Pig love

Ava surely loves her pigs. And I mean luuuurves them.

She trots up to the gate to see what they're up to.



And they come up to greet her.



A little nuzzle...



and a little kiss.



Anybody have good resources to recommend for training GSD's for herding? She has the desire, but doesn't know what to do and usually just chases things willy-nilly in a most unhelpful manner. At that point Matt usually threatens to shoot her.

But the other day she followed Matt into the cattle pen, when some of the calves had broken in with the cows and needed sorted back out. Ava herded the bull and cows away from the calves and, just as importantly, stopped when Matt called her off. So now he's thinking there's hope for her as a herding dog and wants to work on training her. Email or leave a comment if you have suggestions. Thanks!


2 years ago:
Bawk bawk

1 year ago:
Winter pigs

Ag Speedlinking: 01.31.08

Conversation with...Ahron Lerman

"In his talk, “Tu B’Shevat through the Eyes of a New World Traveler,” Lerman talked about his experiences with organic farming, sustainable agriculture and animal husbandly in connection to Jewish tradition, ecology and social justice."

*****

New Jersey farmers wrestle with 'cheap food mentality'

"Addressing a standing-room-only crowd, Joseph explained how cheap isn’t just about price, but is about the quality and the costs — hidden, unaccounted and inadvertent — of America’s obsession with low food prices."

*****

Exhibit shows how Carver was ahead of his time

"George Washington Carver remains one of the better-known and least understood names in American history."

*****

How to Cook : Kahlua Pork (+ bonus)

The bonus dish, not the kahula pork. Read on.

I wasn't going to post this recipe.

Monday I was lacking inspiration, flipping through my recipe collection, and came across this recipe for kahlua pork. I'd made it before, quite a while ago, and I didn't remember it being anything special. But on an uninspired Monday it looked...easy. Not tasty. Not delicious. Just something I could do quick and be done with my cooking duties for the day. Like I said, I wasn't going to post it. So I didn't take any pictures.

Come suppertime I served the uninspired kahlua pork. I took a bite. My eyebrows raised, and I glanced around the table looking for a reaction from the fam. "Wow," came the mumbled verdict through a mouth full of pork. "This is good." Applause erupted.

No, really. My husband and kids actually applaud when I cook something they like. Nice, huh?

I still wasn't going to post the recipe. Equal parts lack-of-pictures and laziness prompted me to blog about weather and cows instead.

We ate on the pork for a couple of days and today I decided it was time to transform the leftover leftovers into something else, sort of a grand finale for this particular pork roast. I was ready for its demise, ready to move on to something not pork. But what to make for this pork's last supper, so to speak? Matt suggested lo mein.

Sounded as good as any option to me. Yet again it sounded...easy. Not tasty. Not delicious. Just something I could do quick and be done with my cooking duties for the day. Yet again I tentatively took a first bite and glanced around the table for reactions. Yet again applause erupted.

No, really. Well, Rafe doesn't actually clap. He pounds his fist on the table like some sort of barbarian. But I'll take it.

This time I was going to have a picture, by golly! I grabbed the serving bowl and the camera, snapped one quick picture, and went back to shoveling savory noodles and bits of crispy browned pork into my piehole.

I used a 4.5 pound pork roast in this recipe. If you're using a smaller roast just cut the marinade accordingly.

Kahula Pork
4.5# pork roast
1 T. liquid smoke
3 T. garlic powder
6 T. soy sauce
1 T. kosher salt

Mix marinade ingredients together and rub over all sides of the pork roast. Place pork in crockpot, cover and cook on low 8 hours.

That's it. No, really. I serve it with rice. You can take the juices from the crockpot and use them to flavor the rice, if you like. Another option is to chop up some cabbage and stir fry it in a tablespoon of oil and 1/2 cup liquid from the crockpot. It makes a tasty accompaniment to the pork.

Bonus Recipe: Pork Lo Mein
leftover Kahula Pork, cut into bits
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 T. oyster sauce
2 T. soy sauce
1 t. sugar
oil for stir frying
1 pound spaghetti, cooked

Mix oyster sauce, soy sauce and sugar. Set aside. Stir fry onion and garlic in oil. Remove from wok. Add more oil and stir fry pork. Add onions, garlic and cooked spaghetti back to wok. Add marinade and toss/stir fry everything until heated through.

