"And on this farm, he had some..."

Pigs!  This past weekend we brought home our new pigs that we will raise over the summer months.  Compared to our hog debacle last year in which all of our hogs got loose the day we brought them home and my poor husband ended up chasing one of them all over the neighborhood (read about it here), things went smoothly with no added stress.  See?  We DO learn from our mistakes!

Pig pile!

Our two main reasons for raising hogs are: 1.  We want to produce our own meat and know exactly what those animals ate and how they were treated, and 2.  We want to clear some land of invasive plant species, mostly Tree of Heaven (China Sumac) and Garlic Mustard weed.  Hogs are terrific at tilling the land.  It's as if God created a creature with a bulldozer built into the end of it's snout!  Last year, we were a bit disappointed that our hogs didn't tear up the land as much as we had hoped.  We couldn't decide if it was the breed (modern hog breeds are raised indoors for commercial pork production, where they physically cannot root, so the instinct is not as strong anymore) or if it was the drought that made the ground too hard for them to root.  Last year we had Yorkshires and this year, we decided to try Hampshires, a Heritage breed not widely used in commercial pork production.  Hampshires are one of the oldest American breeds and are well known for their foraging ability (the desire to  find their own food), which makes them a great candidate for raising on pasture.

Checking out all the good stuff to eat. They especially love the walnuts from our Black Walnut trees.

The pigs we brought home are about 40 pounds and we will raise them until fall, when they reach about 250 pounds.  The hogs will have about a quarter acre of pasture to explore and root around in.  Hogs are omnivores, so they will eat nuts, roots, grass, worms, bugs, vegetables, meat, kitchen scraps and pretty much anything else you give them.  In addition to what they find to eat in their pasture, we also offer them feed.  We were thrilled to finally track down a mill that sells Non-GMO hog feed (Tom's Feed Mill in Coopersville, MI - they don't have a website).  In the future, we hope to be able to raise our hogs on an Organic feed, but at this time, the cost is prohibitive (Organic feed costs over twice as much as conventional).  Non-GMO feed is not perfect, as the crops are still sprayed with herbicides and pesticides like conventional feed, but we feel it's a step in the right direction... and we're trying to not beat ourselves up and let "Perfect Be the Enemy of Good".  We're doing the best we can with the resources we have right now.

A sign of a happy hog is a dirt covered snout!

When we brought the pigs home, we spent a long time simply watching them settle into their new home.  They had never been outside before, and it was obvious to see they they were delighted to root in the grass and dirt.  This fills me with such joy - to see animals engaging in the activities that God created them for.  Cows were designed to eat grass, hogs to root in the dirt and chickens to peck and scratch the earth.  In the past few decades, we have increasingly denied farm animals these basic rights.  Cows are now live in small enclosures or concrete pads and eat corn (GMO corn, mind you), something that they are not created to digest and eventually makes them very sick.  Hogs are confined to indoor barns made of metal and concrete, which offer them no opportunity to root.  Chickens are trapped in tiny cages for their entire lives, or if allowed to be "cage free", are crowded into barns and have their beaks removed so they can't cannibalize each other.  Industrial agriculture has not been kind to animals.  I'm not saying that all animals need to be treated like pets, but it seems to me that since they are providing us with such life-giving milk, meat and eggs, it only seems natural that we would want to give these creatures a comfortable, fulfilling life in return.  I don't think that is too much to ask.

Doing what they do best - rooting in the dirt, looking for grubs, worms, nuts and roots with their bulldozer-like snouts.

We're working on treat training the pigs and getting them used to being handled.  Since we have young children and so many friends with kids, it's important that all our animals be friendly and tame.  Of course, we bear safety in mind, but we love allowing children under supervision to enter the hog pen and play with the pigs.  We're also trying on to come up with names for the pigs, as we observe them and discover their personalities.  I know many people think it's morbid to name the animals that you intend to eat, but we find it to be the opposite.  Naming them gives them dignity and respect.  Last year, we named each hog and took their photograph.  At the end of the season when they were sold, we gave our customers a photograph of their hog.  Our picture of Ned the hog is still on our fridge and each time we eat pork, our kids shout out "Thank you, Ned!"  I know, some of you are horrified by this... but this is our way of honoring our animals and appreciating them.  I love that my children know exactly where their food comes from.  It creates a meaningful, almost sacred eating experience.

So come on over and check out our adorable hogs.  They are sure to amuse you with their playful antics and joyful pig noises.  See you soon!

Spring has Sprung!!! (Finally...)

Can it be?  Is it actually spring?  Do I dare put the winter coats, hats and mittens away yet?

It has been a loooooooong winter.  We Michiganders joke about our crazy weather (because otherwise we would just cry), but this year pushed us all onto the edge of insanity.  Last year, it was 80 degrees in March and this year we had snow several times in April ...and about 2 weeks of rain, which caused record flooding in Grand Rapids and the surrounding area.  As someone who suffers from a mild case of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), I've been in a major funk for the last month or so.  Most years, if I can just make it through March, everything is fine.... but this year March seemed to keep going all the way through April and the weather just. didn't. get. better.  The only thing that kept me sane was the grow light set-up I have in the basement.  Sitting under those lights, planting seeds or transplanting starts is the best therapy I have found. 

But I digress... No more talk about snow! Spring is finally here!  And there is so much to do!  Since April was so cold and rainy, we feel like we're about a month behind and we're playing the game of catch up.  Here's what we're up to right now on Third Day Farms!

