Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Wordless Wednesday
Picking rocks and running parts to the field. I don't know whose happier- Daddy or Ellie!
Monday, May 13, 2013
Mommy Mondays- Happy Mother's Day
Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful Moms in the world!
But, an extra special Happy Mother's Day to all the women involved in farming. Yesterday in South Dakota I am guessing that most farm wives spent their day hauling meals to the field, moving equipment, giving rides, and in some cases working in the fields. All while cooking three meals, taking care of the kids, taking care of livestock, and doing it all with a smile on her face!
I never used to think twice about being a farm wife. I love agriculture, I love my husband- seems pretty perfect. But I realize more and more everyday that it takes a special woman to marry a farmer. One that understands feeding cattle on Sundays, missing Christmas mornings because of chores, working all hours of the day and night for 2 months every Fall, going to work before 7 and coming home long after 5.
As a mom and a farmwife you pretty much have to know that being a single parent for a few months come Fall is a real possibility. Christmas morning can be replicated at 6 PM. Livestock always, always come before us.
And sometimes it means spending Mother's Day doing work. But, that's okay...because honestly my husband makes me feel so special for being a Mom nearly every day.
I love my role as farm wife, but nothing could be more special than playing Mommy to this little cutie. So instead of having a relaxing day all to myself, my husband planted corn, and I spent the day chasing her around the yard! But, before he put in a hard day's work he did make me breakfast. :)
Friday, May 10, 2013
Farming Friday
This week has flown by!
I had a mix of field meals and dinner table meals. And I had good intentions of getting some pictures of everything I cooked for those of you looking for meals in the field. And I completely, literally forgot. Just forgot.
We are farming away, and hoping to get most of corn planted before the end of the week. Yay for that!
My garden is still not quite planted. Potatoes are in the ground and have been for a few weeks now. I have everything bought, my seeds dug out, and my rough draft drawn of how I want it all to look, it just seems I haven't quite gotten to it yet!
We are still finishing up a few projects around the inside of the house and I am hoping by early next week we will have them all done. Mainly two projects really. Making a sunroom into a play room and a laundry room re do! Both are pretty exciting and I will share as soon as we get them completed!
Mother's Day is just around the corner. And I can't help but think back to last years Mother's Day when Elliette was so, so tiny. This year she can actually hammer out a "MaMa" if she really, really wants to! This year we will be in the fields on Mother's Day, but I am guessing my husband will still have planned something sweet that day, even if he can't be around. I love him for that.
To honor my farmer today, and all the farmers that are working around the clock to get their crops planted I thought I would share this info graphic I came across last week.
I had a mix of field meals and dinner table meals. And I had good intentions of getting some pictures of everything I cooked for those of you looking for meals in the field. And I completely, literally forgot. Just forgot.
We are farming away, and hoping to get most of corn planted before the end of the week. Yay for that!
My garden is still not quite planted. Potatoes are in the ground and have been for a few weeks now. I have everything bought, my seeds dug out, and my rough draft drawn of how I want it all to look, it just seems I haven't quite gotten to it yet!
We are still finishing up a few projects around the inside of the house and I am hoping by early next week we will have them all done. Mainly two projects really. Making a sunroom into a play room and a laundry room re do! Both are pretty exciting and I will share as soon as we get them completed!
Mother's Day is just around the corner. And I can't help but think back to last years Mother's Day when Elliette was so, so tiny. This year she can actually hammer out a "MaMa" if she really, really wants to! This year we will be in the fields on Mother's Day, but I am guessing my husband will still have planned something sweet that day, even if he can't be around. I love him for that.
To honor my farmer today, and all the farmers that are working around the clock to get their crops planted I thought I would share this info graphic I came across last week.
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| https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=619272528102806&set=a.393575227339205.106069.391586644204730&type=1&theater |
Monday, May 6, 2013
We Are In The Fields!
Finally!
We have entered Planting 2013. If you are following on twitter #plant13 is finally starting to take over my news feeds. What a wonderful feeling!
