New Arrivals, Part 1

Sunday was a busy day.  The schedule for the day was to travel an hour and a half to a friend's farm to pick up the two five-week old piglets I bought from he and his wife.  The snow was heavy that morning and made the trip a little longer than usual, but I made it there and back safe. 

I chose my two pigs (one female and one castrated male) from the litter and thought I would be on my way, then ended up taking home some other new residents for the farm.  I think I brought home nineteen of them, but I honestly can't remember, so I'll have to do a head count later today. 

Anyone know what these are?

These are Pharaoh Coturnix Quail Chicks. 

First imported from Japan in the 1850's, they are raised for their pretty song, meat and eggs.  The females can lay up to 300 eggs per year, and begin laying at six to seven weeks of age.  They weigh between 3 1/2 - 5 1/2 ounces when fully mature.

I don't really need the quail, but why not try something new?  I think I'll keep a male or two for mating, keep all the females, and try to hatch out some chicks to sell in the summer or fall.  I am, of course, assuming I can keep them all alive long enough to get to that point.

Anyone ever raise quail?  Ever tasted it?  I've yet to try it, but I hear it is good. 

Rye Bread

This morning's temperature outside: -7 degrees.   Tomorrow's alleged high for the day?  A whopping five degrees.  Nothing is happening yet as far as showing any signs of spring.... temperature-wise anyway. 

All we can do is keep making hot soup and baking good bread, and try to keep ourselves (and our bellies) content until change is in the air and we have something to look forward to again.  Right? Bake away, my friends....Bread, that is.

Rye Bread

3 Cups of Flour
1/2 Cup of Rye Flour
1 Tablespoon of Yeast
1 1/3 Cups of lukewarm water (who was "Luke" anyway?)
2 Tablespoons of Olive oil
1 Tablespoon of Fine-ground Sea Salt
3 Tablespoons of Caraway Seeds
1 beaten egg white

Fill a small bowl with the water, sprinkle your yeast on top and let sit for ten minutes. 

Add your salt and olive oil to the water and whisk it all together.

In a large mixing bowl combine both white and rye flours.  Add only 2 tablespoons of the caraway seed, reserving the last tablespoon.  At this point, I chuck everything into my KitchenAid mixer, fitted with the dough hook, and mix it all up on medium speed until the dough pulls from the sides of the bowl (about five minutes)  Once this happens, cover your bowl with plastic and throw a dishtowel over it.  Let it sit for 2 hours, or until you are ready to bake it.  You could also mix everything by hand, if you're in need of some exercise.

Preheat your over to 425 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Take your bowl of dough and gather it into a loaf-shape.  No need to let it rise again.  Brush the loaf with beaten egg white and sprinkle on the remaining caraway seed.  Put your loaf directly onto your baking stone that has been heating in the oven, or onto a greased baking sheet, and bake at 425 degrees for 35-40 minutes.  Let it cool before slicing if you can help yourself...it makes for better sandwich slicing.

Oh by the way...apparently, the word "lukewarm" turned up around the 14th century as a description for "slightly warm."  Within a couple of centuries, it also took on a figurative meaning, to describe "lacking enthusiasm."  "Luke" was derived from  "lew," "lewk" or "leuk," of which meant "tepid" or slightly warm, in Middle English.  So now you know. 

Please be a farmstead/homestead/farmer friend and share your favorite homemade bread recipes with me at monabrifarm@yahoo.com or in the comment section below, or just to say hello and tell me about your farm and what you raise on it.  I love hearing from new people and sharing good recipes!  ~A

Cold

Not many words today, just a few photos from this past weekend.  It's too cold to be motivated to write.  I keep telling my self this is the last of it, this bad weather.  It's taking its toll on the animals as well.  The horses have not been out for two days now, and the chickens.... I don't even know how long its been.  So no more words today, I'll let you imagine the weekend's stories...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The chicks have landed

Hello farm-loving friends! Some very cold weather is headed this way for the coming weekend.  Actually, Sunday is the really bad day.  They are forecasting a high of 3 degrees, and a low of  minus 6 degrees.  The good news is the bad weather falls over the weekend, so no rushed morning commute into the city for my job.  I like to take it slow, and guzzle a few gallons of hot black coffee before I head out for barn chores in that kind of weather, and the work week just doesn't allow time for that kind of indulging. 

