Our pepper plants are really taking off. It's great to see the summer veggies continue to roll in. Unfortunately our squash is still suffering. Now that we have finally gotten the squash bugs and borers under control, we have mosaic virus! I'm not sure we will get any at all...
No goat emergencies this week. In fact, everyone is doing much better. Shelli is completely over the infection and we finally think Savannah is on the road to recovery. Whew!
Full Baskets
Celebrity Tomatoes
Big Rainbow Tomatoes
Bell Peppers
Hungarian Wax Peppers
Slicing Cucumbers
Garlic
Red Norland Potatoes
Cantaloupe
Half Baskets
Yellow Pear Tomatoes
Big Rainbow Tomatoes
Ichiban Eggplant
Poblano Peppers
Hungarian Wax Peppers
Slicing Cucumbers
Cantaloupe
Clemson Spineless Okra
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Caprine Calamaties
Our trouble with goats continues. Last year the worst problems we had were the girls knocking heads and getting cut on their scurs. This year the problems seem nearly endless.
Savannah has an infection in her udder - mastitis. We are currently treating it very aggressively. Many times we treat a goat that isn't feeling well with a more holistic and supportive approach and they are able to get back on their feet by the next day like nothing happened. But we are going full Western medicine on Savannah since she has been so sick. She has gotten shots of antibiotics and a different antibiotic infused in her udder. She has had a fever for almost a week but it looks like it might finally have broken...just in time for her twin Shelli to come down with similar symptoms. This time we aren't waiting the lengthy 4 days to get the lab results back and are treating it as if it's the same infection. Shelli's fever is already down. I think we caught it very early. But a sick goat is truly a sad thing to see - their normally perky ears hang limply on the side of their head, they mope around and their rumen becomes less active making them look like they've lost 20 pounds overnight.
(by the way, we never use the milk of a goat that appears to be sick or is on medication)
But that's not all. The two boys who were castrated last week still at like they are in terrible pain and won't come anywhere near me - though they frolic right up to Dale. Guess they recall exactly who put those rubber bands around their 'equipment' (and they've apparently been gossiping - the other two intact boys are also afraid of me now!). But they will get over it eventually.
And then on Saturday 3 of the kids got the runs. This can be very serious in goats. We quickly gave them the medication for the worst of the causes since we'd rather be safe than sorry. They do appear to be getting better now. But it was rough for awhile. And let me tell you, trying to squirt bad tasting medicine in the mouths of 9 kid goats that don't want it, can be quite difficult!
Little Lily was spared the intestinal upset.
Lastly there was a freak accident on Sunday. Dale was taking some people to see the kids when he noticed that Lark looked to be stuck in the hay manager. Thistle, arguably the stupidest goat in Texas, gets his head "stuck" regularly. It's not really stuck - there's plenty of room for him to get his head out. He just doesn't know that. We have to help guide his head back so he can be free. But Lark hadn't done this before. He suddenly pulled back and was free....but there was a wire sticking out of his eye!!! By the time Dale caught him, Pops had come to fetch me to help. The wire had fallen out on its own but it was obvious that it had gone through both his upper and lower eyelid. Somehow his eye completely avoided damage. And when I say "wire" I don't mean something thin like a coat hanger - think more like USB cable (hey, it's the only thing in my field of view that fits!). We cleaned the wound and gave him an anti-inflammatory and painkiller...and hoped. It did swell, but it was already reduced by the next day and he is acting perfectly fine. Whew.
But what's in store for us next week?!?! I can't even imagine...
Savannah has an infection in her udder - mastitis. We are currently treating it very aggressively. Many times we treat a goat that isn't feeling well with a more holistic and supportive approach and they are able to get back on their feet by the next day like nothing happened. But we are going full Western medicine on Savannah since she has been so sick. She has gotten shots of antibiotics and a different antibiotic infused in her udder. She has had a fever for almost a week but it looks like it might finally have broken...just in time for her twin Shelli to come down with similar symptoms. This time we aren't waiting the lengthy 4 days to get the lab results back and are treating it as if it's the same infection. Shelli's fever is already down. I think we caught it very early. But a sick goat is truly a sad thing to see - their normally perky ears hang limply on the side of their head, they mope around and their rumen becomes less active making them look like they've lost 20 pounds overnight.
