Berry Pickin'

In spending so much time outside in amongst edible plant life, I have become aware of the cycles of certain wild plants. Mainly berries. As strawberry season has ended, and sad that is, other berries come on in fullness. The mulberry trees are loaded with those almost too sweet berries. We have white mulberry trees as well as black ones on the outskirts of the fields and along the creek. Mulberries are a sweet treat, but it is queer how I never hear of them being eaten apart from a few hand fulls as one passes by a tree. As many berries as those trees produce, and for such an extended fruiting season, you would think people would be making mulberry pies, muffins, sauces, and jam. Why don't we hear of such things?

This week I spent four or five hours walking the perimeter of the various patches of woods to locate the first fruits of the black raspberry bushes. I enjoy picking black raspberries for a few reasons. Firstly, they are generally waist high. Very little bending and reaching is required when picking. Second, they aren't hard to find. They grow on the edge of forests and along fence rows or creeks. It is true that you can get all scratched up from the thorns, but oh how it is worth it. To find a thick patch of black raspberries is the ultimate prize. In my hours of wanderings I've located a few thick patches that will be a perfect place to return for round two of black raspberry pickins.

During my pilgrimage around the acreage here on the farm, I also spotted wild blackberries that will be ready for picking later this month. I mentally noted their locations and will be happy to return in a few weeks for the next onslaught of berries.

In addition to these wild berries, we are growing red raspberries on the farm. These berries will be the last ones to fruit and worth the wait. Until then, I'll be enjoying the wild fruit that are so abundant here at Victory Acres.

shifting views

Sometimes our view of how things should go in life prove to be wrong. Here's an example of what I mean.

I saved a chicken liver from one of our freshly butchered chickens the other day to give to Jasper as a treat. I safely stored it in the fridge until I was ready to give it to him, imagining it would be the best thing he had ever laid his little puppy mouth on. As I brought it out of the house he immediately sat down expectantly awaiting the treat. Eagerly, he snatched it from my hand, paused, and then proceeded to drop it to the ground, turn tail and walk away, uninterested.

I couldn't believe what I was witnessing. I tried one more time to give him the tasty morsel, that any other dog would find heavenly, and this time he wouldn't even sniff it. What? This is the dog that eats literally anything.

I mean, his morning routine when we walk down the hill in the morning, is to chase Annabelle to the top of her house so he can steal the alfalfa pellets, and field corn. To which he slowly and deliberately picks kernel by crunchy kernel off of the cob. He is the one that follows all of us through the fields waiting for a handout of snap peas, turnips, or asparagus. He is also the one that I've found gorging himself in the chicken house on ground corn. So I was shocked that he was being choosy about anything edible. And especially meat. Canines are carnivores. Or am I mistaken?

A few minutes later I was sorting through some strawberries, pulling the rotten ones out of the good ones and tossed one to the dog, to see if he would eat it. He snapped up each berry I tossed. One after the other.

Slightly confusing. He turns his nose from meat, but scarfs anything vegetable or fruit. Am I raising a vegetarian dog? A vegetable farm might not be the perfect environment for a vegetable eating dog. Of course, that is from a farmer's perspective. If I am Jasper, I'm thankful for being dropped on this lush piece of earth.

Cartoon Trivia

Did you know that the Disney movie Dumbo was made in the 1940s?

I'm not much of a cartoon fan. I never really have been, even as a wee little tyke. Sometimes it is all I can do to sit through a 30 minute cartoon show, let alone a cartoon movie. It might have started with my parents taking me to my first cartoon movies, The Fox and the Hound, and 101 Dalmatians. Both of which had very scary scenes in them for an under 4 year old. I mean, Cruella Da Ville. She is one scary beast. Even now, after all these years...yikes. And that big ole black bear in the Fox and the Hound. I can't remember if it was me or Emily who was screaming bloody murder in the theater during that scene, but it made an impression on me, none the less.