I am really missing burning wood in the stove to heat this winter. Totally my fault because I didn't schedule a chimney inspection and cleaning.  I suppose I could burn wood, but my mind would panic thinking I might catch the chimney on fire.  As soon as spring comes around I will have it inspected and begin stockpiling wood for next winter.  Financially its killing me too, because the furnace is electric. Again, my fault.  Lesson learned.

Tuesday the baby chicks arrived.  It was a cold morning too - at a whopping seven degrees.  Thanks to technology all the chicks were warm because under the hay in the box was a heat pack, good for up to 3 days of heat.  All eighteen of them are in good health and in my bedroom.  I don't trust the new cat not to go on a midnight hunt while I'm sleeping.  The soft red glow from their heat lamp is a little annoying to fall asleep to, but other than that they are remarkably quiet at night for the most part. In a week or two I will think about moving them out to the mud room, so long as the cat behaves...

BiBi the dog keeps watch over the chicks

A sweater has been set aside for a baby goat...should one arrive.  Still debating whether there is actually a pregnancy going on with Chiba.  Only time will definitely tell the answer to that mystery.

The horses are all well, and one has been sold and will be picked up sometime in the next 2-3 weeks if the weather cooperates. That will free up stall space for the two baby pigs that will be arriving around that time.  Can you sense the chaos starting to build here?

Hay is starting to run low, there might be three weeks worth left.  This weekend I will make time to find a source and restock.

Twenty-four days until Daylight Saving Time begins, and things will start to look better.  And I won't have to come home to a dark farm...

Chaos is coming...

No pictures today, except this one I found.  Because it gives me hope that winter is on its way out eventually.

This is the time of the year when I can hardly stand one more cold, icy day of winter.  Things are quiet at the moment on the farm, but an email I received this morning from My Pet Chicken let me know my baby chicks shipped today and will arrive anytime between Tuesday and Thursday, so long as all goes well.  I honestly can't even remember how many I ordered.  I've been too distracted with other things.  I do know that I ordered Black Copper Marans and Barred Rocks. 

It's mid February.  Spring is just over a month away, and daylight saving time is near (my favorite).  The horses will be taken off the pasture now and only turned out in the round pen, or if the ground is really frozen, then out to the pasture on those days.  The pasture needs time to recover, and then can be used again starting around the third week of May.

The goat is showing no signs of getting ready to give birth, and honestly at this point I hope she isn't pregnant.  It's too cold for babies right now. 

Two new little piglets have been paid for, and will have to be picked up in the next few weeks.  They'll be easy at first, but when they reach about 100-150 lbs. things start to get tricky.  Then all they want to do is eat and let you know they are hungry. One will be sold for sure, the other will be butchered for Christmas presents for family. 

Things are about to speed up on the farm.  Have a wonderful day ~A

Farm Dogs

Snow doesn't seem to phase these two.  It was seven degrees this morning when I took them out for potty break.  They can't resist a good romp, no matter how cold it is.

 

Let it snow

Though there isn't a lot going on during this time of year on the farm, other than some early spring cleaning in the house, purging of old files and preparing for taxes, one still has to make time to ride.  Snow or not!

Snow doesn't bother Dottie as much as it does me...

2014 Recap

January

January.  The month of the infamous "Polar Vortex" and the weird, and rare "Snow Rollers", dotting the fields and frozen lakes all around the farm. January was a month spent dealing with weeks of temperatures dipping below zero (as low as -23degrees), chucking ice from frozen water buckets, collecting frozen chicken eggs that would crack the second they were brought into the house, and stringing heat lamps throughout the barn and praying the goat didn't give birth before the weather changed to "tolerable." 




"Snow Rollers"

February

Cold, cold, and more freezing cold.

March
The first of the baby chicks and bunnies were being born and growing lovely! Planted four new fruit trees - two apple, a cherry and a pear.