Now there's enough leftover lo mein for Matt and I to eat on the next couple of days for lunch. And I'll be sorry when it's gone.

Ag Speedlinking: 01.30.08

But it makes my pee smell funny

"...it had never occurred to me that part of my wife’s objection to asparagus might be because of the fact that she’s never really had good, fresh asparagus."

*****

Red Dog Farm

"Williams' energy and expertise has attracted another new type of financial support: an equipment loan from a local couple who recognized the opportunity to support a young farmer while earning a return on their money. 'We aren't wealthy people,' said the woman. 'This loan is significant for us, but we have utmost confidence in Karyn and her goal.'"

*****

Green gardening: Once you've gone bio-intensive..."

"Bio-intensive yields often are four to six times larger than usual, despite using less water, energy and other resources. To test the system, try a 3-by-3-foot plot and compare its results with the rest of your garden."

If you're in the northwest, click through the link to see the schedule for several lectures by John Jeavons, author of How to Grow More Vegetables: (And Fruits, Nuts, Berries, Grains,).

*****

In training

Like father, like son.

My up-and-coming little number cruncher. I just need to teach him how to use a spreadsheet.


2 years ago:

Not that impressive

1 year ago:

Winter toys

Winter's back...with a vengeance

Doesn't she have anything better to do than run around taking pictures of cows?

So, my wish didn't come true. School was called off today and everything cancelled. We're under a good old-fashioned blizzard warning until midnight, and a wind chill advisory until noon tomorrow. I'll be praying all of the animals stay warm tonight without smothering each other. School has already called a 2-hour late start for tomorrow.

The wind is howling to over 40 mph. Our house is really cold when the wind blows.

Matt came home from work and did chores as quickly as possible, and didn't make Madeline come out and help. I'm always thinking about the blizzard stories in the Little House series, where people died mere feet from their house because they couldn't see where they were walking in the blizzard. Or how they strung a line from the house to the barn so they could get out to do chores in a blizzard without getting lost. Scary! I can't imagine how cold the log cabin was that stood on this farm before this house was built.


2 years ago:

This little piggy went to market

1 year ago:

Winter creek

Ag Speedlinking: 01.29.08

Kirschenmann says agriculture must change to survive

"'We all talk about alternative energy, but I don't hear people talking about making an energy transition,' Kirschenmann said. 'We have to move from an energy input system to an energy exchange system.'"

*****

Organic food industry in a supply crunch

"U.S. farmers haven't kept pace with demand for organic food, sales of which shot up 21 percent in 2006, and that has also sent prices soaring."

*****

Organic producers can still rally for farm bill

"Theresa Podoll, board member for the Organic Farming Research Foundation, told farmers at the Minnesota Organic Conference to call lawmakers in support of organic production provisions in the farm bill."

*****

Hot water

Chickens & ducks crowd around their daily dose of hot water

Twinville commented here the other day about her spoiled hens and how they'd probably be wanting her to draw them a warm bath next. I guess that makes my hens and ducks really spoiled. In winter I take out a bucket of hot water and pour it into a dishpan for them. The ducks stick their entire heads into the "bath".

The past few days of warm (in the upper 30's) weather we've enjoyed have only been a teaser. Now we're under a winter storm watch, expecting 2 to 6 inches of snow tomorrow, 40 mph winds, and windchills to 30 below. I'm hoping it doesn't actually turn out that bad because I was really looking forward to tomorrow! Madeline has a double header basketball game scheduled after school, and then in the evening Olivia is supposed to play a 3rd-4th grade exhibition game during halftime of the varsity girls basketball game. But I guess Mother Nature will be determining our schedule.


1 year ago:

Duck defrost

Ag Speedlinking: 01.28.08

On Martha's Vineyard, Using Scallops as Currency

"The concentration of small farms has made the island a model for eating locally in the region."

Hat tip to The Slow Cook for the link.

