for lambs and one just so happens to have a unique name. Crutching. Aren't you so glad you can add this to your vocabulary? I know, your welcome.

Three out of our six ewes have a TON of wool and there was no way for us to see if they were bagging up, so I made a call to our shearer and had him come our way. He came out a few days ago and crutched our sheep. If your wondering what that means I'll do my best to explain. Crutching is when you have the belly, the front of the back legs, and the area around the sheep's bum shorn. The purpose is to make it easier to see if the ewe is bagging up, if she's going into labor, and it makes it MUCH easier for the new lamb to get to the teat. If you'd like a better explanation go here.

I love it when our shearer comes over. He is such a wealth of information and he's also pretty funny..and talkative. I always need to plan on an extra half hour of conversing once the real work's been done. We also go way back. I raised sheep growing up (read more about it here) and was actively involved in 4-H. Tim (our shearer) and his family were in 4-H too and so we've known each other for a long time. Nothin' like sheep to bring people together.

I loved getting to be in the barn. The smell of hay, lanolin, and dust permeated the air. It almost feels like a mini-vacation when I retreat to this coveted place. Lately, I've been too busy to come here let alone get outside. The dirt and hay covered floors with the years of age and spiders webs hanging from the beams are a delight to this country girl's senses.

Listen to the rhythmic sound of the shears, imagine the scent of lanolin, straw, and dust, and if you dream of living on a farm one day...you have this to look forward to.

That is, if you want to have sheep.