Reminder

Max the Cat

reminds

us

that

after the busy-ness

of this Harvest season:

Naps are in order.

Naps are always in order.

Rest is essential.

Molasses Season Complete

Sweet Sorghum Molasses season is complete. We are coming to know that such things are always "iffy". You never know how it will turn out, even on the Normal Years. This one was not. The cool wet beginning to the Summer, added to the deluge of Rains and High Winds left us wondering: Will we have Molasses or not? We Humans are so dependent on the Natural Order of Things.

The Crawford Family and Friends cooked off 4 total Batches at the Crawford Family Farm in Millard each of the last 4 weekends, with 1 Batch completed on a Monday because of Rains. Two Batches were from Sorghum Cane we planted here on Butterfly Hill Farm. Two were from Hollis' planting.

We decided a portrait of our stash was in order. By the way, those are 1/2 Gallon and 1 Gallon Jars. We are ever grateful.

Corn

October 2:

We have harvested our Popcorn and Field Corn "Crops". The Popcorn is a Purdue 410 Hybrid (Yellow) and Snow Puff Hybrid (White). The Field Corn varieties are Boone County White Dent Corn and Reid's Yellow Dent Corn. Our Seed Source was Shumway's.

We 3 C's harvested by Hand. You might just scratch your head and think: "My Goodness, there's no limit to the work those Crawfords would take on." Our Harvest took just a few minutes and volumewise, we could carry it in 3 armloads from the Big Field to the Deck.

We had hoped to produce Corn for the Chickens and the Humans. However, that was the Human Plan early in the Season.

The Corn Plants produced fewer ears than we expected. The ears were small and some were not completely filled out. Plus, our Neighbors, the Deer and the Raccoons, had taken what they thought was their Fair Share of the Harvest. We shall be deliberating on that.

All of our Farming Experiences come with a slate of Questions. We wonder about the effects of the deluges of Rains on our Growing Corn this Summer. The Plants were surely stressed. Were the Corn Plants fully pollinated?

Hummingbirds

Ruby Throated Hummingbirds have been buzzing about the 2 Feeders around the House the last few weeks. We often have Dinner on the Deck, while they are having their own Dinner at the Feeder. They dart about at high speeds, often pushing others away from the Feeder with high drama, and occasionally buzzing right between our gaping heads as we sit at the Table. We are in awe.

A little research tells us those tiny wing beats of Ruby Throats average 53 beats per second. I found this video clip of some Little Ones in flight. The clip slows their wings down so you can see the motion up close. Richard tells me their Heart Rates are about 600 beats per minute. They are such exquisitely tuned Little Packages of Life.

Over the years, we have noted that when Birds seem highly energized around Migration Times, they are soon to depart. Today, we have no Hummingbirds at the Feeders. Apparently, the normal date for departure in the St. Louis area is about October 15, at least according to http://www.hummingbirds.net/.

Richard tells me that Ruby Throats are headed for their Winter Homes in Mexico and Central America. Some fly directly over the Gulf of Mexico, non-stop.

Have a Safe Flight, Little Ones. We anticipate your return in the Spring. First sightings in 2008 for our area according to http://www.hummingbirds.net/ were April 19. I wonder when they will return. I wonder if they will be the same ones that have made their homes here in 2008.

The more I watch, the more I wonder. The more I know, the more I want to know. These are our Precious Companions on this Earthly Walk.

Wanted: Native Field Stones

As we settle into our Little Farm, we 3 C's are embarking on improvements inside and out. For our House, we plan to put a Wood Stove in the Family Room as a back-up heat source. Winters are far milder here in Northeast Missouri than in the Dakotas. But we still do have Winter and sometimes the Power goes out. Being prepared seems a smart thing to do.

A little more background: My Father passed 2 short months after we moved here. Papa was a Master Bricklayer well known in these parts for large and small projects of which he was a part. He planned to build us a Fireplace out of Native Field Stone for our new Home. He had built a Fireplace for our Home in North Dakota. His building one here was simply not meant to be.

As a Daughter and as Family Members of a Bricklayer of the Old Craft, we still want Stone Work in our House. This Little House wouldn't quite be Home without a touch of Stone. This time, we will install the Wood Stove with a Lovely Wall of Field Stones behind. The Stones will hold and release the Heat for those Cold Winter Days ahead.

After a search, the Mason has been identified. Kevin Burns learned the trade along side his Dad, who worked beside my Father. How cool is that? The Stove is Ordered and should be here any Day. A local firm, Peters Heating and Air Conditioning, will install the Pipe. All the pieces are in place, except for 1.

