Archive for November, 2009
November 16, 2009 – High Hopes on Oprah Slide Show
Here we are this week as part of a slide show on Oprah.com entitled “Unexpected Ways to go Green.” If you scroll through the show, I can probably about guarantee you this will most likely be the first and last time we’re included in the same slide show as “adult” toys!
I’m not sure how long the show links will stay active, but for now, here’s the link.
November 15, 2009 – Mixing Winter Grain Ration
It’s a big mixing weekend. The bred ewes eat mostly hay over the winter, but we give a little grain supplement for the pregnant and nursing ewes.
First step is to grind up some corn – ground corn is better than shell corn as it is better to digest. Here Martin watches the electric grinder and Ora the black kitten perches on the apple tree high above to watch!
Again, there are many possible combinations of grain mixtures, here’s what we’re trying this winter – steamed rolled barley, steam crimped oats, and linseed meal.
The final bit of the feed mix is a little bit of probiotics. Probiotics have many good effects on health, but are especially good for good rumen health.
Martin with the buckets ready for the first group to be mixed. Here’s this winter’s recipe:
2 parts cracked corn
1 part steam-rolled barley
1 part steamed crimped oats
1 part linseed meal
1 oz probiotics per 125 lb mix
one year ago…”Home-Made Cider Press Info”
November 14, 2009 – Mineral Mix
We decided it was finally time to give up on the commercial mineral blocks and go to a more custom mix that we could control a bit better.
Many producers swear by Redmond’s trace mineral salt. I’ve heard it from enough successful producers who swear by it, that it’s time to bring it to high hopes.
Here’s the salt out of the bag.
The final mineral mix – here was the recipe we used.
4 parts redmond salt
2 part sea kelp
1 part KD mineral
one year ago…”End of Season Pantry”
November 13, 2009 – South Side of Barn Painted
The flurry of barn painting this summer is as complete as it is going to be until spring – 3 of the 4 sides stained. Two weekends ago we had 70 degrees and a north wind, so it allowed me to get up high and finish the south side.
The doors and trim on the back need replacement as well, but that’s probably a next year item as well.
one year ago…”Thingamajig Thursday #141″
November 12, 2009 – Thingamajig Thursday #184
Here’s this week’s thingamajig Thursday.
Also check out the last thingamajig answer.
As always, put your guess in a comment below.
Hold mouse over this sentence to pop-up answer.
one year ago…”Last Garden Harvest> Brussels Sprouts”
November 11, 2009 – Makeshift Trailer
You may remember that this summer, I traded in the pick-up for a new car (and it already has 8k miles) and am patiently waiting for a new old truck to come to the farm – like cats and dogs, I’m sure one exactly right will come to me, but until then, I need to improvise. The first challenge comes with bringing lambs to market. So, I turned the utility trailer into a temporary livestock hauler with a few cattle panels.
I just cut off the bottom horizontal wires, drilled some holes in the bottom of the trailer, and stuck the cattle panels in the floor of the trailer, lashed the tops together and voila! It worked like a champ taking the first lambs to the locker.
one year ago…”Turkey Predators”
November 10, 2009 – Updated Web Site
The mother of the high hopes blog, highhopesgardens.com received an overhaul recently. Of course, the blog is where most of the actions is and remains, but there are a few new things on the regular web site. I was glad to finally get the photos of a three year-old Martin off the site.
one year ago…”Romantica and Carrie Rodriguez”
November 9, 2009 – Buttercup Squash Yeast Bread
Remember it was a bumper year for squash? Linda ran across a bread recipe that makes a beautiful moist yeast bread with an orange tint.
The loaves were devoured quickly. Here’s the recipe:
Ingredients
3 packages (1/4 oz each) active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110 to 115)
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 cups mashed cooked buttercup or butternut squash
2 cups milk
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup softened butter
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 teaspoons salt
13 cups all-purpose flour
Directions
In a very large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar; let stand for 5 minutes. Add the squash, milk, brown sugar, butter, eggs and salt; mix well. Add 6 cups flour. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough.
Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 1/4 hours.
Punch dough down. Divide into three portions; shape into loaves. Place in three greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool.
one year ago…”Ornamental Kale”
November 8, 2009 – Fall Ritual – Digging Gladiola Bulbs
A November ritual is to dig out the gladiola bulbs for winter keeping.
Many of the bulbs provide two new bulbs (corms) after cleaning. Like garlic, once you buy some, each year you can increase your supply without having to buy more.
November 7, 2009 – Garlic Tasting
Today we attended a fundraiser for the Practical Farmers of Iowa. Appetizers for the meal included a variety of roasted garlic varieties.
I was surprised at the vastly different tastes of the garlics. The rest of the meal was ably prepared by chef Donna Prizgintas, who among other things, was Paul Newman’s personal chef. The dinner included a beet gelee on a bed of microgreens, a main course of roasted white carrots and red peppers, along with two kinds of chicken. The meal was topped off with a squash crumble.
Earlier in the afternoon, there was a stop at Northern Prairie Chevre goat cheese farm. Next was a stop at Snus Hill winery, where the meal was served. It’s hard to say what was better – the conversation and company or food!
one year ago…”First Snow of the Season”
November 6, 2009 – New Layers
We were alerted to someone who had brooded more heavy breed layers than they could accommodate, so we bought 20 pullets just about ready to lay. We’ll put some of our older hens in the freezer for stewing.
The girls bringing the pullets into the chicken coop.
One of the more interesting pullets is this Speckled Sussex hen.
Each year we band the new chicks with colored zip ties and write the color an year on the wall inside the chicken coop. So all of this year’s new hens are green, last year’s hens were red, and before that white. It’s simple and it works well.
one year ago…”Thingamajig Thursday #140″
November 5, 2009 – Thingamajig Thursday #183
Here’s this week’s thingamajig Thursday.
Also check out the last thingamajig answer.
As always, put your guess in a comment below.
Hold mouse over this sentence to pop-up answer.
November 4, 2009 – Oprah’s People
Oprah’s people have been talking to our people this week about including a photo from high hopes gardens and part of an interview on a slideshow on Oprah.com sometime next week. We’ll keep you posted when it is published!
one year ago…”More About Mavericks”
November 3, 2009 – City Hams
We take a break from the farm today and give some love to my brother. All these years we thought my dj sister was the media-savvy ham, but evidently bro picked up some talent along the way.
He is evidently more excited about Minnesota Gopher football than anyone has a right to be! I’ll let the photo speak for itself – all I can say is that he did show some restraint and taset by choosing this outfit instead of going with the classical bare chest painted with a maroon “M” on a freezing afternoon.
Their tailgate party got about five minutes of run on the “Big Ten Cookout” show before the Gopher-Spartan game last weekend.
one year ago…”76 Degrees in November”