*****

A shift to growing organically could be key to boosting economy

"Someone can make a living - a good middle-class living - growing organic vegetables on a few acres in their backyard if they are good at marketing."

*****

How Welsh farmers are struggling to keep up with our love of organic food

"Our growing appetite for organic food threatens to outpace supply from Wales and the rest of the UK, warns a new report."

*****

She's taking after her auntie

Installment #6

of "One of these things just doesn't belong here..."



Installment #1

Installment #2

Installment #3

Installment #4

Installment #5


2 years ago:

Fine dining at Sugar Creek

Weekend Linkity-Link: Warmup Edition

We warmed up to 30 degrees today! Nothing like a 50-degree temperature upswing to swing up the spirits.

*****
Scientists study possible link between ethanol byproduct and E. coli

This was the headline of the Sunday Des Moines Register today. I may have laughed out loud at the gas station where I bought it. We decided a long time ago not to feed this stuff.

*****

El @ Fast Grow the Weeds rants - in a good way - about so-called "obstacles" to gardening.

Eat Close to Home shares her grandmother's home keeping notebook, which includes a list of what types and quantities of food to put by for one person for the "30 non-productive weeks of the year". Really cool!

Orangette - a new-to-me food blog that's a downright pleasant read. Wish my own writing was this poetic!

*****
'Balcony gardeners' to revive connection with the earth

A neat little piece on urban gardening in Turkey.

*****

Star seems to be handling the weather just fine. She's rather offended that she has to bunk with cows, though. I mean, really, it's like bunking the General with the enlisted men.

Her diva mentality is understandable, though. She is gorgeous, after all. Her white "star" looks like it's been painted on. Then again, with all of the "enhancements" being performed in Hollywood these days, who knows?



Sheesh, a girl can't even stand around in her own pasture without being bothered by these paparazzi and their cameras! I'm telling you people, I did not have work done. And you can quote me on that!



If I just shut my eyes and ignore you, will you go away?

Let's see if it's warmed up any out here...


...yipes, a girl could freeze her knees out here!


I'm going back inside.


"What a wimp!"
"Amen, sister!"

The undead

Rafe's been doing a temperature charting project for school this week. When we checked our thermometer at 7:30 this morning it said 20 below. 20 BELOW! Oy. Another town in our area recorded 29 below. 29 BELOW! Oy.

Despite that nasty, nasty temperature reading we haven't lost anymore pigs. Yet. So I'm calling those that remain "The Undead".



I think they appreciate my humor. That one in the middle is definitely chuckling.

So I've been saving up my pennies again, and today a pick-me-up in the form of a new camera lens arrived in the mail. I went with a Sigma 55-200mm f/4-5.6 lens. Significantly less expensive than the Canon lens, but more than adequate for my amateur skills.

Which left some $$ for the other item I ordered, a Canon 430EX Speedlite Flash. I'm anxious to try this baby out on some food photography, and some indoor nighttime photos this weekend. It will great for doing portraits of that totally anonymous baby (and more pictures of her and her big brother here.)

I took these porker photos with it at noon today and I'm loving it already.



As for the undead, we're taking orders now for March and April butchering dates. Put your order in before we lose anymore :)


1 year ago:

Winter kids

Ag Speedlinking: 01.24.08

A New, Global Oil Quandary: Costly Fuel Means Costly Calories

"This is the other oil shock. From India to Indiana, shortages and soaring prices for palm oil, soybean oil and many other types of vegetable oils are the latest, most striking example of a developing global problem: costly food."

*****

Specialty crop growers look for bigger share

"[Specialty crop growers] aren't eligible for the billions of dollars that flow primarily to Midwest and Southern growers of the big commodities: wheat, corn, rice, cotton and soybeans. The growers of those five crops receive more than 90 percent of subsidy payments, even though specialty crops account for slightly more than half of the nation's farm production value."

*****

A health haven for bees

"'Luscher Farm is a shining example of what agriculture could be,' Vaughan said. 'There’s crazy stuff there. Weeds grow all over, which is great stuff for bees. There’s a wetland, and there’s plant diversity, which we need because it results in a nice mix of pollen and nutrients.'"