(by the way, we never use the milk of a goat that appears to be sick or is on medication)
But that's not all. The two boys who were castrated last week still at like they are in terrible pain and won't come anywhere near me - though they frolic right up to Dale. Guess they recall exactly who put those rubber bands around their 'equipment' (and they've apparently been gossiping - the other two intact boys are also afraid of me now!). But they will get over it eventually.
And then on Saturday 3 of the kids got the runs. This can be very serious in goats. We quickly gave them the medication for the worst of the causes since we'd rather be safe than sorry. They do appear to be getting better now. But it was rough for awhile. And let me tell you, trying to squirt bad tasting medicine in the mouths of 9 kid goats that don't want it, can be quite difficult!
Lastly there was a freak accident on Sunday. Dale was taking some people to see the kids when he noticed that Lark looked to be stuck in the hay manager. Thistle, arguably the stupidest goat in Texas, gets his head "stuck" regularly. It's not really stuck - there's plenty of room for him to get his head out. He just doesn't know that. We have to help guide his head back so he can be free. But Lark hadn't done this before. He suddenly pulled back and was free....but there was a wire sticking out of his eye!!! By the time Dale caught him, Pops had come to fetch me to help. The wire had fallen out on its own but it was obvious that it had gone through both his upper and lower eyelid. Somehow his eye completely avoided damage. And when I say "wire" I don't mean something thin like a coat hanger - think more like USB cable (hey, it's the only thing in my field of view that fits!). We cleaned the wound and gave him an anti-inflammatory and painkiller...and hoped. It did swell, but it was already reduced by the next day and he is acting perfectly fine. Whew.
But what's in store for us next week?!?! I can't even imagine...
Monday, June 21, 2010
It's truly summer!
Happy Summer everyone! In case the hot weather hadn't clued you in to the season change yet, the longest day of the year occurred yesterday, marking the official start of the summer. And with the new season comes new vegetables!
And for the start of the hottest time of the year, we now have the cheese kitchen AIR CONDITIONED!!! Yes, I have made all the cheeses in a small metal building with no AC or windows and the stove on full blast last summer and this year. Not fun. And as mentioned previously, air temperature can effect the cheese making process. So now we have one more variable under control - and it will allow me to make some cheeses that require longer incubation times at temperatures less than 100F (seriously, we have a thermometer in there and it regularly gets over 100F...). Yeah!
Full Baskets
Cardinal Basil
Roma Tomatoes
Purple Cherokee Tomatoes
Clemson Spineless Okra
Kirby cucumbers
Country Gentlemen Sweet Corn
Purple Beans
Ichicban Eggplants
Poblano Peppers
Half Baskets
Cardinal Basil
Roma Tomatoes
Purple Cherokee Tomato
Clemson Spineless Okra
Kirby cucumbers
Red Norland Potatoes
Butter Beans
Jalapeno Peppers
Garlic
Roasted Okra
This is a delicious way to cook okra that I only recently discovered. If you think you don't like the vegetable, try it this way!
Preheat the oven to 450F. Coat a baking sheet with olive oil and drizzle a little on the okra. Sprinkle with salt. Bake for 15 minutes, turning them every 5 minutes. They should be browned in a few places and slightly crisp. Excellent!
And for the start of the hottest time of the year, we now have the cheese kitchen AIR CONDITIONED!!! Yes, I have made all the cheeses in a small metal building with no AC or windows and the stove on full blast last summer and this year. Not fun. And as mentioned previously, air temperature can effect the cheese making process. So now we have one more variable under control - and it will allow me to make some cheeses that require longer incubation times at temperatures less than 100F (seriously, we have a thermometer in there and it regularly gets over 100F...). Yeah!
Full Baskets
Cardinal Basil
Roma Tomatoes
Purple Cherokee Tomatoes
Clemson Spineless Okra
Kirby cucumbers
Country Gentlemen Sweet Corn
Purple Beans
Ichicban Eggplants
Poblano Peppers
Half Baskets
Cardinal Basil
Roma Tomatoes
Purple Cherokee Tomato
Clemson Spineless Okra
Kirby cucumbers
Red Norland Potatoes
Butter Beans
Jalapeno Peppers
Garlic
Roasted Okra
This is a delicious way to cook okra that I only recently discovered. If you think you don't like the vegetable, try it this way!