We had a pretty steady drizzle yesterday so we tore out some trees, vaccinated my cows to get them ready for next breeding season, and spent most of the day cuddling up with our Ella girl. She hasn't been this cuddly since she was a tiny baby. I know she must be feeling terrible if she stretches out her "MaMaaa" and just wants to sit on the couch and watch TV. She never wants to sit down, ever, and she absolutely is not into the television- at all. Not even a little bit.
It is my week to cook, which means two meals a day in the field. I did my baking on Sunday night, my meals are all planned. Veggies and fruits are all bagged and in the fridge in a basket. Now, with a sick little one I am so happy I have a slight over planning problem. It definitely makes things easier.
This last Winter I really focused a lot on my meal planning and my recipe binder. I have been compiling all the recipes I use a lot into one binder and have been slowly going through my cookbooks and adding those recipes to the binder. My goal is to have just binders of all my go to recipes, instead of a bunch of cookbooks I have to flip through all the time.
I have also been really trying to be more consistent about writing down exactly what I make for meals when I cook for our guys. Amazing as it may sound I do have days, and sometimes entire weeks, where I don't plan anything out. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen. I also find myself planning more for our noon meals than I do for our evening meals. So, I am hoping by compiling my completed meals in my planner at the end of the year I will have an assortment of meals that I can choose from. Hopefully eliminating the "What's for supper?" question I seem to have most nights.
My long-term goal is to have a better "eating" system down before Elliette reaches kindergarten! Ha! Before her I was fine to skip breakfast and lunch and make only one meal. Now, I have really been super focused on getting her her "colors of the rainbow" at every meal. And, we typically do really well. Which is really making me more scheduled about meal times.
I love my weeks to cook because it forces me to plan and stick to the schedule. Tonight I delivered supper to the field and shot this picture of my husband cultivating a field. Field cultivating loosens up the soil and gets it ready for planting. Remember when I talked about how are fields are like a big garden? Well, this is our big garden tiller.
We have entered Planting 2013. If you are following on twitter #plant13 is finally starting to take over my news feeds. What a wonderful feeling!
We had a pretty steady drizzle yesterday so we tore out some trees, vaccinated my cows to get them ready for next breeding season, and spent most of the day cuddling up with our Ella girl. She hasn't been this cuddly since she was a tiny baby. I know she must be feeling terrible if she stretches out her "MaMaaa" and just wants to sit on the couch and watch TV. She never wants to sit down, ever, and she absolutely is not into the television- at all. Not even a little bit.
It is my week to cook, which means two meals a day in the field. I did my baking on Sunday night, my meals are all planned. Veggies and fruits are all bagged and in the fridge in a basket. Now, with a sick little one I am so happy I have a slight over planning problem. It definitely makes things easier.
This last Winter I really focused a lot on my meal planning and my recipe binder. I have been compiling all the recipes I use a lot into one binder and have been slowly going through my cookbooks and adding those recipes to the binder. My goal is to have just binders of all my go to recipes, instead of a bunch of cookbooks I have to flip through all the time.
I have also been really trying to be more consistent about writing down exactly what I make for meals when I cook for our guys. Amazing as it may sound I do have days, and sometimes entire weeks, where I don't plan anything out. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen. I also find myself planning more for our noon meals than I do for our evening meals. So, I am hoping by compiling my completed meals in my planner at the end of the year I will have an assortment of meals that I can choose from. Hopefully eliminating the "What's for supper?" question I seem to have most nights.
My long-term goal is to have a better "eating" system down before Elliette reaches kindergarten! Ha! Before her I was fine to skip breakfast and lunch and make only one meal. Now, I have really been super focused on getting her her "colors of the rainbow" at every meal. And, we typically do really well. Which is really making me more scheduled about meal times.
