A successful deer season is behind us now. Don opted to can most of the meat this year. It will be the main ingredient for stews and chili or shredded for sandwiches. Our daughter, Elizabeth, has her own secret recipe for sliders which she fixes for friends. See our recipe … Continue reading →

I don’t like the sun to rise before I do. To have a clear view of the eastern morning horizon, before the sun peeks, is one of the many reasons I live in the country. With the temperature in the single-digit range I stood outside this morning and, at first, … Continue reading →

Don rendered lard a few days ago. Not in conjunction with our annual hog butchering, though. We were simply out of lard so Don pulled four bags of chunked-up fat from the freezer, allowed it to thaw, then cooked it down. Over the years, our butchering process has been refined. … Continue reading →

This past August, Don tested for, and successfully received, a license to be an amateur radio operator. After speaking with other operators and doing some research on his own, he now has a simple receiving and transmitting system set up in our home. HAM radio has turned into an interesting … Continue reading →

Today, Don seasoned a cast iron pot given to us by my dad. After removing rust from the inside and outside of the pot, he washed it in hot, soapy water, thoroughly dried it, smeared it with lard, then baked it in the oven for one hour at 250 degrees … Continue reading →

Don tried something new in the garden this year. He planted fifteen sets of the three sisters. This Native American agricultural concept includes growing corn, beans and squash in a close grouping. The corn provides a support for the bean vine to climb, the beans provide nitrogen to the soil … Continue reading →

I was recently asked, “What’s your favorite part about raising cattle?” My answer, “The rewards of good stewardship.” In essence, my favorite part has many parts though, because good stewardship has such a wide range. For instance the cattle maintain the land, and I’m rewarded with scenic, rolling pasture. Also, … Continue reading →

When you stop doing, then you stop doing. These are just a few of Grandma Clem’s words that I took to heart. I mulled them over today as I trekked back to the cattle to move them to a new grazing lot. My coat and boots were heavy, as was … Continue reading →

Don and Elizabeth put our granite canner to good use these past few weeks. The last part of July, they canned peaches and made peach butter and peach jam. The following two weeks, Don and Elizabeth made blackberry jam. I must say, they did a delicious job. We live thirty … Continue reading →

I have a confession to make. My skills are lacking when it comes to pruning and training our blackberry plants. It seems that the brambles grow faster and faster each year. I usually end up bending them around in large loops and tying them to the trellis. You know what? … Continue reading →