Sunrise, sunset. Over and over again, yet always breathtaking. There have been many sunrises and sunsets since my last post. So what have we been doing since early May?
Here's a partial list:
Here's a partial list:
- Graduated a daughter, Olivia, from high school
- Celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary
- The resident midwife "helped out" 14 new babies
- Welcomed 23 new Galloway calves
- Seen the pastured poultry move into full production
- Begun our weekly appearances at the farmer's market
- Gardened
- Weeded (and weeded and weeded!) above garden
- Cut and baled hay
- Had a little fun in between all of the above
We would like to spotlight Olivia in this blog. The above picture was shot during the Senior Awards night at Merrill High School on May 26th. As a former student of Maple Grove elementary school and because of her fine grade point average Olivia was awarded a Walter and Mabel Fromm scholarship. This generous 4 year scholarship will be a tremendous help as Olivia pursues a teaching degree. She's enrolled at UWMC in Wausau for the fall semester.
Ollie's graduation on June 4th saw a gathering of siblings for dinner before the ceremony. Pictured here: top row: Flynn, Olivia, Gabriel. middle row: Seth (holding his daughter, Sylvee), Hannah (holding nephew, Calder), Emmy. Bottom: Willa (holding niece, Piper)
And...the main event: Olivia entering the field house for the commencement ceremony. Still a little bittersweet for the parents to see another child officially step out of childhood. Olivia left with Emmy and her children and by the next day had landed in New Orleans with them for a working vacation: Zac worked. Em, Ollie and the grandkids vacationed. It was a rare trip out of state for Olivia and her first trip on an airplane. We did our best to keep up with the weeds in the garden until our master gardener returned.
Many of you are farmer's market aficionados. We love them, too. For us we are so appreciative of the venue they provide for us to market our farm's produce directly to the customer...no middle man. Since the first Saturday in June Craig has been at the market on River Drive in Wausau each weekend. Three of those weekends there have been fresh chicken offered.
And sold out! There is also frozen grass fed beef by the cut, honey, and our Middle Sister soaps. Recently, Olivia harvested garlic scapes and Craig has offered these at his table as well. In fact, he was inspired to make a basket from
"found" items at the farm in the shape of a goat: Oh yeah! he calls it his "scape goat." If you want to know what to do with garlic scapes try this:
"found" items at the farm in the shape of a goat: Oh yeah! he calls it his "scape goat." If you want to know what to do with garlic scapes try this:
GARLIC SCAPE PESTO
1/2# organic garlic scapes, top bulbs removed and cut into 1" pieces
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 cups grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
Place scapes and pine nuts in food processor and pulse till a thick past forms. Add the parmesan cheese and pulse. With processor running, drizzle in enough olive oil to achieve a moist spreading consistency.
1/2# organic garlic scapes, top bulbs removed and cut into 1" pieces
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 cups grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
Place scapes and pine nuts in food processor and pulse till a thick past forms. Add the parmesan cheese and pulse. With processor running, drizzle in enough olive oil to achieve a moist spreading consistency.