*****

Fun with Photoshop

It's been a busy day, and my brain is tired, so I'm not feeling particularly verbose tonight. Except to say, nothing died today. So it was a good day.

Instead I've been playing around in Adobe Photoshop Elements with a picture of our cow "Good Ol' Number 68".

Here's the original:



an Andy Warhol-esque version:



I forget what this effect is called, but it's interesting:



a "painted" version:



this one has sort of a vintage-y feel:



Which one do you like best?



2 years ago:

Cow days of winter

1 year ago:

Winter dog

Ag Speedlinking: 01.23.08

Chefs' New Goal: Looking Dinner in the Eye

"LAST Friday, in front of 4 million television viewers and a studio audience, the chef Jamie Oliver killed a chicken."

(Hat tip to Cheap Healthy Good for the link.)

*****

Buying local produce should give you food for thought

"What sort of food will we be eating this year? My wish list includes fresher food with fewer food miles, which means more home-grown produce."

*****

Organic seed alliance wants to stop 'Roundup-ready' beets

"The suit was filed after USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) approved the use of a new type of genetically altered sugar beet that is resistant to the herbicide Roundup. The plaintiffs are concerned it could lead to the creation of Roundup-resistant 'super weeds.'"

*****

Another one bites the dust

Winter corn field disappearing into fog

Another pig, smothered under the pile.

And that's all I really feel like saying about that today.

I googled my own website just now and discovered that I've used this same post title on two other occasions:

Here, and also here.


1 year ago:
Winter ducks

Ag Speedlinking: 01.22.08

Gates Foundation's agriculture a hard sell

"the foundation's nascent agricultural program is encountering more resistance than much of its other work, with critics concerned that its market-oriented, technology-centric approach will open the door to big agribusiness interests and genetically engineered food."

*****

Sustainable farming is not an easy sell

"We want our farming methods to be sustainable, but we have to make this sustainable as a business also,' Kupers said. 'You can hug and kiss and talk about sustainability all you like, but this still has to pay the bills."

*****

The lowdown on topsoil: It's disappearing.

"While many worry about the potential consequences of atmospheric warming, a few experts are trying to call attention to another global crisis quietly taking place under our feet."

*****

Mudroom

The mudroom changes with the seasons. This time of year it's loaded up with snow boots, insulated coveralls, heavy coats, mittens & gloves, facemasks & hats. The bottoms of everyone's coveralls are caked in mud. A bucket of frozen water sits on a rug, thawing out so that I can take a fresh dose of hot water to the chickens and ducks.

Soon enough all of this will be replaced with sweatshirts, flip-flops, rubber chore boots, and balls - softballs, basketballs, footballs, soccerballs.

Not that I'm in any hurry.


1 year ago:

Winter cows

Ag Speedlinking: 01.21.08

Limiting sales of unpasteurized milk could be raw deal for farmers, critics say

"On Thursday, in the Statehouse, lawmakers and farm advocates unveiled legislation that would abolish the cap on raw milk sales and allow farmers to advertise their wares, a practice also prohibited under Vermont law."

*****

It's not easy being green

"organic farmers in Michigan complain that a number of factors have made it difficult for them to put their products on the tables of Michigan families: A downturn in the economy has hurt demand -- organic products can cost as much as double what conventional products do. And the economy has hurt the state budget, triggering cuts in funding for agriculture programs like marketing organic products."

*****

Unused school property slated to be edible garden

"The energy that goes into food production is not going to be sustainable," said Moss, referring to the oil and gas consumption involved in growing and transporting food around the world. "If anything happens, our Safeway will have two to three days of food. If we can get people growing their own food in their backyards, we create a sustainable food supply."

*****

Biobased economy should be more than just biofuels

"A recent example of this phenomenon is the production of camelina in Montana and other western states. This high-yielding crop is being commercialized outside the corporate structure of Monsanto or Pioneer/DuPont, and is moving forward thanks to collaboration between farmers, entrepreneurs, and university researchers. Talk of this new crop and its potential brings a smile to the face of many of us who have been frustrated by the vast amount of resources being expended on the main crops such as corn, cotton, and soybeans, while efforts to develop a diverse assortment of crops are limited."