Goats:  We put a deposit on 4 dairy goat kids a few weeks ago. All 4 are castrated males (called "wethers").   In order for dairy goats to give milk, they have to have babies (obviously).  If the kid is a female, she can be used as a milking goat too, but the males are pretty much worthless.  Only one buck (male) is needed to breed several does (females), so there is often a surplus of male dairy goats that often end up as meat.  These kids will come home with us in a few weeks when they are weaned from their mothers.  Their job will be to keep the pasture mowed over the summer and then in October, they will be sold for meat.  We're excited to see adorable goat kids bounding around!  In the meantime, we're working on beefing up the electric fence to make sure those kids stay put in the pasture.

 

 

Chickens:  The 19 babies graduated to Chicken Tractor 1.0 yesterday (our first version of a chicken tractor).  They were outgrowing the brooder box in the garage, but it just too cold to put them outside.  Thankfully, the weather seems to have turned, hopefully for the long term.  The babies were delighted to have some room to run around and be out on the grass!

 



We will keep the 19 babies locked up in the chicken tractor for a few weeks.  Eventually, we will release them and they will begin to integrate with our existing flock of 14 laying hens.  When everyone is playing nicely, they will all be moved into the new and improved Chicken Tractor 2.0. 

Orders have been placed for meat birds.  This will be our first attempt at raising chickens for meat.  We decided to order Freedom Ranger chickens from Freedom Ranger Hatchery, after learning more about Cornish Cross chickens, the breed used in almost all meat bird production.  This is just my opinion, but I think Cornish Crosses look freakish and sickly.  They have been bred to grow such large breasts at such a fast rate that many of them have their legs break because of the weight.  The catalogs advised against providing too much food, saying it would cause them to have heart attacks.  They also advised butchering them by 9 weeks old at the latest, saying they would start to die off after that age.  Call me crazy, but I don't want to eat an animal that can't reach adolescence because it's so poorly bred.  When I saw the Cornish Cross chicks at the farm store, I couldn't help but notice how many of them were lying on their sides, struggling to breathe.  No thanks.  We're going to try our luck with Freedom Rangers, a breed that grows more slowly and looks like a real chicken, not a pair of chicken breasts on legs. 



Hogs:  We have 5 piglets coming in a few weeks once they are weaned.  Last year we raised Yorkshire hogs.  This year, we're going to try Hampshire hogs. Hampshires are a heritage breed, noted for their black bodies with a white belt, good foraging ability (we'll raise them on pasture, in addition to grain and garden produce) and tasty meat. We truly enjoyed raising hogs last year and look forward to more fun this summer!


 

Garden:  After a late start, things are finally shaping up in the garden.  The lettuce we planted in the green house is doing well and we'll have lots of fresh salad soon.  The peas and spinach in the garden beds are coming up.

I've moved all the plants from the basement to the greenhouse.  There are still a few extra tomato plants for sale, if you want to pick some up!  Check my previous post to see what varieties I grew this year.  The plants will be ready to go in about 2 weeks.  Many people plant their peppers and tomatoes in mid-May, but I like to wait until around  Memorial Day weekend, just to be on the safe side.  Our Average Last Spring Frost Date is from April 30-June 1, and seeing how cold this spring has been, I have a feeling we just might get frost right up until June!

 

 

Good news: the asparagus is coming up!  Our first official meal from the garden - tomorrow night's dinner will feature some of this delicious asparagus.  Bad news:  we can only eat a few spears.  Asparagus is a perennial plant, which means it grows in the same place and comes back each year, even when you cut it down.   For the first 2-3 years, you can only steal a few spears.  Leaving the spears allows the roots to develop and create a stronger plant, which will yield more asparagus in the long run.  Patience....

 In addition to all the regular garden work, we've also been busy preparing a berry patch.  We have about a half acre of grass on the corner of our property that we are sick of mowing.  In the spirit of "Grow food, not lawns", we are slowly trying to convert some of that useless lawn (that costs us money to mow!) into a productive berry patch that hopefully will yield some delicious berries and maybe even some cash!  We're just getting started and couldn't afford to invest in as many plants as we'd like, but here's what we're starting with (click on the link for the catalog description):

• 12 Heritage Raspberry Plants 
• 6 Triple Crown Thornless Blackberry Plants
• 50 Earliglo Strawberry Plants
• 50 Cavendish Strawberry Plants
• 50 Tristar Everbearing Strawberry Plants

There won't be much of a crop this summer, but we're looking forward to lots of fresh berries (and jam!) next year.

 Whew!  So much to do around here, but we're thrilled to finally be working outside.  The children have rediscovered the joys of playing in the backyard.  When they're not playing, they're "helping" us with various chores around the farm. 

Our sweet baby girl turned 4, which is totally and completely incomprehensible to me.  How did this happen?  Over the past year, I've watched her transform from a needy, rascally 3 year old into a helpful young lady.  She melts my heart when she tells me "When I grow up, I want to be a mama just like you!"  Baby girl certainly still keeps me on my toes, but I can see that in the very near future, she will be my right hand woman. 

 

 

 

There is the quick recap of our last few weeks.  Stay tuned for updates on goats, hogs, chickens, berries and veggies.  Hope you all are enjoying this spring sunshine!

Tomatoes, Peppers and Herbs... Oh my!