April
Still a lot of cold and crummy weather, it seems like nothing will start sprouting green this year and the cold will never go away!   Baby chicks are growing well, with no losses so far.

May

May brought on the long awaited arrival of Chiba's baby, only to have it "still born."  But the good side of it all is now there was a fresh supply of goat milk!

June

The garden was planted and ready to grow.  We had our own hay field cut and baled for the first time.  The first cutting produced 208 bales.  This saved the farm a ton of money, and was satisfying knowing it came from the farm.

July
The garden is in full swing and we were eagerly awaiting tomatoes.  Chickens are laying a good supply of eggs and we are selling them like crazy at the race track. We can't keep up with demand!

August
Chugging along in the summer heat, canning, canning and canning some more.  The tomatoes are ripening like mad and its a little hard to keep up with everything.  The racehorses are winning races and doing great.

September
The first "fall farm party" was held on the farm in honor of my niece's 21st birthday.  The weather was perfect the entire weekend and everyone enjoyed themselves.

October
Butchering chickens and rabbits and enjoying the fall.  The garden is still going strong with tomatoes, pumpkins, cilantro, parsley, radish and onions.

November
Butchered out first farm-raised turkey for Thanksgiving.  He was lovely, weighing in at 16.2 lbs dressed out.  Planted garlic for the summer 2015 harvest.

December
Hard to believe that December is already here.  Another end to another year. And also the end of the pig's life at Mon Abri Farm.  It will be a sad, but exciting day when he goes to the butcher on January 2nd.  I will miss giving him his daily back scratches and belly rubs, but it will also be rewarding to have a freezer full of pork that I raised myself from a pig that ate well and enjoyed a pampered life on the farm up until the end. 

And now, as we journey into the New Year,  let's be hopeful the months to come will be rewarding.

French Bread

A site that I frequent recently posted a recipe for French Bread.  I found it very similar to my everyday recipe, with only slight differences.  Bread is so easy to make, everyone should be doing it.

Anyway, I posted The Prairie Hometead's recipe, and then my recipe alongside, just for fun.  And then I baked a loaf using my recipe.  Because I find it hard to make a change when something works great every time.    And because, "If it ain't broke..."

 



An actual loaf of what my recipe produces.



French Bread

Ingredients (Prairie Recipe)                            (Mon Abri Farm Recipe)

1 1/4 cup warm water (80-90 degrees)        1 1/3 Cup

                                                                      3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

2 teaspoons sugar                                             1 Tablespoon

1 teaspoon sea salt                                            Same

3 to 3 1/2 cups flour                                          3 1/4 Cups (or more if needed)

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast                    1 1/2 Tablespoons (but I never really measure it)

Instructions (same for both recipes, but add the olive oil to the liquids)

1.Place yeast and sugar in large bowl

2.Stir in warm water until everything dissolves
3.Add salt, and stir in as much flour as you can to create a soft, pliable dough that isn't too sticky
4.Knead on a lightly floured surface 6-8 minutes, until dough is smooth and elastic
5.Return dough to bowl and cover with kitchen towel
6.Allow to rise 30 minutes or until doubled in size
7.Plop risen dough back on counter top and divide in half
8.Roll each half into a rectangular shape of about 10" by 8"
9.Roll up rectangle starting with a long side
10.Pinch ends to seal and shape into a "log"
11.If seam doesn't stick, use wet fingers to moisten dough until it adheres
12.Grease pizza stone or stoneware baking sheet and place loaves on it to rise another 30 minutes
13.Preheat oven to 375 degrees,
14.Optional: to give loaves a shiny brown finish prepare an egg wash by beating one egg with one tablespoon of water
15.Right before you pop loaves in oven, brush tops with egg wash and make 4 diagonal slashes across top using sharp, serrated knife
16.Bake 20-25 minutes, until golden brown
17.Allow to cool on wire racks before serving
18.Serve warm with lots of butter

Pork Tenderloin

Using my favorite tenderloin recipe that I have posted before on this blog, I pulled out a tenderloin from my freshly butchered pig and roasted some vegetables to go alongside.  I had eaten most of what was on my plate before I suddenly realized I needed to take a photo of the finished meal.  I couldn't help myself - it was that good!