I love my weeks to cook because it forces me to plan and stick to the schedule. Tonight I delivered supper to the field and shot this picture of my husband cultivating a field. Field cultivating loosens up the soil and gets it ready for planting. Remember when I talked about how are fields are like a big garden? Well, this is our big garden tiller.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Wordless Wednesday
We may not be able to get started with planting full force, but we aren't wasting daylight hours around here.
Long nights have started, giving rides to Daddy have started and We Love It!
Long nights have started, giving rides to Daddy have started and We Love It!
Monday, April 29, 2013
Late Planting...What Does It Mean Exactly?
In South Dakota in case you haven't been around the last few months or so we have had some pretty interesting weather.
No joke, one day it was snowy, rainy, snowy, sunny all within an afternoon. Crazy right?
Last year I remember being in the hospital in labor and we were over half way done with planting. That was around April 14.
I don't know if any farmer would really call planting this week "late" planting. But, it is planting out of the "norm" for the last few years.
What does it mean if we plant April 14 or May 14?
Think of all our fields as one giant garden. For all you gardeners out there, if you are like me you may time some of your planting.
For example, I know that I prefer to have most of my garden done before we start chopping silage or harvesting crops in September. So, I tend to plant on the side of early.
Every seed has a "growing season" or how long it takes before that seed reaches maturity and can be eaten. Green Beans are about 45 to 75 days, depending on the variety. I like to plant these early and finish my preserving before we start getting into our busy season. Plus, we like to enjoy them as much as we can through the summer.
Fields are a lot like gardens. Farmers tend to plant different types of seeds with various "growing seasons". A farmer can have one seed he plants or he could have a different type for every field he plants, if he wishes.
It can take anywhere from 90 to 120 "growing degree days (GDD)" before a corn plant reaches maturity. This number can vary depending on many factors- soil temperature, planting depth, residue that is on the topsoil, the type of tillage system that was used.
I can't tell you exactly how my husband and his brothers pick their seed every year. But, I can tell you that a lot of factors go into play. Seed companies come out with all sorts of new seed products every year. Pioneer alone has over 300 different seed types.
Farmers spend a significant amount of time comparing seeds to be used the following year. And sometimes you play the guessing game.
If last year we chose a seed corn that reaches maturity at 110 days and we plant on May 10th this year. We may be looking at it reaching maturity at the very end of August, beginning of September. But even that could be varied depending on the weather. So many factors go into play.
I wanted to give a little insight for those that are interested because we are going to be getting into the fields quite a bit later this year, due to that 12 inches of snow we got here a few weeks ago.
I am certainly no expert when it comes to planting a field. And most of this knowledge comes from my brain, from a college class that I was required to take. That now I am so glad I took because I ended up marrying a farmer! But, when in doubt just picture our fields as giant gardens and remember that each seed we put in the ground has a growing season just like your green beans.
No joke, one day it was snowy, rainy, snowy, sunny all within an afternoon. Crazy right?
Last year I remember being in the hospital in labor and we were over half way done with planting. That was around April 14.
I don't know if any farmer would really call planting this week "late" planting. But, it is planting out of the "norm" for the last few years.
What does it mean if we plant April 14 or May 14?
Think of all our fields as one giant garden. For all you gardeners out there, if you are like me you may time some of your planting.
For example, I know that I prefer to have most of my garden done before we start chopping silage or harvesting crops in September. So, I tend to plant on the side of early.
Every seed has a "growing season" or how long it takes before that seed reaches maturity and can be eaten. Green Beans are about 45 to 75 days, depending on the variety. I like to plant these early and finish my preserving before we start getting into our busy season. Plus, we like to enjoy them as much as we can through the summer.
Fields are a lot like gardens. Farmers tend to plant different types of seeds with various "growing seasons". A farmer can have one seed he plants or he could have a different type for every field he plants, if he wishes.
It can take anywhere from 90 to 120 "growing degree days (GDD)" before a corn plant reaches maturity. This number can vary depending on many factors- soil temperature, planting depth, residue that is on the topsoil, the type of tillage system that was used.
