Honestly we’ll answer to both!

No blizzard here on Saturday – 18 and sunny and perfect weather to bake up 42 pizzas for the Farmers Market. After clearing a path to the oven it was time to get creative with our winter larder and a little help from our friends at the Coop. We pulled frozen pesto, caponata, and wood-fired sauces from our freezer. Plenty of stored onions, garlic, and wood-fired dried tomatoes from the root cellar. Pears and wonderful cheeses helped us cross the threshold from plain pizza to artisan flatbread.

Oh yeah – we didn’t grow the walnuts either but we’re working on it!

If you have stepped one foot on our farm at any time in the last 10 years you would have had the pleasure of meeting Manfred. Otherwise known as Manny, Diggety, Stupe, Belvedere, Mr. Stink, and Friend, just to name a few of his aliases - Manfred inspired nonsense in all of us. He was a working dog in every sense of the word and his main job was to make people smile.

Manfred liked to have his hand (and head) in everything and could be counted on to oversee all operations.

He also knew how to relax when the day was done.

Towards the end Manfred had some really good days…

and some bad days.

Manfred’s spirit moved on yesterday. He touched us deeply while he was with us. We will miss him.

Pearl is certainly in mourning.

If we could all bring as much pleasure to people as Manfred did what a wonderful world this would be.

We did some shopping and wrapping this weekend just in time for the holidays! We brought home a 7 month old lamb that we slaughtered at the farm where it was raised. This event coincided nicely with this recent article published in Seven Days magazine – A Kinder Kill

We were able to take what we wanted from the carcass and leave behind what we didn’t want. Being newbies at this whole experience we left behind the head, only to remember later the Norwegian delicacy of  Smalahove

We even have a bottle of Aqua vitae!

Next time!

Lessons on Cutting Meat

What the heck have we been doing since our last post on June 20th? Goodness gracious we’ve been snoozing in the hammock under the big maple…right? Do we even own a hammock?

Well if you really want to know – we’ve been working on infrastructure. And boy are we tired of saying that to everyone we run across! Hi tunnels, chicken tractors, wood oven pavillion, just to name a few.

Summer CSA Farm Shares were great! The weather was great for growing but hard work out in that heat. Who felt like “blogging” at the end of the day…”slogging” more like it. Or even “flogging” if I could get a hold of anybody!

So now we’re getting ready to dig in for winter. Still harvesting. Still preserving. Winter CSA Shares are starting and we’re all excited once again. We love this life!

Even though the camera is never around when we want it we did manage to take a few shots this summer. Enjoy!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Two days before their final hours these birds are content and healthy.

If you think the chicken available at the grocery store looks like this 2 days before purchase think again.

Farm Shares started this week with tasty bunches of spinach, arugula, and pak choy plus HUGE head lettuces and gorgeous radishes. Everyone was craving fresh greens and it doesn’t get any fresher than “picked that day”. A variety of herbs are in full swing for u-pick harvesting with chives being the “feature” this week. Chives are ridiculously unsung. We love to mix minced chives with butter and mustard and slather under the skin of a Field Stone Farm roasting chicken. Try adding minced chives to your crepe batter (NOT that hard to make) and filling your crepes with just about anything savory. The flowers are a fun and colorful addition to salad by just pulling the petals apart and sprinkling on top. The flowering stems are not eaten (at least we don’t) but they make a lovely, simple flower arrangement. And don’t forget to add minced chives to your cream cheese for your bagel. Chives are a Spring treat so get out your scissors and start enjoying them.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.