Away...far far away!

Like who wouldn't want to be at this very moment.....the temp was a balmy 6 degrees on my way to school this morning, our house I am sure wasn't over 50 in our bedroom and the wind just insists on blowing across the large fields directly at our very drafty antique farm house. 
Yessa I know its Maine in the wintha....but jeesh.  I was just going to say I love my state, but I am not sure LOVE is the right word to use at the moment.  I have been away from the blog this last week, simply because of a crappy weather induced attitude.  I have a hard time being cheery, or "friendly" for that matter, when the temperature dips below the 0 mark.  How can I feel good when the blood pumping through my veins is running the same temp as the water in the frozen drinking buckets in the barn.....ITS Damned cold!  I was snappy and rude and just plain ugly.  I needed to bitch, which I did to my husband.  And get over it....so its cold, what can you do to warm yourself up?  I could think of a few things....(cheeky smirk )
I think the main question is, why did I let the weather get to me so badly?  For lots of reasons, but the one that sticks with me the most is that I tend to get fixated on stuff and can't seem to let it go.  This goes for positive and negative things....I really need to STOP...and smell the roses.  Enjoy your life a bit more and stop worrying about if the dishes are put away or the water buckets are filled.  If I am feeling a bit overwhelmed then rearrange the schedule a bit to accommodate what I consider a necessity to happen before I can relax.  This semester at school....my last semester is going to be a lot about stepping outside of the box, allowing the comfort zone to slip away and see what can be accomplished by trusting in myself.   I think this should overlap into my mainstream life as well and hopefully I will learn to RELAX!!!! 
Sorry for being away, I appreciate you all taking the time to read my musings....
I am working on my schedule to fit all this coolness in on a daily basis.....
Have a great and productive day Ya'll.

the friendly female farmer!

Whats the big deal about picking a farm name????

Ha....its no big deal? Right, right?  How hard could it be to figure out what to name your farm.  Some farms are lucky...they already have names, no need to change it because its probably been named that for hundreds of years, and I heard that changing a farm name is bad luck. 
It seems our farm doesn't have a previous name, at least no one that knows of the people who lived here has said anything to us.  We have had lots of visitors impressed with our undertaking of reviving this old beauty, and no one has mentioned the "name". 
When we first moved in, we had the horses.  Instantly I thought...."Oh, wouldn't Black Horse Farm be a cool name for this place." It was, until our horses had to be sold due to financial difficulty after my husband injured his back.  So now no more Black Horses on our farm.  No more Black Horse Farm.  I figured I might keep the name because who knows I might have another team of shires someday.  But isn't it kinda weird to keep the name when those animals who represented the name are no longer yours?  Shouldn't we think of something else to name the farm?  So now the brain wracking begins....whats a cool name? Has it already been used?  Does it sound cool and catchy?  Would you want to visit a farm with this name?  Oh the joys of figuring out what to name your farm....Its a chore just like shoveling the manure is....and I have a block...NOT for shoveling manure..I wish, but for name this dang place....
My husband says the name will come to me as soon as I am not thinkin to hard about it...I hope that's true...I would hate to stay "No Name Farm" for to long..........
Feel free to suggest suggestions.....
the friendly female farmer.....

If I had a million dollars.....

For some reason today I can't stop thinking about what it would be like i I had a million dollars.  I am sure there are lots of you out there that now and again think about this.   How could you not, fantasizing about being filthy rich is fun!  I always feel refreshed in a weird kinda way when I daydream about being rich.  I know all the things I dream about can be accomplished, and will be in due time.  Some how escaping into a dream world of finished goat milking parlors and commercial kitchens makes me energized to find a way to make this happen without winning the powerball. 
Everybody says they wouldn't do much different than they did before they won.  Is that what you say?  Is that what I say?  Yes, I wouldn't change a thing really. I would just renovate the farm like I dream about in my mind.  Oh so many little things to do outside and in.  Gardens to put in and fencing to do.  The barn to reside and floors to pick out.  Its so nice to think about this farm in a state of completion instead of in the midst of chaotic renovation. I like the idea of the farm being fixed up and welcoming.  In that state we will be able to concentrate on actually "welcoming" our friends, family and guests with warm hospitality.  More than anything we want to share our farm with everyone, but its just not in public showing shape...It takes money to get to that stage and right now the only check book that is overflowing is the one in my dreams.....Oh the power of a daydream...It can leave you inspired to success.......
I hope you all dream about what you would do with your millions....
Nighty NIght Ya'll.
the friendly female farmer.

