Category: Uncategorized

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March 2021 Views from the Farm

Under cover we see:

  • Piglets – Litter 1
  • Layers
  • Piglets – Litter 2
  • Savannah – great with kid
  • Pesch – great with kid

Outside we see:

  • Rooster
  • Cows grazing
  • Khiza
  • Piggies sunning
  • Calf
  • Pigs visiting

In the gardens we see:

  • Planted bed
  • Pea rows
  • Garlic patch
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Baby Piglets

Newborn piglets

The Bros purchased a boar and sow late last year. The sow, Maple, came bred. When it looked like she might be ready to give birth, we moved her into the barn. And waited. And waited. Finally, in late January on a Saturday night, she pushed a piglet out. After several hours with nothing else coming, one of the bros reached inside and was able to pull a second one out. And then she pushed a third one out by herself.

She took to mothering, letting them nurse, making a nest in the hay for them to cozy into, and keeping an eye on what they are up to. They have been growing, like they should.

3 piglets is a very small litter, even for a first time mom. 9-16 would be a more common size. But they all survived. And 100% survival rate is excellent.

Month old piglets
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Beef Stew

This was made with canned and frozen ingredients that I had on hand. It had a chunkier consistency than the beef over potatoes and veggies did.

Beef Stew

This included beets along with the beef.
Print Recipe
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Enough water to cover the bottom of the crockpot
  • 1 qt. canned beef 1-2 lb. of cooked beef (stew meat) would also work.
  • 1 qt. canned beans, drained
  • 1 qt. canned beets, drained
  • 2 cups celery 2 cups combined of celery, onion, and/or garlic would also work.
  • 1 qt. pumpkin or squash puree

Equipment

  • Crockpot

Method
 

  1. Put enough water in to cover the bottom of the crockpot. Mix beef, beans, beets and celery in crockpot. Add squash puree until it is spread throughout.
  2. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours. Let sit with lid off for 5-10 minutes to cool. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Frozen veggies and beef, thawed, could be used instead of canned ones.
The squash puree sweetens the dish.
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Chicken and Edamame

This is a simple meal, using ingredients I had on hand.

Chicken and Edamame

Print Recipe
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 whole chicken, thawed
  • 1 qt. edamame, thawed
  • Water to cover bottom of the crockpot

Equipment

  • Crockpot

Method
 

  1. Put thawed chicken breast side down in crockpot. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the crockpot. Sprinkle edamame still in the pods over the chicken.
  2. Cover the crockpot. Cook on low for 8-9 hours.
  3. Remove chicken from crockpot. It may want to fall apart, so be careful and don't get burned. Cut chicken up into serving pieces.
  4. Serve edamame alongside.

Notes

We added a carrot raisin salad (raisins and shredded carrots mixed with mayonnaise) and lettuce salad to complete this meal.
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Beef Steaks over Potatoes and Veggies

This crockpot meal cooks a long time. The meat on the top sheds its fat and flavor through the whole dish. At the end you cut up the meat and stir all of it together resulting in a thick stew.

Beef Steaks over Potatoes and Veggies

Print Recipe
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 8 medium potatoes, halved and sliced
  • 1 butternut squash, peeled, sliced and quartered Any squash, pumpkin, or sweet potato would work.
  • Enough water to cover the bottom of the crockpot
  • 2 cups stalks celery, chopped A total of 2 cups of celery, onion, and/or garlic would work.
  • 1 quart frozen Swiss chard, thawed 1.5 lb. of a cooked green would work.
  • 2 beef steaks, thawed Any pork or beef steak would work.

Equipment

  • Crockpot

Method
 

  1. Thaw meat; prep veggies.
  2. Layer 1/2 potatoes, 1/2 the squash, 1/2 the potatoes, 1/2 the squash in the crockpot. Add enough water to just cover the bottom of the crockpot.
  3. Cover the squash with the celery. Cover the celery with the Swiss chard.
  4. Put the steaks on the top of the chard. The crockpot will be full. Make sure the lid is down all the way on the crockpot.
  5. Cook for 8-9 hours on low. Turn off, take off lid and let sit for 5-10 minutes.
  6. Cut up the steaks, add back to the crockpot. Stir the stew until the meat and other ingredients are spread throughout.
  7. Enjoy!

Notes

This was made with a 5-6 quart crockpot for 9 people. For a smaller crockpot and smaller crowd, use less of each ingredient.
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Duck over Apples

This is a recipe that I have used at Thanksgiving for several years. Duck is a meat that I will purchase as we haven’t raised or processed any ducks yet*.

*In 2023 we have now processed our own duck. I look forward to using my duck for this recipe.

Duck over Apples

This makes a sweet duck with nice leftover broth for cooking rice or rice pilaf in.
Print Recipe
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 duck, whole, thawed
  • 4-6 apples, cored; similar height
  • Water to cover bottom of crockpot

Equipment

  • Crockpot

Method
 

  1. Thaw duck; remove giblets and any sauce packs.
  2. Core apples. Place in lightly greased crockpot. You want enough that the duck can rest on top of them. Add just enough water to cover bottom of crockpot.
  3. Place duck breast side down on top of apples. Cover crockpot. Set to low heat for 7-9 hours.
  4. Remove duck from crockpot, and allow to cool some. Remove meat from carcass and eat. Put broth over rice OR save to cook with rice later.
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Crockpot meals

Recently I was given a freshly painted kitchen with a new vinyl floor. The trade off was that for about 1 week I wouldn’t have the use of my stove. So we used the crockpot for some meals. Here are the recipes that we used:

For sides we had lettuce salads and carrot raisin salad. All in all it worked well. And I am thankful for the refreshed kitchen and the use of my stove.

Potato beef stew with squash and veggies
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Here’s to a Normal Year!

Here are some of the normal things that happened this past year:

  • Goat chewing its cud
  • Piggies lounging
  • Goats chewing their cud
  • Chickens scratching
  • Pasture growing
  • Turkeys pipping
  • Boar and sow lounging
  • Veggies growing
  • Rooster crowing
  • Cows chewing their cud
  • Cutting hay
  • Doelings chewing their cud

Lots of normal living! May you see the normal living going on at your place this 2021. Wishing you strength and health, peace and joy, and more vegetable plants and less masks!