Preheat the oven to 450F. Coat a baking sheet with olive oil and drizzle a little on the okra. Sprinkle with salt. Bake for 15 minutes, turning them every 5 minutes. They should be browned in a few places and slightly crisp. Excellent!
Monday, June 14, 2010
Goats are a handful
The past week has been full of goat "fun". First, Matilda, our unbred doe gave birth! I promised to post pictures and write up the whole story early but of course got busy with all sorts of other things. The short version - the breeder still swears that there is no way Matilda could have been bred at her place...but the little baby looks just like his daddy so we know somehow the deed was done!
That little buck was disbudded this weekend - a chore that is not pleasant, even if you aren't the one doing it. Our disbudder also taught me how to 'band' the older boy goats - the bloodless way of castration. It was easy enough and I was able to do it after being shown. But then the boy goats truly acted like they were dying. It was hard to watch. Another part of owning livestock though.
And finally, our much beloved Savannah (Nanna Goat) is sick. We still aren't sure what's wrong with her but she stopped eating on Saturday and spiked a 107 degree fever (normal for goats can be as high as 103.5). We've given her all the supportive care we can over the weekend until we could send samples to the lab and consult with a vet. She seems to be doing better but isn't out of the woods yet. It was a rough weekend.
Shelli peaking out of the barn wondering what kind of angst to give us next.
But farming goes on. Weeds in the garden don't take the day off when we spend that time working with the goats! Our second batch of squash is looking like it will make it. We've had a few casualties from the squash bugs but many of the plants are strong and vigorous. The cucumbers and melons (also tasty to squash bugs) seem to be holding their own too! So it looks like we may be winning!
Here's what's likely to be in your box this week:
Herb of the week: Sage
All baskets:
Half baskets:
Full baskets:
Greek Cucumber Salad
Whisk together the dressing ingredients (without the cheese) and toss with the drained cucumbers. Sprinkle with feta and enjoy!
That little buck was disbudded this weekend - a chore that is not pleasant, even if you aren't the one doing it. Our disbudder also taught me how to 'band' the older boy goats - the bloodless way of castration. It was easy enough and I was able to do it after being shown. But then the boy goats truly acted like they were dying. It was hard to watch. Another part of owning livestock though.
And finally, our much beloved Savannah (Nanna Goat) is sick. We still aren't sure what's wrong with her but she stopped eating on Saturday and spiked a 107 degree fever (normal for goats can be as high as 103.5). We've given her all the supportive care we can over the weekend until we could send samples to the lab and consult with a vet. She seems to be doing better but isn't out of the woods yet. It was a rough weekend.
But farming goes on. Weeds in the garden don't take the day off when we spend that time working with the goats! Our second batch of squash is looking like it will make it. We've had a few casualties from the squash bugs but many of the plants are strong and vigorous. The cucumbers and melons (also tasty to squash bugs) seem to be holding their own too! So it looks like we may be winning!
Here's what's likely to be in your box this week:
Herb of the week: Sage
All baskets:
Detroit Dark Red Beets: I expect all our subscribers to have strong healthy blood after all these vitamin packed beets.
Cucumbers: The heat can make cucumber skins bitter. Peeling easily remedies this problem,
Tomatoes: The big ol' suckers are Brandywine heirloom tomatoes. These are delicate fruits and bruise easily. Any bruises can just be cut out - the rest of the flesh is fine. The tomatoes are on the top of your basket - be sure to rescue them quickly so they don't get crushed!
Italian Parsley: The parsley is getting strong in the heat - you might need to use less than usual to get the same flavor.
Poblanos: Most poblanos are pleasantly mild...but beware that an occasional pepper can really kick you in the pants. It's completely random and you never know what you are going to get!
Half baskets:
Ichiban Eggplant: Want to try a new eggplant dish? Give Baba ghanoush a try!
Full baskets:
Potato Medley: Yes, those are blue potatoes!
Fresh Garlic: Sand Holler Farm, helping keep vampires at bay since 2008.
Scarlet Nantes Carrots: An heirloom variety rich with typical carroty flavor.
Greek Cucumber Salad
Peel cucumbers. Cut in half along the length and remove seeds if they are large. Slice into quarter inch half moons, put in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Drain for 1-3 hours. For an even crisper salad, weight the draining cucumbers with either a ziplock full of water or a plate and a large glass of water during draining.