I can't tell you exactly how my husband and his brothers pick their seed every year. But, I can tell you that a lot of factors go into play. Seed companies come out with all sorts of new seed products every year. Pioneer alone has over 300 different seed types.
Farmers spend a significant amount of time comparing seeds to be used the following year. And sometimes you play the guessing game.
If last year we chose a seed corn that reaches maturity at 110 days and we plant on May 10th this year. We may be looking at it reaching maturity at the very end of August, beginning of September. But even that could be varied depending on the weather. So many factors go into play.
I wanted to give a little insight for those that are interested because we are going to be getting into the fields quite a bit later this year, due to that 12 inches of snow we got here a few weeks ago.
I am certainly no expert when it comes to planting a field. And most of this knowledge comes from my brain, from a college class that I was required to take. That now I am so glad I took because I ended up marrying a farmer! But, when in doubt just picture our fields as giant gardens and remember that each seed we put in the ground has a growing season just like your green beans.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Happy Birthday My Dearest Elliette
On April 14 we celebrated our daughter's first birthday.
She is our answered prayers, the light our life, the never ending giggles in our house, our middle of the night escapades, our leg grabber, Daddy's little helper, puppy tail grabber, and lover of all things food.
We celebrated her birthday with friends and family and I think she loved having her house full of people who were giving her attention.
She loved her birthday cake, and as you can tell by this picture was super excited to get her very own. Other than chasing all the other kids around I think this was one of her favorite parts of the day!
When she was all done I simply dropped her in the sink and hosed her down.
When we were putting her clothes on before everyone got here, at the last minute Daddy came out of her bedroom with the little pink strand of pearls he bought her for Christmas. The perfect touch!
I will be honest I am not sure who loved opening presents more, her or all the other kids.
Needless to say once everyone was gone I had to gather them all back up to get a good look at them so I would know which gift came from which person. But, it was just fine with me- I loved that everyone loved helping me with gifts...and I have a pretty decent memory when I set my mind to it.
I was so happy to see that postcards came back! From near and far. If you missed me blogging over at Real Farmwives of America, check it out to see exactly what I am talking about. I think this is something I will enjoy doing over the years and it will be fun to look back and see what special postcards everyone picked out for her.
It is bittersweet to see my little girl turning one...the last year has been momentous to say the least. There were times I wondered if I would ever get past the medical issues and be able to enjoy being a Mommy. I am happy to be healthy and I enjoy spending every day with Elliette, whether it's chasing her around and listening to her giggle, tantrums at nap times, checking cows, or having Mommy-Daughter days together.
All in all she is a pretty good little girl. She is already developing her personality and every tractor noise she hears outside is "DaDa". Everyday when we pull in to the shop yard in the ranger she immediately starts saying "DaDaDaDa"...I think the girl loves her Daddy and associates everything farm with him.
She only really says MaMa or MOM when she really, really wants me. To possibly pick her up or she wants something I have. She is truly her Daddy's girl-except at bedtime...then she is all about me.
She started walking at 11 months and insists on walking everywhere these days. When we had a few breaks in the weather I simply spent the morning walking around the yard with her letting her explore everything. She loves walks with me, going for rides in the tractor, and her puppies and kitties.
Drawing this last year to a close one thing I am really going to miss is filling out this. A calendar book for your little one's first year.
I have also been filling out a baby book, but my sister in law suggested this when I was pregnant and I loved it. It sat on our desk in the kitchen all year and I filled it out when we had visitors or did special things as a family. This is the last month. And I am a little sad. All it needs now is her birthday picture and the year is complete.
Who knows maybe she won't think these things are too special when she is older...but I love doing them for her and I hope she appreciates the memories.
To end our birthday celebrations I did this little card for all the gift givers and postcard senders. I wrote Thank You on the card and a short little personalized message.
All year I have been doing Ellie's little footprints for all the major holidays for grandparents, godparents, and us. This wraps up a full year of those little foot prints. It is really neat to look back and see how big her little foot has gotten.