It's cold.  It's rainy. It's dreary.  I'm longing to get my hands dirty in the garden.  But the weather report says the next 8 days will be (you guessed it) cold, rainy and dreary.  I keep repeating to myself "April showers bring May flowers" between gritted teeth.  We need the rain.  After the drought last summer, I'll gladly take precipitation in any form.  But gosh darn it, I just want to work outside!

Thankfully, I have plenty to keep me busy indoors.  It's peaceful working in the basement, basking in the glow of my grow lights as I fill more containers and plant more seeds.  I've started some flowers for borders and cut flowers (to keep my daughter busy in the garden - her favorite pass time is making flower bouquets), cole crops (broccoli, cauliflower, kale, etc.), lettuces, onions, and herbs.  The majority of my time, however, has been focused on tomato and pepper plants.  It seems like every year, I never have quite enough, so I went a little over board this year.  I think I have nearly 75 tomato plants and about the same in pepper plants.  Seeing as how I may have overestimated a wee bit... I thought I would offer to sell some of my extra plants for $2 a piece.   

The plants will be ready around mid-May, since our last estimated frost date is anywhere from April 29-June 2.  I usually wait until the end of May to put in my tomatoes and peppers, just to be on the safe side.  It would be a shame to lose all my plants to frost because of my eagerness to get them in the ground!

I've compiled a list of all the pepper, tomato and herb plants I'm starting.  If you click on the link for each variety, it will take you directly to the seed company website from where I purchased the seed.  You can find more information about each variety there. Almost all of my seeds are certified Organic.  I like to purchase Organic seeds and plants because these are varieties that have been proven to grow vigorously and thrive without the need for pesticides.  If you want to buy some plants, just let me know and come on over so we can talk gardening!  But watch out - I might put you to work in the garden while we talk...

Peppers:

• King of the North Sweet Pepper  *Organic.  A classic sweet bell pepper, matures from green to red.
• Orange Cal Wonder Bell Pepper  *Organic.  A classic sweet bell pepper, matures from green to orange.
• Carnival Mix Bell Pepper  *Organic  A random mix of 5 different sweet bell peppers, each plant producing one kind of pepper - red, orange, gold, purple or ivory.  You won't know what kind of pepper you have until they mature past the green stage.  Always a fun surprise!  A great way to add lots of color to the garden.
• Yum Yum Gold Hybrid  My first year trying this variety.  Bears small, bite-sized sweet bell peppers, with few seeds.  Perfect for eating right out of the garden.  I'm planting these for my daughter because she adores bell peppers and would happily eat them all day!
• Ancho Poblano Pepper *Organic.  My first year trying this variety.  We love poblano peppers for making salsa.  Just a hint of heat.
• Early Jalapeno Hot Pepper *Organic.  The perfect hot pepper for any occasion!  Last summer, I froze bags of chopped jalapenos for salsa and also canned several jars of pickled jalapenos. 
• Maya Red Habanero Hot Pepper  *Organic.  Knock-your-socks-off hot!  Beware!  They are fabulous for making your own hot sauce.

* A friendly reminder - To avoid playing "pepper roulette", be sure to separate your sweet peppers from your hot peppers, putting them as far away from each other as possible in your garden.  They can easily cross-pollinate and you could end up with  spicy bell peppers or weak hot peppers!

 

"Carnival Mix" Sweet Bell Peppers

Tomatoes:

• Roma VF Paste Tomato  *Organic.  The classic paste/plum tomato.  These are hands down my favorite for canning - very firm with few seeds.  I canned about 50 jars of diced tomatoes last year using this variety.  Great for stewed or whole canned tomatoes, pasta sauces or even just sliced fresh on a salad.
• Beaverlodge Plum Tomato  *Organic.  My first year trying this variety.  Supposedly, they ripen very early in the season, before the Romas.  This will allow we me extend the tomato canning season and spread out the harvest.
• San Marzano Tomato  *Organic.  Known as the absolute best tomato for pasta sauces!
• Rutgers Tomato  *Organic.  This is the variety of tomato that Campbell's used to make their famous Campbell's Tomato Soup.  Great for fresh slicing, but I froze most of mine whole in bags and have been using them over the winter to make delicious soup.  We're down to the last bag - I might cry!
• Cherokee Purple Tomato *Organic.  My favorite tomato.  The flesh is dark brownish-purple and has rich flavor.  Makes for a stellar BLT sandwich!
• Yellow Brandywine Tomato  *Organic.  My first year growing this variety.  I have high hopes for it.
• Brandywine Tomato *Organic.  Brandywine is considered to be one of the most flavorful of all tomatoes.  The plants produce huge fruits, but they are quite fragile and blemish easily, which is why you rarely see them at markets.  They are my second choice, behind Cherokee Purple.
• Stupice Tomato  *Organic.  An early ripening salad tomato.  Last summer, these started ripening around the 4th of July!
• Oaxacan Pink Tomato  *Organic.  A small, beautiful and unique variety.  Great for salads or salsa. 
•  Yellow Pear Cherry Tomato  *Organic.  Pear-shaped yellow cherry tomatoes.  Perfect on salads.
• Peacevine Cherry Tomato  *Organic.  A classic red cherry tomato.
• Black Cherry Tomato  *Organic.  A delicious and unique cherry tomato.  Fruits are slightly larger than a regular cherry tomato.  Lovely, rich flavor.  Everyone I gave these to last year went wild over them!   

