Archive for August, 2005
August 31, 2005 – Hints of Fall
The first hints of fall are appearing as September nears. Some of the soybean fields are showing a splash of yellow as the drying down begins.
We lost our first turkey overnight – one of the biggest toms – just dropped dead, no sign of predation (they are behind an electric netting fence.)
We also closed ...Read more.
August 30, 2005 – Distracted Day
I’m feeling fortunate to only feeling distracted. I’m afraid I wasn’t entirely productive at work today. I was so struck by the Katrina coverage and unfolding devastation that I found it hard to concentrate. I wonder where the 1.5 million people in New Orleans went? How long can they live without ...Read more.
August 29, 2005 – “Rhythm Replaces Strength”
NOTE: I have turned on a verification before comments can be posted. This blog has been assaulted with blog spam – comments that are really ads and spam. Today I had to delete eight such comments. Feel free to drop comments, just know you’ll have to scroll down the comment entry ...Read more.
August 28, 2005 – Around the Farm
Thought I’d share some of the nice sights around the farm these days. Here’s Claire next to the broom corn – it’s tall!
I continue to be struck by the combination of the blooming buckwheat and amaranth.
This amaranth is very striking in its deep maroon color – even from a distance, it is the first ...Read more.
August 27, 2005 – New Market and Tomato-RAMA
This spring we reserved a space at the farmer’s market section of the local energy cooperative’s annual meeting and fair. We were regretting it after the good market in Grinnell. The market was indeed rather lousy – it was twice as long and we sold a third as much.
The event was very nice ...Read more.
August 26, 2005 – Squash Tunnel
One of this year’s experiments was to bend a 16 foot cattle panel over as a half circle and plant gourds on it. Part of the reason was to span the pile of fenceposts destined to be grape fencing.
It turned out well, next year it may be worthwhile to make it double-wide and trying ...Read more.
August 25, 2005 – Shiny Bus
Today is the first day of school for Claire (8th)and Emma (5th).
It’s always an exciting day for them to start the year. Emma was one of those sad kids without proper shoes. Her shoes disassembled during the school day – so there she is, first day of school (when your shoes should be ...Read more.
August 24, 2005 – Over the Stove
Today was a very cool August day – a nice change – it didn’t get to 70 until mid-afternoon. So we took advantage of the cool weather and went nuts canning.
Today’s totals = 9 jars of raspberry jam, 5 jars of whole raspberries, 7 jars of tomatoes, 12 jars of applesauce (five of raspberry-apple ...Read more.
August 23, 2005 – Subliminal Obese America?
Take a look at this ad from Vonage and tell me you don’t see a woman with abnormally large shoulders or an abnormally small head!
This is not an original thought from me – I’ve stolen it from a web site called “This is Broken” a web site primarily for technical writers who expound on confusing ...Read more.
August 22, 2005 – Non-Gas Powered Brush Cutters
Are goats part of the solution to the rising oil prices? I promised ya’all before and after pictures of an area pre- and post-goat. Due to a technical malfunction (I erased the “before” pictures – you’ve all got to remember I’m still operating with a Dell and Nikon camera, not the Televac 62000).
There is ...Read more.
August 21, 2005 – Televac 62000
As today is the last day of the state fair I’ve been waiting to show you all my favorite vendor exhibit from the fair – the Televac 620000 Personality Analyzer.
As an information technology professional, one who works flawlessly from creating content for black screen mainframes to a web browsers, the Televac 62000 caught my eye.
The ...Read more.
August 20, 2005 – Every Which Way
This morning we went three different directions. Linda went to the Iowa Farmer’s Union annual meeting and got to hear John Edwards, 4 gubernatorial candidates and three Secretary of Ag candidates, in addition to spreading the word about the Sustainable and Entrepreneurial program at MCC.
Grandma and the girls went to the Grinnell market where ...Read more.
August 19, 2005 – ‘Nother Hot Day
Today was another 90 degree plus day with plenty of humidity. The girls spent most of the morning in the kitchen making cookies for market tomorrow and the afternoon on the slip and slide.
The hot weather is good for our buckwheat crop. After we harvest summer crops in the garden we sow buckwheat since ...Read more.
August 18, 2005 – Got Goat?
Pictures don’t get more goaty than this! Here’s Paullina standing up against the lower half of the barn door.
Number One and Number Two are growing up nicely. They suffered the fate many of us face of being born male.
I promised more milking pictures. Here they are.
Hand milking is a long lost art. ...Read more.
