Farm Update

Check here and here for some of what's been going on with our farm.

We've been watering the veggies; "they" say we're in a drought already, and we certainly can't argue with them!

We got a few strawberries, but not many at all. The plants have multiplied greatly and look very healthy, though, so hopefully we'll get more next year. I think I'll consider covering them if we're due for a freeze when they're blooming. When I think of all the blooms we had before the freeze in April--ouch!

The asparagus has about played out, too. I think the asparagus harvest season is too short; I never get enough for my taste!

The lettuce and onions are great in salads and on sandwiches. The broccoli and cabbage is producing well, but some of the cabbage has small black beetles on it--lots of them! And some are turning black from the stem-end; my mother has never seen anything like this (the beetles or the black), in her many years of suburban gardening. I've not heard my father's comments on it (a man of few words).

The other crops are coming up well.

I'm desperate for a home-grown tomato! (And I don't mean a hot-house one.)

We've had a lot of wonderful fellowship with dear brothers and sisters in Christ. To God be the glory.

Mary Susan

Confederate Memorial Day?

I just found out here that we Tennesseans (and each of the Southern states!) have a Confederate Memorial Day--actually, ours is called Confederate Decoration Day. I guess it's politically incorrect, and that's why I'd never heard of it, as far as I recall. Here is a link to the dates of the various states' Confederate Memorial Days. (I had, in recent years, heard about closings of some things in Alabama on Jefferson Davis' birthday, I thought, but maybe it was on the day of his surrender to Gen. Sherman, I'm not sure. Or maybe it's both!)

I enjoy studying and reading about American history, but I don't like political correctness. (It pretty much guarantees that facts will be distorted.)

My great grandfather (and other relatives, I assume) fought in the Civil War. He was among the many soldiers at Appomattox Court House when General Lee, a man whose character even his enemies could not find fault with, surrendered. We have a letter he wrote home from the war; he sounded lonely and homesick. I am proud that he fought, and I am glad to find that we have a day to honor him and the other men and boys who fought to defend their homes and preserve the freedoms that states' rights would have ensured. Too bad few folks know about that day; those men and boys fought just as honorably, sincerely, intensely, and valiantly as those in other wars our country has been involved in.

Mary Susan

Another NAIS Threat...Act Now

We received this via email late this morning from a very reliable source:

Since the Federal Reserve Bill was sneaked into law just before Christmas 1913, when many members had already left for the holiday, congress has had a history of sneaking through legislation and ramming it down an unwilling country’s throat.

A believable source just warned me that members of congress are trying to slip NAIS in at the last minute before the Memorial Day holiday by attaching it to the Country of Origin Labeling Bill now in the House Agriculture committee. (I understand Collin Peterson is from Minnesota, & that there’s a big RFID chip manufacturer in his district, but don’t have time to check that out right now).

You need to call the following, and tell them you don’t want NAIS, and you sure don’t want it to be attached to the Country of Origin Labelling Bill. Urge them to vote against it.

Leonard Boswell, Livestock subcommittee, House Ag Comm at (202) 225-3806 and

Collin Peterson, Chmn House Ag Comm (202) 225-2165

If you don’t call today, it probably won’t do any good. Please – call now

Mary Susan

"The Ultimate Flourless Chocolate Cake"

Okay, Julie, et al., here's the story behind the cake, as well as the much-anticipated recipe.

Years ago, I worked in Nashville. One of my co-workers had a friend who was a caterer and had a storefront in the Belle Meade/Bellevue area, where she had some scrumptious lunch offerings. We occasionally went there to get something for lunch. I remember one year picking up tender prime rib, probably (although I don't recall) a side or two, some bread, and most definitely a couple of slices of the delicious flourless chocolate truffle cake that I'd discovered there, and bringing them home for a very nice (and pricey, I'm sure) Valentine's dinner. The meal was good; dessert was unforgettable; one of those foods that sticks in your memory (mine, at least)and just won't let go.

In recent years, when we've been in the area, I've driven past the location where the shop was (in hopes of getting a slice of cake for me and the kids), only to find that the shop is no longer there. I also thought I'd one day look up a recipe, but never have; I figured it'd be complicated, anyway, and, as a result, something I'd put off doing. (Even after getting this recipe, I put it off, but it is not complicated at all!)