 

A day's haul of tomatoes from the garden last summer.

Herbs:

• Genovese Basil *Organic.  A classic basil for making pesto.
• Lemon Basil *Organic.  Smells like lemon.  Simply divine! 
• Slow Bolt Cilantro  *Organic.   Cilantro that doesn't go to seed as quickly, prolonging the harvest.  When it does go to seed, let the seeds fall and you'll get more plants that same season!
• Garden Sage  *Organic.  Perfect for poultry dishes
• Oregano   For pizza, pasta sauce and Mexican dishes.
• Garlic Chives  Yummy on baked potatoes or soups.
• Thyme  Wonderful in soup, but I'm growing this for the lovely flowers.  Honeybees love thyme!
• Parsley, Italian  For salad dressings, dips, pesto and much more.
• Dill, Mammoth  A must have if you intend to make your own pickles!

 



New Beginnings... and Unexpected Endings

I can feel the excitement in the air.  Plans are being made, dreams becoming reality. Yup, spring is here, folks.  Let the craziness begin!

After a long, relaxing winter, we're ready to dive into farm work, ready to get our hands dirty.  The "To-Do List" is two pages longs and we keep adding to it each day.  So much to be done, so little time!  I tend to have a perfectionist personality, which keeps me thinking "I can do everything by myself.  The right way.  I don't need help."  But the reality is, I DO need help. After turning over 26 garden beds by hand and spreading 2 trailer loads of manure myself last spring, I've decided to let go of my pride.   So there are plans in the works for setting up "farm work days", where I can invite my friends and family over to complete some big farm/garden projects.  People are always offering to help, and by golly, I think I'll take them up on it!

My husband had an accident at work on February 25 and he has been home since then... and will probably be home until at least May.  A 32 foot extension ladder collapsed on him at work, breaking, crushing and tearing his thumb.  At first, we thought he might miss a week of work, but it soon became apparent the damage was much more severe than originally thought.  After surgery to repair torn tendons and twice weekly physical therapy, he is improving, but still has no use of his left hand... which puts a real monkey wrench in the two-page long "To-Do List". 

Yet, despite these set-backs, plans are coming along.  A friend came out and helped my husband build shelves in the greenhouse (my husband is still quite handy, even with only one hand!).  Several of the seedlings I started in the basement have been moved out there.  It's thrilling to have so much space to work with!

 

A peek inside the greenhouse.  There is enough shelving to hold about 23 flats and there is a garden bed underneath the shelves.  Right now I have it filled with spinach and lettuce.  I'm going to trying growing some greens in there during the fall and winter.  

There are piles of notes, catalogs and charts laying on the kitchen table as I study and research small fruit and tree fruit varieties.  My notes from the Michigan State Master Gardener Program class I took a few years ago have proved be extremely helpful.  We plan on eventually planting strawberries, raspberries, black raspberries, blackberries, saskatoon berries (if I can find them), elderberries and possibly blueberries (they need acidic soil, but my soil has a pH of nearly 7).  Last year we planted 4 apple trees and intend to add another fruit tree each year until we have about 12-16 trees. 

 

Yes, I read every page of that manual.  Whew!  A treasure trove of valuable information. 

 



A few weeks ago, we purchased more chicks to increase the size of our egg layer flock.  After a visit to the farm store and a chicken breeder found on Craigslist, I finally had to call it quits when I reached 19 chicks.  I was starting to feel like a chicken hoarder (is that a bad thing?).   We can't wait for the babies to grow up and join our other "mobile lawn ornaments" in the yard.  In the meantime, the chicks are residing in the basement until it warms up enough to put them in the brooder box in the garage.  It's not so bad having chickens in the basement - I can hear their cheeping all day long and it sounds like spring.  It makes me happy.  Here's what breeds we ended up with this year:

• 5 Ameracaunas (Easter Eggers) - beautiful plumage and they lay blue-green eggs.  We bought a few last year and grew to really like them.
• 5 ISA Browns - The same breed as our beloved Cheryl, may she rest in peace. These are considered to be the best brown egg layers.  If you buy brown eggs at the store, they come from this breed. 
• 3 Silver Laced Wyndottes - A new breed for us.  Stunning feather pattern and supposedly very good layers as well.
• 3 Blue Copper Marans - I was thrilled to find these, as they are quite rare.  All of the Maran breeds lay dark chocolate brown colored eggs.
• 3 Mystery birds - I choose 3 birds from the farm store that were supposed to be Golden Laced Wyndottes, but I am fairly confident that they store had their signs mixed up, because they are NOT Golden Laced Wyndottes.  We'll just have to wait and see what they are!

 

The chicks beginning to enter their "terribly awkward and ugly" phase

 



Yes, we're having lots of fun as we embark on these new beginnings... greenhouses, small fruit and tree fruit orchards, new egg layers.  We look forward to even more new beginnings as we prepare for new hogs, new goat kids and new meat birds.  But not all is happy on the farm.  I have a sad story to tell.

Our goat Toro had been terribly lonely since his companion goat, Lacy, died this past February.  We didn't know what to do with him.  We had considered buying a calf to raise for meat this spring, but the drought of 2012 was unkind to our newly planted pasture and we decided we should wait another year before we put a heavy grazing animal on the pasture.  Raising a few goat kids for meat seemed like a better idea, as they are lighter grazers and could spread their manure over the pasture, increasing fertility.  So, we had been looking to purchase kids, but had a hard time locating the breed we wanted to buy. 

