Archive for the ‘Family – Martin’ Category
May 12, 2012 – Who’s on First?
Today was Martin’s first speech competition. The category is Duo Interpretation. He and a classmate did a reprise of Abbot and Costello’s “Who’s on First.”
March 25, 2012 – Prairie Fire
We helped out at a prairie burn this afternoon at Two Friends farm. I’ll mix it up and take you through the burn backwards.
At the end of the day, about five acres of prairie is torched.
Sending Martin out batting cleanup while we go try to find some cold ones (not really).
After setting the backfires, the main fire gets rolling.
A burning ring of fire!
Martin with a flapper to help smother flames along the edge of a fire.
Nice flapper work on the right side of the photo!
Starting the fire nice and slow – a back burn against the wind before starting the main fire.
February 26, 2012 – The Sweetness of February Begins
It was a good Sunday. I had been pretty much cooped up working indoors the last few weeks, so I was looking forward to a nice day outdoors. Today was double-duty farm work. It was time to boil down 15 gallons of maple sap and begin pruning the fruit trees.
Here’s the world famous mobile sugar shack. An old barrel stove on a metal wagon that can be moved around to account for the wind – and it was windy today – near wind advisory criteria. This photo pretty much shows it all. Cart with wood, buckets with sap, coffee cup, willing boy, stove and evaporator pan a bubbling, and maple tree with container in the background.
Today’s enterprise is uber-sustainable. The wood is from the storm last summer, the plastic cartons that use the sap will be converted to tomato shelters in a few months, and the leftover logs that hadn’t burned all the way were snuffed out for some biochar. To top it off, we produced more electricity than we used.
While we wait, it’s a good time to begin pruning the fruit trees. Martin starts on this one that needs some attention.
But eventually, the kids tuckers out and finds a makeshift resting place in the branches of an apple tree.
February 22, 2012 – Sap’s Running!
I thought it might be time to tap the maple trees for the spring sap run. A quick email to our friends at Morning Sun farm found they had just tapped their trees and already had 50 gallons in the hand.
Drill a hole.
Pound in a tap.
Sap flow!
About four hours after getting the taps in, this tree has already filled the buckets about 3/4 full.
February 20, 2012 – Ground’s Unfrozen, It’s Warm, Let’s Plant!
With the non-winter we’ve had, it’s hard to ignore the calendar. Nevertheless, the ground is unfrozen, it’s warm with no subzero cold blasts in the forecast, so it’s time to gamble with a few cents worth of seeds for the reward of some early season produce.
We found some space with a southern slope and the barn to the north to block any strong north winds, worked up the soil a bit and put some stiff wires in the ground. I put some wires on the ends straight across and put the rest at an angle. Then we planted and watered.
Put the plastic across, stick another round of stiff wire crossing the first wires now inside the plastic, secure the edges, and wait. I’ll have to come out and open up a side on warm, sunny days so the plants don’t wither in the heat.
February 14, 2012 – Norse Unite!
On a college visit with Emma to Luther College, I picked up a knitting pattern for a Norse hat.
Here’s father and son proudly wearing the hat on a rare snowy day (it melted with 24 hours). Linda was kind enough to knit them for us. We do attract attention wherever we walk wearing these beauties!
January 27, 2012 – Not Your Father’s Mr. Potato Head
When I was growing up, the only fun we had with potatoes was pushing plastic face parts into a tuber. Things are different now.
Now, kids are using potatoes to generate electricity, as demonstrated by Martin’s potato-powered clock. Sure it’s a bit bulky for a clock, but it’s potato-powered!
January 3, 2012 – Year In Review
It’s time for a year=end review of some of my favorite moments and photos of 2011.
Kids and baby animals are hard to beat.
Extremes in any domain are interesting.
Martin’s new found love and interest in cooking gave us many great meals.
The promise of a neat spring garden always brings hope.
Linda’s wild look in the White House captures a moment.
“Walking the Talk”
Claire as a professional at her work post in DC.
Dad and Martin up on the North Shore of Minnesota.
Martin’s initiative to carry a big pack, rather cheerfully over 3.5 miles of portages.
Emma exploring new foods in Boston.
