Welcome Comfort Farm

I realized this morning I am only 3 weeks away from planting seeds!

Wyatt and Jr.

It is a frosty morning here, but promises to be a lovely day. The sun is bright and already warming the house through the new south facing windows. We're on our way to a sunny 46〫by Wednesday. I am pleased it has been such a mild winter. All the critters here on the farm are elderly and winter can take a toll. Wyatt and Jr. have yet to even take cover in the barn.

Yesterday the Rotary Club in Union City starting tapping trees. A welcome reminder that spring renewal is on it's way. With chilly nights and warming days, the weather has been perfect for the sap to run in the sugar maples. One of these days I want to identify the trees in our woods and try my hand at making maple syrup myself. My cousin already does this on her property and I should hit her up about an apprenticeship this year so I will be knowledgable enough to tap here next year.

The men who come out to tap the trees here in Union City are a fun bunch; hard working, loyal businessmen committed to both our community and to sugaring. They are accompanied by our area youth to assist, which is a great way to "tap" their enthusiasm (translation-abundant energy), easing the physical nature of the job and ensuring the process continues in the years to come. The sap is collected in a tank that was painted by the local boyscouts and taken to the sugar shack where it is boiled down and bottled in jugs to be sold with sales directly supporting our community. Truely a community effort and it warms my heart.

Southern Michigan Bank & Trust president Ken Brooks and dentist (retired) Doc Morton.

With only three weeks left to our first seeds being started, I pulled out my garden and cook books this morning to refresh and inspire me for the upcoming planting season. I tend to be organized and it is helpful for me to plot thoughts and intentions on a weekly garden calendar. It keeps me focused on what needs to be done when and acts as a check list for me to keeps things running along smoothly, including times set aside for preserving. If I don't do this, other activities crowd in on me and the pressure is on. This year we are commited to eating "clean" -  fresh, homegrown and local food as much as possible and preserving the bounty for next winter.

There is a book coming out called "Greenhorns" that I am interested in. For those of you interested in the same, below is a book trailer for it...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=X8J9Ciuxoac

On that note, I am off to read and later get a Sunday roast started for supper. Have a wonderful day!

 

 

It's a bright sunny morning with a fresh blanket of snow and a chilly ten degrees to keep it on the ground. It was sure pretty watching the sun come up this morning. I snapped this picture as I headed out to the wood stack to replenish the wood box in the house. After feeding the barn cats and making sure their heat lamp was working, I came in, stoked up the wood stove, put on a kettle of water and made the MIL and I a breakfast of eyeball toast. It's where you cook an egg in the center of a peice of bread. It probably has a actual name, but we refer to it as eyeball toast because with my farm fresh eggs, that bulging healthy yolk sticks right up and it looks like an eyeball staring back at you.

Marlin is coming today to help me paint and I am very excited to see color start going on the walls. It was hard for me to make a decision about what color, but I settled on "Goldenrod Yellow" which is from Old Century Paint Co. and is a muddy mustard color. As much as I love Olde Forge Mustard it seemed a bit dark for the walls, so the Goldenrod yellow is a step down from that. Buttermilk will trim it out. It should fit nicely with all my primitives. I am using 1x8's for the mopboard, 1x4's for the trim and various salvaged door top trims for over the entryways, of which I have multiple in the parlor! So, an eclectic look that drives the perfectionists in my life wild. Ah, how I love it though!

 

The ferrier stopped by to trim hooves on the horse and all four donkeys this morning. For the most part, everyone behaved and they are all set for a couple of months now. We were blessed with another beautiful winter day, so spending time outside was rather pleasant!

This afternoon I went to to the feed store to pick up grain and found myself detoured by the seed and garden supplies! While I already have a large mail order in with the R.H. Schumway Seed Company, I couldn't pull myself away from the extensive display without picking up some seed packets of beets, turnips, spring onions, and a few flower varietites. In just a few short weeks, I can direct sow these right into the raised beds in the garden. One of my favorite places to be!

 

 

 

 

Jennifer and Clyde (Pygmy Goat)

Jennifer walked down with the kids yesterday for a visit. Oh, how the critters love visitors! Gracie, our miniature donkey, came galloping full speed across the pasture to greet them. The other three, Bella, Stella, and Earl all followed close behind. And what a beautiful day it was. Old Man Winter is surely napping somewhere, shirking his duties, but I certainly don't mind.

After an early morning stroll, I got the chores done, clipped the remaining stalks off the old Yarrow plants growing along the patio fence and came in to fix breakfast. The MIL has an appointment with an oral surgeon today, so her and I will have an early lunch and be off to Battle Creek before long. Today is proving to be another unseasonable warm day and with the sun shining bright, it sure makes for a cheerful disposition. Of course, I am not the one having teeth pulled, so perhaps the MIL's mood is tempered with that bit of news.