 

Toro on his "jungle gym" made from pallets

 



In the meantime, Toro was desperate for companionship, so he started testing the electric fence.  Several times our neighbors or friends had to catch him and bring him back to the barn.  We knew this could not continue, as we live along a fairly busy street.  One day, I decided to figure out how he was escaping.  I released him from the barn and watched as he ran full tilt towards the 4 foot tall electric fence and sailed over it effortlessly.  My heart sank.  Once a goat figures out it can escape and gets a taste of freedom, it will be nearly impossible to contain for the rest of it's life.  There was no way my husband could run the fence wire higher, even if he did have a functioning left hand.  It was time for Toro to leave.  And it just so happened that my cousin gave us a call, out of the blue, asking if we knew anyone with goats for sale... for meat.

My cousin has befriended some men from a Nepalese refugee community in Grand Rapids.  In their native Nepal, goat meat is highly desired, but when they came to live in the United State, they discovered goat meat is hard to come by and they quickly exhausted their source of meat. We struck a deal to sell Toro.  It seemed like the best solution to our problem. We were paid a good price for Toro and the men were thrilled to have meat for their families.  

Let me be perfectly clear.  I was extremely troubled by our decision to sell Toro for meat.  When we purchased him last summer, we carefully explained to our children that Toro was a companion animal, a pet if you will, not an animal we intended to raise for meat.  This was totally different from when we slaughtered our hogs - we went into the hog raising endeavour knowing full well that one day their meat would be gracing our dining room table.  I suppose knowing that ahead of time allows you to create some emotional distance from these animals, despite your fondness for them.   This experience with Toro forced me see the difference between pet animals and farm/meat animals... and how uncomfortable it makes us when the lines between the two become blurred.  The week before his final day was gut-wrenching... I could hardly stand to look him in the eye when I went to feed and water him and scratch him behind the ears.  I felt like I was betraying him... and I was.  It was an unexpected ending.

The plan was for the men to come to our farm and slaughter him on Saturday morning.  Arrangements were made for my children to be at the grandparents for the morning while I had to run errands, and then we had a play date at our house scheduled for the afternoon, figuring all goat business would surely be finished by then.  Wrong.  We learned that Nepalese time is different than American time and the folks (8 in all.  Goat slaughter party!) arrived 3 hours later than the appointed time...right before our guests were due to arrive.  Frantically, I called my friend and instructed her to herd her kids directly into the house and to not allow them to peek in the backyard.  The poor kids were baffled why they couldn't play outside, as I kept glancing out the window and saying "Nope!  Not yet" (I'll spare you the details on what was happening in the backyard).  If I hadn't been so sad about Toro, I might have found the entire situation darkly comical.  "Sorry kids, no playing outside today because our family goat is being slaughtered in the backyard by a bunch of people we've never met before" (who actually were quite fun folks - my husband enjoyed getting to know them as he helped out, despite the language barrier).  Whew.  What a day.  Never a dull moment around here. 

We told our children that we sold Toro and that is the truth.  Perhaps someday I will be ready to tell them the whole truth, but not yet.  Thankfully, the children were not deeply attached to Toro and when we mentioned that we wanted to buy some baby goat kids, all thoughts of Toro were quickly forgotten.  Everybody loves baby animals. 

It feels strange and lonely on the farm with only chickens, dogs and barn cats.  I catch myself looking for Toro out the kitchen window as I wash dishes...  this too shall pass.  Before long, there will be plenty of other animals to demand my attention.  I feel bad that we let Toro down, that we didn't meet his needs and ultimately caused his demise.  Mistakes.  We make so many mistakes...

It's time to move on.  Spring has arrived.  Here's to new beginnings... and learning from our mistakes. 

Tears in the Garden

Easter Sunday is coming, friends. 

But first, we have Good Friday. 

The older I become, the more emotional I am on Good Friday.  The older I become, the more overwhelmed I am by ultimate sacrifice of Jesus.  The older I become, the more significance I find in simple things.  Like gardening.

Today, I went out to the garden to plant the first seeds of the season.  After a bitter, cold and snowy March, the ground finally thawed enough in the last few days for me to plant peas.  It seemed fitting to me that today would be a good day to plant, a good day to bury seeds that appeared to be dead and dormant, but would soon burst forth with new life. 

The garden beds were ready and waiting, prepared last fall.  After a bit of raking to smooth the soil, I dug shallow furrows and painstakingly began to place the seeds.

And that's when I found myself with tears streaming down my face, wetting the soil near my hands. 

Each seed I placed represented my sins.  Too many to count.  I gave those sins names as I placed them in the furrow.  Pride.  Hatred.  Complacency.  Lies.  Self-Centeredness.  Gossip.  Conceit.  Bitterness.  Unjustified anger.  Covetous Thoughts.  Vanity.  Contempt.  Selfishness.  Lack of concern for my neighbor. The list went on and on.  I felt broken, dirty, ruined.  Despicable.

After all the seeds were place, I began to bury them.  With each swipe of my hand, the seeds were covered by the soil, no longer visible... just as Jesus came to earth and sacrificed Himself on the cross so He could cover up all my sins.  My sins.  Not just the sins on the whole world.  He did it for me.  He would have suffered in the same way, even if I was the only human on earth.  And He would have done the same thing for you. 