Some members of my family love cartoons. Have always loved cartoons past and present.

Last week I watched two old Disney Cartoon Movies with Lana and Kyle. Lana finds these old gems in the Taylor library and will bring them home occasionally for a little walk down memory lane.

Robin Hood - circa 1971
The Jungle Book - circa 1962

Some things I learned: Interestingly, the voice of Baloo the Bear in the Jungle Book is the same guy who plays Little John's voice in Robin Hood. Both bears, so I guess that is not too surprising. Though the snake voices in both movies, Caa and Hiss are not the same person. Go figure.

The funny thing about old cartoons is that they are musicals. Catchy little tunes, that run through your head days later. "Bear Necessities", anyone? I hadn't seen The Jungle Book since I was probably six years old and I still could sing a good bit of the "Bear Necessities" song. Weird.

Though cartoons aren't my thing. I am entirely impressed with that form of art.

this day in history

It's the anniversary of the eruption of Mt St Helens. 29 years ago the Washington mountain blew 1500 ft off of it's top and side, killing 57 people, producing as much energy as 500 atomic bombs, and blacking out the sun in the middle of the day.

Days Off

Days off are good for lots of things. For sleeping in, doing laundry, sipping coffee, going on walks. My favorite thing to do on my days off, however, is to bake. I like cooking, I like baking, I love eating. It is a win win situation. Lately I've been baking bread every other week. I've found an oatmeal bread recipe that is quite delicious. I make bread the old fashioned way, no machine. It definitely takes time, but that's okay, because it's my day off.

Today I made a rhubarb custard pie. I also attempted making yogurt for the first time. Yogurt is easy to make, why have I waited this long to make yogurt?

Chocolate Chip Cookies. Another favorite. This time I added whole wheat flour and I liked them better. Now I can tell myself that they are healthy. Sweet, I've got a breakfast cookie.

Things I don't like doing on my days off: cleaning up dog puke from my car, going grocery shopping, paying bills.

being a puppy

It is a good thing that my charge, Jasper, is an animal and not a human child. When he has totally made me crazy I can, without much guilt and within the law, lock him in the greenhouse, put him in the garage, drive away...you get the picture. I come back later and I feel 100% better and he is as happy to see me as he ever is. Can't do that with kids, I'm told.

It is also a good thing that he has more sweet moments than irritating moments, or to the pound he would go. I keep telling him that he's one lucky dog, I don't know if it is sinking in or not.

He has a rotten habit of chasing Annabelle, the goat, who by the way is tethered to a skid and therefore can't get very far. She is, thankfully, agile enough to jump onto the roof of her doghouse/goathouse to escape Jasper's nipping teeth. But he will bark and bark and bark in a frenzy until I come out there and spank his puppy rump. And then he is golden, for awhile until he remembers Annabelle again and off he races. It is a rarity that I can finish a task without having to stop numerous times to discipline the goat chasing puppy.

At the end of the day, when I have a moment to sit and relax I can see the humor in the whole escapade. It is true that upon occasion, Annabelle will headbutt Jasper in the side just to get him going. And that is funny. And Jasper mainly wants to get her up on her house so he can eat her alfalfa pellets. That's funny too. But I tell you, it is so not funny when it is this constant and ear splitting battle each day.

special delivery

A phone call on Sunday from the post office led to a Sunday drive to pick up our newest farm animals. 80 tiny, cheeping, chicks. All fluffy and yellow except one little bitty brownie. Earlier in the week we acquired some meat chicks, this week's batch are all laying hens.

Lots going on around here. My college buddy, Mel, came to the farm for a visit late last week and helped us trellis our blackberries. She also worked in the greenhouse part of the day, making soil blocks, planting squash, and otherwise learning the tools of the trade. Mel has spent the last year in India and it was such a blessing to spend time with her and look at life through her lens.

its raining, its pouring

The greenhouse is filling up out here. Hundreds of plants waiting for a chance to get into the fields. We've been delayed in our planting due to the outrageous rains this spring. Terry was able to plow the rye under a few nights ago before this week's rains, thankfully. So when we do have enough sunshine to dry things up, we will be busy bees. Little plants just waiting include: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash, lettuce, parsley, kohlrabi, cabbage, cucumbers.