Then, while waiting in a grocery check-out line a few months ago, I noticed a magazine that was not offensive. (Harder and harder to believe, I know; my daughters and I have gotten to where we search the bottom shelf for the least offensive magazines, and use those to cover the others. At the very least, we turn the offensive ones around, but this always doesn't work, since the back covers can be as bad as or worse than the fronts. End of rant. Back to story.) Not only was it not offensive; it was delicious-looking! And the front photo reminded me of that flourless chocolate cake--and I found the title/teaser, and it said it was a flourless chocolate cake!! Needless to say, the tease worked on me, and I bought the magazine.

This recipe comes from page 43 of the October 10, 2006, issue of Quick and Simple magazine:

The Ultimate Flourless Chocolate Cake

• 8 large eggs
• 1 lb. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped [I used a bag of bittersweet chips, and finished off with semisweet--it's just what I had last week]
• 1/2 lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes [I used salted; never intentionally have unsalted]
• 1/4 cup strong brewed coffee (optional)

[You'll need some boiling water, too.]

1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9" springform pan with parchment paper and grease the sides of the pan. Wrap the bottom of the assembled pan with heavy-duty foil and set pan in a larger roasting pan.

2. Using a handheld mixer, beat the eggs at high speed for about 5 minutes, until their volume doubles. [I admit, I used my stand mixer. Why is handheld specified??] Melt chocolate and butter with the coffee (if using) in a large bowl in the mocrowave on 50% power for 1 minute. Stir mixture and continue to microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until chocolate is fully melted.

3. Using a rubber spatula, fold a third of the eggs into the chocolate mixture until just a few streaks are visible. Repeat with half the remaining eggs, then fold in the last of the eggs.

4. Pour batter into springform pan and smooth the surface. Set roasting pan [with sprinform pan in it] in oven and pour enough boiling water into it [the roasting pan] to come halfway up the outside of the springform pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the cake has risen slightly, the edges are just beginning to set and an instant-read thermometer inserted halfway into the center of the cake reads 140 degrees. [The cake is not going to look done; it will still jiggle a lot, etc., but that's okay, if the above criteria are met.] Remove the springform pan to a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight. [This is as far as I went with these instructions, since we had circumstances that didn't mesh with the following ones. The magazine's instructions continue as stated here, but in a moment, I'll tell what I did.] About 30 minutes before serving, remove the springform pan sides, invert cake onto a sheet of waxed paper, take off the parchment liner, and invert the cake again onto a serving platter.

5. Meanwhile, prepare glaze: Cook chocolate [3 oz. semisweet, coarsely chopped], butter [3 tbsp unsalted], corn syrup [1 tbsp of light] and milk [1 tbsp] in a heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Pour glaze over cake and serve with whipped cream and fresh raspberries.

Now here's what I did (and didn't do), after chilling overnight:

I didn't use the suggested glaze, since we were taking the cake to church and I wanted it to be easy to serve. The first time we made the cake, the glaze became a hard shell when refrigerated on the cake, and that was messy, difficult to cut, etc. I'd had that wonderful chocolate cake Christy made a few weeks ago, so I called her for the light and fluffy ganache recipe for that cake (much better suited to this than the ganache we usually make, which also becomes hard upon refrigeration). Here's that recipe (as emailed to me by Christy), which makes a lot, but Keith really liked the thick layer of it on top:

Chocolate Ganache

1 (12 oz.) package semisweet chocolate morsels

1-1/2 cups whipping cream

3 Tbsp. butter

1. Microwave semisweet chocolate morsels and whipping cream in a 2-qt.microwave-safe bowl at medium (50% power) 2-1/2 to 3 minutes or until chocolate begins to melt. Whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Whisk in butter, and let stand 20 minutes.

2. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer 3 to 4 minutes or until soft peaks form.

3. Keep mixture from Keith until you have finished your recipe.

She revised it a bit, upon learning that Keith was highly offended by #3 in the instructions:

3. Before washing dishes, give bowl, beaters, spatula, and bib to Keith.

After adding the ganache, I chilled more.