This was all too much to take in.  This ugly, wrinkled insignificant looking seed will grow.  It will thrive.  It will produce food that will nourish and bring health to my family.  And it's just the same with my life.  Jesus takes my sin, my ugliness, my weakness when I confess those things and hand them over to Him.  He transforms me into someone who is whole and has purpose.  I am complete only in Him.  As I knelt in the garden, naming and confessing my sins, Jesus covered up all my sins and I left the garden with a clean heart, a clean mind, a clean soul.... ready to grow and thrive for Him, so that I can nourish and feed the souls and bodies of His children.  I discovered renewal in the garden is not just for plants, but people as well. 

Today I shared tears in the garden with my Savior.  Tear of grief, tears of regret, tears of shame.  Tears that He had to suffer for me.  Tears that He had to weep in a garden too...

Sunday is coming.  Today is a day to mourn, friends, but in two days my heart will be bursting forth with joy and praise.  I hope you'll join me.

How to Make Ricotta Cheese

If you really want your friends to think you're turning into a DIY over-achiever (or a crazy hippie), share with them that you have been making cheese in your very own kitchen.  Be prepared for looks of disbelief and awe.  Allow them to sample your delicious cheese and allow them to believe that you slaved away in the kitchen for hours, wearing a hair net to boot.  Whatever you do, don't let them know how easy it actually is to make cheese...

I found this super simple ricotta cheese recipe in the book "Homegrown and Handmade" by Deborah Niemann.  This delightful book reads as part life story and part instruction book on how to live a more self-reliant lifestyle.  Niemann's book is easy to read and inspiring, demystifying some of those homesteading skills that seem beyond the ability of us mere mortals.  Her section about cheesemaking encouraged me to try the ricotta cheese recipe and I was not disappointed. 

I actually made this recipe for the first time when I was planning on bringing a pan of lasagna to a friend who recently had a baby, but discovered I didn't have any ricotta cheese.  Instead of running to the store with two tired kids in tow, I decided to try making my own.  I was pleasantly surprised by how easy (and fun!) it was.  It's the perfect cheese for a beginner cheesemaker to try. 

Here is what you need to make 2-4 cups of cheese (about a enough for a pan of lasagna):

• 1/2 gallon of milk (not ultra-pasteurized).  The higher the fat content of the milk, the more cheese you will get.  I recommend using whole milk.
• 2 tbsp white vinegar
• Large pot
• Food thermometer with a clip
• Colander
• Cheesecloth, flour sack towel or tea towel

1.  Pour the milk into the pan and attach the thermometer to the side of the pan.




2.  Heat the milk to 180 degrees, stirring occasionally.




 3.  When the milk reaches 180 degrees, add the vinegar and stir gently.  The milk will begin to get "chunky" looking.  What you are witnessing is the curds separating from the whey.  Remember "Little Miss Muffet, sat on her tuffet, eating her curds and whey"?  Curds are the cheese.  The whey is considered the by-product of cheesemaking.  Most people dump the whey, but you can use it for soaking grains  or you can drink it, if you like the taste.  I don't care for it, but I've heard of people adding lemon and sugar and calling it "wheymonade".  If you have pets or farm animals, they will gobble it up -it's especially good for chickens and hogs.  In fact, you may have heard of "whey fed pork" - some cheesemaking operations keep and sell hogs, simply as a way to use up the whey and convert it to delicious pork!





4.  Once the curds and whey have separated, put the whole pot into a sink full of cold water.  The water level should be at the level of the milk in the pot.  Stir the curds.  You want to cool the curds and whey quickly, down to 90 degrees.




5.  Once the curds and whey have cooled to 90 degrees, carefully transfer the contents of the pot to a cheesecloth lined colander. You can set the colander in the sink and let the whey go down the drain.  If you are saving the whey, place a bowl under the colander to collect the whey (we feed it to the chickens, hogs and barn cats).  Allow to drain until the whey is gone and the curds are crumbly. 



 
 
6.  Use the cheese immediately (fabulous for lasagna!) or store it in a covered container in the fridge for up to a week. 
 
 
 
This really is a simple recipe.  About the only part you could mess up is the temperature.  If you add the vinegar before the milk reaches 180 degrees, the curds and whey might not separate.  Make sure you have a reliable thermometer and you shouldn't have any problems. 
 
As for time commitment, this recipe takes about 30 minutes tops, with only about 5 of those minutes being hands-on time. It takes a while for milk to heat,  then cool, and the curds to drain - you can do something else in the kitchen during those times. 
 
Traditionally, ricotta cheese is made from the whey leftover after making a batch of mozzarella cheese (which is really fun, by the way, and not nearly as scary as it sounds!), but that method yields only a small amount of ricotta, maybe a 1/2 cup or so.  This method makes a much larger batch of cheese, but the texture might be a little different than what you buy from the store. 
 
Have you ever tried making cheese before?  What kind did you make?  Want to come over and make cheese with me?!?
 


March Therapy - Starting Seeds

March.  The most dreaded month of the year for me.  Piles of dirty, nasty snow.  A hint of warm air, followed by days of chill, just to break your spirit.   Brown, dead grass.  Cold rain and dirty, muddy boots. No snow for kids to play in.  Too cold and mucky for them to play outside. A winter's worth of mushy dog poo in the yard waiting to be stepped on. 

I despise March.  I dread March.  I wish we could go right from snowy February to cool, rainy April.  But nooooooooo..... we have to endure March in all it's depressing, disgusting glory. 