1 1/2 lbs cucumbers
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tsp minced oregano
1 tbsp minced mint
2 oz feta
Whisk together the dressing ingredients (without the cheese) and toss with the drained cucumbers. Sprinkle with feta and enjoy!
Monday, June 7, 2010
Farm Baskets
Our cheeses are truly artisan farmstead cheeses. They are nothing like the mass produced cheeses at the grocery store. They are also fairly dissimilar from cheeses purchased at a farmers market as most of these are still produced in large batches. Our cheeses are made in 4 gallon batches, one at a time. That means that each and every cheese we make will be unique in flavor and texture. Subtle things such as room temperature, the diet of the goat or even the age of the rennet will change the final results. We can control many factors but the cheese will always be different. And that's the way we love it!
Our best guess for what's in the boxes for this week:
All baskets:
Half baskets:
Full baskets:
Herb of the week: Mint
Our best guess for what's in the boxes for this week:
All baskets:
Red Norland Potatoes: Still coming in! The potato season in Texas is short but plentiful. Enjoy it while it lasts!
Cucumbers: Many of the cucumbers in the boxes might not look like what you are used to - the usual long thin 'slicers' from the grocery store. These short stubby cukes are 'picklers' - which are called Kirbys when eaten fresh. A Kirby has a true and strong cucumber flavor.
Tomatoes: FINALLY! We have many many varieties planted this year and you will get a taste of them all!
Half baskets:
Fresh Garlic: Stinky hands from chopping all that delicious farm garlic? Try washing your hands under running water while rubbing a piece of stainless steel.
Wax Beans or Green Beans: This is likely to be the last of the first flush of green beans. We should have more in a few weeks!
Baby Carrots: The perfect sized snack for kids!
Full baskets:
Beets: The first beets, eaten by the Romans and Greeks, were black or white and not red.
Italian Parsley: When crushed and rubbed on the skin, parsley is said to reduce itching of mosquito bites.
Poblanos: This is the most commonly used pepper for chile rellenos.
Ichiban Eggplant: Still the only variety producing at the farm so far!
Herb of the week: Mint
Moroccan Beet Salad
Cool, peel, and cut beets into bite-size pieces. place in a serving bowl.
Mix lemon juice, garlic, cumin and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Whisk in olive oil. Add to beets and toss.
Let sit a few hours and just before serving, sprinkle with parsley.
6-8 medium beetsAdd beets to boiling water in a large saucepan. Simmer until beets are tender when pierced with a fork, about 45 minutes.
1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
salt and black pepper
4 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Cool, peel, and cut beets into bite-size pieces. place in a serving bowl.
Mix lemon juice, garlic, cumin and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Whisk in olive oil. Add to beets and toss.
Let sit a few hours and just before serving, sprinkle with parsley.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Fresh from the Farm this Week
Squash bugs. Horrid little creatures. It's time to admit that we lost our entire summer squash crop. We kept thinking that this plant or that plant was going to make it. This morning, the last of the plants finally looked so bad we had to admit defeat. Sigh. We tried everything except chemical pesticides...and let me tell you, we are starting to see why they are so widely used in farming!
But we do have another set of plants currently growing. So far we have managed to protect them from the bugs but they are young yet and haven't even started blooming. So it will be a few weeks before we have any more squash...if we have any at all. What an infestation!
All baskets:
Half baskets:
Cheese of the week: Feta
Herb of the week: Oregano
Recipe:
Carrot and Beet Salad (serves 6)
8 carrots shredded
3 beets, peeled and shredded
2 garlic cloves
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1/3 cup rice vinegar
Combine all the ingredients, refrigerate for at least an hour and enjoy!
Almost ready!
But we do have another set of plants currently growing. So far we have managed to protect them from the bugs but they are young yet and haven't even started blooming. So it will be a few weeks before we have any more squash...if we have any at all. What an infestation!
All baskets:
Red Norland Potatoes: The average person eats 75 lbs of potatoes a year. We are happy to provide a small portion of your annual intake!
Cucumbers: In the late 1600s, the cucumber was thought only fit for consumption by cows...and it was actually spelled cowcumber!
Fresh Garlic: The sticky juice from the cloves is actually used to make adhesive for repairing glass and china.
Parsley: Italian in the full baskets and curly in the half baskets.