Pooped...in more ways than one!

Seems like for a good part of my life I have been shoveling shit.  I have shoveled all different kinds of shit, from cow shit to horse shit, rabbit shit and chicken shit...I have even shoveled my share of political bullshit....and as I reminisce on this endeavor I must admit each and every time I shoveled shit...I was totally snookered at the end of the day.  Its hard manual labor, it requires strength of mind and body and the ability to see the light at the end of the tunnel. 
Ask me how I feel in a few days after I have taken more than 100 loads of goat shit and hay to the manure pile via my own legs and a wheel burrow.  Right now the muscles in my back ache and my upper arms are like lead weights....but dang it all I can still lift my wine glass.  There is definitely something to be said for working your butt off all day...It was a lovely day to be working outside with the animals.  The snow fell steadily all day while I wheeled load after load to the manure pile...uphill only one way....LOL.  We enticed the goats to enjoy a bit of the weather with supple apple branches. Living on a farm and working that farm as your lively hood is an amazing challenge and undertaking.  Its a decision I have not taken lightly...The risks are numerous, but the rewards are just as numerous and the interest and knowledge about small farms is growing rapidly.   I know what a success this farm can be, it will require lots of financial investment, sweat...blood and I am sure many many tears....but in the end..it will be because we took the time to shovel all the shit...
My friends I wish you a wonderful snowy night with those you love and adore....
Thanks for reading...
the friendly female farmer!

Cinnamonamaimin Rolls...At least thats how I used to say it!

 There is just something about cinnamon rolls that makes people so happy.  I can totally understand of course because I really love them as well.  The process of  making them isn't my favorite task however.  Not that there is a lot to it, the mixer does all the work and the woodstove to proof them, it just takes forever.  Especially if you do them totally from scratch like I have this morning....I have been up since 4AM and am now just getting to the rolling out and sugaring part.  So after another 90 minutes they will be ready to bake...I will be sure to post pictures..someday when they are done! :) You all have a wonderful morning...
the friendly female farmer!

Sustaining your body costs money!

Boy doesn't it ever! Because I am a budding chef every time we go somewhere where there are food ingredients for sale I go a little wackawacka in the head.  I just want to buy it all and bring it home to experiment with.  Alas my fantasy world is far from reality at the moment. Grocery shopping on an extreme budget is challenging to say the least.  So when you go to restock on stuff, you quickly reminded how easily money slips away at the grocery store.  Today in my shopping trip, my card consisted of 90 percent veggies. I was a bit shocked at the end of the check out when the bill totalled up to as high as it did...why is it that the very things, nutritious things are the items that cost the most.  Processed foods are cheaper than ever and going to get cheaper if farm bills are passed, not to mention there are coupons for most of the processed foods on the shelves. Last time I checked there were no 50 cent off a head of Kale coupons.....
This is one of the reasons we have decided to grow our own food in the spring, as well as shop local for all the things we can not provide here at the farm.  I am saving my grocery bill from today for a comparison of this time next year to see what the difference in the bill will be.  I am excited to see what it is.  Being able to store away all the food we  will need for the year will be such a great accomplishment. From seed to fruit to table it will be a project that needs tending everyday, but nothing satisfies me more than a day given to the earth and her abundance.  I feel like a little kid waiting for Christmas morning to come.  I go out to check the garden every morning, anxiously awaiting the first sign of green poking through the dark brown earth.  I do a garden dance when the first flowers show themselves on these closely watched plants.  Its such a wonder!  Most people will think that what we do it way more expensive in the long run given the time and effort that is taken in producing your own food.  In hindsight however you should look at the rewards in all aspects not just the reward of the food at the end of the season, but the reward of exercise and being out in nature.  Of accomplishments in the simple act of gardening that lots of people respect.  Having a skill that not all people posses is a virtue. Gardening is a gift, one I intend to use to reduce the cost of my grocery bill.
Not a bad payoff really!
Have a wonderful night ya'll
the friendly female farmer.