March.  There is only one redeeming factor and it is this - March means I can start planting vegetable and flower seeds in my basement.  March means I can seriously start plans for the garden.  And sometimes, March means I can actually go out in the garden and get some dirt under my fingernails.

I guess March isn't so bad after all...

After my post about selecting seeds and planning the garden, I had several people ask me how I start my vegetable seeds.  Now, I'm no expert at seed starting, but I have been doing it for a few years, so I can share some tips and pointers.  Again, I want to stress: Gardening can be as simple or as complicated as you make it.   You can be super fussy about how you start your plants and maybe you'll get healthier plants and better yields, but I still think you can get good results without driving yourself crazy. 

Who should consider starting plants?  It's certainly not for everyone.  If you plan on having small garden with a handful of tomato and pepper plants, then it might be in your best interest to buy the plants from a garden center, ready to go in the ground, instead of trying to start them from seed yourself.  However, if you plan on having lots of plants in your garden, buying them can add up fast, considering each plant can cost around $2-3.  You can buy a whole packet of seeds for less than that and grow 30-40 plants, instead of 1!  So, if you are looking to save money, need lots of vegetables and want more control over what you plant, starting seeds is for you. 

I'm not going to lie - starting plants can be complicated. There is a lot to think about and quite a bit of planning ahead (which is not my strong suit). I'm going to try to make this as simple
as I can. Bear with me - I know some of my readers will find this information to be terribly boring, while others will love it. If you don't plan on starting seeds, skip this post and tune in next time!

I.  Thinking Ahead

1. Determine what you want to plant this year.  If you have not ordered seeds by now (click here to find my favorite seed companies), you should head to the nearest garden center and check out their selection.  Try Fruitbasket Flowerland - I feel they have the best selection of conventional and organic seeds in West Michigan.
2. Carefully read and examine the instructions on the back of the seed packet.  You should see one of two phrases:  "Direct sow" or "Start indoors".  "Direct sow" means you can literally just stick the seed right in your garden - no fuss, no muss.  Often, these are quickly maturing plants and some are even frost hardy.  You can start some of these indoors, but it's not absolutely necessary.  "Start indoors" indicates that this plant needs more time to grow, so you need to give it a headstart indoors for a few weeks before you can put the plant in the garden.  If you try to plant these from seed in your garden, many will not mature before the fall killing frost. Some of these plants are not frost hardy. 
1. Examples of "Direct Sow" plants:  Lettuce, spinach, beans, peas, cucumber, corn, carrots, kale, radishes, etc.
2. Examples of "Start Indoors" plants:  Tomatoes, peppers (sweet and hot), eggplant, etc. 
3. Figure out what Plant Hardiness Zone you live in and the Estimated Frost Dates for your area.  Hardiness Zones are especially helpful when planting perennial plants (regrow every year in the same spot), such as trees, shrubs, flowers and herbs (some are perennial and some annual). Knowing your Zone helps you determine if the plant will survive harsh winter weather.  Here in West Michigan, we are in Zone 5 or 6, depending on the geography and proximity to Lake Michigan. Some seed packs will tell you what month the plant should be direct sowed or started indoors based on your Zone.  If not, the seed pack will say something like "Start indoors 6 weeks before last frost date/planting date/transplanting date".  How do I know when is the last spring frost date, you ask?   Check out this site to find the approximate dates of the spring/fall frosts.  Enter in your state and it will pull up information about the cities in your state, letting you know when it's safe to plant warm season crops that are killed by frost. This chart is used by fruit and vegetable growers to determine the last frost of the spring and the first frost of the fall - the time between these two events is considered the "growing season".    Here in the Grand Rapids, MI area, we can expect our last spring frost between April 29 - June 2 and our first fall frost between September 15 - October 10.  That gives us roughly 120 days to grow warm season crops, like tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, melons and corn.
4. Sort through your seeds and put them in two piles - seeds that can be direct sowed and seeds that need to be started indoors.  Be aware that some seeds may fit into both piles.  For example, broccoli should be started indoors in the spring and transplanted after the frost date for a summer crop, but can also be direct sowed into the garden midsummer (July) so that it produces a fall crop in September or October.  Read seed packs carefully.  You will find all this information there.
5. Find a calendar and choose a date for when you plan to transplant your "start indoors" plants into the garden.  I chose May 12 as my projected date.  From this date, I counted back 6 weeks (the length of time most plants need to grow indoors) and determined when I should be starting most of my plants.  By late March/early April, I should be starting my indoor plants.  You don't want to start them much earlier than that, or the plants may get leggy or start to set flowers.  Older plants do not transplant well. 
6. Now you're done with the hard part and ready to start getting you hands dirty!