Then eat!

Mary Susan

Beauty

I really like peonies. I like most fresh flowers. But I don't take the time to try to grow them.

Enter Mama. She makes our home beautiful with the flowers she grows around the house outside. These are some of the beautiful, bright pink peonies we've been blessed with the last couple of weeks.

And she not only adds beauty with flowers, she also adds beauty through order--something our family is sorely lacking! She quietly goes about getting things done in the house and outside, making our world more orderly and beautiful.

Proverbs 31:27-31, oft-quoted, but never stale:
27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. 28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. 29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. 30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. 31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Mary Susan

Update on "barn"-raising

Incredible what can happen in a week, especially when driven by a driven, professional builder-friend donating his time and four of his crew, to lead our men and boys! In one week, our pastor's barn/house went from a plumbed concrete slab to what you see in the following pictures.

From what I understand, the porch was not planned, but the builder thought one would be nice, had some time while waiting for supplies, and took the opportunity to add it!

Better watch that first step!

Beautiful view.

Yes, even the kitchen cabinets were installed, and some wiring was done. The refrigerator is now in and working! The kitchen, windows, and doors came from the pastor's in-laws, who I understand are conveniently redecorating their home.

The living quarters for the family of nine (at this point) are upstairs, with what used to be called a "great room," three bedrooms, two bathrooms, etc. This space is to be used as pantry/laundry room/sewing room. And yes, I believe all the interior walls have been framed.

This is how we broke it in after church this week.

The music is always fun, and seeing Abby and some of the other little ones dancing to it was pure joy.

Sure makes me wonder why it took close to a year to build our place!

Mary Susan

Soap!

Almost five weeks ago, we made our first soap. I've had the ingredients for months, but couldn't seem to get up the nerve to actually do it. Dear friend and soap-mentor Trish has told me that it's really easy, and that I should not be intimidated. So finally a day arrived when we not only had time, but I also nerve. And you know what? She was right!!!

I already have the ingredients to make another batch, and hope to do that pretty soon so that we don't run out before we have more cured.

Mary Susan

News and happenings

We slaughtered a bull about 4 weeks ago; butchering will take place this Saturday.

We have layer chicks in the brooder (a new brooder, since the watering trough we'd previously used is in use as a...well...a watering trough, I think).

We've been at our pastor's place some this week helping raise a house/barn. We had to leave late Tuesday (livestock and cubiculture calling), but incredible progress had already been made! (Pastor has a friend from the Atlanta area who joined us, along with three of his crew, who are all professional builders. What a boost they were--not only to speed, progress, and knowledge, but also to teaching our men and boys more about framing, etc.) Pictures here.

We're working on planting some seedlings in the garden, but many of them were lost early on due to significant trauma. We have learned a lot from this first experience with seedlings and I am looking forward to next spring when we can start some more, using some of this new knowledge.

We've been getting asparagus for a few weeks. Lettuce is coming in thick. We got a couple of strawberries last week, and it looks like we'll get some more, but a very large portion of the crop was lost to the freeze a couple of weeks ago.

Teddy the Lone Rooster has been loaned (given??) to friends in need of a competent rooster. We miss his "Hey, what's uuuupppp?" in the morning (and other times).

We had lime spread on the garden and on the pastures.

A number of beef cows are due for calving this month.

The pigs are growing and are a riot. They are very entertaining, smart, and friendly. I like having them here. And I'm looking forward to some good, clean pork!!

From what the email told us about the bill, TN is making strides in the right direction regarding NAIS. I would link to the bill, but have no idea where to find the bill, except in our email attachment, and I don't know how to do that. (Besides, I'm late for an Algebra appointment with 14yo daughter.) Anyway, from what I understand, a bill making NAIS voluntary has made it through the state Ag Committee. Not sure about funds being provided, and I don't have time right now to try to understand the government-ese, so I'll leave you with that. (If anyone wants to try to find out more, "Amendment No. 1 to HB0976" is apparently the significant part of the bill, since that's what our correspondent's attachment was.)

Mary Susan