This pipe was laid out in May to irrigate the corn maze…it wasn’t enough. We finally took time to roll it back up because we had extra help.

After all that work, Papa (on the tractor) and I have started conspiring to bury the pipe while Mom and Daddy are in Houston next weekend. SHHHHH! Don’t tell anyone!!!

Papa: sometimes I think…

Mom/mema: talking about something else

Papa: sometimes I think…

Mom/mema: agreeing about whatever they were talking about

Papa: sometimes I think…

Mom/mema: continue talking

Daddy: (to me) and sometimes he doesn’t think…

Me: laughing too hard to eat

Poor Papa could not get a word in. I still don’t know what point he was trying to make

Wake up, wake up, time for school, get up, get up, time for school, time for school, oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, time for school

Mema and Papa got a new Amazon device.

Daddy: Have you used the new speaker in here at all?

Papa: No, I don’t know what I’d use it for

Me: She can play music, play games, tell you the weather forecast, the news, or jokes.

Papa: What kind of jokes?

Me: Alexa, tell me a joke

Alexa: Have you heard the one about the man who tried to walk up a hill without a watch?….He had neither the time, nor the inclination

Papa: Well she's about useless. What’s the point in a joke if it isn’t funny? I don’t think I’m gonna play jokes with her.

The room: burst out with laughter…Papa does not care for silly technology

Running out of ways to cook Chuck roast? Here’s a new, very simple idea. Season the roast with your favorite bbq seasonings. Put it in your crock pot on low for 8-10 hours. Take out the bones and it should shred very easily. Drain the juice (maybe into a jar to keep it for a soup). Add enough bbq sauce to lightly coat all of the meat. Chop some spinach. Put it all in a soft tortilla. DELICIOUS!!!

If you cant make people laugh once in a while, whats life worth?

Talking about generation names

“All I know is, I was born at just the right time…right when tractors come out!”

God bless him, he knows his priorities…he’s gonna farm for the world until the day he dies.

Do you ever have a conversation with someone that has a different accent than you? One where you often cannot figure out what they are saying?

This morning I was talking with my grandfather. Here’s how the conversation went:

Papa: Your momma and daddy looked so cute the both of them plying (supposed to be plowing) yesterday

Me: I’m sorry, what were they doing?

Papa: Plying!

Me: I don’t know what that is

Papa: PLYING…the garden…with the tiller

Me: OHHHHH P.L.O.W.I.N.G…

Papa: Why you always gotta make fun of me?

Me: Oh Papa, I’m not meaning to make fun of you. I truly don’t understand what you’re saying. I’m sorry

Papa: Isn’t that what they call bullying? You shouldn’t make fun (all in jest)

Me: (exasperated) I'm not making fun of you! I really don’t understand you half the time.

Papa: (Lovingly) I wouldn’t know what to do if I didn’t have you to make fun of me…

Oh my goodness…who on this giant earth thinks making fun is loving????…My Papa…Gotta love him!

Another round of rain coming in. Personally, I prefer this weather. I know that’s unusual, but hey, it makes me special😊

Sometimes it’s on a computer. Sometimes it’s in the dirt. Sometimes it’s with cows. Today, was a little bit of all three. Cheetoh wanted to help. He lurks on top of the pin barriers managing our cattle work. Cows needed separating to go to the right bull, or the right pasture. And doesn’t this garden prep look good?! Sally has done a fantastic job planning and prepping this garden that will hold the seasonings we prep for our future spice line.

Low Carb Shepherd's Pie

INGREDIENTS

1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets (about 6 cups)
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. heavy cream
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar, divided
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 c. low-sodium beef broth

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400°. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add cauliflower florets and cook until tender, 10 minutes. Drain well, pressing with paper towels or a clean dish towel to remove as much excess water as possible.
2. Return cauliflower to pot and add cream cheese. Use a potato masher to mash cauliflower until smooth. Add heavy cream, 1 cup cheddar, and half of the green onions and stir to combine. Season well with salt and pepper.
3. In an oven-safe skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and carrots and cook until soft, 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more. Add tomato paste and stir to coat veggies. Add ground beef to skillet and using a wooden spoon to break up meat, cook until no longer pink, 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add broth and simmer 2 minutes.
4. Top skillet with cauliflower mash, then top with remaining ½ cup of cheddar. Bake until top is golden and cheese is melty, 20 minutes. 5. Top with more green onions to serve.

There are so many things on the farm that pictures simply can’t do justice. I opened a gate this morning, and turned to chain it in place. I could see the most beautiful contrast of sun and clouds. Then after the clouds cleared out, these adorable baby goats were out playing and jumping around. The pictures just don’t show the true beauty I could see, or how cute the babies were. But I tried!😊

Does anything sound better, in this cold windy weather, than chili, stew, pot roast, or soup? We got more meat yesterday! Nearly everything is restocked, nicely packaged, and available for delivery. Check our stock and get your orders placed before we run out again!

What do 3.5” of rain and sub-freezing overnight temps mean?

High lakes, icy puddles, and frozen bridges! It may not be great driving conditions in town, but out here, it’s really pretty.

Our sweet little baby calf did not make it. We aren’t sure exactly what went wrong. We did everything in our power to keep him alive. Unfortunately, it still wasn’t enough. We are very sad to have lost him.

Was anyone else outside when that cold front blew through? I was. It was relatively warm and calm for a February day. I could hear the wind picking up north of me. The trees started blowing around. All of a sudden, the temperature dropped and I was shivering. It was crazy. The first moment, I was fine. The second, I wanted a jacket. Thankfully, our little calf was still in the barn. He had lots more energy after we got him fed. Now he's nursing on his own.

Anyone have pictures from the weather today? Please share them!

We think this last week was just a little too cold for this cute baby. Thankfully, we recognized the problem and were able to get him and momma to the barn. Momma doesn’t let us get close to him to help him nurse, so we have to put her in the chute and hold him under her. He doesn’t quite have the strength to do this on his own just yet. John, Sally, and Mel all went out this morning and made sure he got to nurse again.

We have added 6 new bundles to our Beef page. Take a look. We will have more meat available in about 4 weeks as well.

Fog can be bad, but it can be so very beautiful. As can so many other views on the farm.

Training a new employee can be stressful, entertaining, fun, and tedious. Our new employee is picking things up quickly. It is very important for cow hands to learn to treat the cattle with tenderness, swiftness, and a low stress as possible. This new calf went through the chute, got a vaccine, castration, and ear tag. Our trainee, Sally, prepped the materials, gave our little baby a tag and a respiratory nasal spray. She moved animals all over the property, returned the baby to momma, put out a new game cam to watch our resident beaver. I don’t think she’s named him yet. Any ideas on a good beaver name?