II.  Gather Supplies

1. Gather your supplies.  Again, you can make this as complicated or as simple as you like.  Regardless of how you do it, at the very least, you will need these things:
1. Seeds - New seeds are best.  You can certainly try using leftover seeds from last year, but be aware that most seeds lose viability with time.  I've had decent luck with old tomato seeds, but old lettuce seeds are usually a dismal failure.  If you don't need to buy a whole pack of seeds, consider buying seeds with a friend and splitting the cost. 
2. Growing Medium/Soil - Get thee to a garden center and ask for seed starting/growing medium.  This is not the same as potting soil.  Some seed starting mediums contain fertilizer.  This is ok, but not necessary.  If you're trying to stick to organic growing methods, it would be best to skip the Miracle Grow type stuff.
3. Containers - You can get fancy here or go super simple.  I tend to reuse the little black plastic cells that flats of flower come in (you should wash these thoroughly to prevent spreading diseases from different plants).  I also save all the yogurt, sour cream and cottage cheese containers we use during the year.  Poke a few drainage holes in the bottom and you have a fabulous growing container.  You could also start small plants with shallow roots, like lettuce and onions, in egg cartons.  Whatever you use, you should also have a tray to put your containers in, to protect your table or work surface from water damage.  If all this DIY stuff sounds like too much work, you can buy seed starting kits from a garden center, home improvement store or on-line supplier, like this one from Territorial Seed Co.  When you are first starting the seeds, you will need to keep the soil constantly moist.  You can achieve this by using a seed starting kit with a clear lid/dome or cover your egg crates/yogurt containers/cells with plastic wrap.
4. Water - Regular watering is essential for success.  If the soil dries up at any time while you're waiting for the seed to germinate (sprout), it could prevent germination.  The soil MUST stay damp.  Not soaking, but moist.  If you have softened well water, do NOT use this water on your plants.  Softened water should NEVER be used on plants - the high salt content weakens and eventually kills plants.  If need be, go outside and fill a bucket with water from an unsoftened source or buy water from the grocery store. 
5. Light - You have two options: natural light (sunny window, greenhouse, etc.) OR artificial lighting.  Plants need about 12-14 hours of direct light to grow quickly, so artificial lighting might be best, depending on where you live (we don't get much strong natural light in Michigan this time of year).  We use a timer to turn the lights on/off.  If you have access to special lighting systems made for starting seeds, more power to you!  If not, you can certainly use a fluorescent shop light hung above your containers.  It's recommended that you use a combination of warm and cool bulbs for optimal growth.
6. Fertilizer - Once your babies start to grow, they will need to be fed.  As a general rule, light fertilizing every 2 weeks should be sufficient.  Make sure you are using an organic type fertilizer - you'll be eating these plants, so you don't want to be using any toxins.  I've been happy with the fish emulsion type fertilizers.  When it comes to fertilizing, I have learned two things: 1.  Under-fertilizing is better than over-fertilizing.  You could easily kill or damage a plant with over-enthusiastic fertilizing.  Follow directions on the bottle carefully. 2.  Take care to apply the fertilizer at the roots, not the leaves.  Some fertilizers can burn or damage leaves. 

III.  Plant the seeds

1. Fill your container with seed starting medium.  I find it easiest to pour all the medium in a clean lidded garbage can, mix it with unsoftened water until it's the right consistency (not to wet, not too dry) and then fill my containers right over the can.  This helps keep the mess to a minimum.

 

 2.  Read the instructions on the seed packet to see how deep the seeds should be placed.  Some need to be planted 1/2 inch deep, while others, like the tiny celery seed, you could simply sprinkle on the soil and then lightly crumble some more soil on top. 

 

 3.  Be sure to label your containers immediately!!!  I can't tell you how many times I've lost track of what I planted or got things confused.  Keep a rag handy, so you can wipe your hands off and write your labels.  Or write your labels ahead of time and place them in the containers. Write the date on the backside of the label, so you will know exactly how long it took for the plant for germinate.  I write my labels on wooden craft sticks I got from the craft store. 

 

 4.  Ta-da!!!!  You have started your own seeds!  Now make sure to cover your trays/containers.  Remember, the SOIL MUST STAY WET.  This will make or break your success.  Check on the containers at least once a day and mist them with a squirt bottle if needed.  The squirt bottle is best while you're waiting for germination because it doesn't disturb the seeds.  After the plants germinate and are sturdy, you can use a watering can. 

 

 5.  Write down what you did in your journal.  I make notes of what seeds I use and how old they are.  I had a bunch of old seeds from 2009 that are probably not viable, but I decided to try them anyway.  When the seeds begin to germinate, I also record that in the journal.  A garden journal is a very helpful tool.  Long ago, I learned I cannot trust my brain to remember all the details about each plant and when I started them.  That job belongs to the garden journal.

 

6.  Wait with breathless anticipation!!!!  I planted basil on Feb. 27 and it germinated 3 days later.  I literally gasped in wonder and ran upstairs to tell my husband the good news.... and he was napping.  As excited as I was, I decided waking him to tell him basil was sprouting was probably not a great idea...

 

7.  When you babies start to outgrow their little cells/containers, you can carefully transplant them into a larger container, if need be.  When the risk of frost is over, you can begin "hardening off" your plants.  This involves bringing the plants outside for a few hours each day, so they can get used to being outdoors.  Start with a few hours the first day and gradually increase the time over a week or so.  Keep the fragile babies in shade/partial shade so they don't burn to a crisp.  If you try to plant them in the garden without hardening them, you could easily lose all your plants and all your hard work would be wasted.  Don't rush this process!  After about a week or so, you can then plant them directly into your garden.  Shed a little tear as you watch your babies thrive, all grown up and ready to face the world on their own. 

 There you have it, friends!  As you can see, actually starting the seeds is not that difficult.  It's the planning ahead that requires the most work.  Have fun starting your seeds and remember, Gardening can be as simple or as complicated as you make it.  What works for one person might not work for you.  And keep in mind that we learn best by making mistakes.  Lots and lots of mistakes! 

What are you planning to grow this year?  Have you tried starting your own plants before?