FaFaFa FOOD!

Isn't food just freaking awesome?  Don't you just love your favoritist food in the whole wide world like it was your sibling, its the food your would choose to have on the day of your execution? How is it that you can have such serious emotions about food.....Its like a wild crazy love affair, you jSo ust know will never end...Its a great feeling.  One I love to be able to draw out in my guests here at our farm.  So far these guests are our closest friends and family.  We are always eating when we get together, it just seems natural way to be around each other, by sharing in something delishous.  One of my many passions in life is to entertain people, often times with comedic relief, sometimes with accidental culinary genious! I can praise myself and critize at the same time, because I am in the early stages of my education and have so much to learn.  However I am a very capable and interested budding chef who LOVES FOOD!  My girlfriends ( Who's names have been left out to protect their inocence.....you know who you are..)  and I sat around on wednesday night and drank sangria eating chinese food, talking about food, and the education of students in the food industry and the love of a good holiday meal cooked by someone with knowledge and appreciation.  NOT you typical girly talk! Right at this very moment as I am writing this, I am thinking of the amazing apple tart that is sitting on the counter and the giffords french vanilla ice cream for the topping....HOly smokes I think I just has a squirrel moment....some of you will get this reference others not so much....
Anyhoo....I am having a blast with this chatting about stuff I love and every day I think of more and more things to write about. Food will always be a main stay topic, but I hope to progress in all avenuse of life with this blogg as a way to document it all.  I hope you all stay "tooned" in..
Thanks so much for taking the time to read.
XO
the friendly female farmer.

Veggies For life!

( side note...I wish you could interject verbal cues and inflections because "Veggies for Life" just sounds so much cooler than it looks written...JUST SAYIN! )

Ok but seriously...So I have always been kind of a veggie nut...LOL! Ok but seriously a second time...I love most anything FRESH and green, or red or yellow or green...I love veggies ok, so sue me.  Don't get me wrong I enjoy meat, I enjoy it a great deal, cooked right and healthfully I don't see anything wrong with it.  You have to eat red meat especially in moderation if you want to live a healthier lifestyle. 
So my husband and I have been toying with the idea of going part time veggies....meaning mostly cutting out lots of our meat and replacing it with other forms of protein.  I figure its a great way to develop a another avenue of my culinary path, and a means for my body to detox and cleanse itself.  I have a stead fast agreement with myself as a person and a chef, I won't deny myself.  Food is amazing in oh so many ways.  Textures and flavors and profiles oh my!! So currently I am a little afraid of having to cook veggie...I love me a good stir fry and I got that skill down pat, with the best aldente colorful vegetables you could ask for, seasoned to perfection! But beyond that I am at a bit of a block for recipes and ideas.  Some of the stuff is so incredibly unappetizing, I want to quit before I have started.  I know however there must be some wicked good ideas out there otherwise there would be way less vegetarians.  Right now is a great time for me to detox, no delicious goats milk, cheese and ice cream just sitting around in the fridge....LESS temptations! I have seen a neat recipe for cauliflower pizza crust,  I am going to give it a go and let you know how it turns out.  So for now its just the beginning of our trial, it should prove to be interesting and I look forward to the challenge...like all the others laid out before me...
Have a great night ya'll....
the friendly female farmer...

FOOD!

I love food....
What is it about food that makes you remember things from your past?  I have a very distinct memory of the bakery in my little town growing up. In fact if I sit really quiet and recal this place, I can sometimes smell the smell that is a bakery....especially for me I relate the smell to the incredible white frosting that topped so many of the items in the case, and which filled my favorite treat the cream horn.  Oh the joy of this desert.  I have tried them in lots of different places, but none of them taste like the ones I remember for some reason.  Interesting how this little bit of pasty and cream can make me recal so vividly the feeling and sensations of this place.   I know its the same for a few other foods for me, one is popcorn, which I have chatted about...but I can still taste that orange cheese on the ends of my fingers after sharing a huge metal bowl of this with my cousins.  I can remember the bowl that my grandmother used to make the most insane chow mein in, I have tried to replicate the meal many times over, but its still missing something... I am sure its the memere love! Today my parents came over to eat drink and be merry.  I cooked.....We had a canned dear meat stew, with a wonderful bouqet of veggies, with a delishous french roll and olives.  I made probably the best apple tart to date. The crust came out to die for and the apples are wonderfully crisp and sweet.  I plan to top it with some homemade goats milk caramel and burbon vanilla whipped cream.  Yum Yum Yummy! 
Tell me a foodie story...Its just such a part of our lives, how could you not have a memory about food?