Poblanos: A delicious mild pepper from the state of Puebla, Mexico.
Half baskets:
Ichiban Eggplant: A Japanese variety, but the eggplant originates from India...and is botanically a berry!Full baskets:
Beets: Cherry red beets with light interiors are Chioggia beets. The deep dark red ones are Detroit Dark Reds.
Empress Green Beans: An excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin K.
Wax Beans: Don't worry - these aren't sickly green beans, they are supposed to be yellow!
Carrots: One of the few vegetables that are more nutritious when cooked.
Cheese of the week: Feta
Herb of the week: Oregano
Recipe:
Carrot and Beet Salad (serves 6)
8 carrots shredded
3 beets, peeled and shredded
2 garlic cloves
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1/3 cup rice vinegar
Combine all the ingredients, refrigerate for at least an hour and enjoy!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Experimental Vegetables
When I designed the new garden layout last year I had a small area marked "experimental". I got some funny looks from Mom but she let it slide. Well, we haven't actually planted right in that area, but we have been experimenting with some new crops. Nothing for resale this year but I think we have at least one winner for a full crop next year! So what have we been up to?
Rhubarb: I think I've mentioned this one before. Rhubarb is not the most popular southern product. It's a perennial plant loves a long cool spring and a reasonable summer to grow big and healthy. Well folks, let's face it, that's not Texas! But I recently read about growing rhubarb as an annual from seed. In the north, it dies back in the winter and takes the whole spring to grow to harvestable size. But here we can protect it from frost so that it grows all winter and really takes off for the few short weeks of cool spring we have before succumbing to the inferno of summer. Well we planted a few rows of it and while we certainly made some mistakes in its care (didn't realize just how frost sensitive it was!), we actually got enough of a crop for a few pies! So next year we are sure to plant a decent amount and actually have some available for our vegetable subscribers!
Artichokes: Now, these aren't such a weird vegetable. But none of us at the farm have ever (successfully) grown them before. Mom and I enjoyed our very first homegrown artichoke last weekend and it was delicious! We only have two plants and we could easily eat all the flower buds from them so I'm not sure if we will ever have enough for the whole CSA - maybe enough to reward people for coming out and volunteering during the spring! But we will be planting more from this next year.
Cardoon: I had only ever read about this vegetable in books but when I saw one for sale at the nursery I had to get it. We still haven't tried it yet but I plan on it this weekend. It's a close relative of the artichoke and while the buds are edible like its' cousins, it is grown for it's huge stalks. Apparently they taste like artichoke. I sure hope so - it's all that wonderful flavor but in a HUGE vegetable instead of a little fussy thing that takes as many calories to prepare and eat as it provides (well, until you dip it in butter!). I'll let you know how it really tastes though!
Rhubarb: I think I've mentioned this one before. Rhubarb is not the most popular southern product. It's a perennial plant loves a long cool spring and a reasonable summer to grow big and healthy. Well folks, let's face it, that's not Texas! But I recently read about growing rhubarb as an annual from seed. In the north, it dies back in the winter and takes the whole spring to grow to harvestable size. But here we can protect it from frost so that it grows all winter and really takes off for the few short weeks of cool spring we have before succumbing to the inferno of summer. Well we planted a few rows of it and while we certainly made some mistakes in its care (didn't realize just how frost sensitive it was!), we actually got enough of a crop for a few pies! So next year we are sure to plant a decent amount and actually have some available for our vegetable subscribers!
Artichokes: Now, these aren't such a weird vegetable. But none of us at the farm have ever (successfully) grown them before. Mom and I enjoyed our very first homegrown artichoke last weekend and it was delicious! We only have two plants and we could easily eat all the flower buds from them so I'm not sure if we will ever have enough for the whole CSA - maybe enough to reward people for coming out and volunteering during the spring! But we will be planting more from this next year.
Cardoon: I had only ever read about this vegetable in books but when I saw one for sale at the nursery I had to get it. We still haven't tried it yet but I plan on it this weekend. It's a close relative of the artichoke and while the buds are edible like its' cousins, it is grown for it's huge stalks. Apparently they taste like artichoke. I sure hope so - it's all that wonderful flavor but in a HUGE vegetable instead of a little fussy thing that takes as many calories to prepare and eat as it provides (well, until you dip it in butter!). I'll let you know how it really tastes though!
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