Lazy Days on the Farm

While my husband slaves away on the farm the kiddos and I have the pleasure of enjoying the nice days out in the open air. The tire swing is a favorite but just swinging on it isn't good enough for these two. 

They have to jump........

and fall.

Still too lame......

They have to find something higher to jump off. 

 Mina just watches the insanity and possible injury unfolding before her eyes.

After a day of jumping, falling, and only minor injuries curable via a bandage, another day begins.

Waylon discovered a new pastime.

If he shoots it, she will fetch it.

Even that gets old and the kids poop out....

And whine about being bored.

 There's no pleasing these two.

Then there is this.........



I know it's wrong and I apologize for my behavior. Forgive my weirdness.

Confessions of a Gardener

I have another confession to make and this one is worse than the first. In a previous post I confessed that I had never gardened before........well, this is hard for me to admit........I also showed you this picture of my first sprout:

I was so exited about something growing in my garden that when I found this little guy in one of my trenches I shot the picture and jumped for joy but........

Well, I was wrong. That was a weed that I got so excited about, a weed that made me jump for joy, a stupid weed! Yes, I really know what corn looks like, I see the crap all the time; it's just that I sometimes get a little over zealous and don't think things through all the way. So, here's is the little guy just before I ripped him out of the ground and threw him so far from my garden that I'll bet he regretted ever setting root in my garden. Once again I'll ask you not to judge me. I'm a better farmer than this........really! You have to believe me!

There is some good news here though:

The whole garden is up and growing.

Now for some gardener trivia: Can you identify these little sprouts?

(because we've established that I stink at such tasks)

1.

This one is a common garden dweller and I prefer cooking it on the grill with potatoes.

2.

Bonus points for getting this one right. I love this stuff fried.

3.

This bushy beauty is one of Aaron's favorites. It may be small but what it lacks in size it makes up for in taste.

 4.

This is not a food but it's really pretty and lots of gardeners plant them.

Here's a hint: This plant was discovered in 1796 and considered nothing more than a weed.

They also come in a wide range of colors except blue.

5.

Waylon just loves this veggie--raw better than cooked but he'll take it any which way you serve it.

6.

This one is Kylee's plant and she plans to sell them to help fund her DC trip she is taking with one of her teachers and a few fellow students. 

7.

You had better get this one right!

8.

This grassy goodness is another favorite in our house.

9.

This one should be an easy one and one that I am really looking forward to.

10.

I'll give you a hint: It's not coffee.

   Now for the really exciting part!
Answer all ten questions in the comments section (right or wrong) and you will be entered to win The Vegetable Gardener's Bible and a pretty little hummingbird feeder for your own veggie garden.

Rules: Must answer all ten with a reasonable guess, anyone who gets all ten correct gets a bonus entry. You can also gain one bonus entry by becoming a new follower of this blog (if you already follow this blog then I will give you a bonus entry out of appreciation because I love ya lots!). No entries past noon central standard time Friday June 3--please and thank you.

Winners will be randomly selected and announced Saturday June 4.

Good luck!

Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day is a time to remember those soldiers that gave their life for this country.

A time to remember loved ones we've lost and miss. Yes, that's me with my grandma and I know I look like a nerd......shut up.
 

It's a time to teach our children about their heritage.

It's a time to enjoy the great outdoors, relax, and smell the wildflowers.
 

And...............

 

Grill some PORK in your PJ's!!!

 

Have fun and be safe this Memorial Day weekend.

Prayers to Joplin

While watching the news yesterday morning and seeing the devastating images from a town flattened by an EF-4 tornado. It's horribly to think that not only did a vast amount of people lose their homes but 116 of them lost their lives. Many prayers go out to all those in Joplin.

If you would like to help either by donation or through volunteer work KOMU Channel 8 news has a list of ways to help, websites, and phone numbers as does abc Channel 17 news. You can also visit your local Red Cross to donate anything from money to bottled water and blankets, or you can donate your time.

Please pray for those in Joplin and all those affected by the many

tornadoes that have devastated city after city this month.

All images from Columbia Tribune.

Confessions of a Gardener

I have a confession to make......I have never gardened. I know what you are thinking, what kind of farmers wife doesn't have a garden!? Don't judge me! I decided this year that was all going to change; not only do we now have a garden, I will also try my hand at canning and freezing veggies for the winter.

I know, I know, it is a lot to take on for someone who has never done this before but I am determined to succeed......failure is not an option.

Therefore, the past two weeks have been devoted to the garden. Last Wednesday my husband and I came home from work and jumped into the garden until the job was done.

I gathered my gloves, seeds, gravel rake (to loosen the dirt), the trowel, and we went to work.

We have it all! Broccoli, squash, Cauliflower, Corn, Beans (bush not pole), pumpkins, okra, cucumber, carrots, radishes, and an assortment of flowers for the edges to make it pretty.

Of course, I had to buy new gardening gloves just for this occasion. I can't have dirt getting under my nails! Yuck.

Another addition to the garden area is my new humming bird feeder.

It's so pretty. I think I'll get one for each corner.

Now, over the weekend we planted tomato and sweet pepper plants.

