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Jonah McFaddin part 2: The Plan
Three girls pile into the back seat with Hannah up front. She quickly turns to face them. “I brought a note to stick in Jonah’s locker.” Hannah waits for their reaction. It doesn’t take long. Three squeals of delight sound from the back, Mae’s being the loudest. “Let me see it!” Hannah hands them the Jonah Folder, in which is a folded piece of paper. Mae reads it out loud, “Jonah- I like your eyes. And your hair. Love, A secret someone. “Now,” Hannah instructs. “We need to watch him to see where his locker is, and once we find out…” The four girls divide the jobs. One is needed…
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Jonah McFaddin Part 1
“What’s going on?” the Farmer’s Wife asks to no-one-in-particular. And it’s a good thing, too, because no one answers. No. They’re much too busy for that. She asks again. And then, finally, she adds a name to her inquiry. “Hannah. What’s going on?” The girl herself looks up at her Mother and shifts, leaving the group of giggling girls who have made themselves into a circle. “Jonah McFaddin, that’s what,” she whispers, like that will mean something to her Mother. But, apparently, it DOES mean something to the seven or so girls encircled just a foot away, because that incessant giggling begins again. In fact, it’s a bit louder than…
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Measuring Time
The seedlings push up through the loose soil, a little more today than yesterday. Now. This is not a guess. It is a known FACT. And how is this, you might ask. Well. That’s simple. They are measured, that’s how. Oh. Just in time. There’s the Farmer’s Wife now, doing her measurements (Just as she does every day at this time, and also at nine and at three). Well, look at that bean–isn’t he just being re-dic-ulous? Yes, I should say he is. Puffing himself out like that–like the Farmer’s Wife won’t notice those types of shenanigans! And those tomatoes–do you see them–bending and swaying with the slightest breeze. Why,…
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Keep Improving Your Situation
There used to be a show on the television where they dropped two guys off in the middle of nowhere and saw if they could survive. One of them had a coin phrase and it was to “keep improving your situation.” Each day and sometimes each hour he’d look for ways to better his surroundings. Did he have water? Yes. Great. Now let’s work on shelter. Did he have shelter? Yes. Now let’s set some traps to get something to eat. To quote Disney, “He kept moving forward.” And that’s what we like to do here on the Farm. Do we have a garden planted? Great. Now, let’s look at…
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Plan for your Winter Storage Now: The Root Pit
Plan for your Winter Food Storage Now: The Root Pit Before refrigerators, people used many different methods to preserve their food. Many of which we have or will go over in detail on this site: Canning. Salting. Curing. Fermentation. Smoking. Food Cellars. And this, probably the most primitive of all: The Root Pit. It’s just how it sounds, a pit is dug, lined with straw, and root veggies (and a cabbage or ten) are stacked there, only to be covered with more straw, where they wait until the day a hungry farmer loosens the straw and pulls out the slightly brine-ee veggies for him and his family to have for…
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Plan For Your Winter Poultry Needs NOW
Plan your winter poultry needs NOW We have a small flock at the farm—about twenty-five chickens and fifteen turkeys. Of those, eight will make it to the new year: five of them chickens (four hens and a rooster) and three turkeys (two tinas and a tom—our breeding stock for the upcoming year). The rest will grace our table and for that we give thanks. And these eight will need to be fed. Now, in the Summer, that’s easy. There’s plenty of grass and grubs to go around. But in the Winter… Which leads me to the topic I’m addressing today. How do you keep that level of good nutrition up…
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The Runner
And, in case any of you wanted a bit of a sneak peek of the next The Farmer and his Wife book (The Farmer and his Wife’s Second Year on the Farm, scheduled to be released in May of 2022), may I humbly present to you, the Runner: The Farmer’s Wife has taken up running, this very day. She’s purchased the shoes and the clothes. See her there as she stretches her arms and legs? That’s how she she’s getting ready. Wow. She gets ready better than anyone I know. It’s been fifteen minutes and she’s still stretching. Wait a minute. Is she stalling? We better go ask her before…
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Zucchini Boats
The Zucchinis have started. And now we need to try to come up with ways to use each and every one. And our very fa-vor-ite is to make them into a boat and stuff them. And this is how it’s done: The tips and ends of each zucchini—you should have six small—are sliced off and set aside. What is left is placed in a pot of boiling water until the zucchini turns a brilliant green. They are removed and set aside to cool. And while that’s happening, a red pepper (or tomato, if that’s what you’ve got) is chopped coarsely along with a medium sweet onion and a clove or…
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Morning Time Saver: Instant Oatmeal Lots of Ways
Time gets away from us all, even those on the Farm, so little short-cuts are a big blessing. Like this jarred instant oatmeal—it’s all ready to be whipped up some busy morning when they have a million other things to do besides making breakfast. And it makes a great gift, too. There are several different versions, but they are all made the same: First, it is decided exactly how many servings are to be made, and the math done accordingly. I know, I know, but I have full faith in you. You can do this. Once it’s figured out exactly how much is being made, a large bowl is set…
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Cod Fish Filet de Mornette
There are a few dishes the Farmer’s Wife grew up with which still grace her table today (and from talking to a cousin or two, it appears Mema grew up with these recipes as well). Now, there are some the Farmer’s Wife never cares to eat again—that patty made from canned salmon, creamed with flour. Or that dried beef. No. Wait. She still makes that. But not the salmon. Salmon needs to be fresh or smoked or not at all. And then there’s this Cod. It has been known to be called Creamed Cod Fish, but that does not sound nearly fancy enough, so the Farmer’s Wife goes with the…