I have always said that time moves fast anyway, this last year hasn't been any different. I miss the middle of the night snuggles. I miss sitting on the couch and just looking at her. I miss simply carrying her carseat where ever we go. I miss fighting over who gets to hold her with Jason.
But, I am so looking forward to our first beach vacation, more Mommy Daughter days, tractor rides without the carseat, chasing her around the yard, her first time in a swing, cuddling up to have popcorn and watch a movie, and most importantly watching her grow into a young woman.
We love you Ella Bella and can't wait for the next year of your life!
She is our answered prayers, the light our life, the never ending giggles in our house, our middle of the night escapades, our leg grabber, Daddy's little helper, puppy tail grabber, and lover of all things food.
 |
She loved her birthday cake, and as you can tell by this picture was super excited to get her very own. Other than chasing all the other kids around I think this was one of her favorite parts of the day!
When she was all done I simply dropped her in the sink and hosed her down.
When we were putting her clothes on before everyone got here, at the last minute Daddy came out of her bedroom with the little pink strand of pearls he bought her for Christmas. The perfect touch!
I will be honest I am not sure who loved opening presents more, her or all the other kids.
Needless to say once everyone was gone I had to gather them all back up to get a good look at them so I would know which gift came from which person. But, it was just fine with me- I loved that everyone loved helping me with gifts...and I have a pretty decent memory when I set my mind to it.
I was so happy to see that postcards came back! From near and far. If you missed me blogging over at Real Farmwives of America, check it out to see exactly what I am talking about. I think this is something I will enjoy doing over the years and it will be fun to look back and see what special postcards everyone picked out for her.
It is bittersweet to see my little girl turning one...the last year has been momentous to say the least. There were times I wondered if I would ever get past the medical issues and be able to enjoy being a Mommy. I am happy to be healthy and I enjoy spending every day with Elliette, whether it's chasing her around and listening to her giggle, tantrums at nap times, checking cows, or having Mommy-Daughter days together.
All in all she is a pretty good little girl. She is already developing her personality and every tractor noise she hears outside is "DaDa". Everyday when we pull in to the shop yard in the ranger she immediately starts saying "DaDaDaDa"...I think the girl loves her Daddy and associates everything farm with him.
She only really says MaMa or MOM when she really, really wants me. To possibly pick her up or she wants something I have. She is truly her Daddy's girl-except at bedtime...then she is all about me.
She started walking at 11 months and insists on walking everywhere these days. When we had a few breaks in the weather I simply spent the morning walking around the yard with her letting her explore everything. She loves walks with me, going for rides in the tractor, and her puppies and kitties.
Drawing this last year to a close one thing I am really going to miss is filling out this. A calendar book for your little one's first year.
I have also been filling out a baby book, but my sister in law suggested this when I was pregnant and I loved it. It sat on our desk in the kitchen all year and I filled it out when we had visitors or did special things as a family. This is the last month. And I am a little sad. All it needs now is her birthday picture and the year is complete.
Who knows maybe she won't think these things are too special when she is older...but I love doing them for her and I hope she appreciates the memories.
To end our birthday celebrations I did this little card for all the gift givers and postcard senders. I wrote Thank You on the card and a short little personalized message.
All year I have been doing Ellie's little footprints for all the major holidays for grandparents, godparents, and us. This wraps up a full year of those little foot prints. It is really neat to look back and see how big her little foot has gotten.
I have always said that time moves fast anyway, this last year hasn't been any different. I miss the middle of the night snuggles. I miss sitting on the couch and just looking at her. I miss simply carrying her carseat where ever we go. I miss fighting over who gets to hold her with Jason.
But, I am so looking forward to our first beach vacation, more Mommy Daughter days, tractor rides without the carseat, chasing her around the yard, her first time in a swing, cuddling up to have popcorn and watch a movie, and most importantly watching her grow into a young woman.
We love you Ella Bella and can't wait for the next year of your life!
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