Last week we were fortunate to have a few groups come out and put some volunteer hours in while the sun was shining. Leeks, onions, broccoli, and potatoes all got planted. And later in the week carrots, snow peas, radishes, spinach.

For the livestock update...Walter the rooster is not fairing well these days. His harem has evidently not been appreciating his ever watchful eye and has begun picking at some wounds on his wings. Constant nibbling has created this nasty bloody mess that Terry has to cover with pine tar. Disgusting.

where the wild things are

In two weeks time Victory Acres Farm has welcomed ten new animals. Eight of them are chicks, one of which spent what must have been a frightfully cold night in Terry's vehicle unbeknownst to us all until the following afternoon. (I wondered why I only counted seven chicks when I knew Terry had told me we were getting eight). Of the eight chicks a few appear like they will be roosters. Too bad for them, that will get them a ticket to the stewing pot. The happy little hens will be joining our older layers once they get a little bigger.

Annabelle, the goat is getting along rather well as she helps us mow down our rye grass in the fields. Eventually she will be staked out along the creek to clear brush. This fall she will help us clear fence row, as she is a voracious eater of all things shrubby. She is quite the social beast and makes her presence known by her constant and mournful bleating.

The last animal that got the drop at the farm last week is Jasper, the abused and abandoned puppy. Due to the fact that no one on the farm likes dogs besides me, I get the joyous responsibility of trying to train poor Jasper to be civil to all. A daunting task since his six month life has been a mixture of being tied up and tortured by children. He has found a friend in me and sticks close, but he is suspect of everyone else and has an aggressive running bark. Scary. He's got about three weeks to get it pulled together or he gets ushered out of here. I'm hoping he chills out a bit, being that this might be his best shot of having a happy home.

And so...life remains in motion.

virtual farm tour

Mom, Dad, Grandpa, and Grandma made the road trip to Upland for a late Easter lunch with Lana, Kyle and I. Lana and Kyle were gracious hosts in their mini-kitchen. Mom brought the ham, salad, and brownies. Lana made the biscuits and I fixed the potatoes. It was a patchwork effort, and delicious at that.

Grandpa and Grandma were treated to a personalized tour of Zondervan Library on Taylor University's campus; Lana's place of employment. And a cool, windy tour of Victory Acres Farm via golf cart.

I reside in an upstairs room in the old farm house (est. 1893). Cora Mae lives in the main floor. It is her house, she has lived there over 50 years and is kind enough to let me share space with her. She recently celebrated her 83rd birthday and proudly displayed her 23 birthday cards on her dining room table. Impressive!

The greenhouse is where it all happens right now. Due to the very wet and sometimes cool weather, we have been busy planting seeds into soil blocks, germinating them in a dark, warm box, and then moving them out onto tables in the greenhouse once the seeds pop up. It will be very crowded in a few more days when the eggplant, kohlrabi, and peppers all decide to show signs of life. So far we have lots of lettuce, broccoli, pea, tomato and parsley babies.

The "chicken tractor" is a movable laying house. It has nesting boxes on the end for easy access for the egg collector and can be moved around the farm with an electric fence to keep the birds in. Happy birds = yummy eggs!

The wood stove is a beast. It is our main way of heating the greenhouse on cold nights. We try to maintain a temperature of at least 50 degrees in the greenhouse at night. This means taking shifts throughout the night to stoke the fire. With the help of some coal dust and some skill at packing in the wood, we can get at least four hours of burn time out of each load.

Hope you enjoyed the virtual tour of Victory Acres. Feel free to stop by if you are in the area, we would love to give you a live tour of the farm. More going on all the time!