I don't have anything fancy to keep the birds from snapping off my little plants so we got creative. I ransacked the kitchen searching for enough containers for all the plants. It came down to a milk jug, coffee containers, a Gatorade jug, and a couple of juice jugs that I just happened to have sitting next to the trash awaiting the dumpster. It ain't pretty but it'll do.

Let me tell you, this section of the yard was just that......yard. So, there was a whole lot of sod to fight through, weeds to weed out, and even rocks to chuck out of the garden. It was a mess! And, guess who had the job of picking, raking, and shoveling through all that mess......me. Aaron was there helping, just not with that part, he planted seeds after I raked up the dirt. Oh well, I asked for it. The garden was my idea after all.

After planting my tomato and pepper plants I inspected the garden and look what I found......Our first sprout!!!! I was so excited that I just had to photograph this momentous occasion.

With the garden planted, the seeds sprouting, and the day ending I just had to sit back and enjoy the view while patting myself on the back for a job well done. Hopefully something grows in my first attempt at a garden. I couldn't have asked for a better sunset then this spectacular view to close out a day of hard work. I'll keep you posted and together we will share in the joy (or heartache, only time will tell) of gardening.

How's your garden going?

BeBo Bouncers 4-H Club Tour a Farm

As most of you are aware my daughter is a member of a local 4-H club called the BeBo Bouncers. Soon the Pooboy will be a member as well but for now he just tags along behind big-sis. This past meeting we had a farm tour of Sydenstricker Genetics Angus farm.

 Here is Mr. Eggers introducing us to SydGen Trust 6228. Trust is a mammoth of a bull and seems as docile as a kitten--of course there were no other bulls around at the time, I'm sure that had something to do with it.

Upon meeting Trust, Waylon had two concerns:

First -- "Where's his horns, Mom? He is a bull right?"

Second -- "Is he gonna charge me? 'Cause you know bulls hate red and I'm wearing red. He's not gonna charge me is he?"

I assured him that he had nothing to worry about because some bulls just don't have horns and that not all bulls hate red. In fact, I told him, I think Trust actually likes the color red.

Our next stop took us to a muddy pasture full of romping yearlings frolicking in the puddles and slush that days of rain have created. Can you find my backside? Now find Poo-Boys backside. Here's a hint: Look for a lady in a fancy jean jacket hugging herself because she is cold and the word "DuPont." Yep, that's us.

Here's Miss Kylee front and center squinting against the sun and intently watching the yearlings. I'll bet money she is thinking how great it would be to jump in that mud with those cows......then try to ride one.

All in all, I think it was a good tour and the kids really enjoyed it. Of course, Pooboy couldn't leave without jumping off the ledge of the silage pit--which scared me half to death. He had to prove that he was just as big as the other kids jumping off the ledge but that's my Pooboy; he's always trying to prove something.

A big thank you to Sydensticker farms and to the BeBo Bouncers. If you'd like to learn more about 4-H or even join a club visit Missouri Extension office to find a club near you. 4-H is a great way to teach kids about agriculture, responsibility, respect, and community involvement.



Photo credit goes to VirtualErn.

 On a slightly related note: We were squeezed for time so we stopped at McD for supper before the farm tour. I found it humorous that I was shoveling a quarter pound of Angus beef into my mouth while standing among the source. That's just my morbid sense of off-the-wall humor.......I see you, now I eat you. Forgive my weirdness. And I still like pork better but beef is good too.

Eat Breakfast Like a King...

Adelle Davis courtesy of the Adelle Davis Foundation website.

Adelle Davis had it right when she said: "Eat Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper" and researchers agree. According to Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D eating a good breakfast can lead to weight loss. Here are a few of her reasons why you should never skip breakfast:

• Eating breakfast reduces your hunger later in the day, making it easier to avoid overeating. When you skip breakfast, you may feel ravenous later and be tempted to reach for a quick fix, such as candy from the vending machine. In addition, prolonged fasting — which occurs when you skip breakfast — can increase your body's insulin response, which in turn increases fat storage and weight gain. In fact, skipping breakfast actually increases your risk of obesity.
• Eating breakfast gets you on track to make healthy choices all day. People who eat breakfast regularly tend to eat a healthier diet — one that is more nutritious and lower in fat. When you skip breakfast, you're more likely to skip fruits and vegetables the rest of the day too.
• Eating breakfast gives you energy, increasing your physical activity during the day. A healthy breakfast refuels your body and replenishes the glycogen stores that supply blood sugar (glucose). Skipping breakfast is associated with decreased physical activity.

In addition, according to research done by University of Alabama, Birmingham (UAB) eating a higher protein/fat/carb combo for breakfast can actually help control your weight. Bacon and eggs are among the highest protein foods you can wrap your lips around. If you are concerned about the fat and cholesterol content, don't be. Once cooked bacon only accounts for 1 gram of saturated fat, of which only one-third effects cholesterol and research by Wake Forest University shows no connection between eggs and heart disease.

So, tomorrow morning when you're debating over a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich or a cup of coffee with a rice cake for breakfast...go on, eat that big sandwich, you'll be healthier for it......

In proper proportions, of course.