MMMM Good!

My sister-in-law, Cherie, made this peach cobbler that is just to die for. I love it when you find a recipe that doesn't call for a cake mix. I don't own a cake mix, so those are out of the question for me. This one called for flour, sugar, milk(raw milk), butter, and peaches. Imagine that, nothing that I can't pronounce.
Combine 4 cups peeled and sliced peaches, 1 cup sugar, and 1/2 cup water in sauce pan and mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Put 8 table spoons butter in a 3 quart baking dish and place in a 350 degree oven to melt.
Mix remaining 1 cup sugar, 1 1/2 cups flour, and 1 1/2 cups milk slowly to prevent clumping. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup. Sprinkle top with ground Cinnamon, if using. Batter will rise to the top during baking. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes.

Helping out.

This evening was spent at the in-law's house. The kids, my sister-in-law, and myself cleaned the house. We put together fresh beds, cleaned out the fridge, and mopped the floors. We also did a repair job on a screen door that was beyond letting flies in, it was letting in the 100 pound Chocolate Lab! I had picked up one of those gaurds so the dog and cat can't scratch the screen again, so that is also in place now. It makes my in-laws happy to have a clean house, and to know they have family that cares enough to take care of them. And it really pleases my husband that we will take care of his folks for him.
Duane (my husband) is a great son. His dad is too old to do much more than climb in his loader tractor and scoop some feed for the cows. Last Sunday his dad twisted his ankle geting out of the loader because the step is too high and situated under the loader door. Now that loader has it's own deck! Duane got right to work adding a huge step that is 12 inches out from under the door and 2 feet wide. It's so big he even added it's own mud gaurd because it sticks way out between the tires, and he also added steal angle deflectors on the outside corners of the step.

Is fall on its way?

Has anyone else noticed that the Rose of Sharron has been in bloom for over a week now? The old saying that I have heard is that when the Rose of Sharron blooms we have six weeks till the first frost. According to my calculations, we will get frost the 1st of September! Is that too soon? Summer seems to go much faster than winter. Maybe it's because I have so much more to get done in the summer. That makes another old saying prove true- time flies when your having fun. I also think that means we have to get another cutting of hay and soy beans done before we get that frost because then the corn will be ready.

New Life

Even though it was way past my bed time, it was a great joy to pull a new calf safely from his mother last night. Knowing you just helped a heifer with her first calf is such a great feeling. I have helped hundreds of cows and heifers have calves, and yet it is just as exhilarating each and every time. This is my favorite part of farming.

Fresh from the garden!

Today I worked in the garden with the kids. We did some weeding, then we picked a half bushel of green beans. Yummy. All that work required some cool down time in the pool, a welcome reward. Then we spent the evening snapping beans with some ice cream as a treat. It's a tough life, but we manage. And yes, that was meant as sarcasm.

Some Much Needed Rain

Yesterday and today have been great for the farm, yard, and garden. It has rained 2 1/2 inces here and been hot and sunny both days. Those are the best growing conditions. A little muggy for us, but that's where the pool helps out. Eating lite salads and grilling also make the days better. Yesterday we had corn on the cob from our garden. Yummmmy! Add a chicken salad roll ups, and it is perfect summer eating.

Another Hot Day

Today is a great day for some yard work followed by lounging in the pool. We already had our great grilled meal of the day- chicken, garden beans, and potatoes, with watermelon for desert. It is great getting food from a garden.

Trying something new

Today I showed my husband and father-in-law my latest plan for the farm. Knowing that these two men hate change more than anyone I've ever met, I came prepared with lots of information and ready for complaints. The biggest surprise of my life is that they both like my idea. (Should I be scared?) So here is my plan. I love drinking wholesome, fresh, raw milk. I believe as long as it is cared for properly, it is the best drink for you. I want to share that with others who aren't fortunate enough to have a dairy farm. Michigan law says selling raw milk is illegal. So I am going to sell my cows instead. Not let them leave, just sell people cow shares and then they can pay me to take care of their cow and pick up their cow's milk. Have you ever made whipped cream with fresh cow cream off the top of fresh milk? You will never look at cool whip again once you've tried the real stuff. Or how about some homemade mozzarella cheese in 30 minutes? That is crazy good stuff. I will not be running a bottling company. People will be responsible for their own jars, and sanitizing them. We will just continue to care for our cows and keep our milk safe and cold. We are, after all a Michigan licensed and inspected grade A dairy farm.

A day at the Expo

We took the kids to the Ag Expo in East Lansing today. It's an anual family trip to see what is going on in the rest of the farming community. Seeing a cow with a trap to her stomach was a great treat for Glenn. After all, they saw it on "Dirty Jobs". Seeing all the new equipment was a treat for Duane and myself. I don't know how realistic it is, but I dream of a robotic milker. And I do have alternitve energy guys coming to see us. We might even get to try out a demo tractor for some wheat planting. The only concern I had all day was at how few farmers are left to enjoy the Expo. And because of our dwindling numbers, there are fewer vendors each year.

Shingles

I took my mother-in-law to the doctors again today. We went in Monday for a rash and discovered she has shingles running the length of her right arm. This is my first experience with shingles. I have learned that it is a chicken pock virus that causes blistering, and is quite painful because it messes with your nerve endings. My mother-in-law, Janet is 77 years old and has slight dementia. She told me during our ride that she dreams a lot. In the morning she has no idea if she is remembering a fact or a dream. When she asked me about a story she remembered involving a relative I had to laugh- I know the story, but she's the one that told me. We still don't know if it's fact or dream! Then this evening I had to settle an argument between her and my lovely father-in-law about what the doctor said about her medication. The sad thing is, they were both completely wrong about everything. I feel sorry for them, but even worse for older people without family to take care of them.

Turning into a great rider!

Horses are also a big part of our life. Ok, they are a big part of mine and the children's life. Not so much for the dairy farmer. I do have pictures to proove that my husband did enjoyed a great weekend on horseback along the AuSable River back 11 years ago. More recently, my son and I went to a Hunter Jumper show. He has turned out to be a great rider. I am very proud of what he has accomplished this last year in jumping his pony.

Golden Harvest

We have completed our wheat harvest! Well, my husband, father in law, and hired helper did the harvest. The kids and I made sure they were well fed and had plenty to quench their thirst. The guys also got the straw baled and put away, so we can bed down the cows nicely til this time next year.