 

 

 

Winter on the Farm

No words today.  Just pictures of the cold, dark stillness of winter on the farm.  But at least the days are getting longer, right?

 

Bacon

Last Saturday the meat locker called to let me know my pig was ready to be picked up.  I had already prepared by emptying my little freezer in the weeks before.  I ended up needing my other freezer as well, which had to be cleaned out fast.

I must admit I was shocked (and tickled), when I saw how many boxes there were!  A man standing in line at the locker thought I was bringing home a cow.  And then he was really shocked to learn it was a pig - one pig.

280 lbs. of meat, all neatly shrink wrapped and labeled, ready to go home.  And a nice size bag of lard for rendering and also for feeding the wild birds. And of course I had to take everything out of the boxes and do inventory when I got it home.  It's the nerd in me...

So yes, I've been indulging in bacon and other pork goodies this week.  ~A

Northeast Ohio Weather

When I took the dogs out this morning around 6 a.m. to do their "business," the thermometer rudely announced the temperature at one degree... Just one.  Better than zero, or minus one, I suppose.  Though I'm certain it will be less than zero tomorrow morning at the same time.  Does anyone want to place their bets? 

I hate this time of year on the farm.  I put on too much weight and lack motivation.  Except to eat.  There's always motivation to stand by the warm stove and cook something wonderful. And eat.

Coffee was my next step this morning, something to warm me from the inside.  A heavy coat, pajamas and muck boots that, early in the morning, at those temperatures, does little when the wind is whipping mad. 

 

A quick hot shower and then on to set up some bread to rise for later this evening...I'll bake it when I get home and warm up the kitchen.

A slice of yesterday's bread, and a jar of ham and vegetable soup for lunch at work today.

The sun is rising and its my time to brave the cold, icy commute into the city.

Stay warm friends, ~A

Mud Fever

“When I bestride him, I soar, I am a hawk: he trots the air; the earth sings when he touches it; the basest horn of his hoof is more musical than the pipe of Hermes. ” 
― William Shakespeare, Henry V

The horses enjoyed a proper romp in the mud the other day...before everything froze and turned to ice and snow.  Hello January.   ~A

Little Suprises along the Way

It was supposed to be a quiet, uneventful two days on the farm this past weekend. But then Saturday afternoon arrived. 

What started out as the ordinary, weekly trip down the road to the feed mill was about to end up anything but.   I walked into the shop and placed my grain order. Then, an old Amish man drinking coffee and sitting in the corner began to make small talk about the cage full of bunnies at his feet, which he was trying to sell for a neighbor.  I inspected all the bunnies, gave them all a pet, and told him how nice looking they all were, but explained that I had my own "bunny farm" of sorts going on since I raise my own to eat.  I clearly didn't need any bunnies.

Then he asked if I might be interested in a puppy.  Sucker that I am I had to ask what kind, which led to driving over to his farm next door.  Within ten minutes I was leaving Mr. Andy Miller's barn with a new puppy in my arms.  I brought her home and promptly gave her two baths and a good spray of perfume.

 

 

And now I have a Jack Russell-Spitz puppy, a little girl, yet to be named...

Ham and Bean Soup

 

A soup for when you are low on cash...
Or it's just plain cold and nasty outside.
Or because you have a lot of leftover ham.
Or because you just need something to go with cornbread...

 

In my case it was a shit ton of leftover ham from a family holiday gathering.

 

Farmstead Ham and Bean Soup

Ingredients:

1 lb dried great northern beans, rinsed, and then soaked for a few hours

4-6 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

1 large onion, chopped coarsely

1 large carrot, sliced thick

2 stalks of celery - sliced

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

2 bay leaves

1 lb smoked ham or 1 lb ham hock

6 cups homemade chicken or ham broth

Directions:

Sort and rinse beans.

Put the rinsed beans, the rest of the ingredients and the ham, chopped into large, rustic pieces (or ham hocks if using) into the crock pot along with 6 cups water or broth.

Cover crock, and cook on low for about 6-8 hours, or until beans are tender.