The hens are warming themselves on the front steps against the porch and I can hear their occasional complaint as a barn cat crowds in on too much of their space. Around here, the hens are queen and the barn cats must take notice or they receive a not so gentle reminder (such as a good solid peck on the top of their head) that they had best stand down.

 

 

These February days thus far are surprisingly mild. Today will be in the 40's and the sun is already shining bright, however the wee mornings do dip to the freezing mark, making for a frosty fuzz coating our world. Grouchy face kitty ventured out into the yard with me, leaving the coziness of his heat lamp, and I do belieive he is ready to head back. The barn cats here are spolied, having yummy kibble twice daily, human leftovers, soft bedding and shelter complete with a warming lamp.

Other than some laundry and a bit of tidying up, today will be a restfull day and this evening, of course, reserved for the Super Bowl. The husband interested in the football and myself interested in the commercials. It will be a good day to curl up with a good read. I have a new one to start called "The Feast Nearby", by Robin Mather. She tells us on the cover, "How I lost my job, buried a marriage, and found my way by keeping chickens, foraging, preserving, bartering, and eating locally (all on forty dollars a week). It's a book of essays and recipies and I look forward to getting started on it. I'm interested in the part about keeping chickens, foraging, preserving, bartering, and eating locally. Especially on the cheap.

For now, I will get started on a pot of sausage, onions, garlic and potatoes for soup to simmer on the wood stove for sustenance later. Several hours of simmering makes for a cozy aroma and the good feeling of comfort food awaiting. Cozy is my word for the day. Cozy kitties, cozy fire, cozy food and cozy me.

 

 

Ugh...

Living through a remodel of this size has been an adventure for me. Not a single thing is in it's place and everything, and I do mean everything, is covered in drywall dust. The good news is that, as of Thursday, the drywalling has been completed and today a primer coat of paint will be applied. It is a good feeling to be progressing! Years ago, this room used to be our kitchen. The room I stood in to take the picture from used to be the laundry room and "kid's hall/entry". Much destruction, incuding the demolition of a masonry supporting wall, has brought us to this new arrangement. The old laundry room/kids entry will be a library alcove and the room pictured above will be a parlor. I simply cannot wait!

The day they took down the masonry supporting wall was probably the most stressful for me. I had visions of the whole house collapsing on us. And the debris, oh, the mess! But that is behind me now and I am dreaming of furniture placement for the new space.

The new goal is to have things completed by Easter. Only five months off schedule! LOL!

 

Groundhog Day and ol' Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow. Must have timed it right because the sun was certainly not out much of the day. No complaints from this Michigan girl though, because, truth be told, it doesn't even feel like we've had out first six weeks of winter!

With all the rain and what little snow melt we did have, the holler below the homestead is full. The Coldwater River overflowed it banks and formed what the geese best enjoy as heaven on earth. Normally they would have to wait another eight weeks or so for such deep waddling.

Breakfast, freshly laid. Thank you my ladies. For those of you who do not have access to farm fresh eggs, surely you must go on a mission to find a local farmer or neighbor with backyard hens willing to part with these little powerhouses of nutrition. Coming from hens free to roam as nature intended makes for quality and taste that cannot be beat.

The MIL (Mother-In-Law, [who lives with us]) and myself will be eating these sunny side up over fried red potatoes. It is an unbelievably balmy 41〫on this first day of February with a pleasant week forecast ahead and I am grateful for the mild winter thus far.

My youngest daughter recently moved to the "Gateway of the Ozarks" accepting a difficult to find, full time teaching position in her field, and I am hoping she can now also find a local supplier for the quality of eggs (and more) she knows from home.

So I received a text message from her a few days back that simply read, "Last post on blog=May 24, 2011". So, my dear youngest, I will do my best to keep you updated on the daily drama that is your home sweet home, otherwise known as "Welcome Comfort Farm".

I'm not a Walmart fan, but we stopped in for something the other day and discovered their "Artisan" Breads. This is "Everything" bread, freshly baked and it was surprisingly delicious! I will have a slice for breakfast along with some berries. It is early and there is a chorus of birdsong out the kitchen window. The husband has left for work and my day will begin as well. Laundry, chores, 30 minutes in the garden, a walk with Jen and Ellie, and then off to the studio office. We have a dry day today, ( yeah!) so this evening will find us working in the garden before the rains come again for Wednesday and Thursday. Spring is a such a busy time here on the farm, and all this rain has us a bit behind. Not to complain though. Things are looking lush and our shallow well is sure to be alright for a spell!

My youngest daughter arrived early this morning to the farm and made the husband and I a wonderful breakfast of French Toast with Cream Cheese and Raspberries. Inspired by the gesture and the aroma of the lilacs wafting in through the screen door, the husband brought in a bouquet. I plopped them in an old Mason jar on the table and here we sit, drinking coffee, inhaling good smells, eating great food and enjoying each others company. Life is good :-)