*****

Weather fatalities

Bringing home the straw

You probably know, it's been brutally cold here this weekend. Morning tempertures have been at 15 below the last 2 mornings. We do our best to give everybody extra feed and plenty of bedding, then cross our fingers.

Saturday morning found us with a dead cow, and a dead feeder pig.

The cow had somehow got rolled on her back overnight Thursday and bloated way up. Matt got her rolled back up Friday morning. The bloating subsided but she never got to her feet. Our vet came in the afternoon, veined her and gave her fluids. Matt stacked cornstalk bales around her Friday night, but in her weakened condition the cold was too much for her.

The pig we think suffocated. Despite heavy bedding they piled and this one was at the bottom of the pile.

We're supposed to slowly warm back up into the 20's over the next week. 25 is going to feel downright tropical!


Didn't you bring anything for us?


2 years ago:

Saw "Walk the Line"

Picture of health

Weekend Linkity-Link : Subzero Edition

An extended, weekend version of links - both news links and some of my favorite posts from the blogosphere this week. Morning choretime temperatures have been 15 below zero the last 2 days. It's been extremely hard on the animals, but more about that in a different post. On to the links!

*****

Congratulations to Linda, on a $250k appropriation for a sustainable agriculture program and entrepreneurial farm at Marshalltown Community College! Read more about it at High Hopes Gardens.

That's a Cute Little Farmhouse and the ongoing saga of their new corn burner - any of you with corn burners out there have any advice?

The Homesick Texan posts her uncle Austin's granola recipe - looks yummy!

Angie @ Children in the Corn talks about her dehydrator - at my request. Thanks, Angie! I'm inspired to put mine to work this summer!

Ethan @ The Beginning Farmer is reviewing "Making Your Small Farm Profitable" by Ron Macher.

And three new-to-me blogs I'm reading:

Future House Farm - jump over and get in on Part 1 of 4 of their Rain Harvester expermiment.

Fast Grow the Weeds (ain't that the truth). Gardening in southwest Michigan (and now I remember who got me going on the feather-legged chickens!)

The Slow Cook - a great mix of recipes, nutrition and food facts.

*****

We need to tighten our belts...our days of cheap food are about to end
"That's what is going to have to change. We must value our food, expect to pay a reasonable price for it and stop wasting it. And our politicians must think very, very carefully about the wisdom of using precious arable land to grow fuel."

*****

Countdown to the 2008 Farm Bill: Part V
Direct and value-added marketing in the farm bill

We here at SCF are especially interested in passage of a provision to allow interstate shipment of state-inspected meat. Please consider urging the conference committee to adopt the Senate version in the final farm bill.

*****

Aurora organic dairy responds to lawsuit
"The dairy recently agreed to change some of its practices after the USDA found more than a dozen violations of organic standards, including the finding that cows had little access to pasture. The dairy was put on probation for a year but kept its organic certification."

*****

Munch munch

Attacking it from the bottom up

Not much to report from the farm this week. I've ventured outdoors as little as possible, leaving the chores to Matt & Madeline because baby it's cold outside! Saturday's high is forecast to be minus five degrees with windchills at thirty-five below. My job is to get busy in the kitchen and have hot food ready for them when they come in. I like my job.

The cattle stand around and eat their way warm, provided the wind isn't blowing too hard. In that case they go out and eat, then return to the shed to get out of the wind. The pigs burrow down in the hay in their sheds. The chickens don't come out of the coop. Those crazy ducks still fly back and forth to the creek. There's getting to be precious little open water left for them, though.




This calf's a boy. You know how I know? Because our veterinarian tagged the boys in the right ear and the girls in the left, because "boys are always right". Very funny, Dennis!


2 years ago:
Easter eggers

1 year ago:
Salmon Faverolle

Ag Speedlinking: 01.17.08

System for keeping tabs on animals irks farmers
"Opponents of the ID system say USDA actions are making the program virtually compulsory. Since 2004, USDA has pledged more than $51 million to states and farm groups to promote premises registration - but they must register a certain number of farms to get the money...

Some states have responded by registering farms in less-than-voluntary ways...

