Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Friends and Neighbors

In a mutually beneficial move, these folks have pitched their tents on our hill.

This gives them a chance to make a few preparations for bigger things to come, gives us all some close-by church-family fellowship; and they are helping us around the farm some, having already helped with fencing, etc.

We're tremendously enjoying having them so close, and are looking ahead to more good times with them.

Freezer's Full!!
Yes, the freezer is full of good, home-raised, grass-fed beef.

On the Saturday before Thanksgiving, our friends and Ribeye's co-owners, the Wiggins, arrived here after breakfast with gear in hand. Keith and Sherman did the cutting up—it took all morning and a good bit of the afternoon. The boys did the grinding and the delivering of meat to the packers (That would be us: moms and daughters).

The whole thing went very smoothly, but definitely took awhile. I think it would, even with a good bit of experience. But now we are so thankful to have half a cow in the freezer!!

We had some of the t-bone steaks last Tuesday, when friends from Georgia stopped by for dinner on their way to Thanksgiving with family in the Nashville area. My steak was wonderful—best I've had in years! (But then, I rarely order steak out anymore, because it is generally disappointing, but expensive. We used to live near a small country market that kept prime steaks during the summer months; then it was worth buying some and Keith grilling them. Otherwise, it just hasn't been worth getting a steak.) But back to my T-bone: it was so tender, and moist, and flavorful. Truly the best steak I've had in a long time, with the enormous added benefit of knowing exactly where it came from, where it's been, and what's in it. My hope, after reading and seeing so much about our industrial food supply, is that we will have only our own beef from now on. Same goes for chicken (which we're almost out of, but are going to butcher a few—but only a few—more this weekend. We have more in the pen, but they are still very small and young, and are not Cornish Cross, and so will take a lot longer, yet.) We could easily go through 100-150 chickens a year, I'd guess, although that number may decrease as we produce other kinds of meat here, such as Ribeye. Maybe one day we'll produce our own pork, too.

I wish we had the commitment (or close neighbor??) to get a milk cow. TNFarmgirl's post certainly encourages that desire.

Mary Susan

Friday, November 24, 2006

Socialization

This morning, I was observing our 11yo son, somewhat in awe. He's a young man. He does a man's work, has a mature attitude about it, behaves maturely, etc. I kept telling myself, "He's only 11yo!" Our girls, 13yo and 16yo, are also amazing young ladies. Many of our friends who are considered by the world to still be children could probably run their homes as well as most adults. And they are happy children. What a blessing to know "children" like this. They work hard (generally without complaint), and they play hard and enjoy each other's company.

When I was relating my thoughts about 11yo son this morning to Keith, he said, concerning "children," "youths," etc., "Apparently there is the potential for them to be more mature and social when they are not properly socialized."

Mary Susan

Thursday, November 23, 2006

Giving Thanks

God is great. God is good. Let us thank Him.

Blessings to all on this lovely Thanksgiving day.

Mary Susan

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

And more disturbing-but-not-surprising...

Disturbing, but not surprising

States Target Raw-Milk Farmers (BusinessWeek Article)

This brings to mind this post, which I was just printing off yesterday for a friend, from Northern Farmer.

Friday, November 10, 2006

Okay, how's this?

First off, we're Christian agrarians, so church-y posts work for me. The tense banter in the comments on the previous post have been deleted to maintain the positive, encouraging bent of this blog.

But to get on with it and to please a miniscule portion of a miniscule readership, here goes on some agrarian stuff:

We mulched today. I generally consider that to be more suburban than agrarian, but the main reason we did it was for the asparagus, which qualifies it for agrarian.

Keith went in to work early so he could get home in time to do some fencing, with help from whomever was able to give it. We were just finishing up mulching when he arrived, so we got all the shovels, forks, etc., put away, then some of us headed out to help him. I stayed in long enough to move forward on laundry detail--hang out a third load and start a fourth in the washer--and to get 4yo down for a nap. My mother stayed inside to get some things done and to have supper ready by the time darkness fell--and oh, it smells good! And with six of us outside, we got a good bit of fencing done.

I forgetfully wore my good tennis shoes to the pasture--not very agrarian. But they now have cow poop on them--very agrarian.

Oh, and I keep thinking in alfalfa (inside joke).

Is that a little better?

Mary Susan - Pictures Below










Agrarian Teamwork
Agrarian Cowhide Curing
Little Agrarian Teamwork
Latest Agrarian Heifer Calf
Beautiful Agrarian Treeline and Family Labor
Tired Agrarians Waiting for Next Barb Wire Run

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Great Weekend!



We had a fantastic weekend in Georgia with our church family.

This wonderful family hosted a church-wide observance of Reformation Day Saturday at their beautiful homestead in the Georgia mountains. The fellowship was wonderful, although we did miss those who were unable to attend. We had delicious eats mid-day, followed by target practice, some bluegrass, football, a bit of contra dancing, theological discussions, and just enjoying each others' company. We also enjoyed the reading by a gifted elocutionist, dear friend, and fellow church-member of chapter 4 from William Bradford's diary.

After downing marshmallows and hot-dogs-cooked-over-the-fire, we had family worship together. What an awesome sight: 60 or 70 folks gathered around the fire listening to God's Word, singing, sharing prayer concerns, and praying together! We gradually and somewhat reluctantly broke up and went our separate ways. However, we only had to go the the side yard, since we had brought a camper down the day before and were enjoying the fine hospitality offered at the Lingo homestead for the entire weekend. The gifted elocutionist and his family were doing likewise, in their tent.

The weekend continued with a fantastic message the following day at church, followed by a great lunch, another good Q&A session, and still more sweet fellowship.

And now, we're home (as of late Sunday evening), and looking forward to next week at church. I can now, in awe, say that our primary focus is on church from the time we get home until we go the following week, and on preparing our hearts (as well as food, clothes, etc.) for that day of worship, fellowship, and training. This is the way it should be.

Mary Susan