Taking care of some of our own responsibly-grown meat.
Visiting with women farmers from around the world at our farm.
The majesty and scale of the new wind turbine farm just south of our farm.
Finally, after 20 some odd years (who’s counting, exactly) the love of my life shining a little light of hers.
December 26, 2011 – Martin’s Stop-Action Premiere
With nothing better to do (since our kids are limited to half hour of TV/PC games per day), they are able to pursue other activities. Martin wanted to make a stop-motion video using his new Atlantis Lego set. So without further ado – Martin’s premiere Sea Man vs Evil Shark.
December 12, 2011 – Team Mu? First Lego League Shines Again!
The following is from the school website (I don’t have to write today!)
Lenihan’s FIRST LEGO League team took the overall championship at the regional contest held Saturday, Dec. 10, at Marshalltown Community College. The win advances the team to the state competition Jan. 14, 2012, at Iowa State University.
Lenihan’s Extended Learning Program team won the overall Championship, in a field of 32 Central Iowa teams, by earning the highest combined scores in all four competition categories: Robot Challenge, Technical Interview, Research Presentation, and FLL Core Values.
The 2011-2012 FLL theme is “Food Factor”. Throughout the fall semester, the team has researched milk production and possible bacterial contamination points. Based on this research, the students wrote a project presentation, designed an innovative solution to the contamination problem, and compiled an annotated bibliography of their research sources.
Work on the robot challenge included completing advanced programming tutorials, constructing three robot prototypes and their final robot design, and programming multiple missions using LEGO MINDSTORM software. The students incorporated a light sensor and ultrasonic sensor to input data for an autonomous program as well as utilized a third motor to operate their forklift, fishing net, catch basin, and bumper attachments.
The team will face 72 qualifying teams Jan. 14 at the ISU College of Engineering. More than 200 teams competed at regional competitions across the state.
October 30, 2011 – Jack-o-Lantern
Martin did not make the Rocky Horror showing, but came up with some horror of his own with his Halloween pumpkin.
September 24, 2011 – A Sweet Day
Today was honey extraction day. As GJ says, it’s all about separation today. First, you separate the supers from the hive and therefore separate the bees from their honey. Then you separate the individual frames from the supers.
Then you separate the beeswax from the frames. Emma with the heated knife and gj with a wax scraper.
Then you separate the honey from the frames in the extractor.
Then you filter out all the bee parts and remaining wax from the honey.
A final look at Emma with a nice frame. We ended up with about 15 gallons of honey from two hives. Shortly after the aerial jockeys sprayed around our farm, the hive at our place ha greatly reduced activity. After the bees died, the wax moths took over and there was no honey – but the two hives at another location adjacent to about 15 acres of prairie, did very well.
one year ago…”U of M Public Relations Disaster”
August 27, 2011 – Putting Tomaotes Up
Today was a long-anticipated day. Last year, we only had enough tomatoes to can seven quarts (it was a good thing we had canned 89 the previous year and had enough left over to get us through). This looks like a great tomato year. It was wet to get them going, hotter than blazes in July, now bone dry in August (avoids bacterial wilt and fungus).
Martin with the first sweep through the garden of the year looking for ‘maters.
A bushel of Romas waiting to be skinned and peeled.
To enable safe boiling water canning of tomatoes, we add 2 tbsp of lemon juice and a tsp of salt for taste.
We throw the tomatoes in boiling water until their skins crack and then put them in cold water to cool.
Then cut out the stem and slip the skins off.
Take about 1/6 of the tomatoes and crush them and bring them to boil, then slowly add the rest (no need to crush). After all the tomatoes are added, bring to a boil and boil for five minutes.
Put in cans and boil for 50 minutes. Today’s haul was 28 quarts of tomatoes. Seems like a lot, but it’s only about two jars a month. These are a staple in our cuisine. Love them as the base of a minestrone soup and an essential part of red hot dish!
one year ago…”Ag Incubator Ribbon Cutting!”
August 22, 2011 – First Day of School
For the record, first day of school, 2011.
Martin and Daisy.
Emma and Maizy. Who ever thought of confusing dogs by giving them rhyming names!