Michigan required any cattle leaving a farm to have radio-frequency ID chips with individual numbers. When one farmer refused, arguing that he sells from his 20-head herd only to people he knows, the state agriculture department showed up with a search warrant, sheriff's deputies and state troopers to tag and test his animals."

Anyone else think USDA is getting too big for its britches?

*****

New group sinks teeth into meaty issues
"According to Leopold Centre for Sustainable Agriculture a team of researchers, entrepreneurs, regulators and producer groups hopes to change the Iowa landscape for small, independent meat processors."

*****

Pennsylvania allows hormone-free milk labeling
"Pennsylvania resisted a lobbying push by Monsanto that sought to outlaw the labeling of milk that is free of artificial hormones."

*****

Is your food natural (and what does that mean)?
"[The USDA's proposed "naturally raised" label] still doesn't address the issue of raising animals in confined — and therefore unnatural — quarters."

Chicken still life

A Buff Orpington rooster, a Partridge Cochin hen, and a hen of unknown breeding.

I can't remember whose blog I read this on, but there was a comment made about feather-legged breeds. The blogger stated she wouldn't want them because they'd get muddy and wouldn't look pretty. Most of our animal breed choices are made on their function and usefulness rather than beauty. This Partridge Cochin is an exception, however, because she's one that Madeline picked out to show at the county fair.

I guess my experience has been that in spring (i.e. mud season), everything gets muddy no matter what kind of legs they have, or how many. During the bitter cold months of winter (our high on Saturday is going to be a whopping minus 1 degree) I figure the feather-legged breeds are poking fun at the naked-legged breeds. But if we lived in more tropical climes maybe they'd be miserable.

(Patti - I know the orp came from you, did the unknown hen as well?)


3 years ago
Back in School

2 years ago
Practical Farmers of Iowa

1 year ago
Whatch you lookin' at?

Mist rising at sunset

Ag Speedlinking: 01.16.08

Countdown to the 2008 Farm Bill : Part IV
The Conservation Security Program

*****

First, Plant Your Garden
An interview with Bill Mollison, the father of permaculture

*****

A three-parter!

First, Extreme Eating, by Joel Stein for Time Magazine. Not only is it anti-local eating, but he implies that eating local in Iowa means your menu will consist entirely of corn, soy, and pork.

Then, Edible Media: Anti-local yokel, a rebuttal by Tom Philpott at Grist.

And then, Typical bicoastal blather (An Iowa chef takes issue with Time's Joel Stein.) Kurt Michael Friese of Iowa City restaurant Devotay wonders "whether Mr. Stein has actually been to Iowa (outside of a presidential candidate's rally)."

*****

How to Cook : Ham

Wee Hughie was dying. Tenderly, his wife Maggie knelt by his bedside and asked, "Anything I can get you, Hughie?"

"No," he replied.

"You must have a last wish, Hughie?" asked his wife.

Faintly, came the answer. "A wee bit of that boiled ham over yonder would be nice."

"Ach, man, you can't have that," said Maggie. "You know it's for your funeral."

Ham is about as simple as it gets. I almost feel silly posting about how to cook a ham. But a couple of experiences in the past year lead me to do it.

One, a farmers market customer last summer. She was perusing the list of cuts I had on hand that week and couldn't seem to settle on anything. I suggested ham. She looked at me sheepishly and said in a hushed, confessional tone, "I don't know how to cook a ham."

And then this fall I was asked to supply the ham for a local foods lunch. I delivered the hams to the caterer and the day before the lunch received a phone call.

Caterer: "This ham is ready to slice and eat, right?"

Me: "No, it should be cooked first."

Caterer: "You mean just heat it up?"

Me: "No, cook it. Like a roast. You know, at 325 degrees for a couple of hours?"

Caterer: "Okay, however you want it fixed to best showcase your product."

Me (to myself): "Because giving everyone salmonella would be a great way to showcase my product."

Evidently the caterer had only worked with pre-cooked boneless processed ham. When I got to the lunch I asked her how the ham had cooked up for her. "Well, it has a bone in it! I had to slice it by hand because it wouldn't go through my slicer."

So here's how to cook a ham in 5 easy steps.