We brought Field Stones in our Treasures when we moved from North Dakota. Many were from the collection and gift of Ken and Toby. They graced our Garden in North Dakota for a number of years. More recently, People along the way have contributed Stones to our Cache for this very special purpose (like Dorreen, Sarah, Rachel, the Scotts). Just thinking about the Land from which these Stones come and the People who have offered them to us fills our Hearts with Song and our Home with Love.

But our pile is Short. We are looking for Field Stones especially from Adair County. We would like to have Stones from places where we have Family History. That would include the Family Farm in Millard, the Old Stukey Homestead site, perhaps Hart Country up in the Wilmathsville area, our little patch of Timber in the Southwestern part of the County. Who knows where else?

That may or may not be possible as Eastern Adair County has fewer Stones than Western Adair County. Perhaps we are talking about a Stone or 2 from such Cherished Places where our Ancestors once walked.

So we are looking for more Stones, hopefully from Adair County. We do not want the Land to be further Ravaged, so we don't want them pulled out of a Creek Bed, especially if those Rocks have been home there for quite a while. But if Folks have a Stone or 2, or a Pile of Stones that are ready to be passed on, give us a call. We have just the project. A Ton or 2 should do. We need to have the Pile complete by October 18, Richard's Mother's Birthday.

You could call it a Little House Warming.

A Lot Is At Stake

On this day,

I ponder

differences

in Foods

in 1955 and 2006.

In 1955, I was 7

and in 2006, I was 58.

In numbers alone,

I'd find 3,000 Foods

sold in Stores in 1955.

I'd be hard pressed

to find that

in Freeman Grocery,

a Mom and Pop store

on Harrison Street

where I bought Penny Gum or Candy

with that Copper Penny

clutched in my little hand

on my way

to Washington School.

I might find

that in Riley's 7 to 9,

a couple of blocks over.

But I doubt

such a vast array

would be found

in my Little Rural Town

off the Beaten Path.

In 2006, I'd find

45,000 Foods

sold in Stores.

As I cruise the aisles

of Stores that profess

to sell "Food" in 2008,

I must say

I do not recognize

most as Foods.

The Grandmas

of the 1950s

would cringe

at the "Foods" served up

to their Great Great Grandchildren.

This day, I ponder

some more besides.

I wonder about

the number

of additives

in Foods

between those 2 dates.

Who knows?

I ponder

the quality of Soils

in which our Food was grown

in those 2 dates spanning

just 6 decades

of my Life.

I wonder

the Chemicals

in Foods

between those 2 dates.

Whatever is

in those Foods

comes inside

the digestive tube

of the Hungry One

that is Me.

I wonder

the Diseases

arising these days

and their Connections

to our Food.

Some Connections we know,

others we have yet to ask.

We Modern Humans

are

a Chemical Experiment

of Vast and Unknown Proportions.

Those Grandma would say:

"There are

other ways,

Dear Family.

Keep it simple.

A lot is at stake."

~~~~

Data Source for 1955 and 2006:

Organic Gardening, Late Summer 2008, page 16.

A Country Dinner

September 30:

I spent the Afternoon with Mother in town today. When I arrived home, a Country Dinner awaited me. The aroma greeted me when I walked in the door. Richard had fixed Baked Ham, Scalloped Potatoes, and Greens.

As a brief introduction to the discussion of these wonderful Culinary Delights, we 3 C's on Butterfly Hill Farm are meeting our goal of eating mostly "Local Foods". That includes Foods we grow or those that are grown by Local Farmers. This is surely witnessed in this Feast.

The Baked Ham was processed at a local Meat Market. At the table, it was served up with sides of Apple Syrup and Peach Jam, both of which we had made. The Scalloped Potatoes included Veggies from our Garden (Potatoes, Leeks, Thyme, Parsley) and area Farmers (Leeks, Garlic, Onions). The Lemon Grass was from Kristina and her Family from their Family Farm. The Sauce included Organic Cheddar Cheese and Whole Milk from a Local Dairy. Richard used Flour to thicken the Sauce.

I love those Greens. This year, we had difficulty growing Greens. We just didn't get them planted because of the slow season and just too much to do. And then we looked around. Lamb's Quarter was prolific. This robust Plant is a Common Weed many People speak of with disdain. At the same time, it is a wonderful cooked Green. So we took the easy way out. We put away our Spinach Seeds, and harvested and froze Lamb's Quarter. Nature provided it. How easy was that?

Having a Meal especially prepared by those who love us is such a Gift. Eating in a Restaurant is not the same. In my book, such Food doesn't measure up. To top that off, the Meal was pure Country with mostly Local Whole Foods, no chemicals, and just the way Nature intended. It just doesn't get better than that.

Thanks, Richard!