Thanks for checking in Ya'll, I really appreciate it.

Well my friends, I had this really great post in regards to food and memories, then I went to add a really neat picture of my apple tart and the whole thing disappeared.  Oh well,  I am not real inspired to write it all over.  So until next time.
The friendly female farmer...

Farm Girl to the Core!!!

A question to start I think....What is it that makes a real farm girl?  Coming by it naturally and by birth rite? Stumbling upon it in a second life? Taking a stab in the dark and finding it suits you better than anything ever has?
How can you not be farm girl to the core, when you are out mending fences in the blowing wind and -6 degree temperatures.  Lugging buckets of warm water to your beloved goat who is feeling incredibly chilly and can't warm up, then dressing up in my abobidable snow woman outfit every two hours to go visit and check her status..What about bringing in the wood and tending the fires, shoveling out ash and piling it outside?  Those are just a sampling of the many many things that are on my list and yours to I would imagine, especially if you farm...farm big or little, as long as your soul is in it, the wonder that is a garden with forever reward you....animals will test you and bring you to tears, they will entertain and make you laugh so hard you could pee your pants..The farm is much like a church for me, a place where I am most relaxed and comfortable..A wondrous place that instills a sense of worship. I have to wonder about its ability to calm and relieve stresses, does it feel the same for those of you who farm,  Why does it cause you to feel these feelings?  Is it because you were meant to do these things, to lug buckets to beloved animals and grow your own food?  Is it because we FEEL, that we must or go crazy without these things?  For me it is, since I was a kid I have been growing stuff and have always had animals..They have helped me in ways no therapist ever could. I can imagine people who could see our farm right now would be like, what in dangnation is she all hyped up about, there place isn't anything to get all excited about?  So whats my deal?  Its that I can see it in my mind, all green and pretty, with beautiful flower gardens and green houses, animals and children....The farm is a storybook picture in my head that I strive for everyday, because its all I have every wanted.  I know my efforts and intentions will reward me, I am rewarded everyday and am utterly thankful for those rewards.  I wonder do you long to farm, to have a tiny little garden or grow poppies? Please share your farming intentions for the new year....whether big or small, you can grow it all.....
From this friendly female farmer to you out there...Blessings! ..

Happy New Year Ya'll!!!!!

Seems like any old day to me really.  Chores are done for the night, the goats are tucked in.  The cat and dog are wrestling like fools in the rocker near the wood stove...I am having a homebrew ( ya we brew beer to ) and thinking about what to make for dinner.  Same old, same old...except its the day I am supposed to take a quick perusal of future intentions for my life.  This inward looking has given me moments of pause for sure leading up to today. Its that nagging feeling from way behind the positivity that likes to make me wonder if I am doing the right thing.  If this is really what I am supposed to do with my life?  As soon as the question pops into my head I know the answer is yes.  I wouldn't be struggling now, to make an old run down farm into something amazing and beautiful...I wouldn't be forgoing the way of many a worker today by working at a job just for the paycheck.  I go without in order to see my dreams come to fruition, they only way its going to happen is If I work my ass off to make it so.  That means staying on the farm...how could you not, there is just so much to do. 
I really don't have any real resolutions, except keeping my positivity to the highest level possible at all times.  I intend for lots of things to happen on the farm, for it to be progression after progression.....success after success.  This place has a feeling about it, it has already thanked me in many ways for cleaning it up, trimming back its walls for it to breath again.  This house and property have a life that was being choked out.  We found it and are slowly drawing the breath back into it.  I intend to have a VERY abundant life from this day forward...I wish that for everyone I know as well.  I want everyone to experience an abundant life.
Blessings on this day of rebirth...of change and intents for a successful New Year!
Till Next time..
the friendly female farmer!