1.Buy a ham. According to the USDA, you should buy 1/3 to 1/2 pound of bone-in ham per serving.

2. If it's frozen, defrost it in the refrigerator overnight. Or you can do it in the microwave. Mine has a nifty "smart defrost" feature. I just tell it I'm defrosting meat, tell it how many pounds of meat, and the microwave figures out how long to defrost it. Nifty.

3. Take it out of the package, plop it in a pot, and put the lid on.



4. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Stick the pot in the oven. Depending on the size of your ham, cook it anywhere from 2 to 3 hours. Use a meat thermometer stuck into the center of the ham to check for doneness. The internal temperature needs to be 160 degrees.

5. Slice. Eat. Pat yourself on the back.

Now, you're going to have some lovely drippings in the pan when you're done. My mother-in-law always made ham gravy and served it over mashed potatoes. If you're feeling lucky, go for it. It's salty and decadent and your arteries will most definitely not thank you for it but just tell them to hush up and pump that gravy through your veins already.

The other way I like to spruce up ham is with a little brown sugar glaze. Mix 1 Tablespoon white vinegar into 1/2 cup of brown sugar. It will be thick. When your ham is cooked pour the drippings off it. Spoon the glaze over the ham and stick it back in the oven for 5 minutes. The glaze will thin out as it heats up. This glaze is especially good for sprucing up ham steaks, which are a rather everyday cut of meat.

There you have it. My ham novella. Go on, go cook a ham!

Ag Speedlinking: 01.15.08

I was actually thinking today I'd drop the Ag Speedlinking posts. Rounding up the links every day has helped me be more informed, which is good, but I was feeling like maybe the posts are cluttering up the blog. But then ang commented that the posts are helpful, so I guess I'll keep on with them. I'm going to be redesigning the blog bit by bit this year, so at some point I may try to move these to a sidebar or something. Anybody else out there have an opinion?

*****

Countdown to the 2008 Farm Bill: Part III
Organic production and research
The third in a series of five farm bill fact sheets from the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.

*****

MSU researcher finds renewed interest in turning algae into fuel
"The same brown algae that cover rocks and cause anglers to slip while fly fishing contain oil that can be turned into diesel fuel, says a Montana State University microbiologist."

*****

Livestock pollution turns off young Iowans
An op-ed piece from Sunday's Des Moines Register

*****

On the Farm 01.14.08

Here are a couple of cuties from the cow lot. Makes me want to draw a heart around them in my best 6th-grade doodling (and dot the "i" in "Kelli" with a heart, too.)


But then they get tired of looking at me and my camera and start messing around.


That black calf in the background looks bossy.


Pushing and shoving, shoving and pushing.


But none of it is very serious.

Ag Speedlinking: 01.14.08

Selling Strategies for Local Food Producers
"...these new market opportunities, particularly in farmers' markets, community supported agriculture (CSA), roadside stands, restaurants and cooperatives, require expertise in selling as well as marketing, production and financial management."

*****

Action Alert: Oppose USDA's Proposed "Naturally Raised" Label (Word document)
The deadline for submitting comments is January 28. This document gives some possible talking points to get you started.

*****

"Food & Faith - Listening for God's Call to Sustainability, a workshop by Michael Schut, (pronounced "Skut") a well-known educator and editor/author of two books "Food and Faith" and "Simpler Living, Compassionate Life", will hold a workshop/retreat at Walnut Hills United Methodist Church, 12321 Hickman Road, Urbandale, IA 50323 on Saturday, January 26, 2008 – 8:30 a.m.– 12:30 p.m. This is Free and Open to the Public. $10 Good will Donation Accepted.

*****

Cellulosic ethanol promises $1 per gallon fuel from waste
"The advanced new approach...promises to make ethanol cheaply and efficiently from virtually anything organic-based. The long list of possible sources include used tires, crop waste, sewage, household kitchen waste, yard waste etc."

*****

On the Farm 01.13.08

One of our handsome Muscovy drakes. All of the ducks walk around with mudballs on top of their beaks, a consequence of their rummaging through the cows' bedding pack. They clean themselves up either in the creek, or in a dishpan of water